4 minute read
Vendor Writing
MyBaby4Me: An Organization That Helps Mom’s-To-Be With Their Unique Needs
BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
While I was out exploring nature at Radnor Lake State Park, I met Lorraine Brown.
She and her husband Ed (a retired pediatrician) came to Tennessee on a mission from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to help primarily disadvantaged Black women have a more successful outcome to their pregnancy as a part of the non-profit organization MyBaby4Me.
Why is this SO important? Black women have a higher maternal mortality rate than women of other races. In fact, the U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income countries.
Just how prevalent is this problem in our area? The maternal death rate among Black women is 3-4 times higher than women of other races. Perhaps even more astonishing is the fact that up to 84 percent of these deaths are preventable!
MyBaby4Me is a non-profit organization that was created to change that. How? MyBaby4Me assists expectant and new mothers offering various types of support to increase the chances of a healthy outcome for mother and baby. Although the program is primarily focused on Black women, it is open to ALL women in their target area of the 37208 zip code.
Their ultimate goal is to lower the mortality rate of moms and babies in Tennessee.
In 2023, Tennessee ranked 11th in the country in infant mortality. One recent report from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF. org) dated Oct. 2024 stated infant mortality rates are as high as 54.9 per 100,000 live births among the Black community. In an effort to lower these staggering statistics, each new mom who enters the program is asked about their access to prenatal care. If they have no access to this vital care, MyBaby4Me helps to get them insurance, find a medical provider, and schedule appointments for them to get the care they need.
Their care and concern DOES NOT end there. They also conduct home visits to further determine a family’s needs and to gain insight into the mother's healthcare history to assess their potential for premature birth and other needs.
MyBaby4Me also has educational classes that they say serve as the primary line of defense against maternal and infant mortality. The classes cover a variety of topics from budgeting to meal prep, etc. MyBaby4Me believes that educated mothers will be able to recognize and respond to risks to their own health and their baby's health.
These classes are held at The Mcgruder Family Resource Center at 2013 25th Ave., Nashville, Tn 37208 at the following times:
Mondays from 4-6 p.m.
Thursdays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Every third Saturday of the month from 9-11 a.m.
During these classes expectant and new parents learn:
How to care for ALL members of the family
How to build relationships with others who have a similar experience.
That in turn leads to a happier healthier outcome for moms, babies and families. On that note, something I thought was unique to the program is that they encourage prospective fathers and other family members to attend.
There are additional benefits to attending these classes too. Every mother who attends receives a small bag of groceries, a gift card to buy groceries, and a bag of diapers and wipes. These items are given as incentives to moms who attend the entire class and are given once a week. You can even enjoy a hot meal while you’re there! If transportation is an issue, assistance is available with that too!
Other assistance offered to those in the program include:
Help for those with food insecurity
Help creating home safety and security
Though they have limited resources, they also offer emergency financial assistance with rent, utilities, and other expenses.
MyBaby4Me is also supported by the following partner agencies:
The Metro Nashville Health Department
Meharry and Vanderbilt Universities
St. Thomas Hospital
The Tennessee Justice Center
Hannah Dudney, an OBGYN with the Tennessee Department of Health, visits MyBaby4Me monthly to discuss maternal health issues including postpartum depression. They also educate participants on the affects of substance abuse and drug use as well as providing smoking cessation techniques.
All of this is done to further educate those in the program about issues that may arise in the family, and to ensure the birth of healthier babies which leads to happier families, which in turn, helps the new parents be the best they can be, and ultimately to achieve the best possible outcome not just for mom and baby, but ALL members of the family.
If you know someone who could benefit from the services they provide, why not check them out? They are ALWAYS looking for new clients!
If you’d like to donate by cash or check, or make a donation in kind ie (a non-monetary offer of goods and services), or if you have items you’d like to donate that need to be picked up, please call: 1-385-530-4900.
