Despite decades of public health outreach and education, more than 500,000 babies are born prematurely and an estimated 28,000 children die before their first birthday each year in the U.S.
Many factors cause these negative outcomes, including health care access, poverty and negative health behaviors, but research supports that increasing knowledge around health can help people stay healthier.
To help more pregnant women and new moms get information about caring for their health and giving their babies the best possible start in life, the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB) launched Text4Baby, the first free health text messaging service in the U.S.
Text4Baby supports moms by providing accurate, text-length health information and resources in a format that is personal and timely, using a channel she knows and uses. Over 85 percent of Americans own a cell phone and 72 percent of cell users send or receive text messages.
How Text4Baby works
Registration is easy and can be done online at text4baby.org or from your cell phone. Use your cell phone to text the word BABY (or BEBE for Spanish) to the number 511411. You’ll be asked to enter your baby’s due date or your baby’s birthday and your zip code. Once registered, you will start receiving free messages with tips for your pregnancy or caring for your baby.
Messages on critical issues
The Text4Baby service includes over 250 messages for pregnant women and new mothers. The comprehensive set of messages address:
•Prenatal care
• Safe sleep
• Immunization
• Breast-feeding
• Diabetes
• Nutrition
• Oral health
• Immunization
• Family violence
• Physical activity
• Safety
• Injury prevention
• Mental health
• Substance abuse
• Developmental milestones
• Labor and delivery
• Car seat safety
• Exercise
Text4Baby messages are free
Thanks to the support of CTIA – The Wireless Foundation and participating mobile operators, all messages you receive from Text4Baby are free. Even individuals without a text messaging plan can get these messages for free. If someone has limited texts per month, Text4Baby won’t take away from that limit. As long as you have service with one of the carriers listed below, Text4Baby is free for you.
Alltel
Assurance Wireless
AT&T
Boost Mobile
Cellcom
Centennial Cellular
Cricket
Metro PCS
N-Telos
Sprint Nextel
T-Mobile
U.S. Cellular
Verizon Wireless
Virgin Mobile USA
For more information, contact the Indiana Minority Health Coalition at (317) 926-4011; visit Facebook.com/Text4BabyIN or text4babyin.blogspot.com.
