Text4Baby

Hmmm, interesting - has anyone signed up for this? If so, what do you think? I might sign up just to see what sort of info comes through but would love to hear some feedback!

U.S. Chief Technology Officer Announces Launch of First Free Mobile Health Service for Pregnant Women, New Mothers

Technology Companies, Health Professionals, and Federal, State, and Local Agencies
Combine Forces to Provide Free Health Information Via Text Messages

Pregnant women and new mothers will be able to get health information delivered regularly to their mobile phones by text message at no charge under an innovative public service program being launched today by a coalition of mobile phone service providers, health professionals, and Federal, State, and Local agencies.

The new program, called text4baby, is a free mobile information service that provides timely health information to women from early pregnancy through their babies’ first year. The service sends important health tips that are timed to the mother’s stage of pregnancy or the baby’s age.
The new service, announced by U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra at a health technology conference in Washington, D.C., aims to use one of the most widely used technologies in America—the mobile phone—to promote maternal and child health. Information provided to moms through text4baby will help them take care of their health and give their babies the best possible start in life. Currently in the United States more than 500,000 babies – 1 in every 8 – are born prematurely and an estimated 28,000 children die before their first birthday, a rate among the highest in the industrialized world. Premature babies can face lifelong health and intellectual development problems.

“Text4baby is the first free mobile health service to be taken to scale in the United States,” said Aneesh Chopra, Chief Technology Officer for the U.S. Government. “We know that mobile phones hold tremendous potential to inform and empower individuals,” said Chopra. “Text4baby represents an extraordinary opportunity to expand the way we use our phones, to demonstrate the potential of mobile health technology, and make a real difference for moms and babies across the country.”

Chopra, who also serves as Associate Director for Technology within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, introduced the new service in a keynote address at a joint session of the Health IT Summit for Government Leaders, the National Health Information Exchange Summit, and the Eighteenth National HIPAA Summit.

Medical expenses for babies born prematurely average about ten times those for babies born after a full-term pregnancy. All told, premature births cost the Nation tens of billions of dollars—at least $26.2 billion in 2005, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Ninety percent of Americans have a mobile phone and texting is especially prevalent among women of childbearing age and minority populations, who face higher infant mortality rates.
“Getting connected to prenatal care and other services for a healthy pregnancy is a problem for a lot of women,” said Wanda Jones, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Text4baby provides pregnant women and new mothers with a new tool to obtain vital information that is critical to maternal and child health.”
Women who sign up for the service by texting BABY to 511411 (or BEBE for Spanish) receive three free SMS text messages each week timed to their due date or baby’s date of birth. The messages focus on topics critical to the health of moms and babies, including, nutrition, seasonal flu prevention and treatment, mental health issues, risks of tobacco use, oral health, immunization schedules, and safe sleep.

Text4baby messages also connect women to public clinics and support services for prenatal and infant care.

Many U.S. government agencies are involved in the design, outreach, and evaluation of text4baby, and will serve women and babies who learn about their services through the program. These include the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Defense Military Health System, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Participating carriers include: Alltel, Assurance Wireless, AT&T, Boost Mobile, Cellular South, Cellcom, Centennial Cellular, Cincinnati Bell, Metro PCS, N-Telos, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Verizon Wireless and Virgin Mobile USA.

Text4baby is an educational program of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition
(HMHB), made possible through a public-private partnership that includes more than 100 entities. In addition to the Federal partners listed above, founding partners include HMHB, Voxiva, the CTIA Wireless Foundation, and Grey Health Group. Johnson & Johnson is the Founding Sponsor, and Premier Sponsors include WellPoint, Pfizer, and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. The mobile health platform is provided by Voxiva and free messaging services are provided by participating wireless service providers. Implementation partners include BabyCenter, Danya International, Syniverse, Keynote Systems and The George Washington University. Other text4baby partners include national health professional associations; national NGOs; state and local government coalitions from across the country; and MTV Networks.

