Kristi Wells’ Post

Winter weather is in full swing, with snow, ice and freezing temperatures expected across the country and experts sounding the alarm about the importance of being prepared. That's especially important for babies and young children, who experts say are particularly sensitive to the effects of extreme weather. “Babies are especially vulnerable to cold due to the fact that they have a large body surface area compared to their size, which causes them to lose heat more rapidly,” Dr. Esther Liu, chair of pediatrics and director of group-based care at University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center, “Additionally, they don’t have the ability to regulate their temperatures as well when they are young,” she adds. According to Dr. Tiorra Ross, a practicing pediatrician in Houston, a lack of communication skills can also complicate matters. “Cold weather is more dangerous to infants and younger children because they cannot communicate to their caregiver their symptoms and express that they are cold." It’s important, then, to bundle up and take other precautions to keep little ones warm. But how much bundling is too much? And how long should kiddos stay outside when the snow is piled up on the ground? As families from Texas to the Midwest bring out their space heaters and snow pants and brace for extreme weather, experts share how parents can best protect their kids. “Getting wet will drop body temperature more because you lose more body heat through wet skin,” she explains. Additionally, wind chill can make a significant difference in staying safe out in the cold. “If (it’s) below -15 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s a good day to play inside. The risk of hypothermia and frostbite is in minutes of exposure,” Dr. Tracy Butler, a pediatrician and medical director at Pediatrix Primary and Urgent Care of Colorado - “Proper clothing and time limits can help avoid this complication.” #childrensafety #children #childcareagency #childcarenannyagency #childcareagency #childcare #cold #stayingwarm #safetyfirst

According to a 2022 report from March of Dimes, access to maternal healthcare has become increasingly more unobtainable for many patients throughout the United States, with more than one-third of U.S. counties considered maternity care deserts. Today on Maternal Health Awareness Day, help Lamaze raise awareness about the maternal access crisis in the United States. As childbirth educators, we can all play a role in raising awareness about how access to maternal healthcare is at risk in your community and how the lives, health and safety of patients depend on the development of programs and initiatives to restore and protect access to care. Share this post if you support access to maternal health care! American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) American College of Nurse-Midwives American Association of Birth Centers, Inc. Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) #MaternalHealthAwarenessDay #LCCE #Childbirtheducators #MaternalHealthCrisis

For the past few months we have been working with an incredible group of pediatricians to integrate collaborative maternal and infant health support into a primary care model. During our half day yesterday in the office, we were able to talk to 8 families during well check visits about their day to day with their newborns. We discussed: 👉🏼Mourning changes to a feeding plan 👉🏼The loss of a breastfeeding journey 👉🏼The difficulty and stress of early motherhood 👉🏼The transition from 1 to 2 children 👉🏼The effect of a medically complex sibling on family dynamics 👉🏼Mental health and managing newborn sleep patterns 💕And provided constant validation to these amazing mothers and families who are raising incredible babies. As infant and maternal health occupational therapists, we have the expertise to address so many topics that come up for families during the first 3 months of life. It has been incredible to start to figure out what we can do in terms of education and support during this exciting, tumultuous and vulnerable time for families in partnership with their pediatric primary care providers. More to come on this project and what we have been doing as infant and maternal occupational therapists in the primary care setting! Do any of you have experience in the primary care setting? We want to know about it! Message us or share in the comments! #otinprimarycare #ot4primarycare #maternalhealthot #perinatalot #otinmaternalhealth #maternalmentalhealth #occupationaltherapy #ot #matrescence #matrescenceot

** DM us for info on discounts ** The Free From Harm training is an unique and exclusive opportunity to learn how to identify obstetric violence, support patients and coworkers when it occurs, and learn tools to take care of yourself after experiencing a traumatic event at work. Key benefits of the course are: Groundbreaking Content: Our Free from Harm course is meticulously designed to provide in-depth knowledge on Obstetric Violence, its impact, and strategies to prevent and address it. Ethical and Evidence-Based: At White Ribbon Alliance, our commitment to ethical and evidence-based practices aligns with the core values of this program. You can trust that the content is reliable and up-to-date.  Compassionate Approach: We understand the importance of compassion in healthcare. Our training emphasises a compassionate and inclusive approach to perinatal care, fostering a supportive and confidential environment for all participants.   Advocating for Change: By participating in this course, you will be contributing to the broader movement to improve outcomes for marginalised and minoritised groups, particularly focusing on Black Maternal Health.  Free From Harm not only enhances midwives’ understanding of obstetric violence and its impact on women, it helps them to recognise the harms that occur within the system itself, including to themselves. By considering how poor morale and working conditions contribute to rising rates of birth trauma and maternal mortality, as well as worsening staff retention and mental health, exploration of this sensitive topic goes deeper than surface level. Through wider discussions, practical tools, and group activities within the training, confidence in addressing harm increases. At its conclusion, midwives are better equipped with the knowledge, support, and skills to minimise obstetric violence, and empowered to advocate for their own well-being too. TO ENROL IN FREE FROM HARM, visit www.freefromharm.co.uk. #midwife #midwives #maternity #obgyn #FreeFromHarm #obstetrics

HealthySteps (ZERO TO THREE) partners developmental specialists with pediatricians to better serve patient families. Dr. Patricia Hickey, pediatrician, discusses how the program has been beneficial at Children’s Minnesota and why it’s important: https://bit.ly/3SdekFp #TheKidExperts

