We work with families to provide guidance, resources, and access to health department programs to build “Strong Babies”. In addition, we work to reduce disease and death among mothers and babies, with special attention to reducing accidental infant deaths. Learn more about maternal and infant health topics and how to make your baby a strong baby with our resources below.
With a baby coming into the world, it's an important time for everyone involved. From guidance on prenatal care to resources on how to stop smoking or using drugs, pregnant individuals and their support systems can benefit from extra guidance, tips, and resources to help build stronger moms and babies.
Important Maternal and Infant Health Highlights
1. Safe Sleep
Practicing safe sleep habits will protect your baby against dangers that can happen while asleep, whether at naptime or overnight. Click here to view more details.
2. Black Maternal Health
Our team works with community partners to bring awareness and advance the conversation about the maternal health crisis in our minority populations.
- Each year in the United States, about 700 people die during pregnancy or in the year after. Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women, with multiple factors contributing to these disparities.
- Follow our social media accounts for more information about Black Maternal Health Week in April.
3. Strong Baby Campaign
The Strong Baby project is an effort to promote healthier families and infants by encouraging families to stay up to date with immunizations, stay tobacco and drug free during and after pregnancy, practice safe sleep for their infant and more! Visit Strongbabyknox.org for more information.
KCHD has programs in place to assist families in need before, during and after pregnancy.
Baby & Me Tobacco Free program is for those who are pregnant and interested in quitting tobacco use. In addition, participants are eligible for diaper vouchers!
WIC is a nutrition program that helps the whole family learn about eating well and staying healthy with healthy food, helpful advice, food assistance and referrals to community resources.
CHANT helps get you in touch with the resources your family needs, including rent, utilities, clothing, diapers, domestic violence, children with special healthcare needs, depression, unsafe sleep environments and more.
Parents As Teachers is a prenatal to Kindergarten program that helps parents learn how to be their child’s first and most influential teacher, ensuring their young children are healthy, safe and ready to learn.
KAPPI works to promote adolescent health, including teen pregnancy and improving services available for pregnant and parenting adolescents. Visit Knox Teen Health to learn more.
The Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) program provides support, resource referrals, and information to parents and families whose lives have been affected by the tragic death of an infant or loss of a pregnancy. This helps develop initiatives to reduce and prevent infant deaths.
