ParentData with Emily Oster

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Parenting is full of decisions — starting the moment you learn you’re pregnant (sometimes before) and continuing indefinitely. For the past decade, Emily Oster has been a guide through the challenges of pregnancy and parenthood using data. She translates the latest scientific research into answers to the questions people have in their day-to-day lives. ParentData brings Emily together with other experts in areas of pregnancy and parenting to talk about some of the most complicated of these issues, from labor induction to food allergies to parenting through a divorce. Each conversation brings us closer to Emily’s mission: to create the most informed generation of parents by providing high-quality data that they can trust, whenever they need it.

Recent Episodes
  • Goodbye, for now
    Mar 6, 2025 – 04:38
  • An Expert Roundtable on Trying to Conceive
    Feb 27, 2025 – 57:33
  • How to Baby-Proof Your Relationship: Navigating a new marital landscape
    Feb 20, 2025 – 53:42
  • All About Vaccines: Why they’re important, and how to make them more tolerable for your child
    Feb 13, 2025 – 46:03
  • Understanding Risk, Living With Uncertainty
    Feb 6, 2025 – 12:58
  • It’s Never Too Late for Pelvic Floor Therapy: Why it’s about more than Kegels
    Jan 30, 2025 – 44:16
  • Tamron Hall's Late-Night Panic Google
    Jan 23, 2025 – 14:36
  • How to Talk to Your Doctor: Navigating important conversations about your care
    Jan 16, 2025 – 51:49
  • ParentData Presents: Raising Parents - "Should You Have Kids?"
    Jan 9, 2025 – 50:40
  • Understanding Panic Headlines: How studies that influence your parenting choices get published
    Jan 2, 2025 – 46:42
  • Is Gentle Parenting Best? What the evidence says
    Dec 26, 2024 – 16:05
  • Researching the Importance of Paid Leave: A look into how studies are conducted
    Dec 19, 2024 – 43:59
  • Bess Kalb's Late-Night Panic Google
    Dec 12, 2024 – 13:04
  • Why Is Nutrition So Stressful? The challenge of navigating “good” food choices
    Dec 5, 2024 – 45:13
  • ParentData Presents: The Lonely Palette's "Mary Kelly's Postpartum Document (1973-78)"
    Nov 28, 2024 – 46:44
  • It’s Not Hysteria: How women’s health gets overlooked
    Nov 21, 2024 – 45:59
  • It's The Placenta Episode!
    Nov 14, 2024 – 29:28
  • Racial Disparity in C-Section Rates: Unpacking bias in the medical system
    Nov 7, 2024 – 39:41
  • Ultra-Processed Foods: What they are and whether we should worry
    Oct 31, 2024 – 16:04
  • The Power of Local Politics: How Vermont is revolutionizing child care
    Oct 24, 2024 – 43:51
  • Steve Levitt's Late-Night Panic Google
    Oct 17, 2024 – 12:35
  • All About Midwives: What they do, and how they differ from OBs
    Oct 10, 2024 – 44:29
  • Shawn Johnson's Late-Night Panic Google
    Oct 3, 2024 – 14:38
  • It's A Podcast Anniversary Q&A! You asked, Emily answered
    Sep 26, 2024 – 01:07:37
  • Caitlin Murray's Late-Night Panic Google
    Sep 19, 2024 – 13:23
  • Phones and the Importance of Play: Are phones really to blame for the decline in kids’ mental health?
    Sep 12, 2024 – 50:17
  • Chelsea Sodaro's Late-Night Panic Google
    Sep 5, 2024 – 12:30
  • (Part Two) Kids, Screens, and Schools: How worried should we be?
    Aug 29, 2024 – 43:56
  • Ask Bubbie's Late-Night Panic Google
    Aug 22, 2024 – 13:06
  • (Part One) Kids, Screens, and Schools: How worried should we be?
