Themamadoc.net (2025)

21/08/2025

Did you know you can exercise during pregnancy? 🧐

Here’s a list of why it’s vital:
-improves circulation and lowers the risk for deep venous thrombosis (“blood clots”) in the veins of your legs 🩺
-keeps your muscles toned and builds 💪🏾endurance so you can push better when it’s time to meet your baby
-releases endorphins (think of them as feel good hormones) to improve your mental health 🧘🏾‍♀️
-it’s not just a good investment to reduce your risk for developing gestational diabetes

Check out these strategies to keep your exercises safe during pregnancy (I’m a Peloton girlie so download the app on your smartphone (which is free for 30 day trial) and search “prenatal” for content for you:

1️⃣ In first trimester give yourself grace while you have nausea, breast tenderness and fatigue. Once you start to feel better (around 10-14 weeks) when your beta HCG hormone has plateaued you can resume your usual exercises that you did before pregnancy: ride a stationary bike, lift heavy weights, jump through tires in CrossFit 🏋🏾‍♀️

2️⃣ In second trimester you need to modify (at least by 20 weeks) because your center of gravity has changed due to your growing uterus. Your risk for falling forward is higher (like when you are walking your dog) and your lumber spine is experiencing more pressure (start wearing a belly band or maternity belt during workouts for some back support). This is the time to do yoga, walk in your neighborhood 🚶🏾‍♀️, get on the elliptical at your local gym.

3️⃣ In third trimester you may need new tennis shoes for the swollen feet but now we want to avoid intra-abdominal pressure. Lifting heavy weights, going squats or deadlifts could make your body think you want to deliver a preterm infant. Instead lift light weights with more reps, 🏊🏽‍♀️swim in a pool to reduce your low back pain or do Pilates in 10 min sessions 3 times daily (ideally after each meal).

11/08/2025

I imagine many of you are dressing your children so fresh, so clean this morning for the first day of school. I pray that it is a good school year for your little ones and for all of you who are educators or administrators.

You know what is hard to teach…cultural context. It can be done and I would say it is required to reduce implicit bias but it means we acknowledge: 1) we have differences, 2) those differences are beautiful and need to be studied for enrichment not suppressed in an act of assimilation, 3) the need to learn about culture from the source (not some interpretation from someone who does not identify with the culture such as a culture vulture)

Need an example: while checking on a postpartum patient I asked about her child’s name. When she told me, I then asked my usual follow up question “does your baby have a nickname?” She said “3 stacks.” I said that reminds me of Andre 3000 from Outkast. She said “that’s why we chose it.”

Do you have to be Black, a hip hop head, or from the dirty South to love this rap duo? No, but you may have missed the reference if you do not fit into those categories. It matters that you try to connect with people so you can see their pain, food choices, life stressors from their perspective. This is how we can teach people outside of the culture to see us as human. Where you find empathy, you will find cures for Black maternal mortality.

Cheers to the new school year and I hope you stay so fresh, so clean the entire year!

06/08/2025

I know a breastfed baby when I see one…it’s the cheeks for me! It’s World Breastfeeding Week and I want you to be successful on your journey.

Here is my list of the top 5 things no one tells you about breastfeeding:

1. 80% of breastmilk is water. Your supply may be low because you’re dehydrated. This is your excuse to buy a cute cup so you can keep track. You should drink at least 1/2 of your body weight in ounces (if you weigh 160 lbs, drink at least 80 ounces of water per day)

2. Make sure you partner with a lactation consultant. When you watch a basketball game, do you ever notice that person on the sidelines shouting at players? That’s the coach. You need one too, doll, to be successful (maybe without the shouting). Breastfeeding can have obstacles so these “lactation coaches” can be critical

3. Stop pumping for 30 min straight. I don’t know why the pumps will automatically shut off after 30 min but this could destroy breast tissue. Instead do power pumping: see the example slide (pump for 20 min and then rest for 10 min then pump again for 10 min)

