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Truth: In the midst of parenthood, it’s easy to feel “stuck” in your relationship, and it’s tough to talk about it with others. After all, it’s not easy to be vulnerable inside your relationship, much less be vulnerable outside your relationship with others. Even with close friends, discussing issues with your love life can feel uncomfortable. You might not want to burden your friends by sharing something heavy, or you might be afraid of looking like your marriage is in trouble....

A new genetic identifier, found by researchers at Seattle Children’s Hospital and Research Institute, may allow doctors to diagnose autism before a baby is even born. Dr. Raphael Bernier, who led the study, discovered that a mutation in the CHD8 gene both significantly increases a fetus’s likelihood to develop autism as well as causes many of the physical traits (like larger heads or wide-set eyes) and symptoms unique to children with the same subtype of autism....

While Lauren Soufleris and her mom, Kris, have always been very close (she’s an only child), they’ve built an even stronger bond since Lauren, who lives in New York City, gave birth to baby George last summer. “As I got older, our relationship evolved and matured. I think of her as a confidante, a coach—especially when it comes to parenting—and a cheerleader,” Lauren says. The two make time to stay in touch, talking or texting a few times a week, and, of course, FaceTiming between visits....

The reasons for choosing cloth diapering differ for different parents: Some are eco-conscious; others are looking at the long-term savings of reuse and recycle. Either way, the goal is the same: finding one that’s truly leak-free and easy to (really!) clean. Kanga Care gets a thumbs up on both fronts. WHAT WE LOVE Adjustable Rumparooz are one size fits all (starting from six pounds), so they’ll last you until those glorious potty-trained days Dual inner gussets—a diaper innovation pioneered by Kanga Care—means there’s not a chance of leaks Choose from 16 cool prints—moms went crazy for the new tokidoki designs released this fall No need for bleach or special stain treatment....

Like it or not, your mom has parenting experience and opinions, and odds are good that she’s going to shove them down your throat share them with you every chance she gets. Not a problem for your fam? Smile and give grandma a hug for us. But if you have unsolicited advice coming out the wazoo, here are a few tips to help keep your cool. See Through It It may seem like the lady’s aiming to break you down when she suggests a new sleep schedule or critiques your burping method, but most grandmas genuinely want to help....

Itchy insect bites can be a real pain, and unfortunately babies and toddlers aren’t immune. Mosquitoes, flies, ants and other bugs can bite your child, just like they bite you. So how can you tell what kind of insect bit your child, and when should you start to worry? Here, we dig into how to identify the most common types of bug bites on babies, how to ease your child’s discomfort and how to spot signs of a severe reaction or infection that require immediate care....

Focused on maintaining a healthy pregnancy diet? Keep it up! But know that what you eat before you get pregnant matters too — affecting baby’s cancer risk and vulnerability to infection. That’s the word from a new study published in Genome Biology. While a child’s DNA is passed on from parents, environmental factors — including diet — can place a chemical mark on DNA, permanently altering its function. In other words, your genes may be perfectly suitable for a healthy baby....

Want to give birth and get pampered? Chef-prepared meals, postpartum massages, baby specialists at the ready and hotel beds that strike the balance between crisp and cloudy—no, it’s not a fantasy for the weary postpartum parent. It can be a reality—albeit for an elite few. It’s called a postnatal retreat. And it’s a wellness trend that’s on the rise. The concept of a postnatal hotel—like the recently opened Boram at the Langham, New York—is not entirely new....

This is not necessary, but if you like the tea, it’s certainly okay to keep drinking it. Fenugreek is an herb that is often very useful in increasing a mother’s milk supply. It is frequently combined with blessed thistle to increase its effect. There are many teas on the market that contain one or both of these herbs that are intended to increase milk supply. It can be helpful to drink one of these if your supply seems to need a little boost, but is really not too low....

Baby’s first year is filled with many smiles and lots of tears—for both of you. But each of these four families faced more tears than usual after their babies’ unexpected health scares. Read their stories below, and find out what you can learn from their experiences to help keep your own baby safe. Anne Garcia, 39, Houston, TX Our second child, Ariana, was born in June 2014, after a completely uneventful pregnancy and delivery in Madrid, Spain, where we were living at the time....

This post was written by Julia Knapp, one of the founders of chARTer Nannies and the Head of Wardrobe on the Yo Gabba Gabba show. Julia travels with Yo Gabba Gabba and Thomas the Train on the road. During the off season, she works as the regular travel nanny for the band Mates of State and studies Reiki. As one of the co-founders of chARTer nannies and a long time nanny myself, I’ve had the opportunity to work with all different types of families....

