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You’ve shared that you’re pregnant, your first ultrasound photo, let strangers touch your belly, shared your due date and maybe even baby’s name. So, what’s next? Sharing baby’s heartbeat. BabyWatch, the latest mom-oriented startup to mark its territory in the baby product realm, has launched a baby app that allows moms-to-be to record and send out the sound of their unborn child’s heartbeat. The app uses a handheld ultrasound (connected to your smartphone with an audio cable) to create a visualization of the sound of baby’s heart beating and then records the beats per minute....

Attention, moms: Maclaren plans to publicly announce a safety recall tomorrow, November 10, on 1 million of its strollers made within the last decade. The recall comes in response to 12 separate cases reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) of children having their fingertips amputated after being caught in the stroller hinge. While it’s still unclear whether the recall will apply to one specific model or all strollers made since 1999, if you currently use a Maclaren, we strongly urge you to stop using it immediately....

Planning on sending your August baby to school a year later than you have to? While it’s common for parents to delay the start of school for preemies or summer babies, a new study suggests they might want to reconsider. The parental argument is that these kids won’t be mature enough to start school compared to their slightly older peers. But a University of Warwick study published in the Journal of Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology shows that the lag could actually cause poorer academic performance as the child gets older....

Shopping for maternity clothes may seem like a daunting task, and even more so when you’re on a budget. Naturally, you want to find comfortable clothing that still suits your style, and with so many seasons and events that span your nine+ months of pregnancy, it can feel like you’re building a whole new wardrobe from scratch. But with online retailers offering more selection than ever before, it’s never been easier to find cute, cheap maternity clothes that fit your needs....

Good job mama. Keeping an eye on your weight — while also getting enough nutrients for you and baby — is really important and boosts your odds of having a safe, healthy pregnancy, birth and baby. You may already know that women considered overweight should gain less weight than underweight and average weigh women should. Here’s the breakdown of ideal weight gain total during pregnancy: Average BMI (18.5 to 24.9): 25 to 35 pounds High BMI (25 to 29....

Communicate. Speak openly and honestly with the center’s staff, and ask how they help to transition new children into their program. Offer as much information about your child as possible so they can create a transitional period that best suits him, says parenting coach Tammy Gold. Tag along. Before baby’s first full day, visit the center a few times with baby and stay for an hour or so. “Baby will see familiar faces and get to know the location, so it’s not so sudden and overwhelming,” says Gold....

Coughs are a pretty common symptom of loads of harmless childhood illnesses, from colds to the flu. In some ways, coughing is actually a good thing — it’s a reflex that helps protect baby’s throat and chest airways. But it’s also a signal of an irritation in baby’s air passages: the lungs or throat. If the cough lasts for more than three to four weeks, it’s considered chronic and isn’t typically normal for infants....

This isn’t your average pinky promise between BFFs. When single mom Elizabeth Diamond was diagnosed with stage IV brain cancer in August 2014, she asked her best friend if she would take care of her four daughters if anything were to happen to her. Laura Ruffino, pals with Diamond since fifth grade, didn’t hesitate for a second. “I said, ‘of course’,” Ruffino, already a mother of two daughters, told ABC 7 Eyewitness News....

How should I prepare for an airplane trip with my toddler? How much sleep does my toddler really need? What words should I use when teaching my child about genitals? See all Q&As Me! Me! Me! Kids this age are total attention hogs, so don’t be shocked if your toddler turns up the volume every time you begin an adult conversation. She’s also into exercising her independence — though you may not see it when she’s clinging to your leg at daycare drop-off....

As a parent, we spend tons of time researching the best car seats and the latest car seat safety guidelines. But car seat safety is only a small part of the big picture when it comes to keeping kids safe in and around cars. There are lots of hidden hazards to be aware of—some obvious, others not so much. But it’s time to get educated: A new study by the Journal of Traffic Injury Prevention looked at data from 1990 to 2014 and found that while kids tend to be safer in traffic accidents now due to stringent car seat guidelines, the number of non-traffic fatalities (incidents that occur outside of driving situations, such as in parking lots and driveways) are still prevalent....

