Maternity care that involves a midwife as the main care provider leads to better outcomes for most women, according to a systematic review published in The Cochrane Library. Researchers found that women who received continued care throughout pregnancy and birth from a small group of midwives were less likely to give birth pre-term and required fewer interventions during labour and birth than when their care was shared between different obstetricians, GPs and midwives.

Induction and augmentation of labor with the hormone oxytocin may not be as safe for full-term newborns as previously believed, according to research presented today at the Annual Clinical Meeting of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Researchers say this is the first study of its kind to present data on the adverse effects of Pitocin use on newborns.

Scientists have discovered that important "good" bacteria arrive in babies' digestive systems from their mother's gut via breast milk.

Although this does confirm that when it comes to early establishment of gut and immune health, "breast is best," a greater understanding of how babies acquire a population of good bacteria can also help to develop formula milk that more closely mimics nature.

Breastfeeding longer is associated with better receptive language at 3 years of age and verbal and nonverbal intelligence at age 7 years, according to a study published by JAMA Pediatrics,a JAMA Network publication.

New evidence from research suggests that infants fed formula, rather than breastmilk, experience metabolic stress that could play a part in the long-recognized link between formula-feeding and an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions in adult life.

Most of the world is joyously welcoming the arrival of the Prince of Cambridge. And while I find myself caught up in the excitement, what would give me real cause for celebration is if Kate does the very ordinary but extraordinarily important motherly act of breastfeeding her baby. She's already proven that the power of her celebrity influences fashion choices; as a breastfeeding mom, she'd be a champion of maternal and baby health, and could help save lives.

With a vast array of known benefits from the age-old practice, the number of mothers who first turn to breastfeeding in this country is on the rise. The increase in breastfeeding isn't an anomaly, but a return to the norm, according to International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant Katherine Wilson-Thompson, although, she noted, too many mothers are still giving up too quickly.

Mothers who breastfeed their babies have lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, reported a study from University of Cambridge.

Breastfeeding helps the baby get all the required nutrients for a healthy body. However, previous research has shown that breastfeeding helps women strengthen the bond between herself and the baby, protects her from certain cancers and also lowers risk of obesity and heart disease.

The latest study shows that breastfeeding can lower risk of Alzheimer's disease in women.

A new study has shown that serious illness, struggling to hold down a regular job and poor social relationships are just some of the adverse outcomes in adulthood faced by those exposed to bullying in childhood.

It has long been acknowledged that bullying at a young age presents a problem for schools, parents and public policy makers alike. Though children spend more time with their peers than their parents, there is relatively little work done on understanding the impact of these interactions on their life beyond school.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently developing a report, Health for the World’s Adolescents, that will outline recent research and the growing consensus on the importance of adolescent health; and the achievements of the health sector in improving and maintaining the health of the world’s 1.2 billion adolescents (10-19 years).

Read this interview with Lysa Parker:

Attachment Parenting International is a grassroots, mainly volunteer-run, non-profit organization that educates and supports parents in their effort to raise secure, joyful and empathetic children. This way families become stronger and the world a place with more empathy. We asked API to answer ten questions for the Non-hip Hippies.

We’ve all been there. Our kids come to us with a problem (or perhaps, more worryingly, they don’t), and our hurried responses or efforts to intervene only make the situation worse. Over the last 16 years, I’ve had the privilege to work with 3rd to 5th grade girls, and to be the mother of two children of my own.

There are many parenting moments that have brought me to tears, and each for a variety of reasons: giving birth, stepping barefoot on a LEGO, feeling overwhelmed and exhausted and at my wit's end, and watching my children interact with each other. My husband and I have joked that while there will likely be something we did as parents that will send our kids to therapy down the road, one thing we both feel proud of is our children's relationship to each other. We are not quite sure how, but we are doing something right. 

We can cultivate empathy throughout our lives and use it as a radical force for social transformation.

If you think you’re hearing the word "empathy" everywhere, you’re right. It’s now on the lips of scientists and business leaders, education experts and political activists. But there is a vital question that few people ask: How can I expand my own empathic potential? Empathy is not just a way to extend the boundaries of your moral universe. According to new research, it’s a habit we can cultivate to improve the quality of our own lives.

It hit me like a ton of bricks last week. I was at the community pool, looking around to see what my kids were up to. Then I really looked at them. The big one was playing with her friends, her long arms and legs splashing. The little one was throwing herself off the diving board like a boss. The boy was in the shade, cracking jokes with his buddies. As I sat there drinking lukewarm coffee, I realized, Oh my God. Here I am....

[VIDEO] We're discussing the controversial issue of bed sharing and co-sleeping with your children.