As a new parent, your spidey sense is in overdrive, watchful for anything that could possibly harm your little one. You’ve done an A+ job baby-proofing your home already, but perhaps there are some aspects of baby’s nursery that still have you worried—namely, baby’s crib. As a protective parent, those hard wooden crib slats can seem suspect. What if baby hits their head or gets a limb stuck through one of the slats?...
We get it: When you’re in the final stretch of pregnancy, waiting for baby to arrive can be agonizing. Have patience. Just because you’re past the point of a preterm birth (before 37 weeks) doesn’t mean baby is ready to come out, and it doesn’t mean you should opt to induce labor (barring medical need). Your body knows when the time is right, and it’s safer not to cut it short, especially before you’ve passed your due date....
The Bump: What was your biggest fear before becoming a mom? Kristin Cavallari: At first, I had set myself up for the first six weeks just to be brutal. Everyone I talked to said you walk around like a zombie and you get no sleep and it’s just really difficult. I had set the bar pretty high for it to be really bad and I was actually pleasantly surprised. It was definitely hard but I expected just to be a zombie and I wasn’t, so I think I just had that new mommy high and so it just felt great....
Happy birthday! We’re counting on our warm wishes resonating with at least a few readers (or their new babies), since today, September 16, is the most common birthday in the United States. You know what that means…parents are getting especially busy around the holidays. Harvard researchers examined birth records from 1973 and 1999 to determine the most (and least) popular birth dates, revealing Sept. 16 as the big winner. But don’t worry; even if you didn’t give birth, aren’t due, or weren’t born in this especially popular month, we still have a birth month club for you to join....
Do not! I repeat, do not! upset the baby! A study from the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Infant Cognition found that babies have a bit of a mean streak when they meet people they perceive as different. During the course of the experiment, babies were given a choice of snacks (either graham crackers or green beans). Then, researchers conducted a puppet show for the babies (aged 9 or 14 months old)....
Weight training is a good way to keep valuable muscle mass through pregnancy and will help you get your pre-pregnancy body back quicker because your metabolism will be stronger. A healthy, safe range for beginners and experienced exercisers is 3- to 10-lb. dumbbells. Remember that pregnancy isn’t the time to increase your intensity or fitness level. It’s important to be safe and not push heavy amounts of weight (particularly over your head) or hold your breath while lifting....
What is rectal bleeding during pregnancy? We consider this any blood that passes from your anus (sorry!). It might be dark or bright red, and you might notice it in your stool, on the toilet paper or in the toilet bowl. It can be a scary sign! What causes rectal bleeding during pregnancy? In pregnancy, rectal bleeding is typically caused by hemorrhoids — when a collection of blood vessels in the rectum becomes swollen, says Mary L....
What Is a Nursing Pillow? How to Use a Nursing Pillow How to Choose the Best Nursing Pillow Size. Some moms prefer a sizable nursing pillow so baby has a wide spot to lie on while feeding. Others want a more compact, travel nursing pillow that’s easy to carry from one nursing spot to another and just as easy to pack for trips. Then there’s the twin nursing pillow designed specifically for moms of multiples....
Sure, there’s no place like home for the holidays, but what happens when home is far away, and you’re bringing baby along for the ride? While she may not have believed it herself when she was a new mom, family travel expert Corinne McDermott says there’s really no need to hesitate when it comes to traveling with an infant, even a newborn. “The younger the baby, the easier it is to travel,” she says....
Ready to hear the pitter-patter of those little feet on the floor? It’s one of the most anticipated milestones, and like most parents you’re probably waiting eagerly, wondering, when do babies start walking? And there’s good reason to applaud when baby’s first steps finally happen. “I think we forget how complicated walking really is,” says Natasha Burgert, MD, a private-practice pediatrician in Kansas City, Missouri, who blogs at KCKidsDoc.com. “Not only do baby’s leg muscles need to gain strength to carry his or her body weight, but walking also requires strong ankles, hips and core, and an increasingly mature sense of balance....
