For most new parents, a full night’s sleep just isn’t in the cards. A few hours here and there, sure, but when the cries won’t stop, duty calls. According to a new study from Tel Aviv University, interrupted sleep may be just as bad as only consistently logging four hours per night. The study tracked 61 participants — 40 who were women in their twenties — who got a full eight hours one night....
The latest research out of The University of Manchester and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust have identified proteins in a woman’s blood that could be used to predict whether she’s at increased risk of developing preeclampsia in her first pregnancy. The research was first published in the journal Molecular and Cellular Proteomics. Preeclampsia is fairly rare (occurring in 5 to 10 percent of pregnancies) and usually pops up between week 20 and a few days after delivery....
First, know that it’s completely normal to be nervous. If you start feeling overwhelmed, it might help to think of all the women throughout history who gave birth before you (and how many didn’t enjoy the luxury of a hospital room and an OB!). Every single person in the world was born, and most of them came out of vaginas. That means there is a darn good chance you’ll get through this just fine....
You may know Bill Horn and Scout Masterson, “The Guncles,” from Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood. They’re the adorably warm couple who, as the first gay parents on reality television, gave the world its first glimpse into what parenting as two dads is really like. Bill and Scout chatted with us candidly about the terrible twos, their funniest dad moments and their (free!) adoption mentoring program, Hold My Hand. The Bump: Simone turned two in June....
If you’re undergoing in vitro fertilization, you want to stack the odds in your favor. Doctors will sometimes use ICSI, or IntraCytoplasmic Sperm Injection, to help boost your chances of having a healthy pregnancy. ICSI is often used when there are fertility problems that come from the sperm, such as a low sperm count, sperm with reduced motility, or a large number of abnormally shaped sperm. It’s also used for treating unexplained infertility in women or in women who are unable to produce a large number of healthy eggs....
How many kids? Which solids are safe? Basic bedtime routine? See all baby Q&As Baby 1.0 In addition to a fab first birthday party, baby needs to fit in a doctor’s appointment this month. Your ped will check baby’s growth and development, just like previous well-child visits. To-do: Move to the toddler board Take baby to the doc for a checkup Read what other moms say about TV [tip] Take your car seat to your local National Highway Traffic Safety Administration office to make sure it fits safety standards....
And the Winner Is: Hatch You may be one of those pregnant women who glows from the inside out and loves sporting a bump. Or you could find it hard to feel like yourself with all the changes happening to your body. Maybe you feel it all—hormones, right? That’s why we love Hatch. This mama-founded brand focuses on designing pieces that are meant to be worn during every stage of pregnancy and beyond....
Just because breastfeeding is natural doesn’t mean it’ll be second nature. Sometimes it takes time, practice and a whole lot of trial and error to get into a breastfeeding groove. Patience and persistence may be called for—right from day one. A healthy newborn’s instinct to breastfeed peaks about 20 to 30 minutes after they’re born, so you want to have baby right there next to you, ready to drink up your colostrum—that’s the nutrient-packed early milk you express after delivering....
Pregnancy is such a special and precious time in a woman’s life, and I can’t think of a better reason to show off that growing baby bump. Your style doesn’t have to take a backseat while you’re pregnant—in fact, quite the opposite is true! Pregnancy is the perfect time to play around with your fashion choices and even take a few risks. Get started with these five wardrobe essentials to get you through those three trimesters (and way beyond)....
The following story, “Our Kids Crave Consistency, But That Doesn’t Mean It’s Not Soul-Crushing” by Alyssa Shelasky was originally published on Boomdash. Before I had a child, I had a whimsical life. In between exhilarating relationships and impulsive cross-country moves, work meant investigating things like tree-house hotels and celebrity scandals. I created a thrilling world in which no day was ever the same. Stability—financial, romantic or otherwise—didn’t interest me at all....
