Tag Archive for 'Child care'

Yang et al. show that large-bodied pterosaurs, such as the giant pterosaur Pteranodon (shown here), probably practiced parental care. Image credit: James Robins / UCC.

Large-Bodied Pterosaurs Were Caring Parents, Paleontologists Say

Jul 19, 2023 by News Staff

To be able to fly soon after hatching from the egg, a bird or pterosaur must have well-developed wings. Studies of small-bodies pterosaur species from...

Ohmura et al. provide a proof of concept that infant transport robustly reduces cry and potentially promotes sleep, and propose a behavioral protocol, ‘5-min carrying, 5- to 8-min sitting before bed’ for crying infants. For secure holding, caregivers should attach the infant body snugly to their own body and support the infant’s head. Five-minute walking should be on a flat and clear passage and at a steady pace, preferably without abrupt stops or turns. With these precautions, this protocol can be safely performed within the range of regular parental care. It should be noted that, unlike most behavioral interventions for infant sleep difficulties, this protocol does not address any long-term improvement of sleep regulation. This protocol instead provides an immediate calming of infant cry and may be useful especially on special occasions when the regular sleep routines, breastfeeding, or pacifiers are not effective or available. Image credit: Ohmura et al., doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.08.041.

Study: Five-Minute Walk Promotes Sleep for Crying Infants

Sep 13, 2022 by News Staff

Approximately 20-30% of infants cry excessively and exhibit sleep difficulties for no apparent reason, causing parental stress and even triggering impulsive...

Australopithecus africanus, a mother with an infant. Image credit: Jose Garcia & Renaud Joannes-Boyau, Southern Cross University.

Australopithecus Mothers Breastfed Their Infants for Year after Birth

Jul 17, 2019 by News Staff

A high-resolution trace-element analysis of 2.6-2.1-million-year-old teeth from an extinct hominin called Australopithecus africanus has revealed that...

A study by Kamp Dush et al is the first known to uncover exactly what men were doing while women performed additional minutes of housework and childcare. Image credit: Rudy Anderson.

Study: Fathers are Often Having Fun While Mothers Perform Housework

Oct 19, 2017 by News Staff

An Ohio State University-led study is the first to show how couples spend time minute-by-minute. Published in the journal Sex Roles, the findings will...