Mom's voice may be music to a young child's brain, but the teen brain prefers to change the station, a new study finds.

Past research using brain imaging has revealed how important a mother's voice is to younger children: The sound stimulates not only hearing-related parts of the brain, but also circuits involved in emotions and "reward" - in a way strange voices simply do not.

The ...

Chloe Jo Davis is a vocal advocate for breastfeeding.

The Wilton, Conn.-based writer breastfed her three sons for years to make sure they reaped all of the benefits associated with the practice.

"Breastfeeding helps build up kids' immune system and keeps colds, virus, ear infection and stomach bugs at bay, and this is more important today than ever before with the spread of COVID-19...

The sound of mom's voice can soothe a fussy baby like nothing else, but now new research suggests that an infant is also calmed by the scent of its mother.

Prior animal studies had already shown that olfaction -- smell -- "is very important, that mother's smell is very critical for attachment," noted study author Ruth Feldman. "Young recognize mother by her smell, and mother and habitat a...

Grandmothers can have a strong bond with the little children in their families -- and the connection even shows up on brain scans, researchers say.

The investigators embarked on a unique study, looking at the brains of older women -- not for signs of dysfunction, as with dementia, but to study their connections with their grandchildren.

"What really jumps out in the data is the acti...

Moms who had COVID-19 when they gave birth may help stimulate their infant's burgeoning immunity against the virus by breastfeeding, a small study hints.

It's well known that breast milk contains certain maternal antibodies that can help protect infants from infections as their own immune systems develop.

Studies indicate that's true of SARS-CoV-2, as well: Breast milk from moms who...

The joys of motherhood may be overshadowed in the United States since as many as 50% of new or expectant moms can't pay their bills, including health care bills, new research suggests.

"Financial hardship is highly prevalent among pregnant and postpartum women," said study co-author Dr. Michelle Moniz. She is an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michiga...

Among the many negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may be damage to the bond between mothers and their infants, researchers say.

Women who experienced grief and depression due to pandemic-related losses may find it more difficult to form this all-important emotional connection with their babies, according to a new study from Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston.

"Becoming a...

Women who were born with heart defects may get some reassurance from a new study that finds they face no heightened risk to health during a pregnancy and delivery.

According to the researchers, doctors may often advise these women against getting pregnant due to the potential risks for them and their babies, but until now those risks have been unclear.

"The most important finding fr...

Marijuana use by mothers-to-be may have increased by as much as one-quarter during the pandemic, a new study suggests.

Researchers found a substantial increase in the number of women in Northern California using pot early in their pregnancies after the pandemic emerged compared to the previous year.

"Our previous research has shown that the prevalence and frequency of prenatal canna...

The COVID-19 pandemic has many women thinking twice about having more kids.

In a survey of close to 1,200 New York City women with young children, one-third of respondents who had been thinking about having another baby before the pandemic but hadn't started trying said they were no longer considering it.

For women who stopped trying to become pregnant when the pandemic began, fewer...

Breast milk can give preemies' hearts a big boost, a groundbreaking study suggests.

"This study "¦ adds to the already known benefits of breast milk for infants born prematurely," said study leader Dr. Afif El-Khuffash, a clinical professor of pediatrics at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin.

He said the findings offe...

Breastfeeding provides a baby with many positive benefits, but it doesn't always happen easily.

When a new mom feels overwhelmed by the challenge, a lactation consultant can help, according to two breastfeeding experts from Penn State Health.

"We're here to make sure new moms can get to where they want to be with their infant -- breastfeeding with ease and confidence," said Nancy Mc...