– ทญ. มรกต กฤตย์กุลเจริญ –
Beneath the quick, focused demeanour of Dr. Natthiya ‘Ju’ Choomuang, a neonatologist in the Paediatrics Department at BNH Hospital, lies a kind, patient, and exceptionally dedicated physician. Her love for children is profound; for her, caring for them is not just a job—it’s her calling.
The Child Who Dreamed of Being a Children’s Doctor
Growing up, young Ju struggled with atopic dermatitis, a condition that caused frequent, irritating rashes and sent her to the doctor almost every month.
“I always saw a kind paediatrician, and I always felt better after a visit,” she recalls. “From then on, I wanted to be a paediatric dermatologist.”
She fulfilled her dream of attending medical school, her initial ambition still intact. That was, until her fifth year, when she rotated through the paediatric ward and saw a “tiny baby” for the first time.
“I’d never seen one before. He was as small as a water bottle. In my heart, I wondered if he would even survive.”
The sight was astonishing, but what truly captivated her was watching her professors care for these fragile infants, transforming sick babies into healthy, happy children.
“At that moment, I set a new goal in my mind: I had to become a children’s doctor, and I wanted to specialise in newborns.”
Neonatology is not a popular field among medical students. The work is inherently challenging, compounded by the extreme fragility of the patients. But Dr. Ju thrives on a challenge. As medical technology has advanced, giving premature babies a greater chance of survival, the demand for neonatal care has grown.
Dr. Ju completed her residency in paediatrics at Hatyai Hospital before sub-specialising in neonatology at the Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health (commonly known as the Children’s Hospital). While she considered returning to her hometown of Surat Thani, her desire to manage cases from start to finish led her to stay in Bangkok, where hospitals are better resourced. It was a professor at the Children’s Hospital who recommended BNH, renowned for its maternal and child care.
“BNH may not seem large, but its capabilities are excellent. The ICU team is strong and well-equipped to handle many tiny babies.”
Dr. Ju was also impressed by BNH’s Complete Care policy—a holistic approach focused on prevention, early detection, and proactive care. The hospital’s close-knit culture facilitates seamless collaboration between departments, which is crucial for the complex cases she handles.
Tiny Babies in the ICU
Dr. Ju’s patients are newborns facing critical issues: premature birth, high-risk conditions, or congenital abnormalities. Their vulnerability means that every second counts; a moment’s delay in decision-making could affect a child’s development for life. Her ability to think and act quickly is one of her greatest strengths.
“For full-term babies at BNH, severe problems are very rare because we manage them so quickly,” she explains. Consistent prenatal care allows for early detection of most abnormalities. Any post-birth issues, like respiratory distress, are typically identified and treated immediately, preventing them from escalating.
One of the most severe cases she handled during her training involved a mother with no prenatal care. An emergency C-section revealed a baby with birth asphyxia. Dr. Ju’s swift intervention in those first critical minutes was life-changing. After three days in the ICU, the infant’s health score rose dramatically, and he was stable enough to be moved to an incubator.
Another patient was born at just 24 weeks, weighing only 500 grams. From the moment of birth, the baby’s life hung in the balance. In the ICU, Dr. Ju monitored the infant’s entire system—respiratory, neurological, and cardiovascular—performing daily evaluations to catch any new issues. She maintained constant communication with the parents, preparing them for the long road ahead and fostering the bond between mother and child.
“Sometimes, it’s late at night, but I can’t go to sleep,” she admits. “I worry that if I do, my ‘child’ might take a turn for the worse. When a patient improves, it gives me strength. I don’t feel tired. But if I’ve done everything I can and they’re still not getting better, I can’t rest. I’ll just pace back and forth until they’re stable.”
Her dedication is all-encompassing. For one newborn diagnosed with a congenital internal defect, she was by his side from the moment of birth, through preparations for emergency surgery, and for 24 hours straight until the operation was complete. She remained on standby for four more days until he was stable.
“When the breathing tube came out and the parents visited, they were so happy. I held their hands as they cried with relief. That’s all the reward I need. It’s okay that I haven’t slept; I can sleep later.”
