Saving babies with our phones
How can you save a baby with your phone? Just ask a member of the First Ladies Health Initiative, a unique gathering of community-minded women in Cincinnati. Led by First Lady of Cincinnati Dena Cranley and First Lady Barbara Lynch of New Jerusalem Baptist Church, First Ladies from 25 local churches joined together last fall to utilize the strengths of the faith community in promoting better women’s health.The Cincinnati First Ladies Initiative recently debuted their Spreading the Word Campaign with the introduction of “Saving Babies with our Phones.” After learning that the average age of a woman who lost a baby in our city in 2013 was 26 and that the average 26 year old spends nearly 36 hours on her phone each month, the First Ladies saw an opportunity. As times change, so must we in how we reach out to moms, making sure they receive information vital the their health and the health of their children.You too can make a difference in women’s health by getting involved in the First Ladies’ “Saving Babies with our Phones” campaign by sharing these great resources:
Texts from experts: Text4Baby* and SmokeFreeTEXT** and are two texting services that offer tips to pregnant women. Text4Baby is geared specifically to expecting moms, sending out tips on healthier pregnancies with advice on topics such as flu shots and body changes. SmokeFreeTEXT can be used by either moms or dads looking for extra words of support on their journey to quit smoking.
- Call 211: Easy and simple to remember, 211 is there for mothers in whatever capacity they may need. Whether it be a free crib, job training or housing advice, 211 is a 24/7 operation that’s always available for moms and moms-to-be.
- Social media and the web: Twitter and Facebook are quick, simple ways mothers can get support or guidance during and after their pregnancies. Following fitness pages, pregnancy tips and other health support pages can offer women guidance at their own pace. Encourage moms you know to explore pages that pertain to their needs. Excellent resources are plentiful, such as Parenting Magazine (@parenting), the ‘Circle of Moms’ blog, and ‘Choose My Plate’.
- 1-800-QUIT-NOW: This smoking cessation service provides phone-based counseling for smokers wanting to quit. Many mothers find phone counseling more convenient than attending in-person meetings. Not to mention, moms can earn up to a total of $65 in gift cards through Quit Line’s reward program.
- Reach Out: Use your own phone to call or text an expecting or new mother you know. Kind words of reassurance and love can go a long way to reducing her stress, a contributing factor to poor birth outcomes.
Women who feel supported tend to have healthier pregnancies and, thus, healthier babies. Spreading the Word about these great phone resources could save lives in our community - so call, text, or tweet at a friend - and help a mom receive they support she needs.* Text BABY (or BEBE for Spanish) to this number: (511411)**Text the word QUIT to this number: (47848)