
Join us to better understand the poignant topic of perinatal suicide. Perinatal suicide is the leading cause of maternal mortality from pregnancy to 1 year after birth, accounting for 23% of all maternal deaths. Listen to learn about the static risk factors that can increase the chance of suicide, along with. some dynamic risk factors that may appear for the first time in pregnancy and postpartum. Understanding the warning signs is important for all who work with pregnant and new mothers/birthing persons. In our role with families, what can we do to listen and refer them to the proper resources? What types of resources are available in your area? Our guest, Lindsay G. Lebin, MD is a psychiatrist specializing in women’s behavioral health and consultation-liaison psychiatry. She received her MD from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She completed psychiatry residency at the University of Washington and a consultation-liaison psychiatry fellowship at University of California San Francisco. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Her clinical interests include integrated care, psychosocial oncology, and reproductive psychiatry. She also engages in scholarly work in medical education and has presented nationally on various education-related topics. Listen and Learn: Why suicide is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality How suicidal thoughts are common and occur across a spectrum of risk That screening for suicidal thoughts is an important first step and must be followed up by a risk assessment What range of interventions are available and what the protective factors for suicide are How safety planning and connection to care can be powerful interventions for many Resources & Mentions: Postpartum Support International Helpline – 800-944-4773 call or text Help to same number Postpartum Support International National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: https://mchb.hrsa.gov/national-maternal-mental-health-hotline Suicide screening tools: https://zerocuicide.edc.org/toolkit/identify/screen-options Colorado links, look for similar in your area: Postpartum Support International, CO Chapter http://www.postpartum.net/colorado/ Parents Thrive Colorado: https://parentsthrive.org/resources/ Colorado Crisis Services: https://coloradocrisisservices.org/ University of Colorado Women’s Behavioral Health and Wellness Outpatient Clinic and Services InJoy Products: Understanding Postpartum Health & Baby Care Curriculum Understanding Self Care After Birth Video Program & Web App Complete Postpartum Teaching Solution Understanding Pregnancy Curriculum Understanding Birth Curriculum
Oct 4, 2023
49 min

While witnessing the miracle of birth can be exhilarating, it is often wrought with circumstances that create stress, confusion, grief—and sometimes even burnout— in nurses, caregivers, doulas, and other birth workers. The COVID and post-COVID period has brought even more tension into the mix with restrictions and staffing issues. Listen to explore the problems and discover some solutions to make life as a birth worker more resilient and satisfying. Nicole Heidbreder has worked as a Hospice Nurse and Labor and Delivery Nurse in various capacities for the last 10 years in the Washington, DC area, in addition to teaching Birth and End of Life Doula Workshops. As a birth worker, Nicole has been attending births as a doula for over 17 years in Washington, DC, New York City, San Francisco, Sumatra, Bali, and Uganda, in addition to working as a labor and delivery nurse at George Washington University Hospital. Currently, she also facilitates independent birth doula workshops and trains nursing students as a Clinical Instructor with the Johns Hopkins University Birth Companions Program. Through her work as a DONA International approved Birth Doula Trainer, she has taught hundreds of women over the past 10 years and truly believes that teaching maternal child health is her life's calling. Listen and Learn Why over 38% of RNs are likely to leave their position in the next 2 years What drains birth worker passion What support is available to current birth workers to reconnect to the joy of birth work How birth workers with different levels of specialty and education working together can create friction When birth workers experience PTSD How a mindset of post-traumatic growth can be a game changer Practical skills for nonviolent communication for high-stress birth situations The best ways to use grounding and anchoring practices How to set boundaries and avoid saviorism Contact Nicole at [email protected] Resources & Mentions: Learn more about Nicole’s Resiliency for Birth Workers workshop here: https://www.gracefulfusion.com/ Related Products from InJoy: Understanding Birth Curriculum
Aug 10, 2023
54 min

Newborn babies get their first microbiome from their mother’s vagina during birth. The baby will become covered with this beneficial bacterial as they come out of the protected environment of the womb, through the birth canal, and to the world beyond. When the baby is born vaginally, they will have a gut microbiome similar to that of their mother’s vaginal and fecal flora. This helps set up lifelong gut health. But for babies not born vaginally, there are other ways to help insure good gut health. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion of why microbiome is important and how to help families advocate for procedures that will be beneficial for themselves and their baby. Toni Harman is a graduate of the London Film School and has produced and directed a number of internationally-distributed documentary films, including: MICROBIRTH (about the origins of the human microbiome), FREEDOM FOR BIRTH (about the struggle for women's rights in childbirth), and DOULA! (about the work of birth and postnatal doulas). Toni’s extensive research for MICROBIRTH led to her co-authoring the books THE MICROBIRTH EFFECT and YOUR BABY’s MICROBIOME. Toni is a professional speaker at international conferences about the science of the microbiome and epigenetics. She also leads the MICROBIOME COURSES online school. Toni combines knowledge gained from researching the subject for ten years with her extensive experience of running educational one-day and multiple-day workshops for adult learners. Listen and Learn: Why microbiome is so necessary for healthy humans, starting at birth How initial microbiome is transferred from mother to baby What happens with the microbiome if the baby is born by cesarean Processes other than birth that can help increase a newborn’s microbiome How we can teach these important facts to pregnant and new families How mothers can increase the beneficial parts of their microbiome for their own health and their baby’s Resources & Mentions: https://microbirth.com and https://microbirth.teachable.com Get in touch with Toni Harman: [email protected] Related Products from InJoy: Understanding Birth Curriculum
Jul 6, 2023
48 min

In 2016, when the NYS DOH put out a request for application to receive the Creating Breastfeeding Friendly Communities (CBFC) Grant, the Rockland County Lactation community united to support and work together for this initiative. At that time, 86.6% of new mothers in the state initiated breastfeeding, but only 56% were still breastfeeding at six months, and of those, only 17% were exclusively breastfeeding. Patti's organization felt that connecting and supporting breastfeeding families beyond their hospital stay could make a big difference. The CBFC initiatives goal was to include physician practices, daycares, worksites, and public locations in the effort to support breastfeeding families for a longer period. Listen to find out how Patti and her practice made a change in the amount and type of education and support they were offering to their patients and how they involved their whole community in the effort. Consider if your area could benefit from a similar initiative! Patrícia Soriano Guzmán is an Allied Healthcare Professional specializing in Perinatal Support services. She has pursued advanced education with leading organizations, first in Lactation followed by Perinatal Mental Health, Prepared Childbirth, and Infant Development. Patrícia is currently an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® at Montefiore Nyack Hospital and is responsible for outpatient Clinical Lactation services provided in English and Spanish, as well as leading several perinatal-related programs and events. Since 2020, Patrícia has been featured as guest speaker for a variety of virtual events, and most recently, led a 20-Hour Lactation Education training as the sole-presenter of 11 live, interactive sessions for 89 healthcare workers. This program was part of the NYS DOH Creating Breastfeeding-Friendly Communities initiative. Listen and Learn: Why families need continued support outside the hospital at all touchpoints Where parents are likely to connect with those who can support them How NYS increased the knowledge and skills of community-based organizations, primary care providers, childcare directors and staff, and employers How out-of-hospital facilities or programs signed up for participation in the program What Patti did to help implement the first obstetric practice in the area to achieve NYS DOH 10 Steps to Breastfeeding-Friendly Designation How Baby Cafes and similar types of gatherings helped Resources & Mentions: Creating Breastfeeding Friendly Communities (CBFC) (ny.gov) Get in touch with Patti: Send her an email at [email protected] or [email protected] Related Products from InJoy: Understanding Breastfeeding Curriculum Practices to Increase Exclusive Breastfeeding: Core Concepts eCourse Practices to Increase Exclusive Breastfeeding: Managing Common Challenges eCourse
May 25, 2023
44 min

