Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Tennessee

Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care
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The Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care (TIPQC) presents Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Tennessee. This podcast is a discussion with medical providers and other industry experts on all aspects of perinatal health. Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care (TIPQC) seeks to improve health outcomes for mothers and infants in Tennessee by engaging key stakeholders in a perinatal quality collaborative that will identify opportunities to optimize maternal and infant outcomes and implement data-driven provider- and community-based performance improvement initiatives. Visit www.tipqc.org for more information on our improvement work in Tennessee. No content or comments made in any TIPQC Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Tennessee Podcast is intended to be comprehensive or medical advice. Neither healthcare providers nor patients should rely on TIPQC’s Podcasts in determining the best practices for any particular patient. Additionally, standards and practices in medicine change as new information and data become available and the individual medical professional should consult a variety of sources in making clinical decisions for individual patients. TIPQC undertakes no duty to update or revise any particular Podcast. It is the responsibility of the treating physician or health care professional, relying on independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine appropriate treatment. TIPQC is funded under a Grant Contract with the State of Tennessee. This podcast is brought to you through a cooperative agreement with the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM). Connect with us: www.tipqc.org www.facebook.com/tipqc1 www.twitter.com/TennesseePQC www.instagram.com/tipqc1 www.youtube.com/channel/UCOZ0gpRWzimImh5XfsQdcvg/

  1. 3h ago

    EO: 228 Breastfeeding and Substance Use Disorder with Michelle McPherson and Dr. Anna Morad

    ABM protocol Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Clinical Protocol #21: Breastfeeding in the Setting of Substance Use and Substance Use Disorder (Revised 2023) Infant Risk Center Tennessee Breastfeeding Hotline at 1-855-4BF-MOMS (1-855-423-6667) Post Partum Support International Breastfeeding is not contraindicated for mothers in stable medication-assisted treatment; modern ABM protocols support initiation with appropriate multidisciplinary follow-up including SUD care, lactation, and mental health services. Breast milk's unique benefits for opioid-exposed infants—including colostrum's protective properties and comfort during withdrawal—make it particularly valuable; however, exclusive breastfeeding may not be realistic given these infants' high metabolic needs, requiring planned supplementation. The amount of MAT transferred through breast milk is negligible and not bioavailable; educating mothers and families on this fact directly counters the primary misconception preventing breastfeeding initiation. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders require careful assessment; breastfeeding can support recovery or worsen mental health depending on individual circumstances—flexible, individualized approaches prioritize maternal wellbeing as essential to infant wellbeing. Accessible resources (Infant Risk Center, Tennessee Breastfeeding Hotline, LactMed, insurance-covered in-home lactation visits) enable clinicians without IBCLC support to make evidence-based decisions; establishing hospital protocols and escalation pathways prevents outdated blanket restrictions. Quotable Moments "My main goal is like helping women to be the best mother that they can be. I want to decrease stigma and definitely improve child outcomes." "Breast milk is what will comfort those symptoms. That in the early days, that colostrum is such a protective factor. It's thick, it's rich, it coats the intestine, and it's so easy to digest that it requires less work of the gut." "You can't get from an empty cup. And you've got to take care of yourself and that her baby needs a completely healthy mom, mentally and physically." "If breastfeeding was as easy and natural as we think, there wouldn't be a whole career dedicated to just lactation." "Addiction is a disease, not a moral failing... MAT allows these women to lead normal, happy lives. It's what helps them be a good mother." Show Notes by Barevalue No content or comments made in any TIPQC Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Podcast is intended to be comprehensive or medical advice. Neither healthcare providers nor patients should rely on TIPQC’s Podcasts in determining the best practices for any particular patient. Additionally, standards and practices in medicine change as new information and data become available and the individual medical professional should consult a variety of sources in making clinical decisions for individual patients. TIPQC undertakes no duty to update or revise any particular Podcast. It is the responsibility of the treating physician or health care professional, relying on independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine appropriate treatment.

