When Motherhood Unmasks Neurodiversity (ADHD and Autism)
More and more women are getting diagnosed with ADHD later in life, often after becoming parents, and it’s not because ADHD is “trending.” It’s because we’ve missed it for decades.
In this conversation, I talk with psychiatrist and author Dr. Sasha Hamdani about why ADHD in girls and women often goes unnoticed, how hormones and motherhood reveal hidden symptoms, and why self-understanding can be so freeing. We discuss stigma, emotional regulation, anxiety, and how parenting can bring clarity to our own neurodiversity.
If you’ve ever wondered why things got harder after kids, or why your child’s diagnosis suddenly made your own life make more sense, this episode will feel like a deep exhale.
We discuss:
Why ADHD in girls and women often gets overlooked
How hormonal shifts during puberty, postpartum, and perimenopause can unmask ADHD
The difference between anxiety-driven distraction and true ADHD
How parenting adds new executive function challenges that make symptoms more visible
The role of emotional regulation in ADHD—and why it’s missing from the diagnostic criteria
How a late diagnosis can change the way you see yourself and parent your kids
To connect with Dr. Sasha Hamdani follow her on Instagram @thepsychdoctormd and
check out all her resources at https://www.drhamdanimd.com/.
00:00 - Intro
01:55 - Meet Dr. Sasha Hamdani: psychiatrist, ADHD specialist, and creator
04:00 - Rediscovering ADHD during medical school
06:00 - From burnout to advocacy: how social media changed her work
06:45 - Getting diagnosed as an adult woman and the emotions that followed
10:30 - How ADHD was misunderstood in the 90s—and still is for many girls
12:00 - Why diagnoses often appear after motherhood and hormonal shifts
16:30 - Parenting stress, executive function overload, and ADHD symptoms
18:20 - How girls are taught to mask and why that delays diagnosis
22:00 - ADHD, anxiety, and the “chicken or egg” challenge
27:00 - How self-understanding reshapes parenting and connection
35:15 - Why “superpower” isn’t the right framing—but awareness is powerful
41:20 - The missing piece: emotional regulation in ADHD and Sasha’s upcoming book
47:16 - Dr. Mona’s reflections on self-awareness, parenting, and compassion
We’d like to know who is listening! Please fill out our Listener Survey to help us improve the show and learn about you!
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: How to Sleep Train
Sleep training might be one of the most debated topics in parenting but it doesn’t have to be so polarizing. In this Follow-Up episode, I revisit my most downloaded episode, “We’re Losing Sleep Over Our Kids’ Sleep,” to talk honestly about what sleep training really means, the methods that exist, and how to decide what’s right for your family.
You’ll learn:
✔️ What “sleep training” actually means (hint: it’s not one-size-fits-all)
✔️ The differences between the cry-it-out, Ferber, and gradual methods
✔️ Why crying doesn’t mean cruelty—and how boundaries are loving
✔️ How to spot when a method isn’t working for your baby
✔️ Why our generation’s obsession with baby sleep may be adding more stress than it solves
Want more? Listen to the original full 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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Raising Body-Positive Girls in a Filtered World
We’re raising girls in a world where filters are the norm, “what I eat in a day” videos flood their feeds, and puberty hits earlier than ever. It’s no wonder body image struggles start young.
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Melisa Holmes to talk about how parents can help their daughters build confidence in their changing bodies without shame, fear, or comparison. We’ll cover how to talk about puberty in age-appropriate ways, what to do when kids start noticing body differences, and how to handle tricky moments like when your child says, “I feel fat.”
You’ll also learn:
Why body image starts long before puberty
What not to say (and what helps instead)
How your own body talk shapes how your child feels about theirs
How social media is shaping kids’ self-worth—and what parents can do about it
To connect with Dr. Melisa Holmes check out all her resources at https://girlology.com/. Follow her on Instagram at @dr.melisa.holmes and @girlology.
For 20% off an annual subscription (after a free 7 day trial) go HERE and use this code: PedsDocTalk to activate your discount.
