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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Our health care system is designed to provide |
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regular prenatal care and health checks to women throughout the |
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duration of pregnancy, and yet comparatively little attention is |
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given to the period after a mother gives birth; and |
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WHEREAS, The first three months following the birth of a baby |
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is a time of substantial transformation and adaptation for new |
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mothers, who simultaneously experience physical, hormonal, and |
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psychosocial changes as well as shifting roles and |
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responsibilities; during this period of transition, which has come |
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to be known as the Fourth Trimester, a new mother is often afforded |
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only a single follow-up visit, which generally occurs six weeks |
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after the child is born; and |
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WHEREAS, The well-being of a mother and her baby are |
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intimately connected and should be understood as mutually |
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beneficial, with the needs of one considered in the context of the |
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needs of the other; because the first few years are crucial to a |
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child's development, it is especially important that new mothers be |
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given adequate support as they welcome a new baby into their lives; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, During the Fourth Trimester, mothers may suffer from |
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physical and mental health issues that far too often go undiagnosed |
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and untreated; some mothers report problems with breastfeeding, |
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exhaustion, sleep difficulties, headaches, infections, and |
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physical trauma symptoms resulting from childbirth; according to |
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the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated one of |
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every nine mothers in the United States experiences symptoms of |
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postpartum depression, and other mental health issues can manifest |
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as stress, anxiety, or even rage; these feelings can impact the |
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mother's ability to provide child care and to make a full return to |
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the workforce and other activities; and |
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WHEREAS, Statistics show that fewer than 25 percent of |
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mothers are able to achieve the recommended six months of exclusive |
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breastfeeding, which can be attributed in part to a lack of access |
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to paid maternity leave, negative attitudes toward nursing in |
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public, and a lack of workplace accommodations for breastfeeding |
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mothers; recent studies showed that nearly a quarter of employed |
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women return to work within two weeks of having a child, even though |
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tissues can require six weeks to fully heal after childbirth; and |
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WHEREAS, It is vital that a mother receive the mental, |
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physical, social, and economic support she requires to successfully |
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transition through the many challenges she may face in the |
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postpartum period, and states across the country are recognizing |
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Fourth Trimester Care Day as a means of bringing greater attention |
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to the need for maternal health and wellness during that critical |
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time; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize September 23, 2023, as Fourth |
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Trimester Care Day, and encourage all Texans to learn more about the |
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importance of postpartum care. |