Second Opinion with Dr. Dua Hassan

Over the past several months, I've been collaborating with a friend of mine, Dr. Dua Hassan on her podcast.

One of the things that I think is underrated about being a parent is the degree to which medical stuff with your children just happens to you. Even the planned stuff — the 6 month and 1 year appointments — inevitably happens on a day when you're tired or distracted and there's less time, attention, and energy to get much beyond "What" and into "Why".

Which is exactly why I loved doing this podcast. In it, Dr. Dua takes the time to explain why things are the way that they are in a way that I've never had time for while raising my kids. In the process, I've learned an incredible amount, like the heroic story of Dr. Robert Guthrie, who singlehandedly willed the PKU test into existence after his niece was affected by undiagnosed PKU or that once upon a time doctors would lick babies to understand if they had certain conditions that caused their skin to be salty.

The first season is all about the first 24 hours of life and the shots, tests, and eye goop that are applied to a baby right after it's born. I've been through this three times and recognized every step — but couldn't have told you much about them until this show.

You can find it on Spotify here or on YouTube here. Send it to a parent or soon-to-be parent you love!

2026-04-12