Normalizing breastfeeding is an ongoing battle in some Western cultures. Even when someone starts out breastfeeding, many report not being able to meet their goals or face various obstacles in trying to nurse their children. One part of the equation is how breastfeeding is represented in these cultures. Is it accessible through various media? How is it perceived? Joining me today to help answer this question - and discuss the implications of it - is Dr. BJ Woodstein, author of the book The Portrayal of Breastfeeding in Literature. Hopefully by understanding the power of how breastfeeding is portrayed, we can move towards creating a culture where breastfeeding families feel supported and seen. Dr. BJ Woodstein: https://research-portal.uea.ac.uk/en/persons/bj-epstein The Portrayal of Breastfeeding in Literature*: https://amzn.to/3kaUVYQ We’re Here!: A Practical Guide to Becoming an LGBTQ+ Parent*: https://amzn.to/3YVhWhm *Amazon affiliate link

Our understanding and acceptance of Autism has evolved over the years towards a greater awareness of what we call neurodiversity - broadly, the idea that each brain is unique and what used to be considered "disorders" are not at all, but rather reflections of these uniquenesses with their own strengths and weaknesses. At the same time, we have also learned how valuable early intervention is for longer-term outcomes. But how can this be? If we aren't "fixing" anything, why the need for this intervention? Joining me is Dr. Lauren Franz, the Associate Director of Duke University's Center for Autism and Brain Development, for what I hope you will find to be an enlightening and important conversation. Dr. Franz: https://globalhealth.duke.edu/people/franz-lauren Focus article: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2794074 Programs and articles discussed in the interview: On Naturalistic Developmental Behavioural Interventions: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4513196/pdf/10803_2015_Article_2407.pdf On Early Start Denver Model: https://autismcenter.duke.edu/news/online-caregiver-coaching-modules-based-early-start-denver-model Lancet Commission report: https://www.thelancet.com/commissions/autism Open Access Book "Autistic Community and the Neurodiversity Movement": https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-13-8437-0 Meta-Analysis of interventions: https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fbul0000215

As we know, sleep is one of the most talked-about topics for new parents. None of them are getting enough, and everyone is worried about it. In Western cultures, parents are often made to feel that the only way to get sleep is to leave their baby to cry to learn to sleep alone, something called 'crying it out'. This can be modified slightly where parents leave their child for intervals of time, often called 'controlled crying' or 'controlled comforting'. Importantly, the age at which we recommend this to families has gotten younger and younger over the years, and even who we recommend it to has changed. Whereas it was once recommended for families with severe problems, it's now recommended as a preemptive move parents should take to avoid problems. But what does the research say about these changes? Do they support the use of this type of sleep training? Joining me to discuss this is Macall Gordon, a researcher specializing in infant mental health who has reviewed the research in depth and is here to share these findings. Whether you're surprised or not, the findings are ones that should be more widely discussed for they have major implications for all families. Thank you so much for listening, that's it for this week. I hope if you're one of those families who has felt pressure to sleep train but it isn't for you or you don't even feel there's a problem, you can feel better about saying no. And if you are struggling, I would add that there are other methods you can use that do not require you to leave your baby to cry and I would strongly recommend starting there, especially as we discussed here - often there are underlying issues that should be examined. Until next time, stay safe and happy parenting. Macall Gordon, M.A.: https://www.antioch.edu/faculty/macall-gordon/ Relevant papers to the discussion: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352721822000778 https://connect.springerpub.com/content/sgrcl/13/2/65.abstract If you are struggling with your child's sleep and want to find out if something may be underlying the problem, you can try the Brief Infant and Toddler Sleep Screen, something I devised to help families determine what - if anything - is affecting their child's sleep: https://evolutionaryparenting.com/test/bitss/

Bedtime. It's one of the biggest struggles parents face. Everyone is tired, we just want our kids to calm and go to sleep. But how does our bedtime affect their sleep? Often we hear that we need our kids to be independent at bedtime, do things on their own, that that will lead to a good sleep. The problem is that there hasn't really been any research on how these actions affect bedtime... until now. This week I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Lauren Philbrook who is with me to talk about her new research looking at the question of how parental presence and contact as well as calming activities at night influence children's stress levels and quality of sleep. If you've bought into the idea that parents need to separate themselves at bedtime, you might want to hear what Dr. Philbrook has to say. Dr. Lauren Philbrook: https://www.colgate.edu/about/directory/lphilbrook Research Articles of Interest https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.22322: https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0001027 https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsz078 https://doi.org/0.1002/dev.21442

Raising good humans is hard. We all worry about if we're doing best and we don't always know how to do it. This is especially true when we start touching on topics we may not have experience with, like racism. Many of us may think that we can just try to raise kids who aren't racist and that will be enough. But it's not. We need to actively work to change the ingrained racism in our society and our children can lead the way if we help them get there. This is where help is needed and I was thrilled to be able to speak to educator and author Britt Hawthorne about her new book, "Raising Anti-Racist Children". She's the help we need to change the world one child at a time. Britt Hawthorne: https://britthawthorne.com/ Speak Up from the Southern Poverty Law Center: https://www.splcenter.org/20150125/speak-responding-everyday-bigotry

External validity. It's a topic that many of us don't really talk about. It's the idea that certain research findings only apply to certain groups. In sleep training, most people assume the research is applicable to all families, but is this the case? This is the question that Dr. Levita D'Souza and I examine this week as we talk about the research that provides us information on who takes part and who doesn't, and what this means for our understanding of the research in broader terms. Dr. Levita D'Souza: https://www.centreforperinatalpsychology.com.au/psychologists/levita-dsouza/ Relevant Research: https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/43/4/zsz268/5611128?login=false https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/130/4/643/30241/Five-Year-Follow-up-of-Harms-and-Benefits-of

When it comes to parenting, there are thousands of books with myriad bits of advice for soon-to-be-parents and those who are already parents and facing some kind of struggle. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming when we think of all the bits of advice out there. One would think we don't need more, right? But what if you are a parent who just can't see yourself in any of these books or pieces of advice? What if you just aren't represented? This has been the reality for many LGBTQ+ parents and hopeful parents when they browse the books that are incredibly heteronormative. And as we all know, when you aren't represented, it's hard to know where to turn or to feel like you're even supposed to be a parent. Joining me this week is Dr. BJ Epstein Woodstein to discuss her new book "We're Here: A Practical Guide to Becoming a LGBTQ+ Parent" where she not only offers advice for those who have not be previously represented, but also advice for the rest of us on how we can support everyone in their parenting journey. Dr. Epstein Woodstein: https://www.bjwoodstein.com/ We're Here, the book: https://stores.praeclaruspress.com/were-here-a-practical-guide-to-becoming-an-lgbtq-parent-by-b-j-woodstein/ The Newman Goldfarb protocol: https://www.asklenore.info/breastfeeding/induced_lactation/protocols4print.shtml A list of some LGBTQ+-relevant parenting books (some better than others): https://mombian.com/product-tag/parenting-guide/

