The Joys of Pediatrics

By Tiffany Baird M.D.

Why do I love what I do?  Every day that I come to work I get to experience the following:

• the sweet hugs from my patients (as shown in picture :)) 
• the laughter and squeal from happy children just having fun
• the coos of an infant
• first smiles from a baby
• the newborn baby in all of its wonder just stretching and making beautiful, funny noises
• the relief in a mother's eyes when I tell her that her baby is going to be alright
• the pride in the parents' faces and voices as they share how their child has achieved the next developmental milestone (i.e. rolling over, walking, saying words)
• the chance to be a part of the healing process in a sick child
• watching the babies grow to be toddlers, the toddlers to be children, the children transitioning to teenagers and then teenagers blossoming into adulthood
• the chance to see a new addition to the family- the proud look on the older sibling's face(s)
• the privilege to truly care about a child and their future, to support and encourage them, to be there when they are sick and at their weakest and help them to become stronger