"Allo" is Greek for "other." Alloparents are helpful relatives and neighbors. In a study from Congo, babies had 8 alloparents on average. Perhaps the self-reliant nuclear family is a societal misstep.

A new study looks at the reduction in mortality among vulnerable babies if kangaroo care — skin-to-skin contact — is started soon after birth.

Can the warmth of a parent's chest be a boon to babies, especially premature births? In the 1970s, Colombian researchers found it did. The technique has gone global. Ivory Coast is the latest convert.