Related to “prior caregiving experience” I also wonder about how the broad category of “history of emotional caretaking or codependency” plays into the experience. For me, yes, I had a LOT more direct infant and child care experience than my male partner; but, it often feels like the way my brain searches for and responses to needs in the family is more related to how I have been socialized to caretake in public spaces and my hypersensitivity/vigilance from growing up with an active addict than knowing more about infant sleep. Especially with the lens of parenting as development stage, it would seem at least experiences that led to codependency would have an impact.
I started reading your book yesterday (the way I read most books these days -- on my phone, while nursing) and I'm looking forward to more.
Does the neuroscience tell us anything about how parenthood reshapes our ability to experience pleasure and satisfaction? I am leaving these categories broad--so could be anything from sexual pleasure to the satisfaction of completing a project.
I’m really interested in the questions you name -- about the impact of prior caregiving experiences, pregnancy loss, and neurodivergence on the way we show up to new parenthood. I bring all three to my parenting picture and am still sorting them out for myself, and because I hold those identities (some of which are more marginalized than others) I am also accustomed to not being represented in the data. I guess where I have landed myself as a writer and mother is believing that we have to keep offering our individual stories to each other to fill and resist this silence, until the science can begin to meet us there halfway. I’m so glad you fought for this book in the meantime as part of that effort. And that the publishing industry was willing to meet you there in the early days of this science.
Related to “prior caregiving experience” I also wonder about how the broad category of “history of emotional caretaking or codependency” plays into the experience. For me, yes, I had a LOT more direct infant and child care experience than my male partner; but, it often feels like the way my brain searches for and responses to needs in the family is more related to how I have been socialized to caretake in public spaces and my hypersensitivity/vigilance from growing up with an active addict than knowing more about infant sleep. Especially with the lens of parenting as development stage, it would seem at least experiences that led to codependency would have an impact.
Thanks for the mention!
I started reading your book yesterday (the way I read most books these days -- on my phone, while nursing) and I'm looking forward to more.
Does the neuroscience tell us anything about how parenthood reshapes our ability to experience pleasure and satisfaction? I am leaving these categories broad--so could be anything from sexual pleasure to the satisfaction of completing a project.
Loved this Chelsea! And thank you for the Momfluenced love :)
I’m really interested in the questions you name -- about the impact of prior caregiving experiences, pregnancy loss, and neurodivergence on the way we show up to new parenthood. I bring all three to my parenting picture and am still sorting them out for myself, and because I hold those identities (some of which are more marginalized than others) I am also accustomed to not being represented in the data. I guess where I have landed myself as a writer and mother is believing that we have to keep offering our individual stories to each other to fill and resist this silence, until the science can begin to meet us there halfway. I’m so glad you fought for this book in the meantime as part of that effort. And that the publishing industry was willing to meet you there in the early days of this science.