We are thrilled to bring you an engaging new micro-learning series!

The 'BELIEVE Birth Innovation Conversations' video and podcast series aims to inspire change in maternal health and community support. Covering a variety of maternal health topics with industry experts, each video reel is a snippet of insight taken from interviews with people who are leading advancements for birthing people and care teams. We're on a mission to innovate health training and support maternal health learners with foundational quality care practices.

Join us each week as we listen to leaders in this space share ways we can better serve Black birthing people and support their care teams. New reels dropped weekly here.

"How can we better integrate holistic approaches into maternity care?"

Stream this reel to hear LaToshia Rouse, Birthing Sisters Doula, on ways we can better support maternal mental health and wellbeing. Part I / II. Watch Part II here.

"How can academic institutions build trust in communities through authentic, trusting partnerships?"

Listen and learn from Dr. Kimarie Bugg, Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere, on ways Researchers & Providers can foster better connection and trust in Black communities

Watch Dr. George Bugg, Reaching Our Brothers Everywhere, share “How healthcare providers can actively involve Black community members in the design and evaluation of maternal health programs to ensure cultural relevance and effectiveness and foster authentic community engagement.”

You can stream these on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, or on our website. New Reels will be released weekly.

BELIEVE Team Features

The Heart Truth Partner Network

To learn more about Black maternal health and the importance of advancing healthcare practices, The Heart Truth® connected with Kimberly Harper, perinatal/neonatal outreach coordinator at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) School of Medicine’s Center for Maternal and Infant Health, and Janiya Mitnaul Williams, program director of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s (NC A&T) Human Lactation Program.

Read their 'The Heart Truth' blog.

Ask An Expert: Strengthening the Pelvic Floor

Skim through expert advice on pelvic floor changes and therapy after childbirth with Kimberly Harper in TheSkimm Parenting.

BELIEVE Leaders - Training & Partner content

Many of our team members and partners provide technical assistance and training to numerous local, national, and global maternal and public health organizations. Below, click to see BELIEVE Birth Co-PI, Kimberly Harper, in recent maternal health and safe sleep campaigns.

ERASE Maternal Mortality: Training for Communities: Recognizing the Maternal Health Warning Signs

SafeSleepNC: FAQs on reducing SIDS and keeping baby safe while they sleep

4th Trimester Project:

Where to find us!

You can always find our latest updates and news by 1, following us on Instagram; 2, Subscribing to our e-newsletters; and 3, Checking our "latest page" on BELIEVEIPE.org.

Connecting with us

BELIEVE is a part of the Health Equity Research Network (HERN), funded by the American Heart Association through the P3 EQUATE Network at the University of Alabama.

The ‘DREAM: Dismantling Structural Racism to Promote Equitable Maternal Health Outcomes‘ project is a partner in this work.

The American Heart Association is giving $20 million to start HERN. This network will help us learn more about why some women-especially Black women and Native American women, are more likely to have problems during childbirth and after. About half of these problems are related to the heart and blood vessels, so the American Heart Association is in a good position to help solve this important issue.

The goal of all this work is to make the healthcare system better so that every birthing person and healthcare worker is treated with respect and care.

Read our funding statement and learn about our network.

Contact Kimberly_Harper@med.unc.edu.