From Hesitant to Hopeful: Why Some Parents Don’t Vaccinate—and How We Bridge the Gap
Ever paused at a vaccine insert, googled an ingredient, or felt torn between fear and science?
Dr. Elisabeth Marnik (@sciencewhizliz) wasn’t vaccinated as a child. She grew up in an anti-vax household—but today, she’s a scientist, professor, and mom who vaccinates her own children and helps others feel informed, not fearful.
🧬 In this episode, we talk about what changed her mind—and how we move the conversation on vaccines away from shaming and toward shared values like protecting our kids.
We cover:
What it was like growing up unvaccinated and how becoming a mom changed her entire perspective
How mistrust in larger systems (schools, government, healthcare) fuels vaccine resistance
What people often get wrong about vaccine hesitancy—and why yelling never changes minds
The difference between being anti-vax and vaccine-hesitant—and why reducing it to a binary doesn’t help anyone
Her powerful quote: “The reason my mom didn’t vaccinate is the same reason I chose to vaccinate—because I want to protect my kids.”
How science communicators can do a better job at discussing vaccines
This conversation was inspired by one of her Substack pieces: 📖 Read it here
To connect with Dr. Liz Marnik follow her on Instagram @sciencewhizliz, check out all her resources at https://open.substack.com/pub/fromthescienceclass and https://www.elisabethmarnikphd.com/.
Check out the PedsDocTalk Vaccine Guide: https://pedsdoctalk.com/vaccine-guide/
We’d like to know who is listening! Please fill out our Listener Survey to help us improve the show and learn about you!
0:00 – Understanding the Roots of Vaccine Hesitancy
3:09 – Fear vs. Mistrust: What’s Really Going On?
6:27 – How Systemic Bias Shapes Medical Trust
9:30 – The Problem with the “Just Trust Us” Approach
12:37 – Too Much Information Can Backfire
15:35 – Common Parent Fears About Vaccines
18:45 – Conversations That Actually Shift Perspective
21:42 – Validating Without Agreeing
24:57 – When Curiosity Builds More Trust Than Convincing
28:00 – Small Wins That Add Up
Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and subscribe to PedsDocTalk.
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The Follow-Up: Vaccine Truths from Two Docs
In honor of National Immunization Awareness Month, Dr. Mona brings back one of her most important conversations—this time with fellow pediatrician and vaccine advocate, Dr. Nicole Baldwin.
Together, they break down:
Why they vaccinate their own kids
What parents misunderstand about vaccine risks
The real stories of vaccine-preventable illnesses they’ll never forget
Why pediatricians aren’t “trained for half a day on vaccines” (and other wild myths that won’t die)
What families need to know to make informed, confident choices
This episode gets personal, practical, and powerful because in a world full of misinformation, hearing directly from two doctors who live this every day can make all the difference.
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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Breastfeeding Tips Pediatricians Don’t Always Share (with a Fellow IBCLC and Pediatrician)
Think your pediatrician has all the breastfeeding answers? The truth is, most don’t and that’s not a knock on them. It’s a reflection of the limited lactation training in pediatric residency.
That’s why I sat down with Dr. Lauren Hughes, founder of Bloom Pediatrics and a double threat: pediatrician and IBCLC. Together, we unpack the myths, the mental load, and the real deal about breastfeeding support that parents deserve but don’t always get in those early days.
We talk about:
Why pediatricians often give confusing (or just plain wrong) advice around lactation
How the term “nipple confusion” creates shame instead of support and what’s really going on with flow preference
How pumping, pacifiers, and supplementation can all fit into a successful feeding planWhy protecting a parent’s mental health is just as important as protecting their milk supply
To connect with Dr. Lauren Hughes follow her on Instagram @bloomdcp and check out all her resources at https://www.drlaurenhughes.com/
We’d like to know who is listening! Please fill out our Listener Survey to help us improve the show and learn about you!
