New service for new mothers

The Westchester department of Health has just announced a new free service for expectant and new mothers. Please pass this information along to anyone who might benefit from or enjoy it.

R U PREGNANT? OR A NEW MOTHER?

Free weekly text messages through a new national initiative: text4baby

Preparing for a new baby and being a new mother can be exciting. It can also be a busy time with lots to do and a great deal of information to absorb. That’s why the Westchester County Department of Health, in collaboration with the Lower Hudson Valley Perinatal Network, is encouraging pregnant women and new mothers in Westchester to sign up for the nationally available text4baby service. Text4baby sends timely health information as brief text messages to pregnant women and new mothers from pregnancy through a baby’s first year. Pregnant and new mothers are able to sign-up for this free service, available through many cell phone companies across the United States.

“Text4baby is the first ever nationally available text service for pregnant and new mothers,” said Dr. Cheryl Archbald, Acting Commissioner of Health for Westchester County. “Combining the popular use of text messaging with health education is a creative way to promote timely prenatal care and healthy outcomes for mothers and infants.”

Pregnant and new mothers can sign up for the service by texting BABY (or BEBE for Spanish) to 511411. After enrolling, pregnant mothers will receive free text messages each week until their expected delivery date and new mothers will receive free text messages until their baby’s first birthday. The brief text messages provide information on a variety of topics important to maternal and infant health, including the importance of prenatal care, nutrition and breastfeeding, immunizations and car seat safety.

“What better time to raise awareness about text4baby than as we approach Mother’s Day,” said Cheryl Hunter-Grant, Executive Director of The Lower Hudson Valley Perinatal Network. “Nearly 90% of the U.S.

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population uses a cell phone, so we believe that this program can have a significant impact on maternal and child health in our region.”

Text4baby is an educational program of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition that was launched in February 2010 and is being promoted through an extensive public-private partnership.

During 2007, 11,857 infants were born in Westchester County. Of these, 73.7% of pregnant mothers enrolled in timely prenatal care, but 26.3% enrolled late or had no prenatal care at all. Westchester County Department of Health promotes timely prenatal care through its WIC program, Healthy Beginnings Program and various community outreach activities. The new national text4baby service offers another venue for promoting the importance of prenatal care and for providing additional educational information aimed at improving outcomes for mothers and infants.

For more information on the text4baby service or on giving your baby a healthy beginning, please go to the Health Department website at www.westchestergov.com/health.