Category: Parenting

Events, Fitness, Natural Childbirth, Parenting, Pediatrics, Postpartum, Pregnancy

Miles For Midwives!!

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

I am personally involved in planning this wonderful event that helps support birth in Washington State and the local non-profit Families of Color – Seattle. Better yet, Rohan and I are run/walking! Join us on Oct. 19th at Marymoor Park for a family-friendly run/walk 5K! Strollers and leashed pets are welcome to join in on this community enriching event! Register for the race at https://runsignup.com/Race/WA/Redmond/WAMilesforMidwives5K To learn more about Miles for Midwives please visit our website: https://www.wamilesformidwives.com/ We are also looking for sponsors. If you are interested or know a business who might be, please let me know. I would LOVE to … Continue reading Miles For Midwives!!

Adulting, Grief & Loss, Natural Childbirth, Parenting, Postpartum, PregnancyLeave a comment

The Birth of Postpartum

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Hey y’all, I recently spoke on a podcast with my fantastic colleague Dr. Adam Rinde about postpartum care, stories, and how people’s lives have changed mine. And maybe how we can get better as a healthcare system, providers, and community in the way that we care for postpartum people. He has written this really incredible piece on postpartum depression and hormonal influences, linked here: https://www.soundintegrative.com/post/is-postpartum-depression-an-estrogen-receptor-issue The way to get to our episode on his podcast, One Thing, is linked in the article (you can access via Apple or Android). Take a listen and tell me what you think! Apple listeners: … Continue reading The Birth of Postpartum

Adulting, Grief & Loss, Musing, Parenting, Pediatrics, Postpartum, PregnancyLeave a comment

The Birth of Grief

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

A new mom and her baby had come in for their first well-child visit and her son was just 3 days old.  Mom was tired and overwhelmed as many new parents are.  She was sitting by the window, changing her son’s diaper and just watching him, and she sighed a long, heavy sigh.  And just gazed at her son quietly as he wiggled around.  There was no slow smile or beaming pride.  Just deep sadness.   What clinical guidelines, healthcare, and social convention tell us is that she was exhibiting signs of postpartum depression.  While that may also have been true, … Continue reading The Birth of Grief

Adulting, Grief & Loss, Natural Childbirth, Parenting, Postpartum, Pregnancy, Self Care, UncategorizedLeave a comment

What kind of loss is harder?

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

If you have been following along for a little while, you know that one of the things I have been ruminating and writing about is loss. We all know it in some way. And we will certainly know more. To live is to love, and also to lose. It’s not uncommon for us to ‘rank’ loss. Which kind of loss is worse, changes us more deeply, is more worthy of grieving, or warrants talking about at all. Is the loss of an aging parent worthy of years of sadness? Can you be devastated by the way divorce changes your life? … Continue reading What kind of loss is harder?

Adulting, Musing, Natural Childbirth, Parenting, PostpartumLeave a comment

Oldie but Goodie

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Yesterday was my son’s 8th birthday. All of his birthdays kick up some emotional dust for me. I rejoice in what an amazing human he continues to be. I grieve that he is one year closer toward individuation and needing to know himself away from us. I remember his eventful arrival and how it birthed a mother, father, grandparents, aunt, and a brand-new nurse (she was in the room and possibly crying more than anyone). And I remember what I wrote half his lifetime ago, after his 4th birthday, that still rings true for me today. So I will share … Continue reading Oldie but Goodie

Adulting, Grief & Loss, Musing, Parenting1 Comment

Is gratitude enough?

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

As we approach Thanksgiving and the holiday season in the US, one of the things that gets tossed around is Gratitude.  The Big G.  If you weren’t feeling that grateful, or even worse, were feeling whiny and self-deprecating, this is the week and the season to just snap out of it! This is the season for good tidings, well wishes, thoughts, prayers, and plain ol’ cheer, right? Don’t get me wrong; I love the concept of cultivating gratitude.  There is an intense and dark beauty in being a witness to and feeling appreciation for the ride-or-die friendships or miraculous children that we … Continue reading Is gratitude enough?

Adulting, Musing, Parenting, Self CareLeave a comment

Doing Hard Things Could Be Easy

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Recently, I did something that was really hard for me.  In fact, I was completely unprepared for it.  And- some might say- unqualified.  They wouldn’t be wrong.  But other people’s opinions have rarely stopped me from doing what I believe in, love, or am just plain ol’ fired up to do.  #firestarter #changeagent I realized a few things in the process: I believe that I can do hard things In fact, I believe that I should do hard things And more importantly, I believe that I should do things that make me absolutely afraid and uncomfortable I am already 15,443 days old.  … Continue reading Doing Hard Things Could Be Easy

Adulting, Grief & Loss, Musing, Parenting, Self CareLeave a comment

It Should Have Been Me…

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Have you ever flashed back to crazy, possibly dangerous, times in your life and thought: “holy crap, I should have died!” You shudder.  Maybe you look over at your kid, your partner, your cat, or even at your own hands.  You feel your heart beating in your chest.  You feel your breath slide in and roll out of your body.  And in that swift and fantastic moment, you are so fully alive. Recently I wrote to my Muse-letter followers about being not-dead-today, and being fully alive.  Digging deep and getting a little murky, as I love to do, while contemplating … Continue reading It Should Have Been Me…

Adulting, Breastfeeding, Musing, Natural Childbirth, Parenting, Pediatrics, Postpartum, Pregnancy, Self CareLeave a comment

Why Does My Brain Feel Like it is Leaking?

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

An interesting article was published this past Summer on the very real, little-discussed changes that occur in the brain of a pregnant, postpartum, and/or caregiving person.  There are a number of rapid and monumental changes that happen to the portion of our brains that control social-emotional processes or the “ability to atttribute emotions and mental states to other people- key to raising a human.” “The more brain change the mothers experienced, the higher they scored on measures of emotional attachment to their babies, a finding that echoed past studies. And the changes in most brain regions remained two years later.” Whoa.  Two years?! … Continue reading Why Does My Brain Feel Like it is Leaking?

Adulting, Fitness, Healthy Eating, Immune Health, Parenting, Self CareLeave a comment

Flossing…not just a dance move

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

You have probably been reprimanded, just as I have, by your hygienist and dentist to floss more.  The reasoning that we are often given is that it helps agitate and dislodge the tartar and plaque buildup, reduces the resulting and/or ongoing inflammation in your gums, and reduces the chances of gum disease.  All seems pretty true to me.  If you leave crusty crap bumping up against soft tissue, the tissue is going to get angry. What might not be part of the discussion is that flossing is also preventive for some downstream effects that we might not associate with it.  … Continue reading Flossing…not just a dance move