What New Moms Aren’t Told | Yasmin Prevot | Episode #13

In this episode of Chasing Heritage, Chase Hardin interviews Yasmin, postpartum nurse and co-founder of The Ark Discovery Center, for an eye-opening conversation about childbirth, postpartum recovery, and the support families truly need during early parenthood.

Drawing from her experience in postpartum nursing, Yasmin explains what happens after delivery, how hospitals care for mothers and newborns, and why many women struggle emotionally and physically during the postpartum period.

The conversation explores topics including C-sections, Pitocin inductions, epidurals, postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, and the emotional impact of infant loss. Yasmin also highlights the lack of long-term support available for many mothers after leaving the hospital and why stronger community systems are needed.

Additionally, Chase and Yasmin discuss early childhood development, emphasizing the importance of bonding, floor play, human interaction, and limiting excessive screen exposure during a child’s earliest years.

The episode also introduces The Ark Discovery Center, a new family-centered space focused on helping parents build stronger connections with their children while supporting developmental readiness during the first five years of life.

This conversation is both educational and deeply human, offering practical insight and emotional awareness for parents, caregivers, and anyone preparing for the journey of raising children.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Things are usually okay for a little while, and then you're like, hey, this is actually really starting to hurt. I would like some medication. Yeah. Um, because the contractions are very intense.

SPEAKER_07 0:09

Yeah. The medical industry has taken over. And the doctor is not your mom.

SPEAKER_02 0:14

A lot of times they don't have enough staffing. A lot of times they don't have enough resources, enough support. Like, you know, even me working, um, a lot of times people will be like, well, is lactation coming? I'm like, well, they're not in on the weekends.

SPEAKER_07 0:35

I hear that you are a part of um some of the most crucial moments in a family's life, um, which is giving birth, right? Or the development of a child. Um tell me more about that.

SPEAKER_02 0:52

Yeah, so um before I took on this new business venture, I was a postpartum nurse, and um that is um that part typically happens after the first hour or two after the mom has given birth. And you know that she stays in the hospital, we just try to make sure that she's stable, the baby is stable, everybody's stable and doing well, uh baby shows no signs of you know distress, or mom shows no signs of distress and everybody is doing okay.

SPEAKER_07 1:25

Okay, so a postpartum nurse, so after the baby's born, okay. What are some maybe challenges that you might face or or deal with during that time period?

SPEAKER_02 1:37

Yeah, so so um as long as you know everybody is doing well, that it's all great, but we've seen things like we have to be vigilant um and just make sure that you know mom is bleeding the way that she's supposed to be bleeding, so no excessive bleeding, because that can, you know, be signs of um something is wrong. Okay. Um making sure that her fundus, so where the baby was, um, is you know, shrinking down appropriately.

SPEAKER_06 2:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 2:06

Um making sure that the baby doesn't have any signs, making sure that the baby's having their you know, their bowel movements, that they're they're you know, using the bathroom the way that they should. Yes. Um and um feeding the way that they should be, making sure that their abdomen feels soft and is not, you know, the standard or anything like that. Um making sure that the baby's not crying excessively, and I know that can be subjective for a lot of people.

unknown 2:32

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 2:33

Um making sure that the newborn doesn't have any signs of jaundice, making sure that the newborn doesn't have any um developments on the skull or anything like that. Making sure that, you know, they're just they're progressing the way that they should be.

SPEAKER_07 2:46

So are you there during the birth as a postpartum nurse? So you come in shortly after.

SPEAKER_02 2:53

So typically not. Okay. Um typically not. They can get um, they typically get transferred to our unit.

SPEAKER_06 3:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 3:02

Um, and um if if if the hospital needs, then you know, I it could have been a situation where I was there for their delivery.

SPEAKER_05 3:11

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 3:11

And um now that they're now on postpartum, they need a new, they need a nurse over there because the the ratio calls for it, then I'll go over there with them um and just continue their care there. But my specialty my specialty is postpartum.

SPEAKER_07 3:25

So does that include the NICU unit?

SPEAKER_02 3:29

Um, it does not. NICU has their own set of nurses um that have that are skilled. Although NICU is a part of women's services, so I have been trained to work in the NICU as well.

SPEAKER_05 3:40

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 3:41

Um, and it can be a situation where like I'm taking care of mom on postpartum and NICU needs another nurse over there, so I'm running back and forth in between the two units. Yeah. Um and just making sure that baby's stable over there, reporting back to mom, and saying, like, you know, hey mom.

