mom next door
Dr.
Amy Rabalais
BY AMANDA MILLER
Occupation: Otolaryngologist (ENT) Husband: Mike Children: Pace, 16, and Marjorie, 14
Hobbies: Hiking, backpacking, traveling, cooking, gardening, exercising, and painting
D r. Amy Rabalais is a Baton Rouge- born ENT, a mom of two, a lifelong learner, and a firm believer that you don’t have to do it all. Whether she’s embracing the excitement of each parenting phase, caring for her patients, needlepointing on the couch, or enjoying an episode of Survivor with her family, Dr. Rabalais leads her life with heart and intention, always making time for what matters most. AMY: I would definitely say the sense of family and the sense of place. When I was growing up here, my grandparents were here, and I had a ton of cousins around. My dad is from Thibodaux, so between Baton Rouge and Thibodaux, we always had big family gatherings. I remember going to all the LSU events growing up—LSU football, LSU baseball. I think we still have our same season tickets. AMY: I think I always knew I wanted to be a doctor. When I was younger, I thought I wanted to be a pediatrician because I do love kids and babies. As I went through the med school journey, I realized how much I really loved surgery and operating, so I kind of naturally fell into this surgical field where you get to treat and take care of babies and kids, but also their parents, adults, and grandparents. YOU WERE BORN AND RAISED IN BATON ROUGE, WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT GROWING UP HERE? WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE A CAREER IN MEDICINE?
WHAT’S ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING PARTS OF YOUR JOB? AMY: I would say when families bring back siblings or when they come back for their next ENT problem. For me, that says a lot. Obviously we never want our children or family members to be sick, but they’ve chosen to come back with that next person, or they’ve told their mom to come. You know, they have a baby, or we do surgery when they’re little, maybe put tubes in, and then they come back when they’re six or seven to get their tonsils out. That’s just so much fun, to see those kids grow up over the different phases of their lives. And the fact that they come back makes me so happy. WHAT SURPRISED YOU THE MOST WHEN YOU BECAME A MOM? AMY: I would say how much children are born with personalities from the moment they come out. I was surprised by how much our children had their own personality, their own instincts, and how much of that carried through until now. You get the privilege of raising this person, but they’re already born with so many intrinsic characteristics. The other thing that has surprised me, now that I’m a mom of older kids, is how much I don’t miss the previous phase, because each phase just keeps getting better. I thought I would look at baby pictures and feel sad, but each phase really does get better than the one before.
WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU HOPE TO PASS DOWN TO YOUR CHILDREN? AMY: My husband and I both try to set an example that we’re still growing as people. My husband recently went back to school to get his Ph.D., and the kids were like, “So our dad’s going to be a student?” I’ve also taken some certification courses, so it’s about being lifelong learners. You’re constantly evolving and growing.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE FAMILY ROUTINES
THAT HELP YOU ALL STAY CONNECTED? AMY: We have dinner together every night at seven o’clock. Up until two years ago, we only had one TV in the house, so we got in the habit of having dinner and then watching a show together. Right now, we’re watching Survivor, and we’re making our way through Elsbeth, which is cute. Also, before we travel somewhere, we all do presentations for each other about where we’re going, so they have to learn something about the destination. HOW HAS MARRIAGE SHAPED YOUR APPROACH TO MOTHERHOOD? AMY: You have to roll with it. You may have all these plans about how you think things are going to be, and then on any given day, it’s completely off the wall. You have to have a partner who’s ready for the adventure. Every day is different, and it really is a team sport, especially as kids get older.
14 MAY 2026 | BRPARENTS.COM
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