The Malone Center's Maternal Wellness programs are dedicated to combating the inequities and disparities in Black infant and maternal health while providing safe and culturally competent perinatal services. The programs focus on decreasing Black infant and maternal mortality and morbidity rates and increasing breastfeeding rates by implementing initiatives that include education, empowerment, support, access to healthcare resources and client services during pregnancy, and a year+ after childbirth. These services are led by Black, Indigenous, and Person of color (BIPOC) women and all fees are covered in full by the Malone. The only qualifications to participate in programming is to be 36 weeks gestation or less and identify as a BIPOC individual, 80% of enrollment opportunities are reserved for Black individuals and 20% of enrollment opportunities are reserved for Indigenous individuals and People of Color.
Class and program offerings include:
Birthing Classes: Two class option available taught by a certified Birth Doula, Hypnobabies Certified Instructor and Evidence Based Birth Instructor®.
Pregnancy and Childbirth Doula: Labor doulas assist with creating birthing plans, patient advocacy, informational/physical/emotional support, provide comfort measures, breastfeeding and latching initiation at hospital and more depending on their certifications and what the client’s wishes are.
Postpartum Doula: Postpartum doulas will provide emotional, informational, and physical support, breastfeeding assistance, postpartum care, light housekeeping and delivery of prepared meals and fresh produce. Each family will receive $83 worth of fresh and nutritious groceries at each visit.
Breastfeeding Support Programs: Melanin Mommas Support Group and Breastfeeding Peer Counseling programs include emotional support, lactation assistance, patient advocacy, education, virtual support, 1:1 support in the home and office, delivery of essential supplies, and group events to develop a strong support network for women and families.
Malone Maternal Wellness Doula Scholarship: BIPOC individuals interested in becoming a certified doula can apply for the Malone Maternal Wellness Doula Scholarship.
New programs in 2022 include:
Doula Mentorship: Promote the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual wellness of individual Malone Maternal Wellness doulas. Unlimited 24/7 phone and text support when the mentee is at a birth and needs mentorship on supporting the client.
Milk Share: Malone Community Center facilitates milk sharing in the Lincoln and Omaha areas. Malone Center is not a milk bank. Milk is not pasteurized, homogenized or tested. Instructions for in home pasteurization are available to each recipient. Malone Center milk is free to all families. Malone Center is not informal milk sharing. Our Milk Share is open to all families, not just BIPOC families. Our Milk Mobile will travel to pick up donations and deliver frozen milk to recipients.
From September 2021-September 2022, Malone Maternal Wellness programs in Lincoln and Omaha have:
- Attended 50 births
- Enrolled 49 new clients, four of whom are returning clients for their second pregnancies
- Taught 41 birthing classes
- Provided 252 postpartum visits
- Provided 960 hours of in-person and virtual breastfeeding and lactation support
- Launched two new programs
- Currently have 65 families enrolled in programs
- Have 51 families actively breastfeeding
To learn more about Malone’s Maternal Wellness program visit their website or contact Jillian Boldt.
