Spoil Your Baby – Details, episodes & analysis

Why does our society place more value on controlled baby sleep than on maternal support, proper feeding, or comfort?

Tracy Cassels began her influential work while pursuing her PhD in developmental psychology, coinciding with her pregnancy. She observed a profound contradiction between the widespread advice advocating for infant sleep training—even when pushed by some academics—and the robust findings found in developmental literature and her own research. This mismatch, which she initially felt was a foreign concept given her own background, became the critical momentum to start sharing her perspective publicly. This led to the launch of her extensive website, Evolutionary Parenting, roughly 15 years ago. This platform developed into an invaluable resource, providing detailed and thoroughly referenced information on nearly every topic related to infant brain development for parents. Tracy often interacts with families, some of whom bring along skeptical relatives or partners, seeking clarification on the evidence surrounding sleep practices. She approaches the topic by presenting an honest assessment of what the research confirms and what remains unknown, helping listeners discern the subtleties often missing from conventional advice. She argues that the findings against certain practices, such as sleep training, form an "incredibly strong circumstantial case" rather than a clear-cut legal link. Furthermore, Tracy contends that many sleep problems are misinterpreted as behavioral failures when they are actually symptoms of underlying issues like allergies, sleep apnea, or hormonal imbalances. Her most recent paper with Levita DeSousa advocates for researchers to adopt a much broader perspective, moving away from seeking a "one size fits all solution" and instead considering the full family dynamic, cultural influences, and health context when studying infant sleep.

Key Takeaways

●     Sleep problems are often symptoms of underlying physical or psychological issues, not always primary behavioral faults of the baby or parent.

●     The research focusing specifically on mothers and babies, particularly concerning clinical interventions and emotional connection, is significantly lacking.

●     An overemphasis on controlled sleep in modern society leads parents to prioritize it over other critical nurturing components like love, comfort, and proper feeding.

●     Some research proposes methods to help mothers suppress the natural anxiety they feel when hearing their distressed baby cry, counteracting an essential evolutionary response.

●     Infant sleep should be viewed as a family dynamic influenced by culture, general family preferences, health issues, and the need for connection.

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Resources

●     Tracy's Instagram: @tracycasselsphd https://www.instagram.com/tracycasselsphd

●     Books by Tracy Cassels:

○     Finding Daycare: Navigating the Murky World of Child Care in Today's Society

○     https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Daycare-Navigating-Todays-Society-ebook/dp/B07PGDR6TC

●     Evolutionary Parenting's website: https://evolutionaryparenting.com/ (Note: Some parts are currently missing due to a crash, but it will be restored soon).

Guest Bio: Tracy Cassels holds a PhD in developmental psychology and is the founder of Evolutionary Parenting. She co-authored a paper with Levita DeSousa, an attachment theory specialist at Monash University in Australia, focusing on how sleep training ignores the larger family dynamic. She is also a contributor to an upcoming academic book on sleep, edited by Jenny (who Greer has also written with), which includes chapters from Darshan Arves and LaVita DeSousa.

"Nurture Neuroscience" Website: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greerkirshenbaum/

FREE GUIDE, "Nurture Your Baby's Stress": https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/nurture-your-babys-stress

FREE GUIDE, "Manage the Stressors & Triggers of Parenting": https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/manage-the-stressors-of-parenting

Order "The Nurture Revolution" Book: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/the-nurture-revolution

What happens when we spend our adult lives searching for a quality of maternal love we never received as a child?

Kelly McDaniel, a licensed professional counselor and author, introduced the concept of "Mother Hunger" in her first book, Ready to Heal. She identified Mother Hunger as an attachment injury stemming from maternal deprivation, noting that millions of women suffer a lifelong emotional burden that adversely affects self-worth, eating habits, and relational wellness. This profound attachment trauma, Kelly explains, is a neurobiological craving for unmet needs: nurturing, protection, and guidance. This "hunger" is often misunderstood and sought inappropriately from romantic partners, friends, or authority figures. Kelly's work illuminates how cultural forces, especially patriarchy, compromise a mother's capacity to provide a consistent, safe caregiving environment, leading to generational trauma that impacts secure attachment. Kelly published her second book, Mother Hunger, in 2021, compiling research since 2008 to explore how adult daughters can understand and heal from these losses. She emphasizes that while we cannot go back in time, neuroscience shows that our brains can change throughout life, offering hope and opportunity for repair. Her clinical approach helps adult daughters identify this craving, understand the truth of their pain, and become "cycle breakers" in their own families.

