At GetzWell Pediatrics, holistic newborn care means a more comprehensive approach to achieving total well-being in our San Francisco patients.
Our professionals focus on treating children—not diseases. Medication may be able to resolve symptoms of an illness, but our doctors look at underlying causes that, if addressed, can help patients stay healthier and happier long-term.
Most medical doctors lack the training, time, and resources to offer this kind of approach. At GetzWell, our professionals are able to recognize and improve a broad range of factors that affect health because we:
- Take more time with patients
- Get to know our families more personally
- Focus much of our professional development on integrative medicine
- Have a larger toolbox with which to care for our families
In many ways, our doctors are like the physicians of a bygone era who truly knew their patients and had ample time to listen, address concerns, and educate. However, unlike earlier generations, our patients benefit from the resources and expertise that modern science offers.
Read about a few of the ways that our unique holistic approach allows us to provide superlative newborn care, setting the foundation for a healthy life.
Protecting the Microbiota
Nationwide, the unfortunate reality is that few women breastfeed for more than a couple of months after childbirth. At GetzWell, we offer the support, resources, and integrative newborn care sought by San Francisco families such that around 90% of our moms are able to provide breastmilk for a full year.
Breastmilk, like nothing else, supports the microorganisms that nature intended to develop in baby’s belly, educating the immune system and supporting baby’s long term health. This community of microorganisms—the microbiota—plays a vital role in health, perhaps as important as the child’s own genes. We also recommend a vaginal delivery whenever possible and avoiding antibiotics in the first three years of life in order to further support the a healthy microbiota and immune system.
Making House Calls
All GetzWell families are offered a house call for their first newborn visit. This is a unique service we love providing for the following reasons:
- Leaving home the first few times with your new baby can present significant challenges—especially after a difficult birth or C-section. All new parents are sleep-deprived and having the first visit in your home helps keep you as comfortable and relaxed as possible.
- Our parents (and we!) appreciate the opportunity to form a more personal connection. Welcoming us into your home is a unique and intimate way to begin to build our relationship with you.
A home visit allows us to identify and discuss important factors that affect a newborn’s , such as where baby sleeps, whether there are pets in the home, and other environmental considerations such as air circulation, synthetics, and perfumes.
Considering the Full Spectrum of Underlying Influences
One of the things that distinguishes a visit to GetzWell Pediatrics and a big reason parents choose us is our broad view of health and recognition of the many variables that influence it: food choices, emotions, environmental toxins, love, parenting style, and sleep, to name a few.
In our San Francisco practice, treatment isn’t just about conducting tests and prescribing medication. Holistic newborn care means understanding and addressing the unique needs of each patient and family. It’s encouraging healthy choices and providing solid information so parents can make informed decisions. It’s really listening to and getting to know families, because it’s in relationship that we are able to find the best solutions.
Education is central to our work with families. We:
- Discuss the best nutrition for mothers and its role in supporting her newborn
- Recommend ways to limit exposure to harmful chemicals
- Offer non-pharmacological remedies for common illnesses in order to avoid antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals that may be unsafe and unnecessary
- Teach parents how to promote and encourage emotional intelligence and resilience which have been linked to long term success and good health
By providing supportive guidance and working collaboratively with parents, our professionals empower moms and dads to nurture their children’s life-long success and vitality.
If you are interested in a holistic approach to newborn care, please contact our San Francisco offices online or by phone. We look forward to meeting you and your little one!
