The MotherToBaby Podcast

Hantavirus has recently been making headlines, leaving many pregnant women wondering what it is, how people become infected, and whether it can affect pregnancy and/or breastfeeding. In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host Chris Stallman, genetic counselor, teratogen information specialist, and mom of four, sits down with maternal-fetal medicine specialist Dr. Sarah Dotters-Katz to discu...

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 men...

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...

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...

How do public health experts detect emerging risks to pregnancies before they become widespread crises? In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host Chris Stallman, genetic counselor, mom of four, and teratogen information specialist, sits down with Dr. Amanda Elmore, Assistant Professor of Maternal & Child Health at the University of South Florida, to explore the powerful role of birth defec...

The weeks after delivery (often called the fourth trimester) can raise just as many questions as pregnancy itself. From pain management and supplements to beauty treatments and mental health medications, many parents are unsure how different exposures may affect breastfeeding. In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host Chris Stallman, MS, CGC, is joined by Kirstie Perrotta, MPH, and Angela...

Expecting a baby often comes with a long list of questions—and a lot of conflicting information. Can you really drink coffee? What about sushi or soft cheese? Which cold medications are ok in pregnancy? And how should you handle everyday exposures like cleaning products?  In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host Chris Stallman, Certified Genetic Counselor and mom of four, is joined by ret...

Group A strep might sound like a simple sore throat—but for many children and families in American Samoa, it can have life-threatening consequences. In this episode of the MotherToBaby Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Anaise Uso, a public health leader and mother, who shares both her professional and deeply personal experiences with strep infections, rheumatic fever, and rheumatic heart disease (RHD)...

With so much information online, it can feel overwhelming to know what's trustworthy—especially when you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning a family. In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host Chris Stallman, CGC, sits down with Bridget Maloney, MS, CGC of the University of Arizona and MotherToBaby Arizona to unpack how to separate credible health information from clickbait headlines....

What happens when epilepsy meets pregnancy planning? In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host Chris Stallman, MS, CGC—a genetic counselor, mom of four, and teratogen information specialist—talks with Dr. Kristi McIntosh from the University of British Columbia. Dr. McIntosh shares her powerful personal and professional journey—from being diagnosed with epilepsy at age ten to navigating fer...

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 AD...

Concerned about medication use during pregnancy? You're not alone.  In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host Chris Stallman, MS, CGC (genetic counselor, mom of four, teratogen information specialist) sits down with Dr. Judy C. Morrow of Harvard Medical School to break down how FDA REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy) programs help reduce the risk of birth defects and protect pre...

In this special Folic Acid Awareness Week episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast , host and genetic counselor Chris Stallman sits down with Dr. Elisabeth Marnik, PhD—a biomedical scientist, mom, and science communicator better known as @ScienceWhizLiz on Instagram. Together, they unpack the science behind folic acid, its critical role in early pregnancy, and why it's one of the most important (yet mi...

Show Notes: In this episode of the MotherToBaby Podcast , host and genetic counselor Chris Stallman welcomes Dr. Emily Caffrey, a certified health physicist at the Health Physics Society and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Together, they dive into one of the most frequently asked topics: how radiation exposure may impact breastfeeding. Dr. Caffrey explains the difference between ionizing...

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 S...

In this episode, Jenn Wisdahl, Chief Operating Officer at the non-profit FASD United, and Laura Bousquet, a mother to a young adult son diagnosed with FASD in his teens, join host Chris Stallman, CGC to discuss challenges many families with lived FASD experience face. Wisdahl leads FASD United's legislative and policy agenda and trains members of the FASD community to serve as advocates. She was a...

In the second episode of the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) special series, we explore the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's work addressing FASD and how scientific findings are helping shape prevention efforts. BONUS: Earn continuing education credits for listening. Scroll down to learn more. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: About CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and...

In this episode, Dr. Kenneth Lyons Jones, one of the pioneers who first identified Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in the United States in 1973, and Dr. Christina Chambers, a renowned epidemiologist who has conducted groundbreaking research on the prevalence of FASD, join host Chris Stallman, CGC, to discuss the discovery of FASD, its common physical and cognitive traits, and its prevalenc...

Dr. Kiarra King, MD, FACOG, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and social media influencer with thousands of followers, joins host Chris Stallman, CGC to talk about the importance of diversity in pregnancy studies as well as self-advocacy during pregnancy. Dr. King was recently named one of the  top 15 Chicago-based "influencers to follow" for her thoughtful content on women's health, wel...

Dana Howe, a communications director for a non-profit called Vaccinate Your Family and soon-to-be mom, joins host Chris Stallman to discuss some common questions and fears surrounding vaccination during pregnancy. She helps debunk common myths to set the record straight. Howe holds a degree in biology and community health and a master's degree in health communication. Resources mentioned in this e...

Michelle Fiscus, MD, FAAP from the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) joins host Chris Stallman, CGC to discuss respiratory virus season and what pregnant people can do to help protect their babies against RSV, COVID-19, Seasonal Influenza (flu) and whooping cough (pertussis).   Resources mentioned in this episode: Association of Immunization Managers: Immunizationmanagers.org BOOSTRIX Tda...

Dr, Jessica Brumley, the current president of the American College of  Nurse - Midwives (ACNM) and an Associate Professor at the University of South Florida in the Department of OBGYN joins host Chris Stallman, CGC. Dr. Brumley addresses the most common questions she gets about midwives, who they serve (hint: it's not just pregnant people) and where you can learn more about midwives in your area....

Dr. Emily Caffrey, a certified health physicist with the Health Physics Society, joins host Christ Stallman, CGC to talk about different types of radiation and their potential effects on a pregnancy. Links Mentioned in This Episode: Health Physics Society's Ask The Experts https://HPS.org   Ep. 76 Transcript   You're listening to the MotherToBaby podcast, medications and more during pregnancy and...

Host Chris Stallman, CGC, welcomes back Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist and social media health educator, Dr. Shannon Clark of @babiesafter35. Dr. Clark joins the podcast for a special Folic Acid Awareness Week episode and debunks potentially dangerous folic acid myths being spread on social media. Hear the evidence-based facts in this important episode! 

Taylor Dubuisson, the Coordinator of Training and Best Practices for the Disaster Distress Helpline, joins host Chris Stallman, CGC to talk about dealing with a natural disaster during pregnancy and breastfeeding. She describes what a parent should prepare in an emergency kit and the free resources available should disaster strike. Taylor is also a mother of two toddlers and has spent the last 15...