ParentingU

It could be happening any day now: the arrival of your baby! So much excitement and anticipation… but also some anxiety and lots of questions. How can expectant moms get ready for the arrival of their baby? On this episode of ParentingU, host Stephanie is joined by Evie Robison, RN, a Pregnancy Navigator with Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital, to explain all the details of giving birth, including what to pack for your hospital stay; what a birthing plan is (and what happens if the plan doesn't work for the actual birth); when to get a car seat; what support partners can do to help during the birth; and more!

Throughout this episode you'll learn how Pregnancy Navigators help families know what to expect during birth and help moms make decisions beforehand, so your baby's birthday can be a positive and joyful experience.

• What is a Pregnancy Navigator and what do they do?
• What is a birthing plan? Do birthing plans always get followed perfectly?
• What do I pack for my hospital stay?
• When should I get the car seat for my baby?
• How can dads/support people make the birthing process easier for mom?
• What happens if I must deliver via C-Section?
• What is the 5-1-1 rule?
• If my water breaks, what should I pay attention to and tell my doctor?
• What decisions should I make before my baby is born?
• How do I get an appointment with a Pregnancy Navigator?

Mentioned on the Show

• ParentingU episode about Breastfeeding in the NICU
• ParentingU episode about Preparing to Breastfeed
• Digital Resources from our birthing hospitals:
• Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital
• Our Lady of the Angels Hospital
• Francis Medical Center

We hope you enjoy the new season of ParentingU! You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.

Learn more about Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health at our website: https://ololchildrens.org/ Find Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health on Facebook and Instagram.

Healthy eating habits and a positive attitude about food can start early in a child's life. In honor of September being Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, ParentingU spoke with Carmen Alexis Miller, LDN—a dietitian with Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital.

Miller shares how food and eating is a very personal matter—what we eat is part of how we care for ourselves. Food becomes an emotional matter. Since eating is something we all must do, parents have an opportunity to teach kids positive eating habits and healthy food attitudes that hopefully can last a lifetime.

• What are some words and phrases parents can use to foster a positive attitude about food and eating?
• How can parents involve children with food prep or meal selection?
• Why should parents consider bringing children grocery shopping?
• Why is food considered an "intimate" issue and how does that change how parents can talk about food?
• What does it mean for a child to be "self-regulating" about food and what can parents try at mealtime to encourage self-regulation?
• My child often compares their body size to other children. What can I do?
• What does a dietitian do and when should I schedule an appointment with a dietitian?

- Miller wrote a practice "script" parents can use when a child is comparing themselves to others. Consider using a version of the following if you face this situation:

You're saying that you like the way that ____________ looks because she's __________ (thin/tall/etc.), and you wish you would look more like her. I hear you. ____________ is a beautiful person. It's perfectly normal for you to admire that the way that she looks and want to look a little bit more like her. But remember that you are not ____________.

You are your own person and your needs may be different than hers. You are beautiful in your own way. Whether or not you're the same size as her, focus your attention and your energy on nourishing your body, in a way that feels best to you. My job as your mom is to make sure that you are healthy and safe.

I'm here if you need anything. If you'd like to go buy new clothes, if you would like to try new foods or join a new sport, or whether you just need a listening ear, I'm here for you.

- Miller recommends Alex Turnbull, the Family Nutritionist as a good online resource.

We hope you enjoy the new season of ParentingU! You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.

Learn more about Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health at our website: https://ololchildrens.org/ Find Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health on Facebook and Instagram.

September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, and ParentingU is ready to help families with practical information about nutrition, activity, excess weight, and the resources available to tackle this sometimes sensitive and tricky topic.

Pediatricians Katie Queen, MD and Melissa Holland, DO both see patients at the Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health Weight & Nutrition Center. The statistics are stark: 1 in 7 children aged 10-17 in the United States are obese (source: National Survey of Children's Health.) Unfortunately, the rates of childhood obesity in Louisiana are worse. This is where the Weight & Nutrition Center comes in.

Dr. Queen and Dr. Holland aim for a healthy weight for each child individually. Using a team approach, the Weight & Nutrition Center assesses each child's health needs and works with families to get to optimal health (as opposed to focusing solely on weight loss.) On this episode, Dr. Queen and Dr. Holland describe the process for addressing excess weight in children as well as sharing some tips for healthier eating, exercising more and talking about weight in a constructive manner.

• Is obesity a disease or a self-control problem?
• Why is childhood obesity a serious issue?
• What are some reasons a child may have excess weight?
• How can children get more activity in their days?
• What are some words we can use instead of "good foods" and "bad foods"?
• Bullying about weight at school is a big issue. What can I do to help my child?
• Why isn't the Weight & Nutrition Center called a weight loss clinic?
• My child has excess weight. How can I get my child an appointment with the Weight & Nutrition Center?
• We've tried everything and the weight won't come off! What can my child do?

