Nurture NC

03/12/2026

A Community Gathering Advancing Birth Equity in North Carolina. HealthConnect One and the North Carolina Doula Collaborative invite doulas from across the state, community leaders, healthcare partners, and advocates to gather for a morning of connection and conversation honoring the essential role c...

03/12/2026

We are so excited to join NC Child: the Voice for North Carolina's Children, the North Carolina Institute of Medicine at this year’s State of the Child Summit. We can’t wait to meet with parents, lawmakers, and community leaders from across the state and discuss policy solutions that will ensure North Carolina’s family, infants and children have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Will we see you April 16 in Raleigh?

Check the link in the comments to learn more and sign up!

In comments:
https://ncchild.org/what-we-do/events/state-of-the-child-summit/

A huge thank you to Nurture NC for joining us as an Advocate sponsor for the State of the Child Summit, hosted in partnership with the North Carolina Institute of Medicine. We appreciate all they do for kids and families in NC, learn more about them at nurturencnow.org.

03/06/2026

This year, Sunday March 8th marks 115 years of ! Since 1911, International Women's Day has been about gender equality, celebrating women's achievements, and raising awareness about discrimination.

This year's theme for International Women's Day is , which emphasizes the power of reciprocity and support. When people, organizations, and communities give generously, opportunities and support for women increase.

Nurture NC is committed to improving the health of mothers and babies and we are proud to be giving resources and energy to support the women in our state.

03/05/2026

Research from The Commonwealth Fund shows that extending Medicaid through 12 months postpartum and strengthening how Medicaid managed care plans are held accountable can boost access to vital services like mental health care, doula support, case management, and postpartum visits. These supports are linked with better outcomes and fewer hospitalizations for moms and babies and are lifesaving policy shifts in places like North Carolina, where over half of births are covered by Medicaid.

https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2026/jan/fortifying-medicaid-managed-care-postpartum-enrollees

03/03/2026

We're helping to raise about birth defects, or health conditions that develop in a baby before birth. Join us and National Birth Defects Prevention Network March 3 for to raise one voice worldwide for birth defect awareness, because . Learn more at: www.worldbirthdefectsday.org

02/26/2026

Nurture NC believes every baby deserves a healthy start and doula care has been proven to improve outcomes for pregnant women and infants. This week we are uplifting a new policy brief developed by our partner, HealthConnect One, highlighting the direct impact rapidly-evolving state and national policies have on the health and well-being of our moms and babies and doulas.

In this report, HealthConnect One highlights that reductions to Medicaid and essential programs such as SNAP and WIC threaten the long-term health and stability of women, infants, and families. HealthConnect One emphasizes how investing in doulas has never been more critical, as they connect moms and babies to essential resources and care.

HealthConnect One and partners nationwide are uniting doulas, trainers, and advocates to ensure this vital workforce is recognized, supported, and sustained as part of the national maternal health infrastructure.

Read their policy brief, register for their webinar discussing the findings of this report with CEO Twylla Dillion scheduled for March 16th 2026, and learn more about HealthConnect One here:

At HealthConnect One, we believe every family deserves respectful, culturally reflective, and community-rooted care. This report reflects rapidly evolving state and national policies that directly impact Black, Brown, and Indigenous community-based doulas and the families they serve. Download Policy...

02/25/2026

Doulas improve the health and wellbeing of pregnant moms and if you are pregnant (or know someone who is) and have you just may have access to a doula in your community! Contact your plan to find out todayhttps://www.nurturencnow.org/documents/Revised-Medicaid-Value-Added-Benefits-1.pdf

Wellcare Medicare AmeriHealth Caritas Blue Cross NC UnitedHealthcare Carolina Complete Health Shannon Dowler NC Department of Health and Human Services

02/24/2026

The North Carolina Maternal Mortality Review Committee found that cardiovascular conditions were the second leading cause of preventable pregnancy-related deaths in North Carolina in 2018-2020 overall, and the leading cause of preventable pregnancy-related deaths Black women.

February is American Heart Month and Nurture NC is uplifting the work of our partner organizations that work to address this critical issue.

Hearts is an academic- local health department partnership working to reduce rates of high blood pressure in pregnancy in ten North Carolina counties. Hypertension is an important part of cardiovascular health and is a major contributor to pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality rates

Read more about their project and resources for families below:
https://thrivingheartsnc.org/for-families/

02/20/2026

Looking for community in your pregnancy? If you have you can access regional community baby showers where you will be showered with friendship, education and gifts for your new baby! Reach out to your plan herehttps://www.nurturencnow.org/documents/Revised-Medicaid-Value-Added-Benefits-1.pdf to find out about the next and nearest baby shower to support you in your pregnancy!



NC Department of Health and Human Services UnitedHealthcare Blue Cross NC Wellcare Medicare Carolina Complete Health AmeriHealth Caritas Shannon Dowler

02/19/2026

In honor of Black History Month, we confront the urgent maternal and infant health disparities impacting North Carolina.

North Carolina’s maternal mortality rate is 78% higher than the national goal, and 87% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. In NC, black women are almost twice as likely to die from pregnancy related causes than white women. The crisis extends to infants as well. In NC, black babies are almost two and half times more likely to die before their first birthday than white babies.

These disparities are not inevitable or acceptable. We can recognize and address the root causes of health disparities and expand access to whole person care, because every mother and every baby deserves the chance to thrive.

Sources:
N.C. Maternal and Infant Health Data Dashboard | Division of Public Health
2025 North Carolina Maternal Mortality Review Report
2023 Infant and Child Mortality Data from the North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force Report

02/17/2026

Upcoming Event!

On Tuesday, March 24 2026, HealthConnect One and the North Carolina Doula Collaborative are hosting an event in Charlotte NC celebrating the role of community-based doulas in improving birth outcomes, and to lift up the importance of doulas in improving birth outcomes and thriving families and communities. The event will feature a documentary screening and panel discussion. We hope to see you there!

One of Nurture NC' priorities is the expansion of doula care across the state and partners like HealthConnect One and the Doula Collaborative are essential to advancing this area of work.

If you would like to attend or learn more about HealthConnect One, visit their website below:

A Community Gathering Advancing Birth Equity in North Carolina. HealthConnect One and the North Carolina Doula Collaborative invite doulas from across the state, community leaders, healthcare partners, and advocates to gather for a morning of connection and conversation honoring the essential role c...

02/13/2026

Do you have an innovative maternal and perinatal model of care? We want to know about it. As a backbone organization for maternal and infant health, one of Nurture NC's priorities it to learn more about promising practices, programs, models, and initiatives that could be implemented and/or expanded in NC. This will help the field in NC know what opportunities and innovations exist. If you are involved with, or know of, any innovative perinatal models of care - especially those focused in rural access and maternal mental health - we want to hear about your model! Please contact us at info@nurturencnow.org to open the doors of collaboration!