Biological Differences between New Mothers and New Fathers

Join is this week as Katie & David explore and discuss some of the profound and powerful differences in the biology of new Mothers and Fathers. How do their respective brains change and adapt to parenthood in different ways? How does knowing about various neurotransmitter levels and activations help us see our partners in a more understanding and compassion light? How can we appreciate these differences as attributes rather than flaws? Topics covered include:

• How Mom Brains and Dad Brains are wired differently
• What this wiring looks like and how it shows up in attention and behavior
• What feedback loops are heightened, and how these circuits shape parenting
• Testosterone, Oxctocin, and other hormonal influences
• Specific tips for new Moms and Dads for better connecting to each other
• Bringing more space, grace, and understanding into how parenting styles differ

Articles reference in this episode include:

• https://bloomlife.com/preg-u/dadbrain/
• https://www.happiestbaby.com/blogs/parents/fatherhood-mens-bodies
• https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/15/parenting/baby/fatherhood-mens-bodies.html
• https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/neuroscience-of-fatherhood/
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/thoughts-and-feelings/202304/being-more-involved-affects-new-fathers-biologically
• https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.745767/full

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Katie now has a weekly FREE Embracing Pregnancy prenatal group offering over at the Nest that meets via Zoom every Tuesday at 12 noon Pacific. This weekly pregnancy Q&A meetup is run by a rotating panel of prenatal practicioners and features frequent guests that come from a wide range of perinatal support services inlcuding ayurvedic nutritionists, midwives, and acupunturists. Come check it out to learn more about these various services in a warm, welcoming environment. 

Katie also continues to offer her FREE weekly Embracing Parenthood Postpartum support meetup via Zoom every Thursday at 1pm PST. Katie runs these herself, so please drop on in to experience more of her wisdom, grace, and compassion in person.

https://www.thenestfamilyresource.com/parenting

David hosts a monthly Dad Zone Thriving Zoom conversation to all new and expectant Dads everywhere. This monthly conversation has been going strong over at the Nest for the past year, and David is happy to open it up to all the Dads out there who are interested in sharing their challenges and successes in finding their way to the Dad Zone. Tune in the last Thursday of each month at 6pm PST/9pm EST and join the conversation!

https://www.thenestfamilyresource.com/parenting

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