The Science Baby Podcast

When both of our children were newborns, both Kim and Leila were told, repeatedly, that they looked just like their dads. Which, to be honest, wasn't always what we wanted to hear. We explore why it might be a good idea to look like your dad, what the science actually says, and how sometimes resemblance is all in the eye of the beholder. 

In this episode:

We talk about our own babies' features, and how often they were compared to their dads. 

Why it might be a good idea to look like the father, from an animal evolution perspective

Do babies actually look like their dads?

The science says its all in our heads

Why not looking like dad might be a good idea

How dad's investment can change how similar he thinks they are

The future of our babies' features

You can find more Science Baby at...

Our blog: https://thesciencebaby.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_science_baby/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesciencebaby

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thesciencebaby

And if you like what you see, consider supporting our work with a one-off or recurring tip: https://ko-fi.com/leilabattison

Last episode, we talked about the practical side of IVF - who is eligible, what testing there is beforehand, and what the procedure actually entails. But we didn’t talk about any of the squishy human stuff: the ups and downs of being an IVF patient and parent. So this time around, we tackle the physical and psychological impacts of IVF, and some of the things you might want to consider before starting treatment.

 

In this episode:

The idea that IVF might have some lasting impacts, something which Leila didn’t really consider while she was undergoing treatment

The additional benefits of IVF, including genetic testing and bespoke medication

How long the process takes, and how that feels when you’re in it

How the treatment might change within and between IVF cycles

The emotions you feel while undergoing treatment

The emotions you feel after treatment

How you feel physically during and after treatment

How IVF mothers are treated as high-risk pregnancies, and the pressure for birth intervention

The effects you feel after an IVF birth

The possibility of longer lasting medical risks

The likelihood of success with IVF treatment

How you can support yourself throughout your IVF journey

We're back afer a short break over the holidays, and we're kicking off with a really special one. Leila's son Felix (the OG Science Baby) was brought into the world through the medical miracle that is IVF. But to anyone from the outside looking in (or thinking about going through it themselves), the whole process can be a bit of an overwhelming mystery. So in this episode, we break down the IVF process, from where it sits within the assistive reproductive landscape, to who is eligible, how to get referred, and the ins and outs of what's involved. 

In this episode:

Leila's IVF Journey

Introduction to the acronyms of assistive reproductive tech: IVF, ICSI, IUI, IVI

Additional interventions possible with fertility treatment

Who is eligible for IVF, privately and funded by the NHS

How to get referred for IVF

Fertility testing

Details of IVF treatment

Down regulation

Ovarian stimulation

Trigger Injection

Egg collection and sperm collection

Fertilisation and embryo development

Multiples and embryo freezing

Embryo grading

Embryo transfer

Progesterone pessaries

Frozen embryo transfer

Being mums and trying to make a podcast means that sometimes, things don't always go to plan! This episode, that means that we have a full house and not a little bit of chaos. Kim and Stella, and Leila and Felix take a look back at the last few months since the launch of The Science Baby Podcast, read your comments and answer your questions. Expect terrible audio, questionable continuity, and lots of real life tangents!

In this episode: 

Welcome to my Codpast! Felix and Kim chat about what it's like to be 2, and we catch up on life and milestones

We look back at the last few episodes and respond to your comments and questions:

Poop

Breastfeeding

Pregnancy Loss

Hair Loss

Weaning

Healing

We answer your questions in a quick fire Q&A, and get some ideas for future podcast episodes!

How soon can you know whether your baby is going to be right or left handed, and what can that tell you about how their brains are developing? Kim and Leila dive into the surprising science that links dominant hand with language, emotion, genes, and the environment. And since Science Baby himself is a leftie, we consider his experience growing up in a right-handed world.

In this episode:

We introduce the idea of handedness being potentially linked to language, noting that left lateralisation of language in the brain could be linked to the predominance of right-handers within humans.

We talk about the genetic basis for handedness preference

We discuss when a hand preference is likely to emerge in our babies and toddlers

We examine how much the external environement can affect dominant hand use

We use brian lateralisation again to explain why mothers tend to cradle their babies on the left, regardless of which is their dominant hand

We discuss a study that found that kids who show an early preference for their right hand tend to be more advanced with language - noting its strengths and weaknesses, as well as the opposite pattern seen in Science Baby

We talk about the experience of our young left-handers in a right-hand world.