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.
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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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Latest episodes
Showing 12 · updated from the feed
Ep. 11 - The Stories We're Missing (with Franklin Leonard)
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 c
Sep 16 43 min
Ep. 10 - The New Fatherhood Script (with Richard Reeves)
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 m
Sep 9 44 min
Ep. 9 - The Questions Without Answers (with Krista Tippett)
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
Sep 2 39 min
Ep. 8 - Is a Blade of Grass Enough? (with Nadina Galle)
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
Aug 26 29 min
Ep. 7 - The World’s Best Managers (with Emily Oster)
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
Aug 19 32 min
Ep. 6 - The Illusion of Knowing (with Lulu Miller)
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
Aug 12 41 min
Ep. 5 - The Rituals That Hold Us Together (with Dimitris Xygalatas)
Why does a bedtime routine feel so important? Anthropologist Dimitris Xygalatas studies rituals, from firewalking ceremonies to family traditions. His work reveals why hu
Aug 5 31 min
Ep. 4 - The Connected Mind (with Vicky Leong)
Sometimes a child is looking right at you and seems completely elsewhere, and sometimes they're completely with you. Developmental neuroscientist Vicky Leong studies thos
Jul 29 40 min
Ep. 3 - The Dad Bod Theory (with Lee Gettler)
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
Jul 22 44 min
Ep. 2 - The Mom Brain Revolution (with Susana Carmona)
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, unco
Jul 22 38 min
Ep. 1 - A Human Metamorphosis (with Oren Harman)
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
Jul 22 39 min
Trailer - Birth of a Parent
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
Jul 8 1 min
Chart trend
Position in the Parenting chart (US), last 90 days.
#1#50#99JulAugSep
#2
all-time peak
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days in the top 3 since Jul 2026
Chart positions
Where Birth of a Parent ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 22, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
A fascinating, beautifully produced podcast that completely reframes how we think about becoming a parent. From Oren Harman’s
idea of parenthood as a kind of human metamorphosis, to Lee Gettler’s surprising biology of fatherhood, and Vicky Leong’s work on the extraordinary synchrony between parent and child (and more), each episode opens a different dimension of this profound transformation. Smart, moving, and curious.
ikoebner · Aug 2026
A great mix of science, psychology, with anecdotal insight - this is the kind of smart parenting show I’ve been looking for… well researched, written and beautifully produced.
RoseEReid · Aug 2026
A well-done, entertaining podcast that profiles cutting-edge research in the emerging parental brain field
DarbyS. · Aug 2026
Really enjoyed this show because it makes the experience of parenthood interesting to everyone, not just to parents. The guests are all so interesting and so different. But, my favorite part is definitely when the hosts mom makes a cameo in every episode. She should have a talk show!
Oma#86 · Aug 2026
I was excited to see this new podcast advertised in one of the trades, but quickly became disheartened. I can get past the host being a man, but the first episode centers a man, and his first anecdote includes a comment after his wife’s 40(!) hour labor that his child is definitely his because of details on their toes. As a new parent myself, after a difficult labor, I can’t imagine what I would’ve thought my husband had made such a stupid remark. I know parenthood changes both men and women but to center men in this way, this early is a huge missed opportunity to engage women.
Two stars because the topic is important - please do better.
podcastfansince2014 · Jul 2026
We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.
Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Birth of a Parent, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