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 – The First Signs of Body Image Struggles
02:03 – Welcome, Dr. Melisa Holmes
03:06 – Breaking the Silence Between Generations
04:01 – Media, AI, and the Shifting Ideal
04:48 – Why It Starts So Young
07:02 – Boys, Girls, and Body Pressure
08:33 – Growing Up in a Filtered World
09:34 – Teaching Media Literacy and Self-Protection
12:07 – Modeling Confidence from the Start
15:23 – How Parents Pass Down Body Shame
20:22 – Reclaiming Joy in Food and Movement
22:49 – Puberty Talks Without the Awkwardness
26:51 – Raising Compassionate Boys Too
30:33 – Supporting Emotional Changes in Puberty
33:33 – What Every Girl Should Know About Her Body
36:22 – Parents, Schools, and the Role of Education
38:40 – Final Takeaway
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: Intimacy After Baby
No one prepares you for how much your relationship changes after having a baby. The exhaustion, hormones, mental load, and body changes all take a toll on desire and closeness, and it’s rarely talked about honestly.
In this Follow Up episode, Dr. Mona talks with Dr. Tracy Dalgleish about what really happens to intimacy after baby. They unpack why desire often dips postpartum, how to reconnect emotionally and physically, and why great sex isn’t about frequency. It’s about connection, communication, and redefining what intimacy looks like now.
This episode is for any parent who’s ever thought something’s changed between us and I don’t know how to fix it. You’re not broken, you’re human, and this conversation will help you find your way back to each other.
Why desire often drops after childbirth and how to understand it without shame
How hormones, sleep, and stress affect intimacy
The difference between spontaneous and responsive desire
How to start rebuilding emotional connection in 10 minutes a day
The role of small rituals like check-ins, laughter, and simple touch in rekindling closeness
Why there’s no normal amount of sex, only what feels right for you and your partner
Ways to talk openly about what you both want and need
Dr. Tracy's new book, "You, Your Husband, and His Mother" is now on sale: Order your copy here.
Want more? Check out the full 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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Benefits and risks of Chiropractic care in pediatrics: Does your kid need to see a chiropractor?
What happens when a chiropractor decides to go to medical school? In this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Richard Schoonmaker, a former chiropractor turned osteopathic medical student, to talk about why he made the switch, what he learned about evidence-based care, and how chiropractic and medicine can actually work together when done responsibly.
What We Discuss:
Why Dr. Schoonmaker left chiropractic to pursue medicine
The difference between chiropractic and osteopathic training
How to spot red flags in online chiropractic content
The truth about chiropractic care for babies and kids
What evidence-based, collaborative care could look like
How modern medicine can build trust by listening better
To connect with Richard Schoonmaker follow him on Instagram at @richs_oms2 and TikTok at @rich_oms2.
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
02:00 – Meet Dr. Richard Schoonmaker
03:00 – From Chiropractic to Medicine
07:15 – What He Took From Chiropractic Into Medicine
08:15 – Evidence-Based Chiropractic vs. Online Myths
10:00 – Why Some Chiropractors Go Viral (and Off the Rails)
16:00 – How Chiropractors Are Trained (and Where Gaps Exist)
21:20 – The Lack of Oversight in Pediatric Chiropractic Care
24:00 – The Supportive (Not Substitutive) Role of Chiropractic
28:30 – Common Reasons Parents Seek Chiropractic Care for Kids
33:10 – What the Research Actually Supports
36:30 – Understanding OMM in Osteopathic Medicine
40:00 – Why Context Matters: Symptom Relief vs. Causation
43:00 – The True Meaning of Holistic Care
45:00 – Calling Out Misinformation Responsibly
48:00 – The Real Reason Patients Seek Alternative Care
49:40 – Building a Better Relationship Between Chiropractors and Physicians
51:45 – How Parents Can Find a Safe, Evidence-Based Chiropractor
54:50 – Final Thoughts and Where to Find Richard
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
Acerca de 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 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!
Escucha The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom, EresInteligente Podcast y muchos más podcasts de todo el mundo con la aplicación de radio.net
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