Welcome back after our break and I hope you enjoyed the last few weeks and maybe even used that time to check out some of our older episodes that always stay relevant for families! This week, we're back and talking about the transition to parenthood. In the transition to parenthood, many of us realize that who we are is going to fundamentally change. We don't know how, we don't know how we're going to cope with it, but we expect a change. What we don't often think about is the effect on our relationship if we happen to be entering parenthood as a team. How we relate to our partner can shift fundamentally and often the first few years post-parenthood is a tumultuous time for couples and results in a higher than usual rate of separation. Why does this happen? What can couples do to help prevent this and stay together? Joining me this week is Nora Wright, couples therapist and founder of The Family Hive where she teaches Gottman's Bringing Baby Home program to help parents adapt to the transition to parenthood without wanting to kill each other. If you feel that your relationship has suffered or you're anticipating a new arrival and worried about how that will change the dynamic of your relationship, don't fret - things can always change. About Nora and The Family Hive (in person and virtual courses): https://www.familyhivewc.com/ Emotionally Focused Therapy certified couples therapists can be found through ICEEFT: https://iceeft.com/ A complete listing for the Bringing Baby Home workshop internationally: https://www.gottman.com/parents/new-parents-workshop/

For ages, policy makers have been pushing earlier education for children. In many previous studies, these have been found to be very helpful for families that are disadvantaged, but yet the research on them has been short-lived since states of taken on the role of overseeing these programs. Of course, if a program can help a family or child, it should be available, but what if it doesn't? Joining me today is Dr. Kelley Durkin whose career focuses on children's education and how we can help children's learning. Working in the State of Tennessee, she is able to assess their state-wide pre-K program to see how these children fare in the long-term, and most recently published the findings of her most recent analysis. With a focus on what is happening, but also what might be done in the future, her insights are much-needed for all who care about the education of children. Dr. Kelley Durkin: https://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/bio/kelley-durkin Articles of Interest: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-18712-001 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0885200618300279 https://my.vanderbilt.edu/tnprekevaluation/files/2021/09/SREE-TVPK-presentation-2021.pdf

Orchid or dandelion? Highly sensitive or relatively robust? These are some of the ways that we have conceptualized the concept of how sensitive a child is to the environment in which they are raised. Through a combination of nature and nurture, some of our kids are just that much more sensitive. But are they sensitive their whole lives? What genetics make this happen? What environments are good or bad? None of it is quite as simple as it may sound which is why I'm so excited to have one of the pioneers in this field joining me to talk about his decades of work on this sensitivity to the environment, or differential susceptibility as he has called it. Dr. Jay Belsky is one of the first to have identified this differential susceptibility and has helped lead all of us - parents, educators, and researchers alike - towards a better understanding of how nuanced this issue is. And why so much more is still left to be done. Dr. Jay Belsky: https://humandevelopment.ucdavis.edu/people/jay-belsky Articles of Interest: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/development-and-psychopathology/article/beyond-orchids-and-dandelions-susceptibility-to-environmental-influences-is-not-bimodal/4ADAF88C7F63FF2C2CDE99880943C3B7 https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-29903-001 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10964-022-01574-9 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/development-and-psychopathology/article/differential-susceptibility-20-are-the-same-children-affected-by-different-experiences-and-exposures/277792E67173ED12678A0180A5FD6892 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/development-and-psychopathology/article/abs/distinguishing-differential-susceptibility-diathesisstress-and-vantage-sensitivity-beyond-the-single-gene-and-environment-model/C2CFEBE39AFEA4C2FC29BA3F37895A41 'The Origins of You: How Childhood Shapes Later Life': https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674983458

I'll be honest that I don't know of a single pregnancy that didn't involve some level of stress. I think the entire act of carrying a baby and everything that goes along with it is stressful in its own right. But sometimes there are stressors that are even greater. Sometimes it's chronic stress from work or life events, or sometimes it's greater stress from natural disasters or even war. Many of us have heard about how bad prenatal stress is for babies, but how much is too much? What are these effects and how are we able to quantify what is happening for babies in the womb? Joining me this week is Dr. Jerold Meyer who has revolutionized the way in which we assess and think about prenatal stress and the effects on our children. He brings the nuance that is needed to this discussion and can help us see where we may need to be looking in the future. Dr. Jerold Meyer: https://www.umass.edu/cns/directory/jerrold-s-meyer Relevant Articles: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/dev.22021 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453011001727 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306453017315469 https://academic.oup.com/endo/article/153/9/4120/2423884?login=true https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1115&context=rudd_conf

Postpartum depression is associated with a host of negative outcomes for mothers and babies alike, yet we still have very little understanding of the etiology behind it and what may exacerbate or mitigate it. Research on postpartum depression is difficult, however, because we can't randomly assign people and try to weed out the various components that may affect mental health outcomes. It's a difficult task. But what if a standard way of looking at parenting and outcomes using animal models might be able to inadvertently inform on postpartum depression? Joining me this week is Dr. Annakarina Mundorf who has postulated that a common paradigm - maternal separation - may be able to help us better understand postpartum depression and provide insights into how we can help families. By looking at behavioural, neurological, and hormonal changes associated with maternal separation, Dr. Mundorf highlights what this can say about what mothers and babies need at this critical time. Dr. Annakarina Mundorf: https://www.medicalschool-hamburg.de/hochschule/unser-team/team-fakultaet-medizin-universitaet/wissenschaftliche-mitarbeiter/annakarina-mundorf/ Paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/dev.22219 Other papers of interest: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-80087-6 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-14792-1_9 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022395618300037

One of the more difficult topics for many families these days has to do with media use. We are a tech-heavy society and that extends downwards to our kids. It's not uncommon to go out and see parents handing over screens to their kids to get through a dinner, a car ride, a boring appointment, and so on. At home kids spend hours in front of screens for school, to be social, to play games, and more. When parents try to understand the effects of this screen time, they are often met with tons of different information. Some makes it out that we are damaging our children for life. Others say it's just the way of the future. So which is it? Joining me this week is Dr. Meghan Owenz, researcher and founder of Screen-Free Parenting. She sifts through the research so you can get a better idea of the nuances in the findings, but also helps highlight ways families can move away from the dependence so many of us - myself included - have on our technology. As is so often the case, the reality is far more interesting that what we have been fed in the mainstream. Dr. Meghan Owenz: https://berks.psu.edu/person/owenz-meghan Screen-Free Parenting: https://www.screenfreeparenting.com/ Spoiled Right: https://stores.praeclaruspress.com/spoiled-right-delaying-screens-and-giving-children-what-they-really-need-by-meghan-owenz-1/

When you think about your child's sleep, what are the words that often come to mind? I know in Western cultures, we often hear "independence", "self-soothing", "needy", "manipulative" and so on. The way in which we speak about something has a profound impact on how we conceptualize and approach it. In the realm of sleep, the language of independence and manipulation has led to the flourishing of sleep training and perceived sleep problems for many families. But what if we had culturally-approved and accepted language that focused on supporting our children during sleep? What difference could that make? The word Uspavani embraces just that. Unlike in our Western world, in the Czech Republic, they do have language that focuses on embracing the support our kids need. Joining me today is Mrs. Lenka Tinkova, a Czech sleep expert and graduate student who is exploring the very issue of how language and concepts like Uspavani support families in helping their children. If you've ever felt alone in your sleep journey or like you're doing something wrong by helping your child, it may be time to learn about and embrace Uspavani in your family. Mrs. Lenka Tinkova: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/lenka-m-tinkova/ Prosim Spinkej (Czech sleep site): https://ProsimSpinkej.cz Mrs. Tinkova's books: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/18740980.Lenka_Medvecov_Tinkov_ Article on Language and Sleep: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352721821002254

