Have you Ever felt Mom Guilt?
Just remember - we as parents are doing the best that we can with the information that we have at the moment that we're in. And that's a different moment and different information than other people may have, or that we may have 10 years from now. So let's try not to be so hard on ourselves. Let’s learn from these experiences and give ourselves the grace that we cannot be “perfect” all the time. I love the social media reels that show other people’s messy houses or talk about times when they “lost it” with their kids, or times when stressed-out moms have locked themselves in the closet to get a few moments of peace and calm. It makes me realize that we are all just doing the best we can and we’re all just muddling through.
Tween angst
Yesterday we picked up a very dirty tween from a week at sleepaway camp. His proud report was that he hadn’t showered once during the week. I could see inklings of his rosy cheeks peeking out from the grime. And I’m not even going to share the tooth-brushing report, which really gave me the heebie jeebies. Despite the layers of dirt, we were very happy to have him back and to hear about his amazing week. We also were quickly reminded of the tween phase he is going through, from the mini meltdowns to the quick angry outbursts and also the fierce love that peeks through here and there. And immediately we were sprinkled with penis jokes again. Or perhaps I should say we are sprayed with a fire hose?
Letter to a burnt-out doctor
As I leave a conference organized for a group of physician entrepreneurs, I have so many thoughts running through my head. Some of these thoughts revolve around how to make my small, fledgling medical practice run more smoothly, reach more people (and serve them better), and always remember my why. These are the “business mastermind” skills I signed up to learn at the conference. But I may have come out of this with something way more valuable in the long run. I was also reminded of why I left what I was doing before and why I am continuing to follow this incredibly challenging path of being a medical practice owner “outside the system” even when the odds are against me.
HICCUPS, GRUNTING, AND SNEEZES, OH MY!
NEWBORN BABIES MAKE A LOT OF NOISE.
Plain and simple.
Thankfully, most of it is completely normal. But for a new parent, every little sound can be worrisome when you’re not used to it.
SAY “NO” to APNO!
It is common to get some nipple discomfort at the start of breastfeeding. Babies and moms are learning how to do this new skill, and sometimes they just don’t get it right, and nipple damage can occur. If caught and adjusted early, this can clear up quickly, but in the meantime, women can have cracks, bleeding, and extreme sensitivity of their nipples.
All Purpose Nipple Ointment - otherwise known as APNO - has been prescribed by physicians for years for nipple pain… But APNO is like throwing the kitchen sink at nipple pain. This goes against my personal treatment method and decision-making as a physician.
Breastfeeding can be beautiful.
Sometimes my job as a breastfeeding medicine physician is to say “it’s OK to stop.” And then to allow that woman the space to grieve or breathe a sigh of relief, or say “no, I’m not finished yet,” and then move forward. There is no right or wrong answer here.
Mom vs. Strong-willed Child: Who will win?
Imagine you bring your 7-year-old child to get her Covid vaccine. You are so happy this is finally happening. Your daughter has underlying anxiety and is also very strong-willed - a challenging combination, to say the least. You know this isn’t going to be easy.
It’s not me, it’s the system
We need to stop blaming the doctors. We need to see this for what it is - a broken system. A system in the process of breaking the very doctors who make up its framework.