Dr. Phil Boucher

Dr. Phil Boucher If you're like most of my readers, you’re a parent or parent-to-be looking for straight-forward advice to do the best you can for your kids and family.

And that's exactly what I'm here for!

We get A LOT of pictures of baby p**p texted in to our office from our patients, and these are the main questions and co...
09/11/2025

We get A LOT of pictures of baby p**p texted in to our office from our patients, and these are the main questions and concerns, answered!

The bottom line (no pun intended) is that if your baby is acting like he/she typically does and not overly distressed or fussy, I never get excited about the look smell or frequency of their p**p. Baby is a PRO at regulating these things!

And, despite being a pediatrician for 10 years, I’ve never once done a hemoccult on a baby…okay once when the toddler’s p**p was literally bright red and it turned out to be from kool-aid…otherwise we use our eyeballs and symptoms to diagnose issues and a stepwise method to handling it when baby is fussy to avoid unnecessary maternal dietary restrictions which can have a negative influence on feeding enjoyment and success

**p

Before you try to be patient with your child, learn to be patient with yourself.Once you are patient with yourself then ...
09/10/2025

Before you try to be patient with your child, learn to be patient with yourself.

Once you are patient with yourself then you can extend the grace & patience you give yourself to your child….but until you have given yourself grace & patience you have none to give out.

09/09/2025

1️⃣ pause 2️⃣ breathe 3️⃣ parent

There are nearly zero parenting emergencies and you do not need to correct feelings or misbehaviors in the moment. in fact, things will resolve much more quickly if you pause and let the feelings unfurl before any response.

Same goes for yelling. 1️⃣ pause 2️⃣ breathe 3️⃣ parent

The past month I’ve helped over 100 parents yell less in my 5 day yell less challenge. you get back-and-forth text messages with me along with video lessons each day to learn, reflect and strategize. The goal is to master yelling at one time of day and then expand out from there. Parents have raved about it because it actually gets results. (Unlike the parenting book that’s been sitting on your nightstand for months) I only have the bandwidth for 50 per week, comment challenge if you’d to save your spot for this Wednesday!!

Youtube Kids might seem like the perfect place to park your child for some screentime, but realize that there is no cont...
09/07/2025

Youtube Kids might seem like the perfect place to park your child for some screentime, but realize that there is no content moderation UNTIL enough reports get filed (if they ever do) which means anyone can post anything…even if the thumbnail, title, and first few minutes seem sweet & innocuous.

For user-generated content (YouTube, YouTube Kids, TikTok etc.), always co-view and ensure that it doesn’t just keep queueing and starting new videos when one finishes.

I know it might seem like a hassle…but when the content is free YOU are the product which means the incentive is to keep you watching videos, viewing ads, and buying stuff.

I have a whole workshop i recently did on screentime strategies from infants to teens!! Comment screens if you’d like to watch, learn, and implement!

09/06/2025

It’s easy to fall into old-school mealtime rules…but many of them actually backfire. Here’s why ⬇️

1️⃣ “Clean Plate Club”
Sounds harmless, but it teaches kids to ignore their own hunger and fullness cues. “Don’t trust your body and mind…just do what I say no matter how it makes you feel inside”. Over time, this disconnect makes mealtime battles and anxiety worse.

2️⃣ “Just One Bite”
Forcing a bite often turns new foods into a power struggle. Instead of building curiosity, it builds resistance. Instead, give a small portion of something you’d like them to try. Approach with curiousity and if they refuse just add to your leftovers.

3️⃣ “No Dessert Unless…”
Making sweets the reward automatically makes veggies the punishment. This just increases the desire for dessert and decreases the love for nourishing foods. If you want to serve dessert, serve it regardless of meal performance.

4️⃣ “Stay at the Table Until…”
Holding kids hostage at the table doesn’t teach manners—it teaches frustration. Kids learn to fight against you instead of learning to listen to their bodies….and it create loads of stress for frazzled/exhausted parents.

5️⃣ “Kitchen Is Closed”
Rigid cutoffs can create anxiety and sneaky eating. Kids need structure, but they also need trust and flexibility. When your 4 year old says, “I’m hungry” at 7:30pm you can try “Oh you’re hungry now would you like an apple, banana, cheese, or wait until the morning?”

✨ The goal isn’t perfect table manners—it’s enjoyment, connection, and learning to trust their bodies.

💬 Comment SUBSTACK below and I’ll send you more mealtime strategies to help your whole family feel more calm and connected at the table.

09/05/2025

You didn't miss the boat on sleep just because your 18 month, 3 year, or 6 year old doesn't sleep as well as you'd like (which means YOU don't sleep as well as you'd like).