In the realm of parenting - especially attachment parenting - the focus has been on mothers. In fact, if you go to any attachment parenting group - online or not - you are far more likely to come across a group of moms talking about their beliefs, experiences, struggles, and so forth. But it's not just mothers who experience and parent with an attachment-related set of beliefs. Fathers and partners also experience attachment parenting and can have a profound impact on their child's development and their own relationship with their child, but we know incredibly little about this. Today I am thrilled to have Dr. Levita D'Souza join me to discuss her research looking at the experiences of fathers who are attachment parents themselves. How do they experience it? What are their struggles in an unsupportive society? What led them to this way of parenting? These are the kinds of questions she is exploring in this new and much-needed research. For all the dads out there and those who are hoping their partners might get on board, this research is for you. Dr. Levita D'Souza: https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/levita-dsouza Interesting Personal Story from an Attachment Father: https://attachmentparenting.co.uk/manifesto-its-different-for-dads/

As we kick off Season 2 of the podcast, we're going to dive into the research on an area that often brings fear to new parents - rightfully - that of SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Most people will be aware of best sleep practices promoted by professionals - put your baby to sleep on their back, no extra items in the sleeping area, and no matter what you do, never sleep with your baby. But how well do these recommendations stand up to the actual research? What do we really know versus what we're being told? Joining me (again) is one of my favourite people and one who is out there changing the way we think about our advice for SIDS through research and advocacy - Dr. Helen Ball. Through her work at Durham University's Parent-Infant Sleep Centre, she has been helping professionals and families better understand the risks around SIDS and how we can best support families with evidence-based information. If you think you know the evidence behind sleep recommendations, you may need to think again. Dr. Helen Ball: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/h-l-ball/ Parent-Infant Sleep Centre: https://www.durham.ac.uk/research/institutes-and-centres/durham-infancy-sleep-centre/ BASIS: https://www.basisonline.org.uk/ SIDS and Infant Sleep Webinars for Professionals (or Parents): https://www.basisonline.org.uk/hcp-infant-sleep-webinars/ **March 28 is a virtual (or in-person) conference through the Parent-Infant Sleep Centre. Speakers include Dr. James McKenna and Kristin Tully!!! Get more information and register (I have!) here: https://www.dur.ac.uk/conference.booking/details/?id=1736

I would first like to welcome you to the final episode of this season. I am thankful to all of you who listen and give me hope that there are still those people out there who respect and love science as much as I do and who find the work of researchers who rarely get to be in the spotlight as fascinating as I do. This final episode – also the last in the fathering series, but I promise there will be more focus on fathers going forward – tackles the issues of co-parenting, the role of biological paternity, dads as “babysitters”, and more through research on a very unique population - Mountain Gorillas. I am joined by Dr. Stacy Rosenbaum, whose name you may remember if you listened to my interview with Dr. Lee Gettler, as she discusses her work and how we can think about this work as we tackle the human questions and issues surrounding fathering and parenting in general. Plus, there’s a whole story on sharks too! Thank you all again for listening and enjoy your final episode of the season. Dr. Stacy Rosenbaum: https://lsa.umich.edu/anthro/people/faculty/biological-faculty/rosenbas.html Shark Story: https://people.com/celebrity/video-great-white-shark-rescue-cape-cod/ Relevant articles: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090513821000465 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-33380-4 https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-anthro-102218-011216 https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cluster=4497059527531484752&hl=en&oi=scholarr

When we look at research, especially in the realm of development, we tend to focus on things like resilience, struggles families face, and so on. This is particularly true when we look at the research on parenting in families of colour - the focus starts with what's wrong and how we can fix it. It was under this guise that I approached Dr. Erika Bocknek as she had done research on resilience in Black Fathers that was - I thought - interesting. What we talked about ended up being quite different with a much larger focus on the inherent racism that exists in the research questions and assumptions themselves, especially when we look at Black Fathers. I hope that you will all find this as eye-opening and important a conversation as I did because we need to recognize these problems before we can start to fix them. Dr. Erika Bocknek: https://wayne.edu/people/an5012 Research: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/imhj.21950 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/dev.22168 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-51027-5_7 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/dev.21836

This week we continue our conversation with Dr. Lee Gettler, discussing his research which has advanced our knowledge on fathering across cultures and from different lenses. Here is for all the fathers out there. Dr. Lee Gettler: https://anthropology.nd.edu/people/faculty/lee-gettler/ Relevant Research (just skimming the surface): https://www.pnas.org/content/108/39/16194.short https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/dev.22121 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-70958-3 https://pure.mpg.de/pubman/faces/ViewItemOverviewPage.jsp?itemId=item_3281046 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ajhb.23342

Let's be honest - when we talk about parenting, we're often talking about mothering. Most of the research on raising kids is based on mothers. Mothers in WEIRD cultures (and by weird, I mean the acronym - Western, Educated, Industrial, Rich, and Democratic countries). But of course, humans are in a small group of animals where the fathers play a large role in how children are raised. This means we need to broaden our work, our discussions, and our mindsets around parenting if we're going to truly understand parenting. As such, this is the beginning of my Fatherhood series where I will be welcoming researchers who have focused on fathers in their work. There are more than you'd think and this is just the beginning of what I hope to cover. And starting us off is the researcher who comes to most minds when we think of research on fathering - Dr. Lee Gettler. This is the beginning of a two-part interview covering just a small part of his research which has advanced our knowledge on fathering across cultures and from different lenses. Here is for all the fathers out there. Dr. Lee Gettler: https://anthropology.nd.edu/people/faculty/lee-gettler/ Relevant Research (just skimming the surface): https://www.pnas.org/content/108/39/16194.short https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/dev.22121 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-70958-3 https://pure.mpg.de/pubman/faces/ViewItemOverviewPage.jsp?itemId=item_3281046 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ajhb.23342

We are almost two years into a global pandemic and many families have struggled to find a new normal. Some people seem to have found a new normal that exceeds life pre-pandemic, but many face ongoing difficulties. Parents are in a unique position because they are not only facing this pandemic from a personal perspective, but also as those trying to navigate their children's social and emotional well-being. How people are faring is a topic of great interest for researchers and joining me today to talk about how these changes are affecting parents is the head of the Lancet's Covid Mental Health and Well-Being Task Force, Dr. Lara Aknin. As a researcher who primarily studies what makes us happy, she's in a unique position to help us better understand what's going on and how we can all feel better. Dr. Lara Aknin: https://www.sfu.ca/psychology/about/people/profiles/laknin.html Lancet's Covid-19 Commission: https://covid19commission.org/ Relevant Articles: https://psyarxiv.com/zw93g/ https://psyarxiv.com/vdw2e/ https://www.nber.org/papers/w29092 https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(20)31927-9/fulltext