SPEAKER_07 3:55

So so how many births would you call like normal births, right? Where the the baby is born, they get the immediate check from the doctor, and then they go to you.

SPEAKER_02 4:08

So like a standard, like Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 4:10

How many of them percentage-wise did you say are are like normal births? I would here.

SPEAKER_02 4:16

I would say probably a good 85%. Okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 4:21

Is that is that a good a good number?

SPEAKER_02 4:24

I would I would say so. I mean, I I haven't I haven't necessarily done any research, but from what I've seen, and you know, just from speaking to my uh colleagues, I would say like, you know, there's a good like probably 85% that are you know normal birds.

SPEAKER_07 4:40

So what what would constitute like an average size for a baby? What is a good weight? So Or like what's a baby that you look at and like, yeah, he's Michael Jordan.

SPEAKER_02 4:51

He's just gonna be crushing it. That's called large for gestational age. Um Large for gestational age.

SPEAKER_07 4:58

For gestational age.

SPEAKER_02 4:59

Okay.

SPEAKER_07 5:00

Um and there's a lot of Michael Jordan's baby.

SPEAKER_02 5:03

It's not called Michael Jordan's baby.

SPEAKER_07 5:04

All right.

SPEAKER_02 5:06

Um I would say about seven pounds is what we like to see, you know, sometimes creeping into the eights, but once you reach like, you know, eight pounds, 13 ounces, we start to, you know. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 5:20

What's the the you know, largest gestational age baby?

SPEAKER_02 5:24

Um so the largest, the largest baby that I have seen had to have been, I would say 10 pounds. Yeah, 10 pounds. 10 pounds, I know. My goodness. And I felt so bad for mom because she had brought brought like all these newborn-sized clothes, and I was like, mom, baby's not fitting that. Baby's not fitting that. Oh man.

SPEAKER_07 5:50

Oh, wow. Wow, that's amazing. That's amazing. So, like, what size of a baby before there like can be problems? Like, does a 10-pound baby create issues? So, yes. Like, does that mean you're definitely getting a C section?

SPEAKER_02 6:07

More than likely. More than likely, because at that point you are uh babies at increased risk for shoulder dystocia.

SPEAKER_07 6:16

So that's when the baby sold shoulder dystosia.

SPEAKER_02 6:20

I know, I know. Shoulder dystosia. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a mouthful. Um, shoulder dystosia is when the shoulders get stuck in the birth canal. And so that obviously is a big problem. Yeah. Um, and then so um at that point, mom would most likely uh they would want to be safe and she would be, you know, guided to have a C-section. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 6:43

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_07 6:45

So I've heard that nowadays that C-sections are like recommended by like medical professionals or doctors. Would you what what is your thought on that? Do you feel like they push that or they don't?

SPEAKER_02 7:02

I from my from what I've seen, um, some hospitals more than others.

SPEAKER_07 7:07

Okay. Um why do you think that is? Why do you think a hospital would push for more C-sections in another hospital?

SPEAKER_02 7:16

Um, because that's something that they can bill higher for. Really? Definitely. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 7:22

They can bill higher. Interesting.

SPEAKER_02 7:25

How much higher? I'm not sure. I don't I'm not sure how much.

SPEAKER_07 7:29

You definitely know, yes, there's more money coming from.

SPEAKER_02 7:31

Yeah, um, I've definitely seen some situations where I was like, hmm, I don't know that she necessarily needed to be cut. But you know, they're maybe we're nearing year's end. That's why you see a lot of induction happening. Years' end year's end.

SPEAKER_07 7:45

Wow, we just brought up the fiscal calendar when it comes to babies. I was not expecting that.

SPEAKER_02 7:50

Yeah.

unknown 7:51

Man.

SPEAKER_02 7:51

Yeah. Okay. We see a lot of a lot of questionable things start to happen.

SPEAKER_07 7:55

Is there is there reporting on that? It's like it reported? Like do they have to tell people how many C-sections, non-C-sections?

SPEAKER_02 8:03

I mean, I'm not so it's it's almost like I'm not sure to answer your question, but what I what I do know is that it's almost like when September comes around, we know that there's gonna be an increase of babies. So when December comes around, we know that there's gonna be an increase of C-sections. It's just something that we see time after time after time. Okay.

SPEAKER_07 8:23

Yeah, for whatever reason. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 8:25

As sure as the sun is gonna come up tomorrow, is it's sure that we know, you know. Okay.

