I don’t know how it is for everyone else, but the first time I suffered from morning sickness, I worried that I’d literally puke up something necessary for survival — a lung; liver; My intestines. Right before my first bout, I had enjoyed a light, healthy lunch at O’Charley’s with my husband and parents. I felt pretty good about myself because I’d been the epitome of health ever since I found out about baby....
You might want to up your omega-3 intake — it could do wonders for baby’s brain development. A new study found only 27 percent of pregnant women get enough omega-3 during pregnancy, a fatty acid found in fish, seafood and seaweed products. While you do want to steer clear of mercury-rich seafood like swordfish, shark king mackerel and debatably tuna, fish is still the best way to get this brain-boosting compound....
There are lots of things you can do to improve your chances of getting pregnant. First, I’d like you to consider your overall health by eating a nutritious diet full of leafy green vegetables and fresh fruit. You should certainly not be smoking or drinking (or at least drinking very little in the run-up to getting pregnant). Try to get proper sleep and de-stress your life wherever you can. Also, ask your health care provider about taking a folic acid supplement....
You get pampered “My husband DJed (everything from Noir Désir and T. Rex to Vangelis) with some awesome iPod playlists. I sat in the hot tub, lit candles, had a mid-labor massage — the whole nine yards. Honestly, it was like being given the royal treatment.” — Whitney You feel empowered “I remember shutting my eyes at some point during labor when I thought I just couldn’t take it anymore. This magical wave of fuzziness swept over me and I found so much inner strength....
Metformin is a medication that seems to help the muscles use insulin better and may help lower insulin levels. Metformin is actually a medication for diabetics; some diabetics take it as a first line of defense, in hopes of avoiding having to take insulin. But because some women with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) meet criteria for diabetes risk, it could be prescribed for them, too. There are a variety of different types of cases of PCOS, but many women with the syndrome have a metabolic disorder associated with irregular menstrual cycles and/or hyperandrogenism (a hormone imbalance) and/or problems with insulin resistance, pre-diabetes or diabetes....
Is TV bad for baby? Scheduling naps? Is sleep sharing safe? See all newborn Q&As Your resident night owl Now that baby is interacting more with the world, he’s also more awake — for up to 10 hours a day, though (thankfully) not all in a row. At this age, many babies still can’t tell day and night apart on their own, but sticking to a nap and bedtime routine should help him get the hang of it....
At the beginning of every new year, we like to follow the Hundred Year Rule and look back at the popularity lists of a century ago, seeing if we can find some faded flowers with revival potential. 1918 was a year of major world events. The devastating First World War came to an end when an armistice was signed in November, and there was a horrific Spanish flu pandemic. This was also the year when women (over 30) got the vote in the UK, Daylight Savings Time began, Billy Graham was born, the first Tarzan movie debuted and there were new books by James Joyce, Willa Cather, Proust, Kafka, Freud and Churchill....
The Bump: Did you always want to breastfeed? Alyssa Milano: Yes, I did actually. Before I had my son, Milo, I had my mind made up that I was going to try. I was very realistic in the fact that if it wasn’t going to work out for me, then I would just choose the best formula. I was never one of those people that put that crazy, crazy pressure on myself....
Are you smarter than a baby? Probably not — because babies as young as nine months recognize that friends are people who have similar interests. Tell me, when’s the lsat time you’ve recognized anything before 9am (except the snooze button)? The study, published online in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General shows that babies, even though they may be too young to talk, still have a set of abstract expectations about the social world....
“M” is for monograms. From the invitation to the favors, this event should be drowning in letters. If the baby already has a name, use his or her first initial as the anchor piece; if not, use mom’s. Modernize this classic baby shower with a current color palette like teal and lemon, tomato and tangerine, or mint green and watermelon. The Invite: Set the stage with an invitation like this customizable one from Iomoi....
Happy Summer! The sun is shining, the heat is (way) up and the pool is open! How do you protect little one around the water right in your backyard? Our Bumpies on the Toddlers: 12-24 months board shared their best home pool safety tips: “They make safety gates just for pools, so I think that would be best since it will last you for a long time until you really feel comfortable with your tot swimming, plus that way they can run around the patio!...
