Fit As A Fiddle

The car seat comes with a 20-page manual. So why don’t babies come with a manual too? If you feel confused, alone, sad, or anxious during pregnancy and/or after your baby arrives, don’t think you are a bad mom. If you are in a dark place and you didn’t wake up like a goddess in silk sheets, knowing exactly what to do or feeling a bond with your baby immediately, don’t be alarmed. Many women experience Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) and too often mothers don’t seek help because they feel like they did something wrong. Paige Bellenbaum, a social worker and the founding director of The Motherhood Center in NYC, breaks down the issues around maternal mental health in this country and beyond.

Once she began to heal from her own PMAD which began 14 years ago, Paige became committed to fighting for education, screening and treatment for postpartum depression so that no more women would have to suffer silently. Paige has been an outspoken advocate on the issue of postpartum depression, and uses her own story as a tool for change. She has appeared on the Today Show, NPR, PBS Newshour and in Fortune, The New York Times, Women’s Health Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, In Style and several other media outlets. Connect with her and The Motherhood Center at www.themotherhoodcenter.com. 

What do new fathers do when they find out their partner is pregnant and that a baby is on the way? Part of it is just noting how vulnerable you might feel and honestly assessing what you know and don’t know. Part of it is being totally okay to be afraid of bringing a new human being into this planet. Justin Lioi, LCSW, a men’s mental health and relationship expert in Brooklyn, breaks down the barriers that prevent men from seeking mental health services. He helps men navigate through the challenges of parenthood and move beyond societal gender roles. He talks about how the feminist movement has actually made men feel freer in some ways and reduce the pressures of masculinity. He covers mental health for antiracism and how his white-identifying clients have tried to understand the horrific murder of George Floyd. Connect with Justin at www.parkslopetherapist.com 

There are too many statistics showing how black communities receive less healthcare. There are many reasons and barriers both from a patient perspective and a provider perspective. Social determinants of health are critical to healthcare delivery. Dr. Camille Clare breaks this very difficult topic for us in ways we can easily understand so that we can take steps together as a society to bring more equality into this space. She discusses institutional and structural racism, implicit and explicit bias in healthcare delivery, and the importance of educating people on structural factors that impact care. Dr. Clare stresses the need to increase diversity in the healthcare profession. She gives us tangible advice on how physicians can be there for patients in the best way possible and how to improve communication in the doctor-patient relationship. 

A bit on our guest:

Dr. Clare, MD, MPH, CPE, FACOG is an Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York Medical College, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist and attending physician at New York City Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan in Manhattan, and the Director of Resident Research in her department. She has received numerous teaching awards from the New York Medical College Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology for medical student teaching and received the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Excellence in Teaching award. Dr. Clare is an active member of the National Medical Association (NMA) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

In this episode, we are diving into race-based stress for women of color. Nicola Pierre-Smith, a Licensed Professional Counselor and private practice owner of Melanated Womens Health LLC, joins us today to break down the definition of racial trauma and how it affects melanated women. She talks about the double stigma that women of color face when seeking mental health help. Racial socialization is when people socialize in specific ways because of race-based stress. She discusses barriers that people face, signs of compromised mental health, and what we can do as a society to move forward. Nicola provides individual therapy to adults who are dealing with trauma, anxiety, depression, life transitions and social identity issues. Check her out at https://melanatedwomenshealth.com/.

Season 2 on Fit As A Fiddle is opening up as strong as ever! We have a unique season premier, with 3 guest speakers. The ladies you’ll be hearing from on this show, Nicole JeanBaptiste, Carmen Mojica, and Evelyn Alvarez are the founders of Bx (Re)Birth and Progress, a collective of Bronx-based Black birthworkers who build solutions that protect and honor birthing people in the Bronx and their families. They discuss how racism impacts every element of our lives and how deep rooted it is in healthcare in this country. Our guests highlight the reality of how fear-based medicine robs black individuals of the opportunity to make choices. I personally gained so much from chatting with these ladies. For more information on their work, visit www.bxrebirth.org.

A bit on our guests:

Nicole JeanBaptiste is a mother of two, a full spectrum community based doula, lactation counselor, yoga instructor, and oral historian.   Of Southern American and Caribbean ancestry and based in the Bronx, NY, she strives to center the borough and the Black experience in the birth and social justice activism in which she engages.  Nicole is currently a Community Doula Consultant for the New York City Health Department’s COVID-19 Perinatal Taskforce. She is the founder of Sésé Doula Services and co-founder of the Bx (Re)Birth and Progress Collective. 

