When many of us think about bonding with a baby, the image that is evoked is that of holding your baby just after birth, falling immediately in love as they gaze up at you. Or perhaps, you see a quiet babymooning moment, snuggled up with your little one, an innate feeling of togetherness within. These messages are part of the cultural paradigm that you have been provided -- and that we as individuals shape -- surrounding birth and parenting. However, creating a bond with a baby may not happen immediately and automatically.

A mom’s stress could lead to changes in her offspring’s brains that can affect the physiology and behavior of the young, researchers report at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting.

In a clinical assessment that could have implications for the United States, Britain’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has concluded that it is safer for healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies to give birth under the supervision of midwives than in a hospital maternity ward run by doctors. The reason: Doctors are much more likely than midwives to use interventions like forceps deliveries, spinal anesthesia and Cesarean sections -- procedures that carry risks of infection and surgical accidents.

A study conducted by University of Granada scientists and from the San Cecilio Clinical Hospital in Granada has demonstrated that delaying the cutting of the umbilical cord in newborns by 2 minutes leads to a better development of the baby during the first days of life.

Physical activity plays an important role in the physical, mental and social health of children. Unfortunately, most children do not accumulate sufficient physical activity for health benefits. One approach for intervening upon a child's physical activity is to influence their parents. Parenting styles, or the emotional climate that parents raise their children in, can influence children's physical activity.

Not only does breastfeeding have clear short-term benefits, such as protection from infectious diseases and a reduction in mortality, it's also been shown to be associated with an increase in intelligence. Prior studies have shown an increase of up to 7.5 IQ points in elementary age children who were breastfed, as well as an increase in verbal, performance and comprehensive IQ in adults. The latest addition to this perspective is a long-term study of infants born in Pelotas, Brazil, in 1982.

Word that a new study has found that children who were breast-fed for longer ended up smarter and richer will be welcome among one group of mothers in particular, those who practice Attachment Parenting that supports a longer-than-average time before weaning.

As men are now being called upon to spend more time and participate in the direct care of their kids, they often find themselves emotionally overwhelmed trying to balance work, relationship and family demands. In a recent U.S. survey, we found that men with higher emotional intimacy skills did better in their relationships with their children.

As a society, we don't talk much about emotions. Conversations tend to focus more on what we're doing or what we're thinking. In fact, most people find it easier to start sentences with, "I think..." instead of "I feel..." simply because it feels less awkward. Most of us are never educated about feelings. Instead, we're expected to learn socially acceptable ways to deal with feelings by watching the people around us. But the truth is, many people don't role model healthy ways to deal with feelings. It's no wonder there is a lot of confusion about emotions.

Infants can make sense of complex social situations, taking into account who knows what about whom, according to research at the University of Missouri.

A doctor's thesis at Sahlgrenska Academy has found that children whose parents experience time pressure are more likely to have mental health problems.

Hi there. I'm your toddler, and there's a few things you really need to know about me. Knowing these 5 things will make things better for all of us. Also, please let me have a cookie while you read this: 1. My Brain is a Toddler Too!
 

Tennessee taxpayers spent more than $3 billion in 2013 on the problem of substance abuse, according to a recently released report from Allies for Substance Abuse Prevention. While both the public and private sector continue to allocate funding for drug-treatment programs, a growing body of research indicates a person's childhood lays the foundation for their propensity to be an addict. Early childhood environment is a key factor.

For those who encountered adverse childhood experiences on a more consistent basis, the likelihood of them being unemployed, abusing drugs, having poor health, contracting sexually transmitted infections or attempting suicide was significantly higher. To intervene with kids who may be at risk of heading down a similar path, 2 Universal Parenting Places will be opened in the Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, area this spring. The goal of these centers will be to aid and educate parents whose children are exhibiting negative behaviors on how to combat these issues before they progress.

Teens can't control impulses and make rapid, smart decisions like adults can -- but why? Research into how the human brain develops helps explain. In a teenager, the frontal lobe of the brain, which controls decision-making, is built but not fully insulated -- so signals move slowly.

New research shows incredible cognitive potential -- and vulnerability -- during adolescence. For parents, the stakes couldn't be higher.