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Liz Lange, fashion guru, Target’s maternity design partner and fashionable on-the-go-mom, shares her tips on how pregnant women can stay chic during babymoon travels—without ever checking a bag. Make a list and check it twice. Create a list before you begin packing to keep the process organized and ensure you’re bringing only the necessary items. As I always say, when in doubt, leave it out! Consider where you’re going, who you’ll be seeing and, of course, climate....

On the one hand, I feel the way a baby latches on is extremely important. Onthe other hand, mothers have been breastfeeding babies with poor latchessince the beginning of time and breastfeeding worked anyway. But that meantthat a lot of women had sore nipples (usually temporarily) and babies had tobreastfeed frequently and for long periods of time in order for breastfeeding towork. On the other hand, if you are not in pain and the baby is drinking milk well(see the video clips at www....

When you say sayonara to birth control, you should also bid adieu to those swordfish steaks. Swordfish, shark, orange roughy, king mackerel, marlin, grouper and tilefish are all high in mercury, a neurotoxin that can harm a fetus’s developing brain and nervous system. Mercury can linger in your body for a year or more, so you should eliminate those fish from your diet when you’re TTC (or, ideally, a year before you start)....

We found that once we had our babies, time spent with friends was a thing of the past. So we say, go ahead, have some fun! Unless there’s a significant age difference between your two children, forgo registering and make the event more about reconnecting with friends and family and less about gifts. You’ll be showered with those no matter what. From us : The way we see it, every baby should be celebrated… and who wants to pass up an opportunity to get together with friends and loved ones?...

When can you start having sex after birth? The best answer to this question is simply to make sure you’re ready—physically and mentally—and make sure your partner understands your feelings and concerns. You may face some challenges as you consider your “first time” all over again. But being prepared is half the battle. Here, some important guidelines on sex after vaginal and c-section births—and, to set your mind at ease, stories about first-time experiences with postpartum sex from real-life moms....

As a runner, I’d like to think that when I’m pregnant, I’ll be able to pull off plenty of miles throughout all three trimesters. Okay, maybe just the first two. It’s up in the air. But one thing’s for sure: I’ll never be able to rival Clara Horowitz Peterson. The elite distance runner has trained through four(!) pregnancies, and is offering pearls of fitness wisdom in a New York Times video series....

For first-time moms searching for a way to speed up the postpartum experience, the answer might be hidden in your placenta. A team of researchers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas conducted a three-month survey of 189 women, all of whom had eaten their placenta after the birth of their child. Researchers asked women why they had done it, how they had eaten it (steamed, raw, or dehydrated) and whether or not they would do it again....

If you’re expecting baby’s arrival soon, or if you just recently gave birth, you may be wondering, “When does breast milk come in?” What you may not know is that our bodies like to be prepared for baby well before their arrival. Women start producing baby’s first food midway through pregnancy and continue on to make different types of breast milk over the course of those first couple weeks postpartum. Keep reading to learn about the types of breast milk a mother makes and how long it takes for milk to come in, plus what to do if your breast milk is delayed....

You excitedly count down the weeks until you meet baby, expecting to feel euphoric once that moment arrives. But by the time you come home from the hospital, you feel…“eh.” What gives? Say hello to the baby blues. Before you give yourself the “worst mom ever award” for feeling down after giving birth, know that this is completely normal. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, as many as eight out of 10 moms will get the baby blues....

Giving up gluten. Drinking green juice. Acupuncture treatments. Click through social media and you’ll find a million solutions for increasing fertility in your thirties. But which ones actually work? How much control do you really have over your fertility as you approach your thirties? First, a biology brush-up: Women are born with a finite number of eggs, explains Thomas A. Molinaro, MD, MSCE, FACOG, a reproductive endocrinologist at the Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey (RMANJ)....

Between the feedings and diaper changes and general insanity of new mommyhood, you really won’t have much time to spend on your ‘do. Make things easier on yourself now by going for a new, low-maintenance style. Here are a few suggestion to set yourself up for a stylish mommy look. No matter what cut you choose, though, remember that the real key to hot hair is focusing on a great shape....

After nursing her first daughter for nearly six months with virtually no problems, Meagan E. suddenly found herself in a lot of pain. “When I first experienced symptoms, it was primarily tender, hot, swollen spots in my breast,” she says. “It seemed to happen at times when my daughter’s nursing needs or habits changed and my body was trying to adjust. I was still producing milk, but she wasn’t eating as much, and I wasn’t pumping as much at work....

Whether or not you have kids, you’re probably already pretty familiar with the term “mom shaming.” It’s an ingrained part of our culture that’s been around for generations, and has become so rampant in recent years that I have yet to meet a mom who hasn’t experienced some degree of it. Perhaps it’s because of the onslaught of social media oversharing, or maybe it’s because people have gotten so bold and so brazen that they incorrectly believe that they have the right to judge someone else’s parenting experience....

This is kind of embarrassing to admit, but when my first son was a newborn, I entered him in some baby modeling contests. This is even more embarrassing because I came across the photos recently. I was shocked. Not because my baby is now in first grade. (How did THAT happen?!) Not at how tiny he once was. I was shocked that he was – how to put this nicely? – not quite as cute as I remembered....

Pros • Super light, only seven pounds • Front zipper converts it quickly from crib to playpen • Great for outdoor use Cons • Mattress rests on the floor • Mattress is a little narrow • Not as stable as it could be Bottom Line As one of the lightest (if not the lightest) travel cribs on the market, the Traveller is easy to put together and, once in its travel case, slips right over your shoulder—look Ma, no hands!...

What are skin tags during pregnancy? Skin tags are extra pieces of skin that look like tiny bumps. They usually appear in places like your arms or boobs (we know, ick), but they’re totally harmless. What are the signs of skin tags? You’ll have small, loose growths of skin anywhere your skin rubs together a lot. Are there any tests for skin tags? No, but if your doc thinks they’re something other than skin tags, you might get other tests....

You’ve probably heard the rumor: Breastfeeding will make your boobs sag. Not, so says a new study! In fact it says nursing baby can actually prevent your breasts from looking older as you get older. The study, funded by the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation, observed 161 pairs of twins. In the first part of the study, each set of twins answered a questionnaire on lifestyle habits, such as smoking, drinking, number of pregnancies, use of a bra, stress at work, sports, hormone replacement therapy, moisturizing and exposure to the sun....

According to new research led by the University of Maryland School of Medicine and published in the journal of Human Reproduction Update, acupuncture, when used as a complementary or supplemental therapy for in vitro fertilization (IVF), may be beneficial for fertility. The process of IVF is done outside of the womb at first (to fertilize a woman’s egg with sperm) and then implanted into a woman’s uterus, and according to researchers, acupuncture is the most commonly used addition to the process; a complimentary therapy among couples seeking treatment at fertility clinics throughout the United States....

Estradiol is a type of estrogen, the female hormone that’s responsible for the development of the uterus, fallopian tubes and your other important baby-making bits. It’s considered the most important form of estrogen, and most if it is made and released from the ovaries and adrenal cortex. Your doctor may perform an estradiol test to determine how much of the hormone you have floating around in your body. Estradiol levels vary during your menstrual cycle and peak at ovulation....

What to Look for in a Diaper Bag Pockets. The key to an organized diaper bag? Pockets—and lots of them. Having special compartments for diapers, wet wipes or soiled clothes is a life-saver when you’re changing baby on the move. Moreover, an insulated bottle pocket ensures baby’s milk is kept at the perfect temperature. Other purpose-built pockets that are sure to come in handy are security pockets (for your cards and keys) and a padded sleeve for storing a laptop or tablet....