Acknowledging the Past & Reframing the Future

All things #BMHWofTampaBay

About birthincolor birthincolor is a virtual learning miniseries created by the Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative at the University of South Florida College of Public Health. This project is supported by funding from the DeBartolo Family Foundation and HealtheVoice Impact Fun | Johnson & Johnson.  More Information Learn More: ⁠⁠Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative⁠⁠  Support Our Work: ⁠⁠Donate to the Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative

4th Trimester

Episode Overview Ashley Walker President of the Tampa By Breastfeeding Taskforce, and Dr. Angela Hill, join us for another special edition episode of birthincolor in honor Women's History Month which explores an critical period of the perinatal journey: the Fourth Trimester. The postpartum period, also referred to as the “fourth trimester”, is an essential yet often overlooked part of the birthing and motherhood experience. In this discussion, we will dive into the postpartum experience in Black maternal health, including breastfeeding, mental health, pain management, and more. About birthincolor birthincolor is a virtual learning miniseries created by the Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative at the University of South Florida College of Public Health. This project is supported by funding from the DeBartolo Family Foundation and HealtheVoice Impact Fun | Johnson & Johnson.  Referenced Literature Alimi, R., Azmoude, E., Moradi, M., & Zamani, M. (2022). The association of breastfeeding with a reduced risk of postpartum depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Breastfeeding Medicine, 17(4), 290-296. https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2021.0183 [https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2021.0183] Badreldin, N., Grobman, W. A., & Yee, L. M. (2019). Racial disparities in postpartum pain management. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 134(6), 1147-1153. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000003561 [https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000003561] Bossick, A. S., Bossick, N. R., Callegari, L. S., Carey, C. M., Johnson, H., & Katon, J. G. (2022). Experiences of racism and postpartum depression symptoms, care-seeking, and diagnosis. Archives of Women's Mental Health, 25(4), 717-727. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-022-01232-w [https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-022-01232-w] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, May 28). Racial and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding initiation ─ United States, 2019.https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7021a1.htm [https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7021a1.htm] Phillips, S. E., Celi, A. C., Wehbe, A., Kaduthodil, J., & Zera, C. A. (2023). Mobilizing the fourth trimester to improve population health: interventions for postpartum transitions of care. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 229(1), 33-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2022.12.309 [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2022.12.309] Recommended Citation  Dugat, V. (Host), Peoples, Z., (Co-Host), Hill, A. (Guest) & Walker, A. (Guest). (2025, March 28). The 4th Trimester (Ep. 5) [Audio podcast episode]. ⁠⁠In birthincolor. ⁠⁠ [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/fl-black-maternal-health-/episodes/Policy--Advocacy-e2vg289]DJ Brightlight Productions.  More Information Learn More: ⁠⁠Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative⁠⁠ [https://linktr.ee/FloridaBMH]  Support Our Work: ⁠⁠Donate to the Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative [https://giving.usf.edu/online/gift/f/540049/]

Important Role of Midwives & Doulas

Episode Overview Courtney Julien of the Tampa Bay Midwives, and Alyssa Bedard, join us for another special edition episode of birthincolor in honor and celebration of Black Midwives Day and Women's History Month. A growing body of evidence demonstrates the association between improved maternal health outcomes and midwifery and doula care. strategies we can employ to expand the birth worker workforce and improve Black maternal health by empowering and increasing access to doulas and midwives. About birthincolor birthincolor is a virtual learning miniseries created by the Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative at the University of South Florida College of Public Health. This project is supported by funding from the DeBartolo Family Foundation and HealtheVoice Impact Fun | Johnson & Johnson.  Referenced Literature Hoyert, D. L. (2025). Maternal mortality rates in the United States, 202 [https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/maternal-mortality/2023/Estat-maternal-mortality.pdf]3. NCHS Health E-Stats, 289. Kathawa, C. A., Arora, K. S., Zielinski, R., & Low, L. K. (2022). Perspectives of doulas of color on their role in alleviating racial disparities in birth outcomes: a qualitative study [https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/171566/jmwh13305.pdf?sequence=1]. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 67(1), 31-38. Thomas, K., Quist, S., Peprah, S., Riley, K., Mittal, P. C., & Nguyen, B. T. (2023). The experiences of Black community‐based doulas as they mitigate systems of racism: A qualitative study [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jmwh.13493]. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 68(4), 466-472. Vedam, S., Stoll, K., MacDorman, M., Declercq, E., Cramer, R., Cheyney, M., ... & Kennedy, H. P. (2018). Mapping integration of midwives across the United States: Impact on access, equity, and outcomes [https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0192523&pone.0192523.ref062]. PloS One, 13(2), e0192523. Loewenberg Weisband, Y., Klebanoff, M., Gallo, M. F., Shoben, A., & Norris, A. H. (2018). Birth outcomes of women using a midwife versus women using a physician for prenatal care [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jmwh.12750]. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 63(4), 399-409. Recommended Citation  Wilson, R. (Host), Tatam, M., (Co-Host), Julien, C. (Guest) & Bedard, A. (Guest). (2025, March 14). Important Role of Midwives & Doulas (Ep. 5) [Audio podcast episode]. ⁠In birthincolor. ⁠ [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/fl-black-maternal-health-/episodes/Policy--Advocacy-e2vg289]DJ Brightlight Productions.  More Information Learn More: ⁠Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative⁠ [https://linktr.ee/FloridaBMH]  Support Our Work: ⁠Donate to the Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative [https://giving.usf.edu/online/gift/f/540049/]

