Let’s Talk Community Chats 

Our Let’s Talk Community Chats are community gatherings where we bring new parents together with doulas, lactation consultants, and other caregivers in order to offer families education and support, free of charge, around safe sleep and breastfeeding.

The chats take place at convenient locations within their neighborhoods each month. At them, families can share their challenges and concerns about the birthing process, where their baby will sleep, questions about breastfeeding and other sleep-related issues. The conversations are in-depth, supportive, and free of judgment.

What our Let’s Talk Community Chats do:

  • Bring resources and trainers together locally on a regular basis, to help reach families who may not have the chance for in-depth talks with health care providers about safe sleep, support on breastfeeding, or well-baby visits.
  • Recognize that the information they may have already gotten could have come across as a one-size-fits-all directive rather than a conversation based on their needs. Unlike traditional trade fairs, Let’s Talk gives families time for in-depth one-on-one conversations about their unique situations.
  • Provide supplies such as diapers, sleep sacks and other items, as well as connections to agencies and other resources families may need.

Our Goal

Our goal is to give everyone in the family – parents, siblings, relatives, and other caregivers – clear information about safe sleep practices, the reasoning behind the AAP Safe Sleep guidelines, and talk with them about the challenges, obstacles, and choices they make about where and how their baby sleeps.

Where Can I Find a Let’s Talk Community Chat Program?

The first Let’s Talk Community Chat was held in Harlem in New York City, in partnership withHope Center Harlem and theNorthern Manhattan Perinatal Partnership, and with support from the Ryan Wolfe Kossar Foundation. The program is also being rolled out in Georgia in partnership with Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia and supported by Regal Lager.

If you are interested in learning more about the program or partnering with First Candle to set up a program in your community contact Alison Jacobson at alison@firstcandle.org

Why is Our Let’s Talk Community Chat Program so Important?

A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows that the overall rate of SUID (Sudden Unexplained Infant Death) has remained the same, but the rate of SUID for infants born into black families is higher than ever, with black infants more than twice as likely to succumb to SUID than infants of any other race or ethnicity.Now, more than ever, it is vital for us to go into communities and meet people where they are at, discussing real world problems that families face in following safe sleep guidance and helping people to create solutions that ensure maximum safety in their given situation for their infants. By taking our programs into the community and making time for conversation, we can support and educate families and work to reduce SUIDs.