Everyone in a family plays a role in preventing infant mortality.

Fathers play an important role in a family. Unmarried mothers are less likely to obtain prenatal care & more likely to have a low birthweight baby. Studies show that children with early father involvement are more likely to be and stay healthy. Raising a child is a challenge. A father can provide for & protect their children.

Cigarette smoking during pregnancy is a major factor contributing to low birth weight and other poor outcomes. Once the baby is born, second-hand smoke can harm the baby just as it harms an adult. Third-hand Smoke (the residue from second-hand smoke) is tobacco smoke contamination that remains after the cigarette has been extinguished. In other words, it is the tobacco toxins that build up third-hand smoke residue includes heavy metals, carcinogens and even radioactive materials that young children can get on their hands and ingest, especially if they’re crawling or playing on the floor.

Women are more likely to breastfeed if they have support from friends, which includes husbands or boyfriends, mothers, grandmothers or any other close relatives. In addition to benefits for mothers and babies, fathers, partners, and other people in a mother’s support system can benefit from breastfeeding, too. There are no bottles to prepare, but many people feel warmth, love and relaxation from sitting next to a mother and baby during breastfeeding.

Making sure your family is healthy is important for future generations. Teenage mothers and their babies are consistently linked with poor health and socioeconomic outcomes. Babies born to teenage mothers are more likely to be born premature and have low birth weight. These mothers are least likely of all maternal age groups to receive prenatal care, at a higher risk for pregnancy complications, are less likely to graduate high school and more likely to live in poverty. It’s important for parents to talk to their teenagers about living healthy lifestyles and protecting themselves from STDs, HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy.