Barbara Bush Children's Hospital
Woman holding a newborn baby

Maine Perinatal Outreach

The Perinatal Outreach Education grant is a program designed to provide services to health care providers who care for pregnant Maine citizens and their newborns. Program services are provided upon request to all Maine perinatal care providers including physicians, nurses, certified nurse midwives, certified professional midwives and other individuals or groups interested in healthy outcomes for pregnant people and infants. The grant is divided into two regions and services are administered by each region’s Perinatal Outreach Coordinator.  

  • Funded by: Maine CDC
  • Grant award: Competitive bid every six years. Awarded for two years. May be renewed up to two cycles.
  • Current cycle: Through June 2025

Perinatal outreach goals

  • Reducing maternal, fetal and infant mortality and morbidity in Maine
  • Strengthening the factors that contribute to safe and healthy perinatal outcomes
  • Promoting and sustaining a statewide system of high quality perinatal services that are accessible to all residents

Education & Events

Learn more about our classes & events.

Clinical Guidelines

View perinatal clinical guidelines and protocols for providers.

More about our program

Birthing Hospitals

HospitalAffiliationCity
MaineHealth Maine Medical Center BiddefordMaineHealthBiddeford
Mercy HospitalNorthern Light HealthPortland
MaineHealth Maine Medical Center PortlandMaineHealthPortland
MaineHealth Mid Coast HospitalMaineHealthBrunswick
Central Maine Medical CenterCentral Maine HealthcareLewiston
MaineHealth Lincoln HospitalMaineHealthDamariscotta
MaineHealth Stephens HospitalMaineHealthNorway
MaineHealth Pen Bay HospitalMaineHealthRockport
Maine General Medical CenterMaine General HealthAugusta
MaineHealth Franklin HospitalMaineHealthFarmington

Non-Birthing Hospitals/Facilities

HospitalAffiliationCity
York HospitalUnaffiliatedYork
MaineHealth Maine Medical Center SanfordMaineHealthSanford
Bridgton HospitalCentral Maine HealthcareBridgton
St. Mary's HospitalCovenant HealthLewiston
Maine General Medical Center - Waterville (Thayer) EDMaine General HealthWaterville
Rumford HospitalCentral Maine HealthcareRumford
MaineHealth Waldo HospitalMaineHealthBelfast

Birthing Hospitals

HospitalAffiliationCity
Maine Coast Hospital
 
Northern Light HealthEllsworth
Redington Fairview HospitalUnaffiliatedSkowhegan
Eastern Maine Medical CenterNorthern Light HealthBangor
Downeast HospitalUnaffiliatedMachias
Mayo HospitalNorthern Light HealthDover-Foxcroft
AR GouldNorthern Light HealthPresque-Isle
Cary Memorial HospitalUnaffiliatedCaribou

Non-Birthing Hospitals/Facilities

HospitalAffiliationCity
Blue Hill HospitalNorthern Light HealthBlue Hill
Mount Desert IslandUnaffiliatedBar Harbor
Sebasticook HospitalNorthern Light HealthPittsfield
Calais Community HospitalUnaffiliatedCalais
Penobscot Valley HospitalUnaffiliatedLincoln
CA Dean HospitalNorthern Light HealthGreenville
Millinocket HospitalUnaffiliatedMillinocket
Houlton Regional HospitalUnaffiliatedHoulton
Northern Maine Medical CenterUnaffiliatedFort Kent

Perinatal Transport Case Conferences are a multi-disciplinary review of transported mothers and babies.

  • Literature reviews on any perinatal topic
  • Individual case reviews

The work plan includes several areas intended to improve perinatal outcomes throughout the state of Maine. Activities and goals include:

  • Completion and dissemination of the Snuggle ME Guidelines (perinatal addiction and newborn narcotic withdrawal guidelines) 
  • Collaborating with hospitals on safe prevention of the primary c-section
  • Collaborating with hospitals to support breastfeeding initiatives
  • Reducing the number of infants dying in unsafe sleep conditions
  • Promoting high quality safe home and hospital birth practices
  • Levels of Care Assessment Tool (LOCATe)/Perinatal System of of Care
  • Aid in the reduction of maternal and infant mortality rates
  • Technical Assistance and Support for programs and initiatives related to Perinatal Addiction and Mental Health

Activities include:

  • Member, Maternal and Infant Mortality and Resiliency Review
  • Coordinator, Perinatal Leadership Coalition of Maine four times per year
  • Planner, the MCH Annual Conference

Goals

  1. Support quality improvement initiatives in Maine to increase prenatal breastfeeding education, breastfeeding initiation, and exclusive breastfeeding through six months
  2. Assist in improving the breastfeeding education and services you provide for new moms and babies.

Goals over the next 18 months are to:

  • Increase % of infants ever breastfed (from 85.3%, according to the 2018 CDC BF Report Card)
  • Increase % of infants exclusively breastfed at six months (from 34.1%, 2018 CDC BF Report Card)
  • Increase # of milk depots (two in Maine in 2018)
  • Increase access to Pasteurized Donor Human Milk (PDHM) in Level one and Level two nurseries for medically-indicated supplementation 

Sample Policies

Resources

State

National

Patient Education Resources

Perinatal Breastfeeding Newsletters

Breastfeeding Educational Opportunities

Prenatal Education Webinar Series

Contact

Contact Kara Kaikini at kaikik@mmc.org with breastfeeding questions. She is ready to help you on your path to improving breastfeeding support in your hospital, practice or community.

Contact Us

Emily Watson, Nurse Coordinator
Kathy Taylor, Administrative Support

Phone: 207-662-5127
Fax: 207-662-6063
Email: Emily.Watson@mainehealth.org

22 Bramhall Street
Portland, ME  04102