Policy & Advocacy

Episode Overview Michelle Grimsley Shindano, the Director of Public Policy at the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, and Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell of the Florida House of Representatives (District 67), join us for another special edition episode of birthincolor in honor of Black History Month. Policy is imperative to developing a structurally sound framework that promotes optimal maternal health outcomes. In our discussion, we focus on understanding implications of upcoming policy changes, as well as identify ways to create lasting change through legislation. We also reflect on the impacts of existing policies and envision future policies that seek to ultimately improve the health outcomes for Black mommas, babies and families. About birthincolor birthincolor is a virtual learning miniseries created by the Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative at the University of South Florida College of Public Health. This project is supported by funding from the HealtheVoices Impact Fund and Johnson & Johnson.  Referenced Literature Alam, S., Nandi, U., Scarborough, S., McNeill, E., Callison, K., Shi, L., & Gamble, A. (2024). Maternal Health Legislation Enacted in Three Southeastern States in the United States Between 2018-2023: Policy Surveillance [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11806827/]. Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association, 65(5-6). Buchbinder, M., & Sabbath, E. L. (2025). Reproductive Healthcare After Dobbs: Rethinking Obstetric Harm in the United States [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/01459740.2024.2438034]. Medical Anthropology, 44(1), 6-21. Recommended Citation  Fross, M. (Host), Wilson, R. (Cohost), Driskell, F. (Guest) & Grimsley Shindano, M. (Guest). (2025, February 28). Policy & Advocacy (Ep. 4) [Audio podcast episode]. In birthincolor. [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/fl-black-maternal-health-/episodes/Policy--Advocacy-e2vg289]DJ Brightlight Productions.  More Information Learn More: Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative [https://linktr.ee/FloridaBMH]  Support Our Work: Donate to the Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative [https://giving.usf.edu/online/gift/f/540049/]

Acknowledging the Past & Reframing the Future

Episode Overview On this episode of birthincolor, we kick-off our celebration of Black History Month with a special episode focused on systemic transformation. Dorian Odems, Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of California, Davis, and Xonjenese Jacobs, the director of Florida Covering Kids & Families at the University of South Florida’s College of Public Health, join us to discuss the historical implications racial oppression, contemporary forms of obstetric racism and identify strategies to transform systems of care to improve outcomes and birthing experiences among Black Mommas and babies in Florida. About birthincolor birthincolor is a virtual learning miniseries created by the Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative at the University of South Florida College of Public Health. This project is supported by funding from the HealtheVoices Impact Fund and Johnson & Johnson.  Referenced Literature Odems, D. S., Czaja, E., Vedam, S., Saltzman, B., & Scott, K. A. (2024). “It seemed like she just wanted me to suffer”: Acts of obstetric racism and birthing rights violations against Black women [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266732152400088X]. SSM-Qualitative Research in Health, 6, 100479. Davis, D. A. (2019). Obstetric racism: the racial politics of pregnancy, labor, and birthing [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01459740.2018.1549389?scroll=top&needAccess=true]. Medical Anthropology, 38(7), 560-573. Okwandu, I. C., Anderson, M., Postlethwaite, D., Shirazi, A., & Torrente, S. (2022). Racial and ethnic disparities in cesarean delivery and indications among nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex women [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9249704/#:~:text=Black%20women%20had%20the%20highest,%3A%201.28–1.59)%20women.]. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 1-11. Hoyert, D. L. (2025). Maternal mortality rates in the United States, 2023 [https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/maternal-mortality/2023/Estat-maternal-mortality.pdf]. NCHS Health E-Stats, 289. Sealy-Jefferson, S. (2022). Injustices in Black maternal health: a call for different research questions, orientations, and methodologies [https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.860850/pdf]. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 860850. Recommended Citation  Fross, M. (Host), Bell, M. (Cohost), Odems, D. (Guest) and Jacobs, X. (Guest). (2025, February 14). Acknowledging the Past & Reframing the Future (Ep. 3) [Audio podcast episode]. In birthincolor. DJ Brightlight Productions [https://djbrightlight.com/]. https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/fl-black-maternal-health- More Information Learn More: Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative [https://linktr.ee/FloridaBMH]  Support Our Work: Donate to the Florida Black Maternal Health Initiative  [https://giving.usf.edu/online/gift/f/540049/]