The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom

In this solo episode, I am opening up about a big life change. I recently resigned from my clinical job. On paper it may sound simple, but the story under it holds a lot of layers, emotion, and growth. I talk about what led to my decision, what it brought up from my childhood, and how this shift is changing the way I raise my kids. If you grew up chasing safety, grades, or approval, parts of this...

In this Follow-Up episode, Dr. Mona revisits one of the most downloaded PedsDocTalk conversations, her discussion with Dr. Loretta Breuning on how rewards and threats shape a child’s brain. They break down why yelling, pleading, and bribing often backfire, and how attention itself can accidentally reinforce behaviors parents want to stop. You will hear why giving in after resistance makes behavior...

You are never wrong for being worried about your child. You are allowed to ask questions, ask for help, and ask for another set of eyes. Advocacy is not confrontation, it is care. And the doctors caring for your family are human too, carrying both expertise and emotion into every room they enter. In this episode, I sit down with pediatric ER physician and creator Dr. Beachgem for a wide-ranging, h...

In this episode, I break down the three core needs every child has to feel secure, confident, and connected with their parents: safety, respect, and connection. These are not soft ideas or permissive parenting. They are the foundation of authoritative parenting and the reason kids are more likely to listen, trust, and stay connected to us as they grow. In this episode, I discuss: Why safety, respe...

As the year wraps up, I’ve been looking back at some of my favorite chats from the shows I visited this season. New episodes return January 7. On this episode of the Elevated Thoughts podcast, I sat down with two thoughtful first-time dads to talk about the topics parents are wrestling with right now. We got into the messy middle of vaccine hesitancy, why so many families feel caught between loud...

In this episode, we talk about one of the most loaded parenting topics out there, baby sleep. Do babies need to be taught to sleep, or is sleep something you should just let happen? And if a family wants support, when does it actually make sense to work on sleep skills? I sit down with a pediatric sleep expert to unpack what sleep teaching really means, why there is no single right approach, and h...

As we close out 2025 and step into a fresh year, I’ve been thinking back on some of the conversations I loved most from guest spots on other shows. New episodes pick back up on January 7. On this episode of The Dude Therapist, I joined Eli Weinstein for a conversation that moved through so many parts of real-life parenting — the worries, the humor, the triggers, and the growth that comes with rais...

Ever clean up the toys, turn around, and somehow the mess is worse? Or feel like you are the only one picking things up? In this Follow Up episode, Dr. Mona is joined by Tyler Moore, also known as Tidy Dad, to talk about how to involve kids in household routines in ways that actually work for real life. Not rewards. Not sticker charts. Just teamwork. They break down how chores build belonging, how...

In this final episode of 2025, I’m sharing something deeply personal - my relationship with anger, where it came from, and how I’ve worked to change it. This is one of the most vulnerable solo episodes I’ve ever recorded, because anger is a feeling so many of us carry quietly, especially in parenthood. This episode is for the parent who feels ashamed after snapping. For the one who feels tense all...

If you’ve ever spent the whole day dreaming about going to bed, only to climb under the covers and lie wide awake, this episode will feel like a deep exhale. I’m joined by sleep psychologist Dr. Shelby Harris to talk about the tired-but-wired cycle so many mothers fall into and why it’s more common than you think. We unpack the real reasons your brain won’t shut off at night, from revenge bedtime...

In this episode, I sit down with retired pediatrician and grandmother Dr. Bubbie, whose 40 years in pediatrics give her a rare, steady perspective on the highs and lows of raising kids today. We talk about what modern parents are doing well, why so many of us feel anxious even when we’re doing a good job, and how social media has quietly changed the way we parent. Dr. Bubbie shares what she has le...

Power struggles feel like part of the toddler job description, but they don’t have to run the whole house. In this episode, I break down what’s really happening in those intense moments and how small shifts in tone, control, and connection can turn things around. This isn’t about “winning” a battle. It’s about helping your child feel capable while keeping your own sanity intact. We talk through th...

What does it look like to raise kids who believe they belong in science, who feel confident speaking up, and who see women as leaders in fields that have long pushed them out? I first came across Emily Calandrelli’s work years ago on social media, and her mix of joy, honesty, and curiosity pulled me in immediately. Her voice reminded me that advocacy doesn’t have to be loud to be powerful and that...

