The latest research in neuroscience and parenting come together in this groundbreaking book, which brings to light new realizations about the power of nurture for our children's mental and physical health outcomes.
Greer Kirshenbaum, PhD. is a neuroscientist, doula, and parent. Her work began the goal of developing new treatments for poor mental health; she dreamed of creating a new medication to address conditions like anxiety, depression, addiction, and chronic stress. Over time, she realized that science had already uncovered a powerful medicine for alleviating mental health struggles, but the answer wasn't a pill. It was a preventative approach: when babies' receive nurturing care in the first three years of life, it builds strong, resilient brains -- brains that are less susceptible to poor mental health.
How can parents best set their children up for success? In this revelatory book, Kirshenbaum makes plain that nurture is a preventative medicine against mental health issues. She challenges the idea that the way to cultivate independence is through letting babies cry it out or sleep alone; instead, the way to raise a confident, independent child is to lean into your instincts as a parent. Hold your infant as much as you want. Check on them when they cry, share beds with them, maintain skin-to-skin contact--and this is backed-up by science, which shows that nurturing experiences transforms lives, and improves mental health, physical health, and life outcomes. Nurturing is a gift of resilience and health that parents can give the next generation simply by following their instincts to care for their young.