Stress is a hot topic today with many people worrying about the degree of stress they face daily. We know stress in our adult lives is a problem, but I often hear people speak about stress as if it's only an adult problem. Sadly children can face many stressors - some of them quite large - early in life and this can have profound and nuanced impacts on their development, especially how they respond to stress in the future. Joining me today is Dr. Brie Reid, a researcher focusing on the effects of exposure to early life stressors - and the removal of these stressors - and that impacts the development of our stress and other physiological outcomes, including new findings that might bring hope to many. Dr. Brie Reid: https://www.briemreid.com/about Dr. Reid on Twitter: https://twitter.com/briemreid?lang=en Articles of Interest: https://www.pnas.org/content/116/48/23984.short https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/development-and-psychopathology/article/abs/challenges-in-researching-the-immune-pathways-between-early-life-adversity-and-psychopathology/1E51BFF08BB16A4786661B4214DA7C86 https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-devpsych-121318-085013

One of the more terrifying events for any parent is seeing their child born and rushed off to the NICU. Though we might talk about how it's so much better compared to losing our children - and there's no doubt that's the case - the typical experience for families in the NICU isn't one that we would wish on anyone. Some of the best NICUs in terms of medical care are those least equipped to deal with the psychological and bonding needs of new families. Parents can be left with little time with their baby, no room for them to stay, and advice that counters their instincts to care for the newest member of their family. Sharing a blend of her own experience in this regard, the science around neurological and general development for preterm or low birth weight babies, and an understanding of the needs of families today, Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum joins me to help families who have either already experienced this event and need help processing, are in the midst of this experience, or don't know if it's something they may face. Her compassion and knowledge are unsurpassed in this and I believe this is something that is invaluable for all families to hear. Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum: https://www.nurtureneuro.com/about How to Support a NICU baby at home (download): https://evolutionaryparenting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Nurture-for-the-NICU-.pdf Hand to Hold: https://handtohold.org/nicu-family-support/ NICU resources from Mt Sinai Hospital (Canada): https://www.mountsinai.on.ca/care/nicu/support-and-resources/resources-for-parents-with-pre-term-babies

Too often we look at parenting practices and our judgment of them in absolute terms. I know I myself have been guilty of this. Sometimes it's warranted, but sometimes the judgments and the repercussions become a way that we disenfranchise and marginalize already marginalized groups in our society. When we think about the experiences of families facing involvement from government systems - many of which are founded on principles that are racist in nature - we can start to understand how the systems mean to support children may end up doing the opposite. This week I am joined by Dr. Paul Adjei, a scholar focusing on social justice, racism, critical race theory, and more, as we discuss the parenting experiences of marginalized families in Canada - and by extension other Western nations - today. This is a conversation that may be uncomfortable for some and I can say it certainly led me to think about things I had held as absolute truths in ways I hadn't before. If nothing else, it should challenge us to think harder about how we think of parenting. Dr. Paul Adjei: https://www.mun.ca/socialwork/about/people/faculty/pbanaheneadjei.php Relevant Articles: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0190740918303761 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15548732.2017.1401575

Welcome back to Week 2 with Dr. James McKenna as we continue our conversation into SIDS, colic, breathing, and how our closeness to our babies can protect them. Please see below for the summary from Part 1: I want to mention some things that parents of young babies have to think about. They often think about: * Where their baby sleeps * Why their baby cries (or cries so much) * Worry about SIDS * How much their baby sleeps * Their baby's brain development * How to feed their baby (and how to get support for it) * Wondering when our babies will speak Of course there is so much more, but I mention these in particular because they may all be related to something we definitely don't think about: How our babies breathe. If you're confused, don't worry because this week is the first of two episodes covering these topics - and more - with the incredible Dr. James McKenna. Over two weeks, James shares so much wisdom about our babies, parenting, and this both older and newer line of research he's looking at linking so many of these parenting issues to that most basic physiological function of breathing. Dr. James McKenna: https://cosleeping.nd.edu/mckenna-biography/ The Mother-Infant Sleep Laboratory: https://cosleeping.nd.edu/ Some Relevant Articles: https://www.proquest.com/docview/1783392943 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1526054205000230 https://dro.dur.ac.uk/28335/ https://europepmc.org/article/med/26295452

I want to mention some things that parents of young babies have to think about. They often think about: * Where their baby sleeps * Why their baby cries (or cries so much) * Worry about SIDS * How much their baby sleeps * Their baby's brain development * How to feed their baby (and how to get support for it) * Wondering when our babies will speak Of course there is so much more, but I mention these in particular because they may all be related to something we definitely don't think about: How our babies breathe. If you're confused, don't worry because this week is the first of two episodes covering these topics - and more - with the incredible Dr. James McKenna. Over two weeks, James shares so much wisdom about our babies, parenting, and this both older and newer line of research he's looking at linking so many of these parenting issues to that most basic physiological function of breathing. Dr. James McKenna: https://cosleeping.nd.edu/mckenna-biography/ The Mother-Infant Sleep Laboratory: https://cosleeping.nd.edu/ Some Relevant Articles: https://www.proquest.com/docview/1783392943 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1526054205000230 https://dro.dur.ac.uk/28335/ https://europepmc.org/article/med/26295452

We all want our kids to be able to regulate themselves, don't we? It feels like one of the main goals of parenting is how we are able to help get our kids to the stage where they can handle big emotions, frustrations, and the minor struggles on their own. Like most things that are developmental in nature, parents can play a key role in how this happens. This week we explore the issue of how parents can help their child's emotion regulation development with renowned researcher Dr. Lisa Gatzke-Kopp. From parenting in infancy to the synchrony between parent and child, the insights she has gleaned from years of research are not to be missed. Dr. Lisa Gatzke-Kopp: https://hhd.psu.edu/contact/lisa-gatzke-kopp The Penn State Prevention Science Research Center: https://www.prevention.psu.edu/ The Family Life Project: https://flp.fpg.unc.edu/ Relevant Articles: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/imhj.21913 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/dev.21905 https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-24186-001

Babywearing is still somewhat fringe in our society, despite being exactly how babies have been kept close to parents for most of human history. I mean, it's not like we had strollers back in the stone age. When people utilize babywearing today, most do so for convenience. After all, if you've tried navigating strollers on public transit, you know the nightmare. But is there more to it? Attachment parenting advocates keeping babies close to build attachment and foster bonds, but does it really do that? This week I had a chance to talk to the one researcher who is bringing babywearing back to the lab to help us answer these very questions. Dr. Lela Rankin Williams of Arizona State University is the first researcher in decades to look at how babywearing may influence the relationship between baby and caregiver. If you've thought it's just a fad, I hope Dr. Williams can help change your mind. Dr. Lela Rankin Williams: https://cals.arizona.edu/fcs/faculty/affiliate/lela_williams Relevant Articles: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016363831930181X https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/icd.2169 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0190740919311260 https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wk/anc/2021/00000021/00000001/art00009 https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wk/anc/2020/00000020/00000006/art00010 Center for Babywearing Studies: https://www.cbws.org/

