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It does seem cruel that most moms-to-be feel worst during the first 12 weeks or so, which means that until you announce the good news, there’s no milking it for (well-deserved) sympathy. The only real cure for first trimester fatigue is sleeping more—which, to be honest, might not even help. Go to go bed earlier, sleep as late as possible and try to make it through the day. To boost energy, eat small, healthy meals and snacks throughout the day....

This just goes to show that a baby who is nursing well can drain your breast more effectively than any pump. Your body probably started making more milk on the one side to accommodate baby’s single-sided nursing. Yes, your boobs should naturally even out once baby is back to nursing on both sides, but you can help speed things along by letting baby start feedings on the smaller breast for a few days....

And the Winner Is: Little Spoon Did you know early exposure to nutritious food can set your kid up for a lifetime of health benefits? It can also mean you don’t have a picky eater on your hands during the terrible twos—reason enough, right? Little Spoon has taken the guesswork out of introducing solids, offering a rotating menu of seasonal flavors perfectly blended with baby’s nutritional needs in mind. A cold pressure preparation method retains the fresh properties of food—like vitamins, nutrients, color and texture—while ensuring that any harmful bacteria is zapped....

On today’s episode of Weird Things That Happen When You’re Pregnant, we’re talking about why some expectant moms get varicose veins—you know, those raised, squiggly leg lines that sometimes crop up just beneath the skin’s surface. Although the condition tends to be benign and typically resolves on its own after childbirth, varicose veins may make your legs feel achy, swollen or itchy. Basically, it’s the last thing you need when you’re busy growing a human....

If you’ve decided to find out baby’s sex during your pregnancy, the news probably can’t come soon enough. After all, it’s a huge moment in your prenatal experience, when you can envision life as the parent of a little boy or girl. While it used to be that learning baby’s sex was reserved for the anatomy scan around 18 to 21 weeks of pregnancy, there are now some options that allow you to get that exciting news even sooner....

As with any party, the best baby showers are those where the conversation is lively and time seems to fly. And nothing does that better than a few well-chosen baby shower games. We’ve rounded up our favorites, from co-ed baby shower games that all your guests will enjoy, to easy baby shower games you can pull off in a moment’s notice and even unique baby shower games that’ll impress even the most jaded of guests....

We all want to feed our kids yummy, healthy meals—but when you’re busy chasing after a toddler, helping the kids with homework or dealing with fussy babies (trust us, the witching hour is totally a thing), carving out time to shop for, prep and cook a gourmet dinner is no easy task. Your saving grace? Meal kits. These days, there are tons of flexible, family-friendly meal kit delivery services to choose from, dishing out a culinary lifeline when you need it most....

The cause of autism isn’t really known — it could be a mix of things like genes, medications and environmental factors. Even your pregnancy diet may have an effect on your baby’s chances of being born with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). But a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that a pregnant woman’s exposure to fine particulate air pollution could double her risk of having a baby with autism....

Before we had kids, my wife and I knew we didn’t want to send any of our children to day care when we had to work. The question was, how could we make it work? It is much more common to hear of wives staying home and raising children while their husbands work, but we didn’t let traditional roles affect us as we examined our options. Let me start by saying there is nothing wrong with sending your children to day care....

When you’re expecting a baby, it’s natural to focus on the major and minor growth milestones along the way—after all, each one brings you closer to meeting your new little one in person. But with an intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) diagnosis, baby’s rate of growth within the uterus is slower than normal—and naturally, this can be disconcerting. While there are risks associated with IUGR, doctors are able to identify it early, and employ a host of strategies to carefully monitor baby throughout your pregnancy and during delivery....

Those tiny inner ears have been forming since month four, but by month six they’re becoming well-developed. Go ahead and sing, chat, read and play your favorite tunes for your mini-me. Studies show that, while lots of sounds are filtered out by the uterine wall and amniotic fluid, baby is able to hear, respond to and remember sounds from his time in the womb. It’s the lower-frequency noises that make it through, so go heavy on the bass....

A few weeks after having a baby, the stars somehow aligned for Jenn O., a mom of a now4-year-old son. She and her husband were actually able to sneak out for a date and enjoy a quick slice of grown-up time. But less than halfway through the meal—and just two hours past the time she’d typically be breastfeeding baby—her husband noticed she was leaking. Despite having fed baby and pumped just before leaving, her breasts were suddenly swollen and hard, threatening to soak one of the few decent, clean shirts she had....

Sure, you’ve heard the benefits of breastfeeding. But have you ever thought about how what you eat while breastfeeding can affect baby? Certain nutrient-packed foods can help keep your body and your milk supply nice and healthy, while other foods can lower your milk production and impact baby’s digestive system. We’re here to help you get to the bottom of all your breastfeeding diet concerns, from the best foods to eat while breastfeeding to the best vitamins to supplement your meals, plus which foods to avoid or limit while breastfeeding and why....

Maternity clothes have come a long way. Today’s moms-to-be can choose from tons (and tons) of high-end and everyday maternity brands, and man oh man the styles are cute. So cute, in fact, that it’s pretty hard to give up your maternity wardrobe post-pregnancy. Plus, who wants to shell out for trendy maternity clothes, only to wear them for a few months? Luckily, you don’t have to retire your newly acquired, fashion-forward pregnancy pieces once baby arrives....

Let him explore! Walk into any toy store and it’s pretty easy to figure out which section is for boys and which is for girls. But you don’t have to have separate aisles at home. Free play is a chance for kids to use their imaginations. Allowing each of your toddlers to be exposed to a variety of toys can help them develop interests and explore new ways of playing and thinking....

If you’re anemic, that means you have too few or too small red blood cells, and just how that could affect your pregnancy depends on the type of anemia you have. If it’s iron-deficiency anemia, it’s due to low levels of iron in your blood. In mild cases, there’s probably nothing to worry about, but if it’s severe, iron-deficiency anemia could affect how baby grows and put her at risk for preterm birth....

You should never give juice to a baby under six months of age. There is no nutritional reason to do so, except if your baby is constipated and then small amounts of prune or pear juice can be given, as directed by you child’s pediatrician. If you offer juices before the introduction of solid foods, you risk the child not taking enough breast milk or formula. As for toddlers, there is no need to offer juice if the child is eating fruit....

“Poop is a very common conversation topic.” — Sierra S. “No, I don’t want those free tickets to the game. I’m too tired and bloated.” —_ Stephanie S._ “I never thought I would say, ‘Because I said so,’ but now that my daughter is five years old and in the ‘Why?’ stage, I say it all the time.” — Lynette H. “‘No, I’d rather go to bed’ — which pertains to many different things....

With a long-standing reputation as one of the most charitable brands in business, it was only a matter of time before TOMS (famous for their shoes and glasses) expanded into the pregnancy realm. The brand introduced a collection of bags last week. From wallets and cross-bodies to big ol’ duffels, these bags promise to save lives, and not just because they make it a cinch to carry diapers. Following its One for One model, with every purchase of a bag, TOMS will provide a safe birth kit and training for skilled birth attendants....

Gaining enough weight during pregnancy is extremely important when you’re carrying multiples. Sufficient weight gain can help stave off preterm birth, support your babies development and boost their birth weight. But weight gain should be slow and steady, and your caloric intake should come from healthful, nutrient-rich foods. Eat five or six times a day, and pay attention to the vitamins and minerals you consume. Twins How much you should gain: If you’re carrying twins and your weight was in the normal range (body mass index of 18....