Ep 118: Predicting Attachment Styles and Navigating Pregnancy: A Deep Dive with Drs. Shalaka and Alyson
Host: Cindy Hovington
GUESTs: Dr. Shalaka Shah & Dr. Alyson Baker
Shalaka earned her Ph.D. in child psychology at McGill University. Her thesis is on the influence of maternal prenatal stress, child genetics, and parenting on the development of attachment in children.
She has completed her clinical residency in Victoria, B.C. She is a registered psychologist and sees children and families in her clinical practice in Montreal.
During the course of this podcast, she shares her journey to successfully conceiving a child through IVF. She lives with her two cats, Tonks and Remus, and her husband.
Alyson is an internal medicine specialist in Victoriaville, Quebec. She went to medical school at McGill and then did her residency at the Université de Montréal. She has a particular interest in obstetrical medecine, which focuses on illnesses in the pregnant woman, and is involved in the GEMOQ (Groupe d’Étude en Médecine Obstétrical du Québec) as an administrator.
She is currently living in Victoriaville with her partner, their huge dog ‘Buck’, and her newborn twins !
Summary
Can you predict your child's attachment style before they're even born? Join us as we unravel the fascinating world of pregnancy, attachment, and mental health with our special guests Drs. Shalaka and Allison. As Shalaka shares her research on predicting attachment through biological predictors and exposure to prenatal and postnatal stress, Allison offers her expertise as a doctor specializing in internal medicine, cardiology, nephrology, and obstetrical medicine.
Together, we debunk myths surrounding pregnancy and gender predictions while emphasizing the importance of evidence-based information when it comes to lifestyle during pregnancy. We also discuss the uncomfortable experience of having strangers touch your belly while pregnant and explore the need for more conversations about pregnancy and childbirth in our society. Our guests also touch on the crucial role community support plays for new parents and the cultural expectations often placed on mothers.
Don't miss out on this engaging discussion about the significance of reflection during pregnancy and the need to focus on both our children's individual needs and our own mental health and stability. Learn about the research surrounding attachment and the importance of recurrent interactions between children and their caregivers, and how Shalaka and Allison's Growing Facts Podcast is helping to create much-needed conversations around pregnancy and parenting.
Resources:
Hosts of The Growing Facts Podcast
Read a blog post that has a Q&A with Dr. Shalaka Shah