Melissa Giustini, MD
Board Certified: American Board of Pediatrics / Chapel Hill, NC
Education: Whitman College is in Walla Walla, WA
Pediatric Residency: Baystate Medical Center / Springfield, MA
Care Philosophy
I believe it is important to listen to my patients and their families. I have learned so much from asking parents what worked and didn’t work for them when faced with various parenting challenges. I have even gleaned some tips to help me be a better parent to my own kids. I enjoy getting to know patients and their families so that we can come up with a solution or treatment that everyone is comfortable with.
Biography
I was born and raised in Portland and then spent 7 years on the East Coast. I went to SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY and completed my residency at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA. I lived in the Bay Area for 7 years, while my husband finished residency and fellowship, but we are thrilled to be returning home to Portland. I have three kids at home and my husband is an anesthesiologist. In my free time I enjoy running, hiking, knitting, cooking, and playing with my kids.
One of the things that drew me to Pediatrics was the continuity. I feel honored to be able to see my patients grow up to be adults and enjoy helping them and their families learn to make healthy choices.
Guiding families through the newborn period is my special interest. I love answering questions and reassuring families that all the strange things their newborn does are normal. I have pursued some training in lactation and would be happy to help with breastfeeding questions, but overall believe a fed baby is most important and will support all families whether they are exclusively breastfeeding, combo feeding, or exclusively formula feeding.