The Official Bub Hub Blog!

In an effort to bring you all the latest news and research in the pregnancy and parenting sphere (and, let's face it, in an effort to clean out my inbox) I've created this new weekly (but don't hold me to that) column called ...

The Weekly (maybe) News Round-Up!

World-first study to trial freeze-all IVF

A new study will determine whether using only frozen embryos during IVF will lead to more pregnancies and healthier babies.

The world-first study, by Genea, will involve 200 patients in Sydney and could lead to a major re-think of the way IVF is conducted.

Genea will test the hypothesis that success rates could be increased if embryos created during the IVF process are monitored for five days, then those that are developing normally are frozen and then thawed and implanted during a woman's natural menstrual cycle. The traditional model of IVF involves the transfer of fresh embyros following hormone stimulation.

The trial comes after another Australian study found that birth defects were "significantly decreased" among IVF babies conceived using frozen embryo transfers rather than fresh transfers.


Child Care Rebate fails to deliver workforce boost

The Child Care Rebate has not produced the expected boost to the workforce, according to new research.

The study by associate professor Nick Parr from Macquarie University and professor Ross Guest from Griffith University showed only a small increase in the average working hours of couples with young children.

"The effect of the Child Care Rebate has been to increase the hours worked by couples with one or more children aged under five by less than one hour per week on average," says Parr.

"With a current annual maximum amount of $7,500 the Rebate should have increased the incentives to return to work or to work longer hours significantly," he says, suggesting that inflexibility in the supply of child care places may have prevented a bigger increase.


Vegetarian diet myths busted for kids and pregnant women

An Australian-first scientific research review has put to rest the common belief that a vegetarian diet lacks protein and iron and is unsuitable for pregnant women or children.

Nutritionist Dr Rosemary Stanton OAM, who wrote an accompanying editorial covering the papers, says evidence shows a well-planned plant-based diet can meet the nutritional needs of adults and children while reducing the risk of health problems such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and obesity.

Dr Stanton says there are no significant health differences in babies born to vegetarian mothers, and plant-based diets offer advantages to pregnant women including a reduced risk of excess weight gain.

When meals are planned well, there is no notable difference in the growth of vegetarian children compared to children eating meat-based diets.


Ford engineers develop pregnancy suit

Ford has brought to Australia a unique safety technology to make its vehicle’s safer for mothers-to-be start struggling to fit comfortably – and above all, safely – into their cars.

The Ford Pregnancy Suit has been specially designed to allow ergonomic engineers to experience firsthand how pregnancy can affect drivers and the problems pregnant women face when driving a vehicle, such as awkwardness in body movements, postural changes, shifts in centre of gravity and limitations in reach.

The Pregnancy Suit consists of lead weights to simulate the weight of the baby, a 'belly' containing 2kg of water, and a weighted pouch on the underside of the belly that simulates the foetal head resting and applying pressure on the bladder.


New program helps healthier weight gain in pregnancy

A lifestyle intervention program for women at risk of gestational diabetes has shown to improve health during pregnancy and minimise excessive weight gain.

Researchers found a low-intensity, behavioural lifestyle intervention program, integrated with standard maternal care, produced healthy gestational weight gain, improved physical activity and reduced post-delivery weight retention.

A research team from Monash University, in collaboration with Southern Health, assessed weight and height, physical activity, questionnaires and gestational diabetes screening in more than 220 women who participated in a four-session behavioural change lifestyle program in contrast to those who attended a single education session.

Researcher Professor Teede said the program was effective in enabling women to improve lifestyle and adhere to recommended pregnancy weight gain compared to the group of women who received education alone.


Let kids play with their greens!

Toddlers who use all of their senses to play with vegetables outside of mealtimes are more likely to eat them than those who don’t.

Research from Ella’s Kitchen partnered with the University of Reading, found that toddlers who experienced new vegetables through sight, smell, sound and touch before tasting were more willing to try them.

Paul Lindley, Ella’s Dad and founder of Ella’s Kitchen, says this is particularly important as previous research has shown that children need to try a new or initially disliked food up 15 times before liking it.

"However 80 per cent of parents give up after just three or four attempts , showing the need for new tactics to help parents persevere," he says.

Engaging children through sight, smell and touch of vegetables or singing a song and hearing a story about a food worked to build familiarity and increase acceptance.