If you’re like me, you try (or tried) to eat a healthier array of foods while pregnant, for the unborn baby’s health and well-being. Did you know this, though? Pregnant women who eat a Mediterranean diet rich in fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, dairy products and olive oil may help protect their children against asthma and allergies.

So says a new study of over 400 mothers and their children. Of the seventeen percent of kids who had asthma-like symptoms, allergies, or both, most of their moms did not eat a high-quality Mediterranean diet.

Pregnant women who ate vegetables more than eight times a week, fish more than three times a week, and legumes more than once a week seemed to protect their children the most from asthma and allergies. Mothers who ate red meat more than three to four times a week seemed to increase their children’s risk.

I didn’t know that about red meat…let’s hope it doesn’t come back to haunt my kids later. The Mediterranean diet doesn’t sound like a bad idea for anyone wishing to improve his or her eating habits anyway, and with this new information, I would definitely try to follow it if I were to become pregnant again (after I fainted from shock).

Posted by Sunshine.

I’ll admit it: I love it when my kids are old enough to eat solids (I’m talking about Stage 1-3 baby food here, to be clear). It’s messy and it’s extra work compared to just preparing bottles, but it’s so much fun to introduce them to new foods and to really feel as though we’re having meals together!

At seven months, my son is firmly entrenched in Stage 2 foods. He loves almost everything, and I found that introducing him to solids was far, far easier than it was when my daughter started them. I owe that to a few tips and tricks I learned along the way (and my little future linebacker loves to eat!):

Wait until your baby is in a receptive mood to attempt introducing a new food. Twenty minutes before naptime is not the best time to break out the carrot puree and expect Junior to attack it with gusto. Try to offer solids when the baby is alert and should be moderately hungry (too full, and she won’t want anything else - too hungry, and she won’t be able to focus on accepting food from the spoon). My son also doesn’t eat well if he’s just had shots, so be mindful of cranky-making factors like that.

Come to the table with reasonable expectations. Your baby and the neighbor’s baby may not eat the same amount of food in a given day. Don’t sweat it if your little guy doesn’t finish every meal, and don’t try to force him to eat more than he wants. (He will give you cues that he’s done - spitting out food, turning his head away, or clamping his mouth shut when the spoon comes close!) If you’re tense during baby’s mealtime, he will pick up on it, and the experience will likely be miserable for both of you. I learned that the hard way.

That “Eww! Yuck!” face might not mean much. Babies tend to react to unfamiliar tastes by screwing up their faces in a classic “Blech!” expression. What your darling is actually saying might be more like “I have no idea what this is!” Don’t give up. Once she relaxes, offer her a second small spoonful. She may very well be receptive after the first few bites. My son made that super-icky face a week or so ago, when I introduced him to a new fruit combo - now it’s his favorite food!

If at first you don’t succeed… Sometimes your baby will turn his nose up at a new food and will absolutely refuse to eat it no matter how gently and consistently you coax him. In that case, don’t write the food off as “Oh, he doesn’t like peas” - just give him a few days (or weeks) and try again. Sometimes it takes several introductions for a baby to accept a new food. One rejection doesn’t mean that he’ll never eat peas!

Posted by Sunshine.

Changing advice for childrens allergies. Doctors are changing their recommendations for childrens allergies. It used to be that they thought children’s allergies could be avoided by avoiding certain foods during pregnancy, drinking soy milk, or delaying solid food until after 6 month of age. Not any more. Pretty much the only advice that still holds true is that breast feeding does appear to prevent children’s allergies. As for the others, there is no scientific evidence to prove that they work.

Another good reason to eat together as a family. Studies show that girls who regularly eat meals with their families are less likely to have eating disorders. The same does not hold true for boys. Researchers are not sure why there is a gender difference, but speculate that this could be a result of girls being more influenced by interpersonal and familial relationships present at family meals, or perhaps that they are more involved in the food preparation process.

Poor piggies! Scientists in China have successfully bred florescent green piglets. These were born from a mother who was injected with this. Scientists are all happy because they now think they can breed special pigs, and especially ones that are suitable for human organ transplants. Honestly, this kind of creeps me out. I am still not sure how I feel about all of these amazing medical advances. On one side it sees like a great thing to cure all of these strange diseases, but the other side of me wonders if we wouldn’t have all these strange diseases if we weren’t constantly destroying our environments with all of the chemicals we produce in the first place? I mean, florescent green chemically altered pigs doesn’t seem too healthy now, does it?

A new prince is born. Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, officially known as the Earl and Countess of Wessex, have announced the birth of their son. The baby, yet to be named, has been described by his parents as “small, cute, and cuddly”. In following typical monarchial (I am hoping that is a real word) tradition, the baby will probably have a bajillion names. His sister is named Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor. Repeat that ten times fast.

The importance of iodized salt. Last week, the United Nations announced that their 20 year effort in getting iodized salt to all households is paying off and currently 70% of all people worldwide have access to this. Their goal is to have this available 100% worldwide. Why is this important? Iodine Deficiency Disorders can cause brain damage and and IQ loss in newborns. Interestingly:

“To avoid suffering IDD, a human requires in a life time a total just one teaspoon of iodine - this can be added to salt at a cost of about 10 cents worth per year. But it is necessary to ingest micro amounts of iodine on a regular basis. Consumption of iodized salt is the best form of IDD prevention and Universal Salt Iodization (USI) is the goal. The greatest need for micro amounts of iodine is in the mother’s womb.”

There are still safe toys out there for babies and toddlers. And to help you out, here is a list of ten toys that have high safety standards. Happy (almost) last minute christmas shopping!

Ever wonder why you don’t topple over when heavily pregnant? Researchers deemed this a worthy topic to investigate, and their conclusion is that there are specific vertebrae and a joint in the hip that permits pregnant women to adjust their center of gravity. This does not exist in men.

Which lead me to wonder what happens to all those men out there with huge beer bellies? (Aside from the fact that they are at risk of their pants falling down if they aren’t wearing suspenders.) Not to worry, scientists have that covered too! Men compensate with their back muscles but they usually have more back pain. Maybe there is a market out there for some super-sized belly bands. (giggle!)

Vaccine recall: A common infant vaccine has been recalled. About one million units of the Merck fabricated Hib meningitis vaccine have been recalled. This may cause a shortage for a short period of time. Don’t worry, your child’s vaccination schedule might be a bit off-schedule, but there will be no negative impact to that. The issue was that in a routine review, some of the production equipment was not sterilized. However they found no contamination in the vaccination itself. The recall is a precaution.

Another future celebutot has been conceived. Jessica Alba has announced that she is pregnant. Dad is long-time boyfriend, Cash Warren. I guess she will be putting those Maxim cover-shoots on hold for the next nine months! Best wishes for a healthy and happy pregnancy!

Quaid Twins in Danger: The California Department of Public Health is investigating an accidental overdose that has put the lives of Dennis Quaid’s infant twins at risk. The babies, born November 8th to a surrogate, were given 1,000 times the intended dose of heparin, a blood thinner, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Mr. Quaid’s publicist released the following statement on behalf of the actor and his wife: “Dennis and Kimberly appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers and hope they can maintain their privacy during this difficult time.” (You may recall that a little over a year ago two premature infants died from a similar overdose incident.)

CPSC on Toy Safety: The Consumer Product Safety Commission released its ABC’s of Toy Safety: Awareness Benefits Consumers:

Awareness is not only knowing there is a CPSC and what the agency does to protect consumers but also being aware of what poses the greatest risks. The leading causes of toy-related fatalities include choking and aspiration of toy parts.

The increased scrutiny of toys and the CPSC has led to B, or benefits, to consumers. CPSC has increased the agency’s inspections of toys and is taking the action needed to remove violative products from the marketplace. More companies are testing their products and reporting possible safety problems.

The Chinese government has signed new agreements to conduct pre-export inspections to prevent lead painted toys and other unsafe toys from being exported to the U.S.

“CPSC recalled 61 toys involving more than 25 million product units in 2007, underscoring CPSC’s daily commitment to keeping consumers safe 365 days a year,” said Acting CPSC Chairman Nancy Nord. “Toys today are undergoing more inspection and more intense scrutiny than ever before.”

Finally C, consumers should stay informed and be aware of recalls by signing up to receive direct e-mail notification of recalls at www.cpsc.gov. CPSC has launched a “Drive to 1 Million” to sign up at least 1 million consumers to receive this direct notification.

Consumers can also be more aware by shopping with CPSC’s Top Safe Shopping Tips for this year:

• Ride-on Toys – Riding toys, skateboards and in-line skates go fast and falls could be deadly. Helmets and safety gear should be sized to fit.
• Small Parts – For children younger than age three, avoid toys with small parts, which can cause choking.
• Magnets – For children under age six, avoid building sets with small magnets. If magnets or pieces with magnets are swallowed, serious injuries and/or death can occur.
• Projectile Toys – Projectile toys such as air rockets, darts and sling shots are for older children. Improper use of these toys can result in serious eye injuries.
• Chargers and Adapters – Charging batteries should be supervised by adults. Chargers and adapters can pose thermal burn hazards to children.

To choose appropriate toys for children:

• Be a label reader. Look for toy labels that give age and safety recommendations and use that information as a guide.
• Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended child. Look for sturdy construction, such as tightly-secured eyes, noses and other potential small parts.
• For all children under 8, avoid toys that have sharp edges and points.

Once the gifts are open:

• Immediately discard plastic wrappings on toys before they become dangerous play things.
• Keep toys appropriate for older children away from younger siblings or neighbors.
• Pay attention to instructions and warnings on battery chargers. Some chargers lack any device to prevent overcharging.

New research suggests that babies who are breastfed for the first three months of life are less likely to develop food allergies.

“A review of 18 studies demonstrates a significant protective effect of exclusive breast-feeding for at least three months for children with high risk for atopy (genetic tendency to develop allergic diseases) against the development of atopic dermatitis and early childhood asthma-like symptoms,” Dr. Robert Wood, international health director for pediatric allergy and immunology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement.

In fact, the research suggests several of allergy prevention strategies, including these:

* Women should avoid peanuts and tree nuts during pregnancy and while breast-feeding.
* Mothers should supplement breast-feeding with a hypoallergenic formula (extensively or partially hydrolyzed).
* Delay feeding these children solid foods until they’re six months old.
* Delay introduction of milk and egg until age 1 and peanut and tree nuts until age 3.
* Start early intervention when signs of food allergy appear (secondary prevention).

(I’m a little unclear as to whether the supplementing advice is for those who are already supplementing or is intended for all BFing moms.)

This article also notes that a child (anyone, really) may be allergic to one part of a food family, but not to the entire category (nuts, for example), and that physicians should look to food allergies as possible causes of skin and gastrointestinal issues in patients of all ages.

As if you needed another reason to breastfeed - but now you know!

Posted by Sunshining.

Family Life and Onset of Puberty: A new study published in the journal Child Development finds that good parental support and low marital conflict are associated with later onset of puberty in girls. Early puberty has been linked with a higher likelihood of mood disorders, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and cancers of the reproductive system. According to one of the researchers: “These results replicate and extend previous longitudinal research indicating that higher levels of positive investment and support in family relationships in preschool predict lower levels of pubertal maturation in daughters in the seventh grade.”

School Readiness and Home Environment: By studying 420 pairs of five-year-old twins, researchers report that environmental factors - such as family resources and income, parental attitude toward learning, and quality of child care arrangements - are associated with school readiness. “Our results have important implications for preventive interventions,” said Michel Boivin, Canada Research Chair in Child Social Development and professor of psychology at Laval University in Quebec City and one of the study’s authors. “They should be seen as a further incentive for continued implementation and evaluation of preventive intervention programs aimed at improving the level of school readiness in children from at-risk families.”

Smoking and Pregnancy: A University of Aberdeen study finds that baby boys of women who smoked during pregnancy are more likely to have abnormal penises and poorly descended or smaller testicles.

Binge Drinking and Pregnancy: A new study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health finds that while heavy drinking throughout pregnancy has been associated with birth defects and neurological problems, there is little evidence that binge drinking harms a developing fetus. Binge drinking is defined as having five or more drinks on one occasion. While the researchers recommend more study in this area, and caution that practitioners advise pregnant women to avoid binge drinking, they note: “When pregnant women report isolated episodes of binge drinking in the absence of a consistently high daily alcohol intake, as is often the case, it is important to avoid inducing unnecessary anxiety, as, at present, the evidence of risk seems minimal.”

Really? An expert in divorce issues cautions that Brittney Spears and Kevin Federline are majorly screwing up their kids as they dissolve their marriage. “They are doing almost everything wrong,” said Larry Ganong, professor and co-chair of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences and professor in the Sinclair School of Nursing. “Interparental conflict is so damaging for kids. The message is that parents need to cooperate as much as possible, put the children’s needs first, stifle anger and take the high road. I don’t get the sense that Brit and K-Fed are doing that.”

TV Baby News: The View’s Elisabeth Hasselbeck and husband Tim welcomed their second child, a boy, on Friday morning. The couple have a two-year-old daughter, Grace. Ms. Hasselbeck reportedly plans to call her co-hosts this morning to announce the newcomer’s name.

When to TTC? Researchers have published in the journal Decision Analysis a description of a program aimed to help women weigh various factors and come up with the optimal time for them to plan to have their first baby. The program aims to help women sort through education and career considerations, plus age and other concerns. For example, for some women having a baby early on could derail career opportunities, while for others, taking maternity leave early on in the career track has less of a negative impact. One of the researchers offers, “We use decision analysis all the time to guide complex business and policy questions and decisions, so why not use the structured approach to improve our understanding for making important personal decisions?”

Congenital Heart Disease and Brain Development: Researchers at University of California, San Francisco, found through a study that the brains of babies born with congenital heart disease resemble those of premature babies. They propose that abnormal fetal circulation may be impacting the brain development of these babies. “Traditionally, the focus has always been on the surgery. It would be great to be able to say that you do the surgery and fix their hearts and their blood oxygen and then brain development catches up. We need to look more broadly at what occurs before surgery. For example, there has been interest in doing heart repairs earlier, even in utero,” [Dr. Patrick] McQuillen said. “Our data has implications for the timing of surgery.”