Stethoscopes and Strollers

La Toya Luces-Sampson MD, PMH-C
  • 5.0 (19)
  • PARENTING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to Stethoscopes & Strollers! I'm Dr. Toya, mom of two, OBGYN, and coach for physician moms. Here, we go beyond the hospital halls, into the messy, magical early years of parenting—think diapers, sleepless nights, and figuring out how to deal with all those unexpected twists and turns. Every episode, I dive into topics like mental health, the ins and outs of postpartum sex, sorting out childcare, and how having little ones changes your marriage. We’ll talk about getting back to work after baby, the real deal with mom guilt thanks to those tough doctor schedules, what pumping at work is really like, and how to keep all the balls in the air without dropping any. We’re here to get real about the hard choices, like deciding to stop breastfeeding, and so much more. This is a space for focusing on taking care of you, because managing scrubs and swaddles takes a village.You'll figure out how to ask for and actually accept help, because let’s be honest, getting support is crucial for thriving as both a mom and a doctor.Just a quick heads-up: while we're all about sharing and supporting, remember this isn’t medical advice. We’re here to connect, share experiences, and grow—together, without the medical jargon. So, grab your coffee or tea, and get ready to dive into those parts of being a physician mom that don't get talked about enough. You're not riding this roller coaster alone, and you definitely deserve all the support you can get.  Tune in to Stethoscopes & Strollers for some real, honest insights and practical tips to make momming a bit easier. It’s time to get the conversation started!---------------------

  1. 2H AGO

    117. Michelle Obama Said the Same Thing I’ve Been Telling Y’all

    Hey Doc, I just got back from ACOG and I’m still on a high! I went mainly to hear Michelle Obama speak and she did not disappoint. But what surprised me most was how deeply aligned her message was with everything I talk about here on Stethoscopes and Strollers. This wasn’t some polished keynote speech full of inspirational fluff. It felt like sitting in on a private conversation between two accomplished Black women talking honestly about identity, confidence, womanhood, and what it takes to stay grounded in a world that constantly tries to tell women — especially Black women — who we should be. And the whole time I kept thinking: “Oh. This is exactly what I’ve been trying to help physician moms understand.” We talked about: Why confidence actually comes from knowing yourself deeplyHow long it can take to truly trust yourselfThe danger of shrinking your accomplishments to make other people comfortableWhy some people not connecting with you is not automatically a “you” problemHow motherhood and life transitions force you to confront who you really areThe importance of celebrating yourself unapologeticallyLearning to trust your knowing instead of overriding it with practicality or people-pleasingAlso… I found out Michelle Obama is 62 and now I need somebody to explain the sorcery immediately. Hearing someone at her level speak so openly about groundedness, self-trust, and identity felt incredibly validating. Especially as physician moms navigating careers, motherhood, marriage, leadership, ambition, and all the invisible expectations sitting on top of us every single day. If you’ve been questioning yourself… If you’ve been minimizing yourself… If you’ve been waiting for permission to trust your instincts… This conversation is for you. Press play, Doc. What did you think of the episode, doc? Let me know! Subscribe to ✨Stethoscopes and Strollers✨ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Apple Podcast | Spotify | YouTube Connect with me: Website | Instagram | Facebook  Join my Email list to get tips on navigating motherhood in the medical field. If you are going through a transition -- becoming a parent, leaving a job, figuring out how manage it all, schedule a strategy coaching session and get clarity and strategic next steps for the life and career you want. Strategy Coaching Session with Dr. Toya

    23 min

  2. APR 29

    116. Full Circle in DC: Medicine, Motherhood, and Michelle Obama

    Hey Doc, I’m on my way to DC! My first home in this country. Howard. All of it. I’m going to ACOG’s ACSM, our national meeting, which is funny, because I don’t practice anymore. But this work I do with physician moms is rooted in the same transitions we see every day in medicine. Last year I went for physician wellbeing. This year, Michelle Obama is there, so… clearly I’m going. Also, it’s my son’s birthday weekend so I’m bringing the kids, there’s a party, and yes—there will be a spa day. This episode is a little life update, a little reflection, and a reminder: You don’t have to choose one version of yourself. Press play. What did you think of the episode, doc? Let me know! Subscribe to ✨Stethoscopes and Strollers✨ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Apple Podcast | Spotify | YouTube Connect with me: Website | Instagram | Facebook  Join my Email list to get tips on navigating motherhood in the medical field. If you are going through a transition -- becoming a parent, leaving a job, figuring out how manage it all, schedule a strategy coaching session and get clarity and strategic next steps for the life and career you want. Strategy Coaching Session with Dr. Toya

