This is the second part of Kinjal Vasavada’s three-part photo essay following her medical school buddy, Adriana, through her pregnancy. Find the first part of her photo essay here. Content Warning: mental health & substance abuse topics...
“Everything starts with birth”: a conversation with Accompany Doula Care
In October, I had the opportunity to meet a few of the women working at Accompany Doula Care, an independent doula agency based in Massachusetts. In addition to providing culturally and linguistically appropriate care to birthing people and working...
Dar a Luz Birth Center: a conversation with Abigail Lanin Eaves
In 2016, Dr. Shah traveled to Albuquerque with MASS Design Group to visit Dar a Luz, a freestanding birth center that has been operating since 2008. This visit was part of a larger body of work supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation...
Just Breathe: The story of a growing family in America – Part 1
My name is Kinjal Vasavada, and I’m a second year medical student at Tufts University School of Medicine. My passion lies at the intersection of healthcare and human-centered design, where I believe some of the world’s most complex and interesting...
Maternal mortality, Medicaid, and how we abandon parents in their time of need
By Katie Breen In the weeks leading up to and just after childbirth, friends and family provide all kinds of support to soon-to-be parents in a burst of new-baby energy. Meals, fresh laundry, childcare. But after a few weeks, and while...
Parental leave is not a vacation
By Lauren Spigel The weeks and months following birth are among the most difficult, most dangerous, and paradoxically, the least supported time periods for new and growing families. Christine thought giving birth would be the hardest part of...
On Becoming a Mother
By Katie Shea Barrett My favorite definition of “mother” is: to look after (someone) kindly and protectively, sometimes excessively. I always wanted to be a mother – I just loved looking after people I loved. I mothered my two younger siblings, I...
Maternal Mortality Review Committees: a conversation with Shivani Bhatia
I recently caught up with my friend Shivani Bhatia, the Maternal Health Coordinator at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Lead of Colorado’s Maternal Mortality Prevention Program and Maternal Mortality Review Committee...
Birthing Connection
By Amber Weiseth Like many American college students, during my sophomore year of college I was faced with a decision on my future which I was no more prepared to make than when I left high school. I had a vague idea of classes I enjoyed and things...
Welcome to Expecting More
Hi! Welcome to Expecting More. My name is Jocie, and I’m the Research Manager and Curator of the Expecting More website and campaign and a member of the Delivery Decisions Initiative team at Ariadne Labs. We are so glad you’re here. This...