ACOG Postpartum Toolkit

Often referred to as “The Fourth Trimester,” the weeks after birth are a critical time for a woman and her infant, setting the stage for long-term health and well-being. This comprehensive toolkit, with an introduction by Dr. Haywood Brown, includes extensive resources on the key components of postpartum care, including support for new mothers, reproductive life planning, infant care, counseling for substance use, long-term weight management, and many more pertinent topics. It also features a sample postpartum checklist for women to complete.

Alcohol/Drug Services Breastfeeding Chronic Disease Depression Healthy Weight Immunization Intimate Partner Violence Reproductive Life Planning/Family Planning Safe Sleep Tobacco Cessation

ACOG Committee Opinion on Optimizing Postpartum Care

Because one half of all pregnancy-related maternal deaths occur postpartum, the weeks following childbirth are a critical period for a woman and her infant. In addition, health issues that arise in pregnancy can persist and presage long-term medical problems. In this Committee Opinion, ACOG lays out a new vision for postpartum care, redefining it as an ongoing process beginning within the first 3 weeks postpartum and tailored to a woman’s needs. The document includes practical advice on postpartum care as well as useful charts including a Timeline for Postpartum Care, a listing of The Components of Postpartum Care, and a table identifying Members of the Postpartum Care Team.

Breastfeeding Chronic Disease Depression Reproductive Life Planning/Family Planning

Building on Campaigns with Conversations: An Individualized Approach to Helping Families Embrace Safe Sleep & Breastfeeding

This series of learning modules is designed for a range of health professionals, human service providers, community health workers, home visitors, and peer supporters who interact with families on topics of safe sleep and breastfeeding. The modules are designed to help users understand the Conversations Approach and gain the knowledge and skills needed to implement it to promote breastfeeding and safe sleep practices. Modules cover: A New Approach, How Babies Sleep and Eat, Understanding Current Recommendations, Anticipating Reluctance and Refusal, Respectful Dialogue and Structure of a Conversation,Creating Plans to Support Family Decisions, and Putting It All Together to Make a Difference.

Breastfeeding Parenting Education Safe Sleep

WHO Guidelines for Identification and Management of Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders in Pregnancy

This 244-page publication contains detailed guidelines and recommendations on the identification and management of women who are pregnant or postpartum and use alcohol or drugs or have a substance use disorder. It includes extensive information on screening and brief interventions, psychosocial interventions, detoxification and quitting programs, pharmacological treatment, breastfeeding and maternal substance use, and management of infants exposed to alcohol and other psychoactive substances. The document also features a comprehensive review of the evidence behind the recommendations.

Alcohol/Drug Services Breastfeeding Prenatal Care and Education Risk Assessment

Moms2B

Moms2B provides weekly education and support sessions for expectant mothers to promote healthy lifestyle choices and link women with support services. Topics covered include: breastfeeding, child development, family planning, goal setting, prenatal labor and delivery, maternal-infant health, positive parenting, reproductive health, and safe sleep. Moms2B is provided free of charge, with transportation assistance, on-site childcare and a hot, healthy meal. Ohio State University and community social service organizations support Moms2B participants with ongoing access to healthcare providers, lactation counselors, social workers, parenting educators and community health workers. The Moms2B program is based on an evidence-based pilot curriculum shown to increase breastfeeding and improve infant health.

Breastfeeding Nutrition Parenting Education Prenatal Care and Education Reproductive Life Planning/Family Planning Safe Sleep

MotherToBaby

MotherToBaby, a service of the non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists, is dedicated to providing evidence-based information to mothers, health care professionals, and the general public about medications and other exposures during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Talk directly to the experts behind the most up-to-date research!

Alcohol/Drug Services Breastfeeding Prenatal Care and Education

Guidelines for Identification and Management of Lead Exposure in Pregnant and Lactating Women

This is a comprehensive source of information on the risks of exposure to lead during pregnancy and lactation. It contains detailed information on sources of lead exposure in adults, and known risks of lead on the mother, developing fetus, and infant. Sample screening tools for assessing possible exposure, and information on management of women found to have elevated lead levels are also included.

Breastfeeding Prenatal Care and Education Risk Assessment

Family Spirit

Family Spirit is an evidence-based early childhood home-visiting program designed for and by American Indian communities. Family Spirit combines the use of paraprofessionals from the community as home visitors and a culturally focused, strengths-based curriculum as a core strategy to support young families. From pregnancy through the child’s 3rd birthday, parents gain knowledge and skills to promote healthy development and positive lifestyles for themselves and their children. Family Spirit addresses intergenerational behavioral health problems, optimizes local cultural assets, and overcomes deficits in the professional health care workforce in low resource communities. Evidence from three randomized controlled trials has documented important results including: increased parenting knowledge and involvement; decreased maternal depression; increased home safety; decreased emotional and behavioral problems of mothers; and decreased emotional and behavioral problems of children. The Family Spirit curriculum modules cover: Prenatal Care, Infant Care, Your Growing Child, Toddler Care, My Family and Me, and Healthy Living.

Alcohol/Drug Services Breastfeeding Depression Home Visiting Parenting Education Partner Involvement Prenatal Care and Education Reproductive Life Planning/Family Planning Socio-emotional Development for Children

Ask the Expert: Parenting Children from Birth to Age 2

This webinar will focus on helping Healthy Start team members:

  • Support participants in making healthy parenting choices
  • Assist parents in creating safe environments for their young children
  • Reinforce and clarify the advice and recommendations of babies’ health care providers
  • Identify and help parents recognize warning signs that a baby or young child may be at risk.

Objectives:

  1. Describe recommendations for care of a child from birth to age 2.
  2. Discuss the importance of recommended well baby checks and describe tests and procedures that are performed during these visits.
  3. Identify warning signs that a baby or toddler may be at risk for medical or developmental problems.

Webinar Materials:

Breastfeeding Depression Father/Partner Involvement Immunization Insurance Coverage Intimate Partner Violence Nutrition Parenting Education Patient-centered Medical Home Risk Assessment Safe Sleep Socio-emotional Development for Children Tobacco Cessation

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