A free, monthly newsletter with a roundup of the best the internet has to offer about mom-to-be and baby.

Pregnancy

Stress in pregnancy 'makes child personality disorder more likely'

The children of women who experience severe stress when pregnant are nearly 10 times more likely to develop a personality disorder by the age of 30, a study suggests.

Coeliac disease and preeclampsia

Is there any connection between Coeliac Disease and Preeclampsia? Does coeliac disease elevate the risk for Preeclampsia/HELLP

Birth

Women in labour given virtual reality to ease pain of childbirth

Women in labour are being given virtual reality headsets to see if they can help manage the pain of childbirth. University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff is carrying out a trial and it could be rolled out across Wales, if successful.

Skin to skin

Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space

Nurturing human potential ...from the beginning of life

Imagine a world... where every baby is welcomed, loved, nurtured, and seen for the amazing, conscious and aware being they are from the beginning of life. As these babies grow, so does their capacity to love, to empathize with others, to be in relationship and to live in joy.

Breastfeeding

When breastfeeding is hard

Today I’m writing for those of you who are struggling with breastfeeding. Those who feel that maybe breastfeeding isn’t for you, or that you aren’t able to, or are feeling like you are spending most of the day crying about how breastfeeding is going. We hear a lot about how wonderful breastfeeding is. I write about it many times; how it is wonderfully bonding; the feeling of confidence as you see your baby grow; the incredible simplicity of a baby falling asleep and resting against your breast. There is nothing like these experiences. Every woman deserves to feel this with their baby, but what if that is not happening for you – or not in the way you think it should? What if your confidence is not actually growing as your baby does?

Parenting

The science of gestures: We learn faster when we talk with our hands

Do you motion with your hands when you talk? Most people do. The movements come naturally to us, and often happen without any conscious planning. We speak, and our hands get into the act. Undoubtedly, a lot of this behaviour is learned. If you raise a child in Italy, she'll grow up learning different gestures than if you raise her in Japan, Nigeria, or Canada.

Normal anger and choices in conflict

Even if you understand the importance of building your child’s self-esteem, and try to consciously use effective communication techniques, it is still easy to say things you wish you had not said in the heat of the moment. Why? Because you get angry and anger is a part of life. Anyone with young children knows that it is not unusual for tempers to have flared several times before breakfast. Children express their anger often and loudly, and children’s behaviour can easily provoke their parents’ wrath.

Inspiration

25 Little things that kids love

Kids are great, aren’t they? There are innumerable things kids love, and those things have the ability to teach us the most important lessons of life. We as adults think that we know everything about life, and when it comes to kids, we inadvertently get into a preaching mode and tend to give them unsolicited sermons. But, we need to practice to shift our attention to what kids love to do. And, from the things kids like to do, we too can learn the true meaning of happiness in life that even the best books can’t teach.

Humour

Raising your children with laughter

Nothing warms a parent’s heart like seeing or hearing their children laugh. Kids start to develop a sense of humour from an early age, but it’s not as sophisticated at that time as it will be when they grow up. Babies will react with laughter to funny noises or faces, and especially to physical touch (e.g. tickling or raspberries). The game of peekaboo is the funniest thing in the world to a one-year-old, but later on, they won’t find it funny at all. As we can see, at this age, a child’s sense of humour mostly consists of reacting to others doing something funny and trying to make them laugh.