042: Trending: Ballerina Farm takeaways, a listeria outbreak & 3 updates on social media + kids
Plus: The real lessons from Kyte Baby, the business of egg freezing, and what you need to know about Tylenol in pregnancy + speech delays
Welcome to Two Truths, a bestselling newsletter & media brand exploring the many truths of motherhood from journalists & maternal health advocates Cassie Shortsleeve of Dear Sunday Motherhood & Kelsey Haywood Lucas of Motherspeak. Two Truths is rooted in the healing & affirming principle that two (or more) things can be true. It’s a “best parenting Substack” per Motherly; also seen in The Skimm, Vox, The Bump, Popsugar & more.
This is Two Truths: Trending, a regular feature where we read the internet so you don’t have to. Two Truths: Trending delivers a digest of motherhood-related highlights & headlines — all curated & contextualized with maternal mental health in mind.
In this issue:
‘Ballerina Farm’ competed in a beauty pageant less than 2 weeks postpartum, and the internet blew up. Our 3 takeaways have nothing to do with Ballerina Farm.
Dozens of foods voluntarily recalled after listeria outbreak in 11 states
Tylenol, long-considered a safe OTC med in pregnancy, was just linked to speech delays in two-year-olds — here’s what you need to know
Exciting news for this newsletter and you: Meet the new source of support for Two Truths: Trending
The Kyte baby fiasco exemplifies exactly why we need paid federal leave in the U.S.
Two big studies link depression in pregnancy or postpartum to increased suicide risk; this is our reminder that maternal suicide is preventable
Moms of pre-teens: New blockbuster study on human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine study finds zero cases of cervical cancer in girls vaccinated before 14
Social media & your kids: 3 updates to know about
At the end of January, in his State of the City address, New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a healthy advisory about the impact of social media on kids, designating it an "environmental health toxin."
There’s yet another reason to restrict kids’ social media usage — and this time, it involves sketchy influencers pushing dangerous products.
During last week’s Senate online child safety hearing, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized to parents in the audience who say “Instagram contributed to their children's suicides or exploitation.” Here’s what he said.
One writer explores the question, ‘Why Don’t We Teach People How To Parent?’ (plus, a gut-wrenching, propelling page-turner to add to your reading list)
Allie Phillips on running for a seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives after being impacted by the state's abortion restrictions
Baby massage can help relieve symptoms of postnatal depression, a new study finds
A heart-wrenching reminder for anyone in the midst of divorce
A powerful documentary highlighting the journey to motherhood — capturing prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum experiences in the Black community
‘A New Republican Mom Wants to Change House Rules for Postpartum Voting’
An Emmy-award-winning actress thanks her daughter in an acceptance speech; here are her beautiful words
The big business of egg freezing collides with the “affordability gap,” “fertility financing,” employee benefits, and “the kind of systemic shape-shifting that’s needed for real change”
In South Korea, “new moms are pampered for a few weeks after giving birth and treated to hotel-like accommodations”
‘I’m A Sex Researcher & I Hereby Grant New Parents Permission To Skip Sex For Now’
‘Ballerina Farm’ competed in a beauty pageant <2 weeks postpartum, and the internet blew up. Our 3 takeaways have nothing to do with Ballerina Farm.
If you hadn’t heard of Hannah Neeleman, the mom of eight behind the @ballerinafarm Instagram account and lifestyle brand (which has amassed close to 9 million followers), we’re guessing you have now. The influencer and former Julliard ballerina, who is married to Daniel Neeleman (son of JetBlue founder David Neeleman), just gave birth to her eighth child and has recently been making waves everywhere you look — from social media to The New York Times — for competing in a beauty pageant less than 2 weeks postpartum.
Neeleman has been the subject of conversations about what postpartum “looks like” (ex.
of ) the subject of newsletters on the culture of influencers and thinness and motherhood (ex. of ), and the subject of divided comments sections — with people stating that Neeleman’s content is everything from damaging and dangerous, to that it’s…well…hers. No matter your views on Neeleman or her account, here’s what we — from a lens of maternal health — want you to know most:(1) The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests avoiding air travel until a baby is at least a week old, and ideally two or three months old, and there’s a reason we hear about the “newborn bubble.” In general, there are risks to traveling with a new baby (by air or not): Babies are very vulnerable to infections, and the more people your baby is around, the more germs they may be exposed to and the higher the risk for infection. If a baby gets an infection, that infection is also more likely to spread to places like their blood or their brain, leading to a medical emergency; if a baby under 2 to 3 months gets a fever, it’s always a medical emergency and can require medical workups, including a spinal tap. Does this mean you can’t go anywhere with your newborn? No. And it’s important information you can use to inform your decisions around travel.
(2) Only you know what feels best for you and your family, and your postpartum journey is yours. Everyone’s journey looks different. Some moms feel great a week or two postpartum and are largely back in the swing of things. Others take months (or years) to find themselves again in motherhood. Some may fall somewhere in the middle. All scenarios are okay. All scenarios are normal, and there is always support1 for your journey — no matter where you are.
