When I hear adoption professionals say that you shouldn’t consider adoption unless both partners are 100% on board, I wonder what planet they are living on. From my interviews with well over a hundred adopting couples, I have found that in the beginning almost always one partner is more interested in adoption than the other. There aren’t easy answers on what to do when one spouse wants to adopt and the other does not....
Starting baby on solids is an exciting milestone in their development, but it might leave you wondering what foods you can introduce and when—like yogurt, which is a staple across many diets due to its nutritional value. So when can babies have yogurt? Here, we asked experts to walk us through the timeline, how much to give them, the benefits of yogurt for babies, what types are best and how to prepare it for your little eater....
Why does my toddler say ‘no’ to every question I ask? Should I wean my toddler off her baby blanket? How can I improve my disciplining skills? See all Q&As Time for toddlerobics Munchkin is probably in a state of constant motion these days. She’s playing, kicking, walking, climbing — maybe even running. If you have a climber, it’s time to double-check the baby-proofing. (The porcelain figurines on the third shelf?...
Do You Need a Baby Wipe Warmer? What to Look For in a Baby Wipe Warmer Heating technology. When it comes to heating wipes, each wipe warmer does the job a bit differently. Some use steam technology, while others maintain their temperature with an internal heating element. Models that use steam heat tend to keep wipes moist, and they often distribute heat more evenly. However, to prevent bacteria and mold buildup, you’ll need to replace the sponge at the bottom of these warmers every few months (or according to the manufacturer’s specific instructions)....
Aches and pains are pretty much par for the course during pregnancy (we’re sorry to say), and one of the most common pregnancy discomforts is lower back pain, especially as pregnancy progresses. That sharp, shooting pain can radiate into your butt and legs, and it’s no one’s idea of a good time. So what’s causing it? One possibility is sciatica, a painful condition caused by nerve compression. Read on to learn more about sciatica during pregnancy and how to find sweet, safe relief....
People have an insatiable curiosity when it comes to how to have twins. No, I didn’t conduct some groundbreaking metadata analysis. I know this firsthand as a mom of 7-year-old twins. Nearly every day since getting pregnant with twins I’ve been asked if twins run in my family. Apparently, people want to know what are the chances of having twins and even (much to my surprise) how to have twins. Truth is, I got pregnant with twins “naturally,” though the term in twin circles (yes, there is a twin subculture with its own jargon) is “spontaneously....
It may be tricky to buckle up now that you’re pregnant. (Over the belly or under?) You might be thinking of forgoing a seat belt because it seems uncomfortable or because you think it could smush baby—but don’t even think about it. The March of Dimes reports that there are nearly 170,000 car crashes involving pregnant women each year, and according to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), research suggests that four out of five babies that were lost in car accidents would’ve been saved if their pregnant mothers had worn safety belts....
Sure, you know skipping breakfast and feasting on Pop-Tarts is a bad idea now that you’re pregnant—but new studies show that the benefits of healthy eating are even more significant than previously known. An Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital study found that women who eat a high fat diet are more likely to have babies with higher fat mass and smaller livers. Another study concluded that taking prenatal vitamins may reduce the risk of having children with autism....
Uterine irritability is kind of hard to define — basically, it’s like having contractions but much milder. These mini contractions ultimately feel a lot like menstrual cramps. They can happen preterm or at term, and they can be confused with false labor. That’s why, if a mom-to-be complains of them, docs usually put her on a monitor to measure whether she’s having real contractions. In most cases, they don’t mean anything, and they go away on their own....
You know all that icky stuff in cigarettes—things like nicotine and tar and carbon monoxide? When you smoke, you’re delivering a dose of that nasty stuff straight to baby. You’re also compromising the amount of oxygen baby receives. So when you smoke, you’re effectively choosing to send harmful chemicals to baby instead of the oxygen he or she needs. Babies born to moms who smoke are more likely to be premature and have low birth weight than babies born to non-smoking moms, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)....