    Aug 15, 2024 – 39:21
  • Myleik's Late-Night Panic Google
    Aug 8, 2024 – 12:02
  • Every Kid is a Math Kid: Debunking the myths around learning math
    Aug 1, 2024 – 46:13
  • Mandy Moore's Late-Night Panic Google
    Jul 25, 2024 – 10:21
  • Ozempic 101: A doctor explains the data and science behind weight-loss drugs
    Jul 18, 2024 – 52:23
  • Ezra Klein’s Late-Night Panic Google
    Jul 11, 2024 – 10:25
  • The Value of Camp: What a tech-free summer teaches kids
    Jul 4, 2024 – 41:33
  • Jackie Oshry’s Late-Night Panic Google
    Jun 27, 2024 – 12:30
  • Raising Boys: Another side of gender equality
    Jun 20, 2024 – 44:32
  • Abby Phillip's Late-Night Panic Google
    Jun 13, 2024 – 12:10
  • Why Kids Can't Read: How we missed the mark on literacy education
    Jun 6, 2024 – 51:21
  • Ophira Eisenberg’s Late-Night Panic Google
    May 30, 2024 – 13:03
  • The Kids Are Actually Alright: Is parental anxiety too high?
    May 23, 2024 – 44:57
  • Claire Holt's Late-Night Panic Google
    May 16, 2024 – 10:43
  • Better Sleep for Older Kids—And Their Parents: Making a plan, post-crib
    May 9, 2024 – 45:15
  • How to Talk to Your Doctor About Risk: Lessons from our book, “The Unexpected”
    Apr 25, 2024 – 53:36
  • Doulas For All: How Senator Samra Brouk is changing birth in New York
    Apr 11, 2024 – 40:40
  • Bonus Episode: Dr. Becky and the Bad Therapy Conversation
    Apr 9, 2024 – 50:46
  • Parenting Trends Throughout History: We’ve always done it wrong … and also right
    Mar 28, 2024 – 39:16
  • How to Create Community: Showing up for each other in a spiritual and secular world
    Mar 14, 2024 – 52:06
  • Birth Control After Kids: IUDs and vasectomies and tubal ligation, oh my!
    Feb 29, 2024 – 39:11
Recent Reviews
  • @Mihifilife
    Informative and Entertaining
    I appreciate the data backed analysis with realistic suggestions and entertaining guests.
  • Chelsie DeLong
    Love it!
    I enjoy the complexities and diversity of conversation of this podcast!
  • The good doctor of Wooster
    Good content when there is content
    Enjoy the show but what’s with all this “Late night panic google” filler? And Ozembic? What??? Bring the good show back!
  • Sarcasminreview
    Helpful reviews
    Reading the one star reviews from closed minded people full of hate was super helpful in deciding to listen to this show.
  • kw41934
    Like having a helpful convo with good friends
    Love this show—it’s helpful, addresses topics I’m deeply curious about, and manages to be light-hearted too. So thoughtful and well-made!
  • ACDuque
    So much great info for a new parent
    From her books to this podcast, I’ve really enjoyed listening and reading all of the content that Emily Oster and her team produce. It’s filled with level headed data and advice so I can make my own decisions and choices feeling informed. Thank you!
  • CBizzle229
    Let's cherish and respect women - the only ones who can give birth.
    Platforming and supporting law makers that use the silly term “birthing people” is silly and unfortunate. You should correct or at the very least question a guest that makes things up. It’s difficult to trust anything else you present because of this. I'm a soon to be Dad hoping to support my wife and family better than I could yesterday. I plan to instill strong character traits into my children. Truth will be one of them and DEI will have no place in our household and how we choose to respect those around us. I guess I'll finish Cribsheets because I paid for it, but that'll be it for any of Emily’s work. Cheers and best to everyone!
  • mixedmama08
    Usually good but …
    I usually enjoy this podcast and Emily but thought the parenting trends throughout history episode missed the mark a bit. There is no acknowledgment in the conversation about the history discussed being entirely centered on the Western/European world — both women are talking as though these were the only parenting trends that ever existed. I would be ok with this limited perspective if they acknowledged how limited it is. Was also very disappointed that wet nurses were discussed without ANY mention of slavery. Shortsighted and frustrating. Do better.
  • Dottie456
    Excellent!
    Just the podcast I was looking for! Something to cover all different aspects of parenting!