Key Takeaways

●     Mother Hunger is a profound neurobiological craving for three essential elements of maternal care: nurturing, protection, and guidance.

●     Unmet needs often arise from ancestral inheritance, cultural environments, and unhealed trauma, not necessarily a lack of maternal love.

●     A mother can be physically present but emotionally absent due to unhealed trauma, leading to chronic, automatic dissociation.

●     Healing Mother Hunger enables adult daughters to break epigenetic cycles of trauma, improving their self-worth and relational wellness outcomes.

●     The spiritual component of mothering involves stretching our own capacity for love, loving unconditionally, and embracing personal growth.

Join our February 2026 Program:

https://nurture-neuroscience.com/professional-certification-sales-page

Resources

●     Kelly's website: https://kellymcdanieltherapy.com/

●     Books by Kelly McDaniel:

○     Ready to Heal: Helping Women Heal from Addictive Relationships.

○     Mother Hunger: How Adult Daughters Can Understand and Heal from Lost Nurturance, Protection, and Guidance (Hay House, 2021).

○     https://kellymcdanieltherapy.com/books/

●     Contribution: Making Advances; A Comprehensive Guide for Treating Female Sex and Love Addicts. https://www.amazon.com/Making-Advances-Comprehensive-Treating-Addicts/dp/098574720X

●     Mentioned in conversation: Mark Wolynn's book, It Didn't Start With You. https://a.co/d/3yJpvKw

Guest Bio: Kelly McDaniel, LCMHC, is an author and licensed professional counselor who developed the term "Mother Hunger" to identify an attachment injury related to maternal deprivation. She specializes in nurturing insecure attachment and healing addictive relational patterns in adult women. She holds an MA in English Literature from Georgetown University (1991) and an MA in Counseling from St. Mary's University (2004). Kelly is also a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT). She has devoted herself to this work since naming Mother Hunger in 2008.

"Nurture Neuroscience" Website: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greerkirshenbaum/

FREE GUIDE, "Nurture Your Baby's Stress": https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/nurture-your-babys-stress

FREE GUIDE, "Manage the Stressors & Triggers of Parenting": https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/manage-the-stressors-of-parenting

Order "The Nurture Revolution" Book: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/the-nurture-revolution

What if "spoiling" your baby with affection, attention, and protection is actually the best path to their long-term mental health and success?

Tracy Gillett, a natural parent, felt alone in her early parenting choices like full term breastfeeding and bed-sharing. This led her to create the Raised Good summit, offering a community where parents find confidence, education, and support. The summit highlights research and experts, empowering parents to trust their intuition and parent consciously.

Key Takeaways

• Spoil babies with affection, attention, and protection for long-term mental health.
• Natural parenting, backed by science, empowers trusting your intuition and conscious choices.
• Find confidence and community through events like the Raised Good online summit.
• Understanding a child's nervous system helps interpret behavior and promote healthy development.
• Extended breastfeeding offers immense benefits; let go of societal expectations and embrace it.

Resources

• Raised Good online summit: https://raisedgood.com/
• Guest Bio: Tracy Gillett is the founder of Raised Good and hosts its sixth annual online summit. As a natural parent, she started the summit to build a community for parents seeking confidence, education, and support in their alternative parenting choices. 

Ready to Connect with Greer?: 

• "Nurture Neuroscience" Website: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgreerkirshenbaum/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greerkirshenbaum/ 
• FREEBIES for Parents https://nurture-neuroscience.com/Freebies-For-Parents
• FREEBIES for Professionals https://nurture-neuroscience.com/Freebies-for-Professionals
• Order "The Nurture Revolution" Book: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/the-nurture-revolution

Are we truly supporting mothers postpartum, or are we perpetuating a cycle of misunderstanding and neglect?

Maranda Bower, a biological researcher, bestselling author, and the visionary behind Postpartum University, embarked on her journey into postpartum health driven by her own profound and unprepared experience as a new mother.

Sixteen years ago, with her first child, she found herself amidst extreme postpartum depression and anxiety, experiencing panic attacks and fearing for her son, all while the topic of postpartum mental health was largely taboo and unsupported by research or public conversation. This personal crisis fueled her determination to understand why this was happening, pushing her beyond conventional science into anthropological studies of ancient cultures. She discovered universal "postpartum truths" from cultures worldwide, traditions that had specific, often unscientific-sounding yet physiologically accurate, methods for caring for new mothers.