Listen in as we discuss promoting Vaginal Nulliparous Term Singleton Vertex (NTSV) birth to decrease the risk of maternal morbidity and mortality. Dr. Lagrew agrees with a past president of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Vincenzo Berghella, who said, “Physicians do need to balance risks and benefits, and for some clinical conditions, cesarean is definitely the best mode of delivery. But for most (NTSV) pregnancies that are low risk, a cesarean delivery may pose greater risk than vaginal delivery, especially risks related to future pregnancies.” Working to decrease the number of cesareans that are not strictly for clinical conditions is something we can all work on. Educators, nurses, community health workers, and others can use the information Dr. Lagrew shares to help people avoid the first cesarean. This will not only lower unintended outcomes of the initial cesarean like hemorrhage and infection but also prevent problems in subsequent pregnancies. Dr. Lagrew is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and physician informaticist with a particular interest in maternal quality improvement. He recently retired as Medical Director of Women’s and Children’s services for Providence St. Joseph-Southern California and as a Providence System Provider Informaticist in Obstetrics. He has started his new role as Chief of Service, Maternal Fetal Medicine at Hoag Healthcare. He holds triple board certification in Obstetrics/Gynecology, Maternal Fetal Medicine, and Clinical Informatics. In addition to these administrative and leadership roles, he continues to actively author numerous peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. He is a clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UC Irvine. He is the immediate past chair of the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s Clinical Informatics Committee. Listen and Learn: That the absolute lowest risk delivery is a vaginal delivery after a previous vaginal delivery The rate of cesarean birth compared to vaginal births in the US now How an NTSV protects the woman’s long-term health, especially if she plans to have more children How midwives may have a lower cesarean rate due to their practice of admitting to the hospital later during labor How the shared decisions help prevent primary cesarean births How having a wide range of cesarean rates, state by state, is actually a good thing A sneak preview of the US’s ARRIVE Study compared to an upcoming study out of Canada That robust childbirth education about risks and benefits including an explanation of complications and outcomes will benefit parents and will likely decrease the cesarean rate Resources & Mentions: Nation’s Ob-Gyns Take Aim at Preventing Cesareans Safe Prevention of the Primary Cesarean Delivery Childbirth Connection info on cesarean resources California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (many states have similar organizations) Email Dr. David Lagrew: [email protected] Related Products from InJoy: Understanding Pregnancy Understanding Birth The Stages of Labor
Dec 13, 2022
52 min

Pregnancy and birth are often portrayed with a single brush as if all these experiences are basically the same for every birthing person. But for Lauren and her family, that was far from the truth. The anticipation of the ideal birth ended abruptly and unexpectedly when her husband arrived home early with flowers one day, finding her looking unwell. He talked Lauren into going to the doctor for a “just in case” checkup, which turned into a totally unexpected outcome for Lauren. We will explore Lauren’s story to understand how preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome impacted not just her birth but continue to impact Lauren’s life to this day. In sharing her story, we will discover the tenacity of all those involved in her experience, including Lauren. During the conversation, we will discuss what, if any, warning signs were there that she didn’t recognize at the time. She will give us ideas for ways to speak to our students and patients about this still largely mysterious malady that affects 5 to 8% of pregnant people (and of these, 15% of these develop HELLP syndrome). Overcoming preeclampsia/HELLP syndrome takes not just a team but an entire village—and that is just what happened in Lauren’s journey. Lauren Ward Larsen is a storyteller, writer, speaker, advocate, and former corporate and nonprofit executive. As a professional speaker, Lauren has delivered hundreds of keynote addresses at corporate meetings, conferences, nonprofit events, and fundraisers in the U.S and Europe. Based on her birth experience with Clare, she has added another type of storytelling to her repertoire. Educating pregnant families and medical care providers about her experience with preeclampsia has become a key component of her life. Listen and Learn: How the lack of information caused big trouble for Lauren: “I didn’t know what I didn’t know The signs to look out for regarding preeclampsia, including upper right abdominal pain How things changed for Lauren so quickly 3 days after a “normal” appointment How her husband’s unusual mid-day personal flower delivery likely saved her life While pre-existing health conditions like high blood pressure can be a predictor, others can be affected, including Lauren, who is an active athlete How important it is for everyone in the hospital and medical community to understand the signs of preeclampsia, including the Emergency Department The importance of listening to your intuition and not taking possible symptoms lightly Zuzu’s Petals is not a book for pregnant people Resources & Mentions: Eclampsia Foundation Hear Her Zuzu's Petals: A True Story of Second Chances by Lauren Ward Larsen (on Amazon or other book sellers) Lauren’s website: https://laurenwardlarsen.com Related Products from InJoy: Discussion and Warning signs in: Understanding Birth Understanding Postpartum Health & Baby Care
Nov 9, 2022
1 hr 17 min

