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pedsdoctalk 👩🏽‍⚕️ Pediatrician (D.O) + Mom
💙 Child Health
📈 Development
👨‍👩‍👧 Parenting
🎙️ Podcast
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(24)

👩🏽‍⚕️Pediatrician + Mom helping you parent with confidence
🎤TOP Podcast | Speaker

06/17/2026

PLEASE REPORT THIS AD ON INSTAGRAM ON FACEBOOK

I am not affiliated with novacareus.com, the account running this ad, or the anti-choking products being promoted in any way.

There is an ad going around using an original piece of my content to create an altered, possibly AI-generated video that falsely makes it look like I am endorsing this product - which I never did.

To be clear, I am referring to the novacareus.com ad/account promoting this anti-choking product. I am not referring to any unrelated company that may use a similar name.

My lawyer advised that the most helpful thing right now is for anyone who sees the ad to report it directly through Instagram or Facebook so we can try to get it taken down faster. If possible, please take a screenshot or screen recording first and send it to me.

Many of you have asked whether the company is a scam. I do not know the answer to that.

What I do know is that I did not authorize my video, name, image, likeness, voice, content, or any other intellectual property to be used in connection with this ad, brand, or product in any way.

I had never heard of this company or product until people started sending me screenshots and videos of the ad asking if I endorsed it.

I am concerned not only for me but for other creators and public figures. PLEASE spread the word, REPORT the AD as impersonation.

06/17/2026

The small, boring, everyday moments are what actually shape our kids. Not the big trips. Not the long talks. The small stuff.

This week on the PedsDocTalk Podcast I am back with Brandon Webb, former Navy SEAL sniper instructor, father of three, and author of the new book Puddle Jumpers, and this part of our conversation is all about what showing up looks like in practice. Presence, better questions, and letting kids do hard small things.

There is research behind this, and it even has a name: ordinary magic. It is your kid ordering their own food at a restaurant. Asking the bank teller for coins. Taking the subway alone at 16. Brandon's son still talks about that subway card. Says it was one of the biggest confidence moments of his life.

And then there is the broken dish story. His daughter knocked over a dish while visiting him, and his calm response in that moment stuck with her for years. Why do those tiny reactions matter so much? Because how we respond to mistakes becomes what our kids expect from the world, and from themselves.

Ever wonder why "stop screaming" never actually stops the screaming? Brandon learned the answer as a sniper instructor. He never named a student's mistake, because telling a shooter "stop flinching" only puts the flinch in his head. Same thing at home. Our voices become our kids' inner voice.

His parting advice was simple: put the phone down and be present. Quality over quantity, every time.

This one is for every parent who wonders if the small moments matter. They do. They are doing more work than you think.

Comment "PODCAST" and I'll send you the full link to "How Fathers Can Raise Confident Kids (Even If No One Showed You How)" - we also cover co-parenting, breaking generational patterns, and how your voice becomes your child's inner voice as they grow up. And if you want to go deeper, check out his new book Puddle Jumpers: Simple and Proven Ways to Raise Confident & Joyful Kids.

What is one small thing your parents did that stuck with your confidence as a kid?


Stitch with:

06/17/2026

If things feel heavy right now, look around and ask - who are my helpers?

Who is showing up? Who can take something off my plate, even just the emotional weight of it?

We cannot do this parenting thing alone. And when help shows up, we have to let it in.

He was thrown off a boat at 16 by his own father. By 51, his kids call him just to talk, not because they need anything....
06/17/2026

He was thrown off a boat at 16 by his own father. By 51, his kids call him just to talk, not because they need anything.

That shift didn't happen by accident.

Brandon Webb, former Navy SEAL and author of Puddle Jumpers, joined me to talk about breaking generational patterns, raising kids who are confident without being coddled, and why apologizing to your child might be one of the most powerful parenting tools you have.

This one is for every parent who is trying to do better than what they were shown. Link in the comments.

06/16/2026

Egg allergy rates dropped nearly 13 percentage points in one group of babies. What changed? The age families started offering egg. Here's what the new research says and what it means when you're starting solids. Link in the comments.

06/16/2026

“Well, that’s not what we did.” 🙃

If you’ve ever heard that from a grandparent, you’re definitely not alone.
One of the biggest differences between parenting then and parenting now isn’t that grandparents didn’t care.
It’s that parents today are navigating an overwhelming amount of information.

Previous generations often had:
📚 A few parenting books
👩‍⚕️ Their pediatrician
👵 Their own parents

Today, parents have:
📱 Social media
🎙️ Podcasts
📧 Newsletters
📖 Courses
🔍 Google
💬 Parenting forums

And while access to information can be empowering, it can also make it harder to trust ourselves.