Nursing your newborn is an all-day, ongoing affair, so the thought of providing enough breast milk once you head back to work can be daunting. Add to that the onslaught of Instagram images showing moms’ freezers bursting with frozen breast milk, and you can’t help but wonder how you’ll ever build an adequate breast milk stash. Don’t worry! Lactation consultants say that with efficient planning and the right pumping strategy, you’ll have plenty to keep your new baby fed....
My husband and I started out on almost equal footing when our son was born. I had more experience with babies than he had, but not by leaps and bounds. We both became first time parents at the same time. I’ve already shared how great my husband was in the hospital and in the early days. He truly was amazing. But soon, my husband went back to work. He was still just as eager to help me and care for his son, but it was different somehow....
According to the results of a new study put together by a team of Dutch researchers, women with low risk pregnancies who choose to give birth at home have a lower risk of suffering from severe complications when compared to women who planned a hospital birth. The study, performed in the Netherlands (which has the highest percentage of home births assisted by a primary care midwife), tested whether low risk women at the onset of labor with a planned home birth had a higher rate of rare but severe outcomes (known as SAMM — severe acute maternal morbidity) than those with planned hospital births....
Shazmin, Larchmont, New York I wish I knew…that I’d be making sacrifices before baby was even born. My pregnancy has been very physically and emotionally challenging. I suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum, or severe morning sickness, which was sometimes scary for me—especially early on in the pregnancy. I learned that at times, you just have to go with the flow and remember there’s a wonderful light at the end of the tunnel....
The goal of prenatal care is to ensure that both Mom and baby stay safe and healthy as the pregnancy progresses to term. But how exactly do healthcare providers do that? Well, one way is with the use of pregnancy ultrasounds, which help ob-gyns and midwives keep track of baby’s development, Mom’s health and any possible issues that could arise. Here, learn what happens during an ultrasound in pregnancy, how many you might get and when, and why they’re so important for prenatal care....
Yes. Most moms can produce at least some quantity of breast milk for their adopted babies. And, even if you aren’t able to produce enough milk for exclusive breastfeeding (some moms can, some can’t), there are lots of benefits to breastfeeding anyway. For one, breastfeeding fosters an increased sense of security and an invaluable bond between mother and babe. Plus, any amount of milk you are able to produce will supply baby with antibodies and other super-nutritious stuff to give him the best start in life....
It’s great that you’re continuing to offer your child the benefit of breast milk. Relax and rest assured that you can trust your (and baby’s) instincts. If given the opportunity, most kids will eat when they are hungry and drink when they are thirsty. Simply continue to offer healthy solids throughout the day and breastfeed baby when he wants to nurse. The beauty of breastfeeding is that even if your son is going through a picky-eating stage, you’ll know he’s getting excellent nutrition from your milk....
The amount of milk you produce actually has nothing to do with how many babies you have – it’s all about how much and how often you breastfeed or pump. So whether you have one baby, twins, or more, your body should compensate by producing more milk, the more you breastfeed (or pump). The key is to start pumping or breastfeeding right after the babies are born, so make sure your doctors and nurses know of your breastfeeding plans in advance....
We think it’s safe to dub 2015 as the year of public breastfeeding. Maybe we’re biased because of our #Boobolution campaign, but it’s always empowering to see moms celebrating their right to nourish their children—and not letting public judgment get in their way. Look back at the images that got the world talking this year. Army Moms Free The Nipple Image: Tara Ruby Reporting for double duty: These women have two of the toughest jobs in the world....
Shopping Tips for Maternity and Nursing Bras Comfort. This should be at the top of your nursing bra must-have list during the first four to six weeks after having baby, says Stephanie Nguyen, founder of Modern Milk and a certified lactation consultant. She recommends stretchy nursing bras to accommodate the breast changes moms experience during this time. “Look for nursing bras in soft fabrics,” Nguyen says. You’ll also want to pick a bra with thick back closures that have four or more hooks and wide, cushioned straps, plus a band that doesn’t ride up in the back....
