PQCNC has been asked by the March of Dimes (MOD) if the PQCNC EHM groups would be willing to include a new MOD program in the effort to increase eclusive human milk rates in NICUs and nurseries. The MOD module called "Close To Me" is designed to promote and support kangaroo care. The initial version of this module is designed with NICU infants in mind but MOD would like to modify this module for use in promoting skin to skin care in all newborns. There are presentations geared to families and providers. In addition to supplying us with the actual powerpoints, March of Dimes is willing to donate fliers and Close To Me Buttons to promote skin to skin efforts. Laura Miller, the March of Dimes National Coordinator for Close to Me and Manager of Licensing for the Family Support Program presented an overview of Close To Me. She made an appeal for the EHM Nursery Collaborative members to consider assisting in the transformation of Close to Me to a tool that would be useful with well newborns and their families.
There was significant interest expressed by all centers attending the initial webinar in participating in developing a Nursery version of Close to Me. The meeting closed with a general agreement that the EHM Nursery Collaborative would identify a small group of advisers interested in working with Laura to create such a product. PQCNC will identify this group by next week in order that the group could begin discussions and report back to the larger Collaborative on 7/27, the date of the next EHM Well Baby webinar.
Once it is developed the larger PQCNC EHM Nursery Collaborative offers multiple unique laboratories in which to determine how Close To Me might be incorporated into couplet and well nursery care.