The PedsDocTalk Podcast

Does ‘playing’ with your kids stress you out? Are you overthinking what play should look like, or if you have enough time for play? Playing with your kids does not have to be stressful, and we’re here to take the stress out of it and normalize a few things when it comes to play. I welcome Tammy Schamuhn, a child psychologist and co-founder of the Institute of Child Psychology and co-author of the new book, THE PARENTING HANDBOOK: Your Guide to Raising Resilient Children.  We discuss:  What play can show us about a child Why being bored and under-scheduled is important for kids  How and why play can look different in boys and girls  Connect with Tammy on Instagram @instituteofchildpsych. Check out the new book, and for more resources, visit the Institute of Child Psychology website. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsors page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you consider yourself an optimist? Although some people may be more optimistic than others, you can learn to foster an optimistic mindset – a key tool for parents to build resiliency and navigate the unexpected. I welcome Dr. Sue Varma, a psychiatrist, cognitive behavioral therapist, and author of the new book, Practical Optimism: The Art, Science and Practice of Exceptional Wellbeing. We discuss:  What is practical optimism, and how it differs from toxic positivity and pessimism   If there is a genetic component of optimism or if it can be learned  How some people survive, even thrive, despite profound challenges The 8 Pillars of optimism and the 3Ps of pessimism How optimism can help with dealing with the unexpected, especially as parents Connect with Dr. Varma on Instagram @drsuevarma. Remember to check out her book and visit her website for more resources. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsors page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May is Food Allergy Awareness Month, and part of that is recognizing that even if you or a family member may not have a food allergy, someone you know may have food allergies. I welcome Ina Chung, a food allergy mom, educator, and author of A Kids Book about Food Allergies, who is passionate about food allergy inclusivity.  She joins me to discuss:  Why food allergy inclusivity is important  Top 3 misconceptions people who don’t have food allergies have about food allergies  A four-step framework to safely include children with allergies in events such as parties Connect with Ina on Instagram @theasianallergymom. Remember to check out her book, and for more resources, visit her website! We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsors page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, I am continuing this series on ways to take care of our mental health so we can better care for ourselves and our children. It’s common to experience some postpartum blues and adjustment as you navigate having a new baby. But when is it something more? On this episode, I welcome Chelsea & Caitlin, founders of Mama Psychologists. They are best friends, authors, Registered Psychologists, and moms to discuss: The line between normal postpartum adjustment and PPD and PPA Postpartum blues  Signs of postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression  When to know you need more help and how to get that help You can connect with Chelsea & Caitlin on Instagram @mamapsychologists. Check out their book, Not Your Mother's Postpartum Book and for more resources, visit the Mama Psychologists website. If you are dealing with postpartum mental health concerns and need help, visit Postpartum Support International. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsors page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and in honor of my advocacy for more open conversation surrounding Mental health, I will be featuring episodes on ways to take care of our mental health so we can better care for ourselves and our children. Therapy is highly beneficial, and various modalities are used. EMDR (Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) is an evidence-based approach that has been shown to help in processing traumatic events and changing negative patterns and helping people with mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and OCD. I personally started EMDR earlier this year, and in honor of Maternal Mental Health Month, I invited Dr. Cassidy Freitas, who is a licensed marriage and family therapist who also does EMDR.  We discuss:  What EMDR is and the steps of EMDR Who would be a good candidate  Examples of how EMDR helped me and Dr. Cassidy  For more resources on EMDR: EMDR Institute, Psychologytoday.com, and EMDRIA. You can connect with Dr. Cassidy on Instagram @drcassidy, and for more resources, check out Dr. Cassidy's website. If you are dealing with postpartum mental health concerns and need help, visit Postpartum Support International We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsors page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you know the cultural differences that can exist being immigrant parents and the mental health issues that are unique? Whether you come from an immigrant household or not, this episode is a must to really dive into the cultural stereotypes that exist surrounding mental health and, subsequently, how we show up for our children. I welcome Sahaj Kaur Kohli who is the founder of Brown Girl Therapy (@browngirltherapy), the first and largest mental health and wellness community organization for adult children of immigrants, a licensed therapist, and author of the Book, But What Will People Say: Navigating mental health, identity, love, and family between cultures.  