Cara is a pediatrician, consultant, speaker, co-host of the This Is So Awkward podcast, and a New York Times best-selling author. She’s the co-founder and CEO of Less Awkward, created when her kids began puberty. She graduated from Harvard College and Johns Hopkins Medical School, trained at UCSF, and lives in Los Angeles.
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Reflux: It’s more common than you think! Comment “Link” for an article by @thepediatricianmom breaking down the information we have about reflux — what it is, what you can do, and red flags to look out for.
This graph shows how reflux changes with age. Nearly half of all babies experience reflux by 3 months, often peaking around 4 months before improving by their first birthday. And remember, if you’re struggling, you’re not alone. The most effective treatment for infant reflux is time. It will get better!
#parentdata #refluxbaby #babyreflux #spitup #parentingadvice #emilyoster
Reflux: It’s more common than you think! Comment “Link” for an article by @thepediatricianmom breaking down the information we have about reflux — what it is, what you can do, and red flags to look out for.
This graph shows how reflux changes with age. Nearly half of all babies experience reflux by 3 months, often peaking around 4 months before improving by their first birthday. And remember, if you’re struggling, you’re not alone. The most effective treatment for infant reflux is time. It will get better!
#parentdata #refluxbaby #babyreflux #spitup #parentingadvice #emilyoster
Is homework important? 📚 Comment “Link” for an article digging into what the data tells us.
Homework can boost learning and problem-solving skills, but too much might affect sleep and playtime. Finding a balance is essential for maximizing benefits and minimizing drawbacks.
What’s your take on homework? Do you find it helpful or stressful? Share your thoughts below! ⬇️
#parentdata #emilyoster #homework #homeworkhelp #childsleep #childlearning #schoolassignment
Is homework important? 📚 Comment “Link” for an article digging into what the data tells us.
Homework can boost learning and problem-solving skills, but too much might affect sleep and playtime. Finding a balance is essential for maximizing benefits and minimizing drawbacks.
What’s your take on homework? Do you find it helpful or stressful? Share your thoughts below! ⬇️
#parentdata #emilyoster #homework #homeworkhelp #childsleep #childlearning #schoolassignment
We’re heading into a three-day weekend, which means a lot of you might take the opportunity to do some potty training.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
🚽 It takes longer than three days (based on the data!)
🚽 Your child will have trouble staying dry at night.
🚽 Poop sometimes comes later than pee – this is common, you just have to work through it.
Comment “Link” for an article that breaks down potty training data from ParentData readers, along with helpful tips and tricks.
#pottytraining #pottytrainingtips #pottytrainingproblems #parentdata #emilyoster
We’re heading into a three-day weekend, which means a lot of you might take the opportunity to do some potty training.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
🚽 It takes longer than three days (based on the data!)
🚽 Your child will have trouble staying dry at night.
🚽 Poop sometimes comes later than pee – this is common, you just have to work through it.
Comment “Link” for an article that breaks down potty training data from ParentData readers, along with helpful tips and tricks.
#pottytraining #pottytrainingtips #pottytrainingproblems #parentdata #emilyoster
Trampoline parks: great way to get the sillies out or injury haven? Or both? Comment “Link” for an article breaking down a 2023 study on injury trends in trampoline parks.
Here’s a visualisation based on the paper, showing the injury rate by area. Beware the foam pit and the high-performance areas! Slam-dunking, though, seems fine.
#parentdata #emilyoster #trampolinepark #childsafety #trampolinefun
Trampoline parks: great way to get the sillies out or injury haven? Or both? Comment “Link” for an article breaking down a 2023 study on injury trends in trampoline parks.
Here’s a visualisation based on the paper, showing the injury rate by area. Beware the foam pit and the high-performance areas! Slam-dunking, though, seems fine.
#parentdata #emilyoster #trampolinepark #childsafety #trampolinefun
Lead in chocolate? In tampons? In your beloved Stanley Cup?! It’s easy to be alarmed by the headlines. But here’s the good news: lead exposure has actually decreased significantly over the years. While some products have raised concerns, it’s important to remember that your child’s lead levels today are likely much lower than they were for previous generations.
👉 Comment “Link” for an article about the data behind these panic headlines and why it’s crucial to understand the real risks.
#parentdata #emilyoster #publichealth #leadscare #panicheadline
Lead in chocolate? In tampons? In your beloved Stanley Cup?! It’s easy to be alarmed by the headlines. But here’s the good news: lead exposure has actually decreased significantly over the years. While some products have raised concerns, it’s important to remember that your child’s lead levels today are likely much lower than they were for previous generations.
