The state of Ohio ranks second to last in the country for infant mortality or the death of a living baby before his/her first birthday. Moms2B is here to help women at high risk for infant mortality learn tools that will enable them to make healthier choices and deliver healthy, full-term infants.
Understanding the Need
The leading cause of infant death in Ohio is pre-term birth (46.3%) followed by sleep-related deaths (16.9%) and birth defects (14.8%), according to the Ohio Department of Health.
- Infant Mortality is defined by The Centers for Disease Control as the death of a living baby before his/her first birthday
- The infant mortality rate is an estimate of the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births
- 1,005 infants died in Ohio in 2015
- While this number is a decline from previous years, the Ohio infant mortality rate still remains 20% higher than the national average
- The national “Healthy People 2020” infant mortality rate objective establishes a goal of reducing the infant mortality rate to 6.0
- The most current data from 2015 suggests that Ohio’s infant mortality rate is 7.2
- In Franklin County, nearly 100 infants annually do not reach their first birthday, according to the Ohio Department of Health
- This places Franklin County’s infant mortality rate at a staggering 7.6 per 1000 live births
- In Ohio, African-American babies die at more than three times the rate of white babies (which reflects a similar national statistic).
Recently featured on NBC4 news (WCMH-TV Columbus), Moms2B is working to change these numbers!
About Us
About Us
The Moms2B program was founded in 2010 by:
- Pediatrician, clinical researcher and professor, Patricia Gabbe, MD
- Infant medical health specialist and program director, Twinkle French Schottke
What began originally as a research-driven, ten-week nutrition course at one location, has since expanded into a community-wide comprehensive prenatal and first-year-of-life program, offered weekly at five locations. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University and other community social service organizations support Moms2B with ongoing access to:
- Physicians
- Nurses
- Dietitians
- Lactation Counselors
- Social Workers
- Parenting & Childhood Educators
- Community Health Workers
- Health Professional Students
Many dedicated volunteers and generous individuals and corporations donate their time and dollars as well.
Our ultimate goal is to make a difference one baby at a time, and in our first four years, we joyfully welcomed hundreds of new babies into the Central Ohio community.
Contact Us
Moms2B
700 Ackerman Place, Suite 440
Columbus, OH 43202
Direct all questions and media inquiries to:
614-292-1605
Email: Moms2B@osumc.edu
Email: Moms2B@osumc.edu
Our Partners
As a non-profit, Moms2B is completely reliant on our volunteers and generous partners. This includes:
- The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
- CareSource
- Dell
- Grace Missionary Baptist Church
- JP Morgan Chase
- Mount Carmel Health
- Nationwide Children’s Hospital
- Ohio State Extension Office
- Ohio State Outreach and Engagement
- Ohio State University Hospital East
- PNC Bank Foundation
- Temple Israel
- The American Red Cross
- The Columbus Foundation
- The Columbus Kiwanis Club
- The Harry C. Moores Foundation
- The John R. Maloney Health Center
- The Kroger Company
- The Mid-Ohio Food Bank
- The Ohio Governor's Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives
- Weinland Park Collaborative
- United Way of Central Ohio
- US Bank
What We Do
What We Do
What We Do
Our Purpose:
Targeting Central Ohio zip codes with the highest infant mortality rates, Moms2B provides weekly education and support sessions to high-risk pregnant women to promote healthier lifestyle choices and link them with social support resources.
Our Goal:
The goal of Moms2B is for all participants to deliver healthy, full-term infants that live to celebrate their first birthday Moms2B encourages all pregnant women to participate and invites them to remain in the program until they are one year postpartum.
Our Approach:
Moms2B educates through a multi-disciplinary team approach. Healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, social workers, dietitians, lactation counselors, and healthcare students educate on maternal and infant health topics.
The education topics, specifically designed to address concerns and questions of Moms2B participants, focuses on:
- Breastfeeding
- Child Development
- Family Planning
- Goal Setting
- Labor & Delivery
- Maternal-Infant Health
- Positive Parenting
- Reproductive Health
- Safe Sleep and more!
Each program session is delivered in a supportive environment, encouraging and empowering moms to take ownership of their choices, often leading to new found independence after the baby’s delivery and beyond.
Moms2B even provides a healthy and hot meal with every session to supplement the diets of participants, as 85% report experiencing food shortages at home within the past year. On-site child care is also provided for all program participants; this allows moms to engage and interact not only with the education, but also with fellow participants. Pre-registration is not required. Please call 614-292-1605 for more details.
Making A Difference
Making a Difference
Making a Difference
The Moms2B program continues to grow:
- In over 6 years, approximately 1,000 women have attended at least one of our Moms2B sessions
- We welcomed 353 new Moms in 2016
- We average 20 Moms at each location weekly
- Of the women enrolled in Moms2B, only 10% of babies born were of low birth weight (this is 20% less than expected)
- 88% percent of our recorded single birth babies weighed over 5-pounds, 8-ounces at delivery
- Moms2B has also welcomed ten sets of twins and one set of triplets, with more multiples on the way
“Their resilience, positive attitudes and strength in the face of such incredible obstacles inspires me to stay committed to our program and try to make a positive lifelong difference for them.”
Beyond the obvious relief of delivering a healthy baby, there are significant financial implications as well:
- Reducing prematurity results in a significant cost avoidance for the Medicaid program.
- The medical costs for a premature or low-birth weight infant is approximately $38,000 in the first year of life alone.
