Promoting Healthy Births

Milwaukee Infant Mortality Rates
Overall and by Race/Ethicity
1995-2004 (3 year rolling averages)

Overview
As seen in the above graph, Milwaukee has a significant problem of infant mortality. The graph shows a comparatively high number of babies die in the city of Milwaukee, but also a great disparity in mortality based on race. The difference between deaths of African American infants and other infants in Milwaukee continues to grow. Columbia St. Mary's has take action within the hospital and within the larger community to promote healthy births and reduce the infant mortality rate.

Internal Action
A Columbia St. Mary's Task Force has been in existence for several years to develop procedures and programs to promote healthy births within Columbia St. Mary's and in the larger community. A Safe Sleep campaign has been instituted to address the problem of infants dying in their homes because of improper sleep practices. According to health experts, the best way for a baby to sleep is alone in a bed, on their back, without blankets and toys surrounding them in a non-smoking home. Many of the infants who died in Milwaukee were in unsafe settings, sleeping with adults or on their stomachs or suffocated by blankets or toys. To improve this Columbia St. Mary's:

• Developed a Safe Sleep Education campaign with posters in each Mom/Baby room.
• Distributes “Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play” infant onesies to educate parents and others about the correct sleep positioning.
• Developed a procedure for distributing Pack and Play cribs to families without resources.
• Conducted a Lunch and Learn program of education to physician’s office staff to develop uniform messages about Safe Sleep.

Community Action
Columbia St. Mary's has worked with the larger community to develop prenatal and parenting education programs at its Family Care Center and through the Blanket of Love Program. Columbia St. Mary's has provided significant multi-year funding for the Nurse Family Partnership Program of the Milwaukee Health Department. Columbia St. Mary's support has gone to fund teams of nurses to provide care management of high risk pregnant women and families in the 53204 and 53212 zip codes. The Nurse Family Partnership is a national model of care that is thought to be the most effective way to help women and families and thereby to promote healthy births. Through this contribution, Columbia St. Mary's is a leader in the community in taking active steps to reduce infant mortality.