Recent Articles
Don't Give Up Breastfeeding Too Quickly!
Mothers typically have two versions of breastfeeding. On the one hand, they believe it's natural, and "breast is best," so it must be easy, which can lead to disappointments or unrealistic expectations. On the other hand, moms hear horror stories from friends and family about how difficult it was for them and quickly become discouraged. Because breastfeeding isn't always a fairytale story, determination and dedication are key.
Which Formula is Best for My Baby?
Sometimes, as much as we want to parent “by the book” as it were, life has other plans for us. Breastfeeding may be causing so much discomfort and stress, that in many ways, formula feeding is a better alternative. Some of us experience severe pain, cracked nipples, mastitis, or simply have to return to work and cannot find an extra thirty hours in our week to exclusively breastfeed/pump. Read on to find out about the most popular formulas on the market and the pros and cons of each.
Birth Control During Breastfeeding
As advised by medical professionals waiting for six weeks after giving birth will not only let your body heal sufficiently but ensure that your milk supply is firmly established. When you decide to start using contraceptives, consult with your infant’s pediatrician and your gynecologist first. Those months of breastfeeding are also no easy feat. It takes a lot of work and care to maintain your supply, so you want to make a birth control choice that does not interfere but also works for your needs, health, and lifestyle.
Nipple Shields
Although nipple shields have proven helpful for many breastfeeding mothers, there is some contradictory data regarding the long-term effects of its use and the best method for weaning off the nipple shield and introducing the bare nipple. Read on to find out about the pros and cons of nipple shields.
Britney Spears’ Conservatorship - A Denial of Basic Human Freedoms?
After 13 years of behaving under the conservatorship rules, performing on stage when she is told to, and paying the people that have control over her life huge sums of money, all she wants is to end the inappropriate control over her life and finances. At age 39, she is urging the courts to give her the freedom to make her own decisions and live the life she wants to lead. It seems like a reasonable request.
Emotional Agility
Emotional agility isn’t about ignoring difficult emotions and thoughts. It’s about holding those emotions and thoughts loosely, facing them courageously and compassionately, and then moving past them to make big things happen in your life. Read on to find out more about how having emotional agility can set you up for success in your life and career.
How Much Milk Does My Baby Need?
Are you wondering how much milk your baby needs? How big is your baby’s tummy, and how much can it hold? Find these answers here, and we will show you an easy way to calculate how much milk your baby needs and how many ounces your baby should eat.
Night Terrors in Children
After a long day of learning and playing, the best feeling in the world is to tuck that sleepy little face into bed. You hope that your little one will fall sound asleep and not wake up until the morning. However, many children experience night terrors or sleep disturbances, which can make life difficult for everyone. Night terrors can cause long-term sleep issues, so it is essential that you know how to deal with them. In this article, you will learn about night terrors, what they are, why they occur, and how to prevent them.
Is It OK to Breastfeed and Formula Feed at the Same Time?
While many of us understand the benefits of breastfeeding, for some moms, exclusive breastfeeding is not always an option. In this day and age, many moms have to return to work within a few months of their baby’s birth, and being able to pump is non-negotiable. However, many moms experience difficulties with pumping and then don’t have enough milk to give to babysitters. Additionally, many moms struggle with issues such as getting their baby to latch, low milk supply, or nipple pain. For these and other reasons, the decision to supplement with formula becomes the only viable option.
Constipation in Toddlers
When your child was a baby, their bowel patterns were different. As your baby grows, the gastrointestinal tract matures, and the number of bowel movements per day decreases. Some sources say that children should generally have at least one bowel movement per day or a bowel movement at least three to four times a week. Therefore, it is essential to identify your child's usual bowel pattern so that if it deviates from their typical pattern, you will be aware that something might be wrong, or it may be constipation.
How Much Weight Should My Baby Gain?
One of the most exciting things about being a parent is watching your baby grow. However, it's sometimes difficult to know how fast your baby should grow or whether they are putting on the right amount of weight for their age. This article will outline the average weight of your baby at birth, how much weight your baby should gain every week until they are a few months old, what affects their weight gain, and when you should be worried about your baby’s weight gain.
Feeling Insecure at Work
Insecurity is a widely common feeling, and most of us experience it at some point. It is especially present at the workplace, where our abilities are constantly tested, and we have to defend or justify our work. When we feel insecure, we tend to shy away from uncomfortable situations, avoid confrontation, or stop ourselves from speaking our minds. Insecurity can even lead to us questioning our own skills and ability, which can ultimately decrease job performance. Contrary to what some may think, we are not born insecure. We should therefore acknowledge where this feeling comes from so we can deal with it.
Enjoy the Journey
We live in a world where the norm is to be driven by our constant quest for the ultimate state of happiness. However, happiness is different for different people. So how do we define happiness? Some would say that happiness is defined by the goals we set for ourselves and our ability to achieve them. These could be related to our careers, our families, or even material gain. Across the board, though, the common denominator is a constant endeavor to reach those goals.
Why Do Newborns Lose Hair on Their Heads?
If you are a first-time parent, you might wonder if hair loss is normal for infants. Read on to find out more about the patterns of hair growth and hair loss in babies and why hair loss occurs. You will also learn when your baby's hair will grow back and what you can do to prevent your baby's hair from falling out.
Observing Your Worry
Having a newborn is a constant source of worry for new moms. These negative feelings accompany us through every stage of life and get more intense once we deal with the uncertainty of being responsible for another human being. However, when worries spin out of control can be very detrimental and bring a lot of anxiety. Therefore, observing and being aware of your worry allows you to manage it better.
How Do I Know If My Baby is Teething?
Infants express themselves by crying and fussing, and as parents, our job is to decipher the cries and meet our baby's needs. However, what happens when we don't know the reason our babies are crying? Usually, at around the three-month mark, we start to attribute teething as the reason our babies become fussy. Yet, how do we tell if our babies are teething?
How You Can Change Your Experience of Pain
Pain is a survival instinct. It tells the brain to switch on our fight or flight response. The brain processes this message and sets in motion all the necessary physical and chemical responses, such as activating the correct muscles or increasing the heart rate to cope with the crisis. The transition of the high alert message that something is wrong from the point of injury through the nervous system to the brain is the biology of pain. If we didn’t feel pain, we would land up impaled on a knife or frozen to death within days.
Control the Controllable
When you’re experiencing a crisis or going through a difficult time, coping with the uncertainty of a situation can be really hard. Most of us crave predictability. We thrive on structure and want to know what’s going to happen, when it’s going to happen, and what the outcome will be. We want to be in control. Think back on your life and how continuously doing exercise improves your muscle strength. Practicing controlling only those things in your life over which you do have control is the same.
When To See the Doctor if Your Baby Has a Cold
Coughs and colds are some of the most common complaints for which a parent seeks advice from their doctor for their baby. Most of the time, coughs and colds are harmless and go away independently, causing only minor inconveniences and minimal worry. However, there are times that coughs and colds become more serious and can disrupt your baby’s routines and daily activities. This article will describe what causes cough and colds, when you should see a doctor, and when you should worry about your child's symptoms.
How Slowing Things Down Can Make You More Productive
Modern lifestyles are becoming increasingly busy and difficult to balance. We work longer hours, and we take on more responsibilities and commitments. This way of working and living is detrimental to our mental health, physical health, and even productivity levels. It might seem counterintuitive, but having a super busy schedule won’t help your productivity. Instead, slowing things down a little bit can have a positive effect on your performance.