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Here’s everything you’ll need to get through those first few weeks with baby. Layette 4-8 bodysuits or onesies (wide head openings and loose legs) 4-8 undershirts or vests (snaps at neck or wide head openings, snaps under crotch) 4-8 one-piece pajamas 2 blanket sleepers for winter baby 1-3 sweaters or jackets (front buttoned) 1-3 rompers or other dress-up outfits 4-7 socks or booties (shoes are unnecessary until baby walks) 1-3 hats (broad-brimmed for summer baby, soft cap that covers ears for winter baby) No-scratch mittens Bunting bag or fleece suit for winter baby Swimsuit for summer baby Gentle laundry detergent...

Sure, all those books and classes have prepped you for the major things: labor and delivery, the unavoidable sleepless nights and, of course, round-the-clock feedings. But what about the projectile poop and wandering eyes? Before you go running to the phone to call the pediatrician, we’ve got the rundown on all the freaky, but totally normal, things you’ll soon discover about newborns. Cradle Cap What’s the deal? There’s no way around it—cradle cap (when baby’s scalp becomes dry and scaly) looks a little strange, but it’s pretty common....

You’ve decided to try for a baby—congrats! But do you know how to go about trying to maximize your shot at conceiving? The truth is, women may experience certain symptoms that can signal when she’s ovulating and at peak fertility, which is helpful to know, so you can time sex with your partner appropriately. So what should you be on the lookout for? The following signs of fertility in women may help boost your chances of getting pregnant each month....

When my daughter was born, just past midnight on a snowy Saturday, I was elated. But as the hospital room bustled with doctors, nurses and family, I didn’t get to hold her properly until nearly an hour later. I didn’t nurse her ’til even later than that. By then, the world had gone to sleep and it was just the two of us, curled cozy in the bed. Luckily, she was a natural at breastfeeding—but for me, the learning curve was steeper....

“I was in the bedroom with my hubby, getting dressed. I was topless and braless while talking to him. Well, during our conversation, I look down at my boobs, and not only was I leaking milk, but I was spraying it all over the bed! That totally freaked DH out!” — mab456 “A coworker of mine who’s a probation officer was out in the field working and had to stop at Target to pump....

From start to finish, pregnancy comes with its fair share of aches, pains and general discomforts. While many of these unpleasantries are relatively easy to cope with, others can range from mildly distressing to borderline debilitating. Back pain in pregnancy is one of the more common complaints—and it can be tolerable for some and agonizing for others. If you’re dealing with back pain in pregnancy, the reassuring news is that you’re not alone....

It sounds like baby may be experiencing the beginning of separation anxiety. Some parents are frustrated when this stage happens, but it’s completely normal and truly a wonderful milestone in baby’s development. Separation anxiety means baby has the cognitive ability to understand that you exist, even when he can’t see you. Baby will eventually become more comfortable with his or her newfound awareness. In the meantime, here are some ways you can teach him or her that when mommy or daddy leaves, they always comes back—whether it’s daytime or nighttime....

What is rapid weight gain for baby? Babies gain weight at a remarkable rate. By 3 to 4 months, many will have doubled their birth weight. Breastfed babies tend to gain weight at a different rate than formula-fed babies. After a few months, though, the rate of weight gain in all babies starts to decrease, slowing even further after age one. Growth rates continue to fluctuate for toddlers, though, so don’t be surprised if your 2-year-old seems to have outgrown a 3T in what seems like overnight....

Between your swollen feet, aching back and dry, itchy skin, there’s never a time you’ll need a spa day more than when you’re pregnant. But can you go to a spa when pregnant? The good news is yes—but timing is important, and so is knowing what treatments to avoid to ensure spa pregnancy safety. “Going to a spa can be safe in pregnancy—it can be a good way to relieve stress and alleviate some of the normal discomforts of pregnancy,” says Sara Twogood, MD, an ob-gyn at the University of Southern California who blogs at LadyPartsBlog....

Your baby usually hangs out in a few different positions while in the womb. Sometimes she may be head down (vertex), sometimes head by the ribs (breech), and occasionally she may even by sideways (transverse). Eventually, as you get into the late stages of pregnancy, she’ll pick a position and stay that way. Luckily, very few babies actually stay through a transverse position because the uterus is built to stretch up and down, not side to side....