👉 Comment “Link” for an article about the data behind these panic headlines and why it’s crucial to understand the real risks.
#parentdata #emilyoster #publichealth #leadscare #panicheadline
I’m teaming up with @Wholefoods to remind you that even though school lunches can be tricky, they have everything you need, from conventional to organic, to give you peace of mind about the foods your kids eat. Through their rigorous Quality Standards, they ban 300+ ingredients from food.
Does your kid have any special or weird lunch requests? Share in the comments! Tap the link in my bio for more tips and inspiration #WholeFoodsMarket
I’m teaming up with @Wholefoods to remind you that even though school lunches can be tricky, they have everything you need, from conventional to organic, to give you peace of mind about the foods your kids eat. Through their rigorous Quality Standards, they ban 300+ ingredients from food.
Does your kid have any special or weird lunch requests? Share in the comments! Tap the link in my bio for more tips and inspiration #WholeFoodsMarket
Travel is already stressful. Add kids to the equation, and it becomes even more complicated. Here are 3 tips and considerations for handling jet lag in kids.
#travelwithkids #jetlag #melatonin #parentingtips #parentdata #emilyoster
Travel is already stressful. Add kids to the equation, and it becomes even more complicated. Here are 3 tips and considerations for handling jet lag in kids.
#travelwithkids #jetlag #melatonin #parentingtips #parentdata #emilyoster
Happy 11th birthday to #ExpectingBetter 🎂🎉 Writing this book completely changed my life. I could never have imagined the opportunities and community it would lead me to. Grateful to all of you for reading and being here!
To celebrate, you can use the code “expectingbetter” for 15% off Web or Plus subscriptions on ParentData.org 💛
#bookbirthday #pregnancyadvice #parentdata #emilyoster
Happy 11th birthday to #ExpectingBetter 🎂🎉 Writing this book completely changed my life. I could never have imagined the opportunities and community it would lead me to. Grateful to all of you for reading and being here!
To celebrate, you can use the code “expectingbetter” for 15% off Web or Plus subscriptions on ParentData.org 💛
#bookbirthday #pregnancyadvice #parentdata #emilyoster
Screens have become a ubiquitous part of classroom life. Is this a good thing? Today on the ParentData podcast, I talk with @jessgrosewrites from the @nytimes. She recently ran a survey asking about kids’ screen usage after not being able to find studies and data on the subject.
“Nothing is all bad or all good. But I think overall, there just has been very little scrutiny into something that has been a massive shift in the way kids learn in the past, let’s say, two decades.”
Comment “Link” for a DM to listen to today’s podcast episode. 🎧
#screentime #technologyintheclassroom #parentdatapodcast #parentdata #emilyoster
Screens have become a ubiquitous part of classroom life. Is this a good thing? Today on the ParentData podcast, I talk with @jessgrosewrites from the @nytimes. She recently ran a survey asking about kids’ screen usage after not being able to find studies and data on the subject.
“Nothing is all bad or all good. But I think overall, there just has been very little scrutiny into something that has been a massive shift in the way kids learn in the past, let’s say, two decades.”
Comment “Link” for a DM to listen to today’s podcast episode. 🎧
#screentime #technologyintheclassroom #parentdatapodcast #parentdata #emilyoster
We surveyed the ParentData audience and here’s what you said about the worst baby products. Bottom of the list: unnecessary warmers. Don’t get your kid used to having warm diaper wipes! Nothing good can come of that.
Comment “Link” for the best baby items and other parenting wisdom from the ParentData community. Best general advice: get things used, and you do not need as much as you think.
Add your advice below! What do you wish you’d known about in advance, and what was a waste? ⬇️
#parentdata #emilyoster #babyproducts #babyitems #newparents #firsttimeparents
We surveyed the ParentData audience and here’s what you said about the worst baby products. Bottom of the list: unnecessary warmers. Don’t get your kid used to having warm diaper wipes! Nothing good can come of that.
Comment “Link” for the best baby items and other parenting wisdom from the ParentData community. Best general advice: get things used, and you do not need as much as you think.
Add your advice below! What do you wish you’d known about in advance, and what was a waste? ⬇️
#parentdata #emilyoster #babyproducts #babyitems #newparents #firsttimeparents
Breast is great. But formula is also great. Shaming people for making either choice is harmful. Comment “Link” for an article on formula and the differences between brands.
