Nationwide — Phindile Erika Chowa, MD has seen firsthand the challenges moms face after arriving home. As an emergency medicine physician and owner of EMCare2U, a medical concierge practice, she guides moms through the postpartum period. Whether conducting health screenings for heart-related issues, connecting breastfeeding moms to a lactation consultant, or assessing postpartum depression, Dr. Chowa takes a holistic approach to helping women adjust to motherhood.
April 11-17 marks Black Maternal Health Week, a time set aside to address the health disparities and raise awareness of efforts to make childbirth and motherhood healthier and safer for Black women.
“Naturally, after delivery, a lot of attention is focused on your new bundle of joy, but it’s critical we take good care of mom’s health too,” said Dr. Chowa. “I always say I wish every mom received a blood pressure cuff to take home because many of these issues can be addressed by closely monitoring the health of moms. However, I realize that it’s hard to know what symptoms to pay attention to and what warrants concern.”
To help moms-to-be and new moms plan for safer and smoother postpartum transition from hospital to home, Dr. Chowa created What to Expect Next: A Postpartum Guide to a Healthy, Happy Mom. The guide offers step-by-step tips and space to track symptoms and health concerns. It also aims to encourage moms with self-care ideas.
“Even with all of my medical experience and knowledge, there were aspects of the journey that I wasn’t prepared for – for example, I experienced issues with breastfeeding that affected me physically, mentally and emotionally,” added Dr. Chowa. “I can only imagine how difficult it is for a mom with no medical expertise or a good support system.”
By sharing her expertise and personal experiences, Dr. Chowa hopes to inspire change and contribute to reducing maternal and infant mortality rates among Black communities. “What to Expect Next” is available on Amazon. For more information about Dr. Chowa, visit EMCare2U.com.
The CDC has found that one of the most dangerous times for moms is when they arrive home after having a child. The numbers for Black women are even more startling. Black women in America are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. These stark disparities underscore the urgent need for greater awareness of possible postpartum complications and systemic change within maternal healthcare.
For press inquiries, contact emcare2u@gmail.com
Source: BlackNews.com
