In this issue of Preemie Matters: New Members • NPIHC Virtual Summit • Assessment & Care of the Late Preterm Infant Implementation Toolkit • Jewish Family & Children's Service - Center for Early Relationship Support • FAST FACTS from HMHB: What You Should Know About Short Cervix & Preterm Birth • USLCA Conference to Feature Preemie Sessions
New Members
Join us in welcoming the Coalition's newest members:
- Anne Arundel County Health Department
- Families Blossoming
- North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation
- Wood County Health Department
Learn more about National Premature Infant Health Coalition membership and complete the online application on our website.
Join Us! NPIHC Virtual Summit
There is no cost to participate in any of the 2013 Summit events, and all are open to parents, providers, policymakers, and anyone with an interest in issues of prematurity.
Join us for the 2013 NPIHC Networking Reception and mark your calendar to participate in the following educational sessions online:
- "How Providers Can Empower Parents" with Sue Hall, M.D., Stormont-Vail HealthCare; Keira Sorrells, Preemie Parent Alliance; and Laura Martin, Graham's Foundation. Wednesday, May 8 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. To participate, join the conversation on the NPIHC Facebook page.
- "Collaborating with Legislators to Advocate for Prematurity" with Janine Lewis, Illinois Maternal & Child Health Coalition and Representative Robyn Gabel (D), Illinois - 18th District. Thursday, May 9 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern. Register here!
- "Enhancing Safety and Outcomes with Evidence-Based Practices" with Dr. Alan Spitzer, Pediatrix. Friday, May 10 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. Register here!
Also join the NPIHC team in the Washington, DC March for Babies on Saturday, May 4 at 9:00 a.m. For more information about Summit activities, visit our website and follow us on Facebook.
Assessment & Care of the Late Preterm Infant Implementation Toolkit
A new online resource from the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), the Assessment and Care of the Late Preterm Infant Implementation Toolkit, aims to improve patient outcomes and reduce risks associated with being born at late preterm and early term, while also saving time and reducing costs. The toolkit provides ready-to-use, customizable tools and strategies for assessing risks, providing appropriate evidence-based care, and tracking outcomes for late preterm and early term infants in healthcare facilities and healthcare systems. It's is designed to support and build on the information presented in AWHONN's Assessment and Care of the Late Preterm Infant Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guideline.
Jewish Family & Children's Service - Center for Early Relationship Support
The Jewish Family and Children's Service - Center for Early Relationship Support serves Greater Boston, MA with direct services, training, supervision, and consultation that focus on the earliest infant-parent relationship. Through hospital and home visits and a monthly support group, the Center's Fragile Beginnings program supports parents of preterm infants, helping to bridge the transition from hospital to home and to support the special challenges of preemie parenting. In addition, the Fragile Beginnings Preemie Parent Alliance, a parent/professional partnership serving New England, helps families and providers access resources in their communities, stay updated on preemie policy issues, and connect around their stories and perspectives. Among the Center's other important programs are Early Connections, a therapeutic service for new parents experiencing emotional difficulties; a feeding support program; an Infant-Parent Training Institute; support for young parents under age 21; and the Visiting Moms program for pregnant women and new mothers.
FAST FACTS from HMHB: What You Should Know About Short Cervix & Preterm Birth
A new resource for maternal-child health paraprofessionals and women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy educates about cervical length, its relationship to premature labor and birth, and implications for the prenatal care of women with at-risk medical histories. The National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition's Fast Facts: What You Should Know About Short Cervix & Preterm Birth is available on the HMHB website for online viewing and easy download in PDF format. It is an educational companion piece to HMHB's recent guest blog on this issue from Betty Jordan, DNSc, RNC at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.
USLCA Conference to Feature Preemie Sessions
The United States Lactation Consultant Association's (USLCA) first National Conference, set for May 3-5, 2013 in St. Louis, Missouri, will feature four sessions specific to breastfeeding concerns for preterm infants and their mothers. Sessions include "Premature Babies: Strategies to Increase Intake of Human Milk," "Breastfeeding the Late Preterm Infant," "Creating a Culture of Breastfeeding in the NICU," and "Steps to Success in Breastfeeding the Preterm Infant." The USLCA conference draws an audience of practicing lactation consultants, those in training, perinatal healthcare providers, and breastfeeding advocates. Learn more and register at the USLCA website.
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Information is reported as provided and does not necessarily represent the view of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition. A complete copy of HMHB’s disclaimer is available on our website.