Perinatal Health

Perinatal health relates to the health of women and babies before, during, and after birth.

Maine CDC works with healthcare providers, Maternal Fetal Medicine and other specialists, hospital systems, public health programs, community agencies and families to increase awareness of perinatal health issues to improve health of women, mothers and infants.

6 for ME Breastfeeding Learning Collaborative
June 1, 2016, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

MaineGeneral Medical Center-ACH, Augusta

The 6 for ME Breastfeeding Learning Collaborative is designed for all perinatal professionals working with mother baby dyads in the healthcare system. The Collaborative will provide the latest research on exclusive breastfeeding, formula and the microbiome, a panel discussion on the 4D Pathway to Baby Friendly Designation, tools for meeting the Joint Commission Perinatal Core Measure, strategies for talking with colleagues and mothers about breastfeeding and formula and steps to creating a comprehensive breastfeeding policy. 6.0 Contact hours have been approved for nurses. Maine Medical Center Department of Nursing is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Presenters:

  • Dr. Bonny Whalen, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, New Hampshire
  • Lisa Lamadriz, RN, BS, IBCLC, New Hampshire Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding
  • Joyce Kelley, RN, BSN, MPH, New Hampshire Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

There is no cost but registration is required.
Register at: Eventbrite
View the Agenda

The 6 for ME initiative is providing assistance and support to Maine healthcare professionals and birth hospitals to adopt six of the evidence based "The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding". The goal is to improve breastfeeding duration and exclusivity for Maine mothers and infants.

Examples of perinatal health issues are:

  • Access to prenatal care, including care related to complications
  • Use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs, marijuana and other illegal substances during pregnancy
  • Birth defects, like spina bifida
  • Maternal medical conditions that affect pregnancy like diabetes, obesity, and hypertension
  • Unnecessary labor induction and C-sections
  • Premature birth and low birth-weight babies
  • Breastfeeding
  • Infant mortality, including infant sleep-related death
  • Shaken Baby Syndrome, sometimes call abusive head trauma

Specific Priorities in this area:

  • Promoting physiologic birth to reduce unnecessary C-sections
  • Increase the number of infants who sleep in safe sleep environments
  • Improve initiation and duration of breastfeeding
  • Reduce the percent of pregnant women who smoke

For more information contact:
Angie Bellefleur, MCH Program Manager
Tel: (207)287-4802
TTY: Maine relay 711
Fax: (207)287-4743
Email: angie.bellefleur@maine.gov