Public Health Services - Families - Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe

Family Spirit Home-visiting intervention program to support young Native parents from pregnancy to 3 years postpartum. Parents gain knowledge and skills to achieve development for their preschool-age children across the domains of physical, cognitive, social-emotional, language-learning, and self-help. The Family Spirit Program consists of 63 lessons. Goals of the program:

• Prepare for labor and delivery

• Learn how your baby develops

• Understand nutrition for you and your baby

• Keep your baby safe

• Strengthen family relationships

• Access community resources

• Achieve personal goals

• Calm your baby

• Help your baby be smart and happy

• Use your cultural practices in parenting

• Enjoy being a parent

Maternal and Child Health Prenatal Visits: Public Health Nurse will discuss normal body changes during pregnancy, nutritional needs during pregnancy, healthy choices during pregnancy, and referrals for other available services. Postpartum Visits: After delivery, a Public Health Nurse is available to discuss topics including normal body changes after pregnancy, breastfeeding support, family planning and birth control methods that are best for parent, information on infant development, weight, and measurement, parenting techniques, car seat safety, sleep safety, and referrals for other available services. Well-Child Services: Public Health Nurse is available to visit during regularly scheduled appointments. Topics covered during these visits including baby's height, weight, and development, feeding baby (breastfeeding, bottle feeding, starting solids), sleep habits, how to play with baby and activities that stimulate development, and referrals for other available services. Family Planning: Individual or group education sessions about family planning methods, good physical health before and during pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases. Breastfeeding Counseling: Public Health Nurses trained in lactation counseling offering education and support during the prenatal and postpartum period to help mothers get a good start on nursing. One-on-One Childbirth education and Family Spirit education. Parenting Education: Public Health staff will meet with parents to provide age-specific parenting education, explain developmental stages that children go through, and discuss alternative ways to discipline children. Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Provides benefits for pregnant women, infants, and children ages 1 - 4 years such as:

• Breastfeeding education and support

• Formula for infants for breastfeeding

• Healthy foods

• Nutrition education

11/11/2024