MCH programs and services focus on promoting health and addressing health concerns for women, children, and families.  Current program activities include Healthy Beginnings, Cribs for Kids (infant safe sleep), First Breath, Postpartum and Newborn Follow-up, and Breastfeeding Friendly Certification for workplaces and licensed/certified child care centers.  Check out the information below to learn more! Contact us to schedule an appointment.

 

Healthy Beginnings

Healthy Beginnings is a free service offered by Rusk County Public Health to provide support and education to moms and families during pregnancy and after birth of their baby. Healthy Beginnings Handout

 

Cribs for Kids

Cribs for Kids provides infant safe sleep information to parents and caregivers to help reduce the risk of injury and death of infants due to unsafe sleep environments.  New portable pack n’ play cribs are provided to pregnant women in their 3^rd trimester or parents/guardians of children less than 1 year old. 

 

First Breath

No judgement, just support!  First Breath is Wisconsin’s free program to help you make positive changes to your tobacco, alcohol, and substance use when pregnant, a caregiver to young children, & beyond!  Get help with a quit plan that’s individualized to you and receive participation gifts.  To learn more or sign up online visit Smoking, alcohol or drug use concerns during pregnancy? We can help. (wwhf.org) or contact Rusk County Public Health at 715-532-2299 for assistance to sign up and get one-on-one support.

 

Postpartum and Newborn Follow-Up

This service provides a visit with a nurse for support and education for postpartum families and newborns, answers common questions new parents have, provides weight checks for newborns, and assists in connections to needed resources. 

 

Breastfeeding Friendly Certification

Rusk County Public Health supports and assists workplaces and licensed/certified child care sites in becoming breastfeeding friendly. Participants receive support to improve their practices, policies, and child care or workplace environments to better support nursing families. Facilities undergo assessments, create action plans, and receive technical assistance to make needed improvements.  Once the 10 Steps to being breastfeeding friendly are met, participants are awarded and recognized as “Breastfeeding Friendly.”

 

Additional resources are available at Well Badger Resource Center website.