Study Updates:
Update from 7/16/2024:
The study investigators (Drs. Arcaro, Sibeko and Sturgeon) and the entire research team thank you for your help with the New Moms Wellness Study!
We want to give you an update about the study, to introduce you to more of our staff and to share a few recipes. We are thrilled to have so many people give their time so generously to help us with this work that will contribute important knowledge on women and children’s health.
First, we are excited to report that we have successfully completed the study’s recruitment phase. We have over 400 participants enrolled and — by the end of next month, we will have delivered our last fruit and vegetable box! We have collected and stored 2752 breast milk samples, 1442 infant fecal specimens, and collected many, many 24-hour food recalls! Although parts of the study are winding down, we are continuing to conduct visit #5 and the two annual follow-up visits on enrolled participants. We want to emphasize the importance of your continued participation to the success of the study. Thank you for your commitment to help us achieve this great progress! We are very grateful.
We also want to let you know that we have recently sent out an optional annual short questionnaire about your child’s history of allergies and asthma symptoms. It takes about 10 minutes to complete electronically, and participants will receive a $10.00 Amazon gift card for completion. We have added this questionnaire because we are interested in studying the effect of maternal milk and infant gut composition on the risk of allergies and asthma. Please check your email for the new brief consent form and this questionnaire.
Congratulations to our raffle winners for our monthly drawings that we have had, so far! Remember, you are eligible for the monthly raffle for the month after you provide study samples. We will continue to draw raffle winners through January 2025 when our last study visit 5 is completed.
We also know it’s an effort to participate in all the parts of the study. Please reach out to us if we can help you navigate participation in the study.
Please find information on staff bios, and a few recipes on the next pages.
Thank you, again!
Susan Sturgeon, Dr. PH ssturgeon@schoolph.umass.edu
Kathleen Arcaro, PhD karcaro@umass.edu
Lindiwe Sibeko, PhD lsibeko@nutrition.umass.edu
Team email: newmomswellness@umass.edu
Meet members of our New Moms Wellness Study research team!
Back in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic almost shut down our lab. But lactating moms wanted to know if breastfeeding was good for their baby, so we began three studies.
Van
Hi! My name is Van, and I am the Study Manager for the New Moms Wellness Study (NMWS). I started working on this project as an undergraduate in the summer of 2023 and continued to work as a study manager after graduating from UMass Amherst in December 2023. My main responsibility is to keep the project running smoothly by managing biospecimen, training undergraduate students, archiving data, and working with the interviewing team and the driving team. I enjoy dancing, reading, and diving in my free time. My favorite fruits and vegetables are oranges, avocados, and asparagus.
Jenna
Hi! My name is Jenna and I am one of the study interviewers. I am a graduate student studying epidemiology here at UMass and began working with the study in September 2023. My responsibilities typically involve scheduling and conducting study visits, along with various other tasks that may come my way. In my free time I love to crochet and bake, especially sourdough bread! My favorite fruits and vegetables include apples, bananas, and broccoli.
Maeve
Hello! My name is Maeve and I’m a rising sophomore majoring in nutrition at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. I live on campus during the school year but my hometown is Medway Massachusetts. Outside of the New Moms Wellness Study, I work as a barista and intern at the Boyden Gym on campus. In my free time, I enjoy playing tennis, running, playing guitar, and spending time with my dog, Axl.
We hope you enjoy these recipes below!
