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.
