February is Black History Month, a dedicated month to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans and honor the significant role that Black people have played in the success of the United States.

Through many points of history and through till today, Black people have contributed their energy, their efforts, their wisdom and their very lives to the United States, usually without compensation, recognition or respect and often against their will. Through hundreds of years of racism, and continuing today, Black people have carried the generational trauma and weathering impacts of living under a society that delivers inequality in education, housing, healthcare, career opportunities and more through institutional and systemic implicit and explicit racism.

As reported in The New York Times article, Childbirth Is Deadlier for Black Families Even When They’re Rich, Expansive Study Finds, published earlier this week, Black birthing people are four times more likely to die during the childbearing year than their white peers, with education and income offering no protection against this outcome. Black infants are twice as likely to die as their white peers. This is not new information. It has been stated in many studies for quite some time. Having a Black health care provider offers some protection but the number of Black perinatal or pediatric doctors and midwives is severely lacking, partly because of the focused and deliberate elimination of the Grand Midwives of the South.

Are we as childbirth educators doing everything we can to eliminate health disparities and support Black perinatal professionals and Black birthing families. Here are eight action steps that you can do today to support Black perinatal professionals and Black birthing families.

1. Spread the word about the Lamaze Expand Equity Grants when the application process opens for 2023. This program helps make Lamaze approved seminars accessible to Black individuals and offer support and mentorship through the certification process.
2. Encourage Black educators preparing to sit for the Lamaze exam to apply for funding to help with the purchase of the Learning Guide and certification costs through the LCCE Educator Diversity Scholarships program.
3. Maintain a current list of Black midwives, doctors, doulas, lactation consultants and other perinatal professionals in your community to share with the Black families in your classes.
4. Mentor, support, or refer to Black childbirth educators as they become established and begin to offer culturally aligned classes in your community to Black families.
5. Make sure your marketing materials, curriculum, handouts and presentations are inclusive and offer all families an opportunity to see themselves in the material you are sharing.
6. Share The New York Times resource kit – Protecting Your Birth: A Guide for Black Mothers with your classes.
7. Invite Black perinatal professionals and consumers to become involved with Lamaze International, by serving on committees and considering a position on the Board of Directors. More information on committee structure, purpose and open positions for committees and the board can be found here.
8. Consider contacting a Lamaze approved program and offer to fund or partially fund the cost of a workshop for a Black participant. Find the list of approved programs here.

Every single one of us has an ethical obligation to fight injustice, inequities and racism and contribute to improving outcomes for Black birthing people and their babies. There is no better time to start, or lean in a more than you have, so we can collectively make real and positive change, starting now.

Published: February 15, 2023

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