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One of the highlights of my month was being featured in the Black History Month display in the Florida University Hospital lobby. ❤️

I took my baby boy to see it because I wanted him to think about the perseverance of generations before him. When I was a child, my mother and grandmother shared their love of sewing with me. After becoming a surgeon, I realized that fine detail work translates to surgery. Although the generations of women before us were prevented from pursuing careers like surgery, the skills and passion they passed down have allowed us to thrive in these roles. Thank you to the Florida University Hospital staff for this honor and opportunity for reflection ✨

Traditionally, midwifery was a practice passed down from generation to generation. Amanda Carey Carter learned her skill as a fourth-generation midwife from her mother, Susie Carey. Together (over eight decades!) they delivered hundreds of babies in the Piedmont region of Virginia.

As the eldest of eight children, Daniel Hale Williams knew he had to leave a legacy. After graduating from Chicago Medical College in 1883, he went on to do just that. As one of four Black physicians in Chicago, Dr. Williams cared for both Black and white patients. He opened Provident Hospital, the nation’s first Black-owned hospital, in 1891. In 1893, Dr. Williams was the first person to ever perform open heart surgery successfully, which he performed without modern tools like X-rays and antibiotics. Dr. Williams was a civil rights activist and an avid supporter of equality in medicine.

Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️ Chocolate is a traditional gift to celebrate this day of love. To treat your loved one while also taking care of their heart, add some delicious dark chocolate to their sweets box this year! Here are a few of the benefits:

💕Dark chocolate is rich in flavonols, which improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. This make dark chocolate great for your heart.

💕Dark chocolate contains antioxidants that lower cortisol, a stress hormone. A piece of chocolate can boost your mood when you need a pick-me-up!

💕Dark chocolate is iron-rich.

💕The flavonoids in dark chocolate also help protect your skin from UV damage.

💕Dark chocolate has been linked to improved blood flow in the brain, helping cognitive function.

💕Dark chocolate’s rich flavor can be a great substitute for sweet or fatty cravings.

Advancements in laser hair removal technology have made the procedure a convenient, comfortable method of hair removal. Would you ever try laser?

Dr. Jane Cooke Wright earned her medical degree in 1945 before joining the Cancer Research Foundation at Harlem Hospital. Together with her father, Dr. Wright researched chemotherapy drugs. Thanks to the success she had with leukemia and lymphoma patients, she was appointed head of the Cancer Research Foundation at the age of 33. Dr. Wright continued to break glass ceilings throughout her career, becoming the first woman president of the New York Cancer Society and a founding member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

At this year’s Grammys, Joni Mitchell showed us that you are never too late to try something new and accomplish a dream. In fact, women of all backgrounds dominated this year’s performances, nominations, and wins across genres. A great reminder that you are not too young or too late, you are an incredible woman and you are right on time. ✨

Short, concentrated bursts of exercise are just as effective as one continuous session. I’m a huge fan of mini workouts! 💪🏾 What’s your preference?

Acne is the most common skin condition in the US, affecting about 85% of people aged 12-24. Treating acne breakouts early can:

* Reduce scarring. Treating acne early may prevent you from picking at your acne, which can cause scarring.
* Stop the development of lingering spots. Dark or red spots can appear on skin after acne clears.
* Lower your chance of severe breakouts. Early treatment can stop the progression of mild breakouts.
* Lower the chance you’ll need strong medication. Severe breakouts often require strong medicines that can carry a risk of side effects.
* Shorten the length of your experience with acne. Acne can begin at a young age and last for years. Early treatment can prevent future breakouts.
* Help sidestep emotional distress. Severe acne breakouts can negatively affect self-esteem and social development.

Iron deficiency can affect your body in many ways. Here are some symptoms that may indicate you have low iron levels.

1. You’re always cold. A lack of iron affects the way your thyroid functions, and thyroid hormones help regulate body temperature.
2. You’re always tired. Fatigue is a common symptom of iron deficiency.
3. You experience shortness of breath. Iron helps move oxygen throughout your body, so low iron can cause shortness of breath.
4. You feel irritable and anxious. Studies have shown that people with lower levels of iron experience more irritability than those with regular levels of iron.
5. Your hair is changing. Excessive hair loss can be a sign of low iron.
6. You’re depressed. Iron helps to make dopamine, and low dopamine is linked to depression.

Strong women support strong women 💖

Aerobic activities are ones that require you to move large muscles in the body in a rhythmic way. This movement should be enough to raise your heart rate and make you start to sweat.

