Episode 3
Education and support for new mothers can take a lot of different forms. In the third episode of the Healthy Birthing Journey Podcast, we speak with some of the people working to ensure that pregnant women in Arkansas have access to the supportive networks and educational resources they need to improve health outcomes, both for themselves and their babies. Our guests and topics include:
- Dr. Zenobia Harris with the Arkansas Birthing Project, who shares how the organization’s network of “sister friends” supports new mothers and helps make sure they never feel alone.
- Nicolle Fletcher of Nurturing Arrows Birth Services and the Doula Alliance of Arkansas, who discusses the growing role of doulas in the Arkansas birthing journey.
- Cassie Cochran with the Arkansas Department of Health, who talks about the integral and growing role of county health units in improving maternal health in our state.
Maternal and infant mortality rates in Arkansas are among the highest in the nation, but a wide range of efforts are underway to change that. Here at ACHI, we pulled our analysts and researchers together to envision what a healthy birthing journey should look like and identify points along the way where Arkansas has opportunities to make lasting improvements for our moms, children, families, and communities. We identified nine phases from pre-pregnancy through delivery and into the postpartum period. In this episode, we explore the third phase – education and support.
View our infographic, “9 Points on a Healthy Birthing Journey.”
