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Are there any tips for naming a second baby? how-can-i-teach-my-toddler-not-to-interrupt-my-adult-conversations How do you potty-train a toddler? See all Q&As He’s a big kid! (Well, almost.) By two, the kiddo can really use his noggin. He’s playing pretend, sorting stuff into categories, and is hip to simple abstract concepts (like “sooner” vs. “later.”). He’s also getting more verbal every day, is sometimes whiny, and may be having a little separation anxiety. He likes to do things for himself and, of course, can throw a doozie of a tantrum....

Ah, apple-picking—it’s classic fall family fun. So fun, in fact, it’s easy to go a little overboard. How can you resist those luscious, round apples just ripe for the plucking? Plus, little hands love filling those bags and buckets to the brim. When you get home and start feeling overwhelmed by your impressive orchard haul, take a peek at these inspired apple recipes, perfect for the whole family. Your stash of apples will disappear faster than you can say “apple pie....

And the Winner Is: The Birth Hour No two pregnancies are alike, and The Birth Hour celebrates all paths to parenthood. With two new episodes dropping every week, this empowering podcast serves its ever-expanding community of caretakers with real, raw and inspirational stories from moms and dads navigating the joys, challenges and curveballs that come with pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. What We Love The Birth Hour educates and empowers nervous expectant parents through real anecdotes from real parents...

Holiday shopping is in full swing! As you make your shopping lists for the 2022 holiday season, consider shopping small where you can. Small businesses make up around 44 percent of the country’s economy, and, due to pandemic impacts and inflation, it’s important to support them now more than ever. Keep in mind, however, that shipping and item creation may take a little longer with small businesses. For the timely arrival of gifts, it’s better to shop sooner rather than later when shopping small....

We’re guessing you have a pretty good idea of what does it for you in bed. But a lot of changes that happen in your body during pregnancy can likely make some of your go-to sex positions more challenging than before. This doesn’t mean your sex life has to take a backseat when you’re expecting, though: There are plenty of sex positions while pregnant that feel comfortable and offer a great time....

Alternative Schedules Are Safe Robert W. Sears, MD There’s a demand for alternative schedules. Many new parents feel overwhelmed by the number of vaccines given to young babies today; 24 doses are given in the first year alone. When parents realize the medical establishment is trying to push unnecessary vaccines on them, they begin to question the entire process. The result is that parents simply want to vaccinate more carefully, and be smarter about it, instead of blindly following the system....

When it comes to gearing up for baby, a city mom’s needs are very specific. We would never buy a stroller that couldn’t fit down the narrow aisles of our favorite neighborhood deli, for example. If we live in a walk-up building, we consider the weight of any baby gear, knowing we’ll have to lug it up several flights of stairs—along with baby, a diaper bag, and more. Every day, we navigate overcrowded subways and collapse strollers on buses....

Even babies who are perfectly healthy go to the doctor a lot. That’s because the first two years are a crucial time in baby’s growth and development, and your doctor will want to keep close tabs on your baby’s progress. Some pediatricians’ schedules will vary slightly, but the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends babies get checkups at birth, 3 to 5 days after birth and then at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 24 months....

The family Halloween getup can be a glorious thing—just look at Neil Patrick Harris’ family Halloween costumes. Every year since their twins, Harper and Gideon, were born in 2010, the How I Met Your Mother actor and his husband, actor and chef David Burtka, have dressed up in some of the most spectacular group costumes. They’ve done spooky film icons, classic Hollywood stars, the characters of Peter Pan and the stars of Batman, and they’ve nailed it each and every time....

When my daughter Mari first started loving everything pink and princess-y, I quickly engaged in the trifecta of unwise parental reaction: I resisted. I worried. I despaired. Here I had been so meticulous in my gender-neutral choices for her and still she was falling down this rabbit hole of tiaras and tulle ball gowns. How could this happen? So I pushed back—until I didn’t. But that switch didn’t happen instantly. It was gradual, like the way your brand new couch accumulates stains and scuffs over the years, until one day you look at it and realize you have an ugly, worn couch....

