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What is hypothyroidism during pregnancy? Hypothyroidism is when your thyroid gland isn’t producing enough hormones. It can cause some bodily functions to slow. What are the signs of hypothyroidism? Weight gain, fatigue and swelling. Sounds like a normal pregnancy, right? That’s why hypothyroidism can be tough to diagnose during pregnancy. Are there any tests for hypothyroidism? Yes, your doc will likely run a blood test to see how much of the thyroid hormones are running through your bod....

Starting solids is an exciting and important milestone in baby’s development—one that not only opens them up to a brand-new world of flavors and textures, but also puts them on the right path to growing healthy and strong. Here’s what you need to know about how and when to start baby food for a smooth transition. In this article: When to start baby food How to start baby on solids Best first foods for baby Introducing allergenic foods...

Baby showers once meant awkward small talk and and tiny sandwiches, but times are changing. From backyard BBQs to wedding-scale blowouts, today’s baby shower is a whole new animal. “People are starting to get a lot more snazzy,” says Tina La Morte, owner of New Jersey’s Oh So Fabulous! Divine Wedding. “They’re doing linen rentals and napkin treatments, and really stepping it up.” Now, why is a wedding planner talking about baby showers?...

More good news for moms who have c-sections: It’s getting easier for you to meet your new baby right away. We’ve seen family-centered cesareans, or natural cesareans, gain popularity over the last year. As opposed to the standard medical drape surgeons traditionally use to curtain off the operating field and block mom’s view, a natural c-section uses a clear or lowered drape so she can watch. Other adjustments are made so she can hold her baby right away: her hands aren’t strapped down and the IV goes into her non-dominant hand....

You have a baby on the way—yay! As thrilling as that news is, it’s also easy to feel overwhelmed with everything you have to do and think about during pregnancy. Don’t freak out. Use this sanity-saving pregnancy checklist to track your first trimester to-dos. Pregnancy Checklist for Weeks 1-8 Take a pregnancy test Tell your partner the good news Find an ob-gyn or other prenatal care provider Schedule your first prenatal checkup Check your health insurance policy to see what prenatal and childbirth care is covered Figure out how pregnancy, baby and maternity leave will affect your finances Create a savings plan for your child’s future expenses and education; companies like Stash can help you set up a custodial account Estimate how much raising a baby will cost and start saving accordingly Go to your first prenatal checkup (right around week 8)...

You know all about contractions. You’ve wrapped your head around dilation. You have your deep breathing down pat. You’re as ready as you’ll ever be to push. But what happens immediately after you deliver baby? There’s the much-anticipated first snuggle, baby’s official weigh-in and lots of checks to make sure both of you are doing just fine. “The post-birth period is a really important time for bonding with your baby, while the nursing team is also monitoring your baby closely to make sure they’re adjusting as expected to life outside the womb,” says Monica Svets, MD, an ob-gyn at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio....

Should I not talk baby-talk to my toddler? Why does my toddler touch her genitals in public? Is it too early to start teaching my child to read? See all Q&As Thank you vewy moosh If you lead by example, baby may pick up some manners by now. This generally comes in the form of words like “peas,” “tankoo,” and “scoosme,” and saying “hello” to all 563 people that pass you in the airport....

Introducing finger foods for baby is an exciting and nerve-racking time. Between the mess, possible allergies and potential choking hazards, it’s enough to give some parents white knuckles as they hover over the high chair. But while you should certainly exercise caution, there are lots of great baby finger food ideas that will make mealtime fun and nutritious, and let your growing child practice the important art of self-feeding. In this article: When can babies eat finger foods?...

And the Winner Is: Clearblue Advanced Digital Ovulation Test What We Love It’s the only ovulation test that accurately tracks not one but two key fertility hormones: luteinising hormone (LH) as well as estrogen. This helps pinpoint a wider fertility window: typically four or more days, which is at least two days more than other tests. And more fertile days mean more chances to become pregnant! The results are clear and easy to read....