งานของหมอจุ๊ ทำให้เธอต้องประจำอยู่โรงพยาบาลแทบจะตลอดเวลาหากมีเคสคนไข้แรกเกิดในห้องไอซียู
“มีเคสที เราต้องอยู่เฝ้าคนไข้จนกว่าเด็กจะพ้นขีดอันตรายเลย จะไปต่างจังหวัดหรือไปพักผ่อนไกล ๆ ไม่ได้ เคสเด็กเล็ก ทุกอย่างเปลี่ยนแปลงได้ตลอด เราเลยแค่ไป Staycation ใกล้โรงพยาบาลแทน”
Staycation ของคุณหมอ คือการได้ผ่อนคลายจากงาน พักสมองให้หายเหนื่อยบ้าง โดยไปพักตามโรงแรมในละแวกใกล้เคียง ซึ่งหลายคนอาจคิดว่าไปพักผ่อนใกล้ ๆ หมายถึงการไปพัทยาหรือหัวหิน แต่คำว่าใกล้ของหมอจุ๊คือโรงแรมย่านสีลม ที่หากมีเคสด่วน เธอก็นั่งมอเตอร์ไซค์แว้นมาหาคนไข้ได้ทันที แม้ว่าคอนโดที่พักของคุณหมอจะอยู่ห่างจากโรงพยาบาลไปแค่ 5 นาทีก็ตาม
“บางทีวันหยุดของเรา แต่เรามีเคสอยู่ ในใจเราก็จะไม่ได้หยุดจริง ๆ ถ้าอยากจะพักผ่อน เราก็นอนตรงนี้ละกัน ใกล้ ๆ อย่างน้อยก็ได้นอนโรงแรม ดูวิว ได้ไปสปาที่เราชอบ ถ้ามีอะไรฉุกเฉิน เราก็สามารถกลับมาโรงพยาบาลได้ทันที ที่บ้านก็เข้าใจว่าเราห่วงงาน”
ด้วยข้อจำกัดในชีวิต หมอจุ๊ไม่ได้มองหาความสุขที่ต้องใช้ความพยายามสูง นอกจากเปลี่ยนบรรยากาศมาพักโรงแรมใกล้ที่ทำงาน การได้ชวนเพื่อนหมอไปกินหมูกระทะ ปิ้งย่าง ชาบู หรืออยู่บ้านทำอาหาร แค่นี้เธอก็มีความสุขแล้ว
The Doctor Becomes a Mother
Dr. Ju’s daughter is now just over a year old, and motherhood has reshaped her life. The little time she had for herself is now dedicated to her child.
“We try to do everything as it should be done. I know the principles, but I also give my daughter a lot of freedom. We try new activities every day, but I’m not fixated on milestones. I just want her to grow up healthy and happy. She doesn’t need to be a top student, but she must have a good heart, emotional resilience, and healthy self-esteem.”
Despite being a paediatrician, Dr. Ju faces the same challenges as any other mother. She produces just enough breast milk for each feeding with none to spare; some days her daughter dislikes the meals she’s carefully prepared; and her efforts to lull her to sleep don’t always work.
“Since becoming a mother, I understand my patients’ mothers so much more. Theory says one thing, but every child is different.”
She advises new mothers not to be discouraged by social media, where posts often showcase only successes. “I myself am a mother who works hard. I only took 20 days of maternity leave before I had to come back for an ICU case. I pump milk according to the guidelines, but I only get just enough. The most important thing is that a baby needs a happy mother. It’s better for a baby to have some formula than to have a mother who is exhausted, unhappy, and stressed.”
Joy in Simple Pleasures
Dr. Ju’s demanding on-call schedule makes long holidays impossible. Her solution is the “staycation”—checking into a hotel in the nearby Silom area. It offers a change of scenery and a chance to relax at a spa, yet she’s still close enough to rush back to the hospital on a motorbike taxi for any emergency.
Her other great joy is cooking. Her love for it began in kindergarten, when she would help the cooks in the kitchen. Now, she cooks everything from savoury dishes to desserts, often bringing treats for the nurses or sending meals to her siblings via Grab. Motherhood has shifted her culinary focus to creating new and exciting meals for her young daughter nearly every day.
“I call all my patients ‘ลูก’ (my child),” she says. “We are taught to care for every patient as if they were our own. Whatever it takes to make them better, we will do it. Even if it means staying up all night watching over them, when they get better and go home, all our tiredness disappears.”
NATTHIYA CHOOMUANG, M.D.
Paediatrics Department
Specialty
Neonatal-perinatal medicine
Language
Thai, English
– DIPLOMA THAI BOARD OF PEDIATRICS
– DIPLOMA THAI BOARD OF NEONATAL-PERINATAL MEDICINE
– PEDIATRICS
– NEONATAL-PERINATAL MEDICINE
– DOCTOR OF MEDICINE, RANGSIT UNIVERSITY
Doctor’s Schedule
| Day | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 11:00 – 16:00 | Paediatrics Department |
| Wednesday | 11:00 – 16:00 | Paediatrics Department |
| Thursday | 11:00 – 16:00 | Paediatrics Department |
| Friday | 11:00 – 16:00 | Paediatrics Department |
| Saturday | 08:00 – 16:00 | Paediatrics Department |