A Better Balance is pleased to participate in the Brooklyn Public Library Healthy Communities Initiative’s Virtual Maternal Health Summit this Spring. We invite new and expectant parents, caretakers, and advocates to join us virtually on Saturday, Apr 24 2021 from 11:00 am – 1:30 pm for a panel discussion, breakout sessions, and a resource share on maternal health and New Yorkers’ legal rights to workplace accommodations.
Breakout Sessions:
Know Your Rights: Advocating for Your Caregiving Needs At Work: This breakout, led by A Better Balance legal fellow Dana Bolger, will provide a broad overview of New Yorkers’ legal rights to parental, caregiving, vaccine, and medical leave, as well as workplace pregnancy and lactation accommodations. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and gain self-advocacy strategies. By knowing their rights, New Yorkers can safeguard their health and that of their families, without risking losing a paycheck.
Community Advocacy: Trauma and Pregnancy, Childbirth and Beyond: The Brooklyn Birth Justice Defenders invite you to a discussion around trauma and pregnancy, childbirth and beyond. How that trauma impacts Black people and how we can advocate for ourselves and communities. We will discuss: the history of trauma experienced by Black women at the hands of the medical industry; how trauma is current; how this impacts the way Black people experience pregnancy and childbirth; and how we can advocate for ourselves and our communities.
Breastfeeding, Doula Services and Lactation Support: Catherine Vautor-Laplaceliere is a certified Lactation Specialist and Doula. She brings over a decade of expertise in her fields assisting with births in Brooklyn and assisting with breastfeeding. In addition, she works with hospitals, clinics and various community partners to educate mothers and their partners about the benefits of breastfeeding and knowing their rights pertaining to breastfeeding. Join her to learn more about breastfeeding and how it has been impacted by the pandemic.
How to Advocate for Yourself with Your Maternal Health Practitioners: Join Nurse Sharon Petty for a workshop on self-advocacy in medical settings.