In the pre-covid days, the first few days at the hospital with a newborn might have felt like a minivacation, except you didn’t realize it at the time: Nurses took care of your needs, someone brought you food, you could sleep as much as you liked and a lactation consultant was a call button away. Two to four days later, assuming it was an uncomplicated birth, homecoming was a mash-up of emotions, sleep exhaustion and, possibly, minor chaos—and, since the pandemic, it may be happening much sooner for new moms....

As soon as she found out she was pregnant, Blythe Stanford knew she wanted to save her baby’s umbilical cord blood—not only for her unborn child, but mainly for her husband, David. “He’s partially blind due to diabetes,” says Stanford, 34. “I saw this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have access to stem cells that may one day help him.” Cord blood is rich in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, both of which can replace diseased blood cells with healthy blood-forming ones....

As you prepare your home for baby’s arrival, plenty of questions are probably whirling about: “Will the nursery be ready in time?” “Is the crib in the right place?” “Darn it, should I have ordered that shelving unit from IKEA after all?” But no matter how put-together the nursery is, in order to bring baby home, you’ll need to focus on car seat safety. Word to the wise: Don’t wait until the last minute!...

“I love dried mango!” — littleangel_2003 “Easy Mac! I never really cared for mac and cheese much before, but now it helps with any nausea I might be feeling.” — MrsW722 “Lemons are good — either in ice water or by themselves.” — Jessie55 “I have a plain bowl of cereal right before bed. By plain, I don’t mean dry — I mean Kix or cornflakes. That helps me a lot, plus not drinking water in the morning when I’m thirsty....

Chances are, your pets are already onto you. As your bump grows, your animals will probably get a sense of what’s going on. They’re baby-makers too, after all. That’s not to say they won’t be jealous, though, especially if they’ve been the “babies” in your life up until now. To keep your dogs, cats or other critters from getting too stressed when baby comes home, try these tips: Make some racket Babies come with all sorts of new sounds....

You’ve been waiting for this moment for nine+ months. You’ve prepared the nursery, chosen a name and purchased all the things. Still, it’ll probably feel like a complete shock when your doctor or midwife sends you home from the hospital with a shiny newborn and the responsibility to keep them healthy and happy. Adding to the surrealness of the situation is the fact that you’ll be recovering from childbirth and may be figuring out how to breastfeed....

Know that it’s uncommon for an infant to be lactose intolerant. “Lactose intolerance” means that your body can’t produce enough lactase, the enzyme that helps digest lactose (the primary sugar in dairy products like cow’s milk). If it can’t be digested, lactose hangs around in the intestine, causing gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea, cramping, bloating, or gas. Very rarely, a baby is born with true lactose intolerance. (This is genetic and would have to be passed on to baby by both parents....

From a health perspective, it doesn’t really matter whether she breastfeeds for five minutes or an hour, as long as baby is gaining weight well (four to seven ounces each week for the first month, and then one to two pounds each month through month six). Some babies simply take longer than others. Baby may get more efficient as she grows, so you may (or may not) see the length of feedings shorten a bit in coming weeks....

Of the many things we do for our kids that are painful, baby circumcision—the surgical removal of a newborn boy’s foreskin—is one of the most controversial and vexing. How badly will it hurt baby? How safe is circumcision? What are the long-term consequences? For some, the decision to circumcise is easy. Many do it for religious beliefs, or because it’s what has always been done in their family. But for those wavering while weighing the pros and cons of circumcision—including the risks, benefits and current cultural worth—it helps to be informed....

Potty training isn’t just an achievement for kids—it represents a major parenting milestone too. And potty training at night is cause for a full, break-out-the-confetti-level celebration. You can save all that money you were spending on diapers and congratulate yourself for completing a major parenthood achievement. But if your kid isn’t there yet, don’t worry. Nighttime potty training can be a totally different beast than daytime training, and different kids are ready at different times so the key is not to stress it....

First, preregister at your hospital. This means giving them your insurance information and filling out all that boring paperwork in advance, so you’ll have less to do when you get there on the actual day. Then pack your bag (see our checklist here) in advance and go crazy nesting (believe us, you will) while you nervously, and excitedly, wait. Having a c-section? Skip down to “Cesarean Birth.” Vaginal Birth Going into labor If you’re planning a basic birth, chances are you’ll go into labor on your own....