  2. Jul 24

    EO: 227 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) NICU Verification Program Part 2 with Nicole Faster and Drs. Colleen Moss and Tami Wallace

    Information about the AAP program: https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/neonatal-care/nicu-verification-program/ https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/151/6/e2023061957/191305/Standards-for-Levels-of-Neonatal-Care-II-III-and?autologincheck=redirected Key Takeaways The NICU verification survey is designed as a collaborative partnership, not a punitive inspection, with the explicit goal of helping facilities identify and implement opportunities for improvement in neonatal care. The AAP standards for levels of care provide a common language and consistent evaluation framework across all facilities—rural and urban—ensuring unbiased assessment based on uniform criteria. The three-year cyclical process with rotating surveyor teams ensures continuous quality improvement while preventing bias, allowing facilities to demonstrate progress on previously identified areas for improvement. Direct engagement with the entire care team—from leadership to frontline staff and ancillary services—provides valuable insights into resource needs, workflow processes, and opportunities to elevate the quality of care provided to neonates and families. Quotable Moments "Our goal is to help facilities identify opportunities for improvement because we know facilities are doing great things and the best of their abilities to provide the best care." "The survey is your time to shine. I find that there's sometimes a misconception that the survey is really focused on finding deficiencies, and that is not our goal." "Through the AAP standards for the levels of care, it really defines the common language that we're all using. So that way, when we come into a facility, and like Nicole said, it could be a rural setting or an urban setting, we're still using the same language and standards to evaluate those facilities." "It's not like, oh, so-and-so is coming back again. They already said this about us, but it's a totally different team of experts that are coming in and truly giving an unbiased evaluation." Show Notes by Barevalue. No content or comments made in any TIPQC Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Podcast is intended to be comprehensive or medical advice. Neither healthcare providers nor patients should rely on TIPQC’s Podcasts in determining the best practices for any particular patient. Additionally, standards and practices in medicine change as new information and data become available and the individual medical professional should consult a variety of sources in making clinical decisions for individual patients. TIPQC undertakes no duty to update or revise any particular Podcast. It is the responsibility of the treating physician or health care professional, relying on independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine appropriate treatment.

  3. Jul 17

    EO: 226 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) NICU Verification Program Part 1 with Nicole Faster and Drs. Colleen Moss and Tami Wallace

    Information about the AAP program: https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/neonatal-care/nicu-verification-program/ https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/151/6/e2023061957/191305/Standards-for-Levels-of-Neonatal-Care-II-III-and?autologincheck=redirected Key Takeaways Third-party NICU verification addresses the evidence-based gap between self-assessed and actual capability, preventing facilities from overstating their level of care. The AAP's 12-18 month pre-survey engagement model allows hospitals to identify and remediate deficiencies before formal evaluation, reducing surprises and enabling proactive improvement. Successful verification requires multidisciplinary participation from C-suite leadership, clinical staff, and support services to ensure coordinated preparation and sustainable change. The three-year partnership structure emphasizes continuous quality improvement and ongoing support rather than punitive auditing, fostering collaborative relationships between surveyors and facilities. Tennessee's stable regionalization system positions the state uniquely to leverage verification data for statewide outcome improvements through risk-appropriate care placement. Quotable Moments "Where you're born affects your outcomes. And that being in the appropriate risk situation with appropriate care for mom and for baby and the appropriate resources really determines outcomes." "Our goal is that there's no surprises at the site visit, but that facilities really feel prepared going into that site visit itself." "Care is better when we can get everybody working together and working on the same. So we love to look at how those teams are working together, how they're communicating with each other." "Everything I do as a surveyor is reviewed multiple times by multiple people. It's never just the opinion of a single individual." Show Notes by Barevalue. No content or comments made in any TIPQC Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Podcast is intended to be comprehensive or medical advice. Neither healthcare providers nor patients should rely on TIPQC’s Podcasts in determining the best practices for any particular patient. Additionally, standards and practices in medicine change as new information and data become available and the individual medical professional should consult a variety of sources in making clinical decisions for individual patients. TIPQC undertakes no duty to update or revise any particular Podcast. It is the responsibility of the treating physician or health care professional, relying on independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine appropriate treatment.

