Adoption Media, LLC, the company that had the remarkably good sense to hire me to write this News Blog, the International Adoption Blog, and the geezer-aimed Older Parent Adoption Blog, has recently distributed around 400 cuddly bears to adoption-related service organizations, and has another 700 or so to donate to kids in the process of being adopted.

Adoption.com teamed up with the Build-a-Bear Workshop and that Joint Council on International Children's Services to put bears in the arms of kids waiting for families.

Happier kids, lucky bears.

In science news, a new study is showing that mothers who smoke and breastfeed could be causing sleeping problems in their children.

Apparently, nicotine is passed through the breast milk into the child and there are questions about how this is effecting babies' development in many ways, with sleep patterns being the focus of this study.

Also mentioned is the thought that the taste of tobacco in breast milk might encourage a child to smoke later in life.

Tobacco-flavored breast milk? YUCK!

It doesn't get more "nature over nurture" than mapping the genome, and this story suggesting that soon it will be a simple thing to tell what comes from which biological parent or ancestor and follow along with new information.

"This is the ultimate form of genealogy. You'll have incredible information about yourself," said Stephen Scherer of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, who was part of the multimillion-dollar project described in today's issue of the journal PLoS Biology. "I wouldn't be surprised if Internet-based browsers pop up before long that allow you to compare your genome to others."

The article looks mainly at the medical implications, but touches on how much of how we think might be pre-programmed in our DNA. Considering the scientific thought of the moment that says that all of us are somewhere between 99% and 99.5% genetically the same, it seems that could be a more helpful focus than differences, not only in adoption, but to the world in general.

Sticking with the sci/med theme for a minute, a report out of the UK titled, "Blood Is Not Thicker Than Water When It Comes To Family", cites research recently presented at the British Psychological Society's Developmental Section Annual Conference at the University of Plymouth that found , "quality of parenting and the formation of good parent-child relationships did not depend on a genetic link between parent and child, nor was the experience of pregnancy and childbirth vital for parents to bond with their child ... "

Heck! I could have told them that, but it's nice to see it scientifically stated.

The issue in the research involves embryo donor conception parents and the percentage of them who say they'll be keeping their method of family building a secret from their child, unlike biological and adoptive parents who all said they would be open and honest.

"The views of the donor conception parents are at odds with proposed moves towards openness. If new legislation enforces disclosure through birth certificates, information and support about how to discuss this issue with children must be readily available to all such families."