Breathe a sigh of relief, mama — because it’s not only a very common condition in infants, it’s actually completely normal! Bowed legs (genu varum) is a condition in which a person’s knees stay wide apart when they stand with their feet and ankles together. Most infants have bowed legs, which is a result of the curled-up position of the fetus in the womb during development. The condition usually resolves spontaneously after the child has been walking for 6 to 12 months and his legs begin to bear weight....

Our bodies can do amazing things, and delivering a baby is one of them. The feeling of giving life to a living, breathing human being is surreal. But while the outcome of childbirth is absolutely beautiful, the whole aspect of labor and delivery is not quite as glamorous. As a first-time mom, I was filled with anxiety about how exactly labor would unfold. Toward the end of my pregnancy, I began doing all my research on childbirth....

Galeet and Alon live in San Francisco and work in Northern California’s booming tech industry. The couple is about to welcome their first child—a baby girl!—but they also have a 3-year-old miniature dachshund named Gonzo (in some ways, the original first child) who is excited to be a big brother. We spoke with Homepolish designer Benedetta Amadi (aka Benni) to get all of the details of their woodland-inspired nursery. Image: Lauren Edith AndersenWhat was the timeline for completing the nursery?...

You’ve been reassured that it’s fine, but a new study raises the issue once again: can the birth control pill mess with your long-term fertility? The answer is still probably not, but it might look like it. The study, presented by Dr. Katherine Birch Petersen from Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark, shows that the Pill can cause your ovaries to appear older and smaller, and change the secretion of hormones. But surprisingly, there is no actual link between those changes and decreased fertility....

Hours leading up to the delivery of my second baby girl, I still questioned my ability to love and connect with another child as much as I had with my first born. Months ago, I wrote that my second pregnancy hadn’t been a connected love-fest of diary entries and soft sung lullabies. It was filled with exhaustion, nausea and complex thoughts that routinely made me doubt my ability to equally love and mother two children simultaneously....

Like a car seat, a crib mattress is a baby essential important enough to research — baby’s sleeping place needs to be safe! You can’t go wrong buying one from a highly-reputable company that’s been around for a while — ask a store clerk if you’re not sure which brands are most trusted. Go online and read what other parents say about the mattresses they’ve purchased. Then, visit a few stores and get a feel for the variety of models out there....

When people talk about kids getting bullied, the concerns often revolve around tweens and teens—but in reality, bullying can start well before that, sometimes as early as preschool. Three- and 4-year-old preschool bullies may not be going around stealing kids’ lunch money or giving them wedgies, but they’re still more than capable of inflicting physical and emotional harm. In fact, one study published in the journal Pediatrics found that 20 percent of kids aged 2 to 5 had experienced physical bullying in their lifetime and more than 14 percent had been teased or otherwise emotionally bullied....

Let’s be honest: Your child’s scary dreams are a nightmare for the whole family. If they’re not sleeping, you’re definitely not sleeping—and you may also worry about whether those middle-of-the-night tears are a normal part of childhood or something to be concerned about. Read on for everything you need to know about dealing with—and preventing—nightmares in children. In this article: Do babies have nightmares? What causes toddler nightmares? How to deal with toddler nightmares and night terrors How to prevent toddler nightmares...

If the cleft is very small and in the soft palate only, the baby may be able to breastfeed. If the cleft is larger, it will be necessary to use a special technology to feed. Special bottles are made to feed babies with clefts. There is also the possibility of feeding the baby at your breast with a special tube system. To try this option, you will need expert help. Even if your baby can’t breastfeed, your milk is extra important to him and healing his cleft, so pumping is well worth the work....

In a word, hormones. They hit everyone differently, so your lack of desire definitely doesn’t mean you (or your sister) are weird. Plus, you’re probably experiencing pregnancy symptoms (vomiting, super-sore boobs, so-tired-you-could-croak) that keep you from feeling frisky. Your sister also might be remembering the horny days of her second trimester, when hormones shift, nausea and fatigue fade, and blood increasingly flows to all the right places. Our advice: Even if you’re not up for sex, try to stay emotionally connected with your husband....