Another Reason Breast Is Best for Fragile Preemie Babies

MONDAY, June 17, 2019 -- Breast milk provides many benefits for babies. And now researchers say mother's milk contains an antibody that protects premature infants from an often-deadly intestinal bacterial disease called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies protect against this disease. And preterm infants get IgA from their mother's breast milk during the first weeks of life, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh explained.

How to Protect Your Baby From Unsafe Products

WEDNESDAY, July 24, 2019 -- In an average year, close to 70,000 children under age 5 go to the emergency department because of injuries from common nursery items, according to the journal Pediatrics. About 90% of these injuries happen at home, so prevention starts there.

One reason young children are more prone to injury is that they have disproportionately large heads, which raises their center of gravity. They tend to lead with their head when they fall and are unable to break their fall with their arms because of lack of coordination and strength.

Smog Could Land Newborns in Intensive Care

THURSDAY, July 25, 2019 -- The danger that air pollution poses to the hearts and lungs of adults is well-documented, but new research suggests that newborns are also at risk.

Infants of mothers who were exposed to high levels of air pollution in the week before giving birth were more likely to end up in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU).

Surgery Helps Babies Missing a Heart Chamber Survive, But Problems Linger

TUESDAY, July 2, 2019 -- When babies are born without one heart chamber, a special surgery can save their lives. But a new study shows that these patients face lifelong health issues that require special care.

Still, a new American Heart Association (AHA) scientific statement says, they can have rich and fulfilling lives.

Tongue, Lip Snip Surgeries May Be Overused in U.S. Newborns

THURSDAY, July 11, 2019 -- Too many American newborns may be undergoing unnecessary tongue and lip surgeries to improve their ability to breastfeed, a new study finds.

These minor "tether release" or frenotomy surgeries involve a snip, using either sterile scissors or a laser, to loosen the frenulum. That's the thin band of tissue that connects a baby's tongue to the bottom of the mouth, or the upper lip to the gum.