new mothers

(JAMA and Archives Journals) A majority of US hospitals on the East coast distribute formula sample packs to new mothers, contrary to recommendations from most major medical organizations concerned about the potential for distributing these packs to reduce breastfeeding rates, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

However, the practice is changing significantly.

The waiting room at La Clinica del Pueblo is a busy but intimate scene where doctors greet patients with a hug, new mothers drop by to show off their infants, and Spanish-speaking seniors come for help translating their mail.

(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) With more new mothers in the workplace than ever before, there has been a corresponding increase in the number of child care facilities in the United States.

At the same time, data from a variety of sources point to a growing prevalence of overweight infants and toddlers.

Is there a connection? According to a new study, child care factors and feeding practices may indeed play a role.