SAFETY EXPERT TROOPER STEVE. THIS IS NEWS. 6 AT 09:00AM GETTING RESULTS.
>> JULIE: WITH COVID-19
HOSPITALIZATIONS REMAINING LOW
PLANS ARE STARTING TO PICK
BACK UP AND THAT INCLUDES
FAMILY PLANNING. PREGNANCY IS
A VERY SPECIAL TIME FOR A
WOMAN AND HER FAMILY’S LIFE.
HOW HAVE MATERNAL AND
PERINATAL HEALTH CHANGED IN
THE PAST FEW YEARS MORNING
ANCHOR AND HEALTH REPORTER
KIRSTIN O’CONNOR IS STANDING
BY NOW TO ASK A DOCTOR.
>> ASK A DOCTOR IS SPONSORED
BY CAN BE PRIMARY CARE
PROCEEDINGS.
BY CAN BE PRIMARY CARE
PROCEEDINGS. Greatness Lives Here. >> SO WE’VE HEARD THAT SOME
WOMEN PUT OFF PLAN PREGNANCIES
DURING EARLY LOCKDOWNS IN THE
PANDEMIC. AND RIGHT NOW THERE
ARE NO CHANGES BEING MADE.
WE’RE SEEING THAT LIVE AS
WE’RE GOING THROUGH THIS YEAR.
SOME WOMEN ARE WE GETTING ANY
MORE? SO WE WANTED TO TALK TO
A DOCTOR AND ASK SOME
QUESTIONS ABOUT FAMILY
PLANNING, WHETHER IT’S YOUR
FIRST TIME OR MAYBE YOU ARE
CONTINUING TO GROW YOUR
FAMILY. AND SO WE’RE HERE NOW
JOINED BY OUR DOCTOR JESSICA,
ON OBT LAND WITH ORLANDO
HEALTH POSITIONS, ASSOCIATES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
WITH US TODAY. THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME. SO LET’S TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS. I HAVE
A FRIEND WHO JUST HAD A BABY
THIS WEEK AND SHE HAD A VERY
DESCRIPTIVE BIRTH CERTAIN
MUSIC PLAYING. YOU WANT TO
CERTAIN LIGHTING? YEAH. AND
THEN THINGS CHANGED. SO HOW DO
YOU TALK TO PATIENTS ABOUT THE
WAY THAT THEY PLANNED FOR THAT
BIG MOMENT? YEAH, I THINK IT’S
IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT THE
THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO OCCUR
DURING YOUR BIRTH.
>> AND PREPLANNING WITH YOUR
PARTNER AND THINKING OF WHAT
THE IDEAL SITUATION WOULD BE
AND BRINGING THOSE WISHES TO
YOUR DOCTOR IN DISCUSSING
THOSE. BUT IN REALITY,
SOMETIMES YOU GET EVERYTHING
THAT YOU WANT. AND SOMETIMES
THOSE THINGS CUE FROM THE
PLAN. AND SO IT’S IMPORTANT TO
BE FLEXIBLE AND MAKE SURE THAT
YOU’RE LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE
THAT HAVE THE MOST EXPERIENCE
SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE THOSE
ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED. AND
EVERYBODY ALWAYS HAS AN
OPINION, RIGHT? EVERY MOTHER
IN LAW, EVERY, YOU KNOW,
SISTER, EVERYBODY WANTS TO
TELL YOU WHAT THE BEST PLAN
WILL BE FOR YOU. SO HOW DO YOU
ENCOURAGE YOUR PATIENTS TO
KIND OF? YOU KNOW, SPEAK UP
FOR THEMSELVES? I THINK IT’S
IMPORTANT TO SPEAK UP FOR
YOURSELF. AND THAT’S WHAT A
BIRTH PLAN CAN KIND OF DO. IT
IS KIND OF SETTING FORTH WHAT
YOUR WISHES ARE AND A LOT OF
TIMES PEOPLE WELL THOUGHT THE
PIECE OF PAPER OR A FORM
ONLINE AND THEY CAN BRING IT
TO THEIR DOCTOR. AND IT KIND
OF LET THEIR VOICE BE HEARD.
ALSO BRING A COPY TO THE
HOSPITAL, ALLOWS THE NURSING
STAFF TO LOOK OVER IT. SO THEN
WHEN YOU MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT
INTIMIDATED AND EXPERIENCE
THAT YOU’RE NOT USED TO, THEY
KNOW WHAT YOU WANT.
