Missouri Doula Program Shows Early Success as Lawmakers Look to Expansion
Missouri’s Medicaid program now offers free doula services to pregnant and postpartum mothers, reaching about 625 participants in its first 15 months. The initiative, championed by bipartisan lawmakers, aims to curb the state’s high maternal mortality rate—70 deaths annually, 80% deemed preventable. Expansion bills propose increasing covered doula visits from six to sixteen, at an estimated cost of $300,000, arguing long‑term health savings. Advocates highlight doulas’ broader support, from transportation to domestic‑violence intervention, as essential to improving outcomes for low‑income families.
Researchers Find Major Flaws in the Historical Clinical Trials Used to Justify Spanking
Researchers at Toronto Metropolitan University re‑examined four clinical trials from the 1980s that are frequently cited as proof that spanking improves child compliance. Using modern bias‑assessment tools and an updated meta‑analysis of 68 mother‑child pairs, they found the original studies...
Argos Launches £15 ‘Influencer’ Toy for Toddlers – but It’s Dividing Parents Across the UK
Argos has introduced a £15 (≈ $19) Chad Valley wooden "influencer" role‑play set for children aged two and up. The kit mimics a live‑streaming studio with a tripod, miniature camera, smartphone, tablet and microphone, all packaged in a carry pouch and...
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7 Parenting Rules You Can Ignore (and 3 That Really Matter)
The article separates parenting advice into two categories: seven rules that can be safely ignored and three core principles that should never be broken. It argues that parents should prioritize mental health, trust their intuition, and give children autonomy over...
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What Is Parentification? 10 Signs to Watch for in Kids
Parentification describes children taking on adult responsibilities when parents cannot support them. It appears as emotional caregiving or instrumental tasks such as cooking, cleaning, or managing finances. Approximately 1.4 million U.S. children are affected, leading to anxiety, depression, and unhealthy relationship...
I Spent Five Months in a Mother and Baby Mental Health Unit - Here's What I Want Mums to Know
Sofii Lewis spent five months in a Welsh mother‑and‑baby mental health unit after being diagnosed with OCD and postpartum‑psychosis tendencies, a condition that affects roughly one in 1,000 new mothers. The specialist unit provided 24‑hour care, therapy and the chance...
Babies Learn a Lot in Their First Year. But Their Behavior Doesn't Always Tell the Full Story
Researchers observed that infants as young as four months can learn abstract speech sound patterns, linking them to visual cues. When tested again at seven and ten months, the infants’ overt responses changed: a clear familiarity preference at four months...
Parental Acceptance and Trauma Resilience Are Linked to Faster Brain Development in 9-13-Year-Olds
An analysis of ABCD MRI data from 8,059 children aged 9‑11, with follow‑up scans at 11‑13, found that higher parental acceptance and trauma resilience are linked to accelerated cortical thinning, a marker of faster brain maturation. Conversely, exposure to household...
UK Parents Are Using These £1 DIY Toy Storage Tricks to Tame Chaos – Copy Them This Weekend Before Clutter...
UK parents are turning to £1‑price‑point DIY toy storage hacks to combat household clutter, swapping costly furniture for plastic baskets, laundry hampers and repurposed containers. By gluing, labeling and arranging these low‑cost items, families create customized, child‑friendly storage that fits...
My Youngest Son Is 28. I'm Still Paying His Phone Bill.
A mother of five still includes her 28‑year‑old son on her cellphone plan, explaining that the gesture preserves her role as a caregiver rather than addressing any financial need. The article details how birth‑order dynamics and a large age gap...
It's Not Just Vaccines — Parents Are Refusing Other Routine Preventive Care for Newborns
Parents across the United States are increasingly refusing routine newborn preventive interventions such as vitamin K injections, hepatitis B vaccination, and eye ointment. A JAMA study of over 5 million births shows vitamin K refusals rose from 2.9% in 2017 to 5.2% in 2024,...
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Signs Your Child May Have a Toxic Friend—And What to Do About It
A toxic friendship is defined by consistent behaviors that drain, manipulate, or harm a child emotionally, socially, or physically. Experts highlight patterns such as constant negativity, control, drama, one‑sidedness, and peer pressure. Parents are advised to watch for mood shifts,...
