Babies born in the United States have a higher chance of death than babies born in more than 50 other countries in the world. Harnessing lessons-learned from successful improvement initiatives can help hospitals and state health systems address this alarming statistic. Here, pioneer for improvement Deborah Campbell, MD, FAAP, shares strategies and lessons-learned from three successful improvement efforts: improving nutrition protocols for preterm infants; spreading safe sleep messages to reduce infant deaths; and testing strategies to lower rates of maternal hemorrhage, and related mortality and morbidity.

Experts from the Brookings Institution, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the Medical University of South Carolina and Postpartum Support Charleston analyze the impact of maternal depression on children and families, and offer strategies health professionals can take to ensure that more mothers are screened and referred to support and resources.

Swaddling babies snuggly in a blanket mimics the confines of the womb and can comfort babies and promote sleep. However, when families don’t swaddle properly it has the potential to become risky and result in injury and possible death. By improving conversations with caregivers, health professionals can help reduce risks and support tired parents. Here, find four points to cover in your conversations. 

By partnering with community programs and organizations, public health initiatives can give families opportunities to learn about safe sleep from trusted members of their community who share their lived experience. Here, find six strategies for engaging community partners, maintaining that partnership, and collaborating to raise awareness.

Supporting father engagement and involvement is a critical opportunity to improve children’s health outcomes in the decades to come, says NICHQ President and CEO Scott D. Berns. Here, he describes three strategies for supporting fathers as powerful allies in maternal and child health outcomes.

High rates of opioid use among pregnant women reflect an ongoing national epidemic. Here, two experts share why improving both short and long-term health outcomes starts by recognizing that this is a treatable chronic disease and providing comprehensive care for the mother-baby dyad.