The MotherToBaby Podcast

Lisa Bain and Chardá Bell of the Global Communities' Healthy Start program join host Chris Stallman to talk about breastfeeding, the racial and economic disparities affecting many communities across the nation and what they're doing about it in San Diego, CA.  

From snake bites to polar bear liver, Adam Overberg, a pharmacist, board-certified clinical toxicologist, and the director of the Indiana Poison Center, joins host Chris Stallman, CGC, to dish on the most interesting exposure questions he gets. Overberg is an alumnus of the University of North Carolina and completed his residency and toxicology training in Indianapolis, IN. He loves talking tox and poison centers with anyone in earshot and is an ardent proponent of equity in healthcare education, practice, and research.

Becky Spencer, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC, IBCLC, PMH-C, FILCA joins host Chris Stallman, CGC, to talk about updated information about having HIV and breastfeeding. Dr. Spencer discusses the stigma and provides the latest evidence-based guidelines for HIV-positive parents.

Host Chris Stallman, CGC, welcomes back Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist and social media health educator, Dr. Shannon Clark of @babiesafter35. Dr. Clark debunks myths about the risks associated with having children later in life. She also gives the audience insight into her own personal journey having children after age 35.

Sarah Obican, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at the University of South Florida and medical director of MotherToBaby Florida, joins host Chris Stallman, CGC to discuss what's known about Ozempic, berberine supplement and other weight loss trends during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Dr. Linda Eckert, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist and member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) Expert Immunization Committee, talks to host Chris Stallman, CGC, about the RSV vaccine approved specific to pregnant people. They discuss how the vaccine can protect the pregnant person and unborn baby as well as when to receive the vaccine. Links mentioned during the episode: RSV Vaccine Finder   ACOG Vaccine Resource More about expert and author Dr. Linda Eckert

Robert McDonald, MD, MPH joins host Chris Stallman, CGC to talk about congenital syphilis, which experts say is on the rise in the United States. Dr. McDonald is a medical epidemiologist in the Division of STD Prevention (DSTDP) at the National Center for HIV, Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. McDonald serves as a CDC congenital syphilis subject matter expert, and he is also a practicing physician, focusing on HIV, STI, and harm reduction care at a free clinic in Atlanta, Georgia. Resource Links: Congenital Syphilis CDC Factsheet

Amy Nelson, MBA, BSN, RN, the Clinic Director at Pipestone Family Clinic in Pipestone, MN, joins host Chris Stallman, CGC, to talk about the importance of folic acid and a special program in Minnesota that's changing the habits of people of childbearing age through folic acid intervention. The Interventions to Minimize Preterm and Low Birth Weight Infants through Continuous Improvement Techniques (IMPLICIT) Network is a quality improvement collaborative focused on improving the health of women and their birth outcomes. This is a special episode in collaboration with Folic Acid Awareness Week. To learn more about folic acid, please see the MotherToBaby Folic Acid Fact Sheet or speak with an expert at MotherToBaby.org. 

Grant Houselog, PharmD, CSPI, the assistant director of the Iowa Poison Control Center talks to host Chris Stallman, CGC, about the most common, as well as the rarest, questions his staff gets. From hand sanitizer to garfish, episode 59 touches on quite the range of exposure topics! 

Dr. John Esdaile, the founding Scientific Director of Arthritis Research Canada, joins host Chris Stallman to talk about Lupus and the medications to treat the condition during pregnancy. He also discusses the strides being made in research and how others can get involved in it, such as participating in MotherToBaby's Lupus in pregnancy study. 

Dr. Katayune Kaeni, aka "Dr. Kat," joins host Chris Stallman to talk about maternal mental health including postpartum depression, anxiety and psychosis. Dr. Kat serves on the board of directors for Postpartum Support International. She's a psychologist certified in Perinatal Mental Health. She works with pregnant, loss and postpartum parents in California. She also hosts the Mom & Mind podcast.

Dr. Steven Dudley, Director of the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, joins host Chris Stallman, CGC to discuss the most frequently asked questions its poison center receives from pregnant people. Some questions addressed during this episode include ones that are unique to Arizona, such as rattlesnake and scorpion bites. Dr. Dudley is a board-certified clinical toxicologist who graduated with a PharmD from the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy in 2015. He completed a toxicology fellowship with the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center in 2017 and spent nine years working in retail pharmacy

Jonathan Cherry, Senior Director of Research Operations from the March of Dimes, joins The MotherToBaby Podcast host, Chris Stallman, to discuss preterm birth and the latest research surrounding it.

Leslie, a mom of two, joins host Chris Stallman to talk about her experience participating in a MotherToBaby pregnancy study. She describes the time commitment, benefits, study results and why she decided to take part in the first place.

In this special World Birth Defects Day-themed episode, Dr. Christina Chambers, a UC San Diego Professor of Pediatrics and Past President of MotherToBaby, joins host Chris Stallman, CGC, to talk about the importance of pregnancy study participation and the role research plays around the world. Leslie, a past research participant and mom of two, talks about her experience being in a study.

Dr. Phil Anderson, medications in breastfeeding expert, joins host Chris Stallman, CGC, to discuss LactRx, a free new app providing current information on the use of medications, vaccines, diagnostic agents & drugs of misuse during breastfeeding. The LactRx app provides easy access to the LactMed database, a resource from the National Library of Medicine (NLM). Download LactRx: iPhone Android

Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist and social media health educator, Dr. Shannon Clark of @babiesafter35 joins host Chris Stallman to discuss high risk pregnancies and top ways to prevent birth defects.  

Two experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) join host Chris Stallman, CGC, to talk about birth defects awareness "across the lifespan" and why it's important for future generations.  Resources mentioned on the episode: Free Materials about Congenital Heart Defects | CDC Congenital Heart Defects Toolkit for Physicians | CDC Birth Defects and Infant Disorders Resources |CDC Free Materials on Spina Bifida | CDC  

Dr. Tolúwalàṣé (Laṣé) Ajayi, MD, FAAP from Scripps Research Digital Trials Center in California, joins host Chris Stallman, CGC to talk about PowerMom. PowerMom is a data-driven research project fueled by pregnant participants aimed at improving pregnancy health. Participants contribute information through the PowerMom website/app during their pregnancies and gain feedback as pregnancy progresses. Dr. Ajayi also shares her personal encounter with health disparities and why research may be one of the ways to help reduce the problem. PowerMom: https://powermom.scripps.edu/ 

Dr. Sarah Verbiest, of the University of North Carolina Collaborative for Maternal and Infant Health joins host Chris Stallman, CGC to discuss preconception health (before people become pregnant) and why it's important for reducing the risk for birth defects while leading to a healthier life across the lifespan of their offspring. The "Across the Lifespan" concept is part of the theme for January's Birth Defects Awareness Month.