    5 min

  3. APR 22

    115. How to Delegate Your Life as a Woman Physician (Without Paying for Busywork)

    Hey Doc, If you’ve ever said, “I just need more help,” and then somehow ended up more overwhelmed… this episode is for you. Because the problem usually isn’t that you don’t have help. It’s that you’re delegating the wrong things… in the wrong order… without a system. So now you’ve got someone managing tasks that probably shouldn’t exist in the first place, while the things that would actually make your life easier are still sitting on your plate. I see this all the time with woman physicians. You finally decide to get support—maybe it’s an assistant, childcare, or help at home—and instead of relief, you feel frustrated. Now you’re paying someone… and still tired. In this episode, I walk you through how to actually delegate your life in a way that gives you your time, energy, and brain space back. Not just shifting tasks around. Not just “getting help.” But building a system that works for you. We’re starting with what most people skip, and why that’s exactly why delegation fails. Inside this episode: Why “just hire help” is incomplete advice (and often a waste of money)The first step you must take before delegating anythingHow to identify tasks that should be deleted vs. delegatedWhat to automate first (especially in the era of AI)How to stop paying people to do things no one needed to do in the first placeThis is the work that makes everything else easier. Less mental load. Less resentment. Less “why am I still doing all of this?” More clarity. More efficiency. More space to actually live your life. Because you didn’t work this hard to spend your evenings organizing email folders no one will ever open again. 🎧 Listen to the full episode and start delegating like someone who actually values her time. What did you think of the episode, doc? Let me know! Subscribe to ✨Stethoscopes and Strollers✨ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Apple Podcast | Spotify | YouTube Connect with me: Website | Instagram | Facebook  Join my Email list to get tips on navigating motherhood in the medical field. If you are going through a transition -- becoming a parent, leaving a job, figuring out how manage it all, schedule a strategy coaching session and get clarity and strategic next steps for the life and career you want. Strategy Coaching Session with Dr. Toya

    16 min

  4. APR 15

    114. When the Life You Wanted Doesn’t Fit Anymore

    Hey Doc, Let’s talk about something that sounds simple… but clearly is not. You are allowed to change your mind. I say that, and I already know some of you are side-eyeing me like, “Okay… but it’s not that easy.” I know. I know it’s not. Because in medicine, we don’t pivot. We commit. We decide and then we stick with it. Even when life changes. Even when we change. Especially after motherhood. I see this all the time. Dr. So-and-so used to want the big cases, the leadership roles, the titles, the prestige. Now? She wants to go to work, do her job well, and be home by 3 to sit on the floor with her babies. And instead of feeling clear about that… she feels guilty. Like she’s betraying the version of herself who worked so hard to get here. Like she’s letting someone down: her mentors, her colleagues… or honestly, just herself. So in this episode, we’re getting into that tension. Not in a fluffy “just follow your heart” kind of way. But in a real, grounded way that actually applies to your life right now. We talk about: Why it feels so hard to change your mind as a physician momThe guilt that shows up when your priorities shiftThe difference between “becoming a different person” vs actually evolvingWhy your old goals don’t have to define your current decisionsAnd how to give yourself permission to want something different without spiraling about itBecause let me be very clear about something: Wanting a different life now does not erase who you were. It means you’ve lived enough to know what actually matters to you. That’s not failure. That’s growth. And if you’re sitting there trying to force yourself to want the same things you wanted at 28… Yeah. We’re not doing that anymore. If this hits a little too close to home (which it probably does), go ahead and press play. 🎧 Listen to the full episode. What did you think of the episode, doc? Let me know! Subscribe to ✨Stethoscopes and Strollers✨ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Apple Podcast | Spotify | YouTube Connect with me: Website | Instagram | Facebook  Join my Email list to get tips on navigating motherhood in the medical field. If you are going through a transition -- becoming a parent, leaving a job, figuring out how manage it all, schedule a strategy coaching session and get clarity and strategic next steps for the life and career you want. Strategy Coaching Session with Dr. Toya

