For years, doctors have been urging women who get pregnant to give up cigarettes due to the many serious dangers that they pose to unborn babies and pregnant women. In the age of nicotine patches and nicotine gum, some physicians have even advised expecting women to switch to these, as they are believed to be less harmful to the baby than cigarette smoke.
But that may not be the case when it comes to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children. Read More
A baby’s age influences risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome, according to new research.
Younger babies are more likely to succumb to SIDS when they’re sharing beds with others, while older babies face a greater risk when there are objects in their cribs, such as blankets or pillows.
The study is the first to show that risk of death from SIDS appears to change with the baby’s age, according to lead author Dr. Rachel Moon, associate chief of general pediatrics and community health at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Bed-sharing is a big risk factor for SIDS death in babies under 4 months of age, said Dr. Moon. And for young, as well as older babies, it is important to insure that there is nothing else in a baby’s crib, other than the baby. This includes blankets, pillows, stuffed toys and bumper pads.
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The placenta is the organ that a pregnant woman develops inside her uterus, to transfer oxygen and nutrients to her baby via the blood, while removing gasses and other waste from the infant. Researchers once thought that the placenta was a “sterile” environment, devoid of any bacteria that might find its way to the growing baby attached by the umbilical cord. But a new study has uncovered that the placenta actually harbors hundreds of bacteria species; most of them are harmless or beneficial.
Scientists found about 300 types of bacteria; they then compared the distribution of bacteria types with those that had been found previously in other parts of mothers’ bodies, including the mouth, skin, gut and vagina.
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A study has found that babies are getting twice the amount of harmful phthalates in their diets that the Environmental Protection Agency considers to be safe.
Phthalates are man-made chemicals used to make plastics softer and more flexible; they can be found in storage containers, water bottles, electronics, vinyl curtains and floors, plastic toys and many other consumer products.
But a number of studies on animals over the years linked phthalates to premature birth, low birth weight, lower sperm counts and anatomical defects in male genitalia. In addition, they remain in human tissue over time; studies have found that almost every person tested in the United States has the chemicals in their system.
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Researchers at the University of California, Davis, MIND Institute have found that exposure to certain synthetic pesticides is linked to a higher risk of autism and developmental delays in children whose mothers were exposed to the pesticides while pregnant.
The study team found that the risk for autism increased from 60 to 200 percent, depending on the type of pesticide used, how close the mother had lived to the treated areas, and when in the pregnancy the mother was exposed.
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Yet another study has found that carrying a cellular phone in close proximity to a man’s testicles reduces the sperm’s ability to swim toward the egg, and it decreases the number of sperm that are alive to try to fertilize the egg.
Researchers from the University of Exeter in England reviewed findings of 10 studies that examined how exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation from cell phones might affect male fertility when the phones are carried in a front pocket or clipped to the waist.
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Women of average weight who become pregnant are told by their doctors that they should put on between 25 and 30 pounds by the end of their pregnancy. This weight is the combined weight of the baby, amniotic fluid and the placenta. But it also factors in a little extra fat that will accumulate around the mother’s waist and over her belly. This new fat will help nourish the fetus, especially in the third trimester, when it starts to grow a lot more.
A new study finds that the new fat that mothers-to-be put on during pregnancy also serves to protect the unborn infant from exposure to some highly toxic chemicals that have accumulated in the mother’s pre-pregnancy fat over the years.
Read More“Baby Blues.” “Depressed.” “Sad.” These are all ways to describe postpartum depression, which can kick in about five days after a newborn’s delivery, and usually goes away after two weeks. For some mothers (and dads!), postpartum depression is much more serious and treatment is needed. A new mother with postpartum depression will often feel sad, guilty, worthless and take no interest in her new baby. These moms feel shamed for feeling this way, and are too embarrassed to seek help. As a result, postpartum depression can be overlooked.
A 2006 study done by Brown University shows that it is vital for mothers who have the baby blues get professional help. Why? The study says there can be a link between a mother’s depression and a colicky baby. The study, which is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and is run by the state of Rhode Island, consists of a survey titled “Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System.” The idea behind it is to help prevent infant mortality and ask about health and environmental factors in the baby’s household that may impact his, as well as the mother’s, health. The survey had already asked about depression, but in 2006 a new question was asked, “How inconsolable is your baby?” From these answers, it was determined that those mothers who were depressed also commented that their baby was very inconsolable, or, colicky.
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It’s always smart to do our best to avoid artificial chemicals and other harmful substances in our lives; but it is all the more important for a woman who is expecting a child. A baby developing in the uterus is much more sensitive to many substances that the mother may be better able to tolerate. And some toxic agents can result in birth defects, other life-long adverse consequences, or even death.
While the list of harmful substances for unborn baby and mother is increasingly long in our modern times, the following are important steps you can take during your pregnancy, to help insure the well-being of both you and your unborn infant.
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Perhaps you’re a parent who’s hip to the many health-promoting benefits of eating whole natural foods and nutritious home-cooked meals. And maybe you know what a marvelously healthy and nutrient-packed food garlic is. So, you’re anxious to introduce garlic to your baby. But how long should you wait?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends waiting until your baby is at least six months old, before starting solid foods. The purpose of that is to help prevent the development of food allergies in your child. So, you want to wait until your infant is at least six months to give them garlic.
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