The Modern Mommy Doc Podcast

Your Kid Really Shouldn't Have All the Cookies (And No, That's Not Diet Culture)

May 21, 2026

I was at the grocery store with my nine-year-old. She'd had a hard day (the class bully had gone after her) and she wanted everything. Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Brioche with Nutella. Red velvet cupcakes. Whipped cream straight from the aerosol can. And I said no to most of it.In today's episode, I'm talking about why. I'm also talking about why I think the "let kids eat whatever they want, whenever they want" message that's everywhere in the body-positive parenting space is missing something rea...

Matrescence, Stress, and the Truth About Early Parenthood with Dr. Debbie Raphael

May 07, 2026

When we become doctors, lawyers, or teachers, there are exams, certifications, and years of preparation. But when we become parents, we’re handed a newborn and sent home.Dr. Debbie Raphael—a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist—became a mother at the same time she began her child psychiatry fellowship. That unusual overlap gave her a rare opportunity: she was learning the science of child development at the exact moment she was living it. Over time, she began journaling about that experi...

Potty Training Isn’t Just Behavioral: The Hidden Science of Kids’ Pelvic Health with Quiara Smith

April 23, 2026

Potty training can feel like one of the most stressful milestones in early parenting. There’s pressure from preschool deadlines, advice from every corner of the internet, and the nagging feeling that your child is the only one who hasn’t figured it out yet. But what if potty training struggles aren’t really about behavior at all?In this episode, Dr. Whitney talks with Dr. Quiara Smith, a pediatric pelvic health occupational therapist and founder of Aloha Integrative Therapy, about the many bi...