Stethoscopes and Strollers
Welcome to Stethoscopes & Strollers! I'm Dr. Toya, mom of two, OBGYN, and coach for physician moms. Here, we go beyond the hospital halls, into the messy, magical early years of parenting—think diapers, sleepless nights, and figuring out how to deal with all those unexpected twists and turns.
Every episode, I dive into topics like mental health, the ins and outs of postpartum sex, sorting out childcare, and how having little ones changes your marriage. We’ll talk about getting back to work after baby, the real deal with mom guilt thanks to those tough doctor schedules, what pumping at work is really like, and how to keep all the balls in the air without dropping any. We’re here to get real about the hard choices, like deciding to stop breastfeeding, and so much more. This is a space for focusing on taking care of you, because managing scrubs and swaddles takes a village.
You'll figure out how to ask for and actually accept help, because let’s be honest, getting support is crucial for thriving as both a mom and a doctor.
Just a quick heads-up: while we're all about sharing and supporting, remember this isn’t medical advice. We’re here to connect, share experiences, and grow—together, without the medical jargon.
So, grab your coffee or tea, and get ready to dive into those parts of being a physician mom that don't get talked about enough. You're not riding this roller coaster alone, and you definitely deserve all the support you can get.
Tune in to Stethoscopes & Strollers for some real, honest insights and practical tips to make momming a bit easier. It’s time to get the conversation started!
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Stethoscopes and Strollers
99. A Trinidadian New Year, A Physician Mom’s Reminder
Hey Doc,
It’s Ole Year’s Day, as we say in Trinidad! And whether you call it Ole Year’s Day or New Year’s Eve, the energy’s the same: reflect, reset, repeat.
Before you close the book on the year — or let your mind spiral on all the things that didn’t happen — I want you to do one thing (well, two):
Remember what did.
Pause on that instinct to scroll through everything that didn’t happen.
This isn’t the moment to self-diagnose your shortcomings.
It’s the moment to recognize what went well this year — even if it was messy, inconsistent, or only happened once.
You’re here. You kept showing up. And maybe you even got a full night’s sleep once or twice.
That counts.
🎧 Tune in before the clock strikes midnight and let this be your reminder that you don’t need a perfect year to be proud of it.
What did you think of the episode, doc? Let me know!
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Hey Doc, it's Ole years day and if you are like, what the hell is Ole years? It's New Year's Eve in Trinidad and Tobago. We say December 31st is Ole years day, OLE, as in old. So it's the. Day of the old year. Ole years day. Okay. That was your quick lesson in Trinidadian English.
so I really only say New Year's Eve when I'm speaking to an American. Otherwise, it's ole years. So happy ole years and I, this will be another very quick episode just to. Quickly reflect on 2025, and when you look back on your year, it is very easy to look back at all the things that didn't happen, all the things you weren't able to accomplish, all of the bad things that may have happened, the meetings you got pulled into by your office manager, the RVU requirements, you didn't meet the nanny that you had to fire, like all of these things that didn't go as planned, but I really want to encourage you to not just sweep those things the under the rug, because I'm sure they had a great impact on your life and the way that you experienced this year. But please don't forget to look at the things that went well to.
Celebrate all of the wins and really looking at things that you may not even consider wins, right? The fact that you are still alive on December 31st, 2025, that's a win. Did you close all your charts on time? Even if it wasn't consistent throughout the year, did you do it for one week?
That's something to celebrate. At least you know that you can.
Did your husband get the kids up on the weekend, made them breakfast and entertain them while you slept in one weekend outta the entire year, and it never happened again? Great. Celebrate that. 'cause at least you know that it could be done. It is possible. Whatever the small things are, you want to really think about those things and celebrate them because it is easy for you to let this entire year go by in a flash of disappointment and anger and frustration thinking that.
Nothing worked out. It was so stressful. And just disregard everything that went well, everything that brought you joy, everything that made you smile, every moment of connection with your kids, with your husband, I want you to end this year feeling good about yourself, even if there is room for improvement, even if there is room for growth. If you want things to be way better in 2026 This year had some light in it as well. I am positive it did. Don't forget those, those moments. You deserve to feel that flicker of contentment and pride and joy when you reflect on 2025.
So I will see you in 2026. It's gonna be a wonderful year. It was a really crazy year for our household and my extended family with all sorts of shit. All sorts of shit in 2025, but it was also an amazing and amazing year, and I started off saying the theme was the universe had my back, and it surely did, and I can't wait to see what 2026 brings.
So I wish you a happy New Year and happy Ole years. Enjoy your ole years night celebrations and I'll see you on the next episode of Stethoscopes and Strollers.
