The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom cover art

The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom

The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom

Written by: Dr. Mona Amin
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 The PedsDocTalk Podcast is your go-to parenting resource, hosted by Dr. Mona Amin, a trusted pediatrician, parenting expert, and mom of two. As a top 30 Parenting Podcast in the U.S., this show delivers expert-backed guidance on child development, health, illness, behavior, feeding, and sleep—giving parents the confidence to navigate every stage from baby to teen. Each episode dives into real-life parenting challenges, featuring conversations with specialists in pediatrics, child psychology, nutrition, and parental well-being. From potty training and sleep training to tackling tantrums, picky eating, discipline, screen time, postpartum recovery, and developmental milestones, Dr. Mona provides practical, science-backed advice that actually works. Tune in on Mondays and Wednesdays for actionable insights, mindset shifts, and expert interviews that empower you to raise healthy, resilient, and happy kids—while thriving as a parent yourself!© 2023 The PedsDocTalk Podcast - 890893 Hygiene & Healthy Living Parenting Physical Illness & Disease Relationships
Episodes
  • Dr. Mona on the Elevated Thoughts Podcast: On Vaccine Safety and Politicization of Public Health

    Dr. Mona on the Elevated Thoughts Podcast: On Vaccine Safety and Politicization of Public Health
    Dec 31 2025
    As the year wraps up, I’ve been looking back at some of my favorite chats from the shows I visited this season. New episodes return January 7. On this episode of the Elevated Thoughts podcast, I sat down with two thoughtful first-time dads to talk about the topics parents are wrestling with right now. We got into the messy middle of vaccine hesitancy, why so many families feel caught between loud opinions, and how I work through those conversations in my practice with honesty and calm. We also talked about what it’s really like to raise kids in an online world where everyone feels permission to comment on your choices. I shared my own experience as a pediatrician and mom. Why I struggled with decisions around my son’s early medical care, how I think about benefit and risk, and why empathy has to stay at the center of these discussions. We moved into milestones, feeding, toddler chaos, and the everyday pressure parents feel to get everything “right.” We discuss: My own experience with hesitancy after my son’s traumatic birth The rise of online misinformation and why parents feel so unsure What the vitamin K refusal trend is actually putting babies at risk for Government involvement in vaccines and where things get complicated The truth about financial incentives for pediatricians Milestones, late walking, and why parents shouldn’t blame themselves How humor and connection help parents through the daily grind Why dads’ voices matter in parenting spaces and how they shape the culture Elevated Thoughts is restoring positive discourse between right & left. Politics, history & culture. New episodes every Wednesday at 4PM EST For more visit www.elevatedthoughtspod.com Check out the original episode on Elevated Thoughts’ YouTube page: https://youtu.be/rvTp1cAsyLg 00:00 – Coming Up 00:55 – Why I re-aired this conversation 02:49 – Meet the hosts of Elevated Thoughts 03:34 – Why dads need parenting conversations too 04:32 – Why I started PedsDocTalk 06:28 – What parents are actually looking for 07:53 – Being both a pediatrician and a parent 08:49 – My own vaccine hesitation as a mom 11:27 – Why vaccine conversations became so charged 13:04 – How I talk about benefit vs risk 16:05 – Making informed choices without shaming 18:05 – Talking to vaccine hesitant families 21:10 – Why flexibility keeps families engaged in care 24:55 – Government, mandates, and public health 28:41 – Why the vitamin K shot matters 33:53 – How vaccine studies actually work 41:59 – Milestone anxiety and late walking 45:49 – Letting go of parental guilt 49:15 – What parenting is really about Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • The Follow-Up: Do I Need to Sleep Train?

    The Follow-Up: Do I Need to Sleep Train?
    Dec 29 2025
    In this episode, we talk about one of the most loaded parenting topics out there, baby sleep. Do babies need to be taught to sleep, or is sleep something you should just let happen? And if a family wants support, when does it actually make sense to work on sleep skills? I sit down with a pediatric sleep expert to unpack what sleep teaching really means, why there is no single right approach, and how families can make choices that fit their needs without guilt or pressure. We break down the idea that sleep is a learned habit, not a moral issue, and why both feeding to sleep and teaching independent sleep can be loving choices depending on the family. In this episode, we discuss: Why sleep does not have to be all or nothing The difference between newborn sleep shaping and independent sleep skills When families often decide sleep support feels helpful How feeding, timing, and consistency affect sleep What research shows about sleep teaching, stress, and attachment Why sleep regressions are about growth, not failure How better sleep can support parental mental health and reduce burnout How sleep habits connect to toddler behavior and boundaries later on Want more? Listen to the full, original episode. Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    15 mins
  • Dr. Mona on The Dude Therapist Podcast: The Pediatrician’s Guide to Parenting

    Dr. Mona on The Dude Therapist Podcast: The Pediatrician’s Guide to Parenting
    Dec 24 2025
    As we close out 2025 and step into a fresh year, I’ve been thinking back on some of the conversations I loved most from guest spots on other shows. New episodes pick back up on January 7. On this episode of The Dude Therapist, I joined Eli Weinstein for a conversation that moved through so many parts of real-life parenting — the worries, the humor, the triggers, and the growth that comes with raising kids. We talked about why parents get so locked into metrics, how to zoom out and see the whole child, and what it looks like to pause, observe, and guide instead of jumping in. I shared how becoming a mom shifted my own approach, from sleep to feeding to managing my triggers, and why self insight matters just as much as the strategies we offer our kids. It was an honest, grounded chat about raising kids while raising ourselves too. We discuss: Why parents get stuck on numbers like weight percentiles and milestones. How giving kids space to try and struggle helps them grow. How boredom supports play and problem solving. How a parent’s own childhood shapes reactions and triggers. What healthy boundaries look like without shame or fear. How to handle online misinformation with calm and clarity. The importance of steady check-ins and flexible routines at home. Eli Weinstein, LCSW is a therapist, speaker, and creator of The Dude Therapist podcast. His work focuses on making mental health and relationship topics accessible, relatable, and grounded in real life. His upcoming book, From I Do to We Do (Wiley, March 2026), is a compassionate, practical guide for couples navigating the challenges of parenting while trying to stay connected as partners. Learn more about Eli and his work here: https://www.eliweinsteinlcsw.com Pre-Order Eli’s Book:Connect With Eli: From I Do to We Do: Navigating Marriage Through Parenting Years Pre-order + freebies: https://www.eliweinsteinlcsw.com/book Instagram: @eliweinstein_lcsw Podcast: The Dude Therapist 00:00 – Coming Up 01:24 – Re-air intro: why this episode is for overwhelmed parents 01:46 – Meet Eli Weinstein and why this conversation hits differently 04:01 – Dr. Mona’s parenting philosophy and lighthouse parenting 05:50 – Why sleep is foundational for kids and parents 07:03 – Teaching kids skills by stepping back 09:56 – Overparenting vs building independence 11:27 – What parents worry about too much 14:11 – Big picture growth vs number based parenting 15:41 – Milestones, timelines, and unnecessary panic 17:01 – Giving kids space to develop and problem solve 21:19 – Parenting as a professional vs parenting your own kids 23:32 – Breaking generational patterns in parenting 40:41 – Core takeaways for confident parenting Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    50 mins
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