Help Teach Little Girls (and Boys) How to Take Care of Their Bodies

As a parent, you have a lot of responsibilities.  The lessons you teach your children can stay with them for their entire lives. An important part of raising your children is teaching them about their bodies and the best ways to take care of them. Especially for little girls, these lessons can be vital in ensuring you raise healthy, well-rounded adults.

If you’re a parent and are lost on how to help teach little girls how to take care of their bodies, the women’s health experts at Covington Women’s Health Specialists are here to help. While these physicians are dedicated to the care of women, these tips will work for little boys as well!

Let’s start with the basic tips below on teaching your kids how to take care of their bodies.

Bodies Come in Different Shapes and Sizes and All are Beautiful

Diversity is an important lesson, so start early. Show them that bodies come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Let them know that their body belongs to them!  Tell them that their body is perfect and normal, just the way it is, and so is everyone else’s.

Teaching them these body-positive lessons early will really empower them to love themselves and who they are. Every little girl should feel this way!

Teaching them that their bodies belong to them will give them a sense of pride and lays the groundwork for them being able to recognize inappropriate touching from others.

Physical Strength is Healthy

Exercising, eating healthy foods, and avoiding unhealthy behavior such as smoking will help keep your children strong and will help them avoid illnesses.  A strong body is more productive in helping your child have fun at play, do their daily chores, and exercise will help keep them deal with stress if this occurs.

Teach your Children about Mental Health

 

Let them know all the ways the mind is powerful, it lets them learn our world and themselves.  Their ability to learn and think is very special and important to keeping your kids happy and healthy, too.

Encouraging them to discuss their feelings. Let them know that discussing their emotions is healthy.  Make a promise to always be there for them to talk about what is happening or what is bothering them.

When they tell you what they tell you their ideas, let them know that you like the way they think!  When they tell you what they have learned, praise them for learning the information and sharing it!  Answer their questions, even if you have to Google the subject before answering!  Encourage their quest for knowledge.

Inform Them About Puberty

Telling your child what to expect as she grows is empowering and will help her not be frightened as her body changes. Explaining the process and giving them great detail will not only teach them that this process is normal, but it can also lessen stress and worries during the experience itself.  Promise to be there if she has questions or wants to tell you or show you how things have changed for her.

Talk About Sex

 

Included in the talks about puberty should also be discussions about sex! Many parents believe that not discussing sex with children will discourage them from participating in it. However, this is not a great tactic.

Children are curious and it is normal for them to touch themselves while trying to figure out what their body parts are for and why they feel the way they do.  While this is NORMAL, please let your child know that this should be done in privacy and that no one else should touch them in that way.  Answer their questions in a way that you are comfortable but punishing them and telling them that this is bad may be harmful.

Let them know how relationships and sex work when you feel they are old enough.  Teach them how they should handle their feelings and urges when the time comes.  Most importantly, teach them about respect. Remind them that others should respect them and that they should respect others.

Reassure your kids that you will be there if something uncomfortable happens to them or if they have questions and concerns.

Show Them Healthy Habits

 

Encourage your children to keep up healthy habits by keeping up with healthy habits yourself!  When you exercise and eat healthy foods in reasonable portion sizes, they will learn from you.

The goal of exercise is to keep the body strong and healthy.  Avoid obsessing over your weight or talking about the goal of being “skinny.”  Avoid smoking since children will want to smoke if you smoke.

If you have any more questions about how to help teach little girls how to take care of their bodies, reach out to the women’s health experts at Covington Women’s Health by clicking here or giving us a call at 770-385-8954.

Sweating Down There? It’s Normal!

It happens to all women. You’re out and about enjoying your day while it happens to be warm, or you’re putting your all into a work-out, and very quickly your underwear or groin area becomes drenched with sweat. On top of sweating through your armpits, you probably notice perspiration gathering underneath your breasts and in your vagina.

Sweating down there might be “gross,” but don’t worry! It’s 100% natural and something all women do. To help spread awareness on why this is so, the experts at Covington Women’s Health are discussing why women sweat at their vulvas.

Why Do I Sweat Down There?

Sweating is an absolutely necessary part of life. It’s your body’s way of cooling down your skin and preventing you from overheating.

Sweat comes from the sweat glands located throughout your body. There are two types: eccrine glands and apocrine glands. The latter are the ones that are in your vulvar area, because they are connected to the hair follicles there.

Just like there are two different types of sweat glands, there are also two different types of sweat! The sweat that happens in your vulvar area has a milk-like texture and can have a strong order. However, as mentioned above, while eccrine gland sweat is the process that cools down your body, many scientists and medical professionals aren’t sure of the purpose of apocrine sweat.

But, it’s still a totally natural process.

Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Sweat?

Just like with excessive sweat through the armpits, this can also happen at your vulva! If you’re noticing a large amount of sweat at low-energy efforts, then it might be a sign you have a problem with excessive sweat in your vagina.

One example of a common reason why this happens is a medical condition called hyperhidrosis, which causes people to sweat more than others.

If your level of sweat is bothering you and impacting your quality of life, there are several things you can do! The best first step is to reach out to your trusted gynecologist to discuss what’s happening. They will be able to give you a plan to see if you can lessen the impact of your excessive sweat.

If you have any more questions about sweating down there, reach out to the women’s health experts at Covington Women’s Health by clicking here or giving us a call at 770-385-8954.

