One look at Helena Glazer’s blog, Brooklyn Blonde, or her wildly popular Instagram feed (she’s fast approaching 400K followers!) and it’s pretty clear she has her finger on the pulse of what’s trendy and chic. But sometimes even the style savvy need a helping hand. When it came time to decorate the nursery in her new home, a 1920s townhouse in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, she was at a loss for ideas....
How important is calcium during pregnancy? Very. Baby’s bones, teeth, heart, nerves and muscles all depend on calcium for growth. It’s so essential, in fact, that if you don’t include enough in your diet, baby will start leaching it from your bones—which is not a good thing for either of you. In terms of how much calcium you need when pregnant, experts recommend getting 1,000 mg per day, which is about four servings of calcium-rich foods....
Middle ear infections are very common in toddlers. When a virus or bacteria enters the middle ear through the eustachian tubes in the back of the nose, the result is a build-up of fluid in the middle ear. The fluid pushes up against the eardrum — and that’s what causes so much pain. As for the ear-tube surgery, a tiny tube is inserted into the eardrum to circulate air in the area, which equalizes the pressure in the middle ear; your pediatrician will be the best judge....
When my White 6-year-old son saw an aerial image of protests on CNN, he nonchalantly commented that all the people demonstrating look like ants. I scrambled to explain why this was happening in a way a kindergartener might find meaningful. But to be completely honest, I was ill prepared for this conversation. How exactly do you explain #BlackLivesMatter to a young child? Parents generally have a decent tool kit for talking about kindness, generosity and empathy, but when it comes to discussions that zero in on race and racial injustice, the conversations often lack depth or come to a lull altogether, especially in White families....
Fish and shellfish are good sources of high quality protein and other essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids. But some types of fish contain more mercury than others and could pose a danger during your pregnancy. Eat these in limited amounts or avoid them entirely. Keep in mind the following basic rules, and check out the FDA or EPA for more extensive info. Never eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish....
Netflix, Birchbox, Rent the Runway, Stitch Fix: We’re a society that swears by subscription and rental services. But what if your needs are only for a set amount of time? Say, less than nine months? There’s still a service for you. Introducing Le Tote’s maternity clothes subscription. The company has offered women “mystery boxes” of clothing to rent and purchase on a monthly basis since 2012. With a loyal base of what founder Rakesh Tondon deems “31-year-old urban professional females,” he knew he had the target audience to try something new....
Deciding whether to have a natural birth or opt for labor pain medication? There’s really no wrong answer here. Some of the reasons why women choose to go “natural” include a desire to avoid medical intervention and to minimize baby’s exposure to medications. Some want to make sure they can feel contractions as they push, to help get the timing perfect. If that doesn’t sound like you, there are safe medications you can take to help with the pain....
Because the CPSC received so many safety-related reports of children under four years old being injured by their strollers, they’ve released a new safety standard that will take effect in September of 2015. After reports totaled more than 1,300 incidents (including four deaths, 14 hospitalizations and about 391 injuries) from January of 2008 through June 2013, the CPSC is moving toward making strollers and carriages safer than ever before. The new safety standard will require that all strollers and carriages be made, tested and clearly labeled in an effort to minimize the hazards that put baby and mom at risk, including: broken and detached wheels, locking mechanism issues, parking break failures, stability, restraint issues (including issues unbuckling and with straps that are too loose) and structural integrity....
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re putting together a nursery. Baby boutiques will have you ooh-ing and aah-ing over scores of items—all of which seem absolutely crucial to your tot’s future happiness and well being, including that pink couch fashioned out of 100 percent organic cotton by some artisan in Brooklyn. But the truth is, babies are simple folk. Only a few things are genuinely important, and everything else is merely nice to have....
First, talk to your doc. Even if you’ve just got a tiny feeling that there might be a problem, it’s a good idea to get checked out by a professional. If your doc agrees that something is going on, she’ll probably have a few suggestions. Therapy If you don’t already see a therapist, your doc might recommend it. She should be able to refer you to a few potential therapists. You can also call your insurance company and ask them for therapists in your area that accept your plan....
Basically, if you plan to use freshly pumped milk, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to eight days. If you can’t refrigerate it right away, it can stay at room temperature for roughly four to ten hours, depending on how hot the room is. To defrost frozen milk, thaw it in the refrigerator (not the kitchen counter!), which takes about 12 hours. After it’s thawed, it can remain the fridge for another 24 hours, but should not be refrozen....
Hooray, you’re having a baby! Finding out you’re pregnant can be one of the most exciting moments of your life. But let’s face it, it can also be filled with lots of questions too. If you’re typically active, you might begin to wonder what you can (and can’t) do in your workouts to maintain the strength and muscle tone you’ve worked so hard to build. Good news! Barre is safe to do during pregnancy—and you can even do it from home....
“I wish I had looked at diagrams of a proper latch. But, instead, I got hands-on help from family, friends, midwives and lactation consultants and that was absolutely priceless.” — cubits* “That sometimes, no matter what you do, it won’t work out and it’s not your fault.” — kaar17 “That I would change my views on nursing in public completely. Before, I thought it was unnecessary, but now I think that people who have a problem with it can just look away!...
When shopping for a diaper bag, the last thing moms want is the equivalent of the “mom jeans” of handbags. The perfect diaper bag has to be practical—meaning it can withstand everyday use, spills and keep a lot of stuff organized—but still look cool enough to double as your “It” bag. Style and substance, it turns out, don’t always go hand-in-hand. But we’ve found one that consistently has us bowing down to its ingenuity....
Whenever I’m out at a party and meet someone new, the instant they learn I’m a midwife, their birth stories come pouring forth. There’s a sort of automatic trust there, like I’ve given them permission to share something intimate. I love it. But I also occasionally get confused reactions: Some people think what I do is more like a doula or lactation consultant. Others don’t realize that Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs), like myself, can work in hospitals and birth centers, in addition to doing home birth....
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....
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....
According to the latest study, researchers are now suggesting that taking acetaminophen during pregnancy could increase baby’s risk of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in medicines like Excedrin and Tylenol, has generally been thought to be safe, and more than 50 percent of women in the US take acetaminophen during their pregnancies. Led by Zeyan Liew, researchers looked at data on more than 64,000 women and their children taken from the Danish National Birth Cohort....
Your baby is entering an exciting new phase of development and is ready to eat solid foods. Many parents want to make homemade baby food, but struggle with where to start. Here we give you the top “Do’s and Don’ts” of introducing solids and making homemade baby food. Do Follow your baby’s cues on when to start feeding solids. The American Academy of Pediatric’s (AAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) both recommend exclusive breastfeeding for six months, after which complementary foods are started, along with continued breastfeeding for as long as mom and baby desire....
As parents, we work hard to ensure our baby’s ultimate comfort. We buy a plush swing with all the bells and whistles, research the best crib mattresses and the add the softest swaddles we can find to the registry. But one thing that’s easy to overlook is baby’s temperature. No, not just a fever (though that’s certainly important too!) but whether baby is too warm or too cold in any given situation....
