Diapers are something many families need every single day, yet diaper need remains a hidden struggle affecting millions of parents and babies across the United States. In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host Chris Stallman, MS, CGC, speaks with Dr. Megan V. Smith from the National Diaper Bank Network about the growing body of research connecting diaper need to infant health, maternal mental health, and overall family wellbeing.

Dr. Smith discusses how limited access to clean diapers can contribute to increased stress, anxiety, feelings of shame, and depressive symptoms among parents, while also affecting infant health through increased diaper rash and related infections. The conversation also explores how financial hardship and unmet basic needs can impact both parents and babies during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Listeners will also learn about available resources and the important work being done to support families experiencing diaper need.

About Our Guest:
Dr. Megan V. Smith is Chief of Innovation and Impact at the National Diaper Bank Network and a nationally recognized leader in maternal and child health, public health, and mental health equity. She published one of the first peer-reviewed studies on diaper need and its impact on child and maternal health.

Learn more about the National Diaper Bank Network:
https://nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org/

For evidence-based information about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding, visit MotherToBaby:
https://mothertobaby.org/

Questions about exposures during pregnancy or breastfeeding? Contact a MotherToBaby specialist by phone, text, live chat, or email:
https://mothertobaby.org/contact-expert/.

High blood pressure disorders during pregnancy, including preeclampsia, can raise a lot of questions and anxiety for expectant parents. In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host Chris Stallman, genetic counselor, mom of four, and teratogen information specialist, sits down with maternal-fetal medicine specialist and member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) Dr. Karen Florio to discuss what pregnant women should know about hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and the role low dose aspirin can play in reducing certain risks.

Dr. Florio shares both her professional expertise caring for high-risk pregnancies and her personal experience navigating a high-risk pregnancy herself. Together, Chris and Dr. Florio break down the warning signs of preeclampsia, when to contact a healthcare provider, and why low dose aspirin may be recommended in some pregnancies, even though regular aspirin is typically avoided during pregnancy.

The conversation also explores how common hypertensive disorders are, what patients can do to advocate for themselves, and reassuring, evidence-based guidance for anyone currently pregnant and feeling worried about blood pressure concerns.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What “high blood pressure in pregnancy” and hypertensive disorders actually mean
• Signs and symptoms of preeclampsia to watch for
• Why low dose aspirin may be recommended during pregnancy
• Who may benefit from low dose aspirin therapy
• When to reach out to a healthcare provider
• How patients can feel informed and empowered during pregnancy

About Our Guest:
Dr. Karen Florio is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at the University of Missouri and currently serves as Vice Chair of Patient Safety and Quality for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, as well as Director of Labor and Delivery. Her work focuses on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and heart disease in pregnancy, and she has held leadership roles with Missouri’s Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review Board and the Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative.

What happens when a researcher studying pregnancy becomes a patient navigating her own autoimmune diagnosis? In this powerful episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, genetic counselor Chris Stallman, CGC, sits down with Dr. Christina Longo, Assistant Professor at the University of Montreal and perinatal epidemiologist, to discuss her lived experience managing rheumatoid arthritis during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Dr. Longo shares how her first diagnosis during pregnancy reshaped her research focus—from child outcomes to the importance of maternal health, mental wellbeing, and self-advocacy. She opens up about the difficult decisions she faced around medication safety, breastfeeding, and treatment during pregnancy, and how patient-led communities and research studies helped her find strength and clarity.

Listeners will learn:

• How autoimmune diseases can change during pregnancy and postpartum
• Why controlled treatment plans matter before conception
• The emotional and physical toll of navigating chronic illness while pregnant
• The importance of participating in pregnancy studies to improve care for future parents

Whether you’re living with a chronic condition, supporting someone who is, or counseling patients through pregnancy, this episode sheds light on the urgent need for research, empathy, and balanced care for both parent and baby.

🔗 Learn more or join a pregnancy study.

💡 Have questions about exposures during pregnancy or breastfeeding?
You can contact MotherToBaby for free, confidential, evidence-based information:
📞 Call: 866-626-6847
📱 Text: 855-999-3525
💻 Visit: https://mothertobaby.org/

Managing ADHD during pregnancy can feel overwhelming—especially when juggling appointments, medications, mood changes, and everyday life. In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, genetic counselor and teratogen information specialist Chris Stallman, CGC sits down with returning guest Dr. Christy Pratt, a pharmacist at Kaiser Permanente Colorado, for an in-depth, practical conversation about ADHD in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Together, they discuss:

• How ADHD symptoms can shift during pregnancy
• What to consider when deciding whether to continue stimulant or non-stimulant medications
• How co-occurring conditions like anxiety or depression affect treatment decisions
• Why risk–benefit conversations are essential—and individualized
• Non-medication strategies and organization tools that actually help
• How healthcare providers can better support pregnant patients with ADHD
• What Dr. Pratt wishes more people understood about ADHD as a real, physiological condition
• Dr. Pratt also shares insights from her innovative program at Kaiser Permanente, where newly pregnant patients receive personalized risk–benefit consultations about their medications.
• Whether you’re pregnant, planning a pregnancy, supporting someone with ADHD, or working in maternal-child health, this episode offers validation, clarity, and evidence-based guidance—always centered on achieving the best outcomes for both parent and baby.

Key takeaway: “We need a healthy mama to grow a healthy baby.” —Dr. Christy Pratt

For more evidence-based information about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding, visit MotherToBaby.org.

What do GLP-1 medications like Ozempic®, Wegovy®, and Mounjaro® mean for pregnancy, fertility, and breastfeeding? In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host and genetic counselor Chris Stallman welcomes Dr. Christina Han—Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and division director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at UCLA, co-director of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Program, and Board Member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Dr. Han breaks down current knowledge about GLP-1 receptor agonists and how they may impact people planning to conceive, those who are pregnant, and those breastfeeding. She also discusses considerations for people using these medications to manage type 2 diabetes or for weight loss.

🔹 How might GLP-1s influence fertility in people with PCOS or obesity?
🔹 What if pregnancy occurs while taking one of these medications?
🔹 What does limited research tell us about GLP-1 use during breastfeeding?
🔹 Why preconception planning and personalized care matter more than ever?

This episode offers expert insights and practical discussion for anyone navigating treatment decisions before, during, or after pregnancy.

👉 Learn more and explore evidence-based resources at MotherToBaby.org
📞 Questions? Speak with a specialist at (866) 626-6847 or text (855) 999-3525