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Want your kids to eat veggies? It’s up to pregnant mom 🥦

Want your kids to eat veggies? It’s up to pregnant mom 🥦

Plus: I'm taking a break from Dad Psych...

Daniel Hoadley
February 19, 2025

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Hi, this is Dan from Dad Psych.

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Before we begin…

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Want your kids to eat veggies? It’s up to pregnant mom 🥦

Ever thought about how you’re going to convince your kid to eat their greens? Turns out, you can start right now, even before they’re born.

A new study from Durham University found that babies exposed to certain foods during the last trimester of pregnancy actually react positively to those smells after they're born. Researchers gave expecting mums kale or carrot capsules, and their newborns showed happier expressions when they caught a whiff of those veggies. Yes, even kale.

But this isn’t just a plot to turn your partner into a veggie machine while you sneak off for chips. It’s a chance to be a dynamic duo. You can make healthy choices together - whether it's cooking up a veggie-packed dinner, suggesting some leafy greens, or just showing that you’re all in for the team effort.

Because let’s face it, getting your kid to love veggies is the parenting jackpot. If you can start that journey before they even arrive, you’re already winning. And who knows? You might even end up liking kale yourself. Stranger things have happened.

Read the full report here 👈

How your phone might be impacting your baby's language development

A new study published in Child Development has shed light on how even brief phone use can affect how much we talk to our babies.

The research tracked 16 mother-infant pairs over a week, finding that short phone use episodes (just 1-2 minutes) were linked to a 26% drop in speech directed at infants. Even longer phone use reduced speech by 12%.

The study suggests that the biggest speech drop-offs happened during key daily routines like mealtimes or caregiving, when interaction is usually higher. The takeaway? It's not about ditching your phone entirely (which isn't realistic), but about being aware of when and how it might pull you away from engaging with your baby.

If you find yourself reaching for your phone during those crucial bonding moments, try setting small phone-free windows—especially during feeding times or playtime. A little mindfulness can go a long way in ensuring your baby gets the speech input they need for healthy language development.

Read the full report here 👈️

Taking a break (for a solid reason)

Right then lads, i’m off on a bit of a break from Dad Psych.

and the reason is…

This gorgeous little man!

Welcome to the world, Alfie.

Take care boys, will post as soon as we’ve got our shit together 😂

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