Moms. Dads. Grandparents. Doctors. Nurses. Hospitals. Everyone plays a role in preventing infant mortality.

September is National Infant Mortality Awareness Month, a time to reflect on what we can do to make sure every baby has a healthy start and celebrate our babies that reached their first birthdays. In Northeast Florida, more than 140 babies under age one died in 2013. While there was a decrease in disparities, the infant mortality rate increase in 2013 and sleep-related deaths increased after several years of decline.

So what can you do to reduce infant mortality? Over the course of the month, we’ll provide information on all aspects of reducing infant mortality: preconception health, pregnancy, healthy babies, healthy families and interconception health.

Infant Mortality Awareness Month Resources:

A Healthy Baby Begins With You campaign

National Healthy Start Association’s Celebrate Day 366 Toolkit

Coalition members, participants and partners share their role in preventing infant mortality:

Preconception Health:

• Learn about preconception health.
• What’s your role? Preconception Peer Educator Ashley Roussell

Pregnancy:

• Learn about healthy pregnancies.
• Whats Your Role? AmeriCorps alum Valerie Eldridge
• What’s your role? Coalition member Winnie Holland
• What’s your role? Community liaison and 39 Weeks contact Kerri Stephen
• What’s your role? Board member Linda Asay

 Healthy Babies:

• Learn more healthy babies here.
• What’s your role? Nurse Family Partnership participant Denise Mills
• What’s your role? Board member Rev. Tommy Rodgers
• What’s Your Role? Coalition Member Nangy Davidson

Healthy Family:

• Learn about healthy families here.
• What’s your role? Teen Ambassadors Hasani & Dereamius

Interconception Health

• Learn about interconception health here.