Wisconsin programs

• We’re improving the health of babies in our state.
• Our programs support moms-to-be and professionals.
• We offer comfort to families with a newborn in intensive care.

The American Indian symbol of the Medicine Wheel is used to describe the cycle, including preparation of pregnancy, each trimester of pregnancy and infant care. Coming of the Blessing shares prenatal education which imparts knowledge that respects the traditional beliefs and ancestral wisdom that are important to many native cultures. March of Dimes "Becoming a Mom" curriculum has been adapted for use with Native tribes in the U.S. In the western U.S., Native Indian and Alaska Native women have started to use "The Coming of the Blessing" curriculum and have reported preterm birth rates drop from an average of approximately 14-16% to 7%.

In 2011 the Wisconsin Chapter of the March of Dimes trained 18 women from 8 tribes in Wisconsin, each of whom will educate 25 native women in "The Coming of the Blessing". This training was made possible by a very generous grant from the Forest County Potawatomi Foundation, which covered the costs of training and materials for the 2010 and 2011 fiscal years.

Please read our Coming of the Blessing booklet (PDF) for more information.