For more information on text4baby, visit text4baby.org.
For more information on OSTP, visit www.ostp.gov

Fun List of Facts

I was reading 40 Truly Amazing Facts About Babies and thought I would share as some of this stuff was a surprise to me :)

Nutrition Corner: What Can I Eat?

Pregnancy is an exciting time but also fraught with nutritional dangers around every corner! Or so many well-meaning friends and family members would have you think. It's difficult to determine what's valid information versus unfounded beliefs. So I thought I would put together a little post about the nutritional good, bad, and ugly during pregnancy.

Have you ever heard the phrase "You're eating for two?" Well, yeah, but the second person is initially the size of a walnut - not a full sized grown-up! It only takes about 300 extra calories a day to maintain a pregnancy. In fact, it takes more calories to maintain breastfeeding (about 500 calories) than pregnancy! We don't even expect women in their first trimester to gain much...maybe 5 pounds at most. At this time during the pregnancy, the baby is growing organs and body parts but not so much in size. During the second and third trimester we expect to see slow and steady weight gain, as this is when the baby is really growing in length and weight. Weight gain during pregnancy is based on your weight and height prior to pregnancy - your provider will discuss this with you and monitor throughout the pregnancy.

So what's good to eat????

• Colorful food is typically a safe bet - this usually means fresh fruits and veggies. Veggies are great for snacks as raw food and also wonderful when cooked - just don't overcook as many veggies lose some of their nutritional value. Be careful to wash fruits and veggies very thoroughly as many are treated with pesticides (which aren't so yummy). If organic foods are a possibility (can be more expensive), this is a great way to avoid pesticides and other chemicals. Removing the skins of veggies and fruits is another way to avoid exposure.
• Lean meats - protein is critical for your health as well as the development of the baby. Plan to eat lean meats, avoiding red meat as much as possible. Lean meats include pork and chicken. The occasional steak isn't the end of the world :p
• Other sources of protein include fish (more on this later), nuts, peanut butter, beans (black beans cooked with some salsa or pico de gallo are yummy!).
• The use of herbs and seasonings can create variety amongst meals.

Not So Good?

• Let's chat about fish...the March of Dimes website has a wealth of information about nutrition including fish safety. We want you to eat fish because of the health benefits (heart health, mood stability, development of baby's eyes and brain is boosted) however with some caveats. The big concern about fish is the accumulation of mercury, which is toxic in humans. Fish that live long lives (typically big fish) such as sharks, albacore tuna, swordfish, tile fish, etc should be avoided. Regular tuna, such as the canned variety is fine to eat. Fish consumption should be limited to 2-3 times a week, one serving each time. Absolutely no raw fish! Cooked or vegetable sushi is fine.
• No undercooked meat, poultry, or seafood. Skip the steak tartare while pregnant!
• Luncheon meats such as hotdogs, turkey, ham, etc should either be avoided or cooked until steaming hot.
• No lightly cooked eggs...and don't eat raw eggs....ewww gross, who would do that? Just be sure the eggs are thoroughly cooked.
• Avoid unpasteurized products such as cheese made from unpasteurized milk, unpasteurized milk and any foods made from it, juices.
• Avoid raw sprouts.
• Avoid deli foods as they can be contaminated with listeria, even if cooked.

And that pretty much sums of the do's and don'ts of eating when pregnant. Don't freak out if you ate something naughty prior to realizing you shouldn't have - very likely no harm will come of it.

Facebook

Slowly.....

Slowly....

Slowly, we are making our way into the 21st century! We are overcoming handicaps when it comes to internet technology....well, I'm actually dragging some of the others, kicking and screaming (not mentioning any names....Lynnette and Lisa).

We are now the proud owners of a Facebook group page for BWHC :) So, if you are on FB and want to keep up with us, see pics of staff, events, etc then look us up under Bethany Womens Healthcare.

