The world’s best place to be a mom is Norway. That’s according to Save the Children’s 2011 rankings. The rankings were based on risk of maternal death, use of contraception, skilled attendants at birth and female life expectancy. Norway had the lowest, infant mortality rate. Out of 164 countries Afghanistan – with poor access to skilled attendants at birth and low female life expectancy – was ranked last. Out of 43 developed countries, the U.S. was ranked 31. That was primarily due to losing more newborns than most other developed countries. Obviously, the U.S. is "pregnant with possibility" for improvement.
Although pregnant with possibility, white women in the U.S. are more likely not to be moms than women of other races or ethnicities. When 44 was used as the age for the end of childbearing, 20.6% of white women were childless, 17.2% of Blacks, 15.9% of Asians and 12.4% of Hispanics. Data from the 2010 Census also showed that 55% of women who had a child the previous year were in the workforce, 23% had family incomes of at least $75,000 and 21% had family incomes under $20,000. This is Census Bureau “baby talk”.
According to a study published in Archives of Disease in Childhood, moms whose babies are breastfed for at least 4 months are less likely to develop major behavior problems in childhood – such as lying, stealing, being anxious or hyperactive. When researchers collected data on more than 10,000 infants born in 2000 and 2001, 16% of formula-fed babies developed behavior problems by age 5 compared to 6% of breastfed babies. This was attributed to either fatty acids in breast milk aiding brain development or to strong bonding between mother and child. This is another reason why new mothers are expected to be on their “breast behavior”.
However, mom’s problems with feeding don’t end after breastfeeding. According to a study published in the journal Pediatrics, children who share meals with their families at least 3 times a week are 24% likelier to eat more healthfully. Researchers examined 17 previous studies involving 182,836 children ages 2-17. They found that children who had at least 3 family meals weekly decreased the risk of being overweight by 12%, of eating unhealthy food regularly by 20% and of having an eating disorder by 35%. They were also likelier to eat breakfast. When eating, however, families must be careful to talk – not “chew the fat”.
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