Whole-Wheat Pasta Ditch the white stuff and go whole-wheat — it’s packed with vitamins, minerals and tons of fiber. You can load up on some carbs without feeling too guilty. Cook a whole box of whole-wheat pasta at the beginning of the week and store it in your fridge. When you’re ready to eat, just add pasta sauce and some veggies. Greek or Low-Fat Yogurt Get your calcium without eating too many calories....

No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you. Those hormone changes can make your eyes itchy, red and sensitive to light. And that swelling in your boobs and ankles? It can extend to your eyes—particularly troublesome if you wear contacts. The swelling of the cornea paired with a decrease in tear production makes eyes dry and uncomfortable, and can weaken vision. Try to limit the time you spend in contacts, and never wear them at night....

It’s been more than 20 years since embryo cryopreservation, as it’s sometimes known, became a buzzword in the world of reproductive medicine. Today embryo freezing is one of the most common components of IVF. As long as you’re undergoing the treatment, which involves having a number of eggs harvested after taking fertility drugs, some doctors feel you might as well take the extra eggs, fertilize them and preserve them through cryo (very cold) storage....

Your social life has likely calmed down a little since you became pregnant (no parties ’til 2 a.m. anymore!), but it will probably come to a screeching halt, at least for a short while, once baby arrives. That’s part of the reason moms-to-be are planning girls’ getaways — dubbed “mommymoons” — while expecting. “Mommymoons are definitely a trend,” says Anne L. Fritz, founder of TheJetSetGirls.com, who’s pregnant herself and has gone on three trips like this....

It does seem cruel that most women feel their worst during the first 12 weeks, when you’re trying to keep the news (and your nausea) hush-hush. Until you announce the good news (most people wait until 12 weeks just to be certain everything is okay), there’s no milking it for (well-deserved) sympathy. And it’s tough to come up with reasons for why you’re acting so drained. Here are a few excuses you can try out (not to encourage trickery or anything…): For the sleepies:...

I read all the nursing books. I watched videos. I forbid the nurses from giving my daughter a bottle — we couldn’t risk nipple confusion. I visited lactation consultants. After nursing, I’d spend another 20 minutes pumping, in hopes that eventually my body would get it. I was exhausted and I felt wrung out. My daughter cried constantly and the guilt felt like a sharp-edged sword being plunged into this new part of my soul that, prior to 20 hours of labor, had never existed before....

Adjusting to life with a newborn is stressful in the best of times, but adapting to such change during a global pandemic adds another layer of worry when it comes to moms balancing their mental loads. That can make it even more challenging for people whose partners have recently given birth to decipher the new mother’s mental state: Is the weeping and moments of sadness simply due to baby blues or could it mark something more acute like postpartum depression?...

If you’re anything like me, the first emotions you felt when you found out you were having a baby were probably excitement and joy. And if you’re anything like me, those good feelings were quickly followed by “Wait, how the heck am I going to take care of a baby? I have no idea what I’m doing!!!” Some of the biggest fears I had were on the financial side of things....

Yoga is a wonderful form of exercise throughout pregnancy. It’s great for the body, and helps hone breathing and relaxation techniques that you’ll definitely appreciate during labor. There are plenty of poses you can perform in the third trimester, but you may need to modify them to avoid muscle strain and other distress. Once you have the green light from your doctor, look for a prenatal yoga class—no power or hot yoga for now....

You’ve put aside money for the diapers and day care—but have you saved up for your postpartum hospital room? Yep, depending on where you give birth, if you decide that you want to have a private recovery room instead of one that’s shared with another new mom, you may need to cough up more cash. And that privacy can come at a steep price. At Mount Sinai hospital in New York City, for example, a deluxe room with a view of Central Park costs a shocking $1,250 per night, and their cheapest option (a standard-size room with a view of the courtyard) is $595....