When you think back to your birth, do you recall it fondly? The way they say you're supposed to feel about this momentous moment? Or do you try to block it out? Cry about it? Feel like it was an event you don't even want to remember? For too many families, birth isn't a peaceful event or even a happy one, but something that brings longer lasting traumas for all. Though many tend to think that if baby is healthy, there's no reason for this, unfortunately a healthy baby does not mean there was no trauma. This week I am honoured to have spoken with Dr. Kathy Kendall-Tackett, the leader in research on birth trauma about how it happens, what it can look like, the various effects of it afterwards on the family, but also what others can do to help heal and how we can reduce the frequency of such trauma going forward. It doesn't matter who you are or your own experience, this is an issue that is vital for all of us to understand and work to change. Dr. Kathy Kendall-Tackett: https://www.kathleenkendall-tackett.com/ Breastfeeding Doesn't Need to Suck: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/cu/NWqSl5o Mailing List for Kathy: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/WqxRlCF Facebook (The Book): https://www.facebook.com/BFdoesntneedtosuck Relevant Articles from Our Discussion: https://connect.springerpub.com/content/sgrcl/10/3/101 https://connect.springerpub.com/content/sgrcl/5/2/51.abstract https://www.proquest.com/docview/1694535127?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true https://connect.springerpub.com/content/sgrcl/5/2/56.abstract https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-05116-1_10

When we get pregnant and are expecting our first child, most people don't see this as a time to worry that their mental health is going to go downhill. We're supposed to be happy or even thrilled about this new stage in our lives. But for many families, pregnancy is the beginning of what can be some serious mental health struggles. Perinatal depression, anxiety, and more are all common occurrences, yet ones we don't really talk about in our society. We don't warn families and many will struggle without support or even awareness of what is going on. This week I spoke to clinical psychologist and perinatal mental health specialist Dr. Annie Rohr about her own journey through perinatal mental health struggles and this issue more broadly. Whether you have struggled or not, all of us need to be aware of what to look for and how to help. Show notes: Dr. Annie Rohr: https://drannierohr.com/ Post Partum International: https://www.postpartum.net/ Mom Genes Research Project: https://www.momgenesfightppd.org/ Dr. Rohr's Books*: A Promise: A Vow of Love for Baby and a Message of Hope for Mom - https://amzn.to/3iBv7S6 Finding the Warm and Fuzzies - https://amzn.to/3iCrYRU (*Amazon Affiliate link)

If you've listened here before you will know that the research doesn't support the idea that extinction sleep training methods, like crying it out or controlled crying, actually improve our infant's sleep (or children's for that matter). Despite parents reporting improvements, when we look at objective measures of sleep, the sleep of children pre- and post-sleep training is actually no different. Many of us see this as a bit damning for sleep training, but what cannot be denied is that sleep training may improve parent sleep and in cultures where sleep is hard to come by and expectations for parents are through the roof, this is not something to be overlooked. This week, I was able to chat with Dr. Levita D'Souza about this very tension - how do we balance our infant's needs for proximity and support as well as their biologically normal sleep rhythms with a parent's need for more sleep in an unsupportive culture. We both know that only if we can start to address this issue will we be able to move away from our sleep training culture. I hope our conversation can help move this issue forward. Dr. Levita D'Souza: www.centreforperinatalpsychology.com.au/psych…ouza/ For those who are interested in an in-depth look at the science on sleep training, you can check out this eLearning Module (available worldwide, continuing education credits for IBCLCs and Australian midwives): https://www.breastfeedingconferences.com.au/conference_details.php?conferenceId=110

When we think about education, most of us think about our experience with what we might call modern-traditional schooling: classes by grade, a teacher at the front, testing, memorization, getting to know a new teacher each year, and maybe some more good like good friendships or more bad, like bullying. But what if school doesn't have to look like this? What alternative paradigms are out there? This week I'm joined by former Montessori Principal and advocate for public Montessori at a national level John Freeman to discuss what the different features of Montessori are and how they can help children thrive. My hope is that after listening to our conversation, families who feel that education could be better for their kids have one more option that they might feel comfortable exploring. The National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector: https://www.public-montessori.org/about-us/ Elm City Montessori School: https://elmcitymontessori.org/about-us/ Hartford Courant article: https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2008-12-29-school1229-story.html

"It's just the way it is!" "Progress is always good" These are the sentiments that many people feel about the way our society and culture is structured. Because it's how we've grown up and what we've experienced, we believe this is the way it is. We view change as progress and think that anything different must be less than. But what if this isn't the type of society or life that enabled us humans to thrive? We evolved to this point, but is this really the best we can hope for? Welcome to the concept of the Evolved Nest - the concept that how we lived for the majority of human history has been what enabled our success and moving back to the key features of that history can help us thrive once again. This week I had the pleasure of talking with Dr. Darcia Narveaz, the creator of this concept and the associated nonprofit organization to discuss what this involves and how we can all thrive. Isn't it time we get to the stage where we all feel whole again? Dr. Darcia Narvaez: https://psychology.nd.edu/faculty/darcia-narvaez/ The Evolved Nest: https://evolvednest.org/ Books on the Evolved Nest* Contexts for Young Child Flourishing: https://amzn.to/3AYbD1j Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality: https://amzn.to/36EoOq9 Restoring the Kinship Worldview: https://amzn.to/36AbbZ1 Scientific Articles on the Evolved Nest https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/ijps/article/view/2244 https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/eco.2020.0067?journalCode=eco https://internationaljournalofwellbeing.org/index.php/ijow/article/view/987/775

When you thought about nursing, did you think about how long it would go? Did you think, "I will absolutely be done by one because that's old enough"? Then find yourself with a 2-year-old attached to the boob and worry that they're too old? Or perhaps you were okay with that from the start, but still face comments, questions, and accusations from others about this? Welcome to nursing beyond infancy - something most of the world does, but which those of us in WEIRD - Western, Educated, Industrial, Rich, and Democratic - countries seem to have some odd ideas about. This week I am joined by Meg Nagle, IBCLC and founder of The Milk Meg, as we debunk some of these myths that you may have been told so that you can, in the words of Meg, keep on boobin' with less stress and worry. The Milk Meg: https://themilkmeg.com/ All Tied Up*: https://amzn.to/3qUHcEs Boobin' All Day Boobin' All Night*: https://amzn.to/3qT7Nln Some articles on nursing older children: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2720507/ https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/INFORMIT.674686961104750 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0890334404266969 * Amazon Affiliate Link

From the moment a family is expecting their first child, decisions are made about how that relationship is going to work, decisions that don't always match reality. The addition of a new person to the family - and a rather helpless one at that - changes everything. Here we have a baby who needs and expects certain things. Food. Warmth. Care. We also have parents who often live in cultures that tell them what to expect from their baby. And as I talked about last week with Dr. Helen Ball, often the messages parents get are incongruent with their realities. This week the discussion continues with Dr. Cecilia Tomori who has spent a career doing in-depth, ethnographic work on how families navigate and negotiate the tensions that affect parenting decisions, particularly from a moral framework of how we make the decisions we do. From colonialism to convenience, you may be surprised at all the ways parenting decisions are influenced. Dr. Cecilia Tomori: https://nursing.jhu.edu/faculty_research/faculty/faculty-directory/cecilia-tomori and https://www.ceciliatomori.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrTomori Books by Dr. Tomori: Breastfeeding: New Anthropological Approaches: https://www.routledge.com/Breastfeeding-New-Anthropological-Approaches/Tomori-Palmquist-Quinn/p/book/9781138502871 Nighttime Breastfeeding: https://www.berghahnbooks.com/title/tomorinighttime Relevant Articles: https://dro.dur.ac.uk/28335/ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/24694452.2018.1558628?journalCode=raag21 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953616305135

