In the fight to eliminate racial disparities in maternal and infant health, true change demands both grassroots community holding and institutional accountability.

In this powerful episode of the Sisters in Loss Podcast, host Erica M. Freeman sits down with Stacey D. Stewart, former President and CEO of the March of Dimes—the premier national non-profit leading the fight for the health of all moms and babies. During her historic tenure as the first woman and first African American to lead March of Dimes in its 80+ year history, Stacey spearheaded vital initiatives to shine a national spotlight on the Black maternal mortality crisis, systemic healthcare racism, and the staggering disparities in premature birth.

In this candid and insightful conversation, Stacey breaks down why Black women in America are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes and why maternal-infant health outcomes are tied to systemic inequality rather than personal failure. We discuss how institutional healthcare must shift from blaming mothers to overhauling policy, expanding equitable postpartum care, and investing in culturally responsive community programs.

Whether you are a mother navigating the aftermath of premature delivery or infant loss, a birth worker fighting on the frontlines, or an advocate pushing for systemic reform, this episode offers an invaluable masterclass in advocacy, resilience, and systemic change.

• The Historic Leadership at March of Dimes: Stacey's journey leading the organization and transforming its institutional priorities to address the racial disparity gap head-on.

• The Reality of Preterm Birth & Black Maternal Mortality: What the national data actually reveals about premature birth rates among Black mothers and the systemic roots of reproductive injustice.

• Beyond Wealth and Education: Why maternal complications affect Black women across all socio-economic backgrounds—and why systemic racism, not genetics or income, is the root cause.

• Policy Reform & Legislative Action: The critical role of extending postpartum Medicaid coverage to a full year and passing key maternal health policies (such as the Maternal MOMNIBUS Act).

• Community-Led Solutions: How hospital systems, doulas, grassroots leaders, and national non-profits can build authentic bridges to protect Black mothers and birthing families.

• Words of Encouragement for Bereaved & NICU Families: A heartfelt message from Stacey to mothers carrying the weight of loss or premature birth.

• Pre-Order Erica's Book, Never Healing Alone: EricaMFreeman.com

• Join the Sisters in Loss Community: SistersinLoss.com

• Follow on Instagram: @SistersInLoss and @EricaMichelleFree

• Become a Certified Bereavement Doula: Learn more about our training programs at SistersinLoss.com/doula

• Join Our Free Support Groups: Weekly, culturally responsive healing circles available through Postpartum Support International and Sisters in Loss.

Enjoying the show?
Please take 30 seconds to rate, review, and follow Sisters in Loss on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your reviews help ensure grieving and healing mothers around the world find this community!

What does it mean to pursue motherhood while navigating repeated loss—and make space for the parts of yourself beyond fertility?

In this episode of Sisters in Loss, Deze, the lifestyle blogger behind byDeze.com, shares her experience of eight pregnancy losses with no live births at the time of our conversation. After getting married, she experienced a miscarriage, followed by an ectopic pregnancy and six additional losses. Her journey also included an endometriosis diagnosis and the removal of her right fallopian tube.

Deze opens up about the mental and emotional toll of fertility challenges, the support she found in Facebook communities, and how blogging about life beyond fertility gave her space to connect with other parts of herself.

Whether you have experienced recurrent pregnancy loss, an ectopic pregnancy, or an endometriosis diagnosis—or want to better support someone who has—this conversation offers connection and a reminder that you don't have to navigate it alone.

Key Takeaways:

• Pregnancy loss carries an emotional toll. Deze's experience of eight losses highlights the grief that can accompany the journey toward motherhood.
• Fertility challenges can involve complex medical experiences. She shares her experience with endometriosis, ectopic pregnancy, and the removal of her right fallopian tube.
• Community can help ease isolation. Deze found support in Facebook groups where she could connect with others navigating similar experiences.
• Your identity extends beyond fertility. Blogging and creating content unrelated to fertility gave her space to enjoy other parts of her life.
• You don't have to navigate loss alone. Her story underscores the value of finding people and spaces where your experience is understood.

🔗 Important Links:

• Pre-Order Never Healing Alone: How to Navigate Grief and Find Community After Pregnancy and Infant Loss Coming April 6, 2027

  [Preorder Now at Your Favorite Bookseller] (Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Target, and Hudson Bookseller)
  For media inquiries: Riverchild Media | For bulk orders: BenBella Books

• Learn more about Sisters in Loss and our Doula Training: sistersinloss.com/course

• Take the Healing Archetypes Quiz: HealingArchetypeQuiz.com

• Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok: @sistersinloss

• Join the private Sisters in Loss Facebook community: Join Us