Happy Father’s Day: 10 Important Things an Expectant Dad Can Do to Help Have a Healthy Baby

This blog was originally written in 2011 but it still holds true today.

Some of the most endearing moments I have witnessed as an obstetrician involved observing men in the labor room. There was the Jewish dad from Brooklyn who brought his Anita Baker tape and played it while his wife was in labor. Because she was one of my favorite artists, I was constantly in their room under the guise of watching the fetal monitor, just so that I could listen to the music. Another memorable moment was the dad who cried tears of joy when his wife was returned back to her room after having a c. section. The love and admiration that beamed in his eyes almost tempted me to ask him if he had a friend (this was of course when I was single). The point is, that expectant dads can play a significant role in helping their wives or girlfriends have a healthy babies. Here’s how:

  1. Remind the baby’s mother to make certain she feels the baby move at least 4 or more times in one hour.
  2. Make sure she knows what her blood pressure is at each prenatal visit
  3. Make sure she keeps all of her prenatal appointments
  4. Make certain her hospital bag is packed and she has all her important papers in one specific location
  5. Ask permission to be in the labor room with her so that you can witness the birth of your child. It is a scene you will never forget and will bring you closer together as a couple.
  6. Please don’t cheat on her while she’s pregnant. You could give her an unwanted sexually transmitted infection
  7. Encourage her to push when it’s time
  8. Rub her back in between contractions
  9. Take notes when she’s in labor. If there’s a change of shift, make sure that the new shift knows what went on during the previous shift; particularly if she’s having complications such as high blood pressure or fetal distress on the monitor. One of the greatest risks of OB medical malpractice is miscommunication or a lack of communication during shift changes. The proverbial left-hand doesn’t always know what the right hand is doing.
  10. If the nurses become concerned about the baby’s fetal tracing, ask that the doctor or midwife come to the hospital immediately.

The active participation of an expectant father is priceless. In the words of an old R&B classic by the Winstons, “. . . color him father; color him love.” Happy Father’s Day.

My Mother Would Die if She Gave Birth to Me Today

Used with permission of E Bere Illustrate

If my mother gave birth to me today instead of over 60 years ago, she would probably be dead based on her risk factors. She was Black, had gestational diabetes, and gave birth to a 9-pound 4-ounce baby girl via C-section. She would have been discharged from the hospital on post-op day four rather than post-op day seven. But, thank God, my mother, unlike her mother, lived. I never knew my grandmother because she died from postpartum cardiomyopathy at age 39, a few months after delivering my youngest aunt in 1939.

When my mother had me, there were no managed care organizations that booted women out of the hospital 48 hours after birth or 96 hours after having a C-section. Had the federal government not stepped in with the Newborn and Mother’s Health Protection Act of 1996, mothers and babies would have been sent home after 24 hours, a phenomenon sarcastically referred to as “drive-through deliveries.”

In the discussion of reasons for the ignominious U.S. maternal mortality rates, the topic of managed care organizations and private equity investors is never discussed but should be.

According to Medical Economics, the Medical Management Group Association (MMGA) reported $60 billion in “deals” involving medical practices in 2019 by private equity firms. They are one of the reasons why nurses are leaving hospitals, physicians are jumping off hospital roofs, and yes, women are dying within a week of having a baby, and the stillbirth rate has increased.

The business model is not taught in nursing, midwifery, or medical schools. As a result, we do not know how to compromise quality care and satisfy your shareholders simultaneously. Perhaps if hospital CEOs and private equity shareholders are named co-defendants in future medical malpractice cases, the maternal mortality rate will move in the opposite direction.

You profess not to know why more pregnant women are dying? Try taking a closer look at your priorities and business practices. As long as profit and revenue take precedence over human life, there is little hope for change.

The Bombing of the Maternity & Children’s Hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine is NOT Cool!!

 

As a board-certified ob-gyn physician, I am outraged about the atrocities committed against pregnant women and their unborn babies in Mariupol, Ukraine. This act of terrorism is unacceptable in a civilized society. I cannot keep quiet. Can you???

Evil has no geographic boundaries

Four Infants Hospitalized and One Death Force FDA Recall of Infant Powered Formulas

 

On February 25, 2022, the FDA issued a recall regarding three powdered infant formula brands made by Abbott Nutrition associated with bacterial infections, Salmonella and Cronobacter, which have produced at least one infant death and caused severe illnesses in three.

The contaminated powdered formula was manufactured in Sturgis, Michigan, and cases were reported in Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas between September 20, 2021, and January 11, 2022, involving Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare. The FDA recommends consumers look at the lot code, a multidigit number on the bottom of a container of powdered infant formula. The involved lot numbers are:

  • the first two digits of the code are 22 through 37; and
  • the code on the container contains K8, SH, or Z2; and
  • the expiration date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later.

Need more information? Please visit Abbott’s website to check lot numbers if you have purchased any of the brands mentioned earlier. Abbott has also provided a phone number, 1-800-986-8540. In addition, information regarding symptoms of bacterial infections is located on the FDA’s website.

Aside from breast milk, infant formulas are the only source of nutrition for babies and newborns; therefore, this recall is a serious issue. In the interest of public safety, please share this information with all new moms and families.

Asl always, remember knowledge is power. Share and empower.