#emilyoster #parentdata #babyformula #breastfedbaby #babyhealth
Breast is great. But formula is also great. Shaming people for making either choice is harmful. Comment “Link” for an article on formula and the differences between brands.
#emilyoster #parentdata #babyformula #breastfedbaby #babyhealth
Vitamins are vitamins. More expensive ≠ Better! Comment “Link” for an article on what’s really necessary in prenatal vitamins.
Bottom line: If you want to get the fancy vitamins, go right ahead, but don’t feel pressured to if it’s not in budget. As long as your prenatal vitamins have the essentials, I say save money and go for the generic.
#prenatal #prenatalvitamins #pregnancy #pregnancyhealth #emilyoster #parentdata
Vitamins are vitamins. More expensive ≠ Better! Comment “Link” for an article on what’s really necessary in prenatal vitamins.
Bottom line: If you want to get the fancy vitamins, go right ahead, but don’t feel pressured to if it’s not in budget. As long as your prenatal vitamins have the essentials, I say save money and go for the generic.
#prenatal #prenatalvitamins #pregnancy #pregnancyhealth #emilyoster #parentdata
The “Cocomelon is bad” conversation has resurfaced. Comment “Link” for an article that breaks this down and will possibly encourage you to spend less time worrying about it.
#parentdata #emilyoster #cocomelon #screentime #kidstv
The “Cocomelon is bad” conversation has resurfaced. Comment “Link” for an article that breaks this down and will possibly encourage you to spend less time worrying about it.
#parentdata #emilyoster #cocomelon #screentime #kidstv
Don’t worry about buying a bottle warmer, worry about your relationship. Comment “Link” for an article by @yaelschonbrun on ways to help baby-proof your relationship.
#parentdata #emilyoster #newparents #lifeafterbaby #relationshipadvice
Don’t worry about buying a bottle warmer, worry about your relationship. Comment “Link” for an article by @yaelschonbrun on ways to help baby-proof your relationship.
#parentdata #emilyoster #newparents #lifeafterbaby #relationshipadvice
How do we get our kids excited about math? Can every kid be a “math kid”? Shalinee Sharma of @zearnmath shares her insights on the ParentData podcast.
When I offered her a magic wand to fix math education, she told me: “We have to pair understanding with memorizing. And the best way to understand really anything, but especially math, is simple pictures, concrete context, just make it feel real, not abstract and theoretical. What’s a negative number? Think about if sea level is zero and then you dive into the ocean, that’s a negative number. And then you climb a mountain, well that’s a positive number… We just need pictures to be a part of mathematics.”
Comment “Link” for a DM to listen to today’s podcast episode. 🎧
#parentdata #parentdatapodcast #parentingpodcast #mathforkids #emilyoster
How do we get our kids excited about math? Can every kid be a “math kid”? Shalinee Sharma of @zearnmath shares her insights on the ParentData podcast.
When I offered her a magic wand to fix math education, she told me: “We have to pair understanding with memorizing. And the best way to understand really anything, but especially math, is simple pictures, concrete context, just make it feel real, not abstract and theoretical. What’s a negative number? Think about if sea level is zero and then you dive into the ocean, that’s a negative number. And then you climb a mountain, well that’s a positive number… We just need pictures to be a part of mathematics.”
Comment “Link” for a DM to listen to today’s podcast episode. 🎧
#parentdata #parentdatapodcast #parentingpodcast #mathforkids #emilyoster
SLEEP DATA 💤 PART 3: When’s a typical bedtime for kids? Comment “Link” for a full article breaking down our findings!
In the first graph, we have age groups under one year. To see how to read this, look at the marked dot on the youngest age group line at 8:30 p.m. — if you go over to the y-axis, this is at 40%. That means 40% of kids in this age group are in bed at or before 8:30. All of the lines eventually hit 100% — all kids are in bed at some time (thank goodness).
Overall, there’s a clear pattern here. Babies under 3 months have both way more variation and on average later bedtimes, but as we move through 4 to 6 months and then to the second half of the year, bedtimes consolidate and are earlier. By 12 months, more than half of kids are in bed by 7:30 and 90% by 8:30.
The second graph below looks at the evolution of bedtime after the age of 1; we see bedtimes very gradually moving later as kids age. Still, I will note that well over 90% of kids in these data are in bed by 9 p.m. even at age 10.
Note: Survey data came from the ParentData audience and users of the Nanit sleep monitor system. Both audiences skew higher-education and higher-income than the average, and mostly have younger children. The final sample is 14,919 children. For more insights on our respondents, comment “Link” to read the full article.
