Building trust, changing lives—one pregnancy at a time

Although much of the conversation around health focuses on illness, this episode takes a different path—delving into the complex realities faced by pregnant individuals navigating socioeconomic vulnerabilities. We explore how precarious housing, mental health crises, substance use, past trauma, and intimate partner violence can intersect to put both mother and baby at risk before and after birth. Our guest, Lindsay Croswell, Nursing Practice Lead for the Nurse-Family Partnership ® (NFP) Program in Ontario, Canada, shares her extensive experience working with first-time parents in challenging circumstances. Lindsay was among the first public health nurses to implement NFP in Canada 17 years ago and has since played a pivotal role in shaping the program nationally and internationally. Listeners will hear how nurses, through skilled therapeutic communication, provide vital antenatal and postnatal care in the community—building trusting relationships that transform lives and outcomes for vulnerable families. Lindsay discusses the evidence-based NFP model, where the nurse is the intervention, and how this approach supports young, first-time parents to achieve healthier pregnancies, stronger parenting skills, and brighter futures for their children. Tune in to discover how compassionate, evidence-informed nursing can make a profound difference when pregnancy and parenting are complicated by social and economic adversity. For more information and to access resources, visit radicalnursetalk.com.