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.
COVID-19 has affected all of us and has placed many restrictions around the activities we enjoy. With my two children ages 4 and 1 we used to go to indoor playgrounds, have playdates and attend music classes weekly. The increased restrictions with COVID-19 has forced our family to...
Sleep is an incredibly important part of our natural biological processes. It involves important chemicals known as neurotransmitters, those being serotonin, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, and dopamine. It also involves a hormone called melatonin. The parts of the brain that are particularly involved in sleep include:
Biting is a common phase many toddlers go through. It does not mean that your toddler is going to have behavioural problems in the future or that you, as a parent, are doing something wrong. However, it is an important behaviour to address immediately when it starts...
Contraception options after pregnancy is an important health topic that sometimes we forget about. This is why I discuss contraception while breastfeeding with all of my postpartum patients. One misconception is that breastfeeding is an effective form of contraception. It is TRUE that if...
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...
Everything you Need to Know About the Flu, the Flu Shot, and Common Myths
Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by a virus. The flu can be deadly, especially in certain populations such...
Grandparents Spoiling with Sugar
Going through medical school and learning about the growing epidemic of childhood obesity has made more conscious of the food I prepare for Madi....
Where science meets parenting
The health benefits of coffee.
When I was going through my undergraduate training - I would have 3 cups of coffee per day. My mom and...
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...
Helping Your Child Learn to Read Will Help With Language Development and Academic Abilities
Child development of language and literacy abilities (the ability to talk, read and write) occurs in stages over time. It includes developing...
Breastfeed If You Can, But If You Can’t, What About Infant Formula?
During my medical training, I thought breastfeeding was as simple as holding your baby up to your breast and baby would naturally...
How can temper tantrums teach your child to regulate emotions and manage anxiety
Emotions and anxiety are normal human experiences that can be helpful in some situations (like the intense joy I experienced when I found...
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...
Management Strategies for Colic
Colic is defined as crying for no apparent reason that lasts for greater than 3 hours per day and occurs on 3 or...
Managing Mosquito Bites
Mosquito bites are an annoying part of summer. The best way to deal with mosquitoes is to prevent them from biting in the first place. But...
Postpartum hairloss
I experienced significant hair loss after both of my pregnancies. My experience with postpartum hair loss made wonder, why do we lose...
Myths About Speech Delay in Children
Myth
#1: Boys take longer to develop speech than girls. Fact: Speech and language development occurs at similar rates in...
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...
Guest Post: How To Survive The Stress Of The Christmas Season
Every year in December when the first signs of Christmas arise, the minds of many people fill with excitement, warmth and anticipation. Daydreams...
To Circumcise or Not to Circumcise?
Male circumcision is defined as the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis. The foreskin is the retractable roll of skin...
Umbilical Cord Care
Caring for your newborns umbilical cord stump is important. Whether your baby is born in a health care facility or at home, most...
I’m Pregnant, Can I Eat Deli Meats?
Deli Meats and Pregnancy I love charcuterie. And pizza. And sandwiches. I’m now in my second pregnancy and there never ceases to...
How To Treat Sunburns?
As a child, I remember hating wearing sunscreen. My mom would put it on me and it would always end up getting...
Guest Post: Breast Ultrasound and it’s Uses
Breast ultrasound has many uses in the assessment of breast health. Some women wonder whether they can or should have breast ultrasound...
Is Spanking Bad for your Child: Controversies and Childhood Outcomes
Parents always want to make the best decisions for their children, particularly when it comes to discipline. Everyone will have an opinion and try...
Mindfulness Meditation to improve your mental health and be more present with your children.
Mindfulness is a meditative practice where you intentionally bring your
attention to experiences in the here and now.
It helps us to become more...
Family activities in Edmonton, Alberta
Graeme and I have lived in Edmonton for
over 10 years. We attended medical
school, completed our residencies and started our practices here. We...
Do the Preservatives in Vaccines Cause Autism?
In my last article about vaccines and the fraudulent accusation that they are associated with or cause autism, I outlined how the...