We know how it goes. One kid gets sick, and you’re worried the virus will spread through your family like wildfire. But rest assured that that’s not a given. Even though colds and other viruses are contagious, there’s a lot you can do to cut down on the chances that both twins (and the rest of you!) will also get sick. Nix the sharing. Start by keeping the twins’ stuff separated, so they’re not sharing sippy cups, bottles, spoons and other supplies....
Portable, inexpensive, cool…not exactly words you’d use to describe a booster seat. But a 1.6-pound seat is finally changing that. Here’s the deal: Mifold Grab-n-Go Car Booster Seat is a folding cushion with an aluminum base. It folds flat enough to stow in the glove compartment or in the side storage area of a passenger door. The compact size means you can actually fit three in your backseat if you have a trio of pint-sized passengers (typically, any child below 4 foot, 9 inches— a height too small for a proper seat belt fit)....
You wake up exhausted and not in the mood, but you drag yourself to work—only to sit (or stand) in one place, all. day. long. And that was your reality before getting pregnant—these days, forget it! Working when you’re expecting isn’t always easy, and we’ve rounded up the 10 worst parts to prove it. But hang in there: We also dish on how to get through the downsides! Image: Natalia Spotts...
If there weren’t already enough reasons to stay active during pregnancy, a new study in the UK shows that women with higher activity levels are more likely to have a “normal” childbirth — requiring fewer medical interventions — than mothers who are less active. According to the BBC, the study from Swansea University College of Medicine examined data from 466 women to find that those who led sedentary lifestyles were twice as likely to need interventions such as forceps during delivery, and had a 50 percent higher chance of requiring a cesarean delivery....
One of the most important decisions anyone can make in their lives is the decision to have a baby. I distinctly remember being woken up in the middle of the night and seeing my wife sitting up in bed staring at the wall. She wanted to know, right then and there, “Do I? Can I? Would I? Will I?” have more babies. I could see it in her eyes – it was a classic case of “fight or flight....
At this point, we’ve almost normalized the pain points of breast pumping, accepting that nursing moms just can’t have it all. A highly-efficient pump is rarely portable. Durability is countered with ugly design. Enter Naya. Everything about this pump is different—including the way it pumps. WHAT WE LOVE Rather than using air, Naya uses flowing water to pump, which means a quieter, gentler process and stronger suction This modular, 3-pound pump is designed for portability; the sleek storage bag snaps right onto the base Naya’s Bluetooth technology allows it to connect to an optional app to serve as a remote, track your feeding sessions and calculate your milk’s expiration date Initial tests demonstrate Naya expresses 29 percent more milk than existing best-selling pumps...
Unlike with a swing, speed and motion don’t really matter for a bouncer. So if you choose, you’re able to go battery- and cord- (read: flashing light and sound) free. Our pick? The sleek wooden Babyhome bouncer. WHAT WE LOVE A baby entertainment unit that’s sleek when in use and unobtrusive when stored, folding completely flat Two reclining positions give baby options to rock. And if he or she just wants to sit back and put up those baby feet, well, there’s a stationary position too Washable fabric keeps it looking as good as new...
There are a lot of things that happen after the birth of a baby that are more or less expected: the lack of sleep, shifts in hormones and endless diaper changes. But for everything we feel prepared for once baby arrives, there are a million other things that can catch us by surprise. One thing I hadn’t anticipated after the birth of my first baby: I got hungry—hungrier than I can remember feeling at any other time in my life....
You’ve hired someone to take care of your baby. You’ve given them unfettered access to your home and your life. They know more about your daily habits than even your own mother does. But do you know how much of that information they’re keeping to themselves and how much they’re sharing with their online friends and followers? Here’s a sampling of real tweets posted by nannies on Twitter: “Being a nanny sucks the life out of me… Twin babies and 3-year-old boy for 6:30 a....
