Your search for a pediatrician should begin when you're pregnant, and your decision is one that will guide you tremendously through parenthood. With so much to consider and so many providers available, how can you be sure you pick the best one for you and your family?  In this episode we're talking to Ashley Politz, the Executive Director of the American Academy of Pediatrics Louisiana chapter, about what you should look for, what questions you should ask during your search, and what you should expect from your pediatrician in the first few years.

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, about 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Only 10% of those diagnosed have a family history. The scars left by breast cancer are more than just physical. In this episode, hear how our guest, Dr. Mindy Bowie, uses her training and passion to limit patients' physical and emotional scars while empowering women to feel confident and educated in overcoming breast cancer and limiting their risks. 

It’s best to think about childbirth options and make a plan well before you give birth. But what exactly does that mean, and what different options are there? That’s precisely what this episode of UNprivate Parts is going to answer! To learn more about your labor options, birth plans and comfort options visit the Woman's Hospital website.

Pregnancy and childbirth is often assumed to be an exciting and joyous event. However, one in four pregnancies ends in loss. Many families who lose a baby feel alone and suffer in silence, which is exactly what the Perinatal Palliative Care Team at Woman’s Hospital is working to change. Jessica Morris and Megan Haley, two of the labor and delivery nurses on that team, understand pregnancy and infant loss from both a personal and professional perspective. In honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month and Woman’s upcoming Walk to Remember, we sat down with them to talk about all the work they are doing to help others remember and honor their own babies.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, more commonly known as PCOS, is a common genetic, hormonal, metabolic and reproductive disorder that affects millions of women worldwide. However, it is estimated that up to 50% of women suffering from the syndrome go undiagnosed. But how? In honor of PCOS Awareness Month, Dr. Yolunda Taylor, OB-GYN with Associates in Women's Health, is explaining that and everything else women need to know about PCOS in this episode of UNprivate Part.

Black Breastfeeding Week was created in 2013 to bring awareness to the racial gap that has existed in breastfeeding rates for over 40 years. The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that 75% of white women have ever breastfed versus 58.9% of black women. When Kelly Williams became a mother 21 years ago, she was one of the black women who did not breastfeed. However, she is now a lactation counselor at Woman’s Hospital working to help moms like her and remedy that racial divide in breastfeeding. In this episode of UNprivate Parts, Kelly is sharing her own story and bringing light to some of the unique challenges black women face when it comes to breastfeeding and how she is working to overcome them both at home and at work. 

Breastfeeding comes with numerous benefits for both mother and baby, but it can also come with some challenges. In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) sixty percent of mothers do not breastfeed for as long as they planned. Breastfeeding is a very individualized experience and is influenced by many factors, however some challenges are more common than others. In this episode of UNprivate Parts, we are sitting down with Cynthia Evans, a Woman’s Hospital Lactation Nurse, to talk about those common challenges and how moms can overcome them to meet and exceed their breastfeeding goals!

Most women rush to the hospital the second they sense they are in labor, but Sarah Hammett’s story is a little different. Ten years ago, she asked her doctor if she could hold off a few hours so she could deliver her son at Woman’s new campus. In this episode of UNprivate Parts, Sarah is telling us all about that historic day, what it was like to have three children ages three and under at one time, and how her family is doing 10 years since the doors at 100 Woman's Way opened and she gave birth to her youngest child, Jack.

Overwhelm and depression are plaguing our mental health system and creating a path to thoughts of death and suicide in Americans. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, suicide is the second leading cause of death among women ages 25 to 34. The latest effort to decrease suicides, and the level of depression that leads to them, is a new three-digit phone number. Starting July 16, anyone in the United States can dial 9-8-8 to be connected to a trained mental health professional. In this episode of UNprivate Parts, we are talking to Dr. Amber Parden, a psychiatrist at Woman's Woman's Behavioral Health Service, about the internal struggles many, especially moms, face and how to seek help for ourselves or others. 

When babies have a hard time eating there is often a problem, and it's common for that same problem to lead to speech difficulties later in life. If your baby is uncomfortable eating, if you have pain while breastfeeding, if your toddler is taking a long time to eat solids, or if you have any other difficulties at mealtime, this episode of UNprivate Parts is for you. Listen as Mary Claire Burks, Speech-Language Pathologist at Woman's Hospital, explains how identifying and treating issues with feeding early on, whether it's breastfeeding, bottle feeding or solids, could prevent your little one from struggling with language development later on.