    7 min

  5. APR 8

    113. If You’re Hesitating About Childcare, Listen to This

    Hey Doc I had a moment recently that stopped me in my tracks. My kids were heading out for a full day—something fun, something special—and I wasn’t there. And instead of guilt? I felt peace. Gratitude. Relief. Not because I don’t want to be with them. But because I know they are well cared for, loved, and having a full, joyful experience, even when I’m not the one making it happen. In this episode, I’m talking about what it looks like to build a life that actually works with support. We get into: Why the right childcare supports you, instead of replacing youWhat it can look like when your kids are cared for and you can focus on your workThe shift from “this won’t work for me” to “how could this work?”Why so many physician moms hesitate to invest in help, and what that hesitation is costingIf you’ve been telling yourself that getting help isn’t an option, I want you to at least pause and question that. There may be more possibilities than you’ve allowed yourself to consider. 🎧 Press play on Stethoscopes and Strollers. And if you know a doc who is stretched way too thin right now, send this to her. What did you think of the episode, doc? Let me know! Subscribe to ✨Stethoscopes and Strollers✨ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Apple Podcast | Spotify | YouTube Connect with me: Website | Instagram | Facebook  Join my Email list to get tips on navigating motherhood in the medical field. If you are going through a transition -- becoming a parent, leaving a job, figuring out how manage it all, schedule a strategy coaching session and get clarity and strategic next steps for the life and career you want. Strategy Coaching Session with Dr. Toya

    6 min

  6. APR 1

    112. Happy Doctor’s Day (And a Reminder You Might Need)

    Hey Doc — Doctor’s Day can feel… underwhelming. A small gesture. A generic message. Maybe a reminder that you’re appreciated, without anything actually changing. And for a lot of physicians, that disconnect doesn’t go unnoticed. In this episode, I’m sharing a different kind of Doctor’s Day message. Not about what you received, but about how you see yourself inside the system you work in. We get into: Why external appreciation often falls short (and what actually matters more)How physicians underestimate their own leverageWhat it looks like to advocate for yourself at a higher levelThe shift from waiting to be valued → to operating like you already areThis is a short episode, but it’s an important one. Because how you think about your value shows up in your decisions, your negotiations, and what you tolerate. 🎧 Press play on Stethoscopes and Strollers. And take this as your reminder to move differently this week. What did you think of the episode, doc? Let me know! Subscribe to ✨Stethoscopes and Strollers✨ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Apple Podcast | Spotify | YouTube Connect with me: Website | Instagram | Facebook  Join my Email list to get tips on navigating motherhood in the medical field. If you are going through a transition -- becoming a parent, leaving a job, figuring out how manage it all, schedule a strategy coaching session and get clarity and strategic next steps for the life and career you want. Strategy Coaching Session with Dr. Toya

    6 min

  7. MAR 25

    111. Part 2: Dr. Traci De Splinter on Mom Guilt, Career Choices, and Raising Successful Daughters

    Hey Doc — This is Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Traci De Splinter, an OB/GYN here in Texas and a seasoned physician mom whose daughters are now adults. In Part 1, we talked about what it looked like for her to have a baby during residency and navigate some incredibly difficult years early in her career. In this part of our conversation, we move forward in the story. Dr. Traci shares what life looked like raising two young daughters while practicing medicine as a single mom—and the decisions she made along the way to make that life work. We talk about: How she navigated single motherhood while practicing OB-GYNThe childcare decisions that helped her manage a demanding medical careerWhy she chose predictability in her schedule during her daughters’ early yearsThe reality of mom guilt—and how her daughters actually saw it differentlyWhat it looked like to prioritize being present for the moments that mattered mostDr. Traci also shares the perspective that only comes with time: what she might do differently, what she’s most proud of, and the advice she would give physician moms who are currently raising young children while building their careers. And we talk about the exciting next chapter of her professional life as she prepares to open a practice focused on caring for midlife women. This is an honest conversation about motherhood, medicine, guilt, support systems, and the long arc of raising children while practicing in a demanding profession. 🎧 Press play to hear Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Traci De Splinter. And if you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, make sure you go back and start there. What did you think of the episode, doc? Let me know! Subscribe to ✨Stethoscopes and Strollers✨ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Apple Podcast | Spotify | YouTube Connect with me: Website | Instagram | Facebook  Join my Email list to get tips on navigating motherhood in the medical field. If you are going through a transition -- becoming a parent, leaving a job, figuring out how manage it all, schedule a strategy coaching session and get clarity and strategic next steps for the life and career you want. Strategy Coaching Session with Dr. Toya

