Even a little caffeine may harm fetus

“Pregnant women who consume caffeine — even about a cup of coffee daily — are at higher risk of giving birth to an underweight baby, researchers said on Monday.” read more…

Dairy foods help kids build stronger bones

“Eating plenty of dairy foods, meat, and other high-protein foods in childhood result in stronger and healthier bones in adolescence , a new study in the Journal of Pediatrics shows.” read more…

Hairspray exposure during pregnancy linked to birth defect in boys

“Researchers found that women who come into contact with the hair product during early pregnancy more than double their chances of giving birth to a son with hypospadias, a genital deformity.” read more…

Obese kids have prematurely aged neck arteries

“The neck arteries of obese children and teens look more like those of 45-year-olds, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s annual meeting.” read more…

Smoking while pregnant harms baby’s blood vessels

“Women who smoke during pregnancy may cause permanent blood vessel damage in their children that may become evident as early as young adulthood and raise the risk for heart attack and stroke, Dutch investigators reported today.” read more…

Effects of being born small extend to adulthood

“Children born “small for gestational age” — that is, significantly smaller than most babies born after the same number of weeks of pregnancy — appear to be at increased risk for rapid gains in weight and body fat during adulthood, researchers from Paris, France report.” read more…

Aquarobics May Help Ease Labor

“Doing aquarobics during pregnancy reduces the amount of pain-killing medication requested by women during labor, according to a Brazilian study that included 71 expectant mothers.” read more…

Babies stressed by forward-facing buggies: British study

“Babies transported in forward-facing buggies could end up “emotionally impoverished” due to lack of face-to-face contact with the parent pushing them, a British study suggested Friday.” read more…

Early exposure to peanuts may prevent allergy

“Contrary to widespread recommendations, the consumption of peanuts in infancy is associated with a low prevalence of peanut allergy, the results of a new study suggest.” read more…

Child’s sleep linked to adulthood obesity risk

“Consistently getting a good night’s sleep may help protect children from becoming obese as adults, a study published Monday suggests.” read more…