Nutrition

Dr. Chheda – 🧠 What do you do when your child is diagnosed with a chronic, long-term issue? Whether it’s diabetes, whether it’s ADD, whether it’s autism. What do you do when your child is diagnosed with a chronic, long-term issue? Some developmental delay, a congenital issue, cancer – what do you do?

Well, first you’re going to grieve, and that is okay. It’s natural to grieve. You wish for this perfect, healthy baby where nothing is wrong with them, and then you find out that something might be an issue. And you grieve for a little bit, and then you process it, and then you move on.

And then you need to meet your child where they are and help them be the best they can be. You don’t want to change them to this perfect ideal that may never happen, but you do want them to reach their full potential.

But you have to meet them where they are, and then help them the best way that you can by loving them, encouraging them, and giving them all the possible resources that you can.

Dr. Chheda – 🏥 Understanding Medical Advice: A Doctor’s Perspective

The role of medical advice:

Based on education, experience & evidence

Patient decides whether to follow

Trust and understanding are key

Open dialogue is essential

Taking care of twins comes with unique challenges, and choosing the right stroller is crucial! Dr. Mona and Courtney share their expert insights on double strollers, comparing back-to-back vs side-by-side options.

Key points discussed:

Back-to-back strollers offer better maneuverability

Budget-friendly option: Baby Trend Snap and Go ($92)

Premium option: Convertible stroller with 16 configurations

Post-C-section considerations

Long-term usability factors

Our top recommendation: Back-to-back configuration for easier navigation through doorways, airport terminals, and shopping areas.

Dr. Chheda – 💚What do you do when your child is diagnosed with a chronic, long-term issue? Whether it’s diabetes, whether it’s ADD, whether it’s autism. What do you do when your child is diagnosed with a chronic, long-term issue? Some developmental delay, a congenital issue, cancer – what do you do?

Well, first you’re going to grieve, and that is okay. It’s natural to grieve. You wish for this perfect, healthy baby where nothing is wrong with them, and then you find out that something might be an issue. And you grieve for a little bit, and then you process it, and then you move on.

And then you need to meet your child where they are and help them be the best they can be. You don’t want to change them to this perfect ideal that may never happen, but you do want them to reach their full potential.

But you have to meet them where they are, and then help them the best way that you can by loving them, encouraging them, and giving them all the possible resources that you can.

Dr. Chheda –

Let’s talk about a universal truth of adolescence: the “invincibility complex.” Every teenager goes through this phase where they believe nothing bad can happen to them.

You’ll hear thoughts like: “I don’t need a seatbelt” “It won’t happen to me” “I’m not going to get hurt”

For parents, this can be terrifying. But here’s what you can do:

Keep repeating safety messages

Consistently model good behavior

Understand that some mistakes are part of growing up

The goal isn’t to prevent every mistake – that’s impossible.

Instead, focus on preventing those permanent, life-altering ones.

That’s every parent’s real concern.

Dr. Chheda – A compassionate look at why teens might resist personal care:

Body changes and self-consciousness

Common hygiene resistance patterns

Why forcing habits often backfires

Natural motivation development

Tips for patient parenting

💬 It’s important to give back. Absolutely! I cannot agree with that statement more. I think sometimes as adults we are part of organizations and we find fun things to do, whether be a 5K run for a fundraiser, whether it be donating hours, food bank, soup kitchen, that type of things. Even getting the kids’ old shoes and clothes are things like that – it gives back.

Don’t miss those opportunities with your children as well. Don’t just do it – show them how to do it. I think giving back is a wonderful opportunity to build confidence and to show them how to be good to your community and to those who are less fortunate. I think it’s a good reality check for some of our children. Humbles them.

Teaches them gratitude. And your child is never too young. I remember I used to take my son to a soup kitchen when he was 1, and he would scribble on the brown paper bags that we would put food in, and then go and deliver it to people in need. So your child is never too young. Don’t forget to give back.

Dr. Chheda – 💧 You start feeding water to your infant after 6 months of age. Before 6 months of age, they’re getting plenty of hydration with either breast milk or with formula. You don’t need to feed them any extra water.

What will end up happening if you give them water is that they will fill up on the water. Now they won’t eat because their stomach is full, and then they’re not gonna get the nutrition or the calories that they need.

So no, you don’t need to give your infant water until after 6 months of age. And then at that point, they can take about 4 ounces of water a day, just tiny sips at a time, especially after they eat. And that’ll help clean all the food out of their mouth. So don’t introduce water before 6 months of age.

Dr. Chheda – How do you get your toddler to eat more vegetables? There’s lots of different ways. I’ll just tell you what I did.

I would blend up whatever vegetables we had, cooked them, blended them, added some spices to them, and then made a vegetable soup. And I gave it to them in a bowl with a straw, so all they had to do was suck them. That was fun!

And every week I would make vegetable soup, and I would put in different vegetables. Whatever we had would go into the vegetable soup. And they’ll be like, “Well, this tastes a little different this week, mom.” “Yes it does, but that’s okay you can eat it.”

You can put some goldfish on top of them, you know, make it a little fun. But at least they’re getting their vegetables.

What things have you done with your toddler to help them eat their vegetables? Put them in a pressure cooker.

Dr. Chheda – Let’s talk about a common concern: toddler eating habits between 18 months and 3½ years. During this phase, something interesting happens – children become grazers!

Here’s what’s normal: Your toddler might take a bite, run off to play, come back for another bite, and repeat this pattern all day. This isn’t a problem – it’s actually developmentally appropriate!

Restaurant tip: This might not be the best age for dining out, as sitting still just isn’t in their nature right now. Important points to remember:

This age group doesn’t need many calories, but they do need nutrition

Focus on offering fruits and vegetables throughout the day

Avoid the “clean your plate” rule, which can create unhealthy habits

Grazing is a perfectly safe and healthy eating pattern for toddlers