Pregnant women can decrease the chances of birth defects by following four healthy strategies.

It's every parent's nightmare: you lay your baby down to sleep, and she never wakes up. But sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is rare, and there are ways you can reduce your child's risk.

The small amount of evidence available about medications and pregnancy makes it tough for women to make informed decisions. Fortunately, researchers are learning more all the time.

A smile comes naturally when we are feeling good. But what is the science behind this automatic expression of joy? How is smiling received in another person? How does it effect our physical health? How can it effect the wellbeing of others who weren't even directly exposed to it?

Vaccines have commonly been considered victims of their own success. Parents no longer see the disease outbreaks, so they lose sight of vaccines' importance.

You may have seen the studies trumpeting the higher amount of life satisfaction found among parents. Or the studies that found lower levels of well-being among parents. So which is it?

Becoming a new parent brings with it a host of challenges, not the least of which is learning your baby’s needs and how he or she expresses those needs.

When expecting, it can be nerve-wracking to consider all the changes going on in your life and how to be ready to take care of this new, tiny, amazing creature.

It's hard enough to adequately weigh the risks and benefits of taking certain medications while pregnant. But the bigger problem is when women and doctors simply don't know the risks. A review article that considered much of the research available and published in April says just that: too little is known about the ways prescription drugs taken by a pregnant mother may affect the developing baby. This is true even for the drugs used to treat chronic conditions, such as asthma, high blood pressure and mental health disorders. Avoid any unnecessary medication during pregnancy. ...

Breastfeeding is one of the most effective preventive measures a mother can take to protect the health of her infant. It lowers medical costs, provides invaluable immunities, and helps protect against childhood obesity and many other illnesses including diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome, respiratory and ear infections.