Current Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Activities

July was a very busy month for The Oklahoma Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB). Below you will find a summary of activities we are currently engaged in. If you would like more information or what like to take part in any of the activities listed below please don't hesitate to give Bonnie Bellah a call.

• In an effort to coordinate perinatal activities in central Oklahoma, several meetings took place in July between HMHB and the Leadership of the Central Oklahoma Perinatal Coalition (COPC). COPC, an integrated broad based community organization of consumers, provider groups, agencies and, organizations, committed to building systems of access and comprehensive quality care to serve the health and social needs of women, infants, children and families, especially those most vulnerable, under served and uninsured. The purpose of these meetings was to build a partnership between COPC and HMHB and offer support to COPC in its on-going efforts to improve the health and well being of women and their families. HMHB hopes to serve as a bridge between COPC and other Perinatal Coalitions and activities across the state.
  
  If you live in central Oklahoma and would like to participate with HMHB and COPC, meetings are currently being held at the office of James Farris and Associates, 690 NW 63rd in Oklahoma City. Meetings are held on the third Friday of every month. There will be no meeting in August. The next meeting will be on September 15th from 10 am to Noon.

• Legislation encouraging businesses to support mothers who use their work breaks and lunch time to pump breast milk passed during the most recent legislative session. HMHB is taking part in a workgroup that is developing a process for workplaces to be recognized as “breastfeeding friendly” and will encourage businesses and other public places to show their support for breastfeeding moms by displaying decals that indicate that breastfeeding mothers are welcome. HMHB along with the Coalition of Breastfeeding Advocates will take part in the "certification" process for becoming a breastfeeding friendly work place and the distribution of decals to breastfeeding friendly businesses and other public places.

• HMHB met with several people in the Lawton area who are interested in participating in the development of a pregnancy/child birth education class for low income pregnant women. The lack of child birth classes in the area for those that can’t afford to pay was mentioned at a June meeting in Lawton. HMHB has made contact with a certified child birth educator in the area. She is participating in the development of the class and has agreed to do the classes for free. The Children First program is also participating. Classes would be offered for any pregnant woman no matter the gestational age. Participants would only attend one 3 hr class. The plan is for the classes to be offered once a month alternating between an evening and a Saturday Class, making them more available for working families. In addition to general topics such as anatomy and fetal development other topics would be incorporated such as the effects of drugs, alcohol and smoking during pregnancy, postpartum mood changes, and shaken baby. The group is currently looking into options for a place to hold the classes. HMHB will provide assistance in developing materials for the classes and will be looking for possible funding sources to help with the cost of other materials such as Child Birth Education posters, a doll, and “The Gift of Motherhood” book to given out to participants. HMHB would also like to be able to offer Wal-Mart Gift Certificates as an incentive for attending the class.

• An Informational meeting on postpartum mood changes was held in collaboration with Postpartum Support Oklahoma on July 27th. A partnership has been created between Postpartum Support Oklahoma and HMHB. Participants received updates from the most recent Postpartum Support International Conference. Discussions also took place about the current state of postpartum support in Oklahoma and what efforts need to take place in order to improve postpartum support for Oklahoma mothers. The collaborative relationship that has been developed between Postpartum Support Oklahoma and HMHB will be an on-going process. The two groups are looking into ways of getting the word out to providers and Oklahoma mothers about the support available through Postpartum Support Oklahoma and ways of building a true statewide network of support for those who experience postpartum mood changes.

Again, if you are interested in participating in any of these activities please contact Bonnie Bellah at 405-236-5437x108