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Eating fruits and veggies is never a bad thing, right? You’ll just want to make sure you wash them first, since a new study links their pesticide residue to a decline in sperm quality. You already know pesticides are pesky when it come to baby making — studies have linked pesticide exposure during pregnancy to autism. But this study — published in the journal Human Reproduction — is “the first report on the consumption of fruits and vegetables with high levels of pesticide residue in relation to semen quality,” according to its authors....

And the Winner Is: Skip Hop Silver Lining Cloud Baby’s View Activity Center Keeping baby entertained can be a full time job—and let’s face it, sometimes you need a break. An activity center can safely occupy your little one while you drink a hot cup of coffee (remember those?) or make baby’s next meal. The Skip Hop Silver Lining Cloud is a home run in every baby’s book—and ours too. The plush seat rotates 360 degrees, allowing baby to spin and stretch....

Every time the bleeding would start, I was certain my pregnancy was over. Feeling hollow and out of control, I’d pull myself into a tiny ball on the floor, rocking back and forth, grieving the loss of the little person I was convinced I’d never know. And each time my guilt would swallow me whole. “After all, this was my fault,” I thought. “I did this to my baby—to us.” My husband and I had been trying for a second child for months....

For couples eager to start a family, there’s no news more exhilarating than “I’m pregnant!” Finding out you’re expecting is a huge milestone moment for you and your partner. Even more wonderful: a pregnancy announcement is that rare sort of news that can be as much of a big deal for your closest friends and family members as it is for you. Clearly, then, you’ve got to share that news in an equally significant way....

Every family has to tackle the “Who will take care of baby” question. In the case of a stay-at-home parent, it’s the parent. In the case of two working parents, it gets more complicated as there are lots of options: Parents working opposite schedules, so a parent is always available Using a day care center Finding an in-home day care provider Hiring a nanny Using family members Each situation has advantages....

Of all the wise words, parenting adages and corny cliches you may have heard about life with little ones, one probably reigns supreme: “The days are long, but the years are short.” Offer that nugget to a brand new mama learning the ropes, and she may (justifiably) roll her eyes. Say it to a toddler parent in the throes of the terrible twos, and they’ll probably scoff in your face. But to the mom of a 10-year-old, this phrase hits differently....

Once you have a baby, the holiday season takes on a whole new layer of fun, doesn’t it? And those “silly” traditions you grew up with (and decided to ditch as an adult) somehow start to seem sort of, well, meaningful. Sure, some holiday habits are better off kicked to the curb (like anything involving tofurkey or singing rodents). But a lot of that stuff you looked forward to growing up might be just as exciting for your kids too....

Is there anything more stressful than those final few weeks leading up to your baby’s birth? Yes! Constantly fielding all those “did you have the baby yet?” queries! When I was at the end of my pregnancies, it got to the point where I stopped answering the phone and email because I couldn’t take it anymore. Not even the calls from my mother, mother-in-law, and friends who were “just calling to see how you’re doing....

Babyproofing the house is a must when you have a baby on the move. After all, you want to do everything you can to keep your little one as safe as possible. “Babies just don’t understand how to keep themselves safe,” says Danelle Fisher, MD, a pediatrician and vice chair of pediatrics at Providence St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. “That’s why parents need to babyproof and be on top of them every second, especially when they’re old enough to move, crawl and walk on their own....

As a new parent, it’s natural that you want to wrap your newborn in soft, snuggly clothes that are gentle on their sensitive, delicate skin. It’s no wonder, then, that organic baby clothes have soared in popularity in recent years. Free of synthetic materials and toxic chemicals, organic baby clothing is made to be safe for your little one. And with so many companies offering organic options, there are tons of adorable designs and patterns to choose from....

After having a baby, lots of moms become extra mindful of chemicals in many cleaning products. Luckily, it’s easy (and inexpensive!) to keep baby’s clothes, toys and your home germ-free by making your own cleaning products. These eco-friendly ideas are from the moms on The Eco-Friendly Family message board. The best part? You probably have most of these ingredients lying around in your kitchen! For laundry “For laundry, (I have a top loader,) I start to fill the tub with water and add vinegar, probably about a cup....

Every Thanksgiving when we all think about what we’re thankful for, we usually focus on the biggies: our health, our families, our jobs. I’m thankful for all of those things, but let’s not overlook the little stuff. As a mom, I am ever so grateful for anything that makes life easier. Here are four: People who know when to stay mum. When I was pregnant, I was thankful to all those women who didn’t tell me their labor horror stories....

If you’re preparing for another baby with a toddler in tow—congrats!—you’re probably wondering how you’ll juggle two litte ones at the same time. Having one child can be hard enough, but two brings a whole new level of chaos! Even though you’ve got a mile-long to-do list, one thing you definitely don’t want to overlook is preparing your toddler for baby’s arrival. After all, toddlers aren’t exactly known for their flexibility and willingness to share....

The NCAA tournament is upon us and I, like many non-hoops fans, will fill out my NCAA bracket, hand in my ten bucks, and slowly watch as my name plummets to the bottom of the rankings in my pool. Perhaps my annual demise can be linked to the fact that I choose my winning teams based on jersey color, mascot fierceness, or whether or not I’ve visited that city. One year, I came in so far behind that I was actually given my money back as consolation....

Remember, this pregnancy is a major event in your partner’s life, too. Odds are, their seeming lack of interest has nothing to do with how they feel about you. Fear and anxiety about starting a family and being a parent (gulp!) may be causing your partner to take a step back. And, what with your swinging moods (don’t deny it!) and shifting hormones, they may be nervous about how you’ll react (physically and emotionally) to sex....

As if pregnancy isn’t enough of an emotional roller coaster — now this! You can do it, but it’ll be a whole lot easier with some help. First, the logistics. Decide where to going to be spending your days (your bed? the couch?), and have your partner, mom, or friend set up a cozy, full-service nest for you. Stock it with a phone, plenty of reading material, paper and pencil, a TV with remote, lots of drinks and snacks (get a cooler for the perishable stuff) and maybe even a laptop with Internet access....

This is really important. Allowing your baby to finish on one breast before offering the next breast will help maintain your good milk supply and will help your baby get just the right amount of fat and calories that he needs. Practice the fine art of “baby watching.” As your baby feeds at the breast, notice that he naturally takes little pauses or breaks. As these rest periods become longer, you can try gently compressing your breast to see if this causes your baby to start eating again....

What is considered slow weight gain or weight loss for a baby? You may weigh exactly what you did when you were in high school (or not!), but babies don’t maintain their weight for long. The vast majority of the time, it’s simply a part of the whole growing process. But you may be concerned that your baby, who once practically grew a clothing size overnight, seems to suddenly be slowing down his weight gain or even losing some ounces or pounds....

With spring comes a huge variety of delicious ripe fruits and veggies. This is a perfect time to get the whole family in on the fun of seasonal foods—toddlers included. Seasonal eating is a great way to help your toddler explore new flavors and textures so they can grow to love a variety of healthy foods. Not sure where to start? Here are some springtime staples that are both parent- and toddler- approved....

The No. 1 form of birth control is, you guessed it, the pill. Among the 62 percent of American women taking birth control, the majority (16 percent) are on the pill. With generic brands covered by insurance, it’s the cheapest and simplest way not to get pregnant. But the runner-up? A much more permanent choice: sterilization. The findings come from the latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics....