(This article originally appeared as an opinion piece in Cleveland.com on May 14,2023)
Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate and thank the strong women that have made each of us who we are today. Being a mom is both a gift and a sacrifice; an affirmation and a challenge; a purpose and a reminder of all that is beyond our control. It’s both creating a community and relying on the support of others to honor a mother’s first instinct — to protect her children.
This Mother’s Day, let’s acknowledge our shared responsibility to provide women what they need to thrive as mothers, from making the decision to become one, through pregnancy and the early years of their children’s lives, to watching their children grow into adulthood.
With our community partners, First Year Cleveland is committed to protecting mothers and families, and to assuring that every baby born in Cuyahoga County celebrates their first birthday.
We work with communities to identify and implement policy and system changes to eliminate barriers to care and create the community conditions necessary for families to thrive. We also provide funding and support to community-based organizations working directly with women and families at risk.
We do this because healthy and supportive communities result in healthy birth outcomes. Mothers want their babies to thrive, and the heartbreak of losing a baby is far too common for a wealthy society like ours.
The uncomfortable reality is that, despite spending far more on health care than other high-income countries, the United States still has one of the highest infant mortality rates: 5.4 per 1,000 live births. Within the United States, Black families are disproportionately affected, with an infant mortality rate 2.4 times greater than that of non-Hispanic white families.
Here in Cuyahoga County, our infant mortality rate is decreasing but still stands at an unacceptable 6.9 per 1,000 live births. The mortality rate for Black babies born in Cuyahoga County is nearly 2.8 times greater than for non-Hispanic whites.
Why do we continue to struggle to mitigate the infant mortality crisis?
Too often we blame mothers for their choices, instead of the social factors that determine health long before a pregnancy. If you benefit from stable housing, if you have reliable access to transportation and resourced schools, if you have stable employment with benefits and child care, you will be healthier than those who don’t. That’s not about personal choices you make, but the unjust policies, history, and social structures that shape daily life.
To create the world as it should be for every mother, take action to protect families – that is the best Mother’s Day gift you can make.
· Educate yourself, friends and family on the impact of racism (not race) and implicit bias on infant mortality.
· Support legislation and policies that address equity, including the state budget proposals for The Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation and Help Me Grow evidence-based home visiting program; Ohio House Bill 7, The Strong Foundations Act, a package of maternal and infant health provisions; and the federal Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act bills, once they are reintroduced in the 118th Congress.
· Do not support legislation that negatively impacts human, reproductive, and civil rights.
· Prioritize community voice and expertise when making decisions about programs, services, or policy changes.
· Celebrate the joy of birth, motherhood and families. Our city is full of brilliant, strong, creative and committed families building the communities they deserve.
A mom’s first instinct is to protect and care. This Mother’s Day, let’s commit to doing the same for moms, expectant mothers, and the future generation of mothers. Commit to lending your expertise. Your time. Your heart. We need passionate people to make a difference.
Angela Newman-White has almost 20 years of public health experience in maternal and child health. In January 2023, she joined First Year Cleveland as their new executive director.