breastfeeding

(From left) Mothers from Namibia's Himba tribe; from Amber, India; and from Washington state.

Secrets Of Breast-Feeding From Global Moms In The Know

2:28pm June 26, 2017

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Many American women want to breast-feed — and try to. Only about half keep it up. It's like they've lost the instinct. One researcher thinks she's figured out why and how to get the instinct back.

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Australian Greens party Sen. Larissa Waters breast-feeds her baby, Alia Joy, during a session in the Senate Chamber at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Tuesday.

World News

Senator Becomes First To Breast-Feed On Floor Of Australia's Parliament

4:12pm May 10, 2017

by Laurel Wamsley

Greens party co-deputy leader Larissa Waters is the first member of Parliament to take advantage of a rule change she spearheaded, allowing new parents to care for infants on the floor of the chamber.

Khanh-Hoa Nguyen cooks caramelized pork belly with ginger, a Cambodian dish served to women who have just given birth.

For Centuries, These Asian Recipes Have Helped New Moms Recover From Childbirth

7:00am April 02, 2017

by Grace Hwang Lynch

Postpartum soups and stews have traditionally been prepared for new moms by Asian grandmothers and aunts, the recipes passed down orally. A new cookbook seeks to preserve them before they're lost.

There's overwhelming consensus that breast-feeding is the optimal way to feed an infant. But the topic of how breast-feeding may influence cognitive ability is controversial.

Breast-Fed Kids May Be Less Hyper, But Not Necessarily Smarter, Study Finds

5:06am March 27, 2017

by Allison Aubrey

Prior research points to an association between breast-feeding and higher intelligence, but a new study finds no causal link. The study does find that breast-fed kids are less hyperactive at age 3.

Pope Francis Reiterates Support For Public Breast-Feeding

10:50am January 09, 2017

by Rebecca Hersher

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church encouraged mothers to breast-feed their infants during a baptism ceremony for 28 babies on Sunday in the Sistine Chapel.

In the first months of life, there are 700 new synapses formed in the brain every second. Nurturing — or the lack of nurturing — in these months can have lifelong effects.

A Pediatrician's View Of Paid Parental Leave

6:55pm October 10, 2016

by NPR Staff

Paternity leave can make a big difference in a dad's long-term engagement with the child, doctors find. Paid family leave also fosters breastfeeding and reduces the incidence of maternal depression.

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Some companies are offering compensation beyond paid parental leave, covering surrogacy and adoption, or even shipping breast milk home to baby for traveling moms.

Ship That Breast Milk For You? Companies Add Parent-Friendly Perks

6:45pm May 27, 2016

by Yuki Noguchi

Forget paid parental leave. Some companies offer compensation for surrogacy and adoption, or are helping traveling moms ship breast milk. The benefits are a relatively cheap way to recruit and retain.

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Food writer Bee Wilson says that babies are most open to trying new flavors between the ages of 4 and 7 months.

In Baby's 'First Bite,' A Chance To Shape A Child's Taste

3:01pm February 04, 2016

Bee Wilson's new book, First Bite, examines how genetics, culture, memory and early feeding patterns influence the palate. She says babies are most open to new flavors between ages 4 and 7 months.

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Only about a third of U.S. hospitals offer women breast-feeding help after they leave the hospital, according to report released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hospitals Still Don't Give Moms Enough Support For Breast-Feeding

1:39pm October 08, 2015

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Although an increasing number of U.S. hospitals and other birthing centers now encourage women to breast-feed and teach them how, other common practices by staff can hinder moms from sticking with it.