When this premature dilation is not detected in time, cervical insufficiency can cause a pregnancy loss or birth of a preterm infant. The outcome of a preterm delivery depends on when the baby is born, with earlier birth being more likely to result in outcomes such as severe birth defects or even pregnancy loss. Causes Cervical insufficiency can result from previous cervical damage, such as having had a difficult birth experience or some types of cervical procedures, such as loop electrocautery excision procedure (LEEP), laser ablation, and cold knife cone excision (CONE)....

On June 23, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health and chief medical advisor to the president, commented on CBS This Morning that children “will more likely get infected” with this variant than the Alpha variety. This sparked some concern across the country from parents, childcare providers, and educators, who are continuing to try to protect unvaccinated children under 12 from the virus....

Clearly, there also is an uncomfortable cause-and-effect to the bullying experienced by kids with obesity. In some cases, bullying can even contribute to childhood obesity, as food often becomes a comforting distraction from the abuse they are forced to endure. Vulnerability to Bullying While there are many reasons why bullies target certain individuals for abuse, overweight kids are a particularly easy mark given that society tends to disapprove of and mock obesity, both actively and discreetly....

Other babies are sleepy, especially in the very early days, so you may have to wake your baby up to breastfeed. All of these patterns are normal. As long as your child is getting enough breast milk and growing well, you don’t have to worry. Here are some guidelines for how often to breastfeed your newborn. Nurse on Demand The recommended way to feed your breastfed baby is on demand....

A new study from October 2021 indicates that doctors making high-pressure decisions in the delivery room use methods of thought that are not always in the baby’s or birthing parent’s best interest. Turns out that doctors may make big decisions, such as whether or not to go with an emergency C-section, based on their experiences at previous deliveries. The research, conducted at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst, indicates that doctors use simplified decision-making processes called heuristics to aid them under moments of great pressure....

When the ABCD study was first thought of, the focus was on how substance use during the teen years affects future outcomes. But this is only one part of the picture. There are many other factors affecting teenage development, including physical and mental health, sports injuries, sleep habits, and time spent on screens. The study started looking at a group of children at ages 9 or 10, with the aim to begin tracking data before they start using substances....

How can I get my baby to sleep through the night?How can I get my teenage daughter to stop talking back?Why won’t my toddler stop throwing toys? We are always searching for ways to change our child’s behavior; to make our children fit into a mold that works for us. However, this method rarely works and we are faced with crying babies, tantrumming toddlers, and sassy teenagers. What if we stopped trying to change our kids and instead, changed ourselves?...

Types of Car Seats Another type of seat is the harness-to-booster seats that start out as forward-facing car seats and can be turned into booster seats (where the child uses the vehicle’s seat belt across them as their restraint) later on. There are also 3-in-1, 4-in-1, and all-in-one seats that are forward-facing car seats that become high back boosters. Some rear-facing seats can turn into backless boosters for the oldest kids....

Wake Up Early On the first days back to school, start your morning 15 to 20 minutes earlier than you think you need to. As the school year goes on, you may be able to adjust your wake-up times. But having a little extra time is a great cushion for those unexpected hiccups everyone experiences. Some parents find that it’s helpful for them to get up earlier than their kids, especially if they are trying to get out the door to work....

Jillian Lampert, PhD, chief strategy officer of Veritas Collaborative and The Emily Program, explains that irregular schedules, changes to routine, social events, and an emphasis on food can all lead to an excess of stress within individuals experiencing an eating disorder. If you or a loved one are recovering from an eating disorder, it is important to acknowledge the unique struggles of the holiday season while also having a plan in place....

The materials for tissue paper flowers are easy to find, and kids can use their growing dexterity to help trim and pull out the tissues to make a whole bouquet of these beautiful flowers. 1 green chenille stem/pipe cleaner1 sheet of green cardstock paper or construction paper3 sheets (12-by-6-inch sheets or larger) of colored tissue paperRulerScissorsGlue If you don’t have some of these materials, there are plenty of alternatives that may be lying around your house....

Friction blisters on your breasts and nipples can be painful and interfere with breastfeeding. Try these strategies to help prevent friction blisters from forming. If you aren’t sure how to tell if your baby is latching on correctly, ask for assistance from your doctor, a lactation consultant, or a local breastfeeding group. Learn how to latch your baby on in the cross-cradle hold, football hold, side-lying, and laid-back nursing positions so that you have a variety of options....

While some wear their baby-making scars with pride, others feel self-conscious about them. Rapidly stretching skin can also be uncomfortable, adding one more thing to your growing list of pregnancy aches and pains. If you do want to prevent stretch marks, keeping your skin hydrated so that it can stretch without breaking is your best defense. It may not be possible to completely eliminate them, but you can reduce stretch marks....

School and parents often mandate reading time for kids, but this does not mean the kids fall in love with reading. In fact, sometimes, attempts to get your child to pick up a book can fuel conflict and negativity about reading. Luckily, there are many effective strategies parents can use to help their child actually enjoy reading rather than dread it. “Parents who facilitate positive book and reading experiences set the groundwork for a love of books, reading, and learning,” explains Dana Reisboard, PhD, a professor at the College of Human Services at Widener University in Pennsylvania....

Beyond that, the Huangs also did not want to put certain emotional expectations on their child. When baby Juno came into their lives, they decided to refer to them with ‘they’ and ‘them’ pronouns, and not prescribe a specific gender to them. “We want to create a space where they have the safety and the freedom to learn different ways of identifying and expressing gender. We want them to know that we don’t expect them to conform to anything in particular,” says Felix....

Your child saying they hate you doesn’t mean that you’re a bad parent—or that they’re a bad kid—either, says Andy Brimhall, PhD, LMFT, and professor of human development and family science at East Carolina University. Even the most loving, sweetest children sometimes say hurtful words like “I hate you” to their parents. “It can be really hard to hear your child use these words,” says Lindsey Polishook Sherer, LCSW-C LICSW....

Whatever your reasons, as a new school year looms, you may be asking yourself, “Can I really homeschool my child?” For many parents, the surprising answer is yes. While there are some families that simply can’t make it work for a multitude of reasons, more parents than you’d think could educate their kids at home with the right tools, tips, and resources. We know it may feel overwhelming or confusing about where to start....

Symptoms When children have ODD, their behavior problems interfere with their daily lives. They’re likely to have educational difficulties. They may fall behind academically because they’re dismissed from class due to misbehavior or they may be failing their classes due to their refusal to do the work. Children with ODD also tend to have difficulty with their relationships. They may struggle to maintain friendships due to the severity of their behavior problems....

Telling your child that their family is breaking up can feel doubly hard—you’re likely struggling with your own feelings of regret, failure, uncertainty, relief, or sadness while also coping with inflicting this wound on your child. But while there is no one perfect way to share this likely devastating news, some approaches are better than others, says Kelly Krawczynski MA, MFT, a marriage and family therapist in West Chester, Pennsylvania....

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 42.5% of the United States population 18 and older has been exposed to HPV. This means that many pregnant women have HPV. It is also very common to have HPV and not have any visible warts or other symptoms. In fact, many people (pregnant people included) with HPV have no idea they have it. Additionally, this highly contagious condition can be spread when no symptoms are present....