#1 strategy for toddlers & big kids --> camping

I discuss the basics in this video, but if you want to make big progress this month with your child's sleep, comment CHALLENGE and I'll DM you details to my 5 day sleep better challenge starting this wenedsay (only 50 spots).

09/04/2025

LUMBAR PUNCTURE....Back in the day, pediatricians would be doing these nightly at the hospital and would have actual pus coming out of the spinal fluid of infants and children...that pus signified bacterial infection and was a common cause of lifelong issues like seizures, developmental delays, hearing loss, and multiple lifelong complex medical needs following which all started as a run of the mill fever.

Haemophilus influenzae and pneumococcus were common bacterial culprits of brain & spine infection (meningitis) but pediatricans nowadays get a lot more sleep and peace of mind since we rarely see these devastating infections nowadays because we have vaccines that prevent these life-altering, life-shortening, and life-threatening bacterial infections.

Want more pediatric & parenting learnings? Comment substack and I'll send you even more articles and videos to keep learning.

09/04/2025

For hyperactive kids (especially those elementary school kiddos that really struggle with pausing before making choices), I find non-stimulants like guanfacine can be LIFE CHANGING…

Guanfacine isn’t a stimulant like Ritalin or adderall, it’s an alpha-2-adrenergic agonist that clams down extra extra adrenaline and norepinephrine.

(To be clear, not all kids with ADHD need medicines and meds shouldn’t be our first stop to help kids with thrive…. and those that do need a whole child approach as well - from diet & nutrition to parenting approaches and more self confidence…all part of a balanced approach)

7️⃣ Signs Guanfacine Might Be the Right First ADHD Med for Your Child

1️⃣ Your child is always “on” — their nervous system is revved with too much norepinephrine (stress signal), making it hard to settle.

2️⃣ Big emotions explode fast — guanfacine helps strengthen the brain’s “brakes” in the prefrontal cortex so kids can pause before reacting.

3️⃣ Transitions trigger chaos — guanfacine lowers hyperarousal, smoothing the shift from one activity to the next.

4️⃣ Bedtime battles — by calming the sympathetic nervous system, it helps kids actually wind down and sleep.

5️⃣ You notice more hyperarousal than inattention — they’re not just distractible; their body feels stuck in fight-or-flight.

6️⃣ You worry stimulants could spike anxiety, worsen appetite issues, amplify tics, or bump heart rate — guanfacine does the opposite by reducing over-firing.

7️⃣ What your child needs most is a calmer baseline — guanfacine restores balance so they can regulate, connect, and learn.

💡 Guanfacine doesn’t power up focus. It works by turning down overdrive, calming norepinephrine in the brain, and letting the prefrontal cortex do its job. Kids often feel steadier, sleep better, and can finally use the strategies you’re building at home.

✨ Sometimes the first step isn’t more focus… it’s more calm.

Want more help with attention, focus, and behaviors? comment SUPPORT and i’ll send you everything I know.

Social media & are designed with the sole purpose of getting us to use them…the buzzes and dings draw you back and even ...
09/03/2025

Social media & are designed with the sole purpose of getting us to use them…the buzzes and dings draw you back and even if you resist the temptation to look in the moment… you’re distracted & your mind is wondering what you’re missing.

No one is going to tell you loudly enough that you need to turn off your notifications.

All of them.

You won’t miss anything, I promise.

Recent Q&As! What pediatric and parenting questions do you have??Also re: autism eval related question. We are booking f...
09/02/2025

Recent Q&As! What pediatric and parenting questions do you have??

Also re: autism eval related question. We are booking for early July with autism evals. If nearby or able to make the drive in for an autism eval, comment ADOS and I’ll get you the info 🙌🏼

09/01/2025

Comment meltdowns to get the link to my moving through meltdowns workshop and try this if whining is an issue at your house!

08/31/2025

what are some of the things you wished you had known before baby arrived?

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Dr. B Here...

There’s a thousand parenting books. There are so many approaches. Attachment, barefoot, tiger, helicopter, free-range…. It used to be you felt the need to keep up with your neighbors and friends…now it’s all of Facebook. You see the beautifully framed and filtered shots of happy children and parents on Instagram.

Household peace, even momentary, is more difficult than you thought. The tug of work (do those emails ever quit?), keeping house (didn’t we just pick up this room?), giving your children positive attention, making sure they are being stimulated with outings, lessons, athletics….

I’d like to share my experiences, knowledge, and expertise with you. To help you be a better parent. To enjoy your children, spouse, and family more. To grow closer to each other and God. You already have most of what you need. I can give you the confidence and reassurance that you can do this.