Want to Improve Maternal Healthcare? 7 Simple Ways to Join the Fight

The journey to make maternal healthcare safe and equitable seemingly requires a miracle, unlimited time, and lots of money. It’s no small feat to see the legislative changes, access to healthcare, and mindset shift in how we view care duties – all things that would completely change maternal care for the better.  Attending conferences, joining a march, or donating to a fund dedicated to protecting Black women through pregnancy continue to be some of the most common ways to push for safer birthing conditions. But the average, parent or ally looking to make a difference, can feel rather defeating if you don’t have disposable cash for donations, are far from the major cities hosting rallies, or don’t even have a large social media following. Bottom line: many feel called to fight for change but simply don’t have the resources to get involved.

Fortunately, contributing to the movement isn’t reserved for the wealthy and government officials.  At a time when capitalism wants Americans to believe that limiting access to information and community is the way to thrive, the greatest sign of resistance in the name of maternal health is showing up to support your village. Here are 7 ways even the average parent without connections to people in high places, or an overflowing bank account can make a positive change for Black families in their journey to parenthood.

1. Call Legislators to Advocate

The legislators are the ones calling the shots, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be the one calling them to duty. Government officials have been considering a vote against funding imperative resources through Medicaid that directly impact maternal health. Share reasons why they should rethink the decision to make cuts by calling your representatives. Not sure who to call or what to say? This website makes it easy by giving you the appropriate contact information and script.

2. Attend an Appointment with an Expecting or Postpartum Mom

Pregnancy and postpartum appointments can be mentally and physically exhausting. No one should have to attend them alone but many parents do. Since every expecting parent isn’t able to hire a doula for support, offer to attend as their support system so you can navigate the information together. Systemic racism has taught us that all healthcare providers aren’t always looking out for a Black parent’s best interest. Having someone else in the room who genuinely cares can make a world of difference in improving the Black maternal health crisis.

3. Help Moms Explain How They Feel

Veteran moms know one of the best ways to win the fight against the Black maternal crisis requires advocating for yourself. But advocating for yourself isn’t always easy. Even if a patient is sure about the physical and emotional shifts throughout pregnancy, finding the words to describe them can be a struggle.

The care team is responsible for making sure the patient gets the care they need, but it’s the patient’s job to accurately share their experiences so they can get necessary care.

Offer to be a sounding board for your friend so she can find the words to describe everything going on since the last check-up. Together you can create a script and help them decide the best way to describe their feelings to care professionals.

4. Include a Trusted Organization in Your Email Signature

You may not have money to pledge towards helping the maternal crisis, but people you communicate with regularly have some extra cash. Consider including a closing line in your emails mentioning the maternal crisis along with a link to donate to the cause. Some worth looking into include Black Mamas Matter, Common Sense Child Birth, and the Shades of Blue Poject    

5. Pay Attention to Moods and Behavior

The hormonal changes through pregnancy and beyond can be drastic. Yet, those changes aren’t always obvious to parents when they’re busy monitoring all the changes in their baby. That means it may be harder to notice subtle differences in their own appetite, sleeping patterns, and general state of mind. Make sure nothing concerning falls through the cracks by paying attention to simple things like how frequently your friend may cry, take showers or even watch a favorite tv show. Being aware enough to sound the alarms over the small changes in habits, can make a difference in a preventing severe mental health issues post delivery. Consider offering to be connected to your loved one via a mood-monitoring app so nothing gets missed.

6. Continue Sending Invitations

Complications from pregnancy and birth are still a possibility even a year after delivery. This is especially true for postpartum psychiatric disorders considering loneliness and guilt are common emotions experienced in new mothers.

New parents spend a lot of time alone caring for their baby’s needs.
You may assume the parent is too preoccupied or tired from the new baby, but continue including them in events anyway. Send the invitation and ask if they need specific accommodations to make attending possible. Sure, there’s a chance the parents can’t make it. However, the simple act of extending the invitation helps them realize they are not forgotten. It may prevent the downward emotional spiral stemming from prolonged isolation and becoming another negative statistic in the maternal health crises.

7. Contribute to an Employee Resource Group or Discuss with HR

One of the underlying causes of the maternal health crisis is the lack of paid leave. Though paid leave laws exist in some states, they are not widespread. Furthermore, there are no federal laws mandating paid maternity or paternity leave for parents.  That means it’s up to employers to see the importance of offering and expanding on any existing paid leave within the company. By contributing to your employee resource group or sharing with human resources you can stress the importance of paid leave and the impact it can have on maternal health care.

If your employer already offers notable paid leave, you can help by making sure colleagues know it’s available since many aren’t aware of their employer’s leave policies. Making necessary information accessible, such as rights to paid leave, play a large role in improving maternal health.