Evidence-based parenting decisions: breastfeeding, vaccines & screen time (with Emily Oster)

Two Parents & A Podcast

Alex & Harrison Fugman

Relationships, Society & Culture, Kids & Family, Parenting

4.1 • 641 Ratings

🗓️ 22 December 2025

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, we’re back with Emily Oster (bestselling author, economist, and the data-driven voice behind ParentData.org) this time diving into some of the most common (and most stressful???) early parenting decisions. From breastfeeding and formula to alcohol while nursing, sleep training, childcare, discipline, screen time, and vaccines, Emily explains what’s actually supported by research versus what’s been inflated by guilt, outdated thinking, and internet panic. She breaks down why some benefits are smaller than they’re often made out to be, why rigid “rules” can miss the bigger picture, and why parents deserve clearer context without shame. If you’ve ever questioned the parenting “rules,” this episode offers more context (not more rules) so you can decide what works for your family!!! Timestamps: 00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast! (pt 2 with Emily Oster) 00:00:48 Introduction to Emily Oster 00:01:48 Breastfeeding: what benefits are actually proven (and how big are they)? 00:07:50 Alcohol while breastfeeding: do you ever need to pump & dump? 00:09:25 Sleep training / cry it out: is it safe — and what does the data say long-term? 00:14:46 Child care: does daycare/nannies affect kids — and what should parents prioritize? 00:17:31 Spanking & discipline: does spanking work — and what’s the better alternative? 00:23:48 Screen time: what matters for toddlers — and is “overstimulation” real? 00:36:30 Vaccines: should you follow the schedule, space them out, or opt out of any? 00:43:54 Thank you for listening! #twoparentsandapod --------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you to our sponsors this week: *Aura Frames: $35 off with code TWOPARENTS — shop perfect holiday gifts at https://on.auraframes.com/TWOPARENTS. *Nutrafol: Get $10 off your first month’s subscription plus free shipping at https://www.nutrafol.com with code TWOPARENTS. *Kachava: Get 15% off your next order at https://www.kachava.com with code TWOPARENTS. *Quince: Step into the holiday season with layers made to last. Head to https://www.quince.com/alex for free shipping and 365-day returns. --------------------------------------------------------------- Listen to the pod on YouTube/Spotify/Apple: https://www.youtube.com/@twoparentsandapod https://open.spotify.com/show/7BxuZnHmNzOX9MdnzyU4bD?si=5e715ebaf9014fac https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-parents-a-podcast/id1737442386 --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow Two Parents & A Podcast: Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/twoparentsandapod TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@twoparentsandapod Follow Alex Bennett: Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/justalexbennett TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@justalexbennett Follow Harrison Fugman: Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/harrisonfugman TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@harrisonfugman Find our guest: Website | https://parentdata.org/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/profemilyoster TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@profemilyoster --------------------------------------------------------------- Powered by: Just Media House – https://www.justmediahouse.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:49.8	Welcome back to another episode of Two Parents and a podcast. You guys today is part two with Emily
0:56.1	Auster. If you missed the first episode, it was last week on Monday and what we were talking about
1:01.4	was all things pregnancy, right? Like, can you eat sushi? Can you get Botox? What about Deli Meets?
1:07.9	And she gave us all the answers. I love the way she talked. She's very direct.
1:12.0	So if that episode applies to you or somebody you know, that was last week. This week we are
1:16.4	talking about all the first you encounter in the first couple of years when you have your baby,
1:21.8	right? So screen time, discipline, formula versus breastfeeding was an interesting one. And so we dive into all of that
1:30.9	with her. She's incredible. I love the way she answers questions. She's direct. And if you don't know
1:36.2	who Emily is, even though I think she needs no introduction, she's a bestselling author. She's an
1:41.2	economist and she's the data-driven voice behind parent data.org where she helps
1:47.0	parents cut through fear-based advice, understand what research actually says and make confident
1:53.8	decisions that work for their family without guilt or judgment. So without further do you guys,
1:59.0	let's get right into this episode with Emily.
2:01.0	Okay, guys, we're back with Emily Oster. You're welcome because I know we all have a lot of
2:06.6	questions for her. The first episode was all about pregnancy and birth. And now we're going
2:12.5	into debunking myths and decision-making guides for early parenting years, which you know a lot about.
	...

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