>> HOW ABOUT WHEN YOU’RE JUST
TALKING TO YOUR PATIENTS ABOUT
FAMILY PLANNING IN GENERAL? I
MEAN, SOMETIMES IT’S
UNEXPECTED. YOU DON’T REALIZE
THAT IT’S GOING TO TAKE MONTHS
TO GET PREGNANT. ABSOLUTELY.
IT’S IT’S CAN EXPERIENCE, EVEN
IF YOU WANTED TO BE PERFECTLY,
YOU KNOW ONE, EVERYTHING THAT
AIRLINES DON’T HAPPEN THAT
WAY, RIGHT? HOW DO YOU COUNSEL
PEOPLE THROUGH THAT? WHAT ARE
SOME WAYS THAT YOU CAN, YOU
KNOW, ENCOURAGING PATIENTS TO
JUST? GO WITH THE FLOW LITTLE.
ABSOLUTELY. SO IT’S IMPORTANT
JUST TO LISTEN TO THEIR ADVICE
AND TO TRY TO DO THINGS THAT
KEEP YOUR STRESS LOW. AND, YOU
KNOW, EXERCISE AND SELF CARE
AND KNOW THAT THINGS HAPPEN
WITH WHEN THEY’RE MEANT TO
HAPPEN. DO YOU EVER HAVE A
PATIENT VISITS WHERE YOU JUST
SIT AND TALK ABOUT PREGNANCY
PLANNING? ABSOLUTELY. WE DO
THAT ALL THE TIME. WE TALK
WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN PREPARE
TO KEEP THEMSELVES AS HEALTHY
AS POSSIBLE. AND WE ALSO TALK
ABOUT THINGS THAT THEY CAN BE
DOING TO PREPARE FOR GIVING
BIRTH BEING PREGNANT. THOSE
LAST FEW APPOINTMENTS BEFORE
THE BIG MOMENT, THE TIME IN
THE HOSPITAL ARE VERY
IMPORTANT. ABSOLUTELY. AND I
KNOW BEFORE PREGNANCY, ONE OF
THE THINGS YOU DISCUSSED
PRETTY REGULARLY ARE PRENATAL
YS. AND WHEN TO START THOSE
PRELATE PRENATAL VITAMINS. CAN
YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THAT? YES. SO IF YOU ARE
THINKING ABOUT GETTING
PREGNANT IF YOU’RE NOT USE
ANYTHING TO PREVENT PREGNANCY,
IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE ON. SOME
TYPE OF PRENATAL VITAMIN OR
FOLIC ACID SUPPLEMENT. USUALLY
I RECOMMEND AT LEAST 3 TO 6
MONTHS BEFORE SOMEBODY IS
THINKING ABOUT BECAUSE THAT
HELPS PREVENT NEURAL TUBE
DEFECTS AND BABIES. SO IT’S
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN
DO TO KEEP YOUR BODY HEALTHY
AND TO FIELD EFFECT. AND
THAT’S IMPORTANT TO BE DOING
MONTHS BEFORE YOU EVEN GET
PREGNANT. YEAH, I DON’T THINK
EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THAT.
YEAH. WHAT ABOUT SOME OF THOSE
BIRTH PLAN ITEMS THAT YOU
WOULD NOT SUGGEST? IS THERE
ANYTHING THAT YOU TELL PEOPLE
MAYBE DON’T PUT THAT ON
PLANET? I THINK THAT YOU CAN
SAY I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THESE
PEOPLE PRESENT. I’D LIKE TO
HAVE CERTAIN MUSIC OR CERTAIN
LIGHTING OR SO. YOU KNOW, I
WANT HAVE A NATURAL DELIVERY.
BUT AGAIN, THERE NEEDS TO BE
FLEXIBILITY SO SAYING I
ABSOLUTELY DO NOT WANT AN
EPIDURAL. WELL, THERE MAY BE A
CHANCE YOU MIGHT NEED AN
EPIDURAL OR JUST SAY
ABSOLUTELY WANT NO IV FLUID.
SOMETIMES YOUR BODY NEEDS
THOSE THINGS. SO REALLY THE
FLEXIBILITY IS THE BIG THINGS
ARE HAPPENING. NO, I DO NOT
WANT OR SAY JUST I PREFER NOT
TO HAVE THIS. YEAH. TRY TO
REMEMBER THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE
THERE FOR YOU ARE TO HELP.
YES. NOW YOU ARE ACCEPTING NEW
PATIENTS RIGHT NOW ON TO YES,
I AM. OKAY. SO HOW CAN PEOPLE
FIND YOU? THEY CAN FIND ON
ORLANDO HEALTH’S WEBSITE I’M
PART OF PHYSICIANS. SO SHIPS.