While in the womb, some children hear as much as five hours of language per day, according to a study from the University of Illinois. Yet others will hear far fewer. During pregnancy and during the first five years of life, the brain is developing more rapidly than at any other time. Talking with children, a lot, during that time builds the brain architecture needed later to support communication, reading, and other skills. Listen now for more.

In 2017, the U.S. saw an increase in premature births for the third year in a row. Maryland’s preterm birth rates have followed this national trend. What can be done to combat our high infant mortality rate?

Breastfeeding moms know how hard it can be to find a private place to pump, including in busy airports. But the newly passed Friendly Airports for Mothers Act is about to change all that. The law will make it safer, cleaner, and more comfortable for moms, and the concept is long overdue.

Violence is dangerous wherever it appears, even for babies during the prenatal period. Many children who were in the womb when their mom experienced violent episodes showed negative impacts nearly two years later. Helping to protect mothers also serves to protect children, and to change their outcomes.

Being a new parent is wonderful…and it can also be terrifying. Here are five secrets that often go under reported in parenting circles.

Pregnant women and new moms should talk to their doctors to make sure their developing and new babies are getting all the germs they need…the helpful ones that is.

What will your new baby be like? What fun things will you do together? What do you want to share with him or her? Asking a pregnant mother these questions might help her to be healthier during pregnancy and interact positively with her infant after he or she is born. So say experts at the Centre for Family Research in a recently published study.

Babies cry….a lot. But did you know they cry in womb too? A mother’s stress just may be affecting how much.

The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) is up for reauthorization in September. Without this crucial evidence-based program, many at-risk pregnant women and parents with young children will not get the services they need to be healthy and productive.