Don T Blow It On Mother S Day A Guide For Dads

(Author’s note: My husband’s reaction to the title of this article: “What? Mother’s Day is for your mom, right? Not your wife.” I’m currently five months pregnant, and I hereby dedicate this article to him.) Calling all daddies: Yes, once your wife becomes a mother (meaning from the time you’ve impregnated her until forever), you’re responsible for making her feel special on Mother’s Day. In fact, as long as baby is still gestating or otherwise unable to hold a glue stick, it’s entirely up to you....

September 12, 2022 · 3 min · 563 words · Kena Goode

Fertility Struggles A Letter To My Pregnant Friends

To all my pregnant friends: First, I want to say that I’m so happy for you. You are going to be wonderful moms. But here’s the thing: I can’t be there for you. At least, not in the way I’d like to be. You deserve a friend you can talk to about your back pain, your cravings, your mood swings, your pregnancy brain—a friend who will laugh with you about the silly names your partner keeps suggesting....

September 12, 2022 · 5 min · 923 words · Jeff Rodriguez

How To Treat A Sick Toddler

No one ever wants their toddler to be sick, but unfortunately helping your child through an illness is part of parenting. Fever, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation—the odds are pretty high you’re going to go through all of it during the toddler years. Here’s what you need to know about tackling these common illnesses at home to get your sick toddler on the mend, and when you should call your pediatrician. In this article: Fever Constipation Diarrhea Cough and sore throat Rash Vomiting Congestion Headache How to soothe a sick kid When to call the doctor...

September 12, 2022 · 9 min · 1863 words · Kevin Noggler

Is Botox Safe During Pregnancy

Sorry. You can add Botox to the long list of things that haven’t been proved harmless so therefore can’t be advised during pregnancy. Think about it: Botox is a brand name for botulinum toxin A, made from the same toxin that causes botulism, a type of food poisoning. If you wouldn’t inject the stuff directly into your baby (and we certainly hope that you wouldn’t), you should probably skip it yourself....

September 12, 2022 · 2 min · 230 words · Sarah Knight

Karneisha O Connell S Breastfeeding Story

The Stats: Name: Karneisha O’Connell Age: 31 Occupation: Attorney and Blogger, Hit Send. Let Go. Children: One son, Daniel (7 months) TB: Did you have any fears about breastfeeding? KO: Oh, I heard that it hurt an awful lot. I heard that it’s tiresome and that it’s difficult to have other people take care of your baby for you if you have to breast feed the whole time. Nothing could be further from the truth....

September 12, 2022 · 3 min · 591 words · Karen Wong

Parenting Expert Tammy Gold

Tammy Gold is a licensed therapist, author of the best-selling book Secrets of the Nanny Whisperer, a certified parent coach and the founder of Tammy Gold, Inc.. As a nationally recognized parenting expert, Tammy appears regularly on Good Morning America, The Today Show, FOX and CBS News and has appeared in more than 100 magazines. Tammy has had the pleasure of working with families of all kinds for over a decade....

September 12, 2022 · 1 min · 210 words · Ralph Rivard

Pregnancy Symptoms Of Pregnancy Pregnancy Brain

“I had the worst road rage ever. I flipped one guy off and tailed another. I was mean!” - princessmimi* “I bought a ton of maternity clothes. What was I thinking? Now they’re all in a huge plastic bin. My DH said I have them for the next time around. Great.” - GASuzuki “At the end of my second trimester, I came down with a stomach virus or food poisoning. I got sick in the middle of the night and tried to lean over my hubby to get the garbage can, but I couldn’t reach it....

September 12, 2022 · 2 min · 411 words · Mark Murry

Q A Baby Won T Nurse

No. But you do need to get some hands-on lactation help, pronto. Stop giving her the bottle and call in a lactation consultant (a well-qualified one will have the letters IBCLC in her title). The consultant will help you work to re-teach baby to latch onto your breast. Don’t freak — with a little patience, baby will almost certainly be able to get back into the groove. If, in the future, you have to be away from baby and won’t be able to nurse her at times (like, if you return to work), avoid a repeat of this scenario by having baby get your breast milk by cup or nursing supplement instead of a bottle....

September 12, 2022 · 1 min · 163 words · Latasha Taylor

Q A Gender Selection Theories

First, some of the suggestions we have been given over the years… For a boy — have rear-entry sex standing up, when you’re both stressed out, at night, on an odd day of the month, when there’s a quarter moon, with mom’s head pointing north, and make sure dad’s testicles are warm. Lay down afterwards… and make sure it’s to the left of dad! For a girl — have missionary sex with mom on top, when you’re both relaxed, in the afternoon, on an even day of the month, when there’s a full moon, and make sure dad’s testicles are cool....

September 12, 2022 · 3 min · 505 words · Pamela Nevin

Q A Nursing In Public

Discreet public breastfeeding is learned skill, just like breastfeeding itself. Practice at home in front of a mirror first, and you’ll soon see much less skin (okay, boob) than you feared. Experiment with different kinds of clothing to see what works best for you. Some moms like to wear looser tops that lift up from the bottom; others prefer button-up shirts or those with slits or flaps made especially for nursing....