SPEAKER_07 8:29

So if you were to look at births, like you say you do 10 births, how many are gonna be c-sections and like how many are gonna be normal?

SPEAKER_02 8:39

Probably probably a good four to five will be sections. Okay. Wow. Wow, that seems like a lot to me.

SPEAKER_07 8:46

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 8:47

It is, it is. Okay. It is.

SPEAKER_07 8:49

Another thing I'm curious about is like how many women do you see like not do um any medication or sedation or or anything like that anymore? Like what are the numbers on that?

SPEAKER_02 9:03

Yeah, I mean, I don't again, I don't I haven't done any research, so I can't anything that I'm saying to you is based on speculation. No, it's okay. Um, but I that's very uncommon.

SPEAKER_06 9:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:14

I feel like that's super uncommon. I feel like that's something where it's like they came in and it was just too late. I don't think that a lot of people are going into this because those are typically the people who also want home births. So they're not coming to the hospital, you know, just to not get medicated and you know, not get the full the full uh the full package when it comes to that.

SPEAKER_07 9:35

Yeah. Um so that's one of the reasons why I brought it up is because my wife did not have any medication or anything. Yeah, she had a natural birth. And we did go to the hospital.

SPEAKER_01 9:46

Oh, really?

SPEAKER_07 9:47

Yeah, like we interviewed and toured around to hospitals and you know, picked a doctor's group that would go to that hospital, like specifically. Um, and then we you know, we kind of worked our way from there. Like we had a doula, you know, like a pre-birth doula, and we did like breathing things. And um yeah, so that was like kind of our experience, you know, but I don't have a lot of experience. So I don't, you know, I don't I don't really know. Right, right, but why do you think a lot of mothers don't do that? You know, because giving babies is one of the oldest, the oldest, right? Maybe the oldest practice that we kind of have, right, when it comes to children. And it's been done for, you know, as long as we've been humans. Right. And we've only done this with medication over the past hundred really hundred years, really, like on a regular practice. So why do you think that is kind of the norm now in today's culture?

SPEAKER_02 10:51

I think a lot of people are scared. I mean, especially if it's your first baby, you don't really know what to expect. So in your head, you just kind of have it already that you know you're getting an epidural. Yeah. But I think, you know, a lot of people don't take their time to learn about the birthing process before they actually start getting things moving. So, you know, you're going in and then, you know, the doctors are saying, like, hey, this is looking a little bit concerning, we might have to induce you. So now you're signing up for the induction, not realizing that, you know, when you sign up for the induction, um, you're signing up to usually get a Pitocin drip, you're signing up to do things that may cause you more pain than if you were to just do it the natural route.

SPEAKER_06 11:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:36

Um, and so, you know, once you sign up for the Pitocin drip, you're most likely gonna sign up for the epidural.

SPEAKER_07 11:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 11:44

Yeah. Can we talk a little bit more about like kind of that process?

SPEAKER_02 11:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 11:48

So, like, what is Pitocin drip? Like, what does that do for a woman?

SPEAKER_02 11:52

Right. So it's it's when do they get it? It's so it's uh Pitocin or oxytocin is something that gets the contractions kind of started.

SPEAKER_06 12:02

All right.

SPEAKER_02 12:02

Um, if the baby has anything that looks something like it might be a little bit concerning if the baby's measuring small, if the baby, you know, there's a there's there's a plethora of things that can be. Yeah, reasons why you can move in that direction. Exactly. Um, and so you know, the doctors will tell you to come in, you know, at 8 a.m. It's usually early in the morning.

SPEAKER_05 12:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:22

And you know, you come, they say that you need to be induced. So they'll get you started on the potosin drip. And um, you know, things are usually okay for a little while, and then you're like, hey, this is actually really starting to hurt. I would like some medication. Yeah. Um, because the contractions are very intense. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 12:40

Um, and so, you know, you know, a lot of so it's so essentially it's starting the birthing process.

SPEAKER_01 12:50

Process, exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_07 12:52

Whether or not your body is necessarily ready ready or not. So it doesn't necessarily mean that you're gonna have the baby.

SPEAKER_02 12:59

Well, it it so because the contractions are intense, the baby's starting to move down the canal.

SPEAKER_07 13:04

Okay, so the baby has really no choice. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:06

Like this is happening.

SPEAKER_07 13:07

Forcing the baby to And do they like increase the dose? Or is this this like a normal typically a standard dose? It's not like, hey, every hour we're gonna up it to make this happen faster.

