Mandy Rodrigues - Clinical Psychologist

23/06/2025

𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡 👣
🏔️ Some scale steep cliffs
⛺ Others pause at base camp
🔁 Many take detours, change direction, or stop to catch their breath
But whether it’s through IVF, surrogacy, adoption, egg or s***m donation—𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 🚩 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭

🧗 The mountain is not about how you climb
💪 It’s about the courage to keep going

Let’s shift the conversation. Let’s honour 𝑎𝑙𝑙 the paths to parenthood. There is no second best when the goal is to parent 💞

13/05/2025

There are so many definitions of happiness. Many people say "money can't buy happiness." Others say money at least allows for less stress and more resources, translating into happier lives. Introducing the book The Algebra of Happiness. I definitely resonate with the equation that happiness is a combination of relationships, money and resilience. I think it explains why some that seem to have it all, might be unhappy. Resilience is a component that we often overlook

05/02/2025

Wow! This seems a lifetime ago. Well done to myIVFanswers for the phenomenal support you provided during Covid and beyond. It has always been a pleasure speaking on your platform

04/02/2025

What makes babies so different❓ From the same family ❓

Same DNA, same uterus, same enviroment and same access to resources in early childhood yet so different 🤷‍♀️

The other day I met little Sadie. Only seven months old and already crawling and pulling herself up to stand. She is vocal, she explores, is vigilant and very aware of her surroundings.

During Covid, her older sister Rachel was born. I remember meeting this tiny baby and holding her in my arms. I remember Rachel being calm and pretty quiet.

This got me thinking that it is not simply genetics nor environment solely. It is not as simple as nature versus nurture. I get many adult patients born into the same family. Same upbringing, same opportunities. But completely different recollections of their childhoods. The makeup of a child includes so many facets:

👉🏻 birth order - older siblings are described as being more responsible
👉🏻 birth order also impacts how confident parents are - was the older sibling guided by a helicopter parent?
👉🏻 sociopolitical enviroment - Covid had a significant impact on infants, their separation anxiety and their ability to socialize
👉🏻 some infants did better in Covid as they had more quality time with their parents
👉🏻 factors like resilience of the parent/s at the time of the birth, financial factors and relationship status can all impact development

We are the product of a complex interplay of nature, nurture, resilience and experience. Every person we meet crosses our path for a reason, shaping our thoughts, identity and journey- in big ways and small.

Welcome baby Sadie 🩷

04/02/2025

What makes babies so different❓ From the same family ❓

Same DNA, same uterus, same enviroment and same access to resources in early childhood yet so different 🤷‍♀️

The other day I met little Sadie. Only seven months old and already crawling and pulling herself up to stand. She is vocal, she explores, is vigilant and very aware of her surroundings.

During Covid, her older sister Rachel was born. I remember meeting this tiny baby and holding her in my arms. I remember Rachel being calm and pretty quiet.

This got me thinking that it is not simply genetics nor environment solely. It is not as simple as nature versus nurture. I get many adult patients born into the same family. Same upbringing, same opportunities. But completely different recollections of their childhoods. The makeup of a child includes so many facets:

👉🏻 birth order - older siblings are described as being more responsible
👉🏻 birth order also impacts how confident parents are - was the older sibling guided by a helicopter parent?
👉🏻 sociopolitical enviroment - Covid had a significant impact on infants, their separation anxiety and their ability to socialize
👉🏻 some infants did better in Covid as they had more quality time with their parents
👉🏻 factors like resilience of the parent/s at the time of the birth, financial factors and relationship status can all impact development

We are the product of a complex interplay of nature, nurture, resilience and experience. Every person we meet crosses our path for a reason, shaping our thoughts, identity and journey- in big ways and small.

Welcome baby Sadie 🩷

07/12/2024

04/12/2024

I did say "your passion for saving animals will not last." 🤭 I also said rescuing animals will have to be a side hustle.

Caitlin was not a typical little girl. She was fearless. There was no fear of insects, and she would get very upset if any insect was hurt. She preferred playing with her soft toys and was brilliant at drawing and sculpting from the age of 4- years. She carried an animal book with her, and learned all she could about the animals. At the age of 3- years, we were in an isolated spot in the Drakensburg and she saved a rat from a cat's mouth. The rat bit her little finger and it was shredded, requiring stitches and a tetanus injection. Her passion for rescuing animals was evident throughout school, with her rescuing baby birds, and feeding them overnight without telling us. She volunteered at animal shelters and started organising charity events for Fauna & Flora

When Caity was studying, she moved out and started rescuing animals to live at home, as I couldn't say anything. She rescued our dogs, and then converted her second bedroom into a room for her four rats, and three bunnies.

Caity was chosen in grade 12 for the PwC CEO SleepOut. That involved her spending the night on Nelson Mandela Bridge with the CEO, doing charity work. For her, the profession would offer her stability and an income to continue her passion. Her dedication, her hours of hard work and her passion for making a difference has paid off. She has excelled academically and professionally, but her love and selflessness at caring for animals and animal rights, reminds me every day that success is more than a degree but is about compassion and purpose. She was just signed off as an Article Clerk yesterday and is now officially a Chartered Accountant. She has just booked herself to Vietnam, alone, for two weeks where she will spend her holiday volunteering for a charity organisation that rescues animals in the country. I couldn't be prouder.

16/11/2024

Thank you Merck for sponsoring my talk on Thursday and here in KZN today. Last one of the year!
Speaking to gynaecologists in private practice about Third Party Options in ART. Great turnout KZN SASOG ‼️

16/11/2024

Just arrived in Durban for the KZN SASOG event. Thank you to Merck for the sponsorship

15/11/2024

Catch Dr Lusanda Shimange-Matsose and Dr Clark LIVE on air as they join Kerry-Anne for an insightful discussion on health, wellness and fertility.

📅 Date: 16 November
🕒 Time: 2:30 pm
📻 Station: MIX 93.8FM
👥 Featuring: Dr Lusanda Shimange-Matsose and Dr Nick Clark
🎙️ Host: Kerry-Anne
📚 Topic: Health, Wellness and Fertility

📞 011 463 2244
💬 +27 66 266 1014
📧 info@medfem.co.za
🌐 www.medfem.co.za

11/11/2024

Trigger warning ⚠️

I deal with miscarriage, stillbirth, NICU death and the death of a child.

✴️I see parents grieving acutely a decade down the line
✴️ I witness mothers not ingesting food or water. As a form of self punishment and some as a form of passive suicidal ideation
✴️ I hear about the tears they shed when someone says something hurtful even though they didn’t mean to
✴️ I equally see how the parents are isolated, sometimes avoided and can be stigmatised

Have a look at the myths and suggestions around

07/11/2024