From the black birthing crisis, to alternative care and postpartum depression, NATAL takes it there.

Through spoken accounts from parents, birthworkers, medical professionals and more, the eight-episode podcast docuseries addresses what it’s like to have a baby while Black in America.

The stories are enriching and necessary.

The podcast that launched in April during Black Maternal Health Week is doing more to advocate for improved Black birthing experiences by hosting The NATAL Summit on Saturday.

The one-day virtual event will recap the season and serve as another emphasis of the podcast’s mission. The summit, sponsored by Black Mamas Matter Alliance, is set to feature four “fireside conversations” with the NATAL production team, some of the featured parents, medical providers and birth workers and birth equity advocates.

Registration is free, and the summit will take place from noon to 3 p.m. ET on Saturday.

The final episode of NATAL premieres on Aug. 19.

The podcast has generated more than 150,000 downloads in the United States, Canada and the UK. NATAL also has a robust Facebook community.

The natal stories featured in the docuseries touch on mental health resources, the racist history of the Black birthing crisis in this country, pregnancy loss, choosing a midwife over traditional care and more.

 

 

 

 

 

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New episode! ✨ This week we’re at home with Alexius Hill, a Memphis-based young mother who chose to give birth at home despite her family and friends’ concerns about doing so. We discuss the stigma around home births, and explore the radical work of full-spectrum doulas like Charlie Monlouis-Anderle (@nourishing.seeds.doula), and the ways they strive to provide quality perinatal support for all birthing parents. Listen to Episode Seven wherever you get your podcasts. ✨ Register today for The NATAL Summit (August 15) at natalstories.com. // 📸 Photo Credit: @anja_akhile 🧡

A post shared by NATAL (@natalstories) on Aug 5, 2020 at 2:08pm PDT

The NATAL team is among several creators hosting upcoming virtual sessions for mothers.

Sugaberry, a motherhood website started by Tika Sumpter and Thai Randolph, will hold the free Milk and Suga virtual event on Aug. 28. Black Moms Blog, another popular website for Black mothers, will have an online Nursathon on Aug. 23. Tickets for it cost $30 for the all-day educational forum.

Those two events align with August as Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Black Breastfeeding Week will be celebrated at the end of the month.

If you haven’t listened to the NATAL podcast, tune in HERE.