A Week in the News - 26th April 2013

In a week where we've seen major international news coming out from America with the aftermath of the Boston bombings, news about babies and pregnancies has been pushed down the list of headlines. That being said there have been some really interesting stories this week that shouldn't be missed, of course we have the usual celebrity gossip but there are also some stories that are heart-warming and serious.

Striking the Right Cord

Featured on The Guardian today is an article all about babies and their umbilical cord. Research suggests that cutting the cord straight after a baby is born could lead to iron deficiencies, due to the fact that the baby missing out on key supplies from the placenta after being born. NHS guidance states that the umbilical cord should be cut, and this has been standard practice since the 1960s. With groups pressuring the NHS to change their advice, this policy could soon change and it is something that all expectant mothers should be aware of.

The Telegraph were also keen to look at the life of mother and child in from a slightly different angle to the usual celebrity news. They focus on the belief that changes in the child benefit system has negatively affected stay-at-home mums. Whilst the number of stay-at-home mums has been falling over the past 20 years, a significant number still choose this option. Should parents be punished for making this decision rather than choosing to go back to work? The current Government seem to think so.

Celebs, Bumps and Weight

On a slightly more light-hearted note, The Daily Mail focus on the pregnancy of Kim Kardashian and how it is 'scaring her to death', there's no doubt that celeb pregnancies are a staple of our culture, but Kim seems to make the news every single day; is anyone bored of it yet? The Mail also look at Kate Middleton and her growing bump. They seem to wonder why Kate has a tiny bump in comparison to celebs such as Denise Van Outen and Holly Willoughby. Maybe it's because Kate is a completely different women, and a different baby Daily Mail? A bizarre story! On the flip side of this debate they also looked at how teen mothers experience a higher obesity risk; it seems you can't win either way.

Consciousness and the 70m to 1 Chance

The New Scientist brought us news about the consciousness of babies and when it develops. New findings have led scientists to believe that babies start to become conscious of their surroundings at around five months. Whilst this consciousness may be slower than older babies, children and adults it shows that babies could potentially form memories at a very young age. Can you remember anything from a really young age?

Finally there is the good news story from Berkshire as a couple desperate for children turned to IVF only to find out they were pregnant with quads, who were then born 11 weeks premature. When we look at all of the news that has been spread over the last couple of weeks, it's fantastic to see such a story hit the headlines. We wish James, Joshua, Lauren and Emily all the luck in the world - and the same to their parents, quads are going to be a challenge!

We'll be back next week with another round up of the news, if you see anything interesting let us know and we'll try to get it featured!

About the author

James Brighton

Since 2011 James has been in charge of working with and organising all our writers to put together Pregnancy.co.uk and Babies.co.uk. Anna, his girlfriend, knows he will be an encyclopaedia of knowledge if she ever falls pregnant!

Click here to read my full biography.

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