‘I Struggled as a Kid’: Ms. Rachel on Food Insecurity and Talking to Children About Hunger
Ms. Rachel, a popular children’s educator and PBS host, draws on her own childhood experience of food insecurity to advocate for SNAP benefits and healthier nutrition for kids. She notes that 1 in 5 American children rely on SNAP, a...
This Top-Rated Snorkel Mask Boosted My Kids’ Swimming Confidence
A parent tested a $25.98 full‑face snorkel mask for kids, praising its anti‑leak breathing system and panoramic view. The mask’s separate inhalation and exhalation channels keep water out, while adjustable straps fit children aged six to nine. Over 1,000 five‑star...
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The 11 Best Stretch Mark Creams for Pregnancy, According to Dermatologists and Testing
A six‑week home test of 20 stretch‑mark creams, conducted by 18 pregnant editors and reviewed by two board‑certified dermatologists, identified the top products for pregnancy skin care. The evaluation focused on efficacy, texture, scent, and ingredient safety, highlighting options ranging...
Alex Spitz on the Care Gap, the Power of Community, and Finding Joy in New Motherhood
Alex Spitz, founder and CEO of New Mom School, turned her own postpartum struggle into a nationwide franchise that offers research‑backed, in‑person support for new mothers. Launched in 2012 in Orange County, the program now spans 37 locations across the...
I Spent A Year Talking To ADHD Experts. Here’s What I’ve Learned As A Mom.
A year-long podcast series interviewing top ADHD specialists gave a mom practical, low‑stress tools for raising a neurodivergent child. Experts emphasized tracking daily patterns, making tiny dietary tweaks, and ensuring regular movement to stabilize mood and focus. They also recommended...
States Are Increasingly Using Child Care Waitlists, Leaving Parents in Limbo
States across the U.S. are increasingly placing families on child‑care subsidy waitlists, leaving parents like Virginia resident Taylor Moyer in prolonged uncertainty. Fourteen states have recently introduced or expanded these lists, while only about a quarter of the 8 million eligible...
My First Performance Review After Maternity Leave Was Disappointing. It Was Difficult to Be a Great Mom and a Great...
The author returned from maternity leave to find her annual performance rating fall from "Exceptional Contributor" to "Successful Contributor," despite maintaining the same output. Heavy postpartum complications, including severe blood loss and ongoing medical care for her newborn, forced her...
How PreSeed Is Tackling the Sperm Donor Shortage
PreSeed Fertility launched a recruitment and matching platform to address the stark gap between the over 100,000 U.S. families searching for sperm donors and the roughly 1,500 donors currently registered. The service pairs families with a concierge specialist and provides...
You Don’t Need a Big Budget for a Great Family Vacation. You Need a Vision Board.
Families are moving away from destination‑first vacation planning, opting for vision boards to map desired experiences. Pinterest’s first Parenting Trend Report shows searches for “family trip vision board” up 545% year‑over‑year, with road‑trip setups and snack ideas also surging. Vision...
Paris Fury on Protecting 16-Year-Old Daughter Venezuela From the Cosmetic Pressure Facing Teen Girls
Paris Fury, mother of seven and wife of boxer Tyson Fury, is publicly defending her 16‑year‑old daughter Venezuela against the growing pressure to undergo cosmetic procedures ahead of her upcoming wedding to 18‑year‑old boxer Noah Price. The couple, engaged at...
Taking Your Teen's Phone Away As Consequence? One Mom Says It Doesn't Work
A mother shared on Instagram that confiscating a teen’s phone may stop unwanted behavior instantly, but it also shuts down conversation and fosters resentment. She argues that punitive phone bans often feel like cutting the child off from their world,...
Divyanka Tripathi-Vivek Dahiya to Welcome First Baby in June, Actor Says They ‘Managed to Hide It for Six Full Months’
Indian television star Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya and husband Vivek Dahiya have publicly confirmed they are expecting their first child, due in mid‑June 2026. The couple managed to keep the pregnancy hidden for six months, limiting public appearances. They plan to...
