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We've been talking about the risks and struggles of having a premature infant this month. Now a new report shows that even babies born "a little early" can have health difficulties.

Have you noticed that moms talk a lot more about inductions these days? There's something to that. The CDC says points to a 20 percent increase in late pre-term births, (that's anywhere from the 34 to 37 week) from 1990 to 2006, according to new study, reports Health NewsDigest.

Some stats from the report:

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My back never hurt more than when my kids were babies and I had to pick them up all the time.

Mr. Bad Back himself, my husband, constantly scolded me: "Stop bending over; lift with your legs!"

It's one of those tasks, those parts of motherhood that seems so natural and basic that you don't even stop to think about whether you are doing it correctly. But you should definitely think about it, trust me.

Here are some back-safe reminders when picking up babies and small children:

Photo by MissDipper

CafeMom MissDipper's son Derek was born three months early weighing just over 1 pound. She wasn't allowed to pick him up for an entire week, and he developed retinopathy (a serious condition of the eyes) and other health issues.

MissDipper, owner of the Preemie Moms group, cried regularly and felt jealous of all the mothers of full-term infants who were allowed to snuggle their babes and take them home after just a few days. Derek would be in the hospital for two months!

Here's the rest of the story I posted yesterday, with good wishes and prayers going out to Derek and all premature infants in honor of November, Prematurity Awareness Month ...

Photo by MissDipper

My friends and I were talking the other day about all the big babies born these days. My friend IRL just had a 10 pound baby. A co-worker had an 11 pound baby! Everyone is always wowed but thrilled when a big baby comes into the world, because most times it's a sign of health and thriving.

Imagine a baby being born at a little over one pound. That's what Derek, son of Preemie Moms group owner MissDipper, weighed when he was delivered by emergency C-section 16 months ago.

November is Prematurity Awareness Month, a time to remember that not all babies come into the world when they're supposed to, and that not all moms have the birth of their dreams. Here's MissDipper's story so we can all understand premature birth and some of the struggles that these moms go through a little bit better.

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The month of November is Prematurity Awareness Month, sponsored by the March of Dimes. I had no idea that the rate of premature births has been escalating over the past 20 years.

Being lucky enough to have delivered full-term healthy infants, I hadn't been paying attention and thought the problem was under control. How wrong I was.

Today one in eight babies are born before they should be. In nearly 40 percent of all cases, no one knows why, since premature birth can happen to any woman, even healthy ones.

But here are some of the other "known" reasons why more women give birth prematurely:

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There's a new study on twins .... but before I tell you any more, let me first say that this news should in no way panic moms expecting twins in which one or both babies are boys. That's the doctor who did the research himself talking, not me.

But I found this report sort of interesting in terms of the famed "boy disadvantage" we've heard about.

What's the "boy disadvantage"?

Well, it means singleton boys are more likely than girls to be born prematurely, need a cesarean delivery, or have newborn health problems. That's all well known.

And the latest study published in the nation's top gynecological journal suggests that having a male twin may also raise the odds of complications, according to Reuters.

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I felt guilty taking my two-week old firstborn to a friend's party where there were lots of snuffly little kids around. Our pediatrician had specifically said to wait at least a month to six weeks before exposing him to germs, and as a new mom, I took his words as gospel.

When my daughter was born, I was strolling the aisles of Target and visiting friends within days with no guilt whatsoever. If she was going to catch anything, it would be something from her germy big brother.

I recently visited my friend and her 1 week old, and even though she's been through it all with an older son, she doesn't plan to take her new baby out anytime soon, especially with the Swine Flu going around. So it seems like it just depends on the mom.

Some of the responses from moms who were asked when they took their newborn out in public in Answers made me giggle:

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Some of us may not remember Baby Fae. I recalled the name, but when I read that this week marks the 25th anniversary of her landmark surgery, I had to do some digging to refresh on who she was and what it was all about.

I was just a little kid when the baby, Stephanie Fae Beauclair, was born, certainly many years from momhood myself. But now that I read up on it I wonder if the perspective I had back then would have been different from the one I have now.

According to the National Ledger, Stephanie Fae Beauclair was a premature baby and suffered a condition known as hypoplastic left-heart syndrome, or a partially developed heart. It was untreatable.

Photo by TwinMommy320

The November issue of Parents magazine explains why we can predict a lot about the way our baby thinks, behaves and develops based on his or her sex.

Okay, so this explains my son's love of head butting a lot!

Here are some of the biggest differences:

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Both my kids recieved either an 8 or a 9 APGAR score immediately after birth. I'd have to look it up to be sure. All I cared about what that they were crying and moving and alive.

But your doctor will do a little test to make sure your baby is perfectly okay. This is called the Activity, Pulse, Grimace, Appearance, and Respiration score, or APGAR.

The test, given immediately and five minutes after birth, was designed to quickly evaluate a newborn's physical condition after delivery and to determine if any extra medical or emergency care, such as CPR, is needed.

Click to see the APGAR in chart form or here's the rundown: