Momma Data

Two new breastfeeding studies landed in the news trying to remind us that breast is still best for baby and mom. The first study, a brain imaging study found breastfed kids have more white matter in their brains. Naturally the authors want us to conclude breastfeeding makes kids smarter. No, they didn't bother with assessing the actual intelligence (or obscure brain physiology) of any parent in the study. That would have been too […]

Photo Credit: BBC News, Milla KontkanenLadies and gentleman, the answer to all your early parenting fears and needs: a box. The media has been a buzz about boxes supplied to expectant mothers by the Finnish government and filled with such nursery necessities as baby clothing, nappies, nail clippers and a picture book. The boxes each include a small mattress and thus double as tiny beds too. It is claimed the […]

A recent Pew Research survey showing 40% of households rely on the woman as the primary or sole breadwinner.  Been talking about it then it cited in Stephanie Coontz's op-ed in the New York Times this weekend, The Triumph of the Working Mother. * Coontz goes on to argue working provides moms health benefits. She cites a recent study showing women who work full-time after the birth of their first child report better physical and mental health at age 40, than their stay-at-home […]

Breastfeeding might help lower a women's blood pressure for decades. Researchers at the University of Western Sydney School of Medicine couldn't help but notice (in their pile of data) that women who reported breastfeeding also had lower blood pressure. Then they set about to get proof breastfeeding actually lowers blood pressure according to Science News Report:To prove their hypothesis, researchers examined the relationship between breastfeeding history and […]

Brothers and sisters likely influence our lives in many ways but are they more important than parents? Do more siblings mean a tighter family bond and hence an even more potent effect over a lifetime? Who knows.  These are interesting questions raised by Frank Bruni in his column at the New York Times this weekend. He does, by the way, seem to think siblings pack a powerful punch, especially his brothers and sister. He doesn't bother citing any empirical evidence but does throw in […]