00:00 – Intro
03:08 – Meet Dr. Lauren: Pediatrician and IBCLC
05:29 – Breastfeeding Training Gaps in Pediatrics
07:57 – What Parents Deserve in Feeding Support
10:20 – How DPC Supports Better Lactation Care
12:11 – Why Pediatricians Should Also Be IBCLCs
14:23 – The Pacifier Panic: When to Introduce It
17:13 – Formula Stigma and Feeding Shame
20:11 – Healing from Birth and Feeding Trauma
22:30 – “Science Milk”: Reframing Formula
24:12 – How to Talk About Pacifiers (Without Judging Moms)
26:25 – Exclusive Pumping is Still Breastfeeding
27:58 – The Role of Policy in Feeding Goals
29:11 – Supplementing Wisely: When and How
31:15 – Pumped Milk vs. Formula: Stop the Math Game
33:18 – Babies Aren’t Robots
35:15 – The Problem with Overtracking Feeds
36:05 – Protecting Supply: What Pediatricians Miss
37:11 – Triple Feeding: What Actually Helps
40:33 – The Sleep Trap: Prioritizing Baby Sleep Over Supply
41:08 – Realistic Overnight Routines for Pumping Parents
42:54 – Twin Feeding Realities + Supply Building
43:34 – Time Limits at the Breast: Who Are They For?
45:46 – One Last Myth: Formula Before Bed = Better Sleep?
47:19 – Final Words: Your Worth Isn’t Measured in Ounces
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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The Follow-Up: The Trouble with Triple-Feeding
Triple feeding (nursing, pumping, and supplementing) might sound like a solid plan on paper. But for many parents, it turns into a nonstop cycle that’s physically draining, mentally exhausting, and emotionally overwhelming.
In this Follow-Up episode, Dr. Mona talks with lactation consultant and author Victoria Facelli about why triple feeding is often recommended, why it’s not always sustainable, and what we should be doing instead.
They discuss:
The real reason triple feeding gets suggested so often (even by well-meaning pediatricians and lactation consultants)
Why it can feel like torture and rob families of sleep, sanity, and bonding
How to protect both milk supply and mental health
What responsive feeding really looks like—and why connection matters more than perfection
This episode originally aired in honor of World Breastfeeding Week, and it’s here to remind you: feeding your baby shouldn’t mean losing yourself.
Check out Victoria's book (now available in paperback) Feed the Baby: https://www.amazon.com/Feed-Baby-Inclusive-Bottle-Feeding-Everything/dp/1682689662/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0
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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Screens in Education: Balancing Necessity and Well-Being
Conflicted about your child using screens in school? From iPads in kindergarten or digital homework apps in middle school we’ll cover how to balance the reality of tech with what your child truly needs developmentally.
I’m joined by Emily Cherkin, M.Ed., former teacher, author, and “The Screen Time Consultant,” who’s leading the charge on tech-intentional parenting and education. Together, we unpack how screens in schools have gone from occasional tools to everyday defaults and why that shift might be hurting our kids more than helping them.
We talk about:
How the pandemic accelerated a trend that was already in motion: more tech, younger kids, fewer real-life skills
What we’re giving up when screen-based learning replaces play, paper, and people
The difference between being anti-tech and tech intentional and how to advocate for your child without feeling adversarial
To learn your rights about opting out check out https://edtech.law/
To connect with Emily Cherkin follow her on Instagram @thescreentimeconsultant, check out all her resources including her newsletter at https://thescreentimeconsultant.com/. Emily also offers free monthly webinars: https://thescreentimeconsultant.com/events
We’d like to know who is listening! Please fill out our Listener Survey to help us improve the show and learn about you!
00:00 – From No Phones to Full Screens: A Teacher’s Wake-Up Call
01:09 – When iPads Replaced Pencils in Kindergarten
03:13 – Meet Emily: Educator, Parent, Screen Time Consultant
06:28 – Skills Before Screens: Why Development Comes First
07:52 – Big Tech in a Sweater Vest? Yep, That’s EdTech
09:15 – Kids Know How to Copy-Paste, But Not Type
10:34 – Safety & Inappropriate Access in Schools
11:06 – Pre-Screen Childhoods vs. Today’s Reality
12:08 – Is All This Tech Really Necessary in Schools?
14:09 – If It’s So Great, Why Don’t Tech Execs Use It?
15:15 – Learning Takes Struggle, Not Just Speed
17:15 – Libraries, Labs, and What We’ve Lost
18:29 – Kids’ Data for Sale? Yes, Even in School Apps
19:15 – Turning Down Big Tech as a Pediatrician
21:13 – Less is More, Later is Better
23:58 – Bring Back the Computer Lab
26:25 – Opting Out: The Power of One (Fish)
29:18 – Parenting with Intention in a Screen World
33:02 – Why Asking for Paper is “Revolutionary” Now
35:01 – Home Habits that Protect Kids
38:24 – Final Takeaway: You’re Not Alone
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
About The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom
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 50 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!
Listen to The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom, The Dr. John Delony Show and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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