  4. Jul 10

    EO: 225 Infant Medical Director Transition with Drs. Karen Schetzina & Courtney Gutman

    Key Takeaways TIPQC's Born to Thrive bundle represents a strategic expansion of quality improvement efforts, with the Late Preterm Infant project addressing a significant population—8.1% of Tennessee's 2024 live births—requiring specialized discharge readiness protocols. Patient and family engagement through respectful care surveys and community listening sessions proved instrumental in improving care experiences and outcomes, establishing a model for sustained collaborative improvement. Rural health disparities and declining maternity hospital capacity create urgent opportunities for TIPQC to expand support beyond regional NICUs to underserved areas and smaller facilities. Rebuilding trust in evidence-based care requires intentional partnership with diverse community stakeholders, including midwives and doulas, to address vaccine hesitancy and other safety concerns affecting neonatal care. Quotable Moments "I fell in love with this field right then and there, and the baby girl too, and there was no looking back for me." — Dr. Courtney Gutman, describing her first patient encounter with a 25-week-old infant. "It was the perfect blend of my early public health interests and neonatal medicine. I was hooked." — Dr. Courtney Gutmann, reflecting on her first TIPQC conference experience. "The best thing about the opportunity to serve as infant medical director is all of the amazing, talented, and dedicated people that you get to work with on a regular basis." — Dr. Karen Schetzina, on her most rewarding experience. "I'll do my absolute best to follow in his QI footsteps for our babies." — Dr. Courtney Gutman, honoring Dr. Mark Anderson's legacy in quality improvement. Show Notes by Barevalue. No content or comments made in any TIPQC Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Podcast is intended to be comprehensive or medical advice. Neither healthcare providers nor patients should rely on TIPQC’s Podcasts in determining the best practices for any particular patient. Additionally, standards and practices in medicine change as new information and data become available and the individual medical professional should consult a variety of sources in making clinical decisions for individual patients. TIPQC undertakes no duty to update or revise any particular Podcast. It is the responsibility of the treating physician or health care professional, relying on independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine appropriate treatment.

  5. Jun 5

    EO: 224 Postpartum Support International, Part 2 with Birdie Gunyon Meyer, RN, MA, PMH-C

    Post Partum Support International Get HelpCall the PSI HelpLine:1-800-944-4773 #1 En Español or #2 English Text “Help” to 800-944-4773 (EN)Text en Español: 971-203-7773Key Takeaways Screening should occur at every touchpoint—first prenatal visit, all trimester visits, postpartum office visits, pediatric appointments, and WIC offices—with the goal of education and normalization rather than diagnosis alone. Providers must have helpline/hotline numbers, discussion tools, magnets, and cards readily available in offices and hospitals; free resources eliminate barriers to referral and support. Birth trauma is common and distinct from postpartum depression; providers should validate patient experiences, apologize for disappointing outcomes, and refer to trained PTSD therapists rather than attempting therapy themselves. Expectant families benefit from fourth trimester education covering visitor management, meal preparation, sleep expectations, and emotional changes; this preparation reduces postpartum shock and improves mental health outcomes. PSI's comprehensive infrastructure—including peer mentors, support groups (50+ in English, 28+ in Spanish), psychiatric consult lines, and specialized coordinators—provides accessible, free support for diverse perinatal mental health needs. Quotable Moments "Screening is only a piece of paper. And what it's really about is education, referral, and treatment." "One in five to seven women and one in 10 men will get depression or anxiety or any of the symptoms that we talked about in podcast one." "I'm so sorry that that turned out that way. We're both sorry. I'm sorry that that happened to you." "You're not alone. You're not to blame. And with the proper treatment, you will be well." "We don't talk about it, right? That's something we prepare for labor and delivery, for pushing and breathing. We don't think one second beyond when that baby's born." Show Notes by Barevalue. No content or comments made in any TIPQC Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Podcast is intended to be comprehensive or medical advice. Neither healthcare providers nor patients should rely on TIPQC’s Podcasts in determining the best practices for any particular patient. Additionally, standards and practices in medicine change as new information and data become available and the individual medical professional should consult a variety of sources in making clinical decisions for individual patients. TIPQC undertakes no duty to update or revise any particular Podcast. It is the responsibility of the treating physician or health care professional, relying on independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine appropriate treatment.

