Melinated MommyTalks the Podcast

Teen pregnancy can flip a teen’s whole world in a day but the harshest part is often what happens next: the silence, the judgment, and the feeling that your life is already over. We sit with that truth and then push back on it, using real stories and real language about what teens actually need when pregnancy enters the picture: empathy, a plan, and a support system that doesn’t punish them for being human.

We talk through...

“Who’s going to help you take care of this baby?” That question can sound small, but it can hit like a brick when you’re 19, pregnant, and trying to prove you belong in a space that already doubts you. We sit down with Chéy Davis, owner of Butta Holistic Doula Services, to talk about what teen pregnancy really feels like when you’re a melanated mom balancing college, family expectations, and the stigma that follows young parents in...

HIV still gets treated like a “somebody else” topic, and that stigma has real consequences for Black women, Black mothers, and birthing people. We’re naming the quiet parts out loud: what HIV actually is, how it differs from AIDS, and how fear-based myths can creep into healthcare, relationships, and even the way we parent. If you’ve ever felt awkward asking for an HIV test, unsure what’s included in a routine STI panel, or worried...

Raw, honest, and necessary: we sit down for part 3 of our conversation with HIV advocate and mom of a blended family, Lynette Trawick, to talk about what it really takes to plan pregnancy, protect your health, and raise self-aware kids while pushing back on stigma. From preeclampsia and medication changes to breastfeeding limits and delivery planning, we walk through the practical steps that help Black mothers feel prepared, respec...

The most honest conversations often start at home—sometimes with a medication alarm and a kid sprinting to grab the water. We sit down for part 2 of our conversation with HIV advocate and mom of many, Lynette Trawick, to explore how transparency in a serodiscordant marriage becomes a blueprint for raising informed, confident teens. From clear language about bodies and consent to annual HIV testing before sexual debut, we share prac...

What happens when a routine test rewrites the story you thought you were living? Jaye sits down with Lynette Trawick—mom of eleven, veteran, and founder of I Am You—to chart the path from diagnosis to purposeful advocacy, and from “be strong” to “be supported.” Lynette opens up about the moment she heard “HIV positive,” the myths that flooded her thoughts, and the very real pressure of daycare pickup when your world just tilted. He...

What if the barrier isn’t a parent’s disability, but our assumptions about what they can do? We dig into birth, motherhood, and access through a Black maternal health lens, challenging the quiet ways systems define disabled parents before they even speak. From the seductive framing of “choose your baby’s birthday” to the higher C‑section and hemorrhage risks Black birthing people face, we unpack how persuasion can replace consent—a...

What happens when capability is judged before it’s understood? Jaye sits down for part 2 of her conversation with with Jennifer Evans Rice—a mom of three, registered nurse, and advocate who is losing her vision—to talk about parenting beyond sight, building real safety systems, and refusing pity that masks control. The conversation starts with a hard question about trust and childcare and opens into a masterclass on practical strat...

What does it look like to parent boldly when sight fades but purpose sharpens? We sit down with Jennifer, a blind mom of three and former RN, to trace the real steps—messy, methodical, and joyful—that turn fear into a family rhythm. From leaving a decade-long nursing career to mastering vision rehab, she shares how cooking by touch, organizing a kid-safe home, and using assistive technology can rebuild independence without diluting...

What if the most powerful tool for safer births starts long before a positive test? We take a clear-eyed look at preventable maternal morbidity and map the path from awareness to action—spanning preconception choices, pregnancy care, and the often overlooked postpartum window. Through honest storytelling and practical guidance, we connect family language, partner health, and historical shifts in birth practices to the outcomes pare...

What if the most honest love story is the one where joy and trauma sit side by side? In part 2 of our conversation with Jasmine Winters—mom, IVF survivor, and founder of Peaceful Minds Haven—we unpack the raw, complicated space between a beautiful baby and a birth that almost broke her. The conversation gets real about postpartum depression, relationship strain, and the way systemic bias can turn a routine appointment into a life-t...

A mom says “I don’t feel well,” and the room keeps moving. Hours later, she’s in emergency surgery after losing more than two and a half liters of blood. That gap—between what Black women say and what systems hear—is where severe maternal morbidity takes root, and it’s where our conversation with Jasmine Winters refuses to look away.

We open with clarity on morbidity versus mortality and why the distinction matters for Bla...

Motherhood should feel like a place to thrive, not a test of endurance. We kick off Season One with our theme that names what so many Black moms live every day—momming in the margins—tracing its roots with Black Ladies in Public Health, and connecting personal stories to data, policy, and power. We call for maternal vitality, not just survival, and close with a pledge that turns awareness into action.

• defining momming in...