Black History Month: 5 Things You Can Do to Close the Maternal Health Gap

For matters of childbirth, breastfeeding, and postpartum health during Black History Month, we want to highlight the disparity between white and black mothers and families -- and what you can do to help. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), black women die during pregnancy, childbirth, and the first postpartum year at four times the rate of white women, and it happens across all income levels. To learn how you can affect change in this nationwide crisis, take a look our suggestions below and take action!

Download, read, and share the Black Mamas Matter Toolkit to better understand the disparities, to better communicate the issues to others, and to learn how you can be part of the movement for change.

Support/get involved with organizations that support improving the rate of maternal mortality rates (the rate of mothers dying during/after/from causes related to childbirth and pregnancy) in black women, like Sistersong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, Maternal Health Task Force, and the National Birth Equity Collaborative.

Support/get involved with organizations that support increasing black breastfeeding rates, like First Food Friendly, Black Mothers' Breastfeeding Association, and United States Breastfeeding Committee.

For postpartum issues, connect a black mother or family with a black mental health provider -- or provide the resources to find one, like in this piece from Postpartum Progress.

Learn how to be an ally to the black community and then be an ally with your everyday actions. Check out this piece and this one to learn more about what that means and looks like.

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