Labors of love: Addressing New Hampshire's maternal health challenges

Labors of love: Addressing New Hampshire's maternal health challenges

For some Granite Staters, having a baby means traveling long distances for medical appointments — or struggling to get other crucial support during pregnancy and the early days of parenthood. Here, we're focusing on stories about people working to build stronger networks of care for new moms and families across New Hampshire.

Clockwise from top left: Cheyenne Bell, Nnenne Odukwu, Camilla Thompson and Kizzy Bailey.

NHPR staff and courtesy photos

Health

How a growing cohort of Black women are redefining doula care across New England

Olivia Richardson

Their clients come to them out of need and a desire to feel safe so they commit to deep listening and filling in all the little details parents need when they give birth to their babies

Heather Martin is a maternal mental health navigator at Dartmouth Health Children’s in Manchester.

Casey McDermott

NHPR

Health

After losing her sister, she now works to help other moms take care of their mental health

Michelle Liu

Maria Varanka leads a training for emergency responders on how to help someone through labor and delivery. She's an EMS training coordinator at the New Hampshire Department of Safety.

courtesy photo for NHPR

Health

Some NH first responders are training for a new kind of emergency: delivering babies

Michelle Liu

Healthcare workers at Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin recently held a drill — with a "pregnant" mannequin — to practice their response to obstetric emergencies.

Paul Cuno-Booth

NHPR

Health

Inside the effort to repair New Hampshire's eroding networks of rural maternity care

Paul Cuno-Booth

Dr. Trinidad Tellez is a family physician and a health equity practitioner in New Hampshire.

Mary Noce

Courtesy Photo For NHPR

Health

To address maternal health disparities, some are focusing on the role of community

Michelle Liu

We want to hear from you: What do you wish you knew before you had a baby here? What made a difference for your family when you, or your partner, were pregnant? Where were you surprised to find support — or, where did you feel like you needed more help? Let us know at voices@nhpr.org, and your stories could help shape more of our journalism on this topic.

Labors of love: Addressing New Hampshire's maternal health challenges

Labors of love: Addressing New Hampshire's maternal health challenges

You make NHPR possible.