Grassroots Network: Infant Mortality Awareness Campaign!

Dear Friends,

The International Center for Traditional Childbearing (ICTC) is observing September National Infant Mortality Awareness Month (September) with the Heads Up on Infant Mortality Campaign. Citizens for Midwifery is supporting this public awareness effort with our sponsorship.

The goals of Infant Mortality Awareness Month are to increase national awareness of contributing factors to infant mortality, and to urge community leaders to assist in efforts to reduce the rate of infant mortality in this country by 2010. The US ranks 30^th in the world for infant mortality, and African American babies are twice as likely to die during the first year, with a mortality rate of 13.5 per 1,000 live births compared to 5.7 per 1,000 live births for whites and Hispanics, according to CDC data.

While many factors affect infant mortality, midwifery care is part of the solution, since midwives provide the kind of holistic prenatal and birth care that results in healthier mothers and babies.

The Heads Up on Infant Mortality Campaign seeks to raise awareness about the tragedy of infant mortality by asking people to knit or crochet baby hats, one for each of the 27,000 babies lost in 2008. All hats received by September 15 will be displayed in ICTC's Infant Mortality Awareness Rally in Washington, DC on September 26. The more hats, the more attention will be raised at the rally (and afterward the hats will be donated for premature babies). So get out the yarn and start knitting or crocheting! Find several quick patterns on the ICTC website!

For more information:

Flier: http://www.blackmidwives.org/headsupflyer.pdf

Press release: http://www.blackmidwives.org/natlheadsuppressrelease.pdf

Quick knitting & crochet patterns: http://www.blackmidwives.org/component/content/article/85

Sincerely,
Susan Hodges, "gatekeeper"

Note from Molly: A local mother's group that I belong to is getting together for a "Knit Night" to knit/crochet hats for this Campaign. While we're at it, we're going to view/discuss the new film Laboring Under an Illusion.