“Rochelle” came to me after a new diagnosis: gestational diabetes (also known as GD or GDM). She was anxious about what GD meant for her pregnancy and wondered what had caused it. Diabetes is a condition in which too much glucose (sugar) stays in…
As an ob-gyn, I ask all my patients who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy if they use marijuana. Many do. Most often they use marijuana to treat pain, nausea, poor appetite, or anxiety. My patients often think that marijuana use is…
As an ob-gyn, I like to give patients advice that I would follow myself. This approach took on new meaning when I got pregnant with my first child in 2023. Now I can offer my personal experience when talking with my patients. And lately, we’ve be…
I get this question from many of my patients. As a maternal–fetal medicine (MFM) specialist, I provide care for women with complicated pregnancies. In my experience, they are usually looking for more than a “yes” or “no” answer. My pa…
After an unexpected cesarean birth, first-time mom Mikayla found herself learning to cope with breastfeeding problems, postpartum depression, and anxiety. Mikayla, who is now 31 and lives in North Dakota, eventually found help for he…
As an ob-gyn, I’ve seen the many ways that labor and delivery can go—and how different the experience of pain can be each time. There are so many factors that may vary the pain you feel. For example, having a bigger baby may be more un…
If you’re planning to breastfeed, there are some things you can do in your last month of pregnancy that may make the process easier. I tell my patients that while breastfeeding is totally natural, it’s also the hardest thing I ever did…
Pregnancy and childbirth can be a vulnerable time in your life. You may experience depression and anxiety while you are pregnant or after you give birth. And you may not be sure how to get the help that you need to cope with these common challen…
First-time moms usually have a long list of questions. They want to do everything they can to protect their pregnancy, and there is a lot to think about. Each week can come with new symptoms, confusing advice from friends and family, and potent…
It's recommended that if you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant you should not drink alcohol. This will keep any risk to your baby to a minimum. Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to the baby, with the more you drink, t…