Does baby have tiny red bumps on their backside? They may be experiencing a bout of diaper rash. Diaper rashes are so common, almost all babies will get one at some point. But while it’s nothing to be alarmed about, a baby butt rash is something you need to be proactive about addressing. After all, you hate seeing baby uncomfortable in any way, and diaper rashes can be a real pain in the, well, you know where....

Elaine Welteroth is on the adventure of a lifetime. In addition to juggling TV projects, home renovations and a new Instagram series, the best-selling author and journalist is pregnant with her first child. The journey has come with its fair share of ups and downs and a rollercoaster of emotions as the Project Runway judge struggled with SPD (read on for more on that) and was forced to truly surrender to her body in a way she never has before....

Any parent of young kids will tell you, there are plenty of times when you have to get creative. Whether you ran out of activity ideas or are trying to get something (anything!) accomplished with a little one underfoot, parenthood is far from easy. But when you take that reality and put it under lockdown during a global pandemic, things can get a little out of hand. Parents have been taking to Instagram to share how they’re managing to cope—and from staycations and DIY photoshoots to homeschooling and wine-fueled workouts, the results are cracking us up and giving us hope....

“They need to be potty trained for Pre-K 3.” Those words, spoken by a teacher during my son’s school tour back in the spring, stung. You see, I had read a thing or two about potty training, and the gist I’d gotten was this: Wait until your child is ready — don’t force it. And my kid was turning three after the first day of school — he’d still be pretty young in the fall....

Yes and yes. Even on its own, vaginal secretion is an acidic sperm killer that repels healthy sperm before it can enter the cervix. Store-bought lubricant only slows the sperm further, leaving it more likely to die within the vagina, before reaching the egg. Need an alternative? Try Pre~Seed, a new lubricant that’s advertised as “fertility friendly,” and doesn’t seem to harm sperm. Or, try a home remedy. Some couples find water or even egg whites works as a non-toxic lubricant....

The latest study on labor and delivery for moms of multiples found that moms of twins can safely deliver their babies without having a c-section. The study, performed all over the world, is the latest to question the need for c-section births. Currently one-third of all births in the US are via c-section; three-fourths of which are twin births and studies, much like this one, continue to challenge the long-held beliefs that women delivering more than one baby should deliver by c-section and not vaginally....

Finding motivation to work out during your pregnancy can be tough, but it has awesome benefits. Fitting exercise into your schedule will increase your energy, help you sleep better and can reduce pregnancy symptoms like headaches, backaches and swelling. Plus, it’s a great way to meet fellow moms-to-be and will help you get your prebaby body back faster after delivery. Switching up your workout routine is a good way to engage different muscles as your body is changing, and keep you from getting stuck in a rut....

The weather is turning colder and my 8-month-old is on his second cold of the season. It hasn’t been anything serious—just your average, run-of-the-mill cold: fever, fussiness, runny nose and coughing. And while it hasn’t been unbearable, oh, how I wish it would it would just end end! I was prepared to deal with certain things when my baby got sick, but others caught me by surprise. Next time baby sparks a fever, you better believe I’ll be ready!...

Meet Sara Given, a first-time mom who’s found her place in the online parenting world by poking fun at it. Her blog “It’s Like They Know Us” rounds up all those ridiculously idyllic parenting stock photos you hate so much and adds the snarky captions they deserve. You can pre-order her book, Parenting is Easy! (You’re Probably Just Doing it Wrong), available Oct. 6. When our first baby was born, I thought I was prepared for how my life would change....

I’m a fairly big control freak—at least when it comes to my children. I don’t do drop-off playdates at other people’s houses, use teen sitters or let other people besides family drive my kids around. I’m as helicopter as they come. So you’d think, when it came to those first few days after my daughter was born, I would’ve been a wreck—protective, anxious, over-analyzing. But four and a half years ago, when we welcomed Lilly into this world, I was so chill....