"You must breastfeed!" says the medical professional. "Don't you dare sleep with your baby!" says the same medical professional. The tension between how we feed our babies and how we sleep with them is a real problem for many new families. As primates, we are expected to stay close to our young, and that includes nighttime, and this has profound implications for our feeding journey. As we discussed last week, breast or chestfeeding grief is real and many families struggle with it, but some of this comes from advice that may be well-intentioned but harms that feeding relationship. This week I got to talk to the expert herself - Dr. Helen Ball - researcher of the effects of sleep location on feeding and vice versa about this very issue. She also happens to be one of my favourite people to talk so this episode was an absolute joy for me. If you think that how you sleep doesn't affect how you feed your baby or how you feed your baby doesn't affect how you sleep, you're likely in for a bit of a surprise. Dr. Helen Ball: https://www.dur.ac.uk/research/directory/staff/?id=121 Durham Infancy and Sleep Centre: https://www.durham.ac.uk/research/institutes-and-centres/durham-infancy-sleep-centre/ BASIS Website: www.basisonline.org BASIS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BabySleepInfoSource/ BASIS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/basis_babysleepinfosource/ Articles of Interest (a small selection of many): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1523-536X.2003.00243.x https://adc.bmj.com/content/89/12/1106.abstract https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0264683021000033147 https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1525/aa.1999.101.1.143 https://adc.bmj.com/content/91/12/1005.short https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/icd.519 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Helen-Ball/publication/30053712_Breastfeeding_and_mother-infant_sleep_proximity_implications_for_infant_care/links/0fcfd50c45a22d9d36000000/Breastfeeding-and-mother-infant-sleep-proximity-implications-for-infant-care.pdf https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10995-015-1798-7

Although not every parent chooses to, many report wanting to breastfeed or chestfeed their child. Our Western society likes to promote this with slogans and ideas that "breast is best", but most of that isn't backed up with the type of support that parents need to make this a reality. From inadequate leave to advice that counters the promotion of breastfeeding to a lack of instrumental and social support for new parents, breast and chestfeeding are an uphill battle, to say the least. Unfortunately this means many parents fail to reach their own goals and this can lead to intense grief about this. Too often, they are told it doesn't matter or just to suck it up, neither of which is supportive or helpful for parents experiencing this grief. This week I was privileged to talk to Dr. Amy Brown about this issue, one she has researched and written on for her book, "Why breastfeeding grief and trauma matter". Whether you were successful in your breast or chestfeeding goals or not, or even if that just wasn't your choice to even embark on, this episode is a critical listen for all of us who engage with new parents. Dr. Amy Brown: https://professoramybrown.co.uk/about-me Twitter: https://twitter.com/Prof_AmyBrown Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prof_amybrown/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breastfeedinguncovered Why Breastfeeding Grief and Trauma Matter: https://www.bookdepository.com/Why-Breastfeeding-Grief-Trauma-Matter-Amy-Brown/9781780666150 To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

When we first become parents there are tons of books and advice for us to follow in the baby years and even the toddler years. As our kids age, however, it seems that all the parenting experts start to fade away. They don't dare touch the older children until perhaps the teenage years. Yet our tweens - that delicate age around 8 to 13 - is crucial to how we will face the teenage years with our children. The challenges that can come with this age can set the stage for how we will approach potentially even more tumultuous times in adolescence, but many parents feel lost at sea as they face these years. This week I had the joy of talking to Sarah Ockwell-Smith who many of you will know for her work in infancy and toddlerhood, but who has filled the much-needed gap for us parents of tweens with her new book Between. From connection with our tweens to anxiety to social activism, we delved into some of the key areas that parents need to be aware of when it comes to parenting tweens. And as always, it comes with the humour and honesty that Sarah brings to everything she does. Sarah Ockwell-Smith: https://sarahockwell-smith.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheBabyExpert Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahockwellsmithauthor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahockwellsmith YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/sarahockwellsmith Between Book: https://www.bookdepository.com/Between-Sarah-Ockwell-Smith/9780349427775 To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

Welcome back to part two of my talk with Brian Earp. If you haven't listened yet to last week's episode, I strongly suggest you do because some of what we talk about this week directly follows that conversation. Moving on from the discussion of health risks versus benefits of male infant circumcision, this week we turn towards the social elephant in the room, namely the gendered debate on circumcision as well as more emotional issues such as the defensiveness of parents and the struggles for some men to feel heard on the issue. I hope this conversation may also provide a means for families or individuals struggling to find a way to open up and feel heard. It's up to all of us to listen when people share their story. Brian Earp: https://philosophy.yale.edu/people/brian-earp Brian Earp's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR4umqUbmaDirAig2zD-zBw Resources: Your Whole Baby: https://www.yourwholebaby.org/ Doctors Opposing Circumcision: https://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/ The Intact Network: https://www.intactnetwork.org/ To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

In North America - the United States in particular - males are regularly circumcised at birth. Over the years, various arguments have been made leading up to a shift in the American Academy of Pediatrics suggesting that the benefits of male infant circumcision outweigh the risks. In this episode - the first of two - I had the chance to talk to Brian Earp, an outspoken critic of the arguments often made in favour of non-therapeutic male infant circumcision. He approaches this topic with logic and science and we start today by looking at these arguments regarding benefits versus risks and how this relates to a child's right to bodily autonomy. I know this is a topic that can be hard for some people, but it's an important one that we need to discuss. Brian Earp: https://philosophy.yale.edu/people/brian-earp Relevant Articles: https://jme.bmj.com/content/39/7/418.short https://wchh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/tre.531 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brian-Earp-2/publication/316527603_Cultural_Bias_in_American_Medicine_The_Case_of_Infant_Male_Circumcision/links/59bed6d1458515e9cfd228c4/Cultural-Bias-in-American-Medicine-The-Case-of-Infant-Male-Circumcision.pdf https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17441692.2016.1184292 https://philpapers.org/rec/EARFGM To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

This is a special episode of the podcast because it's focused on something highly relevant to us today. At this moment, we're faced with a global pandemic that we are trying to overcome. Over the past few months, vaccinations have become a crucial step in this process, but there are still questions and concerns that people have, especially around those who are breastfeeding or chestfeeding. I had the chance to talk with Dr. Rebecca Powell, an immunologist who has been at the forefront of the research trying to understand the impact of covid infection and vaccination on breastmilk and in turn, the impact for babies. Join me for this special episode that will hopefully alleviate any worries people have and help inform on this unique issue. Dr. Powell's Lab: https://labs.icahn.mssm.edu/rebecca-powell-lab/ Articles of Interest: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004220309329 https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.16.21253731v1 https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.22.21253831v1 If interested in sending a milk sample (listen to the episode), you can email Dr. Powell at rebecca.powell@mssm.edu. To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

A common view today is that when we are born, we are somehow born on even footing when it comes to the effects of how we are raised and what this means for us developmentally. We believe this despite the emergence of epigenetic theories that tell us otherwise, but the problem becomes how to actually study this given the myriad variables that are at play. This week I had the pleasure of talking to a leader in this field - Dr. Amanda Dettmer - and her work studying rhesus macaques to explore this very issue of not only intergenerational effects, but how our early life experiences impact so many facets of our lives. We also got talking about anti-animal research perspectives if that's something you're interested in. I hope you'll enjoy this conversation as much as I enjoyed having it. Dr. Dettmer: https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/amanda_dettmer/ Dr. Dettmer on Twitter: https://twitter.com/amanda_dettmer Relevant Articles: https://www.nber.org/papers/w27737 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ajp.22969 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/dev.21916 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17470919.2016.1176952 https://academic.oup.com/ilarjournal/article/55/2/361/645985 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3196800/ To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

