Rub Some Dirt On It

The hygiene hypothesis usually refers to respiratory illnesses such as asthma, but the BBC reports on new evidence that indicates when kids play outside and get dirt in their scrapes and wounds they are introduced to bacteria that prevents unnecessary swelling.

See: Dirt can be good for children, say scientists: Children should be allowed to get dirty, according to scientists who have found being too clean can impair the skin's ability to heal.

A Photo Gallery Of Baby Poop

This is exactly what is sounds like because sometimes you need a visual.

At Babycenter.com: What should baby poop look like?

[Via BB]

Some Antibiotics During Pregnancy Are Okay

Others are not.

See NPR: Study Clears Most Antibiotic Use In Pregnant Women

A study this month from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that most common antibiotics — penicillins — appear to be safe. But the study raises a red flag with two types of antibiotics, sulfa drugs (brand names include Bactrim and Thiosulfil Forte) and urinary germicides (brand names Macrobid and Furadantin). These medications are typically used to treat urinary tract infections.

Morning Sickness Is Not All Bad

Via ScientificAmerican: A new study shows a correlation between nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and the long-term neurocognitive development of those kids.

According to one hypothesis, vomiting reduces caloric intake, decreasing insulin secretion. Low insulin, in turn, boosts levels of other hormones that are known to play a role in the de­velopment of a healthy placenta and a healthy blood supply to growing brains.