Author: Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

My foundation as a practitioner, a professor, and changing human has been built by my past work experiences, the exceptional clinical and classroom education at Bastyr University, incredible opportunities to work alongside seasoned naturopathic doctors and midwives both here and abroad, and my brilliant faculty colleagues. My philosophy as a practitioner is that each person, family, and community truly has the power to heal itself, and my job is to educate, guide, challenge, be a curious learner, and provide counsel throughout that process. I practiced as a naturopathic family physician and my specialties are pediatrics, perinatal health, and mental health for many years. In the last few years, I have turned my energy and attention toward teaching full-time, mentorship, and cultivating leadership in myself and others. I am an Associate Teaching Professor at the Universty of Washington Bothell in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, and really do love my role as teacher in everything that I do. Mostly because it positions me as a learner and guides me to create curiosity everywhere I can. When I am not busy with all of these things, I enjoy life in the PNW with my son Rohan, our two cuddly nutjob dogs, and some really incredible family and friends who have stood by me in some of the most difficult and profound transitions of my life. This blog site is great way to stay connected to what I think about and am working on, and you can also check out some of my teaching videos online on my YouTube channel!
Adulting, COVID-19

Toilet Paper…

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

A few weeks back I received a request to talk to a reporter about hoarding. I offered to field it; while I am not an expert in hoarding per se, I have worked with thousands of families over my years. I have had the privilege and opportunity to be in many hundreds of people’s homes. And what I know is that there is *no* one way to live, despite what we have been socially conditioned to think. What I also know is that some folks do hoard, and for a myriad of reasons. So I thought I was going to … Continue reading Toilet Paper…

Adulting, Grief & Loss, Musing, Parenting

Living and Grief

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

I was able to sit with my friend and colleague, Abby Desjardien, to chat about grief and living, and how they are both big and sometime equal parts of this human existence. And maybe that grief is necessary, instructive, and not as dark or scary as we think. Check out her newly launched podcast and our episode here: The Art of Living and Grieving with Dr. Sunita Iyer Enjoy! #griefworkislifework #griefworkismywork #heartoutsideforever Continue reading Living and Grief

Adulting, Grief & Loss, Parenting, Postpartum

Postpartum Grief, Depression, and Anxiety

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

I spend a lot of time with postpartum people. Figuring out how to hold their hearts and help them thrive after the birth. Talking through the transition from person to parent, or established parent to parent of yet another. All of it is new, and all of it fraught with uncertainty. People rarely talk about the grief of being a new parent, and really of parenting, period. When you choose to parent, we have to acknowledge that not all people choose and some are forced to. And even still, in all situations, there is a grief. We decide or have … Continue reading Postpartum Grief, Depression, and Anxiety

Adulting, Parenting

Mothering Day

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

What is Mother’s Day anyway? Brunch, bubbles, and blooms? I have always had a hard time with this day, even after I became a mother. It never quite met the expectation I had of digging into what it means to mother or be mothered. And I guess I have a problem with life events that are supposed to be important and beautiful, but feel more like small talk. I have my mother in my life and she is a great mother. But it wasn’t always that way for me. We are pretty different people. We see risk differently, we approach … Continue reading Mothering Day

Adulting, Breastfeeding, Musing, Natural Childbirth, Parenting, Postpartum, Pregnancy

El Dia Internacional de la Matrona

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Today is May 5th. Some folks think of it as a good day for margaritas and tacos. It’s also International Day of the Midwife. This is a day, acknowledged all around the world, where we honor the people who quietly walk through fire as a way of life and a profession. Midwives are the attendants for most births around the world. In some places they are traditionally trained by their elders. In many or most places (and in ALL the places that have better maternity and neonatal outcomes than the USA…) Midwives are very highly trained in sitting on their … Continue reading El Dia Internacional de la Matrona

Immune Health, Parenting, Postpartum, Pregnancy

Community Midwives Tending to Low-Risk Families and Adapting to Changes in Hospital Resources

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

In this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is so much that feels uncertain for families, especially families that are expecting a child in the coming weeks and month(s) and planning to birth in hospitals. Some of the questions that families are coming to me and my colleagues with are: Is it safe for me to birth in the hospital if there are potentially infected or exposed people in the same environment? Does this put me and my baby at risk? Will there be enough beds, space, and medical personnel to attend my birth? What if my OB, CNM, or … Continue reading Community Midwives Tending to Low-Risk Families and Adapting to Changes in Hospital Resources

Adulting, Musing, Postpartum, Pregnancy

Being Born Isn’t the Only Thing That Hurts…

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

In the last two years I have changed my work-life balance. One may look at my 4 or 5 spinning plates and not find a shred of balance…It’s a practice; not a destination. At least that’s what I tell myself. One of the ways that I have radically shifted my life is not being on call anymore. I started being on call nearly 20 years ago, working with adolescents who were becoming young parents or were already parenting. And then I shifted into being on call as a midwife attending births 13 years ago. Pagers and phones have accessorized my … Continue reading Being Born Isn’t the Only Thing That Hurts…

Grief & Loss, Musing, Parenting, Postpartum

Being born hurts…

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

I mean they don’t call it labor for nothing…  It’s been a awhile.  I have been taking my own advice that Winter is For Sleeping (you can check out the Muse-letter archives to read that one from last year).  I have been sleeping, thinking, reading, writing, and hibernating within myself quite a bit in the last 2 months.   And then all of a sudden it was Rohan’s 9th birthday and I realized it was time to step back out.  Time to stop growing on the inside and get born already.  If you remember those last weeks of pregnancy, you know what I’m talking about…Let’s get … Continue reading Being born hurts…