We continue our discussions about birthing experiences, and this time, we’re going to talk about the experience of the Latinx community in our healthcare system. Kristina Ledlow and Dr. Karen Garcia join us to talk about ways to improve the services being provided for the community, especially for Latinx mothers. We can only broaden cultural competence by listening to others experiences and by stepping out of our own perspectives. Pediatric clinicians serve not only our newborns and infants but also support our moms and families. Thinking about how we embrace all of our families through their eyes only improves the care we give.
[00:01] Kristina Ledlow and Dr. Karen Garcia Share Their Story With Us
- Kristina and Karen talk about the kind of work they are involved in
- They give interesting details about birthing ourselves
[06:40] Latinx Mothers and Their Healthcare Experiences
- The experience of Latinx mothers in the healthcare system
- Kristina shares their approach in taking care of mothers during the prenatal stage
- Karen gives a piece of advice that first-time mothers should hear
- Ask from a place of curiosity and live with empathy
[16:46] Better Service for the Latinx Community
- We have an interesting exchange medical insurance
- How can providers improve how they serve the patients?
- Kristina and Karen explain
- Even if providers mean well, they might still deal trauma to the patients
- Karen recalls her experience as an immigrant assimilating in the United States
[26:25] Knowing Other People’s Culture
- How to communicate with your patients the right way
- Kristina and Karen share some tips and resources
- The books you can read and authors you can follow right now
- The beauty of discovering other people’s cultures
[36:14] No Explanations Needed
- Kristina has a message for her younger self that you should not miss
- Karen sends a message for her resident self you’d want to hear
- “No” is a complete sentence, and you don’t need to always explain yourself
[42:35] Closing Segment
- Final takeaways:
- It is hard to recognize that much of our medical system is white-centric.
- Culturally, Latinx families see physicians as powerful and are differential
- There are many barriers to accessing care
- The sentence, “Tell me about who is living in your household.”
- The patriarchy in Latinx families
- Don’t make assumptions or rush to judgment and other messages for providers
- Be aware of your own biases
- Reading books by Latinx authors can be a start to your awareness and curiosity
Key Quotes:
“I think that if we are validating to our patients, if we validate their stories, and we come from a place of curiosity and empathy, that’s a really good starting point..” – Kristina Ledlow
“It’s okay not to know. It’s okay not to be sure what [the patients’] cultural beliefs and backgrounds are so come from a place of curiosity and ask them so you can better support them.” – Dr. Karen Garcia
Email [email protected] to connect with Kristina then [email protected] to reach out to Karen. Check out Bronson Hospital to know more about their work.
Resources Mentioned:
- Pediatric Meltdown previous episode: Radical Change: Birthing Experience in the BIPOC Community
- Books to read
- The House on Mango Street
- Like Water for Chocolate
- Recommended authors
- Pablo Neruda
- Gabriel García Márquez
- Isabel Allende
- Other resources mentioned
- Brené Brown
- Acculturation and Depressive Symptoms Among Pregnant and Postpartum Latinas
- Perinatal Depression Treatment Preferences Among Latina Mothers
- Prenatal depression in Latinas in the U.S. and Mexico
- Prevalence and incidence of perinatal depression and depressive symptoms among Mexican women
If you’d like to connect with me, you can find me on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter or email me at [email protected]. To learn more about me visit https://www.medicalbhs.com/
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