We're all told that we need to be good parents, but what does this mean? Is it universal for all people of all walks of life? In this episode, I talk with my ongoing guest Dr. Levita D'Souza about a paper that piqued our interest looking at the relationship of parenting styles with emotion regulation in a predominantly lower-SES and African American sample. Through understanding the effects of parenting on emotion regulation, we can better understand the implications for child development in these marginalized communities. And yes, we need to consider the intersection of parenting and race and economics because these have profound impacts for what we might consider "a good parent". So let us take a look at this important work and what we can glean from it. The Paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/dev.21965 Dr. Joanna Wu: https://healthandhumansciences.fsu.edu/human-development-family-science/faculty-staff/wu/ Dr. Levita D'Souza: https://www.centreforperinatalpsychology.com.au/psychologists/levita-dsouza/ To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

When we explore our human evolutionary histories as they've been told so far, the central theme is often on the male experience. The hunter. The conqueror. How did male fertility traits impact relationships? And yet, what is most central to human survival? Procreation and raising the next generation which inherently should involve mothers and children. It is under this lens that Drs. Lesley Newson and Peter Richerson approach a new way of thinking about our collective evolution in their new book A Story of Us: A New Look At Human Evolution. I had the chance to have a wonderful conversation with them about this new story, what it involves, and what it means for us all moving forward. If nothing else, it should get you thinking. Dr. Peter Richerson: http://www.des.ucdavis.edu/faculty/richerson/richerson.htm Dr. Lesley Newson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lesleynewson?lang=en 'A Story of Us': https://amzn.to/3ehKYmE To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

Despite a lot of talk about breastfeeding in our culture, very little discussion happens about the various ways that lactation and provision of breast milk is shared amongst nursing parents. We often think about lactation between one mother and one child and yet that is not how it presents for all families or for all children. From allomaternal nursing to breast milk banks, the world of cooperative lactation is diverse and reflects the needs of various communities and families, but many barriers remain. This week I had the utmost joy in talking about this with Dr. Aunchalee Palmquist, someone who I have admired for ages. I was so thrilled to be able to talk to her. I don't doubt you'll join me in that assessment of her work and her by the end of this interview. So without further ado... let's talk cooperative lactation! Dr. Aunchalee Palmquist's Faculty Page: https://sph.unc.edu/adv_profile/aunchalee-palmquist-phd-ibclc/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AunPalmquist Anthrolactology Podcast: https://anthrolactology.com/anthrolactology-podcast/podseason-1/ Some of Dr. Palmquist's articles on cooperative lactation: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-27393-4_7 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mcn.12221 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0890334419850820 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953614006893 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mcn.12606 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27664771/ https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315145129-3/consuming-immunities-aunchalee-palmquist To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

This week we delve into the world of breastfeeding advocacy with none other than the Badass Breastfeeder herself, Abby Theuring. It feels like no matter where you turn today, breastfeeding has become politicized beyond belief, and the voice of those whom breastfeeding directly impacts is left out. Whether it's women sharing stories of feeling shamed or bullied into breastfeeding or the polar opposite of the fed is best movement that moves us away from the support that individuals need to reach their breastfeeding goals, advocacy today is a landmine. Luckily it's one Abby is willing to enter and one that we explore in this hour. Join me as we get talking about breastfeeding advocacy. The Badass Breastfeeder: https://www.thebadassbreastfeeder.com/ The Badass Breastfeeding Podcast: https://www.thebadassbreastfeeder.com/podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBadassBreastfeeder/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebadassbreastfeeder/ To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

Most people conceptualize dyslexia as an intellectual disorder, but that simply isn't the case. Although dyslexia is a struggle with reading, reading isn't all there is to our intelligence, just one component of our neurological profile. And as with most things in the brain, if one area is less reactive, chances are other areas are even more reactive. This week, we explore research into the emotional world of children with dyslexia with Drs. Virginia Sturm and Christa Watson, co-authors of a new paper examining how children with dyslexia process emotional stimuli and what this might mean socially for them. The findings might just surprise you. The Paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0010945220304081 Dr. Virginia Sturm's Page: https://profiles.ucsf.edu/virginia.sturm UCSF Clinical Affective Neuroscience Lab: https://canlab.ucsf.edu/ Dr. Christa Watson's Page: https://profiles.ucsf.edu/christa.watson The UCSF Dyslexia Center: https://dyslexia.ucsf.edu/ To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

For years we have assumed that babies were incapable of complex empathy. We thought they could react to others' distress through emotion contagion but that was it. It turns out, we were wrong. This week we explore the empathic life of infants through the amazing work of Dr. Maayan Davidov who has been showing the world exactly how capable of empathy infants are. Join us as we talk about these discoveries and what it means for us parents. Papers Discussed: https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bjop.12402 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/desc.13016 Dr. Maayan Davidov's Lab: https://www.davidovlab.com/ Dr. Davidov's University Page: https://en.sw.huji.ac.il/people/maayan-davidov To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

Most parents are led to believe that something is wrong with their babies (or toddlers) because they are waking at night, requiring assistance from parents to settle, or taking a while to fall asleep at night. The common solution is to "sleep train" to "fix" these problems. But what if these aren't actually problems? In this episode, Dr. Levita D'Souza and I discuss the reality of infant sleep and why parents need not be worried about many of these common infant behaviours. Knowing what is a sleep problem and what isn't - and why sleep training still isn't the answer to real problems - can help families make the right choices for everyone involved. To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

Did you know that half of all babies born today will develop allergies? Up to a third will become asthmatic or suffer from eczema? Chronic disease is something most families are facing with their children and it shouldn't be this way. Join me as I talk to Michelle Henning co-author of Growing Healthy Babies - an evidence based guide to helping reduce our children's risk for chronic disease - about what is going on and what parents can do to lower the odds. Growing Healthy Babies Website: https://www.growhealthybabies.com Michelle Henning's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growhealthybabies/ To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

Does your child snore? Breathe through their mouth? Seem to stop breathing for parts of the night? These are all examples of sleep-disordered breathing, something that can have a large impact on our children's quality of life but is often misunderstood or ignored by parents and medical professionals alike. In this episode, I speak with Dr. David McIntosh, a pediatric ENT who specializes in sleep-disordered breathing. He goes over why we need to care about these issues and what can be done to help families who are struggling. Dr. McIntosh's clinic: http://entspecialists.com.au/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/drdavidmcintosh Instagram Account: https://www.instagram.com/dr_david_mcintosh_ent/ Snored to Death*: https://amzn.to/38Q3hMA Don't Ignore the Snore*: https://amzn.to/3eS0jLm (*Amazon Affiliate Link) To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