Carmen Mojica is an Afro-Dominicana born and raised in the Bronx. She is a certified professional midwife, writer and reproductive justice activist with a particular focus on birth justice. The focus of her work is on the empowerment of women and people of the African Diaspora, specifically discussing the Afro-Latina identity. She utilizes her experience as a midwife to raise awareness on maternal and infant health for women, highlighting the disparities in the healthcare system in the United States for women of color. 

Evelyn Alvarez is a Mom, Doula, Trainer who leads sessions about parenting, race, and restorative practices. Evelyn is Founder of Prom King, a non-profit, and Co-Founder of Radio Caña Negra, a podcast about Blackness in Latin America.

If you identify with the female body and spirit, this one's for you. Learn about the ancient Chinese practice of the Jade Egg from Fausta Tamburino, a licensed acupuncturist and priestess who has been immersed in her wellness practices for over 30 years. Fausta describes a practice that serves to transmit and heal feminine energy for inner nourishment. In her private practice, Fausta draws on a constellation of healing modalities including the ancient wisdom of acupuncture, yoga, Taoist Feminine Arts, nutrition, essential oil therapy and flower essences to create a holistic, comprehensive and integrative approach to each person’s unique path. Connect with her at https://www.faustanyc.com/.

Whatever kind of birth experience you would like to have is the type that is right for you. Whether that means you choose to induce labor or not, medicalize your birth or not, have a doula or not… the choice is yours. Dr. Jaqueline Worth, an obstetrician and founder of Village Obstetrics, shares her 20 years of experience delivering thousands of babies. She believes that less is more when it comes to birth and that it’s the OB’s job to be supportive of women throughout their care to ensure “safe mom and safe baby.” She discusses the differences between a natural birth versus medicalized birth along with reasons someone may require an induced labor or may elect to have one. Check out her book “The New Rules of Pregnancy,” a wellness-based pregnancy guide and connect with by visiting https://villageobstetrics.com/.

Belly rubs are great. But the Arvigo Mayan Abdominal Therapy® takes tummy massages to a whole new level. Learn about how ancient Mayan bodywork, brought to the modern world by Arvigo practitioners, can center a tipped uterus and decrease constipation. You’ll also get a bonus overview of vaginal steaming and uterine lavage. Megan Backus is a Licensed Massage Therapist specializing in reproductive and digestive health as well as massage for infants and children. In addition to Swedish Massage, she practices this non-invasive manual technique to decongest the abdomen and pelvis and help organs find their optimal positions. The massage techniques she discusses in the episode can be beneficial for relief from infertility for both men and women, menstrual pain, fibroids, endometriosis, prolapse, PCOS, benign prostate conditions, constipation, bloating, IBS, and more. Learn about her work at https://www.mbodimentmassage.com/. 

What is your relationship with your fertility? In today’s political climate with reproductive rights, women should empower themselves with knowledge of their body and understand their choices. Today we have Katinka Locascio joining us to discuss the fertility awareness method, which helps women understand their fertility in a natural, evidence-based way. Whether you are looking to prevent pregnancy or you want to get pregnant, understanding this method gets you one step closer to your goals. Katinka holds a license in Massage Therapy and has trained in numerous disciplines including Osteopathic Manual Therapy, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Arvigo® Therapy, Labor support and Fertility Awareness. She is the founder of Earth + Sky Healing Arts, a wellness center in NYC that strives to help people live to their fullest potential while staying rooted in the wisdom of the body. Connect with her at http://www.earthsky.dreamhosters.com/ 

Baby’s don’t come with technical manuals. In many places around the world, families have switched out of living in joint homes and instead, live in smaller family units. When you aren’t too sure about breastfeeding, lactation consultants come to the rescue! My guest on today’s episode is Leigh Anne O’Connor, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and La Leche League Leader. She discusses the societal and cultural expectations that influence the modern mother’s experience with breastfeeding. We talk about the reasons one would use pumps or the breast and factors that may undermine breastfeeding. I personally learned so much from this episode! Leigh has over two decades experience working with breastfeeding families. She teaches breastfeeding classes, leads support groups, and sees private clients all over New York City. Connect with her at https://www.leighanneoconnor.com/.