Post Author: Yolanda Wong, MD

A family bucket list is a reminder to have fun together

Physician
March 16, 2012

Parenthood.  It has changed everything.

Snot on my sweater goes unnoticed.  Hobbies gather dust in the closet.  Kissing away the boo-boos and wiping away tears become daily ritual.  Screams, laughter, tantrums, and toys crashing to the floor become the household white noise.  All my Facebook status updates are about my kids.

Some people manage to continue their lives with style.

Me?  I’m just tired.  And I need a haircut.  Smartypants would say I need a …

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Tips for feeding your picky eater

Conditions
February 29, 2012

Your baby had a great appetite.  Happily ate everything.  Tried lots of flavors and foods.  Then your baby became a toddler.  Suddenly meals feel like a horrible battle.

Sound familiar?

Picky eating is very common, especially in toddlers and pre-schoolers. After the first year of life, a toddler’s appetite decreases quite a bit as the rate of growth slows down.  Meanwhile, a toddler grows in independence, expressed by pushing limits, exploring new skills, and forming lots of opinions …

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How well does your child play?

Patient
January 14, 2012

All play is not equal.  With the power of marketing, play has become increasingly associated with toys, electronic gadgets, television, and video games.  Just think about the amount of ads for children’s toys over the holidays.   Just think about the things your child might have asked for and the latest trends that become the new must-have of the season.

Without realizing it, we may be intervening in a child’s most natural form of …

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Children who curse, and the power of words

Patient
September 13, 2011

Today was a rough day at work.  My schedule of 10 patients for the afternoon rapidly ballooned into 17.  People were sick and miserable.  Those who were healthy were frustrated by the long wait.  I heard myself apologizing over and over to each family.

The day was mostly a chaotic blur.  Babies crying, phones ringing, parents reprimanding children on the brink of a meltdown.  I don’t remember much of it, except …

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Let’s stop the war between breastfeeding and formula feeding

Patient
June 17, 2011

I am all for breastfeeding.  Without doubt, breast milk is incredible stuff.  And it’s free.  Who complains about free?

Nevertheless, somewhere along the way, the campaign for breastfeeding has spun out of control.  The topic has morphed into yet another competition in the arena of parenthood.  Mothers boast about breastfeeding.  Mothers compare how long they nurse.  Mothers compare how much milk can be pumped in one sitting.  Mothers are made …

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The relationship between parents and pediatricians

Physician
April 1, 2011

It’s strange being on the other side for a change. I remember bringing my son to his first doctor’s appointment.  A new mom. No stethoscope around my neck. No patient schedule, replaced instead by the constant grind of breastfeeding.

I knew it was just another routine newborn check for our pediatrician, but every maternal fiber in me believed that my son must be the cutest baby that ever walked through that clinic.  …

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