Please introduce yourself, what you do and where you practice:
I live a life of 3 names, one being my career and the other being a wife and a mother.
At the office my name is Dr Natasha Colia. I am a General Practitioner with a subspeciality (Diploma) in Allergies and I also have a special interest in paediatrics. I work at The Square Medical Centre in Umhlanga.
My second name is Mrs Natasha Mauvis. I’m married to Jean Luc, the most gentle, understanding and caring man I could have ever dreamt of marrying.
At home my name is “Mama” to my son Luca, my heart. I became a mother at the age of 32 years old (2018) AND I’m soon to be a mother of two in a weeks time (3rd July)! We have no idea what gender we are having and I just LOVE a surprise!
The day I became a mother, was the most overwhelming indescribable feeling. It’s almost like watching your heart beat out side of you body.
How has motherhood changed the way you work? And has it changed the way you see or deal with patients?
Motherhood has without a doubt changed the way I work and deal with patients and parents.
Before motherhood, I spent 4-5 years working in state hospitals in Paediatric wards and NICUs. I spent my days taking blood from little arms, putting up drips and ventilating babies from 800g. Unfortunately working in Government Hospital’s and working under poor conditions we often came across complications, watching children suffer and some sadly die. I look back on those days before I was a Mother, counseling Mothers who had lost a child or whose child was critically ill, how different it was then to counsel a Mother, as if it was almost easier compared to now, as a Mother myself. Although we were taught to counsel patients, you cannot empathize with another Mother unless you are one yourself.
There were times we had no option but to restrain children to shave their hair off to put up drips in their scalps because every other vein had collapsed. I now imagine that having to be done to Luca to save his life and my heart sinks.
I can remember the heartbreaking days when we couldn’t save a life and I just want to cry. There were nights I would dream about patients that had died, forever asking myself what if we could have done something more. But although there were many days of heart break, there were MANY more days of gratitude. The look on a mother’s face on the day of discharge was indescribable.
I spent over 4 years working in Paediatrics as I wanted to specialize in it, but now in hindsight and as a Mother I am grateful I did not choose that career path. I don’t think I would be able to manage that heart break again. The person I was before I had Luca is not the person or doctor I am today.
I am extremely happy in general practice. Majority of my patients are either children or patients that suffer with allergies. I work in a great environment and I’m lucky to have the flexibility with Luca.
It’s easy being a doctor and telling parents what to do but it’s not easy being a parent to a sick babe at home.
As a mom I can relate to those sleepless nights, monitoring spiking temps and the anxiety around trying to get your baby to take meds! I still don’t understand why no drug company has come up with a antibiotic suppository as yet!
I now have a better understanding of the mom that sits across from my desk with her sick baby looking helpless and tired.
3. What is something you would like mom’s to know when they are dealing with sickly kiddies:
For all the parents out there with sick little ones, try to remember this:
Trust your instinct; you often know what’s best for your child, and if you are unsure, don’t feel like you are over reacting or being paranoid, always err on the side of caution with young children and take them to see a doctor.
As a general rule, you should see your doctor immediately if your child:
⁃ Has a fever that you are unable to control or has a fever for more than 2 days
⁃ Flu symptoms with fast breathing/wheezing
⁃ Gastro with dehydration or unable to tolerate fluids
⁃ Not eating or playing or extremely drowsy
Remember “you’ve got this”...Doctors are always here to help.
Don’t give up hope, kids are tougher than what we think
It’s only a moment in time and you WILL sleep again.
As a mother, wife and having a career, there is always that pressure of “Time”.
⁃ Have I spent enough time with my boy today...or has mother’s guilt crept in?
⁃ Have I prepared a good meal for my family and spoken to my husband about his day or just appreciated who he is...?
⁃ Have I been available to see patients or are my hours and time now too restricted?
4. What is one thing you feel is unique about how you practice medicine?
I’ve been blessed in my career choice in that I love being a doctor. I work with two colleagues, Dr Leon Ehlers and Dr Rochelle Rautenbach. The uniqueness about our practice is that we are all passionate about who we are as doctors and our role in helping patients.
We treat every patient as we would treat ourselves or a loved one.
We all have our own interests and specialities including general family medicine,
pediatrics, allergies, woman’s health, sexual health and aesthetics. We are available 24/7 on our cell phones after working hours and we are open on Saturday’s.
I have a new found respect for mothers and mothers that work. We underestimate how strong we are and how much we can actually handle.
You are amazing and yes you are doing your best and it IS good enough”!
Dr Natasha Colia
MBChB (UKZN)
GENERAL PRACTITIONER
Allergist
Special Interest in Paediatrics
The Square Medical Centre
250 Umhlanga Rocks Drive
La Lucia, 4320
Tel: (031) 566 7000
Fax: (031) 566 7001
Email: Medigate2@gmail.com
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