• Learn more about the Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health Weight & Nutrition Center.
• Queen likes HealthyKids.org as a place to get high-quality information about childhood health: https://www.healthykids.org/
• Call the Weight & Nutrition Center: (225) 374-HEAL
• Need a little exercise break? Adrian B. has some Family Fit Break videos for you! Click to see on YouTube.
• Queen was recently quoted in a Healthline article about childhood obesity: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/why-childhood-obesity-rates-are-rising-and-what-we-can-do

We hope you enjoy the new season of ParentingU! You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.

Learn more about Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health at our website: https://ololchildrens.org/ Find Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health on Facebook and Instagram.

Can babies being cared for in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) breastfeed? On this episode of ParentingU, we welcome back Becca Miller, SLP, a Certified Lactation Counselor to address the process of breastfeeding NICU babies. A baby being in the NICU doesn't mean a mom can't start her breastfeeding journey if she chooses to. Host Stephanie asks all the questions expectant parents would want to know about breastfeeding a NICU baby.

Access breastfeeding support across our health system:

• Acadiana
• Baton Rouge
• Bogalusa
• Northeast Louisiana
• Jackson/St. Dominic

At ParentingU, we believe a fed baby is best. This episode is geared towards moms who are choosing to breastfeed their baby. Whatever choice you make for your baby, we want to provide help and support for you along your parenting journey.

• Can babies in the NICU breastfeed?
• How do breast pumps figure into the NICU breastfeeding plan?
• Who can help me if my baby is in the NICU and I want to breastfeed?
• If my baby is in the NICU, should I just wait until my baby is out before trying to breastfeed?
• How can I get connected to lactation counseling information?

We hope you enjoy the new season of ParentingU! You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: ParentingU playlist.

In our last ParentingU episode, we talked about how breastfeeding is a journey. One of the stops on that journey is pumping breast milk. How does pumping fit in with the overall baby feeding plan? On this episode we speak to Dr. Gregory Gelpi, MD FAAP, an Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health pediatrician with special training in breastfeeding, and Becca Miller, SLP, a Certified Lactation Counselor, to get the scoop on what's involved with pumping, how frequently and how long to pump, what to do with breast milk, and some helpful tips to make breast milk pumping approachable and comfortable.

Access breastfeeding support across our health system:

• Acadiana
• Baton Rouge
• Bogalusa
• Northeast Louisiana
• Jackson/St. Dominic

A helpful guide for you about breast milk storage guidelines for healthy term babies.

We also have a blog post about returning to work as a breastfeeding mom here: Click to read the blog post.

At ParentingU, we believe a fed baby is best. This episode is geared towards moms who are choosing to breastfeed their baby. Whatever choice you make for your baby, we want to provide help and support for you along your parenting journey.

• Why do moms choose to pump breast milk?
• Should I pump first or figure out how to get my baby to latch first?
• Can I freeze breast milk? How about colostrum?
• I'm not sure my milk has come in yet. What can I do?
• Which pump should I get?
• My boss said I can't pump at work. Is that true? Can my healthcare professional help me?
• How can I get connected to lactation counseling information?

We hope you enjoy the new season of ParentingU! You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: Click here.

S3E1 Parenting is a journey, and breastfeeding a newborn baby is one possible step on that journey. Many new moms have lots of questions about breastfeeding, and first time Moms often need support and encouragement as they start to breastfeed their baby. On this episode we speak to Dr. Gregory Gelpi, MD FAAP, an Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health pediatrician with special training in breastfeeding, and Becca Miller, SLP, a Certified Lactation Counselor to answer the most common breastfeeding questions.

Access breastfeeding support across our health system:

• Acadiana
• Baton Rouge
• Bogalusa
• Northeast Louisiana
• Jackson/St. Dominic

At ParentingU, we believe a fed baby is best. This episode is geared towards moms who are choosing to breastfeed their baby. Whatever choice you make for your baby, we want to provide help and support for you along your parenting journey.

• What are some of the benefits of breastfeeding?
• Does breastfeeding hurt? What should I do if breastfeeding hurts?
• Can my regular doctor answer my breastfeeding questions?
• What are some of the common breastfeeding milestones? What happens the first day, the first week, and the first two weeks?
• Barely anything is coming out of my breasts. Is this normal? Is my newborn baby getting enough?
• What are some common positions to breastfeed?
• Arrg! This is so frustrating! Who can I talk to right now about breastfeeding?
• What can the baby's dad do to help? What are some ways other family members can support me breastfeeding my baby?
• How can I get connected to lactation counseling information?

We hope you enjoy the new season of ParentingU! You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. New! Watch videos of our podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GpleQMd3Spc

Please note: This episode was recorded February 2, 2022.

Bonus episode: Parents have lots of questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for their children, and Our Lady of the Lake understands and encourages parents to seek out the information they need. On this special episode of ParentingU, we answer many of the most common questions that arise about COVID vaccination, and even have part of the show dedicated to teens (who might have questions of their own.)

Host Stephanie shares some of the most current information available on COVID from Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health and from our own Dr. Michael Bolton, a pediatric infectious disease specialist. Since getting the vaccine is a personal decision for you and your family, ParentingU wants to ensure you have accurate information to guide your decisions.

- Is the vaccine safe and effective for children?

- Didn't they rush this vaccine through without complete testing?

