PPF Perinatal Photosynthesis Community Outreach

Pettaway Pursuit Foundation's continuing goal is to empower all expecting Medicaid mothers we service with education and support throughout their prenatal and postpartum period in a concerted effort to achieve and maximize healthy newborn outcomes through healthier and prolonged pregnancies. Our Doulas provide one on one non-judgmental in home practical support, such as childbirth education, parenting skills, meal preparation, household organization, breastfeeding support and emotional support to ensure improved maternal and birth outcomes. By ensuring our Doulas provide additional comprehensive educational assistance through our PPF Perinatal Photosynthesis Module a three phase evidenced based training curriculum in which Doulas educate and enlighten about the importance of understanding a woman's birthing experience while emphasizing the positive impact of attaining emotional intelligence outcomes to improve the family environment to the expectant mother's partner and family, we hope to increase the probability of ensuring a healthier start for the newborn until he or she is five years old. Our Doulas are certified by the approving respective agencies. Therefore, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ACOG and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine SMFM published data indicates that one of the most effective tools to improve labor and delivery outcomes is the continuous presence of support personnel, such as a Doula. This community engagement grant will further enhance our goals by taking the methodology that we execute during our Doula home visits and expand our outreach to specifically engage our mother's partner during the perinatal and post-partum periods as well as fathers and other community members in Worcester and Boston.