10 creative ways to reach out to Hispanic and African American Women
1. Brochures can be placed in local grocery stores, both private and public health facilities, and churches to inform residents of the Babies and Mothers, Inc. program.
2. Health professionals can hold free seminars in local churches or schools to inform pregnant or breastfeeding women about the benefits of breastfeeding. This solves a transportation issue as the health professional travels to them.
3. Health professionals can become fluent in a second language such as Spanish or Creole, which is prevalent among residents in the Miami Dade area. This insures that the “teachable moment” is not lost and it bridges the gap between the health providers and the community.
4. Health professionals can sponsor a local event in the community to raise breastfeeding awareness and to inform the public of its importance.
5. Health professionals can begin educating mothers in their first trimester of pregnancy during their check ups. The earlier you educate and reinforce breastfeeding practices the more likely those mothers will initiate breastfeed.
6. Health professionals can participate in a live radio or television interview where women can call live to get their questions or concerns answered.
7. Health professionals can hold seminars at community centers where the location is easily assessable.
8. Health professionals can contact companies like Evenflo to distribute free breast pumps to mothers who plan on immediately returning to work.
9. Health professionals can visit popular restaurants in low income areas and distribute free “Quick Tip” booklet, water bottles with BAMs logo, and Brochures from the USDA (Appendix G) that promote making the breastfeeding decision as a family.
10. Health professionals can recruit members of the community to advocate the importance of breastfeeding.
Two Ways Heath Professionals Can Reinforce Breastfeeding
There are many community
colleges and universities in the Miami Dade area. Health
professionals can assess the
breastfeeding content being taught in the nursing and medical schools
to assure
that new and up-to-date information is being taught. The health
professional
would also organize a team of health professionals and breastfeeding
experts to
develop a plan to strengthen the curricula that is taught in the
schools. By
doing this, the graduating students will thoroughly understand the
importance
of breastfeeding and will advocate for it in the communities they serve.