Cradle Cincinnati reports that in Hamilton County, Ohio, 8.98 babies died for every 1,000 who were born from 2013-2017. That’s an improvement over years’ past but still puts us among the worst 10% in the country. From the CDC: Black women are three to four times more likely to have complications in pregnancy than white women. These stats inspired CHPL’s BEEC to partner with Cradle Cincinnati to launch Black Maternity Matters, using CHPL’s reach to connect Black mamas-to-be to critical pregnancy and infant health-related information.

The monthly virtual discussion topics included: lactation, infant CPR, infant safe sleep, nutrition & fitness during pregnancy, mental health tips and support and family planning/baby spacing. Experts included Community Health Care workers from Cradle Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center nurses, Doulas, social workers, dietitians and lactation experts from Cradle Cincinnati and Hamilton County Jobs and Family Services. Two events focused on Black fathers and fathers-to-be.

This high-touch pilot focused on in-depth support to a core group, serving 8-10 community members. Participants received: books on pregnancy, infant care and board books, puppet storytime sets, lactation kits, fitness trackers, packable playpens, boppy pillows and nursing bras. Participants noted that the sessions were informative and showed appreciation for the free resources to help with their pregnancy and infant care. CHPL staff also provided early literacy tips as well as how to get a library card for their baby.