Podcasts · Kids & Family · Education

Birth of a Parent

Early Childhood Matters with Michael Feigelson

13 episodes · in order

When a baby is born, a parent is born too. But what if that's more than a metaphor? Birth of a Parent explores the emerging science of how parenthood transforms the human mind. Host Michael Feigelson speaks with leading scientists, writers, and thinkers to investigate whether becoming a parent is one of life's most profound – and least understood – developmental stages.

More about the show

Winner of three golden Signal Awards 2026 🥇

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Production by Studio Becq, sound design and mixing by Felix Richel, theme by Daniel Galili. This podcast is part of the Early Childhood Matters platform by the Van Leer Foundation.

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Episodes

  1. Trailer - Birth of a Parent

    · 1:46 · Trailer

    When a baby is born, a parent is born too. But what if that's more than a metaphor? Birth of a Parent explores the emerging science of how parenthood transforms the human mind. Host Michael Feigelson speaks with…

  2. Ep. 1 - A Human Metamorphosis (with Oren Harman)

    · 40 min · S1 E1

    Three quarters of animal species undergo metamorphosis. Why are we so sure humans don't? Historian of science Oren Harman takes us from butterflies to starfish in search of an answer, and toward a surprising way of…

  3. Ep. 2 - The Mom Brain Revolution (with Susana Carmona)

    · 38 min · S1 E2

    For centuries, scientists studied what pregnancy does to the body. Almost nobody studied what it does to the brain. Neuroscientist Susana Carmona helped change that, uncovering evidence that motherhood reshapes the…

  4. Ep. 3 - The Dad Bod Theory (with Lee Gettler)

    · 44 min · S1 E3

    Why would evolution redesign a man's body after he has children? Anthropologist Lee Gettler helped uncover a surprising answer. His research on hormone changes including testosterone suggests that fatherhood doesn't…

  5. Ep. 4 - The Connected Mind (with Vicky Leong)

    · 40 min · S1 E4

    Sometimes a child is looking right at you and seems completely elsewhere, and sometimes they're completely with you. Developmental neuroscientist Vicky Leong studies those moments of connection, uncovering how parents…

  6. Ep. 5 - The Rituals That Hold Us Together (with Dimitris Xygalatas)

    · 32 min · S1 E5

    Why does a bedtime routine feel so important? Anthropologist Dimitris Xygalatas studies rituals, from firewalking ceremonies to family traditions. His work reveals why humans return to rituals whenever life becomes…

  7. Ep. 6 - The Illusion of Knowing (with Lulu Miller)

    · 41 min · S1 E6

    The human brain loves a good explanation. Parenthood has other plans. Science journalist and Radiolab host Lulu Miller explores why we are so determined to make sense of the world, and what happens when life refuses to…

  8. Ep. 7 - The World’s Best Managers (with Emily Oster)

    · 32 min · S1 E7

    Every parent eventually becomes the CEO of a small, chaotic organization. Economist and data expert Emily Oster explains what parenting can teach us about decision-making, leadership, and why good management matters…

  9. Ep. 8 - Why Nature Matters More Once You’re a Parent (with Nadina Galle)

    · 30 min · S1 E8

    Before children, a city is something you move through. After children, it's something you start to see. Ecological engineer Nadina Galle explores how parenthood reshapes our relationship with nature—and why even a…

  10. Ep. 9 - The Questions Without Answers (with Krista Tippett)

    · 40 min · S1 E9

    Why do children make ordinary things feel extraordinary again? Writer and On Being host Krista Tippett reflects on how becoming a mother transformed the way she sees the world, and why wonder may be one of parenthood's…

  11. Ep. 10 - The New Fatherhood Script (with Richard Reeves)

    · 44 min · S1 E10

    For much of history, becoming a father came with a script. Today, many of those expectations have disappeared. Richard Reeves explores what happens when old ideas about manhood no longer fit, and why fatherhood may be…

  12. Ep. 11 - The Stories We're Missing (with Franklin Leonard)

    · 43 min · S1 E11

    Parenthood may be one of the biggest transformations in human life. So why are there so few stories about it? Franklin Leonard, founder of The Black List, has spent his career identifying overlooked stories. In this…

  13. Ep. 12 - The Grandmother Hypothesis (with Alison Gopnik)

    · 39 min · S1 E12

    Most species don't have grandparents. Humans do. Why? In this final episode of season one, developmental psychologist Alison Gopnik explores a strange feature of human evolution, and what it reveals about childhood,…

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