8 April 2020
WEDNESDAY, April 8, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- All hugs are not created equal -- and babies as young as 4 months are proof.
Heart rates in infants less than a year old slowed more during a hug than a hold. And the hug had a greater effect when it came from Mom or Dad rather than from a stranger, according to a study published April 7 in the journal iScience.
The findings offer some of the first proof that hugs help parents and infants bond, the researchers said.
"Like most parents, we love to hug our children," said first author Sachine Yoshida of Toho University in Tokyo, Japan. "We also know that children love to be hugged by their parents. But what surprised us as scientists is how little we know about hugging."
For the study, her team assessed infants' heart rates when they were...
24 March 2020
TUESDAY, March 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Could letting your baby cry it out mean less crying later?
A new British study suggests that's the case.
Researchers from the University of Warwick investigated the issue: They followed 178 infants and their moms over 18 months, assessing how soon and how often moms intervened when their babies cried.
The result? Babies that were left to cry it out a few times had shorter crying duration at 18 months.
For a behavioral development assessment, a psychologist observed play with the mother and a parent-report questionnaire was analyzed at 18 months.
The findings revealed that two-thirds of moms parent intuitively, learning from their infants' ability to calm themselves, so babies can learn self-regulation. Making distinctions with different...
24 March 2020
TUESDAY, March 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women exposed to high levels of radiation from cellphones, microwaves and Wi-Fi may be increasing their baby's risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new study suggests.
Called MF (magnetic fields) nonionizing radiation, these waves are in the air all around people. They also come from cellphone towers, high-tension electrical wires, electric appliances, wireless devices and Bluetooth signals. Exposure to MF nonionizing radiation has already been linked to cancer risk and other medical conditions in some previous studies.
"Pregnant women who are concerned about MF impact on the health of their fetuses and offspring should reduce MF exposure during pregnancy as much as they can," said lead researcher Dr....
12 March 2020
THURSDAY, March 12, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The argument against paid maternity leave in the United States often focuses on the cost, but a new study suggests that more paid leave would not only be beneficial for families, but also for society.
In the study, researchers found that new parents with paid medical leave of 12 weeks or more were more likely to be in better mental and physical shape than those who received less paid leave.
Moreover, their babies were less likely to die, had better odds of secure maternal attachment, and were more likely to be breastfeeding and get timely vaccinations, the researchers added.
"In the U.S., women in higher-paid households are often able to stay home with their infants for 12 weeks or more because many of them have access to paid maternity...