1 in 4 women in the U.S. return to work within two weeks of giving birth because they can’t afford to take more time to heal and bond. That’s not a policy footnote — that’s a crisis. Last week, 4th Trimester hosted Motherhood in Crisis: Postpartum & Affordability, a salon that named the problem plainly and refused to look away. We believe postpartum care should not depend on privilege, luck, or circumstance. It should be a standard of care available to every mother, birthing person and their family.
That’s why we’re launching RISE — Resources for Income, Shelter & Empowerment, a pilot program offering direct cash, doula support, care coordination, and peer community to single mothers in LA County navigating postpartum under financial stress. Last week’s salon was a reminder why this work can’t wait.
4th Trimester board member and co-host, Vanessa Dew, opened with the data that frames our work — including the stark reality that low-income mothers face a 170% higher risk of preterm birth and a new baby adds $12-15k annually to a family’s budget. That’s $1000 per month, on average. Behind every statistic is someone we know — a friend, a neighbor, a family member who navigated postpartum more alone than they should have.
Kathy lost her uninsured, multigenerational home in the fires — and navigated pregnancy and postpartum in the aftermath. Her story anchored a fireside chat led by Executive Director Rachel Scandling, alongside Emily, a postpartum doula who supported her family. Through cash assistance and care coordination, Kathy has been able to find herself again, with dignity: replacing her bike, covering prenatal chiropractic care, and never buying a single diaper. Emily’s consistent presence gave Kathy space to center herself and, as Kathy described it, watch her two daughters grow together — happiness bottled up that you can drink.
Board member and co-host Brooke Cutler guided a panel conversation with Melissa Goodman (UCLA Center on Reproductive Health, Law & Policy), Marjorie Gilberg (NCJW-LA), and Ebony Staten (Black Girls Mental Health Collective). They named what families are facing: financial strain, housing insecurity, racial inequity, and policies not built for moms. As Melissa Goodman put it:
“We live in a society where moms are structurally set up to fail. That is how we’ve built the machine.”
The evening closed with remarks from State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, whose alignment with our mission runs deep. A champion for reproductive health, she led the passage of Prop 1 to protect abortion and contraception rights in California, and during her tenure as Mayor of Alhambra spearheaded over 80 permanent supportive housing units for parents with young children. Her work to reduce housing costs and expand rental assistance for working families continues.
The dialogue struck the right balance — naming the crisis of affordability in postpartum and holding space for possibility.
Real support. No strings. No red tape. Every mother deserves what Kathy found — dignity, support, and community. Your gift helps us bring that to 10 more mothers right now. Be a part of what’s possible.
