Program Description

Goal: To increase the number of women in Wisconsin who do not drink alcohol while pregnant.

My Baby & Me is a fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) prevention program sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS). It is a collaborative, system-level effort to improve the ability of prenatal care coordination (PNCC) providers to address alcohol use by pregnant women.

My Baby & Me mirrors the model used in our highly successful First Breath Program that addresses smoking cessation in pregnant women. My Baby & Me adapts the same approach to focus on alcohol cessation during pregnancy. Both models use evidence based practices that includes the use of the 5A’s counseling strategies (Ask, Assess, Assist, Advise, and Arrange), the relational/cultural theory for women, motivational interviewing, and a contingency management component as the foundation for service delivery. My Baby & Me is non-judgmental, client-centered, and places a priority on understanding the realities of clients’ lives.

The Need

The State of Wisconsin has the unfortunate title of leading the nation in alcohol consumption.

• 68% of Wisconsin women of childbearing age (18-44) consume alcohol compared to the national rate of 50%. That’s about 700,000, or 1 in 4 Wisconsin Women.

• 25% of women age 18-44 report frequent alcohol consumption

• 26% of women of childbearing age report binge drinking (more than 4 drinks in one occasion)

• The number of pregnant women who report drinking in Wisconsin could be as high as 32%, compared to the national average of 18%. That’s 18,000 to 21,000 (one in 4 Wisconsin pregnant women).

• The 2002-2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) data indicated a 60% overlap of women that smoke and drink alcohol during pregnancy. This doubles the danger for multiple birth complications.

• Each year in Wisconsin, there is approximately 110,000 pregnancies, of which 50% are unplanned.

How It Works

My Baby & Me is a partnership with the Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation and local maternal and child health care providers. My Baby & Me provides education, training, contingency management and prevention strategies for Prenatal Care Coordination (PNCC) providers, local agencies and pregnant women.

• My Baby & Me provides PNCC nurses the training, technical assistance, and educational materials they need to effectively help pregnant women not drink alcohol.
• My Baby & Me sites attend training sessions on Motivational Interviewing, The Unique Issues of Women & Alcohol, The Cultural Relational Theory and FASD. These free trainings provide the foundation for the philosophy of My Baby & Me.
• My Baby & Me sites submit data upon enrollment and again when each baby is born.
• My Baby & Me nurses use a client-specific workbook and a variety of handouts and brochures during their appointments with the women. Sessions are very brief and individualized for each client.
• My Baby & Me nurses collaborate with their local drug and alcohol treatment providers for support. A protocol for referral to treatment is established for each site. The referral protocol is developed with the specific needs of both the Health Department and the Treatment Provider.

The Approach

My Baby & Me was designed to mirror our highly successful First Breath program. Both programs are incorporated into the existing prenatal care coordination service delivery system a Medicaid program primarily serving high-risk pregnant women. The Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation gives prenatal care coordination nurses the training, technical assistance, and educational materials they need to work with patients. The approach is based on two strength-based behavior change models: the relational cultural theory for women and motivational interviewing. The program relies on a clear understanding of the importance of providing a safe, nonjudgmental atmosphere between the nurse and the patient. In addition, My Baby & Me facilitates a strong collaboration between the nurse and her local women’s alcohol treatment provider.