Cynthia Parente is the founder of Nana Approved and the creator of the Developmental Continuity Model (DCM), an evidence-informed framework designed to help families continue a baby's developmental journey after leaving the hospital. For more than 30 years, she has worked directly with thousands of new parents through early childhood education programs, translating decades of developmental research into practical guidance families can use from birth.
She is the author of Nana's Notes: A Parenting Primer and advocates for making developmental education as accessible as medical discharge instructions. Her work brings together research in neuroscience, early childhood development, responsive caregiving, play, communication, music, and touch to strengthen parent confidence during a child's first 1,000 days.
Cynthia collaborates with hospitals, health systems, maternal health organizations, and strategic partners to help ensure every new family leaves the hospital not only medically prepared, but developmentally informed. She shares updates on LinkedIn.
Every day, hospitals across America perform one of medicine’s greatest achievements.
A family arrives anxious and uncertain. A baby is born. Skilled physicians, nurses, therapists, and support staff guide mother and child safely through pregnancy, birth, and recovery. Before discharge, families receive careful instruction on feeding, safe sleep, car seats, medications, warning signs, and follow-up care.
In Connecticut, that commitment to the discharge moment has grown even further. Hospitals are now sending …
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Newborn brain development starts at discharge
