As the primary meal-maker in my family, I love meals that are easy to prepare. Meals that are time-consuming to prepare usually only get made on the weekends. Weeknights are for easy meals! Today, I’ll share some of my go-to favorites. Maybe they’ll suit your family as well! The big thing that I like about many of these meals is that they have plenty of vegetables in them, so it cuts down on the number of side dishes I’ll make!...
Alisyn Camerota struggled with infertility for three years. After undergoing numerous treatments and four IVF cycles, she gave birth to twin girls and then surprisingly gave birth to a son without any treatments at all. She’s a board member of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association and leads a weekly support group for women dealing with infertility. The Bump: How long were you trying to get pregnant? Alisyn Camerota: It was about a three-year struggle, and I actually started trying on my wedding night....
The Stats: Name: Lisa Loeb Occupation: Singer/Songwriter Age: 42 Children: Lyla, 7 1/2 months old TB: What was breastfeeding like for you when you first started? LL: They tell you breastfeeding is going to be this really natural experience and you’re just going to figure it out. They said to me, “As soon as possible — breastfeed!” Well, that’s impossible. You just had a baby… that came out of a small… hole....
Co-sleeping has become a hot-button parenting practice Co-sleep with baby and you increase the risk of SIDS, the majority of pediatricians warn. Don’t co-sleep with baby and you miss out on an important bonding experience, co-sleeping parents say. It’s enough to keep an already overwhelmed mom up all at night (if she weren’t up already) and wishing: if only there were a happy medium. But guess what? There is. Read on to learn the myths and truths of co-sleeping and how to co-sleep safely....
Wondering what you can do you lessen postpartum depression? You can start by making a phone call. A new Canadian study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing found that support from peers might be able to reduce postpartum depression (PPD) up to two years after delivery. But just talking to friends and family isn’t necessarily enough — in the case of this study, “peers” refers to a group of trained volunteers who had recovered from PPD....
In the first trimester (through week 13), baby starts off as a tiny ball of cells called a blastocyst, becomes an embryo when the bundle implants into the wall of your uterus, and officially reaches fetus status after eight weeks. The placenta forms to keep baby connected to all those nutrients you’re trying to hold down, and baby starts growing into a, well, baby. In these few weeks, her major organs, nervous system, head, face, ears, arms, fingers, legs and toes form — maybe before you even start to show!...
These are important questions, and now is the time to start thinking about it. The best time to get your finances in order is long before baby arrives. This checklist will help you get started. [ ] Health Insurance If you don’t have it, now is a good time to consider it. If you are insured, read up on what’s covered and what’s not under your policy (screening tests, vitamins, doulas, etc....
It’s true that both amniocentesis and CVS slightly increase your risk of miscarriage,though there’s no absolute consensus on how much, exactly. (It’s not always possible to tell if a miscarriage occurred because of the procedure, or if it would have happened regardless.) Doctors usually give a miscarriage risk of one percent with CVS and half a percent with amnio, butunder a skilled and experienced provider, CVS appears to pose no greater risk....
Selecting a new family car is a big decision. Not only is it a significant purchase, but it also significantly impacts your and your kids’ comfort and safety while on the road. Add to that the numerous car options on the market, and it’s enough to make your head spin. Which is why we’re helping you navigate this tricky road. Here’s what to look for when shopping around, and which vehicles made our list of the best family cars out there....
Some moms are robbed of a baby shower thanks to their preemies. Others go to town on spicy food at 41 weeks in the hopes of finally inducing labor. While they sit at opposite ends of the spectrum, the takeaway is the same: Due dates are not set in stone. This is not news, of course. But what if there were a way to predict that due date with more accuracy?...
The easy answer — and the one most parents give — is to put on a DVD or hand over your iPad preloaded with a movie. But that isn’t necessarily the best one. Often we reach for technology to keep our kids entertained because it’s readily available and it does work. But you know that lots of screen time isn’t good for kids, and you want him to learn how to self-manage and self-soothe, instead of always needing technology....
Miscarriage can be incredibly difficult to wrap your head around. And if you’re one of the 10 to 15 percent of pregnant women who’ve experienced one, you may be wondering when it’s safe to start trying again. Emotionally, we can’t make that decision for you. And you’ll need to give yourself all the time you need to cope. But physically speaking, your body is probably ready for another pregnancy sooner than you think....
Can breastfeeding help make your belly smaller? Yes! This is yet another reason to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is associated with profound uterine contractions (nope, you’re not done with those—sorry!), so you may feel some pretty intense abdominal pains when you breastfeed during the first couple weeks. But all that hurting will actually pay off, shrinking your belly to its pre-pregnancy size (or at least pretty close to it). At one to two days after birth, your uterus is about the size it was at your 18th week of pregnancy), so don’t be surprised that you still look pregnant....
You’re not a regular mom, you’re a cool mom, right? Take a look at how your baby gear matches up with the most popular items from your city. Online retailer zulily sorted through 385,000 top-selling products in different markets to find out what’s trending nationwide. Houston, TX : Houston is known for two things: disposable diapers and chevron prints. That’s the case in the baby realm, anyways. Good news for these Texas parents: The Honest Company has you covered on both counts....
“No male child of mine will ever wear skinny jeans. No guy should wear skinny jeans — nobody wants to see your kibbles and bits all jammed up like that. Gross!” — allisonmarie22 “They’ll never run around a huge department store because I’m too busy to watch them.” —_ Eliesc2_ “Play video games before homework!” — Natalie&Mark “My child will never lag behind me while keep walking because I’m too lazy to carry them or hold their hand....
We all know the typical things you miss when you become a parent — sleep usually tops the list, spending time with friends, as well as time to do things you enjoyed before baby came along. Parents I know have said they miss being able to leave the house easily by themselves and others miss using the restroom without little voices calling to them; without fingers reaching underneath the door, or to be honest, without having your toddler sitting on your lap while you’re in there doing your thing....
Diet dos Eat foods in their natural state This means snacking on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Make it a point to always have fresh produce on hand. If it’s easy and available to you, you’ll eat it. Another rule of thumb: If it’s been processed by humans, then it’s not a good food choice for you. Drink up You’ve heard it many times before, but it’s still the best advice: Drink eight (8-oz....
Bikes aren’t bad for below You’ve probably heard the rumors that bikes can do damage to his nether regions, but there’s actually not much truth to this one. One small study from Austria found that male mountain bikers may experience more infertility from scrotal damage caused by jolting over rough terrain — but the study only looked at men who logged at least 3,000 miles a year (that’s an average of two-plus hours a day, six days a week), which is pretty extreme....
We can go on and on about the benefits of breastfeeding. And we usually do. But moms can only be inundated with the phrase “breast is best” so many times. Finally, the ob-gyn community, while still maintaining moms should breastfeed if they can, is supporting a woman’s informed decision not to breastfeed. “Obstetrician–gynecologists and other obstetric care providers should support each woman’s informed decision about whether to initiate or continue breastfeeding, recognizing that she is uniquely qualified to decide whether exclusive breastfeeding, mixed feeding, or formula feeding is optimal for her and her infant,” the American College of Obstetrician and Gynecologists (ACOG) wrote in a new committee opinion statement....
Cancer is scary at any time, but for women who hope to someday have a baby, it can be especially terrifying. The good news is that most types of cancers don’t really have an effect on fertility. But you could have a problem if your reproductive organs (ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes) come under attack, or if you need to undergo radiation to the pelvic area. Chemotherapy (no matter what type of cancer you are diagnosed with) can also affect egg quality and potential pregnancies....
