Yoselin's Story: Part 2
In our last post, we introduced Yoselin Linares: mother, friend, advocate. Click here to learn more about Yoselin’s story, or continue reading below.
When Yoselin first came to Cahaba Medical Care, she was a patient of Dr. Rowell Ashford, II. Dr. Ashford had delivered her first baby, Jesús, and when she came in for her postnatal care appointment, he had just helped open Cahaba Medical Care - Ensley in 2017.
It was when she came in for her postnatal care with Dr. Ashford that she found out she had high blood pressure. Fortunately, she was able to continue her primary care in the same place she had received her OB care. She likes that everyone at Cahaba Medical Care - Ensley knows her name, her face, and her family. She’s been a patient of Dr. Ashford for years, and many of the staff have been working with Dr. Ashford since before the opening of Cahaba’s Ensley health center, so they know Yoselin, too: Ms. Yolanda, our always-smiling receptionist; Natassia, our talented and kind office manager; Carla, our MA team lead. “If someone told me to go to another health center,” she says, “I wouldn’t do it. I only want to go to Cahaba.”
Yoselin had her second baby in 2021. She says she didn’t even have to think twice about coming to Cahaba for her prenatal care with Dr. Ashford. “I like that Dr. Ashford explains things to me,” she told me. “The good, the bad, everything. I felt very comfortable with my first son and with my second.”
Dr. Ashford didn’t just take the time to explain the medical side of things. He took time to sit down and chat with her, too. In between checking her vitals, he and Yoselin would talk about how things were going with her son, work, mental health, and life in general. “He was almost like a counselor for me.”
Of course, if Yoselin ever felt that she needed to talk to a professional counselor about her mental health, Cahaba Medical Care employs 16 full time behavioral health counselors, as well. We know that mental health is part of your overall health, and it is especially important to take care of your mental health during and after pregnancy. Many women experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders - such as postpartum depression - and Cahaba Medical Care is here to support them not only in their physical OB care, but in their mental health care as well.
Another struggle that many women face during their pregnancies is, as Yoselin told me, that there are a LOT of appointments involved in prenatal care, especially as they get closer to their due date. Pregnant women should receive OB care at weeks 16, 20, 24, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, and 40 of their pregnancy. “But it’s not just to see you,” Yoselin says. “It’s to take care of your baby.”
One of the benefits of receiving your OB care with Cahaba Medical Care is that most of our health centers are able to provide ultrasounds at your local Cahaba health center - you won’t have to go one place for your appointments, another for your blood work, and yet another for your ultrasounds; we’re a one-stop shop, the home for all your healthcare needs.
With Jayson, her second son, Yoselin says that it really was a sacrifice to show up for all her prenatal appointments and take care of herself. She was diagnosed with diabetes during her second pregnancy and had to watch what she was eating. Fortunately, she was able to meet with Cahaba’s registered dietitian, Sarah Catherine Sorrell, and she knew exactly what she had to do to take care of herself and her baby.
After months of prenatal care, the day came that baby Jesús was born! When she gave birth at Princeton Baptist Medical Center, she already knew many familiar faces that she had seen at Cahaba in her years of primary and prenatal care since 2017. She felt very comfortable and saw that the doctors, nurses, and staff really supported and respected her. She did not receive an epidural when she had her first baby, but when Jesús was born, there were some complications. The doctor recommended an epidural, but she didn’t feel comfortable with it at that point. They respected her decision. Then, her blood pressure became very high. With every contraction, they were unable to hear a heartbeat. They told her that they would need to perform an emergency C-section, explained why, and Yoselin gave her consent. She knew her healthcare team from Cahaba Medical Care and trusted them to make the best decision for her health and the health of her baby.
I asked Yoselin if she had any advice to give to other expecting moms. She said, “Go to your checkups. Take your vitamins. Get the care you need. See an OB doctor. Take your medicine as prescribed. If it’s not at Cahaba, let it be somewhere else. But look for medical care, so they can take care of you and your baby.”
She continued on. “Especially Latinos. You might have a headache, so you take a pill. But you never know if behind that headache is something else. So you wait until you’re dying, and you go to the emergency room. So personally I would say, as a Latina, I've lived it. And if you’re not pregnant, get a checkup once a year. You never know what’s behind a headache. Get checked, and if you’re fine, great!”
We agree with Yoselin: “Go, get checked, and follow your doc’s advice.”
Expecting?
We hope you’ll consider Cahaba Medical Care as your OB provider. Visit cahabamedicalcare.com/prenatal-care to learn more about our talented team of OB doctors and delivery at the highest-ranked hospitals in Alabama.
Is it time for your next checkup?
We’re glad you’ve chosen to make Cahaba Medical Care the home for all your healthcare needs and allow us to walk alongside you in your journey to better health. Give us a call at (877) 926-2992 to schedule an appointment!