The Free From Harm training course is an unique and exclusive opportunity to learn how to identify obstetric violence, support patients and coworkers when it occurs, and learn tools to take care of yourself after experiencing a traumatic event at work. Key benefits of the course are: Groundbreaking Content: Our ‘Free from Harm’ full course is meticulously designed to provide in-depth knowledge on Obstetric Violence, its impact, and strategies to prevent and address it. CPD Approved: Our program is CPD accredited , ensuring that you receive recognised professional credits upon completion, further advancing your career.  Ethical and Evidence-Based: At White Ribbon Alliance, our commitment to ethical and evidence-based practices aligns with the core values of this program. You can trust that the content is reliable and up-to-date.  Compassionate Approach: We understand the importance of compassion in healthcare. Our training emphasises a compassionate and inclusive approach to perinatal care, fostering a supportive and confidential environment for all participants.   Advocating for Change: By participating in this course, you will be contributing to the broader movement to improve outcomes for marginalised and minoritised groups, particularly focusing on Black Maternal Health.  Additionally, Free From Harm not only enhances midwives’ understanding of obstetric violence and its impact on women, it helps them to recognise the harms that occur within the system itself, including to themselves. By considering how poor morale and working conditions contribute to rising rates of birth trauma and maternal mortality, as well as worsening staff retention and mental health, exploration of this sensitive topic goes deeper than surface level. Through wider discussions, practical tools, and group activities within the training, confidence in addressing harm increases. At its conclusion, midwives are better equipped with the knowledge, support, and skills to minimise obstetric violence, and empowered to advocate for their own well-being too. TO ENROL IN FREE FROM HARM, visit https://zurl.co/C4tm. #midwife #midwives #maternity #FreeFromHarm

What is today’s high-impact practice (HIP)? Postabortion Family Planning (FP)! Offering contraceptive counseling and services as part of facility-based childbirth care prior to discharge from the health facility is a family planning high-impact practice. EngenderHealth, in partnership with USAID MOMENTUM and other key partners, recently launched a historic #CallToAction in support the scaling-up of postpartum and postabortion family planning as critical interventions within Universal Health Coverage and Primary Health Care frameworks, including immediate postpartum FP and postabortion FP. How do we scale-up this HIP? 👉Integrate PPFP and PAFP across the six health system building blocks identified by the World Health Organization, with an emphasis on the stewardship, governance, and leadership elements that enable adequate health financing and workforce allocation. 👉 Engage communities to address stigma, bias, social, and gender norms, and to understand client motivation and needs for accessing PPFP and PAFP services, including via digital tools. 👉 Engage and strengthen the private sector, support the bundling of services, expand what the private sector can provide, facilitate public-private partnerships, and assure quality. 👉 Strengthen health information system coverage indicators for counseling and measurement of voluntary PPFP and PAFP uptake for more reliable data from both the public and private sectors. 👉Reallocate financial resources for equitable access, including transition of public resources to focus on the underserved; strengthen subsidized and commercial models for those who are able to pay. Download the Call To Action: https://loom.ly/X3ibU3U FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics), FP2030, International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), Jhpiego, Samasha Medical Foundation, Save the Children US, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),Nivi, Inc. #FamilyPlanning #SRHR #HIPs4FP

In case you missed it, our Chief Executive/Founder was quoted in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Maternal Health Alliance Compendium, released earlier this year, in reference to PUSH’s mission and working together to mitigate the maternal health crisis. “The mission of PUSH is to provide a trusted partnership and support system for women, moms, and families through all phases of pregnancy, including pre-conception and postpartum. Our program is built on the foundation of Community Health Workers with continued growth as an integrated approach to care. This consists of CHWs, doulas, midwives, and public health practitioners working collaboratively with clinical and medical providers. One of the challenges that we have experienced is connecting with the hospital system. As we know, the work that we do, no single community-based organization can do it alone.” Link to the full report: https://lnkd.in/gsgPMBq5  

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBS Association) is launching a groundbreaking initiative to improve maternity care in over 600 US hospitals, with a strong focus on closing racial and ethnic disparities. What's changing? - Health equity joins the criteria for Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care, ensuring recognized providers excel in both quality and equity. - Stringent equity measures aligned with BCBSA's national health equity strategy prioritize closing care gaps affecting Black women, who are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes. Benefits for everyone include: - Higher quality and safer maternity care. - Reduced racial and ethnic disparities in care. - Cost savings for BDC+ facilities. - Improved birthing experiences through doula support. - Enhanced preparedness for obstetric emergencies. The journey continues: - BCBSA plans to support non-qualifying providers in meeting the criteria. - The program is designed for continuous improvement and expansion. Learn more: https://hubs.ly/Q02gBSSC0

🏥 The recent UK Government's Birth Trauma Inquiry has shed light on the urgent need for a transformative approach to maternity and postnatal care services in the UK. 💡 Read our latest FREE E-Guide which highlights the opportunities from the report to enhance patient well-being and safety: https://lnkd.in/eQEysADR By integrating the Birth Trauma Report’s recommendations with the accreditation services provided by CHKS, maternity services can achieve substantial improvements, ensuring safer, more effective, and compassionate care for mothers and their families. 👉 Discover more about CHKS' assurance in Maternity and Neonatal Care: https://lnkd.in/ek4xkJgt #maternitycare #birthoutcomes #healthcare #CHKS #NHS