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A new report hitting newsstands and the internet tomorrow discusses a growing trend in prisons. nbc news has teamed up with the grio.com and essence magazine to look at programs allowing mothers to raise their newborns in prison. studies show nurseries benefit the kids and the mothers but some question whether the government should be involved in child care. nbc has more. >> right now you're in the living area or what we may term as their dayroom. we want this to really simulate if they were in their homes. >> reporter: but this is their whole world. they never leave until they leave. >> in te...

>> this story, what's the most rewarding take-away to come from that story that you hope people get this nugget and use it as they think about this in the future? >> one of the moms said to me i'm so happy i'm here for all her special moments, you know, the little milestones that moms really well in seeing, the rolling over, the first smile, those kinds of things. she said i'm so happy i'm here for those special moments. it's just really very basic, just a mother bonding with her baby. and this is what changes their life. and it has a long-term effect. >> it really does. such a great story. a ...

>> this one has more fat and sodium. and this is not just kfc. you know, burger king, mcdonald's, wendy's, they all have their problems. and this is a fast food industry problem. >> and this may not be around forever. it's a six-week option, right. it's gong to be out there on the menu for a little while and test it. >> yes. it's only for six weeks, but i hope that we can continue to hold these chains, these restaurant chains' feet to the fire and say, look, you can't just put out anything. you have to let people know. again, we have an obesity crisis in america. particularly in african-americ...

Burger, why not have some advertisement, let people know what you have on the menu, promote some more healthy alternatives. >> on the grio.com, kelly white slammed kfc from contributing to the growing obesity problem in the particular lly on the african-american community. >> not just kfc. this has less calories than the whopper. >> it's fat. >> what the article was saying, look, all of them have responsibility, not just kfc, burger king, mcdonald's, wendy's, to again be mindful of the obesity crisis in america and communities that they serve. >> they're going to say, look, we are now required...

Foster that initial relationship, that first two months of a child's life is so important to be with his or her mom. we're seeing that especially in the african-american community where a lot of these women are single-parent households and are head of the household essentially. that hopefully this is helping to keep the family together. >> wendy wilson, mara, it is a silver lining to this story. just a great one. let's hope it continues. thank you, ladies. for more stories and video on this important issue, head right to the grio.com. "mothers behind bars." really, brian?