- Whereas the medical costs for an infant born full-term is less than $4,000 annually.
- With our impact on decreasing the number of babies born low-birth weight, we estimate a cost savings of $125,000 per year.
Our Locations
Our Locations
Our Locations
Weekly sessions are held at these locations across Columbus, Ohio.
Please email Moms2B@osumc.edu or call 614-292-1605.
A woman must be pregnant to attend—no other requirement necessary!
Moms2B East
Moms2B East
Ohio State University Hospital East - Wallace Auditorium(located inside the West registration entrance off Phale D. Hale Dr.)
181 Taylor Avenue
Columbus, OH 43203
Columbus, OH 43203
Moms2B Franklinton
Moms2B Franklinton
Mount Carmel West - Healthy Living Center(inside the hospital near the emergency department)
777 W. State St., Building 2
Columbus, OH 43222
Moms2B Hilltop
Moms2B Hilltop
Hillcrest Baptist Church
2480 West Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43204
Moms2B Linden
Moms2B Linden
New Salem Baptist Church
2956 Cleveland Avenue
Columbus, OH 43224
New Salem Baptist Church
2956 Cleveland Avenue
Columbus, OH 43224
Moms2B South
Moms2B South
Community Development for All People946 Parsons Ave.
Columbus, OH 43206
Moms2B Southeast
Moms2B Southeast
New Birth Christian Ministries
3475 Refugee Road
Columbus, Ohio 43232
New Birth Christian Ministries
3475 Refugee Road
Columbus, Ohio 43232
Moms2B Weinland Park
Moms2B Weinland Park
Grace Missionary Baptist Church(across from the Godman Guild)
1182 N. 6th St.
Columbus, OH 43201
How to Help
Donate / Volunteer
Donate / Volunteer
Donate
Monetary Donations:
Our need is great and our gratitude is immense. As a self-sustaining program, Moms2B relies entirely on donations and grants to cover all operating costs. Mothers attend free of charge.
100% of every gift or donation supports a new mom and her baby and is completely tax-deductible.
To mail a monetary donation, make check payable to "Moms2B" and mail to:
Moms2B Program
700 Ackerman Road, Suite 440
Columbus, Ohio 43202
Supply Donations:
If you prefer to donate supplies, you can make an appointment to drop items off at the Moms2B office at 700 Ackerman Road, Suite 580, Columbus, OH 43202. Supplies we accept that will be given directly to a mom-in-need are listed below.
Welcome Baby Kits (most needed items):
- Daily Bus Passes (available at Kroger for $4.50 each - provides moms transportation to sessions)
- Kroger gift cards ($5 increments)
- Diapers (all sizes)
- Diaper wipes
- Breastfeeding supplies (including breast pads, breastmilk storage bags and nursing covers)
- Baby and mother personal care items
- New car seats or pack & plays
- New or gently used and laundered clothing / bedding
Childcare Sessions:
- Any early learning toys
- New or gently used baby board books to school age books
- Children's board games
- Bubbles, craft items, markers, crayons
- Gift cards to Kroger, Target or Walmart (in any amount)
Family Emergency Care Kits:
- Kroger gift cards ($5 increments)
- Non-perishable food item suggestions:
- Peanut butter / jelly
- Canned meats
- Canned / dried vegetables and fruit
- Dry pasta and pasta sauce
- Crackers Cereal Nuts
- Household item suggestions:
- Toilet paper
- Paper towels
- Feminine hygiene products
- Toiletries
- Laundry supplies
Volunteer
Moms2B welcomes the assistance and support of our community members. If you are interested in joining our team of volunteers, please email Moms2B@osumc.edu or call 614-292-1605 for more information on our application process.
Moms2B Volunteer Opportunities:
See the impact on a baby’s life first-hand. Moms2B greatly appreciates the support of our committed volunteers. We offer volunteer opportunities at every site locations:
- Childcare: Join other staff and volunteers to read, sing, play with and love our littlest visitors while their mom attends her Moms2B session.
- Food Preparation: Kitchen help is needed to prepare and serve meals to our Mom2B moms at each session. Our greatest current need is Monday afternoons and Wednesday mornings.
Other Volunteer Opportunities:
If you have your own creative idea, we’d love to hear about it. Here are some activities other volunteers have undertaken:
- Host a baby shower with your friends or community group. We can supply a list of vital baby needs for our programs and ensure that your donation goes straight to a mom-in-need.
- Host a diaper, baby book or gift card drive.
- Make and freeze heart healthy meals as a special treat for our moms. The Moms2B team will make sure they are safely delivered.
- Help us collect and assemble emergency food bag items. Many of our Moms are food insecure and need food to make it through the week.
Support for Expectant Moms
Relieving Stress to Improve Health During Pregnancy
Knowing that stress impacts infant mortality, Moms2B provides the education and resources pregnant women need to relieve issues related to housing, finances, food insecurity and transportation problems so they can have the healthiest pregnancy possible. New moms who have benefitted from this support share why it matters.
Find Your Voice at Sister Circle
The beginning of each Moms2B session includes a “Sister Circle,” when moms and visitors introduce themselves, tell more about their pregnancy or baby, and discuss a question related to the topic of the day. It’s an opportunity for moms to be heard, get to know one another, and gain confidence speaking in front of others.
Helping Siblings Too
So that expectant moms can truly focus on the Moms2B session they're attending, trained childcare professionals provide special programming for siblings, from infant through middle school age. This provides a wonderful opportunity to assess each child's individual progress.