*_Rosalind Arusha Arkadina Altalune Florence *_Yup, that mouthful is one, very tiny person’s name. Uma Thurman and multimillionaire beau Arpad Busson bestowed that whopper on their baby girl, who was born in July. “Each name has a special reason and meaning to her mother and father,” a rep for the couple has been quoted as saying. So which of the five names do the proud parents call their little bundle of joy?...

You’re so tired, and all you want is a restful night of sleep. So what’s stopping you? We asked a couple of sleep experts: Sam Sugar, MD, director of MedCheck and Sleep Health Programs at the Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa in Miami, and Matthew Mingrone, MD, lead physician at Eos Sleep in San Francisco, to share their sleep secrets for pregnant women. Skip the late-night snacks We know baby’s hungry, but seriously, don’t consume anything—we’re talking about food and drink—less than two hours before bedtime....

Pipette To Mama, With Love Self-Care Body Ritual Set Tiny Tags Mama Necklace Cotton 3/4 Sleeve Skin to Skin Top Eberjey Gisele Long PJ Set Baked By Melissa Congratulations Gift Box Tubby Todd Bath Co The Mama Gift Set Steve Gerber Personalized “Family Math” Cutting Board FridaMom 33-Piece Postpartum Recovery Essentials Kit HelloFresh Gift Card PhoneSoap 3 Smartphone UV Sanitizer UrbanStems Bouquet Milk Bar The Cookie Faves Tin Lunya Washable Silk Robe Aura Carver Digital Picture Frame Parachute Sateen Sheet Set JM Creations New Mom Wine Glass Mama Bird Box Minnetonka Womens Chesney Mule Therabody Theragun Elite Shelly Klein Personalized Family Print Uncommon Goods Birth Month Flower Grow Kit Three Sisters Jewelry Ankara Modern Protective Eye Birthstone Ring Be Wished Gift for New Mom Birthstone Necklace TenOverTen Nail Polish Trio YETI Rambler Water Bottle Chew Beads Metropolitan Necklace in Mint Happily Chic Designs Parents Gift Box Set Nguyen Coffee Supply The Original Phin Kit Vuori Performance Jogger Sontakey Women’s “They Chose Me to Be Their Mommy” Bracelet in Gold SkipHop Grab & Go Stroller Organizer OHOM Ui Mug & Warmer Set Tiary First Footprint Necklace bee+roo The Poncho Baby Mushroom Baby Handprint & Footprint Keepsake Photo Frame Kit

This post was written by Erin Austen Abbott, one of the women on the chARTer Nannies team. She’s also owner of the chic boutique, Amelia, in Oxford, Mississippi. So many times, while working as a travel nanny, I’d find myself at the hotel, with nothing really that close to us. You can only walk the parking lot so many times before the hotel staff starts to worry about you and many times the pool is so chlorinated, that you can’t leave that as an option either for those little ones....

Only use the one-piece, dishwasher-safe variety. Always have extras on hand, and make sure a few are identical to his or her favorite. Clean the pacifier early and often. Wash it before the first use, soak it in equal parts white vinegar and water for a few minutes every day (or at least a few times a week), and don’t rinse the pacifier in your own mouth, mom. (That’s germy and, well, gross....

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....

When it comes to learning how to clean baby ears, safety comes first. There are plenty of methods and tools out there to get baby’s ears clean. The key is finding the best one that works for you and baby. Baby ear cleaning isn’t as easy as you may think. First things first—you need to understand what you’re dealing with when it comes to earwax and how to clean baby ears....

Don’t panic — and don’t quit. This is a problem that can be fixed. First, check your baby’s latch. When he’s feeding, he needs to open his mouth wide and take the entire areola in his mouth — not just the nipple. You might need to tickle his lips or chin before he latches on to get him to open wide enough. To soothe the pain in between feedings, apply a lanolin cream such as Lansinoh....

Ah, the joys of teething… we definitely feel your pain. This stage isn’t easy on anyone (least of all baby), but it’s simply unavoidable. Read on for teething tips from both experts and fellow moms, and check out our list of favorite teethers. Plus, download our teething chart, which will help you keep track of bay’s new teeth as they come in. Q: Best teething gear? Q: Are teething tablets helpful?...