Why parents' mental health is important for the baby Scientists used to believe that a baby's brain was almost completely developed already at birth. Now they know better. But experts say this important, new knowledge has not been adequately taken into account.
How beneficial bacteria can help premature babies thrive SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: A similar type of probiotics that you take to prevent getting the runs when travelling can save lives of prematurely born babies.
Caesarean sections do not increase the risk of newborns acquiring hospital bacteria The gut microbiome in newborns is affected by the method of delivery. However, Norwegian research does not indicate that children born by caesarean section ingest unwanted bacteria to a greater extent.
Should the baby sleep in its own bed or co-sleep with the parents – and why is this such a controversial issue? What is the best way to put the youngest children to bed? A new Norwegian sleep app aims to help parents get their children to fall asleep on their own.
Children who are exclusively breastfed lack iodine Three-month-old babies who are exclusively breastfed have too little iodine, a new study shows.
Infants who had systemic blood infections had alterations in their metabolism SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: They also showed signs of increased oxidative stress and fatty acid oxidation.
Babies conceived with assisted reproduction weigh less when they are born, but they rapidly catch up When 17-year-olds who were conceived with assisted reproduction were screened before military service, they provided information about their height and weight. Researchers have used these data to find out how they have fared over time.
Premature babies have a higher risk of dying from chronic disease as adults Those that were born prematurely had a 40 per cent higher risk of dying from chronic disease than the rest of the population, according to a new study.
Children born more than three weeks early may have a delayed language development Babies born very prematurely may develop problems speaking in complete sentences and following conversations. "Struggling with language has a big impact on children's lives," says researcher.
Preemies given extra nutrition grew faster but got more infections Premature, very low birth weight babies often have lower IQs and more learning disabilities than their normal-weight peers. But more nutrition early on may help, new research suggests.
Asthma seems to start before birth People with asthma, hay fever and eczema probably developed their ailments in the womb. Researchers think the future may bring ways of averting these afflictions.
Limit exclusive breastfeeding to four months Scientists used to think that babies could thrive on nothing but breast milk for their first six months. Now experts are calling for the introduction of solid foods from the age of four months to avoid delays in development of the infant’s brain and nervous system.
When two is company and three is a crowd A Norwegian psychologist thinks parents should be given couples or marriage counselling both before and after having their first baby. His research shows that many fledgling parents struggle with their relationship.
Prenatal use of paracetamol linked to kids’ problems Three-year-olds have been shown to have behavioural problems and poorer gross motor development if their mothers took paracetamol for over four weeks during their pregnancies.
Umbilical cord defect risks assessed Researchers at Bergen’s Haukeland University Hospital have found factors that increase the risk of abnormal umbilical cord connections. These in turn increase the risk of birth defects or stillbirths.