She joins me to discuss: The difference between collectivist and individualistic cultures and why the distinction is important Why diversity in mental health and parenting resources is important What struggles immigrant parents have that may be unique We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsors page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and just as much as we need to focus on maternal mental health, we also need to recognize that dads and non-birthing partners also can struggle postpartum as well. 7% and 9% of new fathers develop postpartum depression. I invited my husband back on the show to chat about postpartum mental health and mental health concerns in general in men.  We discuss   Why men and women can struggle with their mental health postpartum  Why men don’t talk about their mental health struggles or seek help as much as women may The cultural barriers that exist that normalize seeking mental health help How we’re raising our kids to undo this cycle of mental health stigma  How consistent therapy has helped my husband and myself  For more on postpartum mental health for all caregivers, visit this resource. If you are dealing with postpartum mental health concerns and need help, visit Postpartum Support International. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsors page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

India is home to over 1.4 BILLION people and over 470 million children. There are more children in India than our entire population in the U.S. so I needed to have a pediatrician to chat with from India! I reached out to Dr. Imran Patel, a Pediatrician in India, and one the most followed and loved Pediatricians in the world with over 4.6 million followers on Instagram and 1.5 million followers on YouTube. We discuss:  If vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaccine sentiment exist in India The cultural differences in approach to sleep and kids How he wishes more families would approach feeding solid foods  What motivates us as colleagues a world apart doing similar work Connect with Dr. Imran Patel on Instagram @drimranpatelofficial We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsors page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you felt yourself drift from your friends pre-motherhood? Or have you found making new and meaningful friendships hard after becoming a mom? I welcome Danielle Bayard Jackson, a relational health educator who has made a career out of studying what the research has to say about creating quality platonic relationships. She also has a new book coming out called, Fighting for Our Friendships: The Science and Art of Conflict and Connection in Women's Relationships. She joins me to discuss:  The three reasons why friendships after motherhood are so hard to make and maintain Why having meaningful and strong female connections is important for our mental health  How to handle “passive” friendships Practical ways to find meaningful connections with peers amidst the mental load and business of our lives Connect with Danielle on Instagram @daniellebayardjackson. Check out her book! We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsors page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The “Default parent” seems like modern parenting terminology, but it’s a real role. It can sometimes be associated with feelings of resentment and overwhelm if it’s not communicated. I welcome Erica Djossa, the CEO and founder of Momwell and the author of Releasing the Mother Load: How to Carry Less and Enjoy Motherhood More. We discuss:  What the default parent is, and how someone knows they’re the default parent  Why, in heterosexual relationships, have mothers taken on this role? How couples can communicate better to share the mental load and roles Connect with Erica on Instagram @momwell. Check out her new book! We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsors page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you ever feel you’re overdoing or overthinking parenting? Dr. Aliza Pressman, developmental psychologist, co-founder of the Mount Sinai Parenting Center, host of the podcast Raising Good Humans, and author of the newly released New York Times bestseller The 5 Principles of Parenting, joins me to reflect on parenting and discuss her new book. We discuss:  How parents overdo it and how to keep it simple The five principles of parenting that can be applied to many different situations Why parents shouldn’t always focus on “getting it right” Connect with Dr. Aliza Pressman on Instagram @raisingoodhumanspodcast and check out The 5 Principles of Parenting Book. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsors page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Struggling with boundary setting?  Wanting to foster secure attachment with your child?  