Customizing vitamin D supplements to the individual would ensure benefits are felt

Vitamin D supplements are less effective at raising vitamin D levels in pregnant women if they deliver their babies in the winter, have low levels of vitamin D early in pregnancy or gain more…

Promoting maternal interaction improves growth, weight gain in preemies

Method teaches mothers how to interpret and respond to subtle cues of premature infantsAn intervention to teach mothers of preterm infants how to interact with their babies more effectively…

Mothers and babies both benefit from the presence of community doulas

Young mothers are more likely to breastfeed and have positive relationships with their babies when they have another woman “mothering” them in the delivery room, according to new research at the…

Breastfeeding deterred by in-hospital formula use

When mothers feed their newborns formula in the hospital, they are less likely to fully breastfeed their babies in the second month of life and more likely to quit breastfeeding early, even if they had hoped to breastfeed longer, UC Davis researchers have found.

Muscle strength in children linked to vitamin D levels in pregnancy

A UK study of pregnant women that followed their babies into early childhood finds kids were likely to have stronger muscles if their mothers had higher levels of vitamin D during pregnancy.The study, from the Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit (MRC LEU) at the University of Southampton, is published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Breastfeeding Mothers Need Support And Encouragement

More support is needed to help women overcome doubts in the hope that they will breastfeed their babies for longer, says a University of Alberta nutrition researcher…

Vitamin D Levels In Umbilical Cord Blood Found To Be Lower In Obese Mothers

Women who are obese at the start of their pregnancy may be passing on insufficient levels of vitamin D to their babies, according to a new Northwestern Medicine® study. The study found that babies born to lean mothers had a third higher amount of vitamin D compared to babies born to obese moms…

Most Mothers Want To Breastfeed For As Long As They Can

According to the Philips Mother & Child Care Index, expecting and new parents in the U.S. are doing whatever they can to ensure their children have a healthy future, including breastfeeding their babies for as long as possible.

Research: Obese Pregnant Women Falling Short On Nutrition

Already overweight expectant mothers are piling on excess weight and choosing fat-laden foods over fruit and vegetables, putting them and their babies at risk of chronic health problems…

Vitamin D Deficiency Linked To Diabetes In Pregnancy

All pregnant women should be tested for vitamin D deficiency and those found to be deficient should be treated, say experts.