SPEAKER_02 13:19

No, they try to they try to not do not go in that route. Um, they try to just, you know, see where you are. I mean they might, but most providers kind of just try to have a lot of people.

SPEAKER_07 13:28

From a normal practice, we're giving it to you, probably this is gonna happen.

SPEAKER_02 13:32

Exactly.

SPEAKER_07 13:33

How long do you feel like that is for most people?

SPEAKER_02 13:36

Well, it could be everybody's different. I've heard some I've heard some, especially our first time moms, 17 hours, 24 hours, 17 48 hours, 48 on pitocin? On pitocin, yeah. Well, yeah, yeah, yeah. How do you not pass out? I know. I know.

SPEAKER_07 13:57

I guess that's why then you're getting the medication.

SPEAKER_02 14:00

Yeah, exactly. Okay. Exactly.

SPEAKER_07 14:03

So what about like not doing the Pitocin? Like As opposed to And just you just wait, right?

SPEAKER_02 14:10

Like it's naturally Yeah, I mean you could, but then you know, that starts to cross into mom's mental health now because you know, I'm choosing to not do this, but now is my baby going to be okay.

SPEAKER_07 14:22

Yeah. So Well, that's if there's a concern. Concern, exactly. What if there's like no concern? I'm can you ask for a potato sin if there's no concern?

SPEAKER_02 14:31

So once so once you start to hit 39 weeks, you know, then you and your provider have a conversation. And, you know, because the placenta, it deteriorates over time. It's only good for so long.

SPEAKER_05 14:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:43

And so now we start to get a little bit concerned and we start to watch you a little bit more carefully.

SPEAKER_05 14:48

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 14:48

Um, and so, you know, I remember even with my own son, Malcolm, um, we hit week 38 and they were starting to get concerned because he was his head was measuring really small. And, you know, they were like, oh, you know, we might be concerned with your placenta. And so when I did deliver him, they were like, hey, just as we suspected, there's calcifications on your placenta. So, you know, it starts to age. It starts to age. And so um, with that being said, uh, a lot of providers will watch you more closely as you start to get into that time frame.

SPEAKER_07 15:21

Yeah. Yeah. So did you did you do an epiduro? I did. You did?

SPEAKER_02 15:26

I did have an epiduro.

SPEAKER_07 15:27

How was how was your experience? So I was like, were you 17 hours?

SPEAKER_02 15:30

I was nope. I was in due. So they told me, it's so funny, they had told me um that this typically takes a long time for a first-time mom. And um so they gave me the one, they they can either give you a cytotack, which is you know, just a it's a pill, um, or they they have they have several um agents that they can use. They gave me the cytotech, and um within one hour I heard the pop, which was my water break.

unknown 15:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:00

And then I want to say about four hours later he was born. And so for me, it took no time, but for some moms, it could take a really long time. Yeah. Um, and so it all just depends. Everybody's different, everybody's everyone's body reacts differently. So Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_07 16:18

So um that was really enlightening for me. Yeah. You know, educating me, you know, on a process I've only been able to experience twice.

SPEAKER_01 16:26

Right, right.

SPEAKER_07 16:27

And uh I find it really intriguing and really beautiful because in my line of work I get to, you know, raise up a kid and be with the family for the rest of, you know, next 18 years.

SPEAKER_04 16:38

Right, right.

SPEAKER_07 16:39

Um, but what happens when you're in the womb is just as important, right? And in setting the tone and really getting, you know, to to having the baby being here.

SPEAKER_03 16:49

Right.

SPEAKER_07 16:49

But then so is also, you know, like that first year of life. So like in the first hour of birth, like, sh tell me what happens with the baby in a hospital. Like, what are they what are they actually doing with your child?

SPEAKER_02 17:05

So assuming that nothing is wrong.

SPEAKER_07 17:07

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 17:07

Um, because then you know, we're going over to the NICU and then, you know, we're taking care of you over there.

SPEAKER_05 17:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:13

Um, assuming that nothing is wrong, the baby will typically get, you know, we're recording the the time of birth, um, getting the measurement, so we're measuring the abdomen, height, uh, or I'm sorry, length at that point, um, weight, and then um making sure that you guys are mom and baby are bonding.

SPEAKER_06 17:31

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 17:32

Um, I usually, if I'm over in labor and delivery and people have different opinions about this, but I like to make sure that the baby gets their first latch within the first hour of birth because the oxytocin is so high. Yeah. So it's a it's a good time to kind of set the stage for what the breastfeeding journey is going to look like.