4. Unless your baby just won’t latch (even with a ni**le shield), put the pump down at least for the first 4 weeks after birth. Let’s assume you’re on maternity leave, the goal during this time is to establish your milk supply so keep baby on your chest. Just being around your baby will help you make milk. Latching is definitely less labor intensive if you ask me but I’m biased because I hated cleaning pump parts (definitely buy a second set of pump parts…you’ll thank me later)

5. Meet with a psychotherapist. A lot of postpartum mothers feel guilty if they are unsuccessful with breastfeeding or feel judged if they choose not to breastfeed. I want your baby fed and I want you happy…I just want you to be encouraged to do hard things like breastfeeding. Think of it like natural hair care, it takes some learning but you will be so proud of yourself when you get the hang of it!

01/08/2025

In the few summer days that remain, I want you to know how to navigate travel while pregnant. ✈️🧳🚢

Share these 5 tips with your pregnant 🤰🏽friends:
1) Know where you would go in your destination city for emergency care 🏥
-you need to know the name of the ER/hospital closest to your hotel/resort/rental home before you leave
-you need to know how far away it is and how you would get there
-make sure it is a maternity hospital with a NICU
-be mindful of local customs & traditions: some countries may not allow Dad in the room with you and some hospitals do not have private rooms

2) Really consider rescheduling international travel 🇹🇭
-I hope you got trip insurance, doll, because you may have a pregnancy complication so you don’t want to end up needing surgery in another country.
-delay that trip to ride the elephants in Thailand until after baby is born (get that baby a passport ASAP)

3) Wear compression stockings during your flight 🧦
-pregnant women are at risk for deep venous thromboses (DVT) which can be life threatening if they move to the lungs to become pulmonary emboli (PE)
-sitting for long periods of time on a flight can also promote DVT or PE
-wearing compression stockings, moving your legs and taking Aspirin can reduce the risk of developing DVT or PES

4) Keep a copy of your prenatal records on you 📑
-sometimes your airline wants to verify your due date and the ER in your destination city may need to see your last labs.
-Ask your OB/Gyn for a copy of your prenatal records before you leave or make sure you have WiFi access to show your prenatal record on your patient portal

5) Have fun but use common sense 🧐
-No…you can’t drive an ATV but you can take a bus tour of the city
-No…you can’t get into the hot tub but you can soak in the pool
-No…you can’t get on that rollercoaster but you can eat a funnel cake (assuming you don’t have gestational diabetes)

Take lots of pictures but be safe✌🏾

21/07/2025

This loss hurts because Theo felt like family. I don’t know that I would have become an Ob/Gyn without the influence of the Cosby Show. Every Thursday night at 8 pm CST I tuned into that show. Not all tv shows are trash…it was inspirational and celebrated a Black family in the way that I was accustomed to seeing Black families. Dr. Huxtable was not at the hospital much (like I am) but he was heavy on the family values & morals. I will never forget the episode when he told Theo he didn’t have enough Monopoly money to afford a girlfriend.

In recent years I was very impressed by this actor’s portrayal of a surgeon on The Resident. He was heavy on ego and scary which is pretty typical for cardiothoracic surgeon.

Prayers to the family of Malcolm Jamal-Warner.

25/06/2025

In June we celebrate cancer survivors! I think a lot of people approach the topic of cancer like “I hope I don’t get it.” What if we approached it like “I’m going to do something to prevent it.” Let’s put faith over fear by making sure we are up to date on screenings:
1) Schedule your well woman exam for your Pap smear (cervical cancer screen)
2) Take a friend with you to your screening mammogram (breast cancer screening) and then go to the spa afterwards for massages
3) Drive a loved one over age 45 to the hospital for colonoscopy (colon cancer screening)

If you or someone you know does not have medical insurance, you should still pursue screenings. Look for organizations that raise money to pay for screenings such as mammograms like

I was invited to be on the medical board of SurviveHer this year and I could not be more pleased to support this impactful organization which not only provides money for screenings such mammograms but also supports breast cancer survivors through programming & care packages. Follow the IG page for , feel free to drop names of a cancer survivor in the comments so we can pray for their strength, send a token of love to a cancer survivor whom you know and do something proactive today to lower your cancer risk!