Edit: When we originally uploaded this podcast, the wrong file was included. Oops! The correct file has been added, and we hope you enjoy this episode as much as we do! Adriane Burgess PhD, RNC-OB, CCE, CNE, C-ONQS (she/hers) Director, Quality Improvement-Service Lines (Women and Children, Primary Care, Oncology) Ob/Gyn Residency Research Director Awareness of preeclampsia can reduce its impact for families. Two to eight percent of birthing parents have preeclampsia. The old adage that “delivery is the cure for preeclampsia” can no longer be used because we know that preeclampsia exits in postpartum, too. In this episode, we will explore current research on preeclampsia and how parents and providers can use open communication about the topic to create the best outcomes. Listen in to discover more about this hypertensive disorder of pregnancy and postpartum. Our guest, Adriane Burgess, has been a nurse for 25 years in a variety of maternal-child health settings, including labor and delivery and postpartum units, maternal fetal medicine practices, and childbirth education classes. She is certified in inpatient obstetrical nursing, as a childbirth educator, in nursing education, and most recently, in obstetric and neonatal quality and safety. She completed her PhD in Nursing in 2017 and her dissertation research was a case control study that explored ABO blood phenotype and factors associated with preeclampsia subtype. Dr. Burgess works to actively publish and present her research and has won several awards. Her research interests include preeclampsia and cardiovascular risk and protective factors, innovative nursing education strategies, and maternal quality initiatives. Listen and Learn: Research on the current protocol to prevent preeclampsia How chronic hypertension impacts chances of getting preeclampsia How pre-pregnancy habits may decrease the risk The importance of “knowing your numbers” (blood pressure) even before pregnancy The importance of creating a postpartum connection for women with eclampsia, including mental and emotional support Lifelong health implications of preeclampsia for women The impact of breastfeeding on cardiovascular health and helping parents initiate and sustain breastfeeding, even if experiencing preeclampsia The program at Adriane’s facility that gives each woman who has preeclampsia a blood pressure cuff and app Resources & Mentions: Preeclampsia Foundation Hear Her Adriane Burgess - for additional information [email protected] Zuzu’s Petals by Lauren Ward Larsen, publisher - In The Telling Press Related Products from InJoy: Discussion and Warning signs in: Understanding Pregnancy Understanding Birth Understanding Postpartum Health & Baby Care
Sep 22, 2022
53 min

The words bonding and attachment are common words, but what is the deeper meaning behind those words for new parents and their newborns or yet-to-be born babies? How can parents connect with their newborn in utero? How will the attachment before and after the baby is born affect the epigenomes, brain development, and future health of their little one? Laurel will take us on a fascinating dive into this topic to help us translate this information to our patients, students, and clients so that more new parents will understand the benefits of attachment to their new babies. Laurel Wilson, IBCLC, RLC, BSc, CLE, CCCE, CLD is a TEDx and international speaker, pregnancy and lactation specialist, consultant, educator, and author. Laurel is the co-author of two books, The Attachment Pregnancy and The Greatest Pregnancy Ever; original editor of The CAPPA Lactation Educator Manual; as well as a contributing author to Round the Circle: Doulas Talk About Themselves. Her passion is blending today’s recent scientific findings with mind/body/spirit wisdom to highlight the magnitude and importance of the perinatal period. Spending 17 years as Executive Director for Lactation Programs for the Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals Association formed the foundation of her inquiry into the science of human milk. She has acted and still acts in many capacities locally and nationally promoting the belief that the journey into parenthood is a life-changing rite of passage that should be deeply honored and celebrated. Listen and Learn: The physiological and emotional process of bonding and attachment that occurs during birth & beyond What is epigenetics, epigenome, and microbiome and how are they connected? How epigenetics work in a human is based on the external reality of that person’s experiences How the first 1,000 days of a baby’s life and their external reality impacts their organ systems How most diseases are not DNA related but rather influenced by epigenetic impact What impact chronic stress, including weathering, has on future health How to teach parents to move away from stress when possible What full engagement means during pregnancy Resources & Mentions: https://motherjourney.com/index.html (Laurel’s website with many more resources) Association for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health Kindred – One Family, One World Related Products from InJoy: Understanding Pregnancy Understanding Breastfeeding Understanding Your Newborn Understanding Fatherhood
Aug 1, 2022
42 min