Guest Post: Choosing a Birth Care Provider

~Choosing a Birth Care Provider~

Now that it is 2010 many of us want to concentrate on new beginnings. That may mean getting prepared for a baby. There are many different places to have a baby and a plethora of caregivers to choose from. How do you choose what is right for you? First, know your own personal style. Second, research as much as you can. Third, know your options..because there are a lot of them out there!

KNOW YOUR PERSONAL STYLE
Find someone that is a good fit to your personality. For example, do you feel more comfortable around doctors in white suits over more casually dressed but equally knowledgeable and trained midwives? Do you trust yourself before all others or like to hand over all responsibility to someone else? Are you a laid back earthy type or do you prefer going strictly by the book?

RESEARCH
Take the time to see what hospitals and/or birthing centers are near. Find out what services they offer in the maternity unit, what their C-Section rate is, what the staff/patient ratio is, and what procedures/policies do they go by.

KNOW YOUR OPTIONS
Connect with your care provider and ask questions. Your care provider may be an MD (medical doctor), a CNM (certified nurse midwife), a CPM (Certified Professional Midwife), a LM (licensed midwife-usually only for a particular state or area), or a DEM (Direct Entry Midwife-through apprenticeship program..though may not be licensed)

A doula or HypnoBirthing practitioner may also be part of your arsenal. A doula in Greek means "woman who serves". HypnoBirthing instructors teach hypnosis for childbirth. Keep in mind neither one is permitted/and or trained to deliver. They are there strictly to be of service to the mom's comfort and to assist w/dad's participation.

See if your care provider is open to you having a birth plan. This is a plan that tells the provider what your wishes are and what procedures you are in favor of or not (keeping in mind, above all else, safety first!) .

It is a good idea to create a birth plan that is adaptable if need be. One big factor is it depends on how healthy your pregnancy has been along the way. A healthy pregnancy tends to lean towards a normal, uncomplicated birth with little to no interventions needed. This allows for more choice and flexibility for all involved. A high risk pregnancy may need extra attention and may call for specific interventions.

So in a nutshell, no matter how or where you choose to birth, the most important thing to remember is be a conscious consumer. Interview those that you desire to assist you during pregnancy and birth.

Your baby will be the most special thing you have--so take the time now and know your options. Research, ask questions and enjoy the process!


Amanda Vermilion
HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educator
Birthing Mothers Budding Babies
amanda@bmbb.us
480-383-3283

I want to thank Amanda for taking the time to send me a blog post!

Here are some additional questions that you may want to ask a provider you are considering....

1. What is your (or the practice's) cesarean section rate?
2. Do you routinely cut episotomies?
3. When do you feel induction of labor is necessary?
4. If applicable - do you support VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean)?
5. How do you feel about natural childbirth?
6. How do you feel about doulas?
7. Do you provide labor support?

Don't be afraid to ask for a consult with any provider you are considering for care during this special time of your life! We (BWHC) offer free consults where we can answer questions, discuss our practice, and philosophy of care.

The Why Choose a Midwife video

Unfortunately, Our Bodies Ourselves had to remove the Why Choose a Midwife due to some complications related to licensing. It looks as though they are working on this and hopefully will be back up soon.

Why Choose a Midwife?

Haiti

I'm sure you are all aware of the tragedy that has been occuring in Haiti. This country has been struck by so many natural disasters and is already one of the poorest countries. If you are interested in giving help or volunteering, please go to International Medical Corp to find out how to donate or volunteer. One form of donating can be done by texting 85944, which will add a one-time donation of $10 to your cell phone bill.

Deliver My Baby

This website was created by ACNM (American College of Nurse-Midwives) to help women decide what type of provider they would gain the most benefit from. I don't really like the wording on the page - Who should deliver my baby? This implies that we deliver the baby when really, we just catch. After all, pizza is delivered, not babies. LOL!

Deliver My Baby Quiz