SPEAKER_06 17:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 17:50

Um, because I see moms like have a better letdown of their milk at that point. Um and it just kind of sets the tone for the rest of the breastfeeding journey.

SPEAKER_06 18:00

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:02

Yeah. So um hopefully at that point the baby has their first void, which is their peak, their stool. Um then you know, we just we just kind of we just kind of let them sit back and get their time together.

SPEAKER_07 18:16

Yeah, that's so beautiful. I remember when my daughter was born, it snowed. Snowing in February.

SPEAKER_02 18:22

Really? What what day of the year was she born? Oh, what day of the month?

SPEAKER_07 18:26

February 9th.

SPEAKER_02 18:27

Oh, it was snowing when I was born too, and I was born February 28th. So we have that in common.

SPEAKER_07 18:31

So that was really cool. It's snowing in Georgia for my daughter's birthday. This episode is sponsored by Henry Business Builders. If you're a local business owner in Henry County looking to grow, connect, and build real relationships, this is the group you want to be a part of. Henry Business Builders is a networking community where entrepreneurs come together to share opportunities, collaborate, and support each other's growth. It's not just about business cards, it's about building strong local network that helps you move forward. Join the conversation and connect with our local leaders by searching Henry Business Builders on Facebook and request to join today. What is um what are some hospitals here in our area that you really like?

SPEAKER_02 19:19

Um recommend for a mom to like go and I've heard real I've heard, I've never worked at, but I've heard really good things about Northside.

SPEAKER_06 19:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 19:29

Um I've heard that that's you know, the baby factory of the South. That's what I've heard it coined as. Um and I've heard and I've seen, well, I've seen, you know, people's birth birthing stories at uh Northside and they said that they loved it. They said that everything was super hands-on, it was super informative, and you know, I love that. I think that they have a good system there for that. Yeah. Um, I feel like though, uh Piedmont Piedmont's a good one. I feel like though, overall, unfortunately, women's health services down here are really neglected.

SPEAKER_07 20:02

And what do you what do you why? Why would you say that they're neglected? Um what makes you feel like that?

SPEAKER_02 20:09

Well, because a lot of times they don't have enough staffing. A lot of times they don't have enough resources, enough support. Like, you know, even me working, um, a lot of times people will be like, Well, is lactation coming? I'm like, well, they're not in on the weekends, and like, you know, that's not right because i if if you have a baby on the weekend, that doesn't mean that you should miss out on that opportunity, you know.

SPEAKER_06 20:32

Yeah, no, it's kind of crazy.

SPEAKER_02 20:34

Um, and you know, just uh watching people having given birth up north, especially Massachusetts, and myself having given birth up north in Massachusetts, it's it was just a completely different experience. Um and as you know, I just I really wish that they would uh funnel more funds into like that sector of the hospital.

SPEAKER_07 21:00

Yeah. Yeah. Um have you ever seen something like really sad or terrible happen? I have.

SPEAKER_02 21:10

I have um so um you know, sometimes babies are born not breathing. Sometimes um babies are born uh without a brain. Um yeah, sometimes uh babies can pass away within their first 24 hours. And it's really heartbreaking, especially to see you know parents come in and they're all packed, the nursery's ready, all this other stuff, and uh they're leaving empty handed.

SPEAKER_07 21:47

That's really hard.

SPEAKER_02 21:50

Yeah, that's really hard, especially working on postpartum, like it's really difficult because overall it's a it's a celebratory time, but um sometimes we have people. Who have just given birth at 17 weeks. A lot of times that's not that's not good. Um, and so you know, they might be holding their deceased baby, you know, while hearing other babies around them cry. And so that's really difficult.

SPEAKER_07 22:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 22:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 22:18

So so I heard you say, you know, postpartum. And so you know, that's a part of every journey. And and you know, probably more difficult if you lose your lose your child, right? But the postpartum is still there, whether or not you, you know, you have your baby or you know, or not. So share a little bit more about the postpartum journey and and what that kind of is and the importance of that.

SPEAKER_02 22:45

So at that point, um for a mom who's just lost their baby, um they they are at risk of what I what I say double depression. Because now, you know, postpartum depression is a old, you know, that's a that's a sector within itself. Um, but now you're dealing with the loss of your newborn baby, and you know, that's horrible. That's just absolutely horrible. And so, you know, the hormone collapse, and then on top of that, you don't have your baby who you just spent, you know, all that time nurturing and preparing for. Um, so it's really difficult, and it's difficult to have the conversation where it's like, you know, you know, mom, your time is coming up, you're gonna have to give us the baby, and that's I've seen moms break down over that. Um that's it's really difficult.

