Mommy Psychiatrist

“Where well-established rhythms exist, there is much less parental verbiage, less effort, and fewer problems around transitions.” – Kim John Payne Navigating the connection to one’s parents while developing an independent self is a natural part of child development. Early on, children discover they are separate beings with individual ideas, desires, and autonomy. If they […]

Recently, our family dropped off our ten-year-old son at sleepaway camp for a week. On the way home, we stopped to walk along a nearby river. In the grass alongside the river dam was a bird’s nest lying on the ground, containing a few newly hatched eggs. These birds, having left the place where they

As a psychiatry resident, I experienced managing sleep deprivation before having a baby. During my first overnight call, the senior colleague training me suggested we rest during the quiet hours of the afternoon to “build up our sleep tanks,” encouraging us residents to nap whenever possible during long shifts. She then retired to her on-call

While I was pregnant with our son, idealistic visions of my exclusive breastfeeding experience were forming in my mind as he was developing in my body. After careful research, I concluded a year of breastfeeding seemed ideal, as a minimum of six months was recommended. I imagined feeding our son, sitting with him cradled in

Our pediatrician is somewhat of a Sherlock Holmes. Our daughter broke out in a rash on her face the other day, prompting a sick visit. I was off work that day and planned to spend some time together with my son, but he had to come to the doctor with us. With him complaining bitterly

“Our most valuable teachers are our enemies…While our friends can help in many ways, only our enemies can provide us the challenge we need to develop tolerance, patience and compassion.” —Dalai Lama As the last school year came to a close, our family has been reflecting on the social dynamics of our son’s early elementary

When living with small children, even the most common everyday actions we make can produce strife. Which way you cut the sandwich or the color plate on which it’s served can produce a full-scale outburst of crying, thrashing or throwing oneself on the floor for a young child. When our son started having tantrums, my

Being woken up frequently during the night with my first child was a familiar experience after six years of overnight calls during my medical and psychiatric training. When I wake up because of a crying baby or the sudden, jarring beep of an on-call pager, my sympathetic nervous system kicks in to help me become