Approximately 1 in 3 pregnancies will end in pregnancy loss and the risks are higher for women of colour. This is devastating for those who experience it and yet our culture and many of the people tasked with caring for us during pregnancy are not equipped to help families through these times. This episode I talk with Amy Wright Glenn, the founder of the Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath, and Death and the creator of Holding Space for Pregnancy Loss, a course designed for professionals to help them learn to care for those struggling with this loss. Not only do we touch on pregnancy loss, but our cultural struggles to cope with grief and death more generally. The Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath, and Death: https://birthbreathanddeath.com/ The Institute on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/birthbreathanddeath The Course: https://birthbreathanddeath.com/holding-space-for-pregnancy-loss/ Birth Breath and Death*: https://amzn.to/3lvByWN Holding Space: On Loving, Dying, and Letting Go*: https://amzn.to/2QjhL13 *Amazon affiliate link To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

It seems like you can't talk to anyone about your baby and their sleep without being told that you have to cry it out or use a modified version, like controlled crying. In our culture, it's the go-to for all sleep problems or even pre-emptive sleep problems. How did we get here? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jennie Rosier, a professor at James Madison University and my co-author on a paper in the Journal of Family Issues on the same topic. How we got here is an interesting story, albeit one that has nothing to do with science. Dr. Jennie Rosier: https://www.jmu.edu/news/media/faculty-experts/experts/rosier-jennie/ The Relationship, Love, Happiness Project: http://www.relationshipslovehappiness.com/ Love Matters Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NrlJggsXrfVNgp5Ycu1JY Jennie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/relationshipslovehappiness Jennie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RelationshipsLoveHappiness Our Academic Paper: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0192513X20949891 To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

We can only understand our present when we understand our past, right? But how can we do that when the evidence of that past is gone? When the stories aren't passed down or recorded? This week we explore this question with bioarchaeologist Dr. Sian Halcrow of the University of Otago who does just this. She studies the bones of dead babies to help us better understand the practices and environments in pre-history eras. From weaning behaviours to the effects of fertility to how inequality played into parenting, we cover what is known - and what isn't - from these early times. For more on Dr. Halcrow's work: https://childhoodbioarchaeology.org/about/ Some of Dr. Halcrow's work we discussed: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ajpa.24033 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/evolutionary-human-sciences/article/care-of-infants-in-the-past-bridging-evolutionary-anthropological-and-bioarchaeological-approaches/C4BA1819159896C951B207DF630D0CE2 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-27393-4_1 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02805-z?fbclid=IwAR29OK5Km8Wu8P6u0QkoTrJQKOMkHiCROLqyxU90VZOni3pGgaB6wYckNGM To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

How does child anxiety affect sleep training? It's a question I've thought a lot about and always been frustrated that no one has ever thought to consider these children. This week I got to talk to Dr. Michal Kahn, the first researcher I know to consider the experience of anxiety - in this case separation anxiety - in the effectiveness of different sleep training methods. And while we don't agree on sleep training more generally, the concern for this subgroup was a shared point of interest. You can see the paper here (and email Dr. Kahn for a copy): https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article-abstract/43/4/zsz268/5611128 Here is her clinic's Facebook page if you want to find out more or seek any services: https://www.facebook.com/cascsleep/

Do you use artificial sweeteners? Did you use them while you were pregnant? In our quest to curb sugar, we've moved towards a high use of these sweeteners without necessarily thinking about the effects. This week I had the chance to chat with Dr. Meghan Azad, a lead researcher in the field of understanding the effects of artificial sweeteners (or non-nutritive sweeteners as I learned they should be called) to talk about the effects of their use in pregnancy on our babies - yes, our babies! Our discussion was based on a series of papers she's published which you can check out below. For more information on Dr. Azad's work and lab (and I hope to get her on again to talk about her breastfeeding work!), please check out her site here: https://www.azadlab.ca/ Relevant articles: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19490976.2020.1857513 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41366-020-0575-x https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/2/194 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2521471

Why does research not find a relationship between sleep training and attachment? Isn't the idea that we need to be responsive regularly to foster secure attachment? And isn't sleep training the opposite of that? This week, Dr. Levita D'Souza, a counselling psychologist and attachment researcher, joins me to discuss the many reasons why we may not find a relationship in the research. Or at least not as it's been studied. To learn more about the Evolutionary Parenting Podcast visit https://evolutionaryparenting.com/evolutionary-parenting-podcast-2/

What happens to the brain during pregnancy and beyond? How does our parenting impact our children's neurological development for life? This week, I speak to Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum, the world's first neuroscientist-doula, about the research on how pregnancy affects our brains and how it primes us to parent in particular ways. Not only that, but how this neurological priming impacts our babies' development and what kinds of parenting our babies are looking for. A must-listen for anyone interested in pregnancy, parenting, and the brain.

In this episode, Tracy Gillett (of Raised Good) and I discuss the issue of alternative schooling. Specifically, what does education look like when you aren't using modern schools? What kinds of struggles can you face and what are the benefits to things like forest schooling, homeschooling, unschooling, and more? Drawing on our own experiences and a discussion of the research on education, I hope this conversation will help families who are looking for alternatives gain a better understanding of the options out there.

In this episode, I had the chance to chat with Dr. Gerald Giesbrecht of the University of Calgary about a recent study looking at the factors associated with and outcomes of delaying our responsiveness to our babies cries. Is this something that is beneficial? What are the nuances in the research that often don't get the space in mainstream science reporting? We go into all of this here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

In this interview with Lyndsey Hookway of Feed Sleep Bond and Holistic Sleep Coaching, we don't actually talk about sleep! Instead I got to ask Lyndsey about her research in the barriers and struggles facing families who are breastfeeding children with various medical conditions, including acute illness, chronic illness, life-threatening illness, and congenital problems. It is heartbreaking at times to hear what families face and the lack of support, but Lyndsey shares information for anyone going through this and has a road map for where we all need to be going to support these families.

In this interview, I talk to the founder of the Gentle Mama, Halyley Bukhamsin. She is a UK ex-pat living in Dubai and trying to help families move towards a more gentle response to their child's sleep. Most interesting to me is the cultural variety in Dubai and the unique circumstances that poses for someone working across so many cultures. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did and I thank Hayley for coming on, especially as she was at the tail end of fighting Covid!

This episode I interview Carly Grubb, the amazing founder of the Beyond Sleep Training Project and the charity Little Sparklers, based in Australia. We talk about all we can relating to her work, sleep training, orchid kids, and the struggles facing so many families today!

When do our children's needs morph into wants? How are we supposed to be responsive without "giving in"? These are some of the questions that I talk about with a mother looking for answers about how to be a loving, responsive, and sensitive parent without harming her child's budding independence.

In this inaugural episode, Pinky McKay and I chat about an interesting question: Does breastfeeding on demand at night lead to the expectation of immediate sexual gratification in adulthood? This was a question given to me by a reader who was told this would be the case by a close friend. Sadly, too many people still link breastfeeding or nursing with sex and think that allowing a child to feed on demand leads to entitlement. Nothing could be further from the truth and Pinky and I discuss these misconceptions. If you want to read up some more on topics related to this, you can read the following pieces by Pinky or myself: Does your breastfed baby really need night feeds? http://www.pinkymckay.com/breastfeeding-does-your-baby-really-need-night-feeds/ Does co-sleeping mean a better sex life? http://www.pinkymckay.com/co-sleeping-does-it-mean-a-better-sex-life/ What is the link between breastfeeding on demand and self-regulation? http://evolutionaryparenting.com/the-role-of-breastfeeding-in-self-regulation/ Can things like nursing at night, co-sleeping, and so on harm our children? http://evolutionaryparenting.com/what-children-dont-need/