These ancient practices, which focused on needs like digestion and overall body care, revealed a stark contrast to modern North American norms. Maranda transformed her personal quest into a professional mission, becoming a postpartum doula and childbirth educator.

She developed the "postpartum restorative method," a framework for healing that blends traditional wisdom with modern scientific understanding. Through Postpartum University, she now educates and certifies providers, empowering them with the crucial knowledge often missing from their formal training, ultimately changing the world by healing mothers.

Key Takeaways

●     Postpartum care extends far beyond the traditional six-week mark, with physiological and psychological changes lasting up to six years.

●     Many common postpartum practices in modern society, like drinking smoothies, can actually hinder a mother's recovery, especially regarding digestion.

● Societal pressures often lead to the medication of natural female life stages (menstruation, birth, postpartum, menopause), preventing natural transformations.

●   "Postpartum depression" is often a misdiagnosis, masking deep mourning for a previous life or a biological warning from isolation.

●   Comprehensive postpartum support encompasses physiological restoration, proper nutrition and absorption, neurological regulation, rhythmic recovery, and identity integration.

Resources

●     Manranda's Podcast: Postpartum University podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/postpartum-university-podcast/id1562727360

●     Guest's Website: https://postpartumu.com/

● Guest Bio: Maranda Bower is a biological researcher, and the CEO and Founder of Postpartum University®, supporting both mothers and professionals in health and whole body healing. She is a renowned expert and top educator in the fields of functional nutrition and coaching in relation to postpartum and nicknamed the "Womb Whisperer". Named as a best-selling author, international speaker, and has appeared in over 50+ publications.

Ready to Connect with Greer?:

●     "Nurture Neuroscience" Website: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/

●     Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgreerkirshenbaum/

●     LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greerkirshenbaum/

●     FREE GUIDE, "Nurture Your Baby's Stress: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/nurture-your-babys-stress

●     FREE GUIDE, "Manage the Stressors & Triggers of Parenting": https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/manage-the-stressors-of-parenting

●     Order "The Nurture Revolution" Book: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/the-nurture-revolution

Your baby speaks in movement—do you?

In this episode of Spoil Your Baby, Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum is joined by Erica Hornthal, a licensed movement therapist, professional counselor, and author of Body Aware and Body Talk. Known as "the therapist who moves you," Erica offers a powerful reframe on how we understand mental health—not through words alone, but through the body.

Together, Greer and Erica unpack the core truth that movement is not optional—it's the first language between parent and child. From the rhythms in the womb to the moment-to-moment physical attunement with our children, movement holds the key to co-regulation, healing, and reconnection with the self.

This isn't about "getting your body back" or squeezing in a workout. It's about learning how your own posture, breath, gestures, and tension patterns reveal what's happening inside of you—and how that awareness can help you connect more deeply with your child, especially in moments of overwhelm.

Whether you're a mother navigating early postpartum anxiety or simply trying to survive toddler tantrums, Erica shares tiny but transformative tools—like noticing your grip on the steering wheel or how you walk into a room—that help you ground, regulate, and reconnect to your body, so you can be present for theirs.

If you've ever felt lost in the mental fog of early parenting, this conversation is your invitation to redefine movement as self-care, communication, and healing.

Key Takeaways

• Why movement is the original form of parent-child communication
• What it means to listen with your whole body
• How to co-regulate through body awareness, not just words
• Why parenting books often miss this essential component of connection
• Movement as a tool to grieve, reclaim, and rebuild your sense of self after birth
• "It's not bad behavior—it's a body having a hard time." Reframing child behavior through the lens of movement
• Micro-movements = micro-moments of self-care—especially for moms of babies 0–3
• How movement can help process postpartum feelings of anxiety and depression
  

More on Erica Hornthal:

• Instagram: @thetherapistwhomovesyou
• Website: www.ericahornthal.com
• Books: Body Aware, Body Talk Journal
• Card Deck: The Body Awareness Deck

Ready to Connect with Greer?:

• "Nurture Neuroscience" Website: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgreerkirshenbaum/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greerkirshenbaum/
• FREE GUIDE, "Nurture Your Baby's Stress: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/nurture-your-babys-stress
• FREE GUIDE, "Manage the Stressors & Triggers of Parenting": https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/manage-the-stressors-of-parenting
• Order "The Nurture Revolution" Book: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/the-nurture-revolution

Carrying your baby is about more than comfort… It's about fostering a deep connection through proximity.

