You and your partner decided you’re ready to start trying (yay!) to make a baby. So now what? Should you clear your schedules and spend the week in bed? No. Unless you want to, of course. (In that case, have at it!) But having sex nonstop doesn’t guarantee you’ll end up pregnant, even though that’s what sometimes happens. For starters, you’ll need sperm (duh) and eggs — and, in most cases, a hell of a lot of patience....
We’re getting up close and personal with mothers who are savvy innovators and businesswomen and finding out their secrets to success. This time, we got the scoop from Raegan Moya-Jones, Co-Founder and CEO of Aden + Anais — you know, the company that makes those adorable muslin swaddle blankets that are so popular. They were even seen on the royal baby! Tell us how you started Aden + Anais and what it’s all about....
Nope. It’s not safe. Because we see other parents with their babies’ car seats perched on shopping carts, we think it’s totally cool, but it’s actually more dangerous than you probably think. Shopping carts can tip over easily — and they’re more likely to if there’s a car seat mounted on them, says Debra Holtzman, author of the_The Safe Baby_. “The cart has a narrow wheel base in relation to its height, so the center of gravity is affected when you put a child in it,” she says....
This is a bad news / good news kind of situation. The bad news is that 70 percent of all couples experience a precipitous dip in marital satisfaction in the first three years of parenthood. And some couples never recover. The good news? This is completely preventable and reversible. Science shows that, with the right tools, couples have a very high likelihood of staying happy and healthy in the midst of parenthood....
I never really compared Lovie to other children when she was smaller. In hindsight, I think I didn’t compare because I didn’t have to—Lovie was ahead with a lot of milestones. Instead of realizing that’s why I didn’t really compare, I told myself I was just so enamored with finally being a mom that I just enjoyed being a mom and being one to a pretty kick-butt baby girl. Well, that baby girl is now three....
And now for advice you can’t hear enough: You can never start saving too early. Set up an additional savings account for your child now and make regular cash deposits (no matter how small) at your bank or another local bank with a high interest rate. Opening a savings account is low-risk and by far the safest investment option to provide for your child’s future. Get used to making regular deposits into your child’s account by setting up an automatic deposit feature that will filter a predetermined amount from your account into theirs....
To ease the pressure and prevent mastitis or a breast infection, express a little milk from your breasts until you feel relief. You can use a pump or hand-express, or you may be able to get some out by placing warm, wet towels over your breasts. Expressing a small amount of milk will make you feel better and will help signal your body to start making less milk. (Keep the amount expressed to a minimum — emptying the breasts would increase your milk supply....
New research in the autism field has drawn a startling conclusion: Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, are 59 percent more likely to give birth to a child with autism than those without the disorder. The study, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, pinpoints exposure to certain sex hormones early in life as the underlying factor. Women with PCOS have increased levels of the male hormone androgen. This can lead to things like ovarian cysts, weight gain, excessive hair growth, acne and menstruation problems — making it difficult to get pregnant in the first place....
Jessica Shortall is a working mom with a career dedicated to the intersection of business and doing good. As the former Director of Giving for TOMS Shoes, she literally circumnavigated the globe with a breast pump, and now she’s here to give you advice for dealing with the challenges of being a working and pumping mom. Order her new book from Abrams, Work. Pump. Repeat.: The New Mom’s Survival Guide to Breastfeeding and Going Back to Work, available now!...
Pregnancy and childbirth may be a universal experience, but each culture celebrates baby’s arrival in its own way. Check out these fascinating, time-honored traditions from every corner of the globe. Birth Traditions in Turkey To celebrate the new baby and get milk flowing, mothers drink a traditional beverage called lohusa serbeti (“postpartum sherbet”). It’s made with water, sugar, cloves, cinnamon and red food coloring, and is first served to the new mom in the hospital....
All good things must come to an end, and breastfeeding is no exception. But your body’s incredible ability to make milk doesn’t shut down in an instant. Weaning is a process that happens best over the course of several weeks. Of course, if you need to stop breastfeeding immediately, there are ways to reduce possible issues, such as engorgement. Either way, an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) can be as helpful at the end of your breastfeeding experience as they are at the beginning....
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....
With baby gear invading every corner of your home, buying something that you may use occasionally seems…well, unnecessary. But a first aid kit is one of those exceptions. A kit that has all the essentials, plus extras like grooming tools and a nod from the American Red Cross, makes this one a no-brainer. WHAT WE LOVE Several of the tools give you options to best fit baby’s needs—choose from a standard kid’s toothbrush or an infant-friendly finger version, a medicine dispenser or medicine spoons, nail scissors or nail clippers The wellness and safety guide (included in the kit) spells out when and how to use each tool...
For moms who struggle with pumping their own milk, several milk sharing sites are available online. If you don’t want to supplement with formula, you can buy 100 percent human milk from other moms. Supposedly. A new study, published today in the journal Pediatrics, found that one out of 10 milk samples purchased online are “topped off” with cow’s milk or infant formula. And this is a huge problem for families purchasing this milk because their babies have a medical condition, allergies or formula intolerance....
Some believe that it takes a village to raise a child — but what if your “village” is ill-equipped to even help conceive one? Thanks to RESOLVE: the National Infertility Association’s fertility scorecard, people who have fertility issues can see if their state is supporting them with the proper care. The scoring algorithm shown on the group’s infographic is comprised of these factors: Number of peer-led RESOLVE support groups in state for people with fertility issues Number of physicians specializing in infertility in state, at Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies-accredited fertility clinics Number of women in state who have experienced physical difficulty conceiving Insurance mandate information in each state...
Any display of emotions, such as crying or fighting, can be a good opportunity to teach your toddler how to use words to express how she’s feeling: “Are you feeling frustrated because you’re excited to use the slide and there’s a long line?” Walk her through what she’s feeling and why so that, eventually, she’ll have an easier time reacting verbally. And that works both ways: When her playmates are struggling, tell your child the emotions her playmate might be feeling and why — especially if that child is upset as a consequence of your daughter’s actions: “When you push Aiden, he feels sad....
“Everyone’s doing it!” may not have been a valid excuse for hopping on trends in high school, but it seems to be enough to get women to think about babies post-graduation. A new study published in the American Sociological Review found that women are more likely to have a baby after finding out their friends from high school are mothers, a trend researchers are calling “childhood contagion.” And no, this isn’t a pregnancy pact situation; the average age of a first-time mom in the study was 27....
Funny, isn’t it? At first you wish for all the nasty symptoms to let up, and then it feels weird when they do. Luckily, feeling good doesn’t make you any less pregnant. Stop worrying and try to enjoy your newfound ability to keep your eyes open (and your food down). It’s normal to feel a bit strange right now, especially if you aren’t showing much or feeling the baby yet. Use all that energy to start planning the nursery, or to organize your maternity leave — or your closet....
Take it easy, Beyoncé. I’m sorry, but someone had to say it. Don’t get me wrong: I love me some Sasha Fierce as much as the next girl, but I think it’s time we all just take it down a notch—Queen Bey included. The world had been waiting with bated breath for Beyoncé and Jay-Z to bestow upon us another gift, and, never to be outdone, America’s royal family announced they are expecting—drumroll, please—twins!...
New research from the University of Southampton found that introducing baby to solid food with breast milk when they’re 17 weeks could reduce his risk of any food allergy. The study, led by Dr. Kate Grimshaw, found that giving baby solid foods beside breastfeeding helps it develop a better, stronger immune system to fight food allergies. Why are researchers saying that baby should start on solids around five months? Giving baby food beside breastmilk, says Grimsaw, helps baby to develop a stronger, better immune system that’s more capable of fighting off food allergies....
