The Spotlight's On: Stephanie Meredith, Nancy Ionnone and Missy Skavlem of Down syndrome Pregnancy

Getting to Know You:

Name: Stephanie Meredith, Nancy Iannone, and Missy Kline Skavlem

Blog Name and URL: Down Syndrome Pregnancy, downsyndromepregnancy.org

Blogger or Wordpress? Wordpress

Favorite widget or plugin? Google Analytics

What’s one thing that people don’t know about you? Managed the translation of “Babies with Down Syndrome” into Russian and travelled to Russia in 2011 as a US Speaker on Down syndrome. Best experience ever! (https://www.facebook.com/pages/To-Russia-With-Love/193126564089443?fref=ts)
 
While we are at it, what’s your theme song? Mumford and Sons “After the Storm” –
Nancy and Stephanie’s favorite band

Dish you would bring to our community picnic: Raspberry Trifle

On Blogging:

What got you blogging and what keeps you going? 
I have worked as a technical writer since 1997 and worked as the Assistant Editor for Patricia Bauer’s Disability New Blog (www.patriciaebauer.com) from May 2008-December 2009. Nancy and Missy had been providing live support at BabyCenter for years and wanted a place where information
could be consolidated in a meaningful way. 

Then, Nancy, Missy, and I launched Down Syndrome Pregnancy, along with our book “Diagnosis to Delivery: A Pregnant Mother’s Guide to Down Syndrome,” in 2010. Our point was to provide information and support to expectant moms in a “safe forum.” One of my best moments was a couple of weeks ago when I met a mom from Kansas City who told us our books, blog, and discussion board
were her lifeline during her pregnancy. It’s amazing to know that we’re helping people
across the country.

One post (that you wrote) that makes you laugh? 
Ours don’t tend to be funny since it’s not a platform for our personal expression. It’s more about providing information and sharing perspectives. But I loved the comments generated by this post: http://downsyndromepregnancy.org/diagnosis-day-parents-what-would-you-say-to-your-past-self/
I love reading the comments generated by the posts and the different perspectives shared
from other moms among each other. Please add yours!

One post you are really proud of, for whatever reason? 
I’m really proud of the medical outreach program that is now used by more than 65 local Down syndrome organizations nationwide: http://downsyndromepregnancy.org/down-syndrome-prenatal-outreach-program/
 
I also think Nancy’s identification of research gaps for Down syndrome pregnancies is
incredibly important and will hopefully motivate more research into best practices for
pregnancies as the new non-invasive prenatal testing becomes more prevalent: http://downsyndromepregnancy.org/research-gaps-down-syndrome-pregnancy/

How have you seen your blog/blogging style change and how would you like to see it develop? 
I want the blog to become a more topical column within a website and to wrap the other informational parts of our blog into a website format with more photos and more modern design. We’re hoping to get this done in the very near future.

Two blogs you love to read and why?
http://www.mystubbornmiss.com by Megan Landmeier (Love reading about Ellie and
Megan, who was one of “our moms.”)
http://www.downsyndromeprenataltesting.com/
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/thinplaces/
http://alisonpiepmeier.blogspot.com/
http://thednaexchange.com/tag/genetic-counseling/
www.brianskotko.com

Where else can we find you online?
www.lettercase.org as the author of “Understanding a Ds Diagnosis”
www.downsyndromediagnosis.org as the Medical Outreach Director of the University of
Kentucky’s Human Development Institute
Gifts and Gifts 2: http://www.amazon.com/Gifts-People-Syndrome-Enrich-World/dp/1890627968
www.patriciaebauer.com
http://yomammamamma.blogspot.com/ (Missy Skavlem)
http://community.babycenter.com/groups/a14515/down_syndrome_pregnancy?
Lots of software blogs, user manuals, and websites you’ll probably never want to read.

Down Syndrome Pregnancy is now part of the National Center for Prenatal and Postnatal Down Syndrome Resources at the University of Kentucky’s Human Development Institute. 

The National Center includes Lettercase, Down Syndrome Pregnancy, and Brighter Tomorrows. I work as the Lettercase Program/Medical Outreach Director at the university, and Missy and Nancy still volunteer for the blog and the BabyCenter board. All products are free digitally, and all proceeds for print materials are used to support the programs.

Stephanie in High School!