On today's episode of the Spoil Your Baby podcast, Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum sits down with Busi Musiiwa: an Occupational Therapist, mom, and founder of BabueBaby, whose baby carriers are transforming the baby-wearing industry.

Busi moved to Canada from Zimbabwe at a young age, yet she has always honored her home country and culture. In much of Africa, baby wearing is a way of life, shaping how babies experience their first years. When Busi arrived in Canada, she set out to design a carrier that honored those traditions while also meeting the comfort and safety expectations of Western parents.

No matter where you are in your parenting journey, one thing is clear: by listening to this podcast, you are choosing to grow, to make space, and to care with intention.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend. To learn more about Busi's company, visit babuebabycarriers.com 

Key Takeaways:

• Baby carriers should place the weight around the hips & torso, not shoulders.
• You are shaping your baby's nervous system from the moment they're born.
• Don't fear the teenage years, lead with empathy.
• The deepest human need is to be known, and that's true for you with your baby.
• You and your baby have the ability to co-regulate.

More on Busi Musiiwa:

• "BabueBaby Carriers" Official Website: https://babuebabycarriers.com/ 
• Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babuebabycarriers 
• Company Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/babuebabycarriers 

Ready to Connect with Greer?:

• "Nurture Neuroscience" Website: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgreerkirshenbaum/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greerkirshenbaum/
• FREE GUIDE, "Nurture Your Baby's Stress: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/nurture-your-babys-stress
• FREE GUIDE, "Manage the Stressors & Triggers of Parenting": https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/manage-the-stressors-of-parenting
• Order "The Nurture Revolution" Book: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/the-nurture-revolution

Your intuition as a mother is to care for your child… and it's OK to trust it.

On today's episode of the Spoil Your Baby podcast, Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum sits down with Kelly Yefet, a mother, keynote speaker, brand and growth advisor, entrepreneur, and Greer's sister-in-law.

Greer and Kelly have known each other for many years, and even while personally knowing and understanding the science behind co-sleeping, many people in Kelly's circle were encouraging her to follow a more modern sleep training approach with her newborn daughter, Noah. It wasn't until Noah was actually born that Kelly's intuition fully kicked in. She realized she absolutely did not want to be apart from her child while they slept.

This is a powerful, real-life example of how society often pushes us to parent in ways that go against our natural instincts. Most importantly, it is a reminder that it's OK to trust yourself when it comes to co-sleeping and connection.

No matter where you are in your parenting journey, one thing is clear: by listening to this podcast, you are choosing to grow, to make space, and to care with intention.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend. To learn more about the Badass Affirmation Cards for Women, visit: amazon.com/Nurture-Neuroscience-Affirmation-Cards-Badass/dp/B0F5P5TQDT

Key Takeaways:

• As a new mother, don't be afraid to trust your gut.
• Having a calm, happy, playful, baby isn't just the result of luck.
• When you become a pro at co-sleeping, it allows for a more restful night.

More on Kelly Yefet:

• Official Website: https://kellyyefet.com/ 
• LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kellyyefet 
• "How I Became" Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howibecame_/ 
• X: https://x.com/kelly_saltzman 
• Badass Affirmation Cards for Women: amazon.com/Nurture-Neuroscience-Affirmation-Cards-Badass/dp/B0F5P5TQDT 

Ready to Connect with Greer?:

• "Nurture Neuroscience" Website: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgreerkirshenbaum/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greerkirshenbaum/
• FREE GUIDE, "Nurture Your Baby's Stress: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/nurture-your-babys-stress
• FREE GUIDE, "Manage the Stressors & Triggers of Parenting": https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/manage-the-stressors-of-parenting
• Order "The Nurture Revolution" Book: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/the-nurture-revolution

On today's episode of the Spoil Your Baby podcast, Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum is joined by master herbalist, certified lactation consultant, doula, and mother of seven, Sara Chana Silverstein. With over 45,000 mothers and babies supported through lactation, Sara Chana brings a wealth of clinical wisdom and heart-centered, holistic care to the table.

Together, they explore the benefits of mixing conventional medicine with herbs, and unravel one of the biggest misconceptions in modern motherhood: that herbs are "unregulated" or unsafe. In truth, when used accurately, these ancient plant allies can be powerful tools to support physical recovery, emotional wellbeing, and postpartum healing.

