Pregnancy and Parenting: Evidence for Empowered and Informed Practice

FEATURING • Emily Oster, Professor of Economics, Brown University • Lisa Noguchi, Director, Maternal Newborn Health, Jhpiego • Pooja Sripad, Associate, Population Council MODERATOR • Carleigh Krubiner, Policy Fellow, Center for Global Development ABOUT THE EVENT Advice on pregnancy and parenting has long been dominated by “conventional wisdom” and conflicting recommendations about what’s best for babies and young children, resulting in anxiety and some misguided decisions about how to support healthy childhood development. At the same time, the public health community is exploring the best ways to improve maternal and child health across the globe, with an eye to promoting health and agency. So what does the evidence actually say about best practices in pregnancy and parenting? How can we use evidence to empower parents and practitioners to make informed decisions, combat growing sources of misinformation, and alleviate unwarranted social pressures around practices that may not be backed by the evidence? This event will explore the value of making evidence-based decisions from conception into the early years of childhood. Emily Oster, bestselling author and economist, will share highlights from her new book, Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool. She will then be joined by the other panelists to discuss the role of evidence for parents, practitioners, and policymakers in a variety of global contexts. Copies of Cribsheet and Expecting Better will be available for purchase. Children are welcome to attend and there is a lactation room on-site.