  6. May 29

    EO: 223 A Mom shares her son's NEC Journey with Jenn Bray

    NEC Society TN NEC Day and Month Recognition Key Takeaways Parents should actively embrace their role in the NICU care team by learning about medical equipment, medications, and their baby's cues, as this engagement transforms the experience from passive observation to active advocacy and parenthood. Healthcare providers should intentionally invite parents into caregiving tasks—changing diapers, learning procedures, receiving updates—to reduce intimidation and help families feel like parents rather than bystanders during neonatal care. Small acts of kindness from medical staff—personalized notes, thoughtful gestures, reassurance—significantly impact family experiences during crisis and can create lasting positive memories even in the context of tragic outcomes. NEC (necrotizing enterocolitis) remains a poorly understood complication among the general public and many parents; awareness, education, and advocacy are critical tools for prevention, early detection, and support for affected families. Grief can be transformed into meaningful advocacy and legacy work; turning personal tragedy into systemic change honors the brief life of a lost child and prevents future families from experiencing the same confusion and loss. Quotable Moments "I just didn't know. But you don't know until you know that not every pregnancy ends the way that you hope." "He's alive, he's alive, he's in the NICU and he's doing okay." "I think getting to hold him the first time was when you really feel like a parent." "Embrace the intimidation as quickly as you possibly can. Embrace the NICU life as quickly and possibly as you can. Because we're still a parent. It's just a non-traditional way of parenthood starting." "I never wanted another family to feel as confused as we did when we heard how he died and we didn't know what it was." "It brought so much joy to know that my son's life had an impact on a state." Show Notes by Barevalue. No content or comments made in any TIPQC Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Podcast is intended to be comprehensive or medical advice. Neither healthcare providers nor patients should rely on TIPQC’s Podcasts in determining the best practices for any particular patient. Additionally, standards and practices in medicine change as new information and data become available and the individual medical professional should consult a variety of sources in making clinical decisions for individual patients. TIPQC undertakes no duty to update or revise any particular Podcast. It is the responsibility of the treating physician or health care professional, relying on independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine appropriate treatment.

  7. May 22

    EO: 222 Amniotic Fluid Embolism Patient Experience with Annie Sterle

    Amniotic Fluid Embolism Foundation 24 Days Without You Trailer Key Takeaways: Amniotic fluid embolism is a rare but highly fatal condition (top five cause of maternal death) that is unpredictable, unpreventable, and poorly understood—requiring robust team preparedness and emergency protocols in all delivery settings. Trauma-informed care and robust postpartum mental health support for both parents are essential, as maternal survival from AFE does not guarantee emotional recovery or immediate bonding with newborns. Patient registries and research participation are critical to advancing understanding of rare maternal conditions; the AFE Foundation's registry helps clinicians collect data that may eventually make AFE predictable or preventable. Pregnancy after AFE is possible with informed decision-making: data shows zero recurrence in documented cases, allowing survivors to pursue subsequent pregnancies when supported by knowledgeable healthcare teams. Storytelling and documentary filmmaking can serve as powerful clinical and educational tools, providing healthcare workers with closure, perspective, and motivation beyond traditional textbook learning. Quotable Moments "Amniotic fluid embolism, despite the name, isn't actually an embolism that happens in a pregnant woman or a pregnant patient. It is an anaphylactic type reaction to amniotic fluid that enters maternal circulatory system." "I woke up 17 days later in the ICU without my baby... and during the course of my 17-day treatment, a lot of things went wrong." "I think we've had a lot of people say like, oh, tell us about how magical it was the first time you brought them in. And was it so happy and so just heartwarming? But it really discounts the trauma that's there." "Even in a typical birth where nothing happens to mom and nothing happens to baby, it's very normal to not have that magical click where all of a sudden you lay eyes on this baby and it's this instant bond that forms." "We focus a lot as we should on preventable maternal deaths... And so obviously that is the priority right now. And I caveat that with spina bifida also used to not be preventable and it was unpreventable until we understood what caused it." Show Notes by Barevalue No content or comments made in any TIPQC Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Podcast is intended to be comprehensive or medical advice. Neither healthcare providers nor patients should rely on TIPQC’s Podcasts in determining the best practices for any particular patient. Additionally, standards and practices in medicine change as new information and data become available and the individual medical professional should consult a variety of sources in making clinical decisions for individual patients. TIPQC undertakes no duty to update or revise any particular Podcast. It is the responsibility of the treating physician or health care professional, relying on independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine appropriate treatment.

