Racism, Filters, and Maternal and Fetal Mortality

NOTE: This post will pull from a previous post I wrote about maternal and fetal mortality in 2016. I really encourage you to read it. Most of this will come from the CDC data and graphics I cite in that post. Maternal mortality is a public health issue. American women die at a rate […]

12 things I want to change for new moms

My baby is now 12 months old. She is a TODDLER. A year ago, I pushed out a baby who has been a joy since day one. Honestly, I feel like I got away with a crime having a baby who eats anything, sleeps through the night, and loves to go out. Today, she got […]

Pre-Eclampsia and Heart Disease: Why We Need Medicaid Expansion

Common wisdom about pre-eclampsia seems to be that it ends after pregnancy. Most people know pregnancy hypertension means you need to get the baby out before mom’s blood pressure spikes even more. Because it is usually successfully treated, I’ve heard people say that it’s “no big deal”. Still, between 5 and 8% of births in […]

Substance Abuse is a Feminist Issue and a Maternal Issue

Today, I’m talking about an issue that does not attract much attention even in the circles which discuss pre-natal and post-natal depression. Honestly, even in the discussion of mental illness, this topic is often left out even if it is an especially common issue. Today, I am approaching drug abuse in pregnancy and in struggles […]

An Open Letter to Moms Marching “For Life”

Dear moms marching for life, If the March for Women was a pro-women cry for the support of women’s rights, the March for life is seen in the eyes of many as being its antithesis. I don’t know if I believe this. But I do think the constituencies that overlap here are small. Women’s rights face […]

Mom Bod and Body Policing in Motherhood

You may be aware of the phenomenon of “Dad Bod”. It typically describes a man who is “chubby” or a bit rounder but certainly not morbidly obese. It’s actually a fairly endearing comment to make about celebrities that is less about making fun of a guy who has gotten a bit “soft” and more about […]

I don’t want your mints, ginger, or judgement.

I’m starting into the 2nd trimester of my pregnancy. It’s a time I looked forward to for a few reasons. One, I had a miscarriage the cycle before this pregnancy early on. Each week is a big achievement. Two, it meant we could announce that we were adding a third kiddo publicly and feel safe […]