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What is gestational trophoblastic disease? Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a spectrum of rare tumors that arise from the cells that would typically develop into a pregnancy. Important note: GTD involves tumors, but not all tumors are cancerous. In fact, the most common form of GTD, the hydatidiform mole (sometimes called a “ molar pregnancy”), is benign. What are the signs of GTD? A woman with GTD typically misses her period, gets a positive pregnancy test and believes she’s carrying a normal pregnancy — until unusual symptoms (including abnormal bleeding and a uterus that measures larger than expected) and/or further testing reveal the presence of GTD and the absence of a viable pregnancy....

It’s thrilling to watch baby start to explore the world outside of the womb—especially as her newborn vision develops. During the first six months of life, she’ll begin to see the world in living color and with increasing depth and clarity, developing a whole new (and decidedly heart-melting!) level of curiosity. Newborn vision sharpens in gradual stages during the first few years of life, and as with other important aspects of growth and development, it changes and improves every day....

Researchers from the NUTRIMENTHE project (a research project funded by the European Commission that involves researchers from more than 20 different organizations aiming to educate moms on the mental role that specific nutrients and food components have on a child’s development) found that prenatal nutrition programs the long-term health, well-being, brain development and mental performance of children. The project, in its fifth year, have addressed the influence of prenatal nutrition by studying hundreds of European families....

Despite what well-meaning moms and grandmas may tell you, dry or cracked nipples are most often a result of an incorrect latch and aren’t caused by nursing “too long” or not cleaning or putting certain products on your nipples. Your best defense against dry, cracked, or otherwise sore nipples is a deep latch. To make sure you and baby are doing it right, read up on how your baby’s latch should look and feel, look at pictures of successfully breastfeeding babies, watch nursing video demonstrations, and sign up for a breastfeeding class at your local hospital....

Experts disagree whether rheumatoid arthritis affects fertility, but it’s been proven that women with RA do take longer to conceive. This could be chalked up to the side effects of the disease for women, such as low sex drive, inconsistent ovulation, fatigue, and pain. One thing to be aware of is that the medications you might be on for RA may cause birth defects, so you have to work with your doctor to monitor medication if you’re trying to conceive....

Does your funny, smart, and sweet toddler turn into a prizefighter on the playground, baring his knuckles whenever anyone threatens her turn on the slide? While toddler hitting may be embarrassing and concerning, toddlers hitting others can be a common developmental phase. Learning why it happens, and how helping your toddler redirect his frustration can stop the behavior. Here, what to know about toddler hitting. In this article Why Do Toddlers Hit?...

You spent nine+ months preparing for baby’s arrival, including stocking up on essential baby items, picking a baby name, creating a nursery and so much more. Thanks to all the planning, by the time your due date rolls around you probably feel prepared to bring your little one home. But are you ready for what happens to your body after childbirth? Because let’s be honest: If you gave birth vaginally, your vagina, perineum and rectum are going to need some serious TLC during your postpartum recovery....

The amniotic sac, together with the amniotic fluid it contains, is the same thing as your waters or bag of waters (you know, the one that breaks when you go into labor). The sac consists of two membranes (known as the amnion and the chorion) that form baby’s home while in your belly. This keeps baby warm, safe and surrounded by cushiony liquids. These membranes usually rupture when it’s time for baby to make an arrival, and may trickle or gush out of your body, signaling that it’s high time to give your doc or midwife a call....

Always dreamed of having a little girl? There’s a system in place that might up your chances beyond the 50/50 mark. Known as O plus 12, it stands for “Ovulation plus 12 hours.” That’s about the time, according to believers, when you should get busy. There is some nugget of science behind the theory, which holds that eggs are more likely to admit an x-containing sperm (the kind you need to have a girl) if they are fertilized about 12 hours after ovulation....