    18 min

  8. MAR 18

    110. Part 1: Dr. Traci De Splinter 2 under 2, New attending, new city, new life

    Hey Doc — This is a conversation I’ve really been looking forward to sharing with you. I’m joined by Dr. Traci De Splinter, an OB/GYN here in Texas and a seasoned physician mom whose daughters are now adults. I love conversations like this because most of the physician moms I talk to in this podcast are in the thick of early motherhood—myself included. There is something really powerful about hearing from someone who has lived through those years and can reflect back on them with perspective. And Dr. Traci has quite a story. In this first part of our conversation, we talk about what it looked like for her to have her first baby during residency, the realities of postpartum recovery while still in training, and the decisions physician moms often have to make around timing pregnancies and careers. We also talk about: What maternity leave looked like during residency years agoRecovering from a difficult delivery while preparing to return to workThe importance of asking for help—even when it feels uncomfortableMoving to a new city with a toddler while pregnant againWhat life looked like when her marriage ended shortly after starting her attending career Dr. Traci shares honestly about some very hard years—two babies under two, a new job, a new city, and navigating life as a physician mom. She also talks about the support systems that helped her through that season and the lessons she carries with her now. This conversation is thoughtful, candid, and full of perspective that many physician moms rarely get to hear. 🎧 Press play to hear my conversation with Dr. Traci De Splinter. What did you think of the episode, doc? Let me know! Subscribe to ✨Stethoscopes and Strollers✨ on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Apple Podcast | Spotify | YouTube Connect with me: Website | Instagram | Facebook  Join my Email list to get tips on navigating motherhood in the medical field. If you are going through a transition -- becoming a parent, leaving a job, figuring out how manage it all, schedule a strategy coaching session and get clarity and strategic next steps for the life and career you want. Strategy Coaching Session with Dr. Toya

    19 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

Welcome to Stethoscopes & Strollers! I'm Dr. Toya, mom of two, OBGYN, and coach for physician moms. Here, we go beyond the hospital halls, into the messy, magical early years of parenting—think diapers, sleepless nights, and figuring out how to deal with all those unexpected twists and turns. Every episode, I dive into topics like mental health, the ins and outs of postpartum sex, sorting out childcare, and how having little ones changes your marriage. We’ll talk about getting back to work after baby, the real deal with mom guilt thanks to those tough doctor schedules, what pumping at work is really like, and how to keep all the balls in the air without dropping any. We’re here to get real about the hard choices, like deciding to stop breastfeeding, and so much more. This is a space for focusing on taking care of you, because managing scrubs and swaddles takes a village.You'll figure out how to ask for and actually accept help, because let’s be honest, getting support is crucial for thriving as both a mom and a doctor.Just a quick heads-up: while we're all about sharing and supporting, remember this isn’t medical advice. We’re here to connect, share experiences, and grow—together, without the medical jargon. So, grab your coffee or tea, and get ready to dive into those parts of being a physician mom that don't get talked about enough. You're not riding this roller coaster alone, and you definitely deserve all the support you can get.  Tune in to Stethoscopes & Strollers for some real, honest insights and practical tips to make momming a bit easier. It’s time to get the conversation started!---------------------

Information

  • Creator
    La Toya Luces-Sampson MD, PMH-C
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    125
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 La Toya Luces MD, PMH-C
  • Show Website
    Stethoscopes and Strollers

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