What’s at Stake: Maternal Mortality & Honoring Maternal Health Day

Are you aware of the maternal health crisis that is happening every day? Or that there is a Maternal mortality rate in every city in the United States? January 23, 2025, is Maternal Health Awareness Day. If you weren’t previously aware, we’re here to pull back the curtain and shine a light on the fact that too many birthing people and babies are dying in the United States from pregnancy complications. Unfortunately, higher risk factors are occurring with the mortality ratio of Black women and Native American pregnant people. Women’s reproductive health is being disproportionately at risk (Kennedy et al., 2020). As if the health disparities aren’t shocking enough, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) over 80% of maternal deaths are preventable. Yes, you read that correctly—preventable.

While shock and anger are understandable emotions, I also want to direct our attention to the importance of community advocacy in fighting these injustice disparities. There are ways that we can work together for implementing to protect the health conditions of birthing people around us! We can fight together against the social norms that encourage independence and the new mom’s mental health perspective to “do it all.” Because there’s a reason for the saying, “It takes a village to raise a baby.” We aren’t meant to do it on our own! Becoming a parent is hard and there’s very little you can do to prepare for it. But there is a lot that we can do as a community to help support maternal health outcomes and new parents as they adapt to this new phase in their lives.

Providing our body with the nutrients it needs is an essential factor in preparing for and healing after birth. Because of this, one of the easiest ways to support new parents is by bringing them a meal. While food can seem like a basic necessity, if you’ve ever welcomed a new baby into your family, you know what a gift it is for their well-being to not worry about what’s for dinner! Some tips for bringing food to new parents:

Keeping up with the mundane parts of having a home can be overwhelming when your newborn wakes up every 2 to 3 hours at night. A wonderful way to support a new parent is to offer to clean their kitchen, take out the trash, fold laundry, or ask if you can hire a house cleaner. Even though they don’t have the energy to do it themselves, it is such a relief to have a clean home while they’re learning how to care for themselves and their new baby. 

Cleaning the house can be a wonderful way to support new parents before the baby is born! You’ve probably heard about the “nesting” in the third trimester. Some pregnant moms wear themselves out with family planning trying to get their house ready for the baby! Community support during this time can be a way to let the expectant mom know she’s not alone and that she has people who are here to support her along the way. You can have a “Nesting Party” to make it fun and invite friends to help you get even more done! 

If you’re invited to help with the nesting, you can also help the family set up feeding stations wherever they think they are most likely going to be when they feed their baby. It’s extremely common to sit down to feed the baby and then realize that you’re starving! Or thirsty. Having a basket close by that has water and snacks, burp cloths, nipple balm, clean diapers, and whatever else you think they might need will be a relief once the baby is here!  

It’s far too common for a new parent to feel invisible as their friends and family are cooing over the baby and trying to get their turn for newborn snuggles. So always remember to greet your friend. Hug them, tell them they’re doing an amazing job as a parent, and ask them how they’re doing. Let them talk to you about what they are feeling and experiencing. Let them tell whatever stories are important to them! They are still their own person and some people find it really refreshing to talk about something that isn’t baby-related for a change. 

If your friend has other kids, offer to babysit them for a little while! Getting older siblings out of the house not only helps the new parents, but it also helps the siblings! Most brothers and sisters experience a transition when a new baby is born. They wonder where they fit in the family now and if people will stop caring about them since the baby is here. You can help this transition by letting the siblings be the center of attention for a little while. Go to the park, ride bikes, or whatever activity the big brother/big sister enjoys. Not only will the new parents enjoy the help, but the siblings will love it, too!

If you have a friend or family member who has previously struggled with depression or anxiety, I recommend scheduling regular check-ins. Postpartum depression and anxiety are the number one complication that happen during the childbearing year. The most up-to-date estimates are that 1 in 5 new moms will experience a perinatal mood disorder and the symptoms can show up anytime in the first year of their baby’s life. Because of the nature of depression and anxiety, it can be hard for an individual to recognize in themselves so their friends and family can be essential in helping them realize any changes in behavior or interests. Postpartum Support International has a helpline (1-800-944-4773) that is available to anyone who needs help or support with Perinatal Mood Disorders. More information for individuals or support people can be found on their website.

Study after study has shown the positive impact that midwives have on maternal and neonatal outcomes, particularly when midwives are well-integrated into the healthcare system(Courtot et al., 2020; Kennedy et al., 2020; Vedam et al., 2018). If you have midwifery care available in your community, encourage your friends and family to consider them for their maternity care provider. Midwives offer more individualized care that provides physical and emotional support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery. While most doctors provide a 6-week check-up, midwives frequently have 4 or more postpartum check-ins with their clients. This high-touch approach to maternity care can help identify issues before they develop into life-threatening situations. Midwives truly do make a difference! 

Before I end this article, I want to leave you with just a few do’s and don’ts for visiting new parents:

• Always remember to ask the mother/new parent how she’s doing—ideally before you coo over the baby!
• Offer to do household chores or make food while you’re there. 
• Be supportive of the choices she’s making.
• Refill the feeding stations. 
• Remember you’re there to take care of HER, she can take care of her baby. You’re there to be a friend to HER, so help her feel seen during the time you’re together. 
• Only hold the baby if the parents offer 
• Don’t hold baby for more than 5 or 10 minutes (unless they ask you to) 
• Don’t offer advice unless the new parents ask you (remember—no one is a perfect parent and that includes you!) 

It truly does take a village to raise a baby, so make sure you show up to be that village for your friends and family! 

References

Courtot, B., Hill, I., Cross-Barnet, C., & Markell, J. (2020). Midwifery and Birth Centers Under State Medicaid Programs: Current Limits to Beneficiary Access to a High-Value Model of Care. Milbank Q, 98(4), 1091-1113. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0009.12473 

Kennedy, H. P., Balaam, M. C., Dahlen, H., Declercq, E., de Jonge, A., Downe, S., Ellwood, D., Homer, C. S. E., Sandall, J., Vedam, S., & Wolfe, I. (2020). The role of midwifery and other international insights for maternity care in the United States: An analysis of four countries. Birth, 47(4), 332-345. https://doi.org/10.1111/birt.12504

Information provided in blogs should not be used as a substitute for medical care or consultation.