A week of maternal health systems change
A week where everyone marched in the same direction | 3 min read
Last week reminded me why I do this work.
It was a marathon. Heavy and exhausting, but incredibly fulfilling.
For the first time, my work, volunteering, and advocacy all converged in the same week 💜💙❤️💚
The highlights:
🌟 Minneapolis: Meeting my moms’ rights s-hero Reshma Saujani, and telling her how Moms Firsthelped me find my voice (link)
🌟 Chicago: Showcasing how Delfina, Esperanza Health Centers and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois are delivering clinically integrated, tech-enabled care to transform maternal health for Illinois moms (link)
🌟 Los Angeles: Learning from experts advancing perinatal mental health at the Postpartum Support Internationalconference (and seeing fellow PSI volunteers and Chamber of Mothers chapter leaders) (link)
🌟 Reconnecting with old friends and making new connections across the maternal health ecosystem
Here are the moments I keep thinking about:
1. “The maternal health crisis is driven by maternity deserts + data deserts.”
2. “Mothers are mothering in a very broken system. Maternal rage isn’t a meltdown, it’s a message.”
3. “When systems fail to diagnose, screen, and treat, we can’t continue to blame the mom. We can’t continue to weaponize maternal mental health disorders.”
4. “This film is gasoline and we (moms) are the match.”
And my favorite:
💫“We all need to challenge assumptions of what can and cannot be changed.”
Changing systems is a long game. Most days, it feels like we’re chipping away at the wall.
And then there are weeks like this – when providers, researchers, health plans, investors, tech innovators, mom advocates, and survivors – all march in the same direction.
Last week showed me that change is happening and more people are paying attention to the system that's meant to support new and pregnant moms. More organizations are working together. And more leaders are done with the status quo.
The maternal health crisis won’t be solved by a single organization or point solution. It takes a movement of people willing to build together.
This weekend, I’m grateful for rest. Next week, it’s back to work – and I’m more fired up to keep going for the next mom.
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