Good Parental Leave Gives Big Boost to Moms' Mental Health

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• January 5, 2023
• Full Page

Generous parental leave policies at work can do wonders for a new mom's mental health.

This is among the key messages from a new review of 45 studies examining how parental leave policies affect mom and dad's mental health and well-being.

Mothers working for c...

Study Confirms It: Kids Keep Harried Moms From Exercise

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• November 18, 2022
• Full Page

Something -- or rather, someone -- may be standing between moms and a regular exercise routine: their children.

New research from the universities of Cambridge and Southampton in the United Kingdom suggests that fewer than half of mothers met recommended activity levels...

Half of Moms of Children With Autism Have Depression

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• September 1, 2022
• Full Page

While half of mothers of children with autism suffer symptoms of depression, a new study has di...

Family History of Mental Illness Ups Odds for Postpartum Depression

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• August 22, 2022
• Full Page

Pregnant women with a family history of any mental health condition may be at increased risk of depression after giving birth, a new research review finds.

In an analysis of 26 studies, researchers found that women with a family history of psychiatric diagnoses were at h...

Motherhood Doesn't Lower Survival for Women Who've Had Breast Cancer

• By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• July 7, 2022
• Full Page

Breast cancer survivors who would like to have a baby can take some reassurance from a new study that finds motherhood doesn't lower their future survival chances.

Moreover, survival rates were no worse in younger women, those who had not been pregnant before or those w...

Teen Brain Naturally Tunes Out Mom's Voice

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• April 29, 2022
• Full Page

Mom's voice may be music to a young child's brain, but the teen brain prefers to change the station, a new study finds.

Past research using brain imaging has revealed how important a mother's voice is to younger children: The sound stimulates not only hearing-related par...

Breastfeeding May Protect a Mom's Heart Years Later

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• January 12, 2022
• Full Page

Chloe Jo Davis is a vocal advocate for breastfeeding.

The Wilton, Conn.-based writer breastfed her three sons for years to make sure they reaped all of the benefits associated with the practice.

"Breastfeeding helps build up kids' immune system and keeps colds, vir...

T-Shirt Study Shows Importance of Mom's Smell to Bond With Baby

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• December 13, 2021
• Full Page

The sound of mom's voice can soothe a fussy baby like nothing else, but now new research suggests that an infant is also calmed by the scent of its mother.

Prior animal studies had already shown that olfaction -- smell -- "is very important, that mother's smell is very c...

Grandmother's Brain In Sync With Her Grandkids': Study

• Cara Murez
• November 17, 2021
• Full Page

Grandmothers can have a strong bond with the little children in their families -- and the connection even shows up on brain scans, researchers say.

The investigators embarked on a unique study, looking at the brains of older women -- not for signs of dysfunction, as with...

Breastfeeding by Moms Who've Had COVID May Help Protect Newborn

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• November 4, 2021
• Full Page

Moms who had COVID-19 when they gave birth may help stimulate their infant's burgeoning immunity against the virus by breastfeeding, a small study hints.

It's well known that breast milk contains certain maternal antibodies that can help protect infants from infections a...

Financial Stress Burdens More Than Half of New U.S. Moms: Study

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• November 1, 2021
• Full Page

The joys of motherhood may be overshadowed in the United States since as many as 50% of new or expectant moms can't pay their bills, including health care bills, new research suggests.

"Financial hardship is highly prevalent among pregnant and postpartum women," said stu...

Pandemic Grief Can Come Between Mothers and Their Newborns

• Cara Murez
• October 18, 2021
• Full Page

Among the many negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may be damage to the bond between mothers and their infants, researchers say.

Women who experienced grief and depression due to pandemic-related losses may find it more difficult to form this all-important emotiona...

Pregnancy, Delivery Safe for Women Born With Heart Defects

• Robert Preidt
• October 18, 2021
• Full Page

Women who were born with heart defects may get some reassurance from a new study that finds they face no heightened risk to health during a pregnancy and delivery.

According to the researchers, doctors may often advise these women against getting pregnant due to the pote...

Pot Use by Pregnant Women Rose During Pandemic: Study

• Cara Murez
• September 29, 2021
• Full Page

Marijuana use by mothers-to-be may have increased by as much as one-quarter during the pandemic, a new study suggests.

Researchers found a substantial increase in the number of women in Northern California using pot early in their pregnancies after the pandemic emerged c...

Pandemic Has Many Women Holding Back on Motherhood, NYC Study Finds

• Cara Murez
• September 16, 2021
• Full Page

The COVID-19 pandemic has many women thinking twice about having more kids.

In a survey of close to 1,200 New York City women with young children, one-third of respondents who had been thinking about having another baby before the pandemic but hadn't started trying said ...

Breastfeeding May Strengthen a Baby's Heart

• September 6, 2021
• Full Page

Breast milk can give preemies' hearts a big boost, a groundbreaking study suggests.

"This study "¦ adds to the already known benefits of breast milk for infants born prematurely," said study leader Dr. Afif El-Khuffash, a clinical professor of pediatrics at the Royal Co...

For Better Breastfeeding, 'Lactation Consultants' Can Help

• Cara Murez
• August 25, 2021
• Full Page

Breastfeeding provides a baby with many positive benefits, but it doesn't always happen easily.

When a new mom feels overwhelmed by the challenge, a lactation consultant can help, according to two breastfeeding experts from Penn State Health.

"We're here to make su...