What does the evidence actually say?

The most relevant parenting topics, researched from primary sources and examined and supported by the community. How we rate evidence → · Suggest a topic →

Pregnancy preparing for birth

Alcohol in pregnancy: is any amount safe?

Is any amount of alcohol safe in pregnancy, and what do we actually know about light drinking, miscarriage, birthweight, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders?

Evidence: C

Caffeine in pregnancy: the 200 mg question

How much caffeine is safe in pregnancy, and what do we actually know about miscarriage, stillbirth, and fetal growth?

Evidence: C

Exercise in pregnancy: how much, and what's safe

How much exercise is safe and beneficial in pregnancy, and what does the evidence say about miscarriage, preterm birth, and diabetes risk?

Evidence: B

Prenatal vitamins and folic acid: what actually works

Do prenatal vitamins and folic acid improve pregnancy outcomes, and which components actually have evidence behind them?

Evidence: B

Labor delivery postpartum recovery

Delayed cord clamping: benefits and risks

What are the benefits and risks of delayed cord clamping at birth?

Evidence: A

Epidural: benefits, risks, and trade-offs

What are the proven benefits and risks of an epidural for pain relief in labour?

Evidence: B

Home birth vs. hospital birth: the safety evidence

For low-risk pregnancies, how does the safety of planned home birth compare with hospital birth?

Evidence: C

Induction of labour: when it's recommended and what the evidence says

When is inducing labour recommended, and what does the evidence say about benefits and risks versus waiting?

Evidence: B

Planned caesarean vs planned vaginal birth: comparing the trade-offs

How do planned caesarean and planned vaginal birth compare for mother and baby, in absolute terms?

Evidence: C

Newborn care first year

Newborn blood-spot screening (heel prick) — what it tests and why

What does the heel-prick test screen for, and what does a positive result mean?

Evidence: B

Newborn jaundice — what's normal, when to worry

My baby looks yellow — is this normal, and when does jaundice need treatment?

Evidence: B

Swaddling: does it help babies sleep, and is it safe?

Does swaddling help babies sleep, and is it safe (SIDS, hips, overheating)?

Evidence: C

Vitamin K for newborns — why it's offered

Should my newborn get the vitamin K injection?

Evidence: B

Feeding breastfeeding formula

Breast milk vs. formula: what are the real long-term differences?

What does the evidence say about long-term differences between breastfeeding and formula feeding?

Evidence: C

Breastfeeding challenges: pain, supply worries, and what actually helps

What helps when breastfeeding is painful or supply feels low, and what does the evidence say about support?

Evidence: B

Early allergen introduction: what the LEAP trial changed

Does introducing peanut and egg early reduce food allergy, and who should do it?

Evidence: B

Starting solids: when and how

When should we start solids, and does it matter whether we spoon-feed or try baby-led weaning?

Evidence: B

Sleep

Does sleep training harm infant attachment or cause lasting stress?

Does sleep training harm infant attachment or cause lasting stress?

Evidence: B

Newborn sleep — what's actually normal in the first months

How much should my newborn sleep, and when will they start sleeping through the night?

Evidence: B

Night weaning: when and how

When can babies go through the night without feeding, and what approaches to night weaning does the evidence support?

Evidence: D

Where should the baby sleep? Bed-sharing, room-sharing, and separate rooms

Should the baby sleep in our bed, in our room on a separate surface, or in a separate room?

Evidence: B

Health illness safety

Antibiotics for common childhood infections

When do common childhood infections — ear infections, sore throats, colds — actually need antibiotics?

Evidence: B

Fever management in young children

How should parents manage fever in young children, and when is a fever a sign of something serious?

Evidence: B

Is the standard childhood vaccination schedule safe and effective — what does the evidence say about timing and spacing?

Is the standard childhood vaccination schedule safe and effective — what does the evidence say about timing and spacing?

Evidence: B

Vitamin D for babies and children in the UK

Do babies and children in the UK need vitamin D supplements, and how much?

Evidence: C

Development learning

Bilingualism: does it confuse or delay children?

Does raising a child with two languages cause delay or confusion, and are there real benefits?

Evidence: B

Developmental milestones: ranges vs red flags

How wide are the normal ranges for developmental milestones, and which delays genuinely warrant assessment?

Evidence: C

Talking and reading to babies: what the language evidence says

Does how much we talk and read to babies change their language development?

Evidence: C

Tummy time: how much does it matter?

How important is tummy time, and is there evidence for a specific amount?

Evidence: C

Behavior discipline emotional regulation

Praise and rewards: what works

How should parents use praise and rewards to encourage good behaviour?

Evidence: C

Smacking and physical punishment: what the evidence says

What does the evidence say about smacking/physical punishment and child outcomes?

Evidence: B

Tantrums: what's normal and what helps

Are tantrums developmentally normal, and what actually helps during and after them?

Evidence: C

Time-outs: do they work, and do they harm?

Are time-outs effective for managing young children's behaviour, and is there evidence of harm?

Evidence: C

Childcare education technology

Daycare before age 2: does it affect child development?

Does daycare before age 2 affect children's development, positively or negatively?

Evidence: B

Nursery vs childminder vs nanny: what the quality evidence says

Does the type of childcare (nursery, childminder, nanny) matter for child outcomes, or is it the quality of the setting or caregiver that counts?

Evidence: B

Screen time before age two: what the evidence says

What does the evidence say about screen time for children under 2?

Evidence: C

Parenting decisions family systems

Dividing parental leave: what the evidence says, including fathers

How does sharing parental leave (including fathers taking leave) affect children, mothers, and fathers?

Evidence: B

Going back to work: timing and effects on child and parents

Does the timing of returning to work after a baby affect child outcomes or parental wellbeing?

Evidence: C

Grandparents as caregivers: effects on children, parents, and grandparents

Does grandparent-provided childcare affect child development, parental wellbeing, or grandparents' health?

Evidence: C

Parent mental health relationships work

Parental burnout: when parenting itself becomes exhausting

What is parental burnout, how common is it, and what helps parents recover from it?

Evidence: C

Postpartum Depression: How Common It Is and What Helps

How common is postpartum depression, and what does the evidence say helps?

Evidence: B

Sleep deprivation and parental mental health: what the evidence actually says

Does sleep deprivation after the birth of a child harm parents' mental health, and do strategies to protect sleep actually help?

Evidence: C

Your relationship after the baby: what actually happens to couples

Does having a baby change couple relationship satisfaction, and what — if anything — helps couples stay close?

Evidence: C

Evidence gaps controversies

How to read a parenting headline: relative vs absolute risk

When a headline says 'X doubles the risk of Y', how do you work out whether it actually matters?

Evidence: B

Why parenting studies contradict each other

Why do parenting studies so often disagree, and how should a parent weigh conflicting findings?

Evidence: C