In this follow up episode, we revisit one of the most loved ideas on the show, because parents tell me again and again that it changed the way they show up for their kids. We’re talking about the Independence Before Intervention principle, a simple shift that helps kids build confidence, resilience, and trust in themselves while still knowing we’re right there when they need us. Inspired by watchi...

Pregnancy comes with a lot of rules, warnings, and fear based posts online. But how much of that advice is actually rooted in science, and how much is leftover noise that keeps parents stressed for no reason? In today’s episode, I sit down with Dr. Jessica Knurick, a nutrition researcher and registered dietitian who has spent years breaking down food myths in the pregnancy and postpartum space. To...

In this Follow Up episode, I’m opening up about something I’ve counseled countless parents through yet still had to face myself: the emotional weight of percentiles. After my daughter Vera was born, a mix of postpartum complications, exclusive pumping, and constant worry about her petite size pulled me into a spiral I didn’t see coming. This episode walks through that experience with honesty and c...

What does it really mean to raise securely attached kids? I first came across Eli Harwood’s book Raising Securely Attached Kids on a solo trip, and it completely re-energized how I think about connection and parenting. Her words reminded me that so much of raising emotionally healthy kids starts with how we show up, not how perfect we are. It is now one of my most favorite parenting books out ther...

Raising kids who feel proud of who they are, not just what they do, is one of the biggest gifts we can give them. In this Follow-Up episode, I revisit my conversation with Dr. Becky Kennedy, recorded back when I was a new mom trying to understand how to raise a confident child. Now, with Ryaan heading into six, these lessons hit even deeper. We talk about what real confidence looks like for kids,...

More and more women are getting diagnosed with ADHD later in life, often after becoming parents, and it’s not because ADHD is “trending.” It’s because we’ve missed it for decades. In this conversation, I talk with psychiatrist and author Dr. Sasha Hamdani about why ADHD in girls and women often goes unnoticed, how hormones and motherhood reveal hidden symptoms, and why self-understanding can be so...

Sleep training might be one of the most debated topics in parenting but it doesn’t have to be so polarizing. In this Follow-Up episode, I revisit my most downloaded episode, “We’re Losing Sleep Over Our Kids’ Sleep,” to talk honestly about what sleep training really means, the methods that exist, and how to decide what’s right for your family. You’ll learn: ✔️ What “sleep training” actually means...

We’re raising girls in a world where filters are the norm, “what I eat in a day” videos flood their feeds, and puberty hits earlier than ever. It’s no wonder body image struggles start young. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Melisa Holmes to talk about how parents can help their daughters build confidence in their changing bodies without shame, fear, or comparison. We’ll cover how to talk about...

No one prepares you for how much your relationship changes after having a baby. The exhaustion, hormones, mental load, and body changes all take a toll on desire and closeness, and it’s rarely talked about honestly. In this Follow Up episode, Dr. Mona talks with Dr. Tracy Dalgleish about what really happens to intimacy after baby. They unpack why desire often dips postpartum, how to reconnect emot...

What happens when a chiropractor decides to go to medical school? In this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Richard Schoonmaker, a former chiropractor turned osteopathic medical student, to talk about why he made the switch, what he learned about evidence-based care, and how chiropractic and medicine can actually work together when done responsibly. What We Discuss: Why Dr. Schoonmaker left chirop...

We’ve all heard the phrase breast is best. But is it really that simple? In this episode, I sit down with an expert to talk honestly about what the research actually says about breastfeeding and where the science gets murky. We break down what’s fact, what’s myth, and why so much of the “breast is best” messaging comes from data that’s more correlation than causation. From IQ to obesity to immune...

If you’ve ever wondered why traditional discipline like timeouts, threats, punishments feel off or doesn’t actually work, this episode will change the way you see toddler behavior. I’m joined by Devon Kuntzman, toddler expert and founder of Transforming Toddlerhood, to talk about how we can move from managing our kids’ behavior to teaching through it. We unpack why toddlers act out, how to handle...