Pregnancy - Predicting and Preventing Preterm Labor
Find out how to determine if you are going into preterm labor, and how best to handle it.
Pregnancy
Plus-Size Pregnancy Can Be Healthy
More than half of all pregnant women are plus-sized. If you’re plus-sized, you’ve probably heard things about how your weight can affect your health. But this doesn’t mean you can’t have a healthy pregnancy and a beautiful, healthy baby.
Postpartum Depression
A common misconception in American culture is that if you are in a stable relationship, your finances are good and your pregnancy is planned, then you shouldn’t have any problems adjusting to a new baby.
Mural, Mural on the Wall
When preparing for the arrival of their baby, parents can develop quite a long checklist of all that needs to be done. One item that tops many to-do lists is decorating the nursery. For parents who want to truly transform a room, choosing to decorate the walls with a mural is becoming increasingly popular.
Boy or Girl?
Beyond technology ... Do I want to know? Before modern technology allowed expectant parents to determine the sex of their babies prior to birth, eager moms and dads devised interesting ways to figure it out. Are you carrying high? It’s a girl. Carrying low? Must be a boy. If you’re gaining weight in your face, it’s a girl. No? Paint the nursery blue! Everything from a ring on a string to urine examination (don’t ask) were used in an attempt to satisfy their curiosity.
Meal Solutions for New Parents
From stork cubs to frozen dinners, planning and organization go a long way when scheduling meals around recovering from childbirth and caring for your newborn.
Do You Need a Purifier in the Nursery?
Do babies need an air purifier in the nursery to be healthy?
What's New for Babies
New babies and new parents have a world of goods awaiting. Here are a few books, great gear and media items to help you get started.
Ages & Stages: Pregnancy: Cracking the Craving Code
Few things are as synonymous with pregnancy as cravings. Women can hardly mention the taste for a dill pickle or liverwurst sandwich without someone playfully asking "Are you pregnant?"
Kids Health
A new study relays a simple message: If you are pregnant and have unresolved personal issues, try to resolve them or it may rub off on your child.
Alternative Parenting Styles
Before you roll your eyes at the term "alternative parenting," and assume it encompasses some new wave, holistic theory, consider the fact that concepts known to strengthen parenting skills have been around for years, some since the days of antiquity. These include theories on nurturing children, natural infant hygiene and extended breastfeeding.
Alternative Parenting and Breastfeeding Resources
Here's a list of resources for families interested in alternative parenting.
My Pregnancy – An Emotional Journey
Fatigue, nausea, constipation, as well as swollen hands and feet, were some of the ailments I was warned about during my first pregnancy. However, the emotional hardship I was about to face, with its enduring impact on my life, far exceeded any of these physical discomforts.
Maternity Must Haves
From neo-natal to nursing, these products have the new mom (and dad) covered for the first year.
Amazing Birth Stories
When you’re expecting a baby, you do what you can to take control of the experience. You go to your OB/GYN appointments and childbirth classes, take prenatal vitamins and try to eat a healthy diet. Still, there’s always that feeling that Mother Nature’s really the one in charge and you’re just along for the wild ride. Ever wonder what you’d do if your pregnancy or labor suddenly took a surprising turn?
More Amazing Birth Stories
When you’re expecting a baby, you do what you can to take control of the experience. You go to your OB/GYN appointments and childbirth classes, take prenatal vitamins and try to eat a healthy diet. Still, there’s always that feeling that Mother Nature’s really the one in charge and you’re just along for the wild ride. Ever wonder what you’d do if your pregnancy or labor suddenly took a surprising turn?
Ages & Stages: Pregnancy: Your First Connection to Baby
Julianna Rhodes is a nurse. Her husband is a pediatric cardiologist. These two circumstances are very likely the reason her infant daughter, Harper, is alive today. Despite thorough screening, including a detailed "level 2" ultrasound, Rhodes had an undiagnosed condition called vasa previa that endangered Harper’s life just as she was being born.
5 Stumbling Blocks to Choosing the Perfect Name
Before becoming a mom, I was secretly on the lookout for names that would be fitting of my firstborn child. This tedious process began years ago — probably on the elementary school playground, where I relished the name of every kid who could accomplish some monumental jungle gym feat.
Men Join in Fun at Baby Showers
Couples showers are gaining in popularity and transforming traditional, frilly all-female gatherings into gatherings that both male and female parents-to-be find enjoyable -- and often quite meaningful.
Ages & Stages: Pregnancy: Ten Secrets for a Great Birth
Labor, especially a mom’s first labor, is full of mystery. Every woman’s experience seems different. Some labor for hours, some deliver on the way to the hospital, but there are some consistent experiences and after talking to thousands of mothers, here are a few suggestions to help you have an easier childbirth.
Ages & Stages: Pregnancy: Expecting the Best This Holiday Season
The holidays have always been a time of anticipation and expectation — whether it’s remembering a family awaiting the birth of a small child long ago, or bubbly children anticipating Hanukkah gifts or Santa Claus — the season is a natural time to be expecting a bundle of joy. Follow these tips to be sure you’re expecting the best holiday season ever!
Ages & Stage: Pregnancy: Driving Tips for a Mom-to-Be
Driving while pregnant can be a very uncomfortable situation. Many pregnant women worry that their belly is too close to the steering wheel, aren’t quite sure how to deal with the ill-fitting seat belt and are concerned about airbags and protecting their unborn child. Lauren Fix, mother of two and an automotive expert, offers tips to new and expectant mothers for safe and comfortable car rides.
It's Time to Pack! A Pro Tells What to Bring to the Hospital
From the moment a mother realizes she is expecting she begins preparing for the arrival of her baby. The nesting instinct is often noticed around the fifth month of pregnancy, but many women report its acute presence in the final days of pregnancy.
Staying Home, Starting Over
You’ve made the big decision to leave your career and stay home with your baby. But stepping outside of your daily work routine and into the very different world of full-time parenting brings with it a great deal of unknowns.
