The Pediatrician Parent: Meet Elham Raker, The Official “Ask Dr. Mom”

By Emily Merrell

The internet is filled with answers, but finding the answers you are looking for can be hard. Especially if they are answers for your kid! Dr. Elham Raker is the official “Ask Dr. Mom” who has leveraged her experience as a pediatrician to help parents navigate the “shoulds” of motherhood. 

SDS: You are the official “Ask Dr. Mom” – how did you get that title and what does it mean to you? 

I started a blog many years ago named “A dr. mom and a blog” so I guess I felt this draw to being a doctor mom early. There is something about the intersection of being a mom and a pediatrician. There’s a point where science and emotions collide! When I decided to launch my business to provide answers and coaching, “Ask Dr. Mom” just seemed like the logical name!

SDS: How has your experience as a pediatrician changed since becoming a parent? 

Before becoming a parent, there were a lot of “you should” statements…like you should stop using the pacifier and bottle at one year, or your child should be sleeping through the night at six months. After becoming a parent I realized that some of those statements are just not realistic and frankly could be anxiety provoking. Every child is different and every parent is different.  Once I know the safety needs of the child are met, I realized there’s a lot of leeway on how we raise our kids.

SDS: What are the greatest parental fears/stressors that you wish every parent didn’t have and how do you solve them? 

I think the greatest fear is, “How do I know I’m doing the right thing???” And the truth is, we don’t always know.  But I approach this in two ways: 1) Get someone in your corner that you trust to make sure you are not doing anything wrong or unsafe and 2) Lead with your intuition and with what feels right. Always choose to connect with your child!

SDS: How has telemedicine changed the way you’ve worked as a doctor? 

It has offered me the opportunity to do more of what I love: counseling and coaching. Office visits are way too short.  I wanted to provide an environment where I can fully answer parents’ questions and really help them feel confident in their decisions.

SDS: How has community played a role in your life both personally and professionally? 

Community is such an important part of life. Personally, I don’t know how I would get through life without my friends and family.  As a mom, the community of moms is invaluable.  I am still close with my first “mom group” friends and my oldest is 14 years old. There is such a special bond between us. Professionally, it is also invaluable. Not only is it essential to have a network in order to have successful business, but it makes entrepreneurship so much more fun!!! Being an entrepreneur is way too lonely without it! And the lessons I learn from others are priceless!

SDS: Tell us more about parent coaching and how we can find out more information. 

I love counseling, coaching and being a parent! So it just felt like such a natural transition to take this role on professionally. My goal is to minimize the overwhelm of parenting, to provide trusted and reliable information, and to give you the tools to parent with confidence. Learn more at my website, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube channels.