(3) The type of motherhood content you consume matters — particularly during pregnancy and postpartum. These are times of massive brain and bodily changes that can make you more susceptible to media messaging. Much of the messaging around this time is overly simplistic, too — presenting motherhood as an either/or: exclusively positive or deeply negative. In reality, motherhood is often both/and: beautiful moments mixed with ugly ones. If you feel like the media you’re consuming is making you feel worse about yourself/your pregnancy/your motherhood journey, that’s a sign to reassess and consider what type of content could support you on your journey. There is power and peace to be found in hitting “unfollow” and “unsubscribe” from content that doesn’t lift you up.
Dozens of foods voluntarily recalled after listeria outbreak in 11 states
After a decade-long investigation of a listeria outbreak amongst dairy products involving 26 sick people (including one who experienced a pregnancy loss), Rizo-López Foods has voluntarily recalled dozens of products due to the risk of contamination. The products include cheese, yogurt, and sour cream. Listeria is a type of bacteria that can cause a foodborne illness called listeriosis — a serious type of food poisoning. Pregnant women are 10 times more likely to get listeriosis, too, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). The infection can lead to serious, sometimes deadly infections in those with compromised immune systems, including pregnant people and children. (ACOG recommends avoiding foods like soft cheeses to lower your risk of listeriosis in pregnancy.) The full list of recalled products (and photos of their containers) is here.
Tylenol, long-considered a safe OTC med in pregnancy, was just linked to speech delays in two-year-olds
That’s per a new study in Pediatric Research, which found that each use of the pain medication in pregnancy’s third trimester was linked with an almost two-word reduction in vocabulary in two-year-olds. More research is needed, and until then, “people should not be afraid to take acetaminophen for fever or serious pain and discomfort during pregnancy. Conditions like a very high fever can be dangerous, and using a drug like acetaminophen will likely help,” Megan Woodbury, a researcher on the study, said.
[partner content]
Meet the new source of support for Two Truths: Trending
In 2019, when we were beginning our work in perinatal health, so, too, was another group of mothers: Alex Taylor, Victoria Thain Gioia, and OB/GYN Banafsheh Bayati, M.D. were developing Perelel Health — a company tailoring supplements to various stages of the reproductive journey, from trying-to-conceive through motherhood and beyond.
Since then, our paths have run parallel as we grew businesses and families; crossing, at times, both personally and professionally (we’ve used Perelel products and supported each other's journeys from afar). Recently, things became official: Thanks to Perelel’s support, the next three months of Two Truths: Trending will remain free for all readers — so you can look forward to regular digests of the news that matters most to moms arriving in your inbox at no cost to you. Perelel is thoughtful, intentional, mother-led, and in the midst of doing important work in the maternal health space. We’re excited to share more with you.
The Kyte baby fiasco exemplifies exactly why we need paid federal leave in the U.S.
By now, you’ve likely seen the story about Marissa Hughes, the mom who requested to work remotely from the NICU to be with her new baby and was fired from her job at Kyte Baby. There are all kinds of things wrong with this situation and all kinds of takes and reactions to it, but we’ll point you to the words of our friend and Chamber of Mothers2 (COM) co-founder Raena Boston here: “This would have never happened if the U.S. had paid federal family leave. We need to tell both Congress and companies that they can go fly a kite if they are unwilling to support paid leave policies.” Also, should you ever find yourself in a similar situation of requesting leave or accommodations to care, make sure you check out COM co-founder and attorney Daphne Delvaux’s important tips and script to follow.
Two big studies point to an important reminder: Maternal death by suicide is preventable
Harrowing and true: Death by suicide is a leading cause of maternal mortality in this country, accounting for some 20% of postpartum deaths, and two new studies in highly-respected journals — one in JAMA Network Open, the other in the BMJ — find that moms who experience depression in pregnancy or postpartum have an increased risk of both suicide and attempted suicide. While this news can feel terrifying, it’s crucial to remember that maternal death by suicide is preventable (read more about this public health crisis and ways to support moms in need in Cassie’s Instyle piece here). Support is also always available. If you or someone you love is having thoughts of harming themselves or someone else, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. The Maternal Mental Health hotline is also open 24/7 at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262). Find more resources here3.
Moms of pre-teens: New blockbuster study on human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine study finds zero cases of cervical cancer in girls vaccinated before 14
Remember back in 2006 when HPV shots were first introduced in this country? Since then, the percentage of cervical precancers caused by HPV has dropped by 40 percent in this country. Now, per a new study of 450,000 women in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, not a single case of cervical cancer was found in women in Scotland who received the HPV vaccine before they turned 14. Remember: HPV infections are common, and most infections clear on their own. However, certain strains of HPV can cause some cancers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends kids ages 11 to 12 get two doses of HPV vaccine, 6 months to a year apart. The CDC also notes that HPV vaccines can be given starting at age 9, and anyone under 26 should get vaccinated if they haven’t already.