#parentdata #emilyoster #childsleep #babysleep
SLEEP DATA 💤 PART 3: When’s a typical bedtime for kids? Comment “Link” for a full article breaking down our findings!
In the first graph, we have age groups under one year. To see how to read this, look at the marked dot on the youngest age group line at 8:30 p.m. — if you go over to the y-axis, this is at 40%. That means 40% of kids in this age group are in bed at or before 8:30. All of the lines eventually hit 100% — all kids are in bed at some time (thank goodness).
Overall, there’s a clear pattern here. Babies under 3 months have both way more variation and on average later bedtimes, but as we move through 4 to 6 months and then to the second half of the year, bedtimes consolidate and are earlier. By 12 months, more than half of kids are in bed by 7:30 and 90% by 8:30.
The second graph below looks at the evolution of bedtime after the age of 1; we see bedtimes very gradually moving later as kids age. Still, I will note that well over 90% of kids in these data are in bed by 9 p.m. even at age 10.
Note: Survey data came from the ParentData audience and users of the Nanit sleep monitor system. Both audiences skew higher-education and higher-income than the average, and mostly have younger children. The final sample is 14,919 children. For more insights on our respondents, comment “Link” to read the full article.
#parentdata #emilyoster #childsleep #babysleep
I hear from many of you that the information on ParentData makes you feel seen. Wherever you are on your journey, it’s always helpful to know you’re not alone.
Drop an emoji in the comments that best describes your pregnancy or parenting searches lately… 💤🚽🍻🎒💩
I hear from many of you that the information on ParentData makes you feel seen. Wherever you are on your journey, it’s always helpful to know you’re not alone.
Drop an emoji in the comments that best describes your pregnancy or parenting searches lately… 💤🚽🍻🎒💩
🌟 You’re invited! Save the date for Office Hours with Emily Oster 🌟 On July 31 at 2 pm ET / 11 am PT, we will tackle your toughest parenting challenges and talk through how you can take steps to improve your family’s everyday functioning. Hope to see you there!
Note: Office Hours are only open to paid subscribers. If you’re thinking about upgrading your subscription, comment “Link” for more information about our monthly virtual events.
🌟 You’re invited! Save the date for Office Hours with Emily Oster 🌟 On July 31 at 2 pm ET / 11 am PT, we will tackle your toughest parenting challenges and talk through how you can take steps to improve your family’s everyday functioning. Hope to see you there!
Note: Office Hours are only open to paid subscribers. If you’re thinking about upgrading your subscription, comment “Link” for more information about our monthly virtual events.
Milestones. We celebrate them in pregnancy, in parenting, and they’re a fun thing to celebrate at work too. Just a couple years ago I couldn’t have foreseen what this community would grow into. Today, there are over 400,000 of you here—asking questions, making others feel seen wherever they may be in their journey, and sharing information that supports data > panic.
It has been a busy summer for the team at ParentData. I’d love to take a moment here to celebrate the 400k milestone. As I’ve said before, it’s more important than ever to put good data in the hands of parents.
Share this post with a friend who could use a little more data, and a little less parenting overwhelm.
📷 Me and my oldest, collaborating on “Expecting Better”
Milestones. We celebrate them in pregnancy, in parenting, and they’re a fun thing to celebrate at work too. Just a couple years ago I couldn’t have foreseen what this community would grow into. Today, there are over 400,000 of you here—asking questions, making others feel seen wherever they may be in their journey, and sharing information that supports data > panic.
It has been a busy summer for the team at ParentData. I’d love to take a moment here to celebrate the 400k milestone. As I’ve said before, it’s more important than ever to put good data in the hands of parents.
Share this post with a friend who could use a little more data, and a little less parenting overwhelm.
📷 Me and my oldest, collaborating on “Expecting Better”
I spend a lot of time talking people down after they read the latest panic headline. In most cases, these articles create an unnecessary amount of stress around pregnancy and parenting. This is my pro tip for understanding whether the risk presented is something you should really be worrying about.
Comment “link” for an article with other tools to help you navigate risk and uncertainty.
#emilyoster #parentdata #riskmanagement #parentstruggles #parentingstruggles
I spend a lot of time talking people down after they read the latest panic headline. In most cases, these articles create an unnecessary amount of stress around pregnancy and parenting. This is my pro tip for understanding whether the risk presented is something you should really be worrying about.
Comment “link” for an article with other tools to help you navigate risk and uncertainty.
#emilyoster #parentdata #riskmanagement #parentstruggles #parentingstruggles