Covington Women’s Health Specialists Student Spotlight: Cat Palmer

Covington Women’s Health is proud to offer a student program intended to give the next best and brightest training physicians a glimpse into what it’s like working in women’s health. We created the student spotlight blog series to highlight certain members in this program to give everyone an insight into this opportunity and the amazing people who participate. 

First up is Cat Palmer, BSN-RN, IBCLC. She’s been working with Covington Women’s Health as a student nurse-midwife since January 2020. Learn more about Cat by reading below! 

Why did you choose to work in the field of obstetric/gynecologic medicine? 

I have always been passionate about women’s health. I believe that when women are supported to create the families they want in the way they want, women can be empowered to create the communities and the world that they want to live in. Reproductive justice gives people control over their own lives and their bodies. We can help create healthier, happier future generations. As a doula and lactation consultant, I was already familiar with approaching health from a holistic, person-centered approach, and so midwifery was the natural next step for me!

What are the key challenges of this field of medicine?

There’s never enough time! If I could spend two hours with each of my patients at each visit, I would. 

What are some unique and/or special skills you have as a student at Covington Women’s Health Specialists?

Everything I’ve learned, I’ve learned from Denise! She is an incredible preceptor and has made the concepts I learned in the classroom really make sense. 

What’s the most rewarding part of your clinical work?

I love it when people get curious about their own health and healthcare and start taking more ownership of the process. I love hearing patients’ questions and love when patients advocate for themselves to be cared for in a certain way. 

What does your daily routine look like?

On workdays I typically get up around 6 am, have a (strong!) cup of coffee, and then listen to the news as I drive to work. On non-clinical days, I wake up early, go for a run or do some yoga, then spend most of my day doing homework and bothering my two cats. I always make sure to save time at the end of the day to make a nice dinner- spending an hour in the kitchen at the end of the day is my favorite way to unwind. 

What’s one thing that has surprised you about being at Covington Women’s Health Specialists?

I love when I hear people say they are going to birth their baby in the same hospital that they were born in! 

Is there a specific patient or work experience that left a lasting impact on you? If so, explain how and why.

I will always cherish the memory of the first birth I attended as a doula. My client was young, and at first, I couldn’t tell if she actually wanted me to be there. After her birth, she told me that having my support meant the world to her, she had learned so much, and that she couldn’t have done it without me. It was an honor to watch her blossom into a mother, and I was so grateful that she trusted me to be with her on that journey.

Do you have any advice for people hoping to work in your field? 

Learn how to rest and take care of yourself. This work is so special, but it can be hard and requires a lot of your energy. Keep healthy boundaries and make time for yourself! 

Tell us about your family! 

My parents were reporters, so I grew up learning to ask lots of questions! I am so grateful for the curiosity they instilled in me and feel like it makes me a better clinician. They live outside of Boston, and we get to see them every few months. I live in Atlanta with my husband and two cats, and we see my aunts, who also live here, often. His family lives in Houston, and we make a point to see them frequently as well. My husband is the oldest of four siblings, which is a lot of fun for me because I grew up as an only child. I consider my friends to be family as well and spend a lot of time traveling to North Carolina, New York, Chicago, and California to visit them. 

What are your favorite past-times? 

I love to hike! I’ve been tackling bits and pieces of the Appalachian Trail over the past few years, and escape to North Georgia whenever I can to do another section. I also love to do yoga, read, and cook and bake for my loved ones. 

If you have any more questions about Covington Women’s Health and our student program, reach out to our women’s health experts by clicking here or giving us a call at 770-385-8954. 

Partnering with Students: Our Specialists Clinical Program

A major component of education for anyone hoping to become a healthcare provider is a process called clinical rotations. This multi-year undertaking occurs when students work with a professional within their chosen field, going into offices and hospitals and working with patients one on one. Doing so gives them the hands-on experience they need to flourish in their career and also gives them the opportunity to work with medical issues that they’ve only read about so far.

Covington Women’s Health Specialists providers understand the importance of clinical work. That’s why they partner with multiple universities to serve as preceptors for clinical rotations. Not only does this benefit those ready to jump into the healthcare workforce, but it also benefits Covington Women’s Health Specialists. 

“Normally, we see third-year medical students coming through our offices,” Denise Cochran, a Certified Nurse Midwife and Student Coordinator at Covington Women’s Health Specialists stated. Medical students from Augusta University/University of Georgia Partnership complete 6-week rotations with the office. “We tailor our clinical programs to give those students as much experience and exposure as possible. They’re in the office appointments with us, they round in the hospitals, they assist in surgeries, and they also learn in labor and delivery. For many of them, this is their first time in a clinical rotation, so we want to make it as beneficial to them as possible.”

In addition to medical students, Covington Women’s Health Specialists routinely teaches midwifery students and family nurse practitioner students who are required to do an OBGYN rotation. Midwifery students complete rotations both in the office and in the hospital labor and delivery unit. They partner with numerous universities including Emory, Vanderbilt, Frontier Nursing and the University of Georgia, creating future healthcare providers in their offices. 

Currently, our practice is partnered with one student who will do her clinical work with them for two years before becoming a midwife in Covington herself. While she earns her degree, she’ll be building relationships with her future patients and solidifying her future role at the very place she will eventually work.

Denise said, “We almost always have someone in the office working with us. It’s such a great program because of that. They get to use our offices to learn, and we get to have most recent medical information taught in the schools brought into our practice.”

Read our student spotlights here:

Cat Palmer, BSN-RN, IBCLC

Leah Topper, Medical Student Year 3 (“MS3”)

Grace Kim, Medical Student Year 3 (“MS3”)

Courtney Dorris, SNM