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Omaha Better Birth Project Start-Up

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Omaha Better Birth Project  is a nonprofit organization located in Omaha, Nebraska.  Our mission is to decrease income-based inequities in childbirth by providing access to doula services, childbirth education, and prenatal & postpartum support for low-income and teen expectant families in the Omaha area.  

The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among the 11 of the world's highest income countries.  More than 700 birthing people die each year in the United States and 2/3 of those deaths are preventable.  Postpartum depression and other mood disorders affect up to 25% of birthing people in the United States.  Expectant and postpartum families facing financial insecurity and teens are far less likely to have access to the prenatal or postpartum care, education, and support they may need due to high costs and other associated barriers.  Omaha Better Birth Project seeks to break down these barriers so ALL families can access the care they may need.

We envision a world where all expectant families are guaranteed access to the services, support, and education needed to set them down a path to an safe, informed and empowered birth experience.

Omaha Better Birth Project will fulfill its mission through 3 key programs provided to expectant low-income and teen families in the Omaha area:

1.  Birth Doula Grants
2.  Childbirth Education Course Grants
3.  Prenatal & Postpartum Support 

Unfortunately, the legal establishment of a nonprofit organization can be financially substantial. The funds from this campaign will be used to file for incorporation in the state of Nebraska as well as to apply for the official federal 501(c)3 status.  The costs for filing forms and associated legal fees is approximately $2000.  100% of any additional funds raised will be used for other start-up and program costs. 

Your donation will be invaluable to the many families we will serve in the years to come!  Single mothers can receive birth support which could otherwise be unavailable to them. A family who just lost a job won't have to choose between paying their bills or getting the birth support they need.  Families will have access to the education they need to make safe and informed decisions in childbirth.


Doulas
provide physical and emotional support as well as education and advocacy for the family before, during, and after birth. From a significant decreased risk of cesarean, shorter labor lengths, better APGAR scores for baby, and a more satisfying birth experience for the family, doulas carry a long list of benefits.  Omaha Better Birth Project believes that a family's income should not be a barrier to access these essential childbirth services.  We will help eliminate this barrier by providing grants to low-income and teen families for birth doula services.  


Education is also key to an informed and empowered birth experience.  The Omaha area is home to many different styles of childbirth education. These different styles allow for a family to choose the form of education that correlates with how they visualize their birth. Proper education has the potential to influence not only their births  but for future generations as well. Omaha Better Birth Project will provide grants for childbirth education courses to low-income and teen families in the Omaha area to help provide a solid foundation of information for the birthing families.


Omaha Better Birth Project will also provide prenatal and postpartum support through support groups, online information & resources, and postpartum necessity kits for Omaha area families in need.  

Research shows all three of these services are proven to improve both maternal and newborn outcomes in childbirth (references below).  As with any healthcare program, these services come at a cost, a cost that can be a significant barrier to those facing financial insecurity.  Omaha Better Birth Project understands that individuals providing doula and childbirth education services are often significantly underpaid for their work and offering free services to low-income families is not always suitable solution.  We seek to provide a sustainable solution to fill the gap of these crucial missing services between the financially secure and insecure.

We encourage you to donate what you can. Every dollar counts toward helping birthing families in our community.  Please contact us if you are interested in sponsoring a family!

The Omaha Better Birth Project thanks you for your support and we are glad to have you on the journey to better birth for all!

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References:

Afshar, Y., Wang, E. T., Mei, J., Esakoff, T. F., Pisarska, M. D., & Gregory, K. D. (2016). Childbirth Education Class and Birth Plans Are Associated with a Vaginal Delivery. Birth, 44(1), 29-34. doi:10.1111/birt.12263

Dekker, R. (2019, August 12). Evidence on: Doulas. Retrieved May 26, 2020, from https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/

Gunja, M. (2018, December 19). What Is the Status of Women's Health and Health Care in the U.S. Compared to Ten Other Countries?: Commonwealth Fund. Retrieved June 25, 2020, from https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2018/dec/womens-health-us-compared-ten-other-countries

Hans, S. L., Edwards, R. C., & Zhang, Y. (2018). Randomized Controlled Trial of Doula-Home-Visiting Services: Impact on Maternal and Infant Health. Maternal and child health journal, 22(Suppl 1), 105–113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-018-2537-7.

Kozhimannil, K. B., Attanasio, L. B., Jou, J., Joarnt, L. K., Johnson, P. J., & Gjerdingen, D. K. (2014). Potential benefits of increased access to doula support during childbirth. The American journal of managed care, 20(8), e340–e352.

National Perinatal Association (2018).  NPA Position Statement 2018 Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders. http://www.nationalperinatal.org/resources/Documents/Position%20Papers/2018%20Position%20Statement%20PMADs_NPA.pdf

Ricchi A, La Corte S, Molinazzi MT, Messina MP, Banchelli F, Neri I. Study of childbirth education classes and evaluation of their effectiveness. Clin Ter. 2020;170(1):e78‐e86. doi:10.7417/CT.2020.2193

Thomas MP, Ammann G, Brazier E, Noyes P, Maybank A. Doula Services Within a Healthy Start Program: Increasing Access for an Underserved Population. Matern Child Health J. 2017;21(Suppl 1):59‐64. doi:10.1007/s10995-017-2402-0

Fundraising team (2)

Samantha Wall
Organizer
Raised $50 from 1 donation
Omaha, NE
Emily Seddon
Team member
Raised $70 from 2 donations

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