Dreading giving your kids The Talk? It’s an incredibly tricky topic to navigate, especially if you’re a gay parent. But don’t worry, seven-year-old Sophia can break everything down. “If you’re a kid with two moms and you don’t know how to explain it to other kids or people, this is a video of how you can explain it,” she begins in a video posted by The Next Family. “Say you have Mom, and she was in love with this other girl, and then they married, and then they want to have a baby — but they need a boy!...

Get off your butt and exercise You can probably think of a hundred different excuses not to exercise, but look at the advantages: fewer aches and pains, boosted mood, healthy weight gain (meaning less general sense of yuck in the third trimester), and an easier and faster labor. They’re all totally worth the effort. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day (of course you can take a couple days off here and there) to really reap the benefits, and choose the types of workouts that make you happy....

When you think about exercise, you wouldn’t tell babies to drop and give you 20. But the Society of Health and Physical Educators recommends that all children up to age 5 do some kind of physical activity every day. And yes, that means babies too. Baby exercises are an important part of infant development. Infant exercise can help strengthen baby’s neck, help develop their hand-eye coordination and help baby learn to walk....

As with any party, the best baby showers are those where the conversation is lively and time seems to fly. And nothing does that better than a few well-chosen baby shower games. We’ve rounded up our favorites, from co-ed baby shower games that all your guests will enjoy, to easy baby shower games you can pull off in a moment’s notice and even unique baby shower games that’ll impress even the most jaded of guests....

I came up with a plan during my eighth month of pregnancy to go on mini-dates with myself until I have my baby girl. I know my life is about to change — obviously, in a good way! — but knowing that my freedom is no longer going to be whenever the heck I feel like it sort of freaks me out. So, I want to relish in the fact that my “me” time days are numbered....

‘Sharing is caring’ is a mantra often preached to toddlers. And locking this social skill down by the end of kindergarten could lead to greater success as adults, according to a new 20-year study published in the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers from Pennsylvania State University and Duke University found that social and emotional skills among peers like sharing, cooperation and helpfulness can serve as a strong predictor for long-term success....

Holy cow, that went fast! I suppose we should have expected the pregnancy would go by fast since that’s what all our friends told us, but nine months goes by really, really quickly. Breaking it down, you really spend the first three months either not knowing you’re pregnant or trying to keep the news a secret until you’re 100 percent sure. Then you spend the next three months telling everyone who will listen, which is super exciting....

You’re not alone. Most breastfed babies refuse everything but the real deal at first. Be patient and know that with time (and hunger) your baby will eventually accept food from something other than the breast. There are a couple of things you can do to make it easier: Find the right bottle nipple. There’s no one bottle nipple that’s “best” for all babies, says Amy Spangler, MN, RN, IBCLC, author of Breastfeeding: A Parent’s Guide....

When career-driven Kelly Stuart and coworker (and friend) Violet Gaynor started thinking about starting families, they also began thinking about launching a website. And so The Glow was born, a stylish online destination that explores motherhood using real moms’ stories — and tons of Stuart’s gorgeous photos. “All our shoots for The Glow are very personal, just as if we were having coffee with friends,” she says. She’s photographed trendsetters, style-makers and celeb moms, such as Josie Maran, Constance Zimmer and Busy Philipps....

What is irritable bowel syndrome during pregnancy? Irritable bowel syndrome, also called IBS, is a digestive disorder in which you consistently get abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. What are the signs of IBS during pregnancy? All of the above symptoms. Some people also notice mucus in their stools. Are there any tests for IBS during pregnancy? Yes and no. There’s no test to diagnose irritable bowel syndrome, but there are tests to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms....

Molly Cantrell-Kraig was 21 and still in college when her first daughter was born, in 1989. “I was a single mother on welfare, living in a farmhouse in Iowa,” she says. Without a car of her own, she struggled to make it to class, let alone excel in her studies. Eventually Cantrell-Kraig got her degree and embarked on a career in media and advertising. But she never forgot where she came from and all those who helped her along the way....