September 12, 2022 · 1 min · 182 words · Brady Watson

Q A Why Does My Toddler Always Melt Down At Birthday Parties Toddler Toddler Basics Months 19 To 24

Birthday parties can be overwhelming for adults, let alone toddlers. So, the fact that you see an increase in temper tantrums in chaotic social situations isn’t too surprising. But there are a few ways to foil an imminent fit. First, feed the beast. Even if you know there will be pizza and cake at the party, take some time before you arrive to give your toddler a healthy snack. You may also be aware of certain signs that a tantrum is coming, in which case, try to distract him with a situation change before it happens and subsequently spirals out of control....

September 12, 2022 · 2 min · 220 words · Ben Carlson

The 2021 Best Of Baby Winner For Best Glass Baby Bottle

And the Winner Is: Philips Avent Natural Glass Bottle Want to feel confident you’re steering clear of plastic chemicals? While most plastic bottles are made without BPA and other dubious chemicals, glass can be considered an even safer choice because there’s zero risk of inorganic chemical leaching—even after regular use and repeat washing. Undeniably, glass bottles are heavier, but some parents favor their weight and durability. The Philips Avent Natural Glass bottle is made of pharmaceutical-grade glass, is heat- and shatter-resistant and features innovative anti-colic valve technology that helps prevent post-feeding discomfort....

September 12, 2022 · 2 min · 232 words · Lee Wheeler

14 Ways To Make Mornings Less Chaotic

The following story, “14 Ways To Make Mornings Less Chaotic” by Cheryl Brody Franklin was originally published on Boomdash. Mornings for a mom are exhausting, there’s really no better way to put it (which is unfortunate considering you just—hopefully—slept at night). Getting yourself and your family ready for the day requires so much thought and preparation, and sometimes you can’t remember it all, no matter how many lists you methodically write down....

September 11, 2022 · 5 min · 944 words · Zachariah Goldsberry

6 Ways To Teach Your Child To Embrace Kids With Autism

If you don’t personally know someone with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) today, chances are, your child will by the time they’re in elementary school. After all, the CDC notes that 1 in 59 children are diagnosed with ASD by the age of 8, leaving little doubt that your child will encounter peers with this diagnosis in school, at the playground, during camp—anywhere, really. But just because it’ll surely happen doesn’t mean it’ll automatically be smooth sailing....

September 11, 2022 · 5 min · 1052 words · Robert Dejesus

Cravings During Pregnancy

That urge to eat (fill in the blank here) can be incredibly powerful when you’re expecting. Food cravings during pregnancy are super-common, but it doesn’t make them any less bewildering. Why is it that your new must-have pantry staple are pickles, and you just can’t stop crunching on ice? Read on to learn what could be causing your cravings, what to do when they turn really strange, and how to control those cravings with healthier options....

September 11, 2022 · 2 min · 388 words · Sheila Thomas

How Can I Help Baby Sleep

Every baby is different, but there are definitely some ways to maximize your chances of catching some z’s. Give yourself and baby some much-needed snoozetime with these easy tips. Clear the Clutter Make sure the nursery is designated as a room for sleep. Keep the area around the crib free of toys and other fun knickknacks. “Crib distractions confuse your baby,” says Conner Herman, coauthor of The Dream Sleeper: A Three-Part Plan for Getting Your Baby to Love Sleep....

September 11, 2022 · 3 min · 632 words · Ada Clark

How Do I Teach My Toddler To Blow His Nose

Your son may still be a bit young to have the motor skills required for nose-blowing; but most kids are capable of blowing their noses by age two. And he’ll most likely learn this skill by simply watching you blow your nose. But there are a few steps you could try with him so he can work his way up to it: For starters, you could teach him how to blow out through his mouth as he would with birthday candles....

September 11, 2022 · 1 min · 202 words · Travis Taylor

How To Make Mom Friends

When I was pregnant with baby No. 1, “how to make mom friends” was nowhere near my ever-growing to-do list. Why would it be? I had friends. They threw me a kick-ass baby shower, visited me in the hospital and brought me sweet treats and coffee once I was home recovering. But honestly, it wasn’t enough. I was lonely. I had no clue what I was doing and all of these perfectly awesome ladies were no help....

September 11, 2022 · 12 min · 2485 words · Zoila Plumer

New Technology Tracks Baby S Brain And Sight Development In Utero

Science is getting better at understanding baby’s development in utero. The latest advancement? Viennese researchers can pinpoint when your baby develops the ability to see. Using functional magnetic resonance tomography (fMRT), which is a technique that measures brain activity, researchers from the Computational Imaging Research Lab at the Medical University of Vienna were able to identify active short-range neuronal connections within the brain of a fetus 26 to 29 weeks old....

September 11, 2022 · 1 min · 210 words · John Garcia

Pregnancy Symptoms 15 Early Signs Of Pregnancy

When you’re trying to conceive, any slight new symptom can get your heart pounding. Waiting to see if two pink lines are in store for you this month can be agony, so it’s hard not to read into every twinge, cramp and extra trip to the bathroom. But what are the first signs of pregnancy you should really be on the lookout for? Will you really start craving strange food combinations?...

September 11, 2022 · 22 min · 4496 words · Judy Waskin