Healthful Woman Podcast

Dr. Deena Blanchard shares her story on postpartum anxiety. A pediatrician, Dr. Blanchard shares her story to show that postpartum anxiety “can happen to anyone” and that “there’s no shame in having a postpartum mood disorder.”

Joining us for the first time is Dr. Naomi Feuer, a neurologist who practices just a few blocks from MFMA. She sees many patients, both pregnant and not, for sudden onset headaches and migraines, helping find an accurate treatment plan, even if that means simply waiting to deliver to relieve headache pain or secondary symptoms like carpal tunnel. The vast majority of patients get positive results from the imaging and other tests she performs, and in the rare case it's a more serious condition, you're in good hands with a neurologist.

Just a few letters differentiate the conditions of endometriosis and adenomyosis, and the conditions share several characteristics. However, diagnosis and treatment of the two disorders should be clearly delineated. Talking with Dr. Michael Silverstein, Dr. Nathan Fox facilitates a discussion on what separates these disorders and how women can know if they should ask their gynecologist about it.

With the blur of all the "-osis" "-eosis" and other terms surrounding pregnancy complications and the many overlapping symptoms women might experience on a monthly basis, it can be hard to know when you have an issue that might make having a baby more difficult and, more specifically, what that issue actually is. Today Dr. Michael Silverstein, a gynecologist at MFM, joins us to talk about everything endometriosis, from symptoms to diagnosis to prognosis.

We get more practical with today's episode featuring Lauren and Susanrachel, two midwives with different experiences with home births. Home births represent less than 2% of all births in the US, but the rate is rapidly increasing despite its low percentage. There are some basic criteria that would rule out some people for having a home birth, such as needing consistent running water, electricity, and being generally healthy - no person who is high-risk should plan on having a home birth. They share how to find the best midwives for people interested in home births to ensure quality care, as well as what to expect differently during a hospital birth experience.

Dr. Melka and Dr. Fox discuss whether it’s safe for pregnant women to fast, particularly with regards to Jewish fast days. On fast days, observers do not eat or drink for up to 25 hours, depending on the holiday. Dr. Fox and Dr. Melka explain when it is and isn’t safe for pregnant women to fast and how they advise their Jewish patients.

Two midwives with a combined experience of over 50 years share their experiences with home births over the past two decades or more. Although home births are largely seen as non-ideal, the history of midwifery shows that hospital-based births have only recently become the norm. Lauren and Susanrachel talk about their perspectives on home birth versus hospital birth, Lauren being employed by a hospital and Susanrachel owns a private practice in home birth in rural New York.

After a successful (albeit sudden and fast) birth at 36 in a traditional hospital setting, our fellow OB/GYN Dr. Amber Warmsley went on a type of personal and professional journey where she discovered something unique about home births and the way they're understood in our country. As she prepared to have her second child, the research she had done and the professionals she had learned from helped convince her to try a home birth, which she describes in today's episode.

Dr. Fox interviews Lauren Abrams, a certified Nurse Midwife who has been practicing midwifery since 1993. In this episode, they discuss the path to becoming a midwife, how midwives and obstetricians can work together, and the different experiences a patient might have depending on where and how they choose to give birth.

Much of what we talk about on this podcast comes from a professional's perspective: the clinical interpretation of tests and what that means for women who need specific care. However, we relish the opportunity today to get the perspective of someone who works more personally with patients in the ultrasound room. Sara, one of the sonographers at Carnegie Imaging, joins us today to talk about her journey into sonography and how her role shapes the pregnancy experience for her patients.