Depending on your doctor, expect to have your first ultrasound sometime between 6 and 12 weeks, says Santa Monica–based ob-gyn Sheryl Ross, MD. Baby grows quickly and will look very different in just a few short weeks, so don’t panic if you don’t see as much detail at an earlier ultrasound (the below image is about 12 weeks). The first ultrasound dates and confirms the pregnancy, as well as detects any potential problems....
If you’re undergoing IVF, ganirelix is one of the medications you’ll probably be getting to know up close and personal. Reproductive endocrinologists prescribe it to help take control of your reproductive system by blocking the release of luteinizing hormone and delaying ovulation, so you won’t release an egg at the wrong time in your cycle. You’ll probably need to inject ganirelix yourself (or have your partner do it for you). It’s taken subcutaneously — just under the skin — usually in the abdominal area....
If you’re under 35 and you and your partner have been trying to conceive through regular, unprotected sex for up to a year (six months if you’re over 35, and three months if you’re 40-plus), your ob-gyn will typically recommend you make an appointment with a fertility specialist, known as a reproductive endocrinologist (RE). But don’t stress yet—one in six couples seeks medical intervention to help them conceive. An RE is an ob-gyn who has completed an additional three years of training to learn how to identify infertility factors and suggest and implement methods that will hopefully help you get pregnant....
In general, babies move to two naps around six months of age. However, every baby is different — it’s just as common to drop the third nap at five months as it is to drop it at nine months. Therefore, it’s important to read your own baby’s cues in determining whether she’s ready to make the transition. The third nap should already be the shortest nap of the day. You’ll know when your baby is ready to drop this nap when she begins resisting it day after day....
The first step to a memorable first birthday party? Adorable first birthday invitations. Set the tone for baby’s soirée with extra-sweet stationery, and choose cards that pay tribute to your newly minted toddler’s age or special first birthday party theme. Need a helping hand? Here, we’ve gathered up some of our favorite first birthday invitations for the girl or boy of the hour. Prepare to “aww” over the cute, fully customizable designs....
With so many celebrities having babies, it’s easy to become caught up in the comparison game. You might see the cover of a magazine and wonder why your baby weight isn’t melting off like Kim Kardashian’s. (Spoiler alert! Don’t stress it, mama. You look fab the way you are!) A recent study by Female First magazine found that 80 percent of British women feel pressured to look good during pregnancy. About 75 percent said that seeing pregnant celebrities in the media made them feel insecure....
After nine months of growing a human being inside of you, you may want to raise a glass to motherhood. But after giving birth, are you ready to say “cheers” just yet? If you’ve decided to breastfeed, what you put inside your body can also affect baby, since it transfers through your breast milk. So it’s no surprise women often have a lot of questions when it comes to drinking alcohol while breastfeeding....
Long before the days of baby gates, safety latches and window guards, city moms were finding resourceful ways to get baby outside (read: dodging going for a walk). Dangerous, but we’ll hand it to them: resourceful. In the late 1800s, doctors began to recommend that kids in urban apartments get fresh air. Physicians like Dr. Luther Emmett Holt suggested placing baby’s bassinet next to a window in the absence of a backyard or front porch....
If there’s one universal parenting truth, it’s that you’re going to be talking about baby poop a lot. (Cue questions: How often should a newborn poop? How can you help baby poop? What does green baby poop mean? What exactly should normal baby poop look like?) And while it may not be a typical topic of conversation for the dinner table, it’s something you’ll find yourself thinking about all the time....
There’s nothing less fun than throwing up, except maybe when it’s baby who’s the one suffering. Not only is she miserable, but you’re also probably worried sick, wondering what to do and how to care for her. As unpleasant as it is, witnessing a baby throwing up is something all parents go through—and more than just once. For the most part, baby vomiting isn’t a major cause for concern. Read on to learn the difference between baby spit-up and vomit and what to do for a baby throwing up....
