It is hard to believe, but 2022 is coming to an end. ParentData is off the rest of this week, but we’ll be back next Monday to talk about whether data suggests an optimal age for sleep training.
In the meantime, here are a few of my top posts/podcasts/reels from the past year to keep you entertained.
Top posts
Most of this year’s top posts were about COVID. I’m glad those were useful! But these are a few that are not about COVID that you might have missed:
- Unpacking the new AAP guidelines on breastfeeding and safe sleep: Do we really need to remove hats from our babies now?
- Vitamins are mostly pointless. Really. Yes, even that one vitamin that random Instagram post said is magic. There were so many follow-ups, we needed a Q&A post to cover them.
- The great Miranda Featherstone’s excellent essay on talking to kids about death.
- In Wins and Woes, you all gave other readers a lot of support and advice about having more kids, going back to work after maternity leave, and preparing for twins.
- Finally, two of my favorites, which were somehow not among the most-read this year: Botox use in pregnancy (and breastfeeding), and getting in the weeds with pinworms and lice.
Note: We have made these posts open to all for the rest of December. If you like being able to read or search for older posts, you can have full access to our archive as a paid subscriber. It’s an awesome benefit and makes a great gift for a new parent. Go to parentdata.org/subscribe to learn more.
Top ParentData podcast episodes
You hopefully know by now that I record all the Monday and Thursday newsletters so people can listen if that’s easier for them. These come out on the ParentData podcast. I especially love having this audio format for interviews. You can always read them in transcript form in the newsletter, but listening usually beats it.
Here are the top three listens from last year:
- What’s Wrong with Parenting in America, with Jessica Grose and Yael Schonbrun
- How to Talk to Kids About Sex, with Miranda Featherstone
- How to Get Kids to Eat Their Lunches, with Marnie Hanel
Instagram Reels
I spent a reasonably significant amount of time on Instagram (@profemilyoster) answering your questions or providing guidance. As you well know, Instagram loves a good reel. So here are our top three from the past year:
Non-ParentData podcasts
Finally: a huge treat this year was getting to be on a number of other podcasts, talking to amazing hosts about all kinds of things. In case you missed it, here are a few:
- “Race to 35: Day 3 + Emily Oster + January Jones” — Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
- “Emily Oster on the Real Data Parents Need” — Good Inside with Dr. Becky
- “473. Emily Oster, Economist, Author, Professor, Runner” and “571. Emily Oster, LIVE at the Tracksmith Trackhouse” — Ali on the Run Show (Ali let me be on twice! I’m going for three times next year.)
- “Meet Emily Oster, New York Times Best Selling Author” — MOMumental: A Journey
Final thoughts
Overall, for me, it was a complicated year. There were some extremely high highs, especially professionally, and some extremely low lows, especially personally. In one week in June, I went to a gala as one of the TIME 100 honorees and, two days later, lost my mom. Losing her put a lot of the year in perspective, and I think about her all the time as I move forward.
Onward to 2023! I hope to see you all there.