S3E6: Menstrual health & managing your period: Advice from the foster youth community
Our all-former-foster-youth squad tells all about menstrual health and periods: what they are, why they happen, and what it feels like to get one. We also
Self-Taught
Episode 4: What foster youth need to know about prenatal care
Featuring Phillisha, Cody, and Sarah Ferguson
What should foster youth expect from pregnancy and prenatal care? Kat, Cody, Phillisha and Sarah talk about getting the care you need leading up to birth, which is known as prenatal care. They dive into getting the support you need from the medical system, building your own support system, and exploring the parts of pregnancy or starting a family that people who have been in foster care might experience differently. Plus, they share helpful pre and post-natal resources that helped them and could help you, too.
Content Advisory: The stories we are sharing sometimes touch on different kinds of trauma, please take care of yourself while you listen.
Episode 4 Extra: Caring for yourself with a newborn
Featuring Phillisha, Cody, and Sarah Ferguson
Kat, Phillisha, Cody, and Sarah share stories and tips about the ups and downs they faced when accessing prenatal care (medical care for someone who is pregnant or planning to become pregnant). The team talks about little-discussed topics— like caring for yourself after the baby is born and struggling with postpartum depression as a young parent. We created this bonus episode just for you and all the expectant and parenting youth in need of relatable, informative insight.
Content Advisory: The stories we are sharing sometimes touch on different kinds of trauma, please take care of yourself while you listen.
Tamar (she/her) is a RHEP Youth Advisory Board Member
Phillisha (she/her) is a RHEP Youth Advisory Board member
Cody (she/her) is a RHEP Youth Advisory Board member
Sarah Ferguson (she/they) is from Birthing The Block.
Self-Taught is produced in California. If laws, policies and programs are discussed in an episode, these may be specific to California. Listeners from other locations should check out their own state’s or country’s laws and programs – and if you need help finding your state’s laws, reach out to us at fosterreprohealth@youthlaw.org.
Episode Resources
Planned Parenthood
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Planned Parenthood: a trusted healthcare provider whose mission is to ensure all people have access to the care and resources they need to make informed decisions about their bodies, their lives, and their futures
Black Infant Health
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Black Infant Health: an organization that empowers pregnant and mothering Black women using an evidence-informed group-based approach, where participants get to meet, interact and build a sisterhood with other Black women.
Birthworkers of Color Collective
- Birthworkers of Color Collective: an organization that connects pregnant/birthing and postpartum individuals, their families, and larger communities with educational, emotional, and physical support through all pregnancy & postpartum outcomes
Frontline Doulas
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Frontline Doulas: a health program providing Black families with Black doulas at no cost
RHEP’s analysis of the California Department of Social Services’ report
- RHEP’s analysis of the California Department of Social Services’ report that shows disparities in healthcare, including prenatal care.
More episodes below
S3E5: An honest conversation on healing from sexual trauma
In this episode: Our all-former-foster-youth crew takes an honest, compassionate look at healing from sexual trauma. We talk about what it means to reclaim your story—
S3E4: Finding joy in your sexuality & expression: Advice from the foster youth community
Our all-former-foster-youth squad chats about self-discovery, challenging gender norms, and self-care. Our speakers also discuss how to create a supportive community, and how to love yourself,
S3E3: Abortion care: your needs before (and after) matter
In this episode, we discuss the stigma that comes with choosing abortion care, especially for the foster youth community. Our all-former-foster-youth crew clears up important medical
S3E2: How foster youth can navigate bias and stigma in sexual & repro healthcare
In this episode, we share how we have sometimes had to stick up for ourselves to get the sexual and reproductive health care we need (and
S3E1: Prioritizing your mental health in a relationship
We’re kicking off Season 3 with a convo our all-former-foster-youth podcasters are so eager to explore— How can we prioritize our mental health while navigating romantic
S2E6: It’s Complicated: Mental Health and Foster Care
In this episode, Kat, Elyzabeth, Alexis, and Esme talk about the unique challenges (former) foster youth face when accessing the mental healthcare services they need.
S2E5: Abortion Care According to Former Foster Youth
In this unflinchingly honest episode, Tamar, Phillisha, and Cody discuss abortion care in this open.
S2E4: What foster youth need to know about prenatal care
In this episode, Kat, Cody, Phillisha and Sarah talk about getting the care you need leading up to birth, which is known as prenatal care.
S2E3: Former Foster Youth On Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
In this episode, we discuss methods for safe sex, relatable accounts of what it’s like to navigate the healthcare system with an STI, shaking off stigma,
S2E2: How Can Foster Youth Use Birth Control on Their Terms?
In this episode, Kat and Brandy talk about their personal experiences with birth control and provide an overview of the variety of birth control methods available.
S2E1: What Are Foster Youth’s Rights To Healthcare?
In this Episode, Tamar and Alexis sit down with Rebecca Gudeman to highlight many of these rights for youth in California and to talk about what
S1E6: Reparenting
In this Episode, Phillisha and Tamar talk about how they each actively sought to reparent themselves – filling in gaps from their own development – in
S1E5: “Mixed Diaspora” and finding a sense of belonging
In this episode, Kat and Alexis talk about how they have found a sense of belonging throughout various parts of their lives.
S1E4: Consent
In this episode, Tamar and Kat dig into consent as an important component of any healthy relationship – not just the sexual ones.
S1E3: Finding Myself
In this episode, Daniel discusses what motivates him to be an advocate for the gay community now, and bringing “me and all of my selves.”
S1E2: Intersections of Identity in Foster Care
In this episode, we discuss intersectional identity, including being non-binary and neuro-divergent.
S1E1: Nobody Taught Me About Sexual And Reproductive Health
In this episode, we discuss “the talk,” puberty, birth control, and finding the right doctor while growing up in foster care.
Self-Taught is supported through a grant to the National Center for Youth Law from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. We are very grateful for their support. Contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Hilton Foundation.