Some examples of pregnancy-safe activities are:
🚶🏽‍♀️brisk walking
🪴gardening
🧘‍♀️ yoga

Try fitting small, consistent increments of activity into your schedule, starting small and increasing your time as you adjust.

Staying active during pregnancy is good for you and your baby, but not all exercises are safe to perform while pregnant. If you’re expecting, you should hold off on the following activities until after you deliver and are given the all-clear by your doctor:

—Contact sports that carry a risk of getting hit in the abdomen, like soccer, football, hockey, boxing, and basketball

—Activities that carry a fall risk, like skiing, snowboarding, gymnastics, and horseback riding

—Hot yoga or hot Pilates

—Skydiving or scuba diving

—Activities performed at high altitudes (over 6,000 feet)

You are not too young. You are not too late. You are right on time ✨

Happy new year! Looking forward to what this new year has in store ✨

#2024

What a year! Here are some of my favorite memories from 2023! Lots of smiles, experiences, and fun. Looking forward to starting the new year off with my family! What are you looking forward to in 2024? 🥳

It’s the season of giving, and every visit from our Oasis families feels like a gift 🎁

Endometrial ablation is a one time nonhormonal treatment for women with heavy menstrual bleeding. During the procedure, radio frequency, energy is delivered to the lining of the uterus to reduce or eliminate menstrual bleeding.

Holiday season means extra time with your loved ones. While having your little shine all day can be amazing, it can also be a challenge trying to manage their needs and your schedule. Here are some tips to help you navigate school breaks.

🎄Plan recreational activities before lunch: trips to the playground (or indoor playground) and backyard activities are great way to burn through pent-up energy and work up appetites. After lunch, you can hopefully get some down time during nap or quiet time.

🎄Make use of your local library. Local libraries often offer activities for little ones or have play areas as well as books that can transport them to different worlds. Make sure to check the holiday hours before you go!

🎄Schedule play dates. Intentional planning of play dates with your friends whose children are also on break can be fun for you and your littles. Plan who’s hosting ahead of time to share the load.

🎄Be kind to yourself. It’s easy to get caught in the little details during the holidays, but try your best not to. Your children will love spending extra time with you and these are the moments that will be forever memories 💗

The weather has cooled down a bit, and your skincare routine may reflect that. Save these tips for maintaining healthy skin through the winter!

In this season of giving, remember to give yourself a little love.

There’s nothing like seeing the smiles of our beautiful and their gorgeous mommies! 🧡

One of the best parts of what I do is getting visits from your little bundles of joy 🧡

I love surgery day, mostly because I’m already envisioning you with your problem behind you. I know you’ve been anxiously awaiting this day. It took a long time for you to make the decision that enough is enough. Be it that excessive bleeding leading to anemia and fatigue or the pain that just won’t let you be great. I’m happy to walk you through the process to find the right solution for you. Happy to answer your questions so you’re confident in your treatment plan.

Today in the OR I’m treating excessive bleeding. One thing I’ve noticed is that women will often put up with abnormal bleeding for a long time, hoping that it will go away on its own. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. The right solution for you may be medication, surgery, or a combination. The first step is to write down your symptoms and your questions and reach out to your gynecologist to start the conversation.

Food prep, hosting family, planning out Black Friday shopping… it can be easy to forget about mindful habits on Thanksgiving. Here are some things to keep in mind as you enjoy this day of food and family 🦃

🍁Eat breakfast. Skipping breakfast and lunch will increase your hunger, which could encourage overeating at dinner.

🍁 Make new, active traditions. Taking an after-dinner walk or playing a round of football outside are great ways to spend family time and burn some extra calories.

🍁Stay hydrated. Thanksgiving foods can mean extra salt in your diet, and staying hydrated can help flush out your system.

🍁Slow down. While it’s tempting to go back for seconds and thirds, your body may not thank you for it. Eating slower will let you know when your body is full.

No matter how many babies I deliver it never ceases to be miraculous. ✨
Grateful to walk with my patients in their journey to motherhood. Thank you for bringing this gorgeous for a visit!

It was great to see our Postpartum Nutrafol Giveaway winner and her precious Oasis baby! ☺️

RSV is a respiratory virus that spreads in the winter and is especially dangerous for babies and children. Pfizer’s RDV vaccine i safe to take during pregnancy and provides antibodies that will pass to your baby to offer protection for the first six months of their life.