That’s why I loved this reminder from our conversation:
Most grandparents were parenting with the information available to them at the time.
Most parents today are doing the same.

The goal isn't proving who parented "better."
The goal is raising children while maintaining relationships built on communication, respect, and understanding.

Because sometimes behind:
"That's not what we did" is actually:
"This is different from what I know."
And those are very different conversations.

👉 What's the most common piece of grandparent advice you've received?

06/16/2026

For a long time, the guidance was to delay allergenic foods until 1 to 3 years old. Parents followed that advice, because that's what they were told. Then the research shifted, and the recommendations did too. That kind of update can feel like whiplash, and it makes sense that it does.

But here's what this data is really showing: when guidance changes and families follow it, outcomes improve. That part doesn't happen automatically.

Early introduction doesn't mean overwhelming your baby or your schedule. Breastmilk or formula stays the primary nutrition source through year one. Allergens come in on the side, one at a time, no checklist racing needed.

And if your baby already has a food allergy? That is not proof something went wrong. Food allergies are multifactorial. Genetics, eczema, environment, and factors we're still studying all play a role. This is about risk reduction, not blame.

Comment ALLERGY and I'll send you today's full newsletter: "You Need to Do This to Reduce Your Child's Risk of Egg Allergies..." It covers a NEW study on early introduction of allergenic foods and resources to introducing allergens at home, when allergy testing is and isn't actually useful, and a breakdown of FPIES, a rare food allergy most parents have never heard of.

SAVE THIS AND SHARE THIS if you found it helpful.

Who knows you need to introduce allergenic foods early and often (UNLESS of course you have a known food allergy and your child's clinician told you to hold?)



Stitch with:

06/16/2026

My 3 year old was sooo sweet-she randomly ran up to me this morning and said “momma, I love you to the moooooon and back!”

10 minutes later she was screaming bloody murder because I played the wrong version of Golden on our Google home.

The 3-year old emotional whiplash is…special. 😅

06/16/2026

Biting. One of the most requested topics I get, so I am resharing this one because clearly everyone's in the trenches together. 😅🦷

Your sweet turned spicy toddler runs after you with their mouth wide open and suddenly you are googling "tiny vampire parenting tips." It happens. And it does not mean your child is mean or bad.
For toddlers, biting is almost always communication. They do not have the words yet for big feelings, so they use the only tools they have.

Why it happens: big emotions, frustration, overstimulation, hunger, teething, or plain old boredom. It's important to take note of the "why" because it points you toward the fix.

In the moment, stay calm and try to avoid a big reaction. If you can, gently block the attempted bite to prevent injury. Keep the explanation brief, hold the boundary, and save the big teaching for later when everyone has cooled down.

The real work happens outside the moment, by practicing emotional regulation, naming feelings, and giving them other outlets before the next meltdown hits.
Biting is a phase. With the right tools and consistency, it passes, I promise. 😅

Want more on toddler behavior and development delivered straight to you? Comment NEWSLETTER below and I'll send you the link to subscribe.

What's the hardest part for you when your toddler bites - the moment itself or figuring out what's driving it?

Stitch credit: on TikTok

06/16/2026

Have you ever been confused if your child’s bug bite is a local reaction or infected?

As a clinician who practices in Florida, it’s a common reason for a visit.

Children are often more sensitive to the saliva of a mosquito bite because of their developing immune systems and sensitive skin.

In some individuals, a large local reaction that is the size of a peach pit can be a sign of Skeeter syndrome.

Skeeter syndrome is often mistaken for a bacterial infection/cellulitis. Marking the borders and monitoring is very important. I often see patients in follow up every 24-48 hours if they have strong local reactions to confirm it’s not infected.

Kids are more prone to infections after bug bites than adults due to bacteria entry through scratching.

Repetitive scratching can break the skin and introduce bacteria.

Whether your child has small local reactions or skeeter syndrome; controlling the itch can help.

My Go-tos:
➡️I really like The Bug Bite Thing. I swear by it as a Florida mom. For a demo on how to use it along with other bug bite tips, vist my Youtube video on bug bites

➡️Topical relief like ice, oatmeal baths, calamine lotion can help and if not; using a topical steroid ointment like hydrocortisone. Take caution and don’t use topical steroid around the eyes.

➡️Oral antihistamines like children’s ZYRTEC can help reduce the itch

➡️Keeping fingernails clean and cut short

‼️Also, prevention is key so make sure to check out my YOUTUBE video for more on prevention and treatment of bug bites.

*All images with faces of children obtained my community were used with permission*

Are videos like these helpful? Comment ⬇️
Any questions? Ask below!

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