UNprivate Parts

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.

We talk a lot about moms here at Woman’s Hospital, but in this special Father’s Day episode of UNprivate Parts we’re talking about the dads! As a father of two and OB-GYN at Louisiana Women’s Healthcare, Dr. Jay Parenton has quite the insight on fatherhood. He is not only telling us about his own family and experience as a dad, but what he sees in the clinic and delivery room. What do dads really think? How do they usually react? Should they stand at the top or bottom of the bed? What does he wish dads knew more about before becoming parents? He’s answering all that and more.

Are you ready to splash into summer? With the warm temperatures and sunny skies, comes a new season of questions for those with a newborn. How much sunlight exposure is okay? When can babies start wearing sunscreen? How do you prevent dehydration when they can't have water? When is it safe to introduce a little one to the swimming pool? Dr. Chris Funes with Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health is answering all that and more in this episode of UNprivate Parts. 

Rene Ragas began his tenure as the CEO of Woman’s Hospital on May 9. He brought with him decades of experience in healthcare leadership and several very special personal connections to Woman’s and our mission. In the episode, we learn more about Rene’s background, leadership style, and goals for the organization … and get some behind-the-scenes insight into his life outside of the office.

Motherhood: the state of being a mother. It sounds so simple and straightforward. But the truth is, each woman's journey to and through motherhood is very different. In honor of Mother's Day, we are talking to a few moms about their own unique experiences- conception, pregnancy, delivery and the day-to-day joys and struggles. Whether you're an experienced mom, wanting to become a mother one day or somewhere in between, this special episode of UNprivate Parts is a must listen.

Approximately one in eight couples is affected by infertility. But thanks to In Vitro Fertilization, more commonly known as IVF, thousands of those couples have been able to build the families they always dreamed of. However, as IVF becomes more common, so do the questions and misconceptions. What is IVF? What happens if treatment creates too many embryos? Isn't there an increased chance of having multiples with IVF? Will the stimulation drugs make my hormones go haywire? But doesn't IVF take a really long time? Dr. Neil Chappell, a reproductive endocrinologist with Fertility Answers, is explaining the basics and clearing up all the myths in this episode of UNprivate Parts. So whether you are considering IVF as the next step in your infertility journey, know someone going through the process or just want to know more, tune in!

Anyone who is sexually active can get a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and the truth is many people will. According to 2020 statistics from the CDC, one in five individuals in the United States has an STD. In honor of STD Awareness Week, Drs. Rachel Gilbert and Jacklyn Locklear explain what EVERYONE should know about STDs in this episode of UNprivate Parts!