SPEAKER_07 23:38

Yeah, I can't even imagine.

SPEAKER_02 23:40

Yeah, and you know, their milk still comes in and all this other stuff, and it's that's a very difficult thing, I can only imagine.

SPEAKER_07 23:48

So, what's actually happening in the mom's body during that postpartum period? So I heard you heard you say like the hormones collapse.

SPEAKER_02 23:59

Yeah, your hormones, so you know, the HCG, which is the human chorionic growth hormone.

SPEAKER_05 24:07

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_02 24:08

Um, the HCG, it reaches its plateau about I want to say week 10 or 12. And then, you know, it starts uh going down a little bit, a little bit, a little bit as the pregnancy progresses. Um, and then it completely collapses, right? Like progesterone is we're not making that anymore. Um, we're not making HCG anymore. So it's like all of these hormones that you just had are no longer being made. Wow. And so like the amount in which they're going down is is astronomical, like it's crazy. Um, and so um that fast of a depletion can only mean that you know you're going to be dealing with some emotional stuff that we can't necessarily see on the outside, but on the inside you feel it, you know. And then not to mention that, but you also now have to either if your mom who was fortunate enough to welcome a baby, you have to care for a new life, you know, while dealing with that hormone crash.

SPEAKER_05 25:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:13

Um, and if unfortunately you have lost your baby, your baby's no longer here, um, you're still you're dealing with that in itself. So it's it's difficult.

SPEAKER_07 25:23

What are what are some you know, practices or or things that you recommend to to moms, you know, when they're going through that process? Like, is there like a I don't know, go on walks, is there like do yoga, is or go talk to people, is there take medicine? You know, tell me a little more about that.

SPEAKER_02 25:42

Um, I never try to shun people away from medicine, but I always ask them, have you tried going outside first? Okay. Have you tried going outside first now? For me, um, I that was part of the reason why I moved to this state because we were in the house all the time back in Massachusetts. It's cold nine nine months out of the year.

SPEAKER_05 26:01

Yeah, different kind of cold.

SPEAKER_02 26:03

Yeah, the cold hurts your face. And so I said to my husband, I was like, Ronnie, I can't, like, I can't, this is not like while I love it, it's not a way to live. Like, I can't, I have to be able to get outside with the kid. Like, you know, and I even just being because I was a nanny for seven years before I was a nurse, yeah. And you know, being with those kids, like they get stir crazy in the house. They I feel like kids should truly be outside. They should be outside, they should be digging worms, they should be doing all those crazy kid things. Yeah, and um, I just I didn't want to raise an out an indoor kid. I didn't want to do that, yeah. Um, and so same goes for moms, like you know, have you tried drinking water? Have you tried walking? Have you tried just the fresh air that changes scenery just for you and the baby is it could do it could do work, it could do wonders. Yeah, yeah. That's beautiful.

SPEAKER_07 26:55

So, what about like getting resources or like talking to a counselor or you know, like those types of things? What what does that look like?

SPEAKER_02 27:04

Um, so at that point they do have to follow up for their six-week appointment. Okay. Um and at that point the provider will um assess them for a post.

SPEAKER_07 27:13

So six weeks? So there's no really in between unless I guess you can pay for it, right?

SPEAKER_02 27:23

That's the first and only appointment.

SPEAKER_07 27:25

That seems like a forever amount of time for what you're explaining to me.

SPEAKER_02 27:33

Yeah. And that's um, it's concerning, right? Because a lot can happen in six weeks, especially for somebody who might be going through postpartum psychosis.

SPEAKER_07 27:42

Yeah. Um postpartum, what is that?

SPEAKER_02 27:45

That's that's that's the really scary part of postpartum when mom might be thinking about hurting herself or the baby or might be seeing things, or you know, that's a that's a that's a really scary, you know, um part of postpartum.

SPEAKER_07 27:58

It happens though, right?

SPEAKER_02 27:59

It definitely happens. Yeah. And um, you know, if we're sitting here and we're saying, you know, six weeks is the time that we can assess for something like that, you know, that's only hoping that mom brought the baby to the newborn appointment. And I think that might be uh the four the four-week appointment at that point. Um, but that's you know, we're only hoping that she did those two appointments because that's at that point, that's the only time another provider would see her.

