As a board-certified pediatrician, an international board-certified lactation consultant, and a mother of five, Dr. Petra McEwan relies on evidence-based science and her own vast experience to guide her patients and their families through the complications and joys of childhood.
Dr. McEwan knew she was interested in caring for children from the time she was one herself. She grew up in South Florida watching her parents, a respiratory therapist and a nurse, get to know the patients they treated, and soon she was drawn to babysitting and working for her church’s daycare program. “I was always taking care of family members, and I knew I wanted to take care of patients and help them feel better,” she says.
She earned a BS in Business Management from the University of Florida before earning her MD from Morehouse School of Medicine. Dr. McEwan then returned to Florida to complete her residency in pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine Shands Hospital, where she also worked in the hospital’s breastfeeding clinic.
Dr. McEwan worked as a pediatrician at Pediatric Associates for three years and then moved to Just for Kids Pediatrics in Boynton Beach, where she worked for nine years. At each of these practices, she worked closely with children and their parents, providing guidance as their children progressed from being newborns to becoming more independent.
Dr. McEwan always starts her care by listening to each family’s needs. “I’m here to listen. I ask a lot of questions to get clarity on what’s going on before I offer my advice,” she says. “Then I let families know that what they're going through, for the most part, is normal.”
That reassurance helps new parents find their footing and build trust so that they can work together if health issues do arise. “The newborn period is so critical,” she says. “It’s one of those times, besides the teenage years, where parents need a lot of support, because it’s all new, all fresh, and new babies don’t come with manuals.” In 2020, Dr. McEwan launched a lactation consulting practice, Mommy & Me Consulting, through which she provides home visits and virtual visits to parents navigating the challenges of feeding their babies.
Dr. McEwan likes to provide practical advice and explain the evidence behind treatments to help families understand their options. Dr. McEwan has significant expertise in treating ADHD, anxiety, depression, skin issues like eczema, and questions around growth and puberty.
"I’m excited to be there for patients—to understand them both emotionally and physically, and to learn about their family dynamics so I can help effectively,” she says. “I really enjoy watching my patients grow."
Dr. McEwan has also served as a preceptor for medical students, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners at FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and is on the advisory board of the Lactation Network, an organization dedicated to expanding access to breastfeeding and lactation support. In addition to her work, Dr. McEwan loves spending time with her husband and five children, taking dance classes, and playing with her family’s dog, Jessie.
Credentials
- Clinical Affiliate Associate Professor of General PediatricsDepartment of Women’s and Children’s Health, FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine
- Medical StaffDepartment of Pediatrics, West Boca Medical Center
- Owner/Lactation ConsultantMommy & Me Consulting
- Former PhysicianJust for Kids Pediatrics
- Former PediatricianPediatric Associates
Awards
- University of Florida Hall of Fame
Affiliations
- DiplomateAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
- Advisory Board MemberLactation Network
- MemberAcademy of Breastfeeding Medicine
- MemberAmerican Medical Association
- MemberNational Medical Association
- MemberChristian Medical & Dental Associations
- International Lactation Consultant Association