There have been a lot of public health topics that have become widely discussed, dissected, and debated within public discourse: Vaccines, Climate Change, Nutrition, and especially Autism. Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnoses have increased in recent years, sparking a variety of positive, but also negative, responses. Over the years, increased research has led to more understanding about how to support our community members on the spectrum

I’m joined today by Dr. Emily Feinberg, ScD, CPNP. Dr. Feinberg is the Director of Emerging Projects for the TEAM UP Scaling and Sustainability Center. She is currently a professor at the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice at Brown University School of Public Health. Emily is a pediatric nurse practitioner at DotHouse Health. She has served as core faculty on Boston University’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau-funded Maternal Child Center of Excellence, mentoring MPH and DrPH students. The impetus for her research has come from the disturbing inequities in access to developmental and mental health services that she has witnessed among the children and families with whom she works. The overarching theme of her work has been the redesign of community-based child health systems. She has applied this lens to several public health priorities, including maternal depression screening, management, and prevention; autism services; and the integration of child mental health services within pediatric primary care. Her work has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute for Nursing Research, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the March of Dimes Foundation, and the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Links to Dr. Feinberg's organization:

https://www.teamupcenter.org/

I am joined by Dr. Uchenna Ndulue. Dr. Ndulue is a public health professional with over 30 years of experience in designing, implementing, and evaluating programs that support young people. He is the Bureau Director for the Child, Adolescent, and Family Health Bureau at the Boston Public Health Commission, the public health agency for the city of Boston, and provides oversight over programs that support maternal and child health, adolescent health, and violence prevention. Before this role, he served as the Executive Director of Peer Health Exchange Boston and as an instructor in public health at Tufts University.

BPHC Mission: "To work in partnership with communities to protect and promote the health and well-being of all Boston residents, especially those impacted by racism and systemic inequities."

Check out:

Father Friendly: https://www.boston.gov/government/cabinets/boston-public-health-commission/childrens-and-newborn-health/father-friendly

Family Nurturing Center: https://familynurturing.org/

Doula Program: https://www.boston.gov/government/cabinets/boston-public-health-commission/doula-services

I’m joined today by Dr. Eugene Declercq, a Professor of Community Health Sciences here at BU SPH. He is the creator of the website www.birthbythenumbers.org, and a current member of the Massachusetts Maternal Mortality Review Committee. He is also one of the founders of the Pregnancy to Early Life Longitudinal data system that has linked vital statistics, hospital, and administrative data on more than 1,500,000 births in Massachusetts since 1998. He is the recipient of the Martha May Eliot Award from the American Public Health Association for service to maternal and child health in the U.S., and has authored numerous scientific papers on maternal and child health epidemiology.

If any students are interested in www.birthbythenumbers.org, please check it out or reach out to Dr. Declercq at declercq@bu.edu.

Midwifery is a practice that dates back centuries. For millennia, women relied on midwives to attend them before, during, and after childbirth. With the evolution of medicine over the years, the use of midwives has waned in developed nations, whereas many low and middle-income countries still rely on them. However, over the last few decades, there has been an increase in the use of midwives in countries like the US. In today’s episode, we will explore the world of midwifery and its impact on women's health domestically and beyond.

I’m joined today by Dr. Jennifer Stevens, the Co-founder of Goodbirth.net, Attending Faculty Midwife at Boston Medical Center, WHO Consultant, and so much more. Dr. Stevens is a public health professional who focuses on women's health care in low-resource areas, safe, respectful care, a human rights-based approach, and quality midwifery care. She believes in the value of women’s voices in enabling a rights-based approach to health care and using a participatory action approach in research and implementation.

The month of March is also known as Women’s History Month. As we take this month to reflect on the advances women have made, what they have achieved, and all of the amazing things women can do, it’s fitting then that today’s episode will also focus on the power of a woman’s body. Specifically, Breastfeeding and all the wonderful ways it can impact an infant’s health.

I’m joined today by Emily-Swisher Rose, the Co-director and Co-founder of the Breastfeeding Medicine Equity Center at Boston Medical Center. The Breastfeeding Medicine Equity Center, also known as BEC, has provided evidence-based outpatient and inpatient lactation support and breastfeeding medicine to all BMC patients. Founded in December 2021, the clinic cares for lactating patients and their infants with complex breastfeeding problems requiring medical management.