SPEAKER_07 28:23

Yeah. Um so what's the kind of education that happens about postpartum? So really, because I don't remember any of that.

SPEAKER_02 28:32

Yeah. So really you have to sign up for it. Nothing about that.

SPEAKER_07 28:37

Maybe a pamphlet. Right. Maybe.

SPEAKER_02 28:39

It's like they're just giving you the baby and saying, like, good luck. There it that's what it feels like, kind of.

SPEAKER_05 28:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:44

Um, but hopefully, once you guys move to the postpartum unit, you know, your nurse is walking through things with you about what to do and what not to do, when to call the doctor. Um but really in the mental health sector, all they're saying is don't, you know, if you feel yourself about to hurt the baby or hurt yourself, then definitely, you know, see someone or call the call the hospital.

SPEAKER_05 29:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:08

Um, but that's not enough. That's not enough.

SPEAKER_05 29:11

Right.

SPEAKER_02 29:12

Um, because a lot of times we can if moms and babies were getting the attention that they needed, we wouldn't have to wait until they felt like they were ready to hurt themselves or the baby.

SPEAKER_07 29:22

That's good. Yeah. Yeah, you're so right about that. I mean, because you know, education is the only real prevention.

SPEAKER_01 29:32

Exactly.

SPEAKER_07 29:32

You know, if you don't know this is gonna happen, then you can't even identify what's happening. Exactly. Um, so in like a perfect world, like what would be a regimen that you would want a newborn mom to get or experience in that six weeks? Like not waiting to that six week appointment, but it's like day two, what's happening?

SPEAKER_02 29:55

I feel like they should have weekly, if not two times a week, check checkups. Even if it's just a phone call, even if it's even if it's a virtual, even if it's something, because a lot of moms, believe it or not, go home without anyone. Like, you know, I've had moms tell me, you know, dad just decided that this wasn't his journey, and so now I'm stuck doing this myself. Um, a lot of a lot of people here, especially, you know, a lot of people here are are are transplants. So they're like, you know, all my family's back wherever else, in Texas or Virginia, or you know, wherever, wherever they came from. And so, you know, they're they're doing this by themselves. And that's I can only imagine really, yeah, really difficult.

SPEAKER_07 30:36

What are some of the resources that are available for somebody who is by themselves, like like you're kind of talking about?

SPEAKER_02 30:44

I mean, uh from what I've seen, um, unless you can afford to do that on your own, there's really nothing.

SPEAKER_07 30:52

Yeah, so there's not like a local mom's pregnancy group or I I person I'm sure that they m may or may not exist.

SPEAKER_06 31:01

Yeah, yeah, but it's but they're literally prevalent prevalent. Right.

SPEAKER_02 31:04

They're not advertised, they're not they it's not something that people are talking about, and I just I don't know why.

SPEAKER_06 31:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:10

I don't know why, you know, a lot of people go through challenges um during the postpartum period.

SPEAKER_07 31:17

I mean, the way that I almost perceive it is births in the South are um hyper-institutionalized by the medical industry. And it's like if a hospital, right, can't profit off of it, it's almost like we don't do it.

SPEAKER_01 31:35

Right.

SPEAKER_07 31:35

So there's not a lot of money to be made off of a support group. You know, you can't bill insurance for $10,000 for weekly meetings.

SPEAKER_01 31:45

Right.

SPEAKER_07 31:45

You might be able to bill $250, but what hospital is gonna like that type of revenue stream?

SPEAKER_01 31:53

Right.

SPEAKER_07 31:53

Um, so it's like, you know, and and again, it's not my expertise, but community has a lot to do with it. And like years ago, like my grandmother or my mother, when they were having me, like most of us boys, we were home birthed, and there was a doula or an at-home, you know, birthing person that lived with you and stayed with you. Like that's what the community did. Like, if there was a baby that was born, you called nurse so-and-so, and she packed up and she lived in your house for two weeks. Right. You know, a week, you know, or two to three days before the baby, and at least a full week, if not longer, right, would stay in your home with you, teaching you all those things, spending time with you, checking on you. I mean, really it was just like this motherly intuition that mothers would give to other mothers. And nowadays I feel like it's because the medical industry has taken over. And a doctor is not your mom.

SPEAKER_01 33:00

Right.

