Steph and Dr. Elana recap last week’s episode on Improving Birth Outcomes for Black Moms and Babies with Alexandra Samuel-Sturgess. This podcast reviews key takeaways from the episode and highlights important tips that every mom can use to be your own best health advocate during pregnancy and postpartum.    Enjoy the listen! You can find us on iTunes, Stitcher or Spotify. We’d love to hear your thoughts on Instagram or Facebook. Topics Discussed: How to get involved with advocacy if you are passionate about changing the standard of care Practical tips for how to effectively advocate for yourself when communicating with healthcare practitioners How to choose a birth team that will support and honor your desires Practices you can use to stay informed on your pregnancy and postpartum care The role that self doubt and self worth can play when trying to speak up for yourself The importance of community in an empowered pregnancy and postpartum journey Show Notes Spirited by Truth, Alex’s private practice Follow Alexandra Samuel-Sturgess on Instagram Resources for Black mothers shared by Alex: California Department of Public Health The Leap Frog Group - provides mortality rating for hospitals Blackdoulas.org #inlandempiredoula on IG The Association for Wholistic Maternal and Newborn Health (AWMNH) Black Women Birthing Justice Sister Song Black Mamas Matter Alliance California Department of Health–Black Infant Health Therapy for Black Girls Postpartum Support International–Get Help Aviva Romm’s Article on standing up for yourself Whole Mamas Weekly Pregnancy Email Series Whole Mamas Pregnancy Program Nourish Kids Medicine Kit and Ebook Dr. Elana’s Medical Center: Nourish Medical Center Follow Steph and Elana on Instagram Whole Mamas Podcast Archive The Whole Mamas podcast is led by Stephanie Greunke, a registered dietitian, and Dr. Elana Roumell, a naturopathic doctor, both trained in functional medicine and passionate about pregnancy, postpartum, and pediatrics. They invite experts on the show, answer burning questions, highlight key points, and make sure you feel empowered to take action. Find Whole Mamas and the Whole Mamas hosts on Instagram @wholemamasclub, @stephgreunke, @drelanaroumell, and at www.wholemamasclub.com. Please remember that the views on this podcast and website are not meant to be substituted for medical advice, shouldn’t be used to diagnose, treat or cure any conditions, and are intended for general information purposes only.