Stay-at-Home Parents Need Real Support, Not Platitudes
Capita’s new report, based on focus groups, interviews and a survey of 1,000 stay‑at‑home parents, reveals that these caregivers face significant financial and emotional strain. Over half (55%) cite monthly income as their biggest stressor, while 70% say affordable childcare...
School Phone Bans Not Enough to Cut Screen Time Alone, Researchers Say
A University of Birmingham study reveals that strict smartphone bans in secondary schools improve in‑class concentration but do not curb overall screen time, as pupils often shift usage to evenings at home. The research shows restrictive policies can worsen sleep...
Editorial: Human Milk, Nutrition and Infant Development, Volume II
The editorial underscores human milk as the gold‑standard for infant nutrition, highlighting its dynamic blend of macronutrients, bioactive proteins, and long‑chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that drive optimal growth and brain development. It details how human milk oligosaccharides, immune proteins, and...
5 Creative Ways You Can Preserve Memories Of Your Parents *Now* For You & Your Kids
A Reddit post on the Mommit subreddit sparked a list of eight practical ways to preserve parents' memories for future generations. The suggestions focus on low‑effort, authentic recordings—capturing everyday moments, native‑language conversations, cooking demonstrations, and personal stories. Contributors shared their...
When Teens Are Pressured to Send Sexual Images
A JAMA Network Open study of more than 6,200 young adults revealed that image‑based sexual harassment before age 18 is overwhelmingly gendered, with over 90% of victims being female. More than half of those coerced complied, and the pressure most...
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How Photography Helped Me See My Postpartum Body Through a New Lens
The author, a photographer and new mother, describes how postpartum body changes sparked shame and self‑criticism. By turning her camera on herself, she created self‑portraits that reframed stretch marks, a "mom pouch," and other changes as symbols of strength. This...
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The Truth About Postpartum Acne—And How to Treat It
Post‑birth hormonal shifts trigger a surge in androgen activity, leading many new parents to experience a flare‑up of acne, especially along the jawline and neck. The condition, known as postpartum acne, typically resolves within two to six months but can...
The Baby Food Brand Known for Transparency Just Made Formula—Here’s What’s Different
Little Spoon, known for ultra‑transparent baby food, has entered the infant formula market with an organic whole‑milk product that applies its 500‑plus toxin testing regime. The company sets its own contaminant limits—10 ppb for lead and 3 ppb for mercury—and publishes batch‑by‑batch...
When To Take Your Baby to the Hospital for RSV
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) commonly presents as a cold in infants, but babies under six months can develop bronchiolitis that quickly impairs breathing. Pediatrician Dr. Kristin Barrett advises parents to monitor peak symptom days (days 3‑5) and watch for red‑flag...
Stress May Augment Impact of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes on CV Health
Researchers found that women who experienced an adverse pregnancy outcome (APO) and reported high psychosocial stress had significantly higher diastolic blood pressure 2–7 years postpartum, whereas stress alone did not affect blood pressure in uncomplicated pregnancies. The analysis of 3,322...
The Most-Saved Kids’ Activity in Every State, According to Yelp—And What It Says About How We’re Parenting Right Now
Yelp released a state‑by‑state list of the most‑saved kids’ activities, revealing a massive surge in indoor‑play searches and a growing appetite for STEAM‑focused venues. Parents are bookmarking weather‑proof, screen‑free options such as trampoline parks, play cafés, and ropes courses to...
A Secret That Some Mothers Will Never Tell
The article reveals that many mothers experience ambivalence toward their children, feeling love without genuine liking, yet this reality is shrouded in taboo. It highlights how societal expectations demand constant affection and enjoyment, labeling any deviation as moral failure. Through...
Why Progression Is a ‘Win-Lose Game’ for Marketing Mums
The 2026 Marketing Week Career & Salary Survey reveals that 44.6% of marketing mums say parenthood has damaged their career progression. The research also shows 35.6% of these mothers avoided applying for new roles and 14.1% were pushed into more...
