“We can change the world and make it a better place. It is in our hands to make the difference.” -Nelson Mandela
As an individual, I always say I am a “Seeker of Radical Health” for myself, my family and my community. As such, I’ve long desired to bring Bodies for Birth® services and curriculum into underserved communities.
Now, as a Certified Health & Wellness Coach, I’m reminded of this yearning and find myself once again considering how to share the Bodies for Birth® methodology on a larger scale so as to break down (at least some of) the barriers to access.
As I dig into Healthy People 2030 (HP2030), I can’t help but be moved, once again, by the sobering statistics for maternal health. And I am reminded of my great privilege.
Pregnancy and Childbirth is just one of 359 core–or measurable–objectives that comprise HP2030. You can learn more here.
Speaking more globally, here is a little background: In 1979, “Healthy People: The Surgeon General’s Report on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention” was issued by Surgeon General Julius Richmond.
Now, over four decades later, HP2030 remains the federal government’s longest running disease and health promotion initiative for building a healthier nation.
Here are the nuts and bolts:
- HP2030, the fifth iteration of the initiative, builds on knowledge gained over time to tackle the most pressing public health priorities.
- HP2030 launched in August of 2020 with a new focus on well-being and with increased focus on health equity, social determinants of health and health literacy.
- HP2030 Vision: A society in which all people can achieve their full potential for health and well-being across the lifespan.
- HP2030 Mission: To promote, strengthen, and evaluate the nation’s effort to improve the health and well-being of all people.
- As previously mentioned, there are 359 measurable or core objectives. Of note: “Pregnancy and Childbirth” is one of these Objectives.
- With this in mind, “Healthy People 2030 focuses on preventing pregnancy complications and maternal deaths and helping women stay healthy before, during, and after pregnancy.“
I like to believe that Bodies for Birth® is helping with this mission by providing education, evidence based resources, promoting overall health and well-being, and of course by providing safe, effective physical activity services to support maternal fitness in the perinatal time.
And still, I feel there is so much more I could do and would like to do.
With that said, I’m calling on the Bodies for Birth® community to help with this mission. I don’t have a clear plan or direction yet, but feel that the intention is there and it has been there since the start.
So, if maternal health is something you’re passionate about, I’d love to hear from you.
Please drop me a line and let me know what on your mind and in your heart.
I believe we can do more together than we can siloed.
And, I know this community.
We are a community of passionate, loving individuals. We are a community seeking education and resources, a community that shares to uplift those in need. We are empowered and still, always seeking more knowledge and empowerment.
I know the like-minded are here. And, as I reflect on the hundreds of you I have taught and journeyed beside, I can’t help but smile and feel so full of gratitude.
Thinking of you all, I envision a collective in the promotion of Women’s Health, in support of healthy pregnancy and childbirth.
So, let’s become united and draw upon our individual experiences, strengths and resources. Together, I know we can do amazing things.
At this moment, I’m not asking for anything other than an “I’m In” and a willingness to let this evolve in the spirit of health promotion and community.
You can email me here or just hit “reply” to this newsletter!
“Communities and countries and ultimately the world are only as strong as the health of their women.” – Michelle Obama
Something to Try:
In the spirit of women’s health and from one of my favorite resources, Mindful.org: 10 Guided Meditations from the Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement
Ten options with both transcripts and audio for empowerment, self-compassion, equanimity, loving-kindness and more.
Something to Read:
From The Department of Health and Human Services: Healthy Women, Healthy Pregnancies, Healthy Futures: Action Plan to Improve Maternal Health in America
This is not light reading. The 184 page report is comprehensive, but organized in a way that you can easily navigate to what interests you most based on the table of contents.
Something to Create:
Today, here’s a nudge to create space for yourself.
There is no companion “so companionable as Solitude,” Thoreau reminds us. And, Sundays, I find, can be just right for this very type of companion.
Something to Consider:
“I can promise you that women working together -linked, informed and educated- can bring peace and prosperity to this forsaken planet.” -Isabel Allende
If what I’ve shared today resonates with you, please consider sending me a quick,”I’m in!” 💞
Sources:
Mindbodygreen Syllabus, Health People 2030 with Darshi Shah, M.S., M.A., NBC-HWC