This is Origin Stories, the Leaky Foundation podcast. I'm Meredith Johnson.

Humans spend more time growing up, more time as kids than almost any other creature on Earth.

And human children need a lot of care. As a species, we invest an enormous

amount of time and energy into bringing up our babies. This unique investment is a big part of what

makes us, us. Over the next three episodes, we'll explore human evolution by looking at childhood and the fundamental relationships that shape our species and our lives.

Origin Stories contributor Leo Hornack, who recently became a father, has our story.

So this is your elder.

Oh, they're such gorgeous kids, aren't they?

This one's that, that one's like, it's spoiled.

Let's see them.

It's 11 in the morning and I'm at a suburban home on the outskirts of London.

There's about 10 people here, mostly in their 20s and 30s. And right now it's break time and everyone is swapping baby photos.

It's fair to say that as the only man, I stand out a little bit.

Oh, lovely.

They're so cute.

Good looking boys.

Maybe it's not that surprising.

There's a real emphasis on kids and children at this meeting.

Everyone, apart from me, is here to learn a new set of skills,

skills deeply tied to the idea of parenthood and motherhood in particular.

This is one of the only courses in Britain for training what are known as

postnatal doulers, women who support new mothers and babies in the weeks immediately after

...