Long before that telltale bump starts to show, your body goes through a series of cellular changes that set the stage for baby’s arrival. One of the first of these behind-the-scenes processes: Implantation. It’s a vital step that happens soon after an egg has been fertilized. But when does implantation occur, what does it entail and are there implantation symptoms to look for? Here’s what you need to know. In this article: What is implantation?...
The very earliest baby can recognize or understand the meaning of “no” is at nine months. And even after that, it can take a lot of reminding. Here’s how to handle baby when he’s doing something he shouldn’t. Distract. Baby pulling your hair or messing with the dog’s tail? Put him down, or take him to another room away from the dog. Show him a toy he’s allowed to play with, and he’ll probably forget all about the trouble he was causing....
We’re almost halfway through my daughter’s Kindergarten year, and I haven’t made any mom friends. She, on the other hand, is doing amazingly well, which is what’s important. She loves her teacher and class, has made friends with everyone and is invited to every birthday party and play dates on the regular. It’s her mom that’s failing in the friend department. This is new ground for me, which only adds to my social anxiety....
So you have a mom-to-be in your bridal party. First thought: Yay! Second thought: Oh, boy! (Or girl!) Wondering how to find all of your bridesmaids—including your pregnant bridesmaid—a wedding-worthy look? Don’t fret. You’re not the first bride-to-be with an expectant mom in your wedding party, and you certainly won’t be the last. Thankfully, many fashion brands are recognizing that fact and have released maternity lines to satisfy this niche market....
Over 30 percent of births are via cesarean section in the United States. After the initial healing period, many moms may want to know how to safely return to exercise and regain their core strength. Your core muscles undergo significant changes during pregnancy, as the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles lengthen to accommodate your growing baby, and following a cesarean birth, which involves making an incision through several layers of skin and fascia in the abdominal wall....
It’s no secret that pregnancy can be exhausting. Growing baby is hard work! In fact, feeling tired can usually be one of the first signs of pregnancy, and the fatigue can persist throughout all trimesters of pregnancy. One of the biggest reasons behind this drop of energy is the increase of the hormone progesterone. While it plays a key role in maintaining early pregnancy, progesterone can have a sedating effect on women, explains Temeka Zore, MD, a California-based ob-gyn and reproductive endocrinologist with Spring Fertility....
You can track all sorts of stuff that’s good for your health: calories, steps, heart rate. But what about developmental health? The Starling is a wearable device and app that’s finally putting some hard numbers behind a crucial component of baby’s development: all your verbal interaction with him. WHAT WE LOVE Safe to chew, drool-proof and BPA- and Phthalate-free, this little wearable star can be clipped, strapped or hooked onto your child or gear, whichever works best for your routine By tracking word count and analyzing your speech patterns, the Starling offers feedback on how you can communicate better: for instance, varying word choice and trying longer words Nothing you say is actually recorded, so that time you cursed a diaper explosion out is really forgotten...
When it comes to feeding your baby, trust in your decision for what’s best for you and your family. Some mothers nurse their infants, some offer formula and some combo-feed. Some moms choose not to breastfeed, and some—for a variety of possible reasons—simply can’t. At the end of the day, fed is best. Still, there are some powerful benefits of breastfeeding that are important to know about. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusively breastfeeding for six months, then gradually adding in solid foods while continuing to nurse through baby’s first year and beyond....
When baby is on the way, one of the most exciting parts is choosing their name. To go with something classic, or gender neutral?? The options are endless! Unfortunately, things can get sticky when other people start giving their opinions…especially if it’s unwarranted feedback. Here, Bumpies share their advice for how to deal: “If you wait to share once the baby is here you’ll cut way back on anything negative. It’s not hard to keep it a secret - just say we’ve decided to keep our name choices to ourselves from here on out....
** The Stats:** Name: Cori Murray Age: 37 Occupation: Entertainment Director at Essence magazine, where she also writes about mommyhood in her blog, Baby On Board. Children: 1 daughter, Jillian (7 months). TB: Why did you choose to breastfeed your baby? CM: I knew even before I became pregnant that if and when I became a mom, I wanted to breastfeed. I had a lot of girlfriends who did it and I knew that although I hadn’t done any research, it was clearly the healthiest thing you could do for your baby....
