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Using a surrogate—someone who carries and delivers your child—can be a beautiful and fulfilling experience, albeit a complicated one with many steps. In addition to finding someone willing to serve as the gestational carrier, the surrogacy process also involves screening carriers for physical and mental benchmarks, drawing up legal papers for establishing parentage rights, meeting financial arrangements and managing all the necessary medical procedures, including embryo transfers. It can all feel rather daunting....

Baby Ava is over a year old now. Has the time flown by? It has now. The first six months, to be honest, didn’t go so fast. Ava had colic and acid reflux, and that was tough. But once all of that passed and she started sleeping more and laughing, it was so great. Then it went fast. Once her first birthday came, I thought, How did we get here already?...

Inverted nipples are pretty easy to identify. Check yourself by gently pinching the base of your nipple. Does this make your nipple retract into your breast? If so, it’s inverted. If it pushes it out, it’s not inverted. And if your nipple barely sticks out or sort of stays flat, you have a flat nipple. You may have heard that flat or inverted nipples can make it more difficult to breastfeed, but don’t stress....

Most babies actually lose weight in the first week after birth. As long as yours is feeding well, making urine and stool, and doesn’t drop more than 10% of birth weight, this isn’t a problem. By two weeks, I expect a baby to return to birth weight. The average baby then gains about one ounce per day for the first month, and about one or two pounds a month until month six....

Cabbage leaves have traditionally been used to treat engorgement by decreasing excess tissue swelling. When the swelling goes down the milk can flow more easily, relieving the engorgement. Reducing this inflammation makes mom much more comfortable. If you’re engorged, simply place the cabbage leaves (either chilled or at room temperature) on the skin of your breasts (stick them right in your bra). Leave them on until they wilt, and then apply new ones as often as needed for comfort....

We know it’s not pleasant to have to pee in a cup at your regular OB appointment, but your doc is checking for some pretty important stuff in there. Your pee is how the doc checks that you’re not at risk for preeclampsia (too much protein in your urine could be the first sign of the disorder) or diabetes (she’ll see excess sugar in your urine). They’ll also check that you’re not dehydrated and don’t have a bacterial infection like a UTI (urinary tract infection)....

You spent a good deal of time finding the right prenatal caregiver to guide you through pregnancy. Now that you’re nearing the end, it’s time to put the same amount of careful attention toward choosing a pediatrician for baby. (We suggest settling on baby’s doctor by your seventh or eighth month to avoid waddling in and out of endless doctors’ offices during those last few weeks.) So how to find a pediatrician that’s right for you and your child?...

Once you become pregnant, sex might be the last thing on your mind. It’s natural to wonder about what is and isn’t okay for you and your growing baby, and that includes the issue of sex: Is it safe to have sex during pregnancy? And how different is pregnant sex from sex when you’re not carrying a baby? Relax—stress will do nothing to enhance the mood. We’ve got all the info you need to help put your mind at ease and get you back into the groove....

You’re seeing baby’s pediatrician so often, she notices when you get a new haircut. And she’s obviously someone you’re supposed to trust with the health and well-being of your child. But if baby’s doctor aggravates you from time to time, don’t freak out — it’s totally normal. “Not everyone loves their child’s doctor,” says Cheryl Wu, pediatrician at LaGuardia Place Pediatrics in New York City. “But many differences are just personality conflicts, and most can be worked out....

If you’re on the hunt for a healthy food for baby boy or girl, you can’t go wrong with the sweetest of carbs, the sweet potato. The amber-hued vegetable is rich in not only carbohydrates but also a number of essential nutrients, including potassium, calcium and a number of vitamins (A, B and C). Nothing but goodness, right? So when can you introduce sweet potatoes into your baby’s diet, and how do you cook them, anyway?...

A new Clinical Practice Guideline from the top health care professionals may change the face of your first prenatal visit forever. Published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, the latest CPG recommends universal diabetes testing for every expectant woman at her first prenatal doctor’s visit. Because cases of diabetes are on the rise in pregnant women (one-in-five women will develop gestational diabetes), Dr. Ian Blumer, chair of the Endocrine Society (the group responsible for the CPG), said that all pregnant women who have not been previously diagnosed with diabetes are to be tested for the condition....

Pros • Lightweight and portable • Easy to open and close • Compact for easy storage Cons • Limited sun protection • Doesn’t recline • Awkward placement of foot brakes Bottom Line This stroller is user friendly, durable and extremely lightweight. While low on frills, it’s a solid basic option, particularly if you want a luxury brand name at a price that won’t break the bank. Rating: 4 stars Ready to register?...

The cervix is the neck of the uterus. During pregnancy, it’s tightly closed; during labor, it dilates to around 10 centimeters so that your baby can make his entry into the world. A short cervix is basically what it sounds like: a cervix that’s shorter than normal. That’s potentially concerning because short cervixes have been linked to preterm birth. Before you panic, though, ask some questions. “In years past, the ability to identify the true cervical length was limited to physical examination,” says Michael P....

As soon as you notice the first hint of a baby bump, you may start wondering when to buy maternity clothes. You’ve probably scrolled past and admired that Instagram fashion blogger with the perfectly shaped pregnancy belly who makes dressing her bump look effortless and fun. Now for the reality check: Figuring out which maternity clothes actually fit and flatter can be a daily challenge for many moms-to-be. But with the right maternity clothing, you’ll look—and feel—your best as you count down each trimester to your delivery day (promise!...

New research published in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry found that though symptoms of postpartum depression decrease over time, depression still remains a long-term problem for 30 to 50 percent of affected women. Led by Dr. Nicole Vliegen at the University of Leuven, Belgium, researchers performed a critical review of the research on postpartum depression from 1985 to 2012. They focused on the course of postpartum depression during follow-up visits. When researchers analyzed the data from follow-up studies of women with postnatal depression, they found that scores for depressive symptoms decreased over time — but never totally disappeared....

And the Winner Is: Joolz Aer Have baby, will travel. The Joolz Aer makes it easy to go anywhere by plane, train or automobile with your bitty one in tow. Weighing in at an impressive 13.4 lbs, this travel stroller boasts a super-intuitive one-handed fold and a comfortable elastic shoulder strap for easy carrying (talk about arm candy!). Better yet, it fits in most airline overhead bins, which seriously comes in handy, whether you’re heading somewhere fabulous or just squeezing your set of wheels into daycare stroller storage....

And the Winner Is: Doona Car Seat and Stroller Navigating the often confusing world of infant car seats and strollers is a rite of passage for parents. From deciphering the new lingo to brushing up on safety requirements, researching and purchasing these essential bits of baby gear can be a real head-scratcher. But what if we told you that there’s a product out there that combines an infant car seat and stroller into one nifty travel system?...

Here’s a list of major purchases and investments over the first year — estimate how much you’ll fork over for each to come up with a rough answer to your question. And remember… the amount you plan to spend doesn’t always match up with the amount you actually spend. One-Time expenses: [] Nursery decorating/remodeling: [] Crib: [] Crib mattress: [] Crib sheet, crib skirt and receiving blankets: [] Dresser: [] Rocking chair: [] Changing table: [] Baby monitor: [] Playpen, bouncy chair: [] Safety gates: [] Baby bathtub: [] High chair: [] Bottles: [] Pump: [] Nursing clothes: [] Medicine kit: [] Stroller: [] Baby carrier/sling: [] Car seat: [] Diaper bag: [] Maternity leave salary loss: [] Writing/rewriting will: Monthly expenses: [] Diapers: [] Formula and food: [] Clothes: [] Toys: [] Extra laundry costs (water, electricity, detergent): [] Child care: [] Life insurance for you and your partner: [] Medical insurance: [] Disability insurance: [] Medical bills (uncovered and co-pays): [] College/education savings: [] Contribution to savings:

Earlier this week, Pali Design recalled several pieces of furniture. Restraint straps that anchor armoires and dressers to the wall can break, posing a risk of falling when curious kids play on the furniture. While the recall was relatively small — affecting 18,000 pieces of furniture in the US — it points to the larger issue of the importance of babyproofing your furniture. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that unsecured TVs and large pieces of furniture kill a child every two weeks, and send a child to the hospital as frequently as every 24 minutes....

Even if you swore you’d never, ever co-sleep, once you actually have a baby (and every moment of sleep counts), even the best-laid plans can go out the window. Most babies love being in the big bed with their parents, and oftentimes “just this once” turns into, “Oh my gosh, will she ever go back into her crib?” The good news is, there are ways to reclaim your bed that aren’t harsh....