Becoming a parent is one of the most wonderful, but hardest things a person can do. From the changes to a mother’s body and brain to the parenting decisions that seem to never end. Find everything to support your journey into parenthood here.
Latest Posts
- Episode 11: Is My Baby Right or Left Handed… and when will I know?
It might not seem like the biggest deal in the world, but your child’s dominant hand will help to shape how they experience the world. As soon as your little one has discovered they have hands, they’re going to start experimenting with which one is their favourite. And watchful parents are looking out to see… Read more: Episode 11: Is My Baby Right or Left Handed… and when will I know? - Episode 10: Why Having A Child Has Ruined Your Relationship
Okay, maybe not everyone’s relationship with their loved one is in the pan after having a child, but anecdotally and statistically, many parents find themselves facing relationship challenges with a little one in the mix. Leila and Kim are no exceptions, and we share a very cathartic chat about how and why our marriages have… Read more: Episode 10: Why Having A Child Has Ruined Your Relationship - How Breastfeeding Can Protect Against Breast Cancer
When it comes to feeding your baby, breastfeeding is often promoted as the best way to do it, if you can. It’s not always easy, and for many parents, it’s not even possible. There are several short term health benefits for baby, but many oft-repeated long-term advantages, like making baby smarter, and reducing the risk… Read more: How Breastfeeding Can Protect Against Breast Cancer - Episode 8: When Should You Wean our Baby?
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… Read more: Episode 8: When Should You Wean our Baby? - Episode 7: Postpartum Hair Loss – Is It All In Your Head?!
Around three months after giving birth, many women are alarmed to find their hair starting to fall out. It’s a kick in the teeth – just as beginning to feel more like yourself, you’re hit with yet another wild and unexpected bodily change. Although this is a pretty ubiquitous anacdote shared among new mothers, the… Read more: Episode 7: Postpartum Hair Loss – Is It All In Your Head?! - Episode 6: We Need To Talk About Pregnancy Loss
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, Kim and Leila… Read more: Episode 6: We Need To Talk About Pregnancy Loss - Episode 5: Breastmilk vs Formula – Is Breast Really Best?
Mothers these days might be told that ‘breast is best’ when it comes to feeding their baby. But why is that the case, when infant formula has been an option for decades? What does that mean for mothers that struggle with their breastfeeding journey, and how does it affect a child in the short and… Read more: Episode 5: Breastmilk vs Formula – Is Breast Really Best? - Does Paracetamol During Pregnancy Cause Autism? Science Baby’s Reality Check
Last week, a certain loudmouth in America told pregnant people to stop taking paracetamol (or “acetaminophen” or “Tylenol,” pick your flavour, they’re all the same thing), claiming it might cause autism in their kids. That advice set off alarm bells everywhere. Expectant mothers have long been told that paracetamol is one of the safest over-the-counter… Read more: Does Paracetamol During Pregnancy Cause Autism? Science Baby’s Reality Check - UK Plug Sockets Are Already Baby-Safe… Here’s Why Covers Can Be Risky
When you’re baby-proofing your home, it feels like there’s danger lurking in every corner. Hot pans, sharp edges, cleaning sprays… and those mysterious little holes in the wall where the electricity lives. It’s no wonder so many parents rush to buy socket covers. They seem like an easy win: pop in some plastic, and your… Read more: UK Plug Sockets Are Already Baby-Safe… Here’s Why Covers Can Be Risky - Episode 4: The Perils of Social Media for Parents
Social media can be a great tool for discovering new people and new things (including maybe this podcast and blog?!) but it has a dark side. The “algorithm” which determines exactly what social media content you see is a highly efficient beast of hyerconnectivity. It can reveal things about your inner wants, desires, and fears… Read more: Episode 4: The Perils of Social Media for Parents - Drinking Alcohol While Breastfeeding: What Parents Really Need to Know
As a new parent, it’s easy to feel like every choice you make is under the microscope. Even something as simple as enjoying a glass of wine with dinner can spiral into questions: Is this safe? Will it affect my baby? Should I pump and dump? So, is it safe to drink alcohol while breastfeeding?The… Read more: Drinking Alcohol While Breastfeeding: What Parents Really Need to Know - Introducing: The Science Baby Podcast 🎙️
When I first became a mum, I found myself constantly Googling everything about babies: sleep, feeding, milestones, and the quirky little things I never expected. Because I’m a science communicator at heart, I couldn’t stop digging into the actual research behind those questions. That’s how Science Baby began. What started as a few fun TikTok… Read more: Introducing: The Science Baby Podcast 🎙️ - Parenting, Risk, and the Myth of the Perfect Parent
Parenting today often feels like walking through a minefield of opinions. Whether it’s about how we feed our babies, whether we use car seat mirrors, or even whether a mum can enjoy a glass of wine while breastfeeding, there seems to be no shortage of strong voices ready to weigh in. If you’ve ever scrolled… Read more: Parenting, Risk, and the Myth of the Perfect Parent - Moms Carry a Little Bit of Their Babies, Forever
Did you know that if you’ve ever been pregnant, you’re not just you anymore? You’re a blend of yourself and every baby you’ve ever carried. Scientists call this phenomenon fetal microchimerism, and it means that long after pregnancy, tiny traces of your baby remain inside you. What Is Fetal Microchimerism? During pregnancy, nutrients, oxygen, and… Read more: Moms Carry a Little Bit of Their Babies, Forever - How to Teach Your Toddler to Count in 3 Easy Steps
If your toddler is starting to talk, some of the first words in their repertoire are likely to be the numbers. I for one was especially proud when science baby learned all his numbers from 1 to 10. He could finish off a sequence, and even say them backwards (countdown to blast-off, anyone?!). But it… Read more: How to Teach Your Toddler to Count in 3 Easy Steps - Do Babies Always Look Like Their Dads?
When science baby was born, pretty much the only thing we heard for the first year or so was how much he looked like his dad! Which, as a mother (who had gone through the gruelling, invasive process of IVF, carried and grown this child for nine months, and gone through four days of induction… Read more: Do Babies Always Look Like Their Dads? - Why Is My Hair Falling Out After Birth? The Science of Postpartum Hair Loss
When science baby was a few months old, I was finally starting to feel a bit more human after the whirlwind of pregnancy and childbirth. But just when I thought things were settling down… surprise! I started losing hair. A lot of hair. Like, coming out in clumps in the shower a lot of hair!… Read more: Why Is My Hair Falling Out After Birth? The Science of Postpartum Hair Loss - The Science-Backed Lullaby That Helps Babies To Sleep (and new parents too!)
Struggling to get your baby to sleep? You’re not alone. Newborn parents will be painfully aware of how unhinged their baby’s sleep schedule is, and no amount of physical flipping will flip their concept of day and night. From endless renditions of Baa Baa Black Sheep to tiptoeing through the house like a ninja, most… Read more: The Science-Backed Lullaby That Helps Babies To Sleep (and new parents too!) - Why Moms Think Their Baby’s Poop Smells… Okay?
It’s a classic joke: “I love them so much, even their farts smell like roses!” But it turns out this sentiment might be rooted in real science, especially when it comes to babies and their moms. - Chicken Pox Vaccine Rollout in the UK: Why Has It Taken So Long?
In countries like the US, Canada and Australia, the chicken pox vaccine has been given as standard for the last decade or so. But the UK has lagged begind – although it’s available privately, it’s not something all parents hear about. But that’s set to change, as the chicken pox vaccine is finally being included on the regular vaccination schedule. We look at why it took so long, and what it means for parents and kids.
The Science Baby 