The Science Baby Podcast

When your baby is a few months old, it's time to start facing down the next big milestone in your parenting journey: weaning them onto solid foods. But while the official guidance is clear, the advice you get from different people can vary. So when should you start the process?

Right now, Kim is just about to start weaning, and Leila is shocked to discover that she and Felix have been at the solid foods game for over two years. So this is a great opportunity to compare notes on when is the right time to wean y...

Duration: 00:51:12

Around three months after giving birth, many women are alarmed to find their hair starting to fall out. Although this is a pretty ubiquitous anacdote shared among new mothers, the science - where it exists - tells us that it might not be a real phenomenon.

In this episode, Leila and Kim dive into the pitiful research that has been done to figure out if postpartum hairloss is a real thing, and what might be causing it.

In this episode:

We compare notes on our hair growth during pregnancy and...

Duration: 00:42:03

On average, one in every four pregnancies ends in loss, and yet miscarriage, stillbirth, and pregnancy loss are still taboo subjects in many cultures. As a result, women who go through it experience shame, guilt, and loneliness which is entirely a product of attitude, and not science. This Baby Loss awareness week, we want to cast a light on a not at all uncommon phenomenon. 

In this episode:

Leila and Kim share and compare their personal experiences of pregnancy loss and how it has changed their attitudes to actually having a child A look at the f...

Duration: 00:43:57

Mothers these days might be told that 'breast is best' when it comes to feeding their baby. But what does that mean for mothers that struggle with their breastfeeding journey? We dive into the chemistry of breastmilk and formula, as well as the science behind the choice you make. 

In this epsiode:

We compare our very different baby feeding experiences - Kim has breastfed, while Leila never nursed, but used a combination of pumping and formula. The history of breastfeeding for mammals and our species, as well as the development of modern infant formula What exactly i...

Duration: 00:44:10

Social media can be a great tool for discovering new people and new things (like this podcast!) but for new, impressionable, and unsure parents, it can often do more harm than good. 

In this episode:

The era we're living in right now is shaped by our interactions on social media How algorithms work to find and serve what you secretly want Our personal experiences with social media through our parenting journeys How social media has evolved in recent years The fundamental need for social comparison and how social media is changing that What we can do t...

Duration: 00:44:45

When you become a parent, your thoughts become consumed by poop. From meconium to potty training, the biology of babies' poop is possibly one of the weirdest things in the world. 

In this episode: 

Our personal experiences with poop What is poo, what is meconium, and why is baby poo so colourful The gut microbiome and vaginal seeding The diminishing gastrocolic reflex Why mums love the smell of their babies' poo

 

Duration: 00:44:25

There is a fundamental conflict between how babies sleep and how adults sleep, and it's causing us way more stress than it needs to.

In this episode: 

Our personal experiences with out babies' sleep The biology of sleep, including sleep-wake homeostasis and circadian rhythms Helen Ball and colleagues' book 'How Babies Sleep' The science of sleep cycles and sleep consolidation Differences between children Cultural pressures How to cope, including cosleeping advice

Duration: 00:49:56

It's the very first installment of The Science Baby Podcast!

A chance for you to get acquainted with your hosts, Leila and Kim. We're two science communicators and first time mums trying to understand the science behind pregnancy, birth and beyond.

In this episode:

Our respective journeys to motherhood Our professional and nerdy backgrounds  We chat about matrescence, maternal mental health and the medicalization of birth Why we want to make this podcast, and what you can expect

 

Duration: 00:42:47