Want a relationship with your child as they get older? Issues in school, with peers, etc., and trying to find out why? You’re going to want to listen to this episode. I dive deep into three things children need in relationships with their grown up. Whether it's a parent, teacher, or other caregiver; our children want to feel safe, respected, and connected. I dive deep into how this shows up in parenting and offer insight and stories as well. I discuss:  How kids can feel unsafe in their home and how it’s not just physical safety Why one-way respect parenting is outdated and why we have to respect our kids for them to respect us How to build secure attachment and why it’s needed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a completely impromptu episode I had to release because it shares my love for all children (and, of course, my kiddos) with all of you! My son, Ryaan, is four years old and loves playing with my podcast mic. So, the other day after preschool, I had him join me for a conversation. We talk about normal four-year-old things!   Car washes Favorite foods and vegetables  What makes us feel better when we’re sad  And, of course, we sing a song from Frozen  This episode is kid-friendly, and I encourage you to listen to it with your toddlers or preschoolers! Disclaimer: the word penis is said because we teach our son anatomic body parts, and it came up in this impromptu conversation! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The goal of parenting should be to foster the growth and development of the child in front of us, and part of this is guiding them through experiences and things that may make them more anxious. I welcome Dr. Melissa Giglio, a child clinical psychologist, author, and director of a private practice in Hong Kong. We discuss: How we can nurture bravery and confidence in our children Strategies to “push’ our child in healthy ways  Ways to validate their experience as they grow through new situations For more about Dr. Melissa Giglio, check out her website Bravemightyminds.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We live in a digital age, and at some point, our children will have access to phones, but it is our responsibility as parents to balance the benefits and risks of phone use. I welcome Bill Brady, who is the CEO and Co-founder of Troomi Wireless, a mobile phone platform designed to improve kids’ mental health through a safe and balanced relationship with technology. We discuss: The benefits and risks of allowing our child to have a phone for use Is there a magical age at which they should be allowed a phone? How to create healthy boundaries with access to a phone and safety and other activities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sleep apnea and ADHD can greatly impact sleep, but are often not discussed when discussing a sleep quality evaluation. On this episode, I welcome back Dr. Shelby Harris, a licensed clinical psychologist who is board-certified and specializes in behavioral sleep medicine. We discuss:  How sleep apnea and ADHD affect your child’s sleep and behavior  When to be concerned about your child’s sleep  Is it parenting or something more? Connect on Instagram @sleepdocshelby Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Finding Joy” episodes on this podcast tackle more than just parenting topics, but real-life mindfulness topics to be the best version of ourselves so we can better show up for ourselves and the people in our life. In this episode, I discuss connection.  What exactly is connection? Why is connection with self so important? How to incorporate meaningful connections in our busy lives. How to know if you’re feeling disconnected with yourself.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jennifer Gates Nassar is the eldest daughter of Bill and Melinda French Gates. She has grown up with privilege but is paving her own path as a medical student and soon-to-be doctor and mother. For this Finding Joy episode, I welcome her on to discuss: How her parents instilled work ethic and grit in her despite growing up with privilege The single most important thing her parents did in raising her that she’s grateful for How she’s found her own identity and calling What she hopes her daughter sees in her as she grows up Follow Jenn on Instagram @jenngatesnassar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Solid Starts was founded in 2020 to revolutionize the way we feed our babies and toddlers. Their FREE first food database provides nutrition information and preparation information for the foods we eat and how we can make it accessible and safe for babies to eat from the time they start solids. I welcome the founder of Solid Starts, Jenny Best, to talk about Solid Starts and feeding babies and toddlers. We discuss: How we as parents and our parenting style can impact feeding Why feeding is an incredibly important milestone Why self-feeding is important for babies Check out all the Solid Starts resources: Free First Foods Database, Solid Starts App, Starting Solids Bundle Connect on Instagram @solidstarts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Childhood trauma has unfortunately become a buzzword across social media where sometimes things are labeled as “trauma” that may not exactly be. Or maybe a parent is inadvertently doing something that can lead to trauma. On this episode I welcome Kobe Campbell, a licensed trauma therapist and author, to discuss :  What is the definition of childhood trauma  How not all crying is trauma How to ask yourself if something you’re doing is traumatizing your child  Holding your child for vaccines, giving meds, brushing teeth. Is this trauma? Sleep-training-Is this trauma?   Check out Kobe's website at kobecampbell.com or connect on Instagram @kobecampbell_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices