About

The American dream is driven by a pact that every current generation has with the next one: to ensure those that follow us are at least as well off—if not better off—than we are.

There is ample evidence that this dream is fading.

In the United States today, the prospect of starting or growing a family is costlier, riskier, and frankly scarier than it was a generation ago. American women are 50% more likely to die in childbirth than their own mothers were, a risk that is consistently three to four times higher for black women than for white women. And these deaths are the canary in the coal mine for a larger problem. For every death, there are tens of thousands of women who experience avoidable suffering from unreliable medical care, inadequate social support, and economic disempowerment.


Formed around a written series, Expecting More is a movement, creating space for families to share their experiences, to learn what they can expect and should demand from public leaders, and together shift the narrative of childbirth in the United States.

We envision a world in which every person can choose to grow their family with dignity.

Our mission is to elevate our shared expectations of the care and support people deserve when they are growing their family.

Do you have questions or suggestions? We want to hear from you! Reach out to us via email: info@expectingmore.org


Team Bios

Expecting More is a collaborative movement, guided and informed by a wide collection of voices, including parents, scientists, artists, health care providers, and you. These are only a few of the people who are working behind the scenes at Ariadne Labs to make it happen.


Amber Weiseth

Associate Director of Delivery Decisions Initiative, Ariadne Labs

My Role in the Expecting More project is to provide a clinical lens to caring for growing families. I am a nurse and have cared for thousands of parents and their newborns. 

My preferred pronouns are She/her

My hometown is Edmonds, WA. It’s a beautiful town just north of Seattle, situated on the Puget Sound. I grew up collecting shells and gunkholing in the San Juan Islands.

When I need insight, I go to My dad. He knows me better than any person on this planet- my strengths and weaknesses and he has a never-stopping, never giving-up love for me. He is a strong man, tender, brave and brilliant. We can talk data, poetry, policy, ukulele, sailing, birth and his thoughts always provoke me to a greater depth of understanding. 

When I was a baby, I was colicky and challenged my parents patience. This was a foreshadow into my teen years, when I would continue to test their patience.

I want every growing family to know they are not alone. In the United States today, starting and growing a family can be isolating and scary. I want every family to be knit into a community where they have a strong sense of belonging, safety and hope.

I am Expecting More from myself, my profession, my community and my country


Neel Shah

Director of the Delivery Decisions Initiative, Ariadne Labs

My Role in the Expecting More project is as a producer/writer

My preferred pronouns are he/him/his

My hometown is Holmdel, NJ.

When I need insight, I go to my family.

When I was a baby, I was a lot cuter

If I could choose one person from history to be my parent, it would be my mom and dad

I want every growing family to be given the support they need to thrive and be treated with dignity

I am Expecting More from all of us. We all have a role to play–friends, neighbors, employers, health care providers, policymakers–in making sure every person can choose to grow their family with dignity


Yara Altaher

Research Assistant, Ariadne Labs

My Role in the Expecting More project is a researcher. I also assist in the planning of other narratives and blog posts

My preferred pronouns are she/her/hers

My hometown is Anaheim hills, CA and Amman, Jordan, but I truly believe that home is where the heart is

When I need insight, I go to my family and friends. I’m so grateful to every one of them because they each provide a unique perspective

When I was a baby, I used to sing a lot and still do (disclaimer: there’s a reason why I don’t sing professionally)

If I could choose one person from history to be my parent, it would be my parents! I wouldn’t trade them for the world

I want every growing family to be treated with dignity and empathy, to be given quality and respectful care, and to have access to resources and support

I am Expecting More from everyone- on a federal, state, local, community, neighborhood, and individual level. We need to work together to fix the structural discrimination and biases, embedded within our healthcare system, that lead to health disparities and prevent growing families from receiving the best possible care

Stay Connected with Us

Sign up to receive updates about our latest news.

Instagram

Error validating access token: The session has been invalidated because the user changed their password or Facebook has changed the session for security reasons.