Emily is a midwife, women’s health nurse practitioner, and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant. She’s passionate about working with women and families from all backgrounds and is especially interested in immigrant healthcare, Breastfeeding Medicine, and is deeply committed to bringing language and racial equity to the forefront of her work. Fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, the mother to four boys can connect with so many. When she’s not working to change women and children's lives, she enjoys playing the violin, singing in a choir, spending time with her three dogs and many chickens, and harvesting the large garden tended by her husband—who grew up on a farm in Brazil.

For more information about the Breastfeeding Medicine Equity Center, check out this link:

• https://www.bmc.org/breastfeeding-equity-center

This podcast is supported by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) grant 6-T76MC00017‐26‐01. Podcast contents do not represent views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA or the U.S. Government.

Welcome to Season 4 of C2: Critical Conversations that Lie at the Heart of Health Justice! Zuri O'Balles introduces this season as the new host and shares what is to be expected from this upcoming season. We hope that these episodes will encourage listeners to engage in thoughtful discussions around Maternal and Child Health with their communities. Welcome back and thanks for tuning in! Please enjoy this season!

Menstrual equity is not a new concept to public health. But, besides cost and availability, have you ever considered safety as another dimension to period health? Alexandra Scranton from Women’s Voices of the Earth joins us to talk about the role of chemical exposures in menstrual products, their regulation/marketing, and the stigma that underlies the whole system.

Alexandra Scranton (she/her) is the Director of Science and Research at Women’s Voices for the Earth. Alex authors WVE’s scientific reports and provides scientific review for the organization’s programs. Prior to working at WVE, she worked in the epidemiology and statistics unit at the American Lung Association headquarters in New York. She currently sits on the Research Advisory Committee for the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative and on the Institutional Biosafety Committee for Rocky Mountain Laboratories (a National Institutes of Health facility). She has a master’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana and a B.A. from Amherst College. Alex lives and works from Cheyenne, WY, with her husband and two beautiful daughters.

For more information about Women’s Voices for the Earth and their work, check out these links:

• Women’s Voices for the Earth website:https://womensvoices.org/

• Chem Fatale Report:https://womensvoices.org/menstrual-care-products/chem-fatale-report/

• What’s in Your Period Product report: https://womensvoices.org/report-whats-in-your-period-product/

• Chemicals in Menstrual Products: A Systematic Review:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37743685/

  
  

The production of this podcast was supported by Grant 6-T76MC00017-27-01 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the host and guests of this podcast episode and do not necessarily represent the official views of HRSA or HHS.

Money is a taboo subject in general, but it’s even more off-limits for women. How does the gendering of personal finance affect women’s financial and physical health? And, what roles do stigma and shame play in achieving financial wellness? Ariana Contreras from Women’s Money Matters joins us to answer these questions, as well as talk about her organization’s approach to a women centered and empowered solution.

Ariana Contreras is the Senior Community Engagement Manager at Women’s Money Matters. Women’s Money Matters is a Massachusetts-based nonprofit dedicated to building financial wellness, confidence, and security for women and girls living on low-incomes.

Ariana blends her experience in non-profit communication and programming with her background in education to bring a vibrant energy to Women’s Money Matters. Growing up in a small, resource-limited town in rural Arizona, where opportunities for women, mothers, and people of color were scarce, she found her passion for empowering change through Women’s Money Matters. With an International Affairs degree from Northern Arizona University, Ariana is driven to create a more equitable future. Outside of work, you'll find her sweating it out in exercise classes, exploring new culinary delights, hanging out with her tuxedo cat, Cherie, or soaking up the great outdoors of New England.

For more information about Women’s Money Matters, check out these links:

• To learn more about volunteering: https://womensmoneymatters.org/volunteer-opportunities/

• To learn more about joining a program or referring a woman or girl to the program (at no cost for participants): https://womensmoneymatters.org/join-a-program/

• Listen to WMM’s volunteer and supporter Stacy talk about money shame in a Level-Up workshop: https://youtu.be/KlvMqKCK51M

• Hear from graduate-turned-coach Ramonia Henderson share her experience https://youtu.be/z56gbfYWYyg

  
  

The production of this podcast was supported by Grant 6-T76MC00017-27-01 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the host and guests of this podcast episode and do not necessarily represent the official views of HRSA or HHS.