Social media & your kids: 3 updates to know about
At the end of January, in his State of the City address, New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a healthy advisory about the impact of social media on kids, designating it an "environmental health toxin."
There’s yet another reason to restrict kids’ social media usage — and this time, it involves sketchy influencers pushing dangerous products.
During last week’s Senate online child safety hearing, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized to parents in the audience who say “Instagram contributed to their children's suicides or exploitation.” His words: “I’m sorry for everything you’ve all gone through. It’s terrible.”
Reads, Listens, Loves:
Read: Writer Faith Hill asks ‘Why Don’t We Teach People How To Parent?’ for The Atlantic [gift link4]. Related: The School For Good Mothers (Jessamine Chan’s acclaimed 2022 novel) is a gut-wrenching, propelling page-turner.
Listen: “Here & Now's Deepa Fernandes speaks with Allie Phillips, who is running for a seat in the Tennessee House of Representatives after she was impacted by the state's abortion restrictions.”
Love: Baby massage can help relieve symptoms of postnatal depression, a new study finds.
Read: This heart-wrenching reminder, c/o Scarlett Longstreet, for anyone in the midst of divorce.
Love: At the start of Black History Month, we loved seeing this news hit our inbox: Perinatal therapist Keisha Reaves, LPC, PMH-C, announced the production of Push Thru: The Motherhood Journey of Black Women, “a powerful documentary highlighting the journey to motherhood, capturing prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum experiences in the Black community.” Donate to fundraise for the film’s creation here.
Read: ‘A New Republican Mom Wants to Change House Rules for Postpartum Voting’ in The New York Times.
Love: At the Emmy Awards, Succession’s Sarah Snook thanked her daughter, who was growing inside her during much of the season’s filming, in her speech for outstanding lead actress in a drama series. “I carried her with me in this last season, and really it was her who carried me.”
Read: Egg freezing is a big business, reports a new Marie Claire feature by Tanya Benedicto Klich, who explores the “affordability gap,” “fertility financing,” employee benefits, and “the kind of systemic shape-shifting that’s needed for real change.”
Read: In South Korea, “new moms are pampered for a few weeks after giving birth and treated to hotel-like accommodations,” begins a New York Times story on postpartum care centers, a.k.a. “joriwons.” (See: Boram, a similar-type postpartum retreat in New York City.)
Read: Romper’s ‘I'm A Sex Researcher & I Hereby Grant New Parents Permission To Skip Sex For Now’
And we’ll leave you with this…
“How are you doing?” Our friend and colleague
(a psychiatrist specializing in women’s mental health and co-author of the newsletter) offers some pointers for asking and answering the loaded question made famous by Elmo last week.
✨ Thanks for reading! To support this work (done between naps, after bedtimes, and before school pickups), please consider upgrading to a paid subscription (it’s just $5/month or $50/year to get the premium experience — every single issue, exclusive content and giveaways, access to the full archive of content, and more). You can also hit the heart button to tell us you enjoyed this issue, share it on social media (don’t forget to tag @twotruthsmotherhood on IG), or forward it to a friend. We appreciate you. —Cassie and Kelsey
Resources and Support For Maternal Mental Health
Emergency assistance is available 24/7 at 911
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 988
The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA or 1-833-852-6262) provides access to a trained counselor 24/7 and is available in Spanish and English
Postpartum Support International provides educational resources on PMADs, free support groups, webinars, advanced trainings for providers, and more
Postpartum Support International’s provider directory includes a list of thousands of trained professionals organized by state
The Motherhood Center offers counseling, support groups, and webinars
The Postpartum Stress Center offers educational resources, counseling, a referral list of trained providers, and advanced training for providers
SUPPORT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH WITH POSTPARTUM SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL (PSI). PSI is a global champion for perinatal mental health that connects individuals and families to the resources and support needed to give them the strongest and healthiest start possible. Visit postpartum.net for information on perinatal mental health disorders, access to 30+ free, online support groups, an online provider directory, the PSI HelpLine, local support coordinators, a perinatal mental health discussion tool, specialized support resources, and more. Call the PSI HelpLine toll-free at 1-800-944-4773 for basic information, support, and resources. Support via text message is also available at 800-944-4773 (English) and 971-203-2773 (Español). Remember: You are not alone. You are not to blame. With help, you will be well.
The two co-founders of this newsletter are also part of the collective of co-founders of Chamber of Mothers — a non-profit working to advance maternal rights in the U.S., with a focus on the three pillars of paid leave, affordable childcare, and maternal health. Follow @chamberofmothers on Instagram and join the mother-led movement at chamberofmothers.com.
Perinatal mental health disorders are treatable — and with the right help, you will be well. Support is always available. See footnote #1 for hotlines and resources.
This link provides you with access to this paywalled article for roughly one week.