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There’s no exact ‘right’ age to have a child, no matter what your friends (or mother) might say. But the average age of first-time moms is rising, and according to a new CDC report released yesterday, is now at an all-time high: 26.3 years in 2014, up from 24.9 years in 2000, with the most significant increases starting in 2009. The biggest factor contributing to older first-time moms is a positive one: a sharp decline in the number of teen pregnancies....

Yes, but it’s possible that the piercing could have damaged or blocked some of the breast tissue that helps deliver milk to baby. Even if this is the case though, there should be enough healthy tissue still hanging around that you can avoid any super-serious breastfeeding problems. If your piercing did any serious damage, your body is programmed to signal that specific part of the system to stop making milk. The healthy breast tissue that remains should keep functioning as usual....

Emergency contraceptive pills contain estrogen, a hormone that could potentially decrease your milk supply or, rarely, make your milk disappear entirely. Still, one-time use isn’t likely to have a huge effect on your supply or your baby. There haven’t been any long-term studies on the health effects of taking this drug repeatedly, so only use it for its intended purpose: as emergency contraception. Use a reliable form of contraception to avoid such an emergency....

And the Winner Is: Miku Smart Baby Monitor Being a new parent can be a tough gig, especially when the sun sets. Keeping tabs on baby while they rest is crucial for first-timers—okay, for all parents. But lucky for you, the Miku Wi-Fi-enabled monitor streams real time views from the nursery. And it doesn’t stop there. It tracks baby’s breathing and sleep patterns, offers two-way talk, plays lullabies, records the room’s temperature and humidity levels and is crypto secure....

And the Winner Is: Copper Pearl 5-in-1 Multi-Use Cover A nursing cover isn’t necessary—you have the legal right to breastfeed in public in the US. But it can give your confidence a boost when you’re out and about and baby’s hungry. It offers breathable privacy, and as your little one grows, it can shield them from distractions too. We love multi-use products and the Copper Pearl 5-in-1 Cover is no exception....

And the Winner Is: Pink Stork Morning Sickness Sweets Nausea, vomiting, dry heaving—oh the joys of the first trimester. Morning sickness (okay, all-day sickness) may be par for the pregnancy course, but that doesn’t mean you should have to grin and bear it. Hoping to curb an episode of retching? Feel that telltale queasiness rising? Pop a Pink Stork morning sickness lozenge fast. Formulated with vitamin B6 and ginger, they support digestion and help ease nausea....

While much of what happens during delivery is way beyond your (or anyone’s!) control, creating a birth plan will at least make your wishes clear. Definitely talk the plan over with your doctor—it’s important to make sure you’re both on the same page. Read on for a checklist of things to consider when creating a birth Plan, and download The Bump Birth Plan form below. Remember that the options included on The Bump plan may not be available with every doctor or birthing center....

*“Aw, c’mon. It’s just a cookie!” _“Some moms judge me for not allowing my child to eat junk food or chocolate.” — _dreamteam33 _ _Why you shouldn’t say it: Sure, to you it’s just a little cookie, but to some moms it could be something much bigger! Remember: you don’t know what’s going on with other kids’ food restrictions, allergies or special diets. Heck, maybe the kid just ate three cookies, and the mom doesn’t want him tempted into adding to the sugar rush....

The most buzzed about paternity leave in the world is coming to a close this week, which only means one thing: Prince William is headed back to work (and it sounds like it’s going to be quite the readjustment)! The doting new daddy made his very own postbaby appearance on Saturday, when he and his hot-to-trot brother (and godfather to be!), Prince Harry , hit the pitch for a charity polo match....

If you were to catalog the things new parents look forward to when baby arrives, changing diapers would be pretty low on the list—maybe somewhere between middle-of-the-night feedings and that first round of shots. But the truth is, this messy task is one of the earliest and best ways to bond with baby (because it’s not like newborns are laughing at our jokes). Infants basically just want to eat, sleep and yes, get cleaned up after nature calls....

I was never the type of girl that dreamed of the day that I would be married or have children. Instead I dreamed of the day that I would be recognized for other accomplishments in my career. While I listened to my friends share the names of their future children, I was busy thinking of what countries I would travel to first or what I would say to the President when I first met him....

What to Look for in Baby Winter Hats Soft and lightweight. Winter hats for babies should hug their head instead of weighing it down, as well as provide them comfort. Look for options made with soft and flexible materials that won’t feel excessively heavy, like alpaca wool, plush fleece or Icelandic yarn. Secure but not constricting. If your little one will be joining you for a walk outside or a few hours of errands, you’ll want them to sport a hat that’s well-fitting and protective but doesn’t feel like a helmet....

For many of us, jeans are a style staple pre-pregnancy, so it’s definitely worth investing in a great-fitting pair of maternity jeans that will carry you comfortably throughout your whole pregnancy and beyond. Comfort, quality and versatility are all important when shopping for maternity jeans, so you can get the most mileage out of your wardrobe. Maternity jeans go by the same sizing as regular jeans—they’re just built for growth, so you can start by selecting the size you wore pre-pregnancy....

You probably know that labor doesn’t usually happen all at once — your body naturally goes through a few different stages before you and baby meet face to face. In the early stage of labor, contractions typically last about 30 to 45 seconds, with anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes of rest between contractions. You don’t have to panic to get to the hospital or birthing center, but you should start to prepare yourself, especially if your contractions are growing more intense, lasting longer, and/or happening closer together....

If you’re pregnant, you’re already likely on high alert about things you should steer clear of (foods, activities, products, medicines … and the list goes on) — for both you and your unborn baby’s health. Now there may be more products you’ll want to avoid. Two common chemicals found in the home, di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and di-isobutyl phthala (DiBP), may be harmful to your baby’s IQ, reports a new study from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health....

Oh, retail therapy. Since the beginning of my first pregnancy, I’ve done a complete turn-around in the type of shopper (and, really, person) I am. In my former days, I would go shopping for enjoyment, not because I actually needed anything. Walking around the stores with bright prints, fun music, pretty beaded baubles and shoes with sweet little bows on them just made me happy. Being able to try on a multitude of different outfits and see what I’d like to purchase was half the fun — spinning in circles in the dressing room, observing and scanning every inch of the outfit to be sure it looked up to my standard....

The Montessori philosophy is rooted in observing and meeting a child where they are on their unique developmental journey, and it can be a wonderful learning experience for a child with special needs. To learn more about how the age-old method of education could help, the Monti Kids Learning Team connected with Amorette French who is an Autistic parent of two 22-month-old girls, and Jennifer Theriault, LCSW and certified child psychotherapist, to share perspectives on why parents of children with special needs may want to explore incorporating Montessori at home....

You might wonder what sort of crazy person would tell a pregnant woman she can’t have her beloved carrot, wheatgrass and apple smoothie. Unfortunately, unless you know exactly how the otherwise wholesome ingredients were prepared and if they were pasteurized, the pros say you should pass. Pasteurization is a process that involves heating at a specific temperature for a set amount of time to help kill harmful bacteria. Unpasteurized fruit and vegetable juices can carry disease-causing bacteria such as salmonella and E....

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....

When you become pregnant, you of course expect your body to change—but you probably never considered how pregnancy would affect your vaginal discharge. Surprise! Even immediately after conception, the consistency, color and odor of your pregnancy discharge is likely to change due to hormone fluctuation. And if you’re not up to speed on those changes, things can sometimes look strange or feel pretty wet down there. Right off the bat, you may find yourself with questions about your early pregnancy discharge—like, should my discharge look that color?...