A personalized approach to children’s healthcare

By Sue Baldani

Dr. Meredith Irwin knew she wanted to be a pediatrician since she was a child herself. “My dad was a nurse and worked in the nursing home industry, and so I was exposed to the healthcare industry through him,” she says. “I also loved my own pediatrician as a child.”

Today, she is a board-certified pediatrician. After working as a general outpatient pediatrician for eight years, she decided to take a different route after moving from Kentucky to Chatham, New Jersey, in 2022 with her family –  husband, Justin Hurt, and children, 8-year-old Claire, twin six-year-old boys Dean and Everett, and Lily, their mini Golden Doodle.

“In my second job in Kentucky, I floated at different offices and filled in when needed,” says Dr. Irwin. “Some of the offices were busier than others, and I loved the offices that weren’t as busy so I could spend an hour with new parents and their babies, and talk to them without feeling the pressure to rush to the next patient. Developing relationships with families has always been my favorite part of my job.”

To provide this type of care, she established Little Nest Pediatrics, a Direct Primary Care (DPC) practice, in Chatham in February of this year. DPC is a healthcare model that prioritizes doctor-patient relationships, offering more personalized approaches to medical care. In addition to being able to spend more time with parents and children, parents have direct access to Dr. Irwin 24/7.

“It was five o’clock on a weekday, and I had a mom who was worried her child had an ear infection,” she says. “While I was willing to go to the child’s house, I suggested that she use the camera we provide to take a picture inside the eardrum.”

Dr. Irwin could see right away that it was infected and prescribed an antibiotic. A 10-minute conversation was all it took to get her child’s ear infection treated.

Another day, a patient’s dad called because his child had cut his finger. She told him to bring him into the office right away. “I was able to just glue it in five minutes.”

This convenience factor is a great benefit, and so is knowing that you will always see the same doctor who is very familiar with your child.

Membership fees are reasonable, and in the long run, Dr. Irwin believes this model saves families money. “There are no copays, and you’re not getting any surprise bills. I’m also saving families from unnecessary urgent care and ER visits, which come with added costs.” Parents can use their HSA [Health Savings Account] if they have one to pay the monthly fee as well.

Andi Guariglia, mother of 3-year-old Andrew, is happy she chose Little Nest Pediatrics for her son’s care. “As a parent with young children, you know that they never get sick at a convenient time, so being able to text or call Dr. Irwin quickly makes everything so much easier,” she says. “She’s even come to my house once or twice when it was easier for all of our schedules.”

Another parent, Sara McMahon, also highly recommends Little Nest. “As the parents of a baby and toddler [Noah 2 ½ and Camilla 7 months], it was important for my husband and I to find a pediatric practice that was truly a good fit for our family. Dr Irwin is incredibly kind, patient, thoughtful, and knowledgeable. Her approach and style of practice is a true breath of fresh air for busy parents who want to feel seen and heard when it comes to their children.”

Little Nest Pediatrics is also designed to be a welcoming and fun environment for kids. “As a mom of three kids, I know how miserable it can be to be stuck in a tiny little white room for no telling how long waiting for the doctor, so I wanted it to be a big open space,” says Dr. Irwin. “Kids can get up and move around, and there are toys for them to play with and keep them busy while I’m speaking with parents.” Afterwards, Dr. Irwin sends personalized visit summaries so parents don’t have to remember everything or take notes.

Instead of always examining children on the exam table, Dr. Irwin will sit on the floor where they’re playing. At the end of every visit, they receive the key to the treasure chest. “There are various higher-than-average quality toys in the chest,” she says

Most kids, says Dr. Irwin, are upset when they have to leave. “It’s a happy place for them.”

To schedule a Meet and Greet with Dr. Irwin, go to LittleNestPediatrics.com.

Written for Chatham & Short Hills Lifestyle magazine in New Jersey.

Learn the tools for better physical, mental, and spiritual health

When Randy Mackenzie graduated from college 50 years ago, he was looking for a way to
improve his quality of his life. “That’s when I found Transcendental Meditation® (TM) and I
haven’t looked back since,” he says. Today, he’s a certified teacher and co-director of the
Transcendental Meditation centers in Summit and Red Bank. He has taught over 5000 people around the world, including 2000 in New Jersey.

The Transcendental Meditation movement originated with its founder, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
“The technique is thousands of years old, and originally it was kept secluded in the Himalayas in
India. But then, about 65 years ago, Maharishi was inspired to make TM available to the rest of
the world by doing world tours and teaching thousands of people.”

In order to make it available to even more people, he also started training teachers, like Randy.
“We learn how to teach the same way that it has always been taught.”

While many think meditation practices are all the similar, that is not true. Randy explains that there are three fundamental categories of meditation. One is concentration, another is contemplation, and the other is effortless self-transcending, which is where TM falls. They all have different brain waves and produce different results.  TM has been found to be easier and produces a deeper experience.

TM is uniquely different, he explains, in the sense that it does not give the mind anything to focus on or think about. “TM uses a tool to turn the mind inwards, and because these quieter levels of the mind are more satisfying, it naturally goes in a direction of doing less and less until there is a possibility of transcending thought. We can go beyond thought and experience what we call pure awareness, pure consciousness. It is a state of being.”

The tool consists of two things: the mantra, which is a specific meaningless sound that turns the mind inwards, and then how to use the mantra correctly so that there is this systematic reduction in mental and physical activity.”

When this happens, the mind becomes more coherent and more orderly, and at the same time, a very deep level of rest occurs that releases not only surface fatigue, but deeper-rooted stresses and strains that we have accumulated over time,” he says.

“So, we’re not meditating for the sake of meditation, but rather that our activity becomes more
enjoyable and more productive afterward. Mental clarity improves, and our body gets
healthier, cortisol levels go down 30% each time, and the physiology becomes more resilient to stress. And, all of this automatically improves our behavior in personal relationships because we’re not so uptight or tired and are able to be more accepting and tolerant of people. Our whole
environment starts to improve as a result.”

Students come from all walks of life, and once the technique is learned, it can be done anywhere.
“We recommend that people do it twice a day for 20 minutes each time, but even once a day will
have benefits,” he says. “TM is the most highly researched technique for personal development
in the world. There are over 400 peer-reviewed studies done on TM.”

As a non-profit organization, Transcendental Meditation centers are committed to making TM
available to as many people as possible with lifetime follow up. Fees are income-based, and there are currently scholarships available for free classes. There are also free information sessions and a money-back satisfaction guarantee. “Our international goal is world peace,” says Randy.

To transcend your thoughts and find your peace, and discover more about Transcendental
Meditation, go to TM.org/Centers/Summit.

Written for Chatham & Short Hills Lifestyle magazine in New Jersey.