Loisa Andalio, Ronnie Alonte Introduce Daughter Runi Lior
Actress Loisa Andalio and singer‑actor Ronnie Alonte announced the birth of their first child, daughter Runi Lior, affectionately called “Nili,” via Instagram delivery‑room photos. The couple expressed deep gratitude, highlighting the emotional journey, divine timing, and Alonte’s support throughout pregnancy....
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What Causes Uncontrollable Shakes During Labor?
Labor shakes are uncontrollable shivering, trembling, or teeth‑chattering that some women experience during childbirth. Doctors attribute them to abrupt hormonal shifts, especially spikes in adrenaline, cortisol, and oxytocin, which also affect temperature regulation. Non‑pharmacologic measures like warm blankets can help,...
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Discover Common Baby Sleep Noises and What They Mean
Babies commonly produce a variety of noises while sleeping, such as moaning, grunting, gurgling, and snorting, especially during the first four to six months as their respiratory and digestive systems mature. These sounds are typically benign and linked to irregular...
Pregnancy Changes the Brain, and We Are only Beginning to Understand How and Why
A longitudinal study of 127 first‑time mothers scanned before conception, twice during pregnancy, and at one and six months postpartum reveals a striking ~5% reduction in gray‑matter volume in regions governing emotion and social perception. The loss peaks in the...
Katie Austin Opens Up About the Exact Moment She Knew She Was Pregnant—And Her Emotional First Trimester
Fitness entrepreneur Katie Austin revealed she is pregnant, describing an intuitive moment on New Year’s Day before a test confirmed the news. She and husband Lane Armstrong had planned the family carefully, completing fertility and genetic screening. Austin detailed a...
Life Lessons on Mother’s Day: What We Have Learned From Our Mums | Letters
The Guardian’s Letters page ran a Mother’s Day feature inviting readers to recount the advice they received from their mothers (and occasionally fathers). Contributors shared a mix of practical tips—like the classic "bus pass, dinner money, homework, handkerchief" mantra—and whimsical...
I Had a Strange, Unsettling Experience Breastfeeding Each of My Four Children. I Finally Figured Out Why.
A mother of four discovered her chronic dread during breastfeeding was due to Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D‑MER), a neurochemical response tied to sudden dopamine drops. Experts explain D‑MER differs from postpartum depression, affecting roughly 6‑15% of lactating individuals and...
Kids Can Take Tablets, so Why Are We Still Giving Liquid Medicines?
A new study highlights that liquid medicines for children often lead to dosing errors, poor adherence, higher costs, and a larger carbon footprint. Research shows that most children from age four can be taught to swallow tablets safely with brief...
When to Book Your First Pregnancy Ultrasound Scan
The first pregnancy ultrasound is primarily used to confirm intra‑uterine placement, estimate gestational age, detect a heartbeat, and identify multiples. Scans before week 4 rarely show definitive anatomy, while the 6–7 week window begins to reveal a fetal pole and cardiac activity....
Factors Associated with Rapid Repeat Pregnancies in Women at High Risk for Adverse Birth Outcomes
A prospective cohort of 894 women in Indiana’s WeCare community health worker (CHW) program found that 26% experienced rapid repeat pregnancy (RRP), defined as a live birth within 27 months of a prior delivery. Adjusted analyses linked younger age at...
How to Treat Lice without Losing Your Mind (From a Mom Who’s Been There)
Cartwheel CEO Joanna Shu explains why lice still trigger parental panic and introduces the company’s non‑chemical treatment kit, Nit Happens. Traditional pesticide‑based lice products face growing resistance, prompting demand for safer, mechanical solutions. Shu emphasizes that lice spread through close...
My Mother’s Best Advice: You’re Allowed to Enjoy Nice Things
Emma Beddington recounts her mother’s mantra that everyone is entitled to enjoy nice things, a lesson forged in a modest upbringing and expressed through frequent treats, travel, and small luxuries. The essay links this personal permission to indulge with broader...
What Do You Do All Day?
Freelance director Melanie Eckersley shares her day‑to‑day reality as a new mother, reflecting on balancing client work, creative deadlines, and infant care. She notes the lack of structured parental support for freelancers and the improvisational strategies she employs. The piece,...