Power of MoMMAs Voices MoMMAs Voices

Today’s episode of Power of MoMMA’s Voices highlights a “Pain into Purpose story of Kate Boydston. Kate is a survivor of placental abruption, gestational diabetes, and postpartum anxiety and depression, as well as a NICU stay. She has since used her “mom voice” on local, national, and international stages as both a Patient Family Partner and as Mrs. New York American. 

“Being able to know that I had a goal of being on a stage, being an advocate for maternal mental health, really gave me an area to set some goals for my therapy.”

“I'm able to feel like my voice is actually making an impact in my state and community.”

“…my mom voice has been able to travel internationally and that's all due to MoMMA's Voices and the training that I received as a Patient Family Partner.”

“And I think that it's important to find your group of people that will support you in getting to that ultimate goal that you're looking for. And I found my people through MoMMA's Voices.”

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Come join the Power of MoMMA's Voices family and don't forget to leave us a review! By showing your love, you'll help other moms out there discover how they can use their voice too. It only takes a few clicks – just head here, rate with five stars at the bottom of page then share what was most meaningful for you about this episode. Your support really does make all the difference—thank you!

 

In this “Pain into Purpose” episode of Power of MoMMA’s Voices, we hear from Melissa Gordon Metzler about her traumatic twin-pregnancy experience, her desire to advocate to help others, the connection between advocacy and her therapy career, and how she found MoMMA’s Voices.

Here's a glance at this episode...



“So at that moment just kind of started connecting with myself, connecting with a higher power, and just really felt I needed to live. And I was gonna do whatever it took to get there.”



“We're here and on a mission to help other women to make sure that, that a story like mine doesn't live on for generations to come and we can, we can do better and, and learn from it.”



“I learned sharing my story was my healing adventure.”



Click here to listen!

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

Come join the Power of MoMMA's Voices family and don't forget to leave us a review! By showing your love, you'll help other moms out there discover how they can use their voice too. It only takes a few clicks – just head here, rate with five stars at the bottom of page then share what was most meaningful for you about this episode. Your support really does make all the difference—thank you!

 

 

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:
This episode of Power of MoMMA’s Voices is a conversation with Mandi Gross, a Patient Family Partner and also the Administrative Coordinator for MoMMA’s Voices. Hear Mandi discuss her journey from pregnancy to postpartum preeclampsia to maternal health advocacy with MoMMA’s Voices Program Manager, Bekah Bischoff. 

Here's a glance at this episode...


“I truly found my calling in advocacy and my MoMMA's Voices crew.”



“It's been such an unexpected, but amazing thing in my life. I would say take the training, join the community, find the ‘momeraderie’ that we have…”



Click here to listen!
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Come join the Power of MoMMA's Voices family and don't forget to leave us a review! By showing your love, you'll help other moms out there discover how they can use their voice too. It only takes a few clicks – just head here, rate with five stars at the bottom of page then share what was most meaningful for you about this episode. Your support really does make all the difference—thank you!



Links mentioned in this episode:


https://www.mommasvoices.org/training



https://www.preeclampsia.org/get-involved 



https://health.usf.edu/publichealth/chiles/fpqc/ 



https://www.postpartum.net/get-help/psi-online-support-meetings/



 

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:

On this episode of the Power of MoMMA’s Voices Podcast, Nicole speaks with Brace Gibson from the Colorado Perinatal Care Quality Collaborative (CPCQC). Brace explains how her desire to make a difference in maternal health outcomes stems from her own lived experience with severe preeclampsia during her first pregnancy and her experience being compounded by the exceptional life circumstances of being 16 years old. She additionally experienced postpartum OCD and PTSD. Now, Brace serves as the Director of Policy and Engagement for the CPCQC. 

The CPCQC has many initiatives to improve the maternal health outcomes in Colorado, and Brace explains some of them, specifically the Family Integration to Restore Trust Program, otherwise known as FIRST. She also explains the importance of Perinatal Quality Collaboratives, or PQCs.

Finally, Brace and Nicole chat about the MoMMA’s Voices’ Community of Learning and how it has benefitted the CPCQC.  

Here's a glance at this episode...



“I'm never not amazed by the impact that lived experience integration has on patients, that it has on family members, providers, and care teams.”



“We're doing the work of addressing sources of care disparities through partnerships of care, and it's absolutely evident now that the role of the patient advocate can be leveraged to build alliances and facilitate shifts in practice and in culture.”



“It's my belief that PQCs are well positioned to amplify patient voices and to facilitate more equitable partnerships between patients and clinicians, to ultimately improve care and outcomes.”



“The community of learning sessions were incredibly rewarding. Sharing space with other lived experience experts and just having opportunities to learn with and from other PQCs, I found to be invaluable.”



Click here to listen! Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

Come join the Power of MoMMA's Voices family and don't forget to leave us a review! By showing your love, you'll help other moms out there discover how they can use their voice too. It only takes a few clicks – just head here, rate with five stars at the bottom of page then share what was most meaningful for you about this episode. Your support really does make all the difference—thank you!

 

Links mentioned in this episode:



https://cpcqc.org



 

In this must-watch podcast episode, Nicole Purnell, MoMMA's Voices Program Director, speaks about something we all need to hear - having a culture of acceptance. As someone who has experience in quality improvement projects, Nicole stresses the importance of listening and being open to those with lived experience. She reminds us that when people feel accepted and valued, great things can happen. So take a few moments to listen to this powerful message and let it inspire you to create a more accepting and inclusive world.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:


What is "Culture of Acceptance"
Why it is critical when working with patients in QI projects

Click here to listen!

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

Come join the Power of MoMMA's Voices family and don't forget to leave us a review! By showing your love, you'll help other moms out there discover how they can use their voice too. It only takes a few clicks – just head here, rate with five stars at the bottom of page then share what was most meaningful for you about this episode. Your support really does make all the difference—thank you!

Links mentioned in this episode:


MoMMA's Voices LEI
View Culture of Acceptance Slides

 About MoMMA's Voices

MoMMA’s (Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Advocates) Voices is the first-ever maternal health patient advocacy coalition established in 2018, to amplify the voices of people who have experienced childbirth complications or loss - especially those who have been historically marginalized - ensuring they are equipped and activated as partners with providers and researchers to improve maternal health outcomes. This is a program of the Preeclampsia Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and is supported by a grant through Merck for Mothers. For more information, visit mommasvoices.org and preeclampsia.org. ​

Power of MoMMA’s Voices this week highlights certified Patient Family Partner and MoMMA’s Voices Community Specialist, Judith Francis. Judith shares her birth stories including, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes and how her experiences led her to her passion and mission to spread the message that preeclampsia is not over at delivery. She also talks about the MoMMA’s Voices Patient Family Partner training and some of her advocacy work and engagements. 

Here's a glance at this episode...



“I feel like there's something that I can do and that this is what my purpose is."



“We’re constantly being told that preeclampsia is something that… goes away after birth, and I'm a strong advocate that it does not.”



“Through training, you're taught not to dismiss those pains, but just to let your voice overcome the pain.”



“You will get the courage one day to just get up and say, okay, this is a day that I'm gonna do it. And each time you speak, just remember that it's a possibility that you're saving lives, you're saving a mom's life, you're saving a baby life.”



Click here to listen! Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

Come join the Power of MoMMA's Voices family and don't forget to leave us a review! By showing your love, you'll help other moms out there discover how they can use their voice too. It only takes a few clicks – just head here, rate with five stars at the bottom of page then share what was most meaningful for you about this episode. Your support really does make all the difference—thank you!