SPEAKER_07 33:01

They're not hugging you after you lose your child. It's actually not a requirement. They might even get sued if they were to hug you after that happened. So there's been this gradual like decline in this community connectivity of what it means to, you know, to have a baby from before the baby's born to after, and then even to raising up a child, right? There's this this is like kind of you know, disconnect. And um, you know, from my perspective, you can tell when I meet a child, we'll just call it a child, who doesn't have those resources and doesn't have those support groups, like you can almost see the the difficulties either in development or communication skills or hand-eye coordination or confidence. Um, but there's something that's you know kind of missing in the gap. So, you know, this conversation is definitely needed in in our area. And you know, really your experience that you have, I think is really, really powerful, you know, to to a lot of people out there.

SPEAKER_01 34:12

Definitely. I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_07 34:14

What are um what are some of the things that you're doing like now in in your life? Because I know, you know, you you said you you were a nanny for some years and then you were in the in the medical field as a postpartum nurse. And what are you doing now?

SPEAKER_02 34:32

So now um we are my husband and I we um own the ARC Discovery Center. Um, and so it's a place um where children newborn through five can come in and um we want to encourage, you know, familial bonding. Um we are having actually a big brother, big sister workshop. Um they learn to, you know, really start practicing those empathy skills. Um and um yeah, so we want to encourage, um, especially, or I should mention this too, we want to have a um a new parent workshop where you kind of like practice spending the night with the newborn. Yes, because a lot of people don't realize how hard it is. Like in theory, okay, waking up every two hours is probably not that hard, but in practice it's hard. And then it's like I remember being with this baby, and I'm like, it's already been two hours. Yes, yes, you know, it's hard, it's difficult. Um, so it's you know, just training so that you're not thrown off when it happens. Yeah. Um, and you know, we just we really want to just encourage or build a space where families can feel supported through those early childhood years. So I'm excited to see where it goes.

SPEAKER_07 35:59

Yeah, that's that's really um exciting and um definitely something that we don't really have, you know, here here in our area. Um so what are what are the ages again?

SPEAKER_02 36:10

Newborn through five.

SPEAKER_07 36:12

Newborn through five. And so you're really just focusing on like pretty much anything.

SPEAKER_02 36:18

Anything, so anything, so yeah. So so the first year we're focusing on familial and caregiver bonding.

SPEAKER_04 36:24

Right.

SPEAKER_02 36:24

So we really tell parents in that first year, you need to be on the floor with them. You need to be on the floor playing with them because they learn the best through you. Um, you know, it's one thing to tell them, like, hey, stack the blocks. But if you get on the floor and stack the blocks with them, that that bonding that they learn the best through the bond.

SPEAKER_07 36:43

Yeah. Um not a tablet. Not a tablet. At one year's old.

SPEAKER_02 36:47

Not a tablet. Not a tablet. Um and that's so funny that you mentioned that because another thing was um we are focusing on preschool readiness skills, and uh it's it my husband and I said, you know, I'm so tired of seeing the kids do this and they can't do this. All the kids do this and they can't do this, and that's not the way that that should be.

SPEAKER_07 37:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 37:10

Yeah. Awesome.

SPEAKER_01 37:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 37:12

Well, Yasmin, I've really enjoyed just being able to get to know more about you.

SPEAKER_01 37:17

Thank you.

SPEAKER_07 37:18

Um, your wealth of knowledge, you know, that you have for all of the mothers out there, and just really excited to hear, you know, that that people can come and learn from you and that you have a business, right, where you just share all of this this great experience. Um, so thank you again for joining us on Chasing Heritage. Um, if why don't you go ahead and share some closing thoughts and you know tell people how they can get in touch with you, maybe where you're located, um, and and your social media.

SPEAKER_02 37:51

Yeah, so I just want to say um if you have feelings about or thoughts about hurting yourself or hurting the baby, definitely call your provider, call me, call someone that you're close to. Um, we are the Arc Discovery Center, um, and we are just really looking forward to helping families um, you know, care for their children, uh build good bonds with their children. And we are really interested in becoming like a hub, an educational hub where people could come in and learn about what phase they're in with their child and how they can better support them in that phase.

SPEAKER_07 38:27

Yeah, amazing. All right, everybody. Thank you for joining us on another great episode of Chasing Heritage. We just wrapped our interview with Miss Yasmeen, the owner and founder of the ARC Discovery Center, located here in McDonough, Georgia. As always, please like and subscribe to our videos. We work tirelessly to bring you the best interviewees and the best content. Thank you again for joining us on Chasing Heritage.