This episode was recorded on 5/23/22 The students and patients that you interact with have far different expectations for learning than a K-12 student. They are with you for a very specific reason and expect you to give them relevant information they can use right away that they can incorporate with what they already know. Adult learners require educators to use some unique approaches that tap into both the art and science of teaching. This episode will give you some specific tips on how to incorporate Adult Learning Principles in your classroom or virtual classes. Our expert is Kristen Gosse, MEd, the Learning Strategist and Content Development Manager for InJoy Health Education. She has a background in professional writing and almost 14 years of experience designing content for pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and parenting health education materials. Kristen explores ways to apply adult learning theory and the psychology of motivation to health education. If adults do not understand or feel empowered, they are at a disadvantage to make informed decisions in almost every facet of life. Her goal is to nurture this feeling of empowerment through thoughtful, engaging content and effective learning experiences. Listen and Learn: Adult learners need to be in charge of their own learning Your students want to be treated with respect Many prefer social interaction in the classroom or online Students learn through doing, practice, and return demonstration The “Fab 4” basic principles of well-known researcher in Adult Learning, Malcolm Knowles There is no such thing as a learning style for an individual---everyone needs to see information in multiple ways to retain it How reflection is helpful in processing information, so asking the learner to jot down ideas is useful Why these principles apply to the classroom and the bedside Resources & Mentions: Engaged: Designing for Behavior Change by Amy Bucher Designing for How People Learn by Julie Dirksen Julie Dirksen’s website: https://usablelearning.com/ https://elearningindustry.com/the-adult-learning-theory-andragogy-of-malcolm-knowles Healthy Content Matters: Bringing Patient Education Online Related Products from InJoy: Online Education Books + Web Apps PowerPoints Video Programs
Jun 29, 2022
45 min

Creating an atmosphere conducive to learning includes ensuring that your students feel understood and accepted in the classroom. Listen in as we get practical advice from Maura Jo, who has been practicing the principles of gender inclusivity in her life and classroom for over 15 years. You’ll pick up things you can use right away in your classroom, such as how you can use more inclusive language and ways you can make students feel comfortable while learning. Maura Jo (pronouns: they/she) is a Queer/GenderQueer, passionate, compassionate, and accomplished birth worker and wellness professional with over 25 years of experience in complementary and alternative wellness and over 15 years in perinatal education and support. They hold a master’s degree in Women’s (and Gender) Studies and certifications in many aspects of wellness and perinatal health and support services. They have worked in the nonprofit sector, in the fitness and wellness industry, in multiple hospital systems, in the Connecticut state university system as an adjunct professor, and have been running their own perinatal and wellness business for many years. They specialize in working with and supporting LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC individuals, families, and professionals who identify as a part of these communities. Listen and Learn: We are not excluding anyone by including everyone Tips for educators looking to use inclusive language in their classes Why words matter – getting out of a fear-based brain to be able to understand the material presented Visual representations matter too – how seeing others “like me” increases learning ability Role model behavior to foster inclusion Resources & Mentions: Center Song Birth & Wellness https://www.mypronouns.org/what-and-why https://www.badoulatrainings.org/ https://www.kingyaa.co.za/upcoming-events-workshops https://earthsnaturaltouch.com/education-%26-support Related Products from InJoy: Understanding Birth Curriculum (Uses gender-neutral terms and diverse families) Understanding Postpartum Health & Baby Care Curriculum (Uses gender-neutral terms and diverse families) Understanding Pregnancy (Uses gender-neutral terms and diverse families)
May 25, 2022
37 min
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