News of Interest for Late-in-Life Moms November 17, 2008

News to know:

Nursing may help babies increase lung capacity
Breastfeeding appears to provide children with long-term respiratory benefits, according to findings published in the journal Thorax.
Researchers found that children who were breastfed for 4 months or longer had larger lung capacities than children who had been nursed for a shorter amount of time or not at all. Breastfed children were also able to expel air from their lungs more quickly.

Study: Cigarette smoking may worsen PMS
Smoking increases the risk of moderate to severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS), according to new research. Women 27 to 44 years old who smoke are twice as likely to develop PMS over the next two to four years, especially hormonally-related symptoms like backaches, bloating, breast tenderness, and acne.

U.S. gets "D" on premature birth report card
More than half a million U.S. babies -- one in every eight -- are born prematurely each year, a toll that's risen steadily for two decades.
A report by the March of Dimes said the odds of having a premature baby are lowest in Vermont and highest in Mississippi. The report urged states to address three factors affecting premature births: lack of insurance, smoking, and an increase of "late preemies"--babies born between 34 and 37 weeks.

MSNBC.com has an interactive state-by-state listing detailing obesity in the U.S.A. Go here to click on each state to see the percentage of obese and overweight adults in 2007, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

News of Interest for Late-in-Life Moms July 21, 2008

News to know:
Scientist predicts pregnancy at 100 and as a newborn possible in 30 years
Advancements over the next 30 years should make it possible for women at any age to give birth, according to an article in the journal Nature.
If scientists continue advancing germ cell technology means every person regardless of age will be able to have children. Newborn children could have children and 100-year-olds could have children, according to Davor Solter, a developmental biologist at the Institute of Medical Biology in Singapore.

Preemies may grow up to be shy, unmarried adults, studies say
Babies born early, even those without physical problems, are more likely to have problems socializing, including shyness, and taking risks, according to several studies.
A study in the New England Journal of Medicine, which looked at one million Norwegians ages 20 to 36, found that the earlier babies are born, the less likely they are to marry, have children and earn high salaries.
Preemies were less likely to leave home, live with a romantic partner or be sexually active, according to two studies of people in their 20s published in Pediatrics.

Low-fat milk recommended for some toddlers
Some babies as young as 12 months of age should be given reduced-fat (2 percent) milk instead of whole milk, according to newly revised guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Reduced-fat milk would be appropriate for children between 12 months and 2 years of age who are at higher-than-normal risk of becoming overweight, or have a family history of high cholesterol, obesity, or heart disease.

Dietary fiber cuts risk of developing preeclampsia
Eating more fiber during the first trimester of pregnancy seems to reduce the risk of developing preeclampsia, a potentially fatal condition characterized by elevated blood pressure, according to a study published in the online edition of the American Journal of Hypertension.
More than 1,500 pregnant womem responded to a questionnaire. Those who consumed 21.2 grams a day or more of fiber were 72 percent less likely to develop preeclampsia compared with women who ate less than 11.9 grams a day, the researchers found.

Breast-feeding triggrs pulses of feel-good hormone
Breast-feeding triggers a flood of the hormone oxytocin, releasing milk from the mammary gland and a feeling of love and trust in the mother that ensures the baby's needs are met.
Researchers from China, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom say they now understand how this process works.
Their study suggests that breast-feeding not only taps the normal brain cells involved in secreting oxytocin.It also recruits dendrites -- used to create communication channels between brain cells -- into secreting the hormone.

News of Interest for Late-in-Life Moms April 28, 2008

News to know:

Diet determines baby's sex?
Mothers-to-be who skip breakfast and eat less are more likely to give birth to girls. Moms who consume more calories and a wider range of nutrients — including, specifically, those from breakfast cereal — are more likely to deliver sons.
That’s according to new research by British scientists that provides what they say is the first-ever evidence that a mother’s diet at conception may determine her baby’s sex.

Cuddling preemies bear pain
Research finds that cuddling up against mother's bare skin can help tiny premature babies recover more quickly from the pain of being stuck with needles and other procedures.

Heart test urged before kids get ADHD drugs
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommended that children be screened for heart problems with an electrocardiogram before getting drugs like Ritalin to treat hyperactivity and attention-deficit disorder.

Virtual reality aids children with autism
A new generation of virtual reality games has been designed to teach basic safety and social skills to children diagnosed with autism. A particularly convincing virtual reality simulation can help an autistic child transfer new skills back to a real situation — a common difficulty among children with autism, who often focus more on details than on context.