What if one of the best investments you could make in your career had nothing to do with your actual business?

In Episode 11 of The Business of Surgery, facial plastic surgeon, practice owner, and mom Dr. Lauren Umstattd shares why bringing an au pair into her home became one of the most consequential decisions she made for her business. With two young children and two working parents, reliable childcare didn't just make home life easier—it gave Lauren the security to operate, see patients, and lead her practice without constantly wondering what would happen when school closed or a child got sick.

Lauren walks through the entire experience: why a traditional nanny didn't work for their family, how the au pair program works, what it costs, interviewing and choosing someone to live in your home, navigating boundaries, and what she would do differently next time.

In this episode:

• Why childcare is a business issue for working parents
• Au pair vs. nanny
• How the au pair program works
• What an au pair actually does
• The cost of hosting an au pair
• How Lauren interviewed and selected her au pair
• Managing childcare with an inflexible physician schedule
• The mental load of being a working mother
• Setting boundaries with someone who lives in your home
• The unexpected benefits of cultural exchange
• Whether Lauren would hire an au pair again

The Business of Surgery is a 12-part FEM, MD series exploring the realities of building a physician-owned surgical practice—and the life required to sustain it.

Host: Dr. Lauren Umstattd

Connect with Lauren: @lauren_umstattd_md

Produced by: The Hippocratic Collective

See more shows and content at hippocratic-collective.com