Sammie learned about Better Indy Babies/Healthy Families when she was 14 years old and expecting her first child. She was scared, overwhelmed and knew she had a lot to learn.

She loved meeting with her Better Indy Babies/Healthy Families home visitors. Through their ongoing visits, they helped Sammie learn how to take better care of herself and her baby during her pregnancy. After her daughter Isabelle was born, they taught Sammie how to care for a newborn, and how to play developmental games with her daughter as she grew. They helped her understand about temper tantrums and when to be concerned – and what to do – when her child is sick. They also helped Sammie set personal goals, get back in school and look for jobs.

Sammie will graduate from high school this year. She also attends cosmetology school and has a full-time job. Isabelle is now 3 years old, and is growing and thriving. Thanks to a little mentoring from the Better Indy Babies/Healthy Families team, Sammie has been able to give Isabelle a great start in life.

Put your money toward a good cause this Saturday so that more moms like Sammie and little ones like Isabelle can get the boost they need to succeed in life. Stop by any of the six local Once Upon A Child stores and check out the great sale! (Even if you don’t have kids, it’s a chance to stock up on baby shower gifts or treats for nieces and nephews!) Pass the word to your friends!

Need directions? Find the store nearest you.

Can’t make it?  You can still make an impact…
VISIT blog.indyhealthnet.org/DONATE
TO CONTRIBUTE!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhNFP1kUk7E]

Who was you imaginary friend?
What was your favorite toy?
What television show did you watch NON-STOP?

You may have these answers because of the stories family members have told you, but it is hard to remember it first hand. Our memories may not be that sharp between the ages of 0 and 3, BUT this part of life is one of the MOST IMPORTANT stages for children.

According to Zero to Three – a national non-profit that aims to keep professionals, policymakers, and parents informed on development and health tools for toddlers and infants – “Research shows that [a]s a child grows, supportive relationships with parents and caregivers shape his or her self-image and provide the child with the resilience needed to face new challenges.”

This may or may not be anything new to anyone, but it serves as a good reminder that the primary caregiver, environment and surroundings play a HUGE role in child development.

The down economy has hit everyone hard (another statement that is not new to anyone), but think about how this has shaped the environment of MANY 0-3 year olds. Here are some stats for Indianapolis and Indiana from the most recent Kids Count Data Book that may paint a better picture of the environment many of our children are living in…

• 31% of Indianapolis children live in poverty
• Indiana ranks near the bottom- 39th out of 50 – in infant mortality rate
• 44 per every 1000 children born in Indiana are born to teen mothers
• 49% of Indianapolis children live in a single-parent home

That last statistic sticks out like a sore thumb. Not because ALL single parents are bad parents, but even THE BEST PARENT IN THE WORLD needs support from someone, somewhere.

Home visitation and prevention programs like our Better Indy Babies Program (BIBs) are here to support families that fit in many of the statistics above. BIBs has a proven track record of decreasing infant mortality and premature births.

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What else do YOU think can be done to help make sure Indianapolis children have a safe environment and supportive relationships to face new challenges?

Do you think that prevention and home visitation programs are essential to aiding at-risk families?

Comment below. Join the discussion on our Facebook page. Or learn more about BIBs and our Once Upon a Healthy Baby event by subscribing to our blog and/or eNewsletter to receive alerts about the program and other ongoings!

Meet – Better Indy Babies/Healthy Families

Better Indy Babies (BIBs) is a free home visitation program for expecting mothers. BIBs is designed to promote a healthier you for a healthy pregnancy. Our efforts assist in healthy fetal development and help reduce infant immortality rates, SIDS, and foreseen childhood health problems. Since 1989, the program has been providing prenatal care coordination services and served as one of two pilot projects funded by the Marion County Divisions of Family and Children Services.

Healthy Families – Marion I (HF) is a voluntary home visitation program that works with parents and children from the age of 0-3 for healthy growth and development for the child through a variety of services including access to health care and parent education.

So here are the four things you should know about Better Indy Babies & Healthy Families.

1.  Separate names, but they work together to make one great program!

   As you may have noticed from reading above, both programs basically serve the same purpose — only in two different stages of a child’s life.  Both work toward proper care and development for all Indianapolis children through home visitation.

2. Together they provided more than 12,364 home visits last year.

   The result of a home visitation program such as BIBs/HF is a researched success.  A Healthy Families program in New York with a similar sister program like Better Indy Babies was featured in a research study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine where ‘pregnant women and adolescents were randomized to either an intervention group that received bi-weekly home-visitation services or to a control group’.  And the conclusion was this:

   

   photo by paparutzi

   “A prenatal home-visitation program with focus on social support, health education, and access to services holds promise for reducing low-birth-weight deliveries among at-risk women and adolescents.”
   
   

3. BIBs/HF is filled with tireless staff who not only visit these families, but also become an integral PART in their lives.

   This is true and can be seen in an earlier blog post that gave a recap of the BIBs/HF Picnic & Graduation Ceremony.  Read that post!

4. Assistance to help sustain this great program is always a need!

   There are plenty of ways to get involved with this great group of people!

   • Donate new or gently used baby items to the BIBs Pantry at University Heights United Methodist Church.
   • Consider a small gift. We can’t understate the significance of even a $5 donation to the BIBs/HF programs.  Raise awareness and tell your friends that you donated to this great program!  Together, we can help all children in Indianapolis get a GREAT start to LIFE.

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Interested in BIBs/HF?  Want to learn more?
Questions about Low birth weight and infant mortality in Indianapolis?
Comment below!
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