That special bond with your baby… Doctors, in trying to understand postpartum depression, have been looking into that special mommy-baby bond and why it can break with depression. They have located a place in the brain that distinctively drives parents to nurture their child.

The idea goes back to Darwinism. Taking care of our young for the species to survive. In tests, they showed adults pictures of adults, and when there was a picture of an infant there was a specific reaction in the brain. The reaction happen so fast if it not possible to have conscious control over it. Next step is to link this with people suffering postpartum depression to assess any correlation.

Old names regaining popularity? At least for boys names it appears that parents often choose a classic. The Today show site has listed the most popular baby names, per decade, since 1900. the results are interesting.

I was somewhat surprised that the boys list contained many names that are “classic” and still often used today, like John, William, James, Charles, Robert, Joseph. Some girls names didn’t fare as well… Florence, Ethel. Also surprising to me was that in 2000, most of the boys names (9 out of 10, Tyler was the odd one out) were biblical in origin. Jacob, Michael, Matthew, Joshua, Christopher, Nicholas, Andrew, Joseph, Daniel, and Tyler.

In any case, I always enjoy looking at baby names. Especially when it is not MY baby that is being named!

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!

Turn off the TV and head for the park: Studies show that not enough milk, sunshine and exercise are causing bone problems in children. Weaker bone density can result in more broken bones and fractures , and even possibly rickets. It can also have impacts later in life with increased chances of developing osteoporosis. Half of peak bone mass develops during adolescence, and by the time a person is in their 30’s, bone mass is breaking down faster than it is created, so don’t underestimate the importance of taking care of your children’s body and health now. (Our very own Sunshine will say more on this topic.)

Baby Usher: R&B star Usher and his wife Tameka have just welcomed a baby boy, yet to be named. He is daddy’s first child, mommy’s fourth. This lucky little boy will surely be lulled to sleep with some beautiful lullabys.

Can’t decide on a name? Why not consider Jordan - currently America’s top unisex baby name. Other contenders are Alexis, Angel, Riley, Peyton and Taylor. Angel is currently the 32nd most popular boys name - anyone else surprised about that?

A bill has been introduced in Venezuela that would restrict parents to a list of 100 government-sanctioned names when choosing a moniker for their newborns. 100!

The bill’s ambition, according to a draft submitted to municipal offices here for review, is to “preserve the equilibrium and integral development of the child” by preventing parents from giving newborns names that expose them to ridicule or are “extravagant or hard to pronounce in the official language,” Spanish.

The bill also aims to prevent names that “generate doubts” about the bearer’s gender.

Talk about a nanny state. The NYT article emphasizes that Venezuela has a strong cultural tradition of bestowing whimsical names on children, such as Haynhect, Olmelibey, Yan Karll and Udemixon. (I’m taking their word for it that these names are indeed whimsical. Ugly American that I am, I’m pretty much mono-lingual…)

Less whimsical: The fact that 60 currently registered Venezuelan voters are named Hitler.

Not everyone is sour on the name restriction measure. 27-year-old Temutchin del Espíritu Santo Rojas Fernández, whose first name is a variation on Genghis Kahn’s birth name, is frankly tired of having to spell out his name every time he makes a purchase (in Venezuela, a name and national identity number are required for every purchase that generates a receipt).

But popular opinion is generally resistant to the law and supportive of parental rights.

So…do you suppose “Hugo” is on the proposed list of approved names?

(Via DaddyTypes.)

Posted by MommaSteph.

Would make for an interesting email address… A Chinese couple wishes to name their new baby “@”. Many Chinese speakers pronounce the symbol “ai ta”, roughly sounding out the letters “a” and “t”, and this resembles a word that means “love him” in Mandarin. The new dad did not report whether or not the name has been approved, but the Chinese government has been cracking down lately on names that use foreign or non-traditional characters.

Botched Sterilization Lawsuit: An Oregon woman is suing a hospital because she became pregnant after she believed she was given a tubal ligation. Alba Avendano underwent the surgery after the birth of her third child. She subsequently learned that she was pregnant. After giving birth again, Ms. Avendano underwent a second surgery, where doctors learned that one of her fallopian tubes had been left intact. She is suing for $1 million for raising the child, $1 million for emotional distress, and $30,000 in medical expenses. (Via Feministing.)

A Baby for Baby:  Emma Bunton, aka Baby Spice, and her boyfriend welcomed a baby boy, whom they named Beau. Ms. Bunton is reportedly to reunite with her co-Spice Girls for a reunion tour later this year.

What’s in a name?  You may recall the New Zealand parents who ran against governmental roadblocks when they wanted to name their baby 4real. Well, they lost on appeal, so they’ve decided to name their child Superman. But they’re going to call him 4real anyway.

Triple Play:  A UK mom gave birth to naturally conceived identical triplets, an event so rare doctors put the odds at one in 200 million. Amy, Kim and Zoe were born in mom’s 32nd week of pregnancy, and each weighed in a 3.3 pounds. Identical triplets occur when a fertilized egg splits, and one of the resulting cells splits again. Far more common are triplets consisting of identical twins and a third baby.