From calming tinctures like skullcap and motherwort to nourishing teas like nettle and lemon balm, this conversation will shift the way you think about postpartum care. Sara Chana also breaks down why most breastfeeding issues are about baby training, not milk supply—and why modern medicine often misses the mark on long-term maternal health.

This is the episode for every parent who has ever felt dropped after giving birth… and wants to reclaim simple, effective tools for lifelong care.

Key Takeaways:

• Herbs like nettle, skullcap, valerian, and motherwort can support pregnancy, postpartum, and emotional wellbeing with minimal risk and maximum impact
• Most postpartum recovery protocols in Western medicine are lacking, but herbs offer real solutions for healing, mood, and energy
• Kids can safely use herbs, too (think lemon balm popsicles, elderberry tea, and catnip tinctures)
• You don't need to "enrich" your milk, you need to nourish the mother
• Safe, trusted herbal brands include: Herbalist & Alchemist, Herb Pharm, and WishGarden

More from Sara Chana:

Website + Free Resources: www.sarachana.com
Moodtopia (for moms) + Moodtopia for Kids (coming soon!)

Instagram @sarachanas: 1-min plant tutorials for busy moms

Brain health matters… and it's worth prioritizing with your children.

On today's episode of the Spoil Your Baby podcast, Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum sits down with Marion Van Horn, PhD. Marion is a neuroscientist and a mom whose work took on a whole new meaning when it started to overlap with her everyday life. As she began to understand more about how babies' minds grow and develop, it reshaped the way she thought about parenting.

That journey led Marion to team up with an illustrator to create something special: a series of coloring books about the brain, designed to bring children and parents together. They are playful, meaningful, and full of simple ways to spark connection. And the truth is, it is never too early to help kids start understanding what is going on inside their own minds.

No matter where you are in your own parenting journey, one thing is clear. By listening to this podcast, you are choosing to grow, to make space, and to care with intention.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend. To learn more about the Brain Coloring Book, visit Marion's website: https://www.thebraincolouringbook.com/

Key Takeaways:

• Your baby's mind is constantly growing and changing through its development
• Your child will retain what you choose to expose them to
• Focusing on your child's brain health has huge benefits for the parent as well
• The best way to get your kid to do something is to start by doing it yourself

More on Marion Van Horn:

• LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/marion-van-horn-phd-b937b35 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marion.phd
• "The Brain Colouring Book": https://www.thebraincolouringbook.com/ 

Ready to Connect with Greer?:

• "Nurture Neuroscience" Website: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgreerkirshenbaum/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greerkirshenbaum/
• FREE GUIDE, "Nurture Your Baby's Stress: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/nurture-your-babys-stress
• FREE GUIDE, "Manage the Stressors & Triggers of Parenting": https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/manage-the-stressors-of-parenting
• Order "The Nurture Revolution" Book: https://www.nurture-neuroscience.com/the-nurture-revolution

The world will be stressful for your child. That's why they need you as a safe haven.

On today's episode of the Spoil Your Baby podcast, Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum is joined once again by co-host Rocio Zunini, Ph.D., a neuroscientist, parental brain educator, and expert on the connection between your body and your baby.

There's a common piece of advice in the parenting world that can be so harmful, we felt it needed an entire episode:

Some people will tell you that because the world is harsh, we need to be harsh with our babies to prepare them for what's to come. This advice is not just misguided, it goes against decades of research. Yes, the world can be challenging. But what your child truly needs is a safe haven to return to. A place where they feel loved, seen, and supported.

Today's conversation is all about stress. How much is helpful for growth? When does it become too much? Where do we draw the line? And who can we trust for guidance? These questions aren't easy, but they're essential for any parent.

No matter where you are in your parenting journey, one thing is already true. By listening to this podcast, you're making space to grow, to be more intentional, and to show up with care.

If this episode resonates, share it with a friend! And if you'd like to join our free five-day event for mothers this July, visit instagram.com/drgreerkirshenbaum and comment "BLOOM" on any post to receive a personal invitation via DM.

Key Takeaways:

• The world can be hard on our babies, but children thrive most when they have a deeply nurturing parent
• Your relationship to your child is the most important thing
• You are the safe haven in a stressful world
• Your child should face mild stressors at home with your loving guidance