Life of Dr. Mom is a health and medical mom blog designed for the modern parent whom struggles with balancing family, work, and fun. With her experience working in women health, postnatal care, mental health, and Pediatrics, Dr. Mom works to educate the modern mom with the most relevant up-to-date medical evidence to support families and the healthy development of their children.
In my family medicine practice, I often have patients come in with signs and symptoms of anxiety. They often ask “why do I feel anxious?” The truth is that anxiety, in part, is a normal human phenomenon. Everybody experiences anxiety to some extent. Unfortunately our basic...
Child Development
How common is Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder and why is it important to treat?
It is not uncommon in my medical practice to hear patients say, “Back in my day, we didn’t have all this ADHD stuff.” But how common is Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)? The fact is that ADHD (formerly known as ADD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder...
Sleep Myth #1: My anxiety will get better if I just get more sleep. Fact: Anxiety and sleep deprivation can go hand-in-hand. Generally speaking, anxiety is worsened by poor sleep, and sleep problems are worsened by anxiety. The two are not mutually exclusive. ...
When Madi was 6 months old we went to France for a
medical conference and extended it into a vacation afterwards. We spent a few days in Paris and 6 days in
Aix-en-Provence. We stayed in an Airbnb so that we could have some meals at
home and have more...
Trending on Dr. Mom
Mom Guilt and Self-Care
As a working mom with a toddler, I often feel guilty about not spending all day with my little one. In the morning when...
Travelling with Toddlers: What to bring when flying with a toddler
For the past 5 months, Madi and I have been commuting back and forth from Atlanta, Georgia to Edmonton, Alberta (Canada). Dining, shopping, or...
What can I do about my anxiety?
Being a new mom or a mom with small kids can come with a little (or a lot!) of anxiety. You are responsible for...
Baby sleep – Is Sleep Training Bad For My Baby?
When I went through my medical training I thought putting your baby to sleep was as simple as putting your baby in the bassinet...
Breastfeeding Struggles
As a physician, I have counselled on the benefits of breastfeeding. I always encouraged breastfeeding as it’s more affordable, helps with bonding, and has...
Screen Time Paradigm
Growing up, my parents let my brother and me watch unlimited amounts of TV. I remember growing up not understanding why other children had...
Where science meets parenting
How is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosed?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, “ADHD” (also formerly known as “ADD”), is one of the most common mental health disorders of childhood, that consists of...
What to Expect from your 6 Month Old Baby: Developmental Milestones and Baby Development
We probably took the most pictures of Madi as an infant when she was 6 months old. Madi was able to sit...
What causes Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)?
I often get parents coming into my office asking why their child is developing Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD - formerly known as ADD)....
How to promote good behaviour with positive reinforcement
As a physician, I often get parents coming into my office asking for help or advice on parenting and discipline. As a...
Is drinking coffee while pregnant safe?
I have had many patients ask me if coffee is safe during pregnancy. Is drinking coffee while pregnant safe? The answer...
Toxic family member? What to know and how to deal.
If you have a member of your family who causes you to feel like you are walking on eggshells with, you often...
What is HPV (Human Papillomavirus) and Why am I at Risk of Cancer?
As a family doc some parents have told me that they do not want their child to get the HPV (human papillomavirus)...
Baby sleep and travel: how to adjust
For the past 6 months I have been travelling with my toddler Madi between Edmonton and Atlanta (We live in Atlanta for...
Sleep Training Baby: what to do and how?
Sleep training baby is tough! As a physician I tell patient’s that it is safe to sleep train starting at 4-6 months as long...
Teen depression: depression symptoms, and signs of depression in adolescence
Depression is common in adolescence and is often underrecognized. As a parent it can be hard for us to think about our...
What medicines are safe to give a child when they have a cold?
What medicines are safe to give my child when they have a cold? How can I help my child when they have...
Why We Need to Vaccinate as a Society
Previously I wrote a post about vaccines and autism that was very popular on life of dr. mom. Since then i've...
Going on Vacation Without your Baby: Should I Worry About Unhealthy Attachment?
Graeme and I are leaving Madi for 6 days to go to Hawaii for our friends wedding. After I booked our flights to Hawaii...
Breastfeeding difficulties? Common reasons women have trouble breastfeeding
Breastfeeding was not intuitive for me and I struggled. Particularly for the first two weeks I had breastfeeding difficulties. I had difficulty...
The Stomach Flu in Children: Gastroenteritis
I had several infants, toddlers and young children come in to see me at my clinic with gastroenteritis. I got some great...
Mom Guilt and Self-Care
As a working mom with a toddler, I often feel guilty about not spending all day with my little one. In the morning when...
How is Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) Treated?
Attention Deficit Hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is a disorder of attention, impulsivity, and hyperreactivity that is treated with a combination of medications and behavioural treatments....
Am I at risk of gestational diabetes? How to prevent gestational diabetes in pregnancy
I was a big baby. My mom had gestational diabetes when she was pregnant with me, and as a result I was...
Screen Time Paradigm
Growing up, my parents let my brother and me watch unlimited amounts of TV. I remember growing up not understanding why other children had...
Does learning 2 languages at the same time cause speech problems or speech delay?
Growing up, I was fluent in Cantonese. Unfortunately my Cantonese vocabulary has slowly diminished. I try to speak Cantonese as often as...
Skin abrasions: how to clean a cut in children and to avoid scars and infected cuts
Recently our family had an outing to visit Martin Luther King's house here in Atlanta. Graeme and I were excited to be...