Pregnancy Discrimination Suit: A US District Court judge ruled in favor of women seeking a class action suit against Novartis Pharmaceuticals, alleging gender discrimination, and specific instances of pregnancy discrimination. The women involved, who held sales positions, report that in addition to being denied promotions and raises, they were discouraged from becoming pregnant and mistreated if they became pregnant. One woman alleges that she was encouraged by her manager to get an abortion. Another woman testified that her manager told her he does not favor hiring young women because “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes flex time and a baby carriage.”

Mixed Messages: A UK woman who was six weeks pregnant began bleeding heavily and was told that she was miscarrying. She was sent home with instructions to begin taking labor-inducing drugs. Two weeks later, the woman was still experiencing pregnancy symptoms. Doctors confirmed that she is still indeed pregnant. Her baby is due in February, but it is unknown at this time if the baby is healthy. The woman expressed anger over the incident: “After being told my baby was dead, this was unbelievable. I want to know how this could happen.”

It’s a Girl! And their seventh. Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar welcomed their 17th child, whom they named Jennifer Danielle. Less than 30 minutes after her birth, the couple, who have been featured in cable television documentary programs, were talking about having more. Jennifer joins siblings Joshua, 19; John David, 17; Janna, 17; Jill, 16; Jessa, 14; Jinger, 13; Joseph, 12; Josiah, 11; Joy-Anna, 9; Jedidiah, 8; Jeremiah, 8; Jason 7; James 6; Justin, 4; Jackson, 3; Johannah, almost 2.

Breastfeeding Numbers Still Low: The CDC reports that while more women are now initiating breastfeeding (almost 75%), far fewer than that are exclusively breastfeeding, with roughly 30% of mothers only breastfeeding at three months, and just over 11% at six months. A CDC spokesman notes that quite it is “alarming that mothers and infants are not receiving the full health benefits most associated with exclusive breastfeeding.”

Odd birds: A new study published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology finds that while the male penduline tit is looking for a SAHM to mind the brood while he goes philandering, it doesn’t always work out that way: “What is unusual about the penduline tit breeding system is that in one in three cases both males and females are willing to abandon the nest [to seek out new sexual partners], even though the clutch will perish as a result.” Dr. Székely added that the system “could be said to be reminiscent of Hollywood life-styles with plenty of mating opportunities that may lead to neglect for the family at home.”

Obesity out of control? Out of the UK, a report was leaked that found that the government’s pledge to stop the soaring rate of childhood obesity within three years is not achievable, and that childhood obesity rates will continue to rise for the next few decades, with trends indicating that half of all boys and one in five girls in the UK will be dangerously overweight by 2050. National Obesity Forum spokesman warned, ‘Unless we take proper steps now to tackle it, we are facing disaster in the near future, with today’s generation of children dying younger than their parents.’

Story Time: Actress Jenna Elfman (Dharma and Greg) and her husband welcomed a baby boy, whom they named Story Elias. Reportedly, little Story is a fan of “classical music, a clean diaper, mom’s boobs and long naps.”

Baby of Note: According to Celebrity Baby Blog, indie songstress Sarah McLachlan’s second daughter, born three weeks ago, is named Taa-Jah Summer. CBB has pics of the new mom - she looks great!

Maternal Obesity: Temple University researchers argue that more aggressive efforts need to be made to curb the problem of maternal obesity. They say women who are planning to becoming pregnant should be counseled on how to achieve an optimal body mass index prior to conception. Maternal obesity is associated with higher risk of pregnancy complication and C-sections, and children of obese mothers are at risk of childhood obesity and other chronic health problems. The research team recommends the following for pregnancy weight gain:

• For underweight women with a BMI of less than 19.8, a weight gain during pregnancy of 28-40 pounds is recommended.
  
• For normal weight women with a BMI between 19.8 and 26 the recommended weight gain during pregnancy is 25-35 pounds.
  
• For overweight women with a BMI between 26.1 and 29 the recommended weight gain during pregnancy is 15-25 pounds.
  
• For obese women with a BMI greater than 29 the recommended weight gain during pregnancy is about 15 pounds.

SSRIs and Pregnancy: Two studies published in the June 27th New England Journal of Medicine find that taking anti-depressant drugs known as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) during pregnancy does not significantly increase the overall risk of most birth defects. Nevertheless, The March of Dimes recommends that “women discuss the potential risks and benefits of taking SSRIs during pregnancy with their doctors. Women who are taking an antidepressant should not stop taking their medications if they discover they are pregnant, but should immediately contact their health care provider. It may be dangerous to stop taking an antidepressant suddenly.”

PGS Ineffective? According to research presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) does not improve pregnancy outcomes in older women undergoing IVF, and in this study was actually associated with a reduction in the number of live births. The investigators are conducting follow-up research.

She’s the Boss: Tiger Woods revealed why he and wife Elin named their new baby daughter Sam: “We wanted to have a name that would be meaningful. My father had always called me Sam since the day I was born. He rarely ever called me Tiger.” As for new fatherhood, Mr. Woods shares that he’s enjoying it immensely, even the lack of sleep. The couple plan to add to their family in the future. When asked if his being an only child is a factor in his desire to have a sibling for Sam, Mr. Woods replied, “No. Just Elin. She’s in charge of that.”