- Our family already went through COVID. Do we still need to get vaccinated?

- Since children are at relatively low risk from COVID, why would my child get vaccinated?

- My child hates shots. Why put them through another one?

- Is this the same shot adults are getting?

- Do teens need the COVID vaccine?

- Does the vaccine have unknown long term effects, including possible fertility issues?

- What do parents need to know for their own family when discussing the vaccine?

These questions and more are answered on the show.

- Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health has a helpful FAQ on the COVID-19 vaccine. Click here for the FAQ: https://ololchildrens.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine

- Does your child hate getting shots? We have a special blog post to help you prepare your child for "pokes." Read the post here: https://health.fmolhs.org/body/childrens-health/preparing-your-child-for-pokes/

- Our Lady of the Lake offers video visits! Find telemedicine information here: https://ololrmc.com/patients-and-visitors/video-visits

- The Louisiana Department of Health and the Louisiana Department of Education have information for parents.

- The Centers for Disease Control continues to be a good resource for parents: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html

We hope you find this Bonus episode of ParentingU informative and timely. You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts.

Learn more about Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health at our website: https://ololchildrens.org/ Find Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health on Facebook and Instagram.

Bonus episode:

The final countdown to Christmas is on, and we chatted with Meaghan Myrick, Child Life Specialist with Our Lady of Lourdes Women's & Children's Hospital, and Lisa Baumgartner, Pediatric Chaplain with Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital, about holiday traditions and ways to make the season meaningful for our kids and focus on the love, peace, joy and hope.

We hope you find this Bonus episode of ParentingU informative and timely. Stay tuned – we have more episodes planned for 2022 to help you navigate the amazing journey of parenthood with confidence. Listen to all ParentingU episodes on our website or your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts. We also have great written content on our ParentingU blog. With ParentingU you can earn your degree in exceptional parenting, no studying required!

Learn more about Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health at our website: https://ololchildrens.org/ Find Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health on Facebook and Instagram.

"Drowning is silent but we will not be." ~ Mazie's Mission

Heather, mom of Mazie, joins us on this important episode of ParentingU. At just shy of 18 months old, Mazie drowned in the family swimming pool. Now, mom Heather and her family are committed to helping other families learn more about water safety. Louisiana has the difficult distinction of being fourth in the nation for drowning deaths of children ages 1 to 14 years old. Through the pain of this situation, Heather and her family are trying to bring purpose to this tragedy. Drowning doesn't always look typical or like what we've seen on TV or in movies. This episode seeks to give education and hope to a difficult topic. Listen to this episode to learn more about precautions and facts that families can use to be water safe this summer, and all year round.

Mentioned on the show:

- Learn more about Mazie, and her legacy to help others: https://www.maziesmission.net/

- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has a website, Pool Safely with lots of resources for parents to use to help keep kids water safe. Visit: https://www.poolsafely.gov/

- Heather mentioned LOPA, Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency. Learn more about organ donation here: https://www.lopa.org/

- Stay tuned to ParentingU: we have two more episodes on water safety, including hearing from Shelly of Crawfish Aquatics and Dr. Michael Odinet, Emergency Room physician at Our Lady of Lourdes.

We hope you find this Bonus episode of ParentingU informative and timely. You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts.

Learn more about Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health at our website: https://ololchildrens.org/ Find Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health on Facebook and Instagram.

Water is fun! Let's keep it that way with some tips from Dr. Michael Odinet, Emergency Room physician at Our Lady of Lourdes. Dr. Odinet isn't here to rain on our parade—he's a water fan himself, having a family pool and a water-side camp. Dr. Odinet offers lots of practical tips for families to stay water safe: from where an adult should be when it's pool time to how to talk to friends to assess everyone's water skills. Life jackets, water watchers, and water safety conversations are non-negotiables for Dr. Odinet and you'll learn how to incorporate all of these for your family in this episode of ParentingU.

Mentioned on the show:

- Dr. Odinet's top tip is when you suspect someone is in trouble in the water is to immediately move towards the person and get them out; laying them on their side once out.

- A call to 911 is critical: minutes count and can make the difference. If you suspect drowning, call 911.

- Remember: real-life drowning does not look like the movies or TV. A drowning person might be quiet and in distress. Dr. Odinet said most people say they only looked away for a moment—use this common thread to change your water situational awareness.

- Be a Water Watcher! Pledge to be the eyes on the water, whenever anyone is playing poolside. Get your own Water Watcher card here from Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health: https://ololchildrens.org/blogs/water-watchers

- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has a website, Pool Safely with lots of resources for parents to use to help keep kids water safe. Visit: https://www.poolsafely.gov/

- Stay tuned to ParentingU: we have two more episodes on water safety, including hearing from Heather, the mom of Mazie and the founder of Mazie's Mission plus Shelly, CEO of Crawfish Aquatics and Crawfish Swim School.

We hope you find this Bonus episode of ParentingU informative and timely. You can hear all episodes of ParentingU on our website or on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Podcasts.

Learn more about Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health at our website: https://ololchildrens.org/ Find Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health on Facebook and Instagram.