19/06/2025

This Juneteenth I want to be joyful about our freedom but I have a heavy heart for the family of Ms. Adriana Smith. She was declared brain dead in February 2025 but was kept alive due to her 9 week old embryo based on the Georgia law regarding having a pregnancy with a detectable heart beat.

On 6/13/25 her infant was delivered by emergency cesarean section and Ms. Smith was taken off of life support on Tuesday 6/17/25.

All we can do now is pray for her infant so he can overcome the physical challenges of being preterm and we should pray about his mental fortitude regarding a life without his mother.

The way we can honor Ms. Smith and our ancestors on this Juneteenth is by pursuing estate planning. Young women who become pregnant are not likely thinking about end of life issues but as we fight to lower the Black maternal mortality rate we must prepare ourselves if some unfortunate circumstances occur. I urge each of you reading this page to get life insurance, to create a will and develop an advanced directive (also known as a living will) so that your family & your physicians will know your wishes if you were impaired so that you could not advocate for yourself or if you died. This preparation will not change the laws of your state so keep yourself up to date on the local laws.

May God accept the spirit of Ms. Smith with open arms, may He cover her son with the blood of the Lamb and may we pour libations this Juneteenth over any Black woman who has lost agency of her body…we shall overcome!

✊🏿❤️🖤💚

23/05/2025

Fertility can be tough. Some people spend the vast majority of their lives trying not to get pregnant and when they want to conceive they can’t. Other people had a baby before they were ready but struggle to find the right contraception method that won’t give them overwhelming side effects.

Wherever you are in your fertility journey, I can empathize with you and help you. .obgyn we partner with awesome fertility specialists in the greater Houston area. If you need fertility treatments but the cost is a barrier, then here is a dose of hope for you!

Scan the QR code or visit http://www.yourivfgrant.com/ to apply for in vitro fertilization grants or genetic testing coverage.

Grants can be used at any clinic, but those choosing Aspire Houston Fertility Institute will also receive a 10% discount on fertility services. Deadline is JUNE 23,2025

Be safe this Memorial Day Weekend and be encouraged if you want to pursue motherhood!

16/04/2025

Once upon a time when I was in medical school , I was invited to participate in a week long training at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. It gave me an incredible opportunity to meet medical students from across the nation—-from Morehouse to Harvard. We attended lectures, practiced medical procedures and simulations. I am still Facebook friends with many of these awesome individuals who practice medicine even today. This program targeted minority students to recruit physicians of color to Mayo Clinic back when systemic racism in healthcare was acknowledged.

The problem with our current state of affairs is that removal of diversity and inclusion programs (often called DEI initiatives) does not erase the legacy of hatred towards persons of color in this country.

Not only will there be less Black physicians in the future if we do not do something radical about diversity….the shortage of OB/Gyns in the U.S. will worsen Black maternal health crisis.

This is a call to action:
1) DEI initiatives are good for everyone particularly in healthcare because where there is a diverse population there will be diverse thoughts about how to care about those patients by taking into account cultural & ethnic contexts
2) We have to change the laws that reduce reproductive freedoms—-particularly in southern U.S. states—since they are not only reducing access to care but discouraging medical students from entering the Ob/Gyn specialty.
3) I implore to change the structure of our specialty which is too vast—-I recommend 2 years of general Ob/Gyn residency and 2 years of track specific training (to prepare for general Ob/Gyn care, specialty training Gyn oncology, or hospitalist medicine) We have to reduce the burnout with creative solutions to help Ob/Gyns rest & perform self care
4) We must work collaboratively with other birth workers to save

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