  8. May 8

    EO: 221 Perinatal Mental Health Disorders: An Overview Birdie Gunyon Meyer

    Post Partum Support International Get HelpCall the PSI HelpLine:1-800-944-4773 #1 En Español or #2 English Text “Help” to 800-944-4773 (EN)Text en Español: 971-203-7773Key Takeaways Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders extend far beyond depression and can manifest as anxiety, panic, OCD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and psychosis—each requiring different recognition and treatment approaches. Baby blues are normal, hormone-driven, and resolve within two weeks; symptoms persisting beyond two weeks indicate a clinical PMAD requiring professional evaluation and support. Individuals with PMADs are not to blame—these conditions result from identifiable, evidence-based risk factors (hormonal, psychological, social, and circumstantial) over which they have no control. Intrusive thoughts in perinatal OCD are not desires or intentions but unwanted, distressing "what if" scenarios that are highly treatable with proper therapy and support. Screening for risk factors during pregnancy and postpartum is essential, as is ensuring individuals with bipolar disorder or psychosis history receive psychiatric care throughout pregnancy and the first year postpartum to prevent relapse. Provider awareness and education about the full spectrum of PMADs—not just depression—enables earlier identification and appropriate referral, reducing maternal and paternal morbidity. Quotable Moments "You are not alone. This affects one in five to seven women, one in 10 men." "You're not to blame. You didn't cause this. This is caused from risk factors." "With the proper treatment, you will be well. That is giving hope because see, when they feel that bad, they think, now this is who I am. I'm going to be like this forever." "Baby blues only last two weeks. Baby blues are caused from the hormone changes at the moment of delivery." "It is debilitating. It gets in the way of your day. You really have to clean, clean, clean." "What if my baby stops breathing? What if someone breaks in my house and steals my baby? What if I drop my baby? What if, what if, what if?" "One in two women are now saying that something traumatic happened at their birth." "Nobody has a clean history, but some people are much more affected." Show Notes by Barevalue No content or comments made in any TIPQC Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Podcast is intended to be comprehensive or medical advice. Neither healthcare providers nor patients should rely on TIPQC’s Podcasts in determining the best practices for any particular patient. Additionally, standards and practices in medicine change as new information and data become available and the individual medical professional should consult a variety of sources in making clinical decisions for individual patients. TIPQC undertakes no duty to update or revise any particular Podcast. It is the responsibility of the treating physician or health care professional, relying on independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine appropriate treatment.

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About

The Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care (TIPQC) presents Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Tennessee. This podcast is a discussion with medical providers and other industry experts on all aspects of perinatal health. Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care (TIPQC) seeks to improve health outcomes for mothers and infants in Tennessee by engaging key stakeholders in a perinatal quality collaborative that will identify opportunities to optimize maternal and infant outcomes and implement data-driven provider- and community-based performance improvement initiatives. Visit www.tipqc.org for more information on our improvement work in Tennessee. No content or comments made in any TIPQC Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Tennessee Podcast is intended to be comprehensive or medical advice. Neither healthcare providers nor patients should rely on TIPQC’s Podcasts in determining the best practices for any particular patient. Additionally, standards and practices in medicine change as new information and data become available and the individual medical professional should consult a variety of sources in making clinical decisions for individual patients. TIPQC undertakes no duty to update or revise any particular Podcast. It is the responsibility of the treating physician or health care professional, relying on independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine appropriate treatment. TIPQC is funded under a Grant Contract with the State of Tennessee. This podcast is brought to you through a cooperative agreement with the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM). Connect with us: www.tipqc.org www.facebook.com/tipqc1 www.twitter.com/TennesseePQC www.instagram.com/tipqc1 www.youtube.com/channel/UCOZ0gpRWzimImh5XfsQdcvg/

Information

  • Creator
    Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    176
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Tennessee Initiative for Perinatal Quality Care
  • Show Website
    Healthy Mom Healthy Baby Tennessee