A peer-counseling program begun in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1993, called Breastfeeding: Heritage and Pride, has become an evidence-based model for guiding and supporting low-income African-American and Hispanic mothers as they breastfeed their babies.
Research has shown that breastfeeding is the most beneficial form of nutrition for infants, as breast milk is easy to digest and contains antibodies that can protect against infections. Moreover, the research has shown that breastfeeding may reduce a child’s risk for developing obesity.
The traditional practice of breastfeeding fell out of favor in Western cultures beginning in the 19th century. By the time the La Leche League founders held their first meeting in 1956, only about 20 percent of American mothers breastfed their babies.
However, a revival of breastfeeding began in the 1970s, and peer support and counseling programs have helped increase the breastfeeding rate. But lower breastfeeding rates have persisted among some populations of mothers including African-Americans and some Hispanics.
The Hartford program recruits, trains and hires women from low-income neighborhoods who have breastfed their own infants for at least six months. Their training prepares these women as breastfeeding peer counselors who begin working with expectant mothers, visit them in the hospital and continue helping them at home as they breastfeed their babies. Two studies of the Hartford program published in 2004 showed that this type of peer counseling for breastfeeding works.
The Institute of Medicine’s 2012 report, “Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention: Solving the Weight of the Nation,” and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognize Breastfeeding: Heritage and Pride as an example for establishing an effective peer-support program. The CDC promotes breastfeeding as one of the steps the nation can take to address childhood obesity.
The Hartford program began as a collaboration of the Hispanic Health Council and Hartford Hospital. It was replicated at Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut, in 2009.
Now, with a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the partnership with the Hispanic Health Council is about to be expanded to St. Francis Hospital and Health Center in Hartford. This expansion will allow establishment of a city-wide system of breastfeeding peer support in Hartford, said Leticia Marulanda, director of programs for the Hispanic Health Council.
Dr. Walter Trymbulak, director of the Center for Women’s Health at St. Francis, emphasized the health benefits of breastfeeding, in a press statement on the program expansion.
“Breast milk is the perfect food for babies,” he said. “Low-income women in Hartford have the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the state. This grant will help us change the culture of formula-feeding the babies of the women who use our Center.”
The American Heart Association, Inc. (the "Association") is proud to bring you the Voices for Healthy Kids Action Center website, designed to offer you the ability to connect with and support (“Services”) those working to change policies and environments to help all children grow-up at a healthy weight (the “Network Mission”). Your use of this website and all information on any other AHA web page or other AHA property accessed through it (collectively "Website") is governed by the terms and conditions of this User Agreement. The Association may amend these terms and conditions from time to time. Users of the Network and the Services should also review the Network’s Privacy Policy.
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Unregistered users of the Network have limited access to the Services. They can see public information on the website, including blog posts, educational resources, and the Leader Directory. Unregistered users may also contact people in the Leader Directory individually, using the social media links (Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn) shared by the Leader. Unregistered users may also, subject to these Terms of Service, embed Widgets on other web sites, but they cannot customize the Widgets or have access to any of the contact information or other data generated by the use of such Widgets.
Registered Users.
There are two types of registered users of the Network:
Supporters.
Supporters are people who affirmatively opt-in to participate in the Network by filling out a registration form (“Contacts”) or completing an online action. They can take action on alerts and view public information, including blog posts, educational resources, and the Leader Directory. Supporters may also contact people in the Leader Directory individually, using the social media links (Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn) shared by the Leader.
Network Leader.
Network Leaders are Contacts who have completed a registration form requesting Network Leader status and who have been approved by the Network based on a) a demonstrated organizational commitment to the Network Mission, and b) a track record of having done work to engage or organize others (“Network Leaders”). In addition to retaining all the user privileges of Supporters, Network Leaders can create public profiles to share in the Leader Directory. They can, subject to these Terms of Service, embed Widgets on other websites and request the set-up of action alerts and email launches to the network through Voices for Healthy Kids Action Center staff.
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Access and Interference
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Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Association and the Representatives from and against any and all losses, damages, liabilities and costs of every nature incurred by any of them in connection with any claim, damage or loss related to or arising out of: your use of the Services, any assistance or Services provided by us or the Representatives to you, any alleged unauthorized use of the Services by you, or any breach or alleged breach by you of these Terms of Service. You agree to cooperate fully in the defense of any of the foregoing. We reserve the right, at our own expense, to control exclusively the defense of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you and you will not settle any matter without our prior written consent. Your obligation to indemnify, defend and hold harmless shall be limited to the extent that you are afforded sovereign immunity under applicable federal, state or local laws. In such cases where your obligation to indemnify may be limited due to the requirements of federal, state or local laws, you shall be responsible for the ordinary negligent acts and omissions of your agents and employees causing harm to persons not a party to these Terms of Service.
Release
In the event that you have a dispute with one or more other users of the Services, you release the Association and Representatives from any and all claims, demands and damages (actual and consequential) of every kind and nature, known and unknown, suspected and unsuspected, disclosed and undisclosed, arising out of or in any way connected with such disputes.
Applicable Law and Jurisdiction
This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Venue for any cause of action arising under this Agreement shall be proper in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas.
Electronic Communications; Binding and Entire Agreement
You agree that (a) these Terms of Service constitute an agreement "signed by you" under applicable law; (b) any notices or other communication regarding your use of the Services may be provided to you electronically (by posting on the web site, by e-mail, and other electronic formats) and will be considered received upon posting or other distribution. These Terms of Service (including the Privacy Policy) constitute the entire agreement between you and the Association and supersede all other agreements, oral or written, concerning its subject matter. You consent to the use of the English language in these Terms of Service and all documents or notices relating to them and your use of the Services.
Severability
If any provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid, or unenforceable under present or future laws, then such provision shall be fully severable, this Agreement shall be construed and enforced as if such illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision had never comprised a part of this Agreement, and the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be affected by the illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision or by its severance from this Agreement.
Termination
Applicable Law: This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Venue for any cause of action arising under this Agreement shall be proper in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas.
Waiver: The terms of this Agreement cannot be waived or modified except by the Association. There are no representations, warranties or covenants other than those set forth in this Agreement, which sets forth the entire understanding between the parties. The User's rights and obligations hereunder are personal to User and cannot be assigned, sublicensed or otherwise transferred or encumbered by User or by operation of law. Any such assignment in contravention of the foregoing shall be null and void and of no force and effect.
Leaders are people who are actively working - either professionally or as volunteers - to change policies and environments to help children eat better and be more active. We use the following criteria to evaluate whether to approve an applicant for Leader status with the Voices for Healthy Kids Action Center.
Do you meet the criteria below? If so, register as a Leader here. There is no cost to be a Leader.
At least one item must be checked within each of the following two categories:
1. Applicant is focused on changing policies and environments
They are working on one of Voices for Healthy Kid's six issue areas:
Ensure foods and beverages in schools meet dietary guidelines
Expand community access to high quality food
Expand physical activity programs in and out of school
Improve built environment in communities to increase physical activity
Use pricing strategies to promote purchase of healthier foods
Use regulation/policy to reduce youth exposure to unhealthy food marketing
They are working on other obesity-related issues, such as:
Transportation policy
Other
Their primary focus is working on individual behavior (e.g., teaching kids about food, play, etc.), but they have access to organizations that could provide opportunities to change environments, such as
Schools
Local Governments
Public Health Agencies
Food producers
Advertisers
Other
Their project is commercial, but contributes positively to changing policies and environments, such as:
Farmer's market
Supermarket
Farmer
Food company
Advertiser
Other
2. Applicant is organizing others or contributing to organizing efforts
They are organizing others by:
Doing training
Providing volunteer opportunities
Building contact lists of supporters to engage in advocacy
Holding events
Other
They provide support to organizations or leaders doing work changing policies and environments, such as:
Funding
Evaluation
Capacity Building
Research
Other
They are a leader in a governmental body that may be the target of organizing efforts to change policies and environments, such as a:
Federal or state agency
Mayor or other local executive office
Federal, state, county or local public health department
Federal, state, county or transportation department
Federal, state or local education agency or school board
Other
If the applicant claims to work for an organization, at least one item must be checked below:
3. Applicant works for an organization:
Has an email address that matches the domain of the organization they list
Is listed on the organization website as staff
The Voices for Healthy Kids Action Center is looking for bloggers who can write about issues that matter to our community on a regular basis. If you would like to be considered for this network, please check this box.
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