  • Sounds like Eric
    Exactly What I Need
    I have waded through so many with topics that seem compelling that just end up being chatcasts between besties that spend an hour saying nothing. It's such a let down to hear hosts more concerned with how they sound rather than saying something meaningful. Parent Data has become my go to parenting podcast, full stop. Emily's interviews are so engaging. Her discussion with experts will go deep into a subject but still are accessible. It's such a breath of fresh air to hear about relevant topics with an eye towards what the data tells us and even more importantly, what it can't. Rational, calm, kind, interesting - this is the podcast I have been yearning for and the first one I go to when it pops up in my feed. Thank you, Emily!
  • OJDC2017
    Appreciate this show
    I loved the episode about overachieving teenagers — my kids are 6, 4, and 2 but it really is helping me prepare for these years. I love thé idea of family meetings, too
  • Krs10Delaney
    Data driven…
    But uses the term “pregnant people” instead of pregnant WOMEN. Hard pass.
  • Faceupandsing
    Finally, a parenting pod for adults
    It’s hard to find a parenting podcast that doesn’t feel like a bunch of wine moms in track suits. I’ve been a fan of Emily’s rational, data-driven approach since before I became a mom. So glad to hear a well-produced podcast that puts it front and center, and makes me feel like both a mom and the smart person I was before I became one.
  • Rmint11
    So glad I found this
    I have read Emily’s books and so appreciate how accessible the data is that she and the other experts breakdown. So helpful and actionable as opposed to trying to be a feel good fluffy mom podcast.
  • KateMA07
    Love it!
    Wonderful balance of data, anecdotes, advice and laughs! Can’t wait for more!
  • Review God12
    She’s an Economist not an expert on parenting or health
    She’s an Economist not an expert on parenting or health. She doesn’t see patients nor does she counsel actual parents. She faces no risks from her bad advice. I have run successful businesses and raised two successful children and can look back on those successes to say first that a family is not a business (wow, what a terrible analogy) and second, that I too can cherry pick data to support my parenting premises that would completely contradict hers. They say that liars cheat, and cheaters use statistics. Emily does both.
  • Winston2356
    Data driven, mostly unbiased, good topics (but then a burp)
    Update: I was 6 months away from the podcast, then listened to “Representation” episode. What happened? Broad and obvious generalizations without data or really any support (we call this arm waving). “Black representation is important”. As a theme, fine, but this is an example of the depth of thought presented. Lots of “here’s what I think” based on personal experience. Nothing wrong with that as long as it’s supported. And a strong left bias without details or insight or any critical analysis. All book banning is wrong? Ok, for a 4 year old? This is an interesting issue, so why treat it with bumper sticker thinking? It’s so different than how Emily handles every episode that something must have happened. Well, everyone has a bad day and it is summer. Previous review: Terrific podcast. Too many other podcasts take on the “this is what I think” attitude with little support. That’s not this one. Excellent research, well presented, fair and the analysis is clear. Decent production, though the sound quality varies sometimes. Also, I wish the programs were longer.
  • newpassportstamps
    Favorite pregnancy author
    Thrilled to have found this podcast!!!
  • carolineduke
    always a go-to
    really appreciate emily oster's insights and have turned to her podcast (and newsletter) since becoming a mother.
  • LGSNJ
    Love her books, newsletter and podcast
    I can’t remember how I initially heard about Emily Oster but I read Expecting Better while pregnant with my first child and it was the best thing I could have done to ease my anxiety around the supposed Dos and Donts of pregnancy. Since then I’ve read or ordered all of her books (my kids are still young, 1&3 so I haven’t quite gotten into Family Firm yet but loved Cribsheet). I can’t recommend her content enough. She also seems really cool and feels like the mom friend everyone needs :). She has great interviews in her newsletter/podcast and everything feels really vetted and genuine.
  • Ngrrl
    Fantastic translation of scientific research
    I’ve learned so much from Oster’s books and her newsletter podcast is of the same quality. She translates complicated science and evidence so that you can better weigh it for your own personal decisions. Highly recommend the newsletter podcast and the newsletter itself!
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