Category: Pediatrics

Adolescent Health, Behavioral Health, COVID-19, Mental Health, Parenting, Pediatrics

Our kids & mental health

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Many of you know I have been working on a lot of mental and behavioral health projects over the last few years, as I shared in my latest post. Alongside this work, I have had the opportunity to present at a few conferences on pediatric and perinatal mental health topics, and even make a handful of podcast appearances! After spending a lot more time listening to podcasts in the last year, I have a lot of respect for what goes into making and maintaining a podcast! So, I truly appreciate being able to participate as part of what these series … Continue reading Our kids & mental health

Adolescent Health, COVID-19, Pediatrics

Mental and Behavioral Health in Kids and looking out for the folks who teach and work with them

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

This past year brought a lot of new challenges; I don’t really need to remind any of you. I am sure that they are just as pressing and present for many of you as they are for me, and our kids. Working in high -risk situations, working at home, losing employment, financial distress, parenting, schooling at home, staying at home, masking/unmasking drama, sociopolitical unrest…did it ever stop? It might not have for many of us. However, for some of us, there is a chance that it affected us slightly differently. Perhaps all of these challenges were slightly less pressing and … Continue reading Mental and Behavioral Health in Kids and looking out for the folks who teach and work with them

Adolescent Health, Immune Health, Nutrition, Pediatrics, Postpartum, Pregnancy, Self Care

Happy Acupuncture Week 2019!

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

I love talking about how acupuncture has been part of my life for 16 years, even before @jp.boisvert brought it full circle to our clinic and home We have used acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, tui na, gua sha, and cupping for years to treat fevers, stave off colds, deal with whiplash and sticky shoulders, vanquish back pain and migraines, and generally manage our health for a long time It’s true that we also take care to move our bodies and sleep, but I definitely credit acupuncture and Chinese medicine with our family’s pretty rocking health. And I credit @jp.boisvert for … Continue reading Happy Acupuncture Week 2019!

Parenting, PediatricsLeave a comment

The Pediatric Teaching Clinic starts again this week!

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Hey all, we took a little break beween Summer and Fall Quarters, but the Pediatric Teaching Clinic starts back up this upcoming week. We have moved the day and time to Thursdays 2:00pm to 5:00pm and you can schedule online via our Patient Portal. We had a great time with our inagural run of the Pediatric Teaching Clinic this Summer and are looking forward to working with our new team of students this Fall! #docere #naturopathicpediatrics #nds4vaccines #teacherforlife Continue reading The Pediatric Teaching Clinic starts again this week!

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, 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

Healthy Eating, Immune Health, Nutrition, Pediatrics1 Comment

Cleaning House: Are Chemicals Impacting Your Kids’ Health?

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

Over a week ago I posted on Instagram about cleaning chemicals and that they can negatively impact our kids’ microbiome. The way that the microbiome was being assessed and studied was through the lens of childhood obesity.  Ultimately, kiddos who were exposed to more of the conventional cleaning chemicals (even a few times a week), had microbiome changes that seemed to also result in more obesity in those same kiddos. Additionally, it seemed like kids who grew up in households with ‘greener’ cleaning products had less of these issues: fewer microbiome changes and lower incidences of obesity. Some of the … Continue reading Cleaning House: Are Chemicals Impacting Your Kids’ Health?

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?

Food Introduction, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Parenting, PediatricsLeave a comment

This whole food allergy thing is nuts

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

If you were listening to NPR this week (listen here), you may have heard that feeding babies peanut products prior to 12 months of age is actually preventive in terms of developing true allergies to peanuts.  Not too long ago, we were recommending to parents that they wait until 3 years old to start nuts.  Then the advice and the guideline shifted to waiting until one year old.  Sound confusing? What can be frustrating and is fascinating to me is that what we ‘know’ about nutrition is always changing.  The world of food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities (they are not the same thing … Continue reading This whole food allergy thing is nuts

Breastfeeding, Natural Childbirth, Nutrition, Parenting, Pediatrics, Postpartum, Pregnancy, Sexual Health, Women's HealthLeave a comment

Postpartum ‘Must Haves’ That Have Nothing To Do With Buying Stuff

Dr. Sunita Iyer ND, LM

I would love to replace the typical birth registry of items that all new parents “need”. Instead, I want new parents to receive a different kind of checklist.  A checklist that would include ways to prepare for parenthood and postpartum that could actually help prevent postpartum depression, isolation, and suffering.  And yes, hand-me-downs would still be incredibly helpful! I have no doubt that baby swings and swaddle blankets have saved sanity and have probably saved lives. But if we are really concerned about healthy families and getting off to a good start, why don’t we talk more about what families … Continue reading Postpartum ‘Must Haves’ That Have Nothing To Do With Buying Stuff