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Questions to Ask If you’re experiencing difficulty understanding or communicating with your toddler and are starting to worry if there might be a problem, ask yourself the following questions. Do They Try to Speak? By 12 months of age, your toddler should be attempting to communicate verbally with you. Grunts and partial words (like ba-ba for the bottle) do count. Do They Show Interest in Others? When at home and other people enter or leave the room, your child should notice and react....

If you experience heavy bleeding around the time of your period soon after receiving a positive pregnancy test result, it’s possible you’ve experienced a miscarriage. Most miscarriages are one-time events caused by a genetic abnormality in the embryo. But what if you don’t know if you’re pregnant? Is there any way to tell if your heavy bleeding is actually a miscarriage rather than a regular period? What Happens During a Miscarriage If the pregnancy ends before five weeks gestational age (the length of pregnancy after the first day of the last menstrual period) it is called a chemical pregnancy....

Ultrasounds may be routinely done around 6 weeks gestation. One of the things the doctor and technician look for is a yolk sac. When this vital structure doesn’t appear to be there, the most likely reason is that the pregnancy isn’t viable—in other words, that a miscarriage has occurred. However, this isn’t always the case. If you’re newly pregnant and the yolk sac isn’t visible on your six-week ultrasound, it may simply mean you aren’t as far along as you thought....

Henna is a small flowering shrub. Henna leaves are dried and turned into a fine powder. That powder can be used to dye hair or stain the skin temporarily. Henna body art has been used to adorn women’s bodies in a variety of ceremonies for thousands of years. It’s still used in religious ceremonies or worn by brides in weddings in some parts of the world. While it may seem like a temporary tattoo is harmless fun—after all, henna is often advertised as natural—there are some potential risks involved....

Acknowledge Your Feelings It’s normal to have regrets. In fact, every person looks back on their life and regrets something. The key is deciding how you are going to deal with those regrets. Even though you may not be able to completely change your situation, how you respond to your circumstances is what’s really important. For some people though, this is easier said than done. So, if you find that your regrets are pulling you down, or if you are struggling with depression or loneliness, reach out for help....

For someone who’s eager to begin trying to conceive again, the wait for a regular cycle can be frustrating. If you’re in this situation, aim to be patient—your body may simply need a little extra time to recover in order to be ready for another pregnancy. However, you don’t necessarily need to wait to get your period before you try to conceive. In many cases, once your levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a key hormone that supports pregnancy, return to zero, you can usually safely begin trying to conceive, even if you haven’t had your period yet....

There are some cases when surgery can be avoided if a patient is pregnant, but this is not always the case. In fact, certain surgeries (such as a C-section) are often part of pregnancy. Here’s what you need to know about surgery and pregnancy. Surgery During Pregnancy In most cases, surgery during pregnancy is avoided whenever possible. This is done both to minimize complications for the pregnant person and the fetus....

Really, it’s the baby’s head dropping lower into the birth canal. This event tends to signal the onset of labor and delivery. However, the baby can drop days or weeks before delivery—or it may not happen until labor has started. If you’re pregnant and have been told your baby has dropped (which sometimes is called lightening) or you’ve heard of this phenomenon and wonder what it really means and when it happens, read on to learn precisely what happens and why, as well as what to expect when your own little one drops....

What Is It? An episiotomy is a minor surgery during childbirth. This cut is made during the second stage of labor right before the baby’s head is delivered. After the baby is born, the doctor uses stitches to repair the incision. How Common It Is Before the eighteenth century, written information on prenatal care focuses on the protection and preservation of the perineum. The first description of an episiotomy dates back to 1742, and it made its way into a medical journal in 1810....

Even if you never expected to bring a baby on a plane soon after they’re born, it’s good to know what healthcare providers recommend in these situations. While medical professionals acknowledge that babies can safely fly right after birth, they recommend waiting a couple of months if possible. There are a few main reasons for this that we’ll dive into. In this article, we’ll hear from experts about when babies can safely travel by plane, as well as what parents should do to prepare for flight and how to make the most of their time on board the plane....

“Up until 12 months of age, your baby is getting enough salt from formula and breast milk, so there is no need to add salt to any other foods,” says Preeti Parikh, MD, a pediatrician and the executive medical director at GoodRx. “After that, it is only safe in very limited amounts.” Here’s what you need to know about your baby and salt consumption. Is Salt Safe for My Baby?...

Almost every parent on the planet has witnessed favoritism from their child. And whether you are the favorite parent or the parent being shunned, the first time it happens can be confusing and sometimes downright painful. But do not despair. This type of behavior is not only common among kids, but it is often expected. Still, it needs to be addressed. At issue is the fact that both parents need to feel that special connection to their child....

Both of these situations are upsetting, but be patient and ask for help if you need it. Talk to your pediatrician or lactation consultant for assistance and support. Most of the time you can find a solution and still breastfeed. Why Newborns Refuse to Breastfeed A new baby may have trouble learning to breastfeed. Here are some of the breastfeeding problems you may experience with a newborn. Poor or Inefficient Latch The way your baby’s mouth attaches to your breast when she’s breastfeeding is called the latch....

Age Should Be Considered If your state says a child must be 5 by a certain date and your child just barely makes the cut-off, this could be a reason for waiting a year. Children with birthdays in the latter half of the year, and particularly for boys, are often held a year from starting kindergarten. Consider Kindergarten Readiness Tests or Screenings If you’re unsure, ask your child’s preschool teacher to administer a kindergarten readiness screening....

As you notice your parenting job changing, it may seem like your rights and responsibilities as a parent also change. It’s true, some rights and responsibilities do shift over to your teen. This gives them more freedom to make their own decisions and be more independent. However, there are some that will remain consistent throughout your child’s adolescence. Parental Rights and Responsibilities Let’s review ten of the most important rights and responsibilities for parents of teenagers....

Most often, miscarriages happen due to chromosomal abnormalities or other unknown causes that make the pregnancy unable to continue. Research shows that 50% or more of miscarriages are caused by abnormal genetics. Around 30% have no known causes. Advancing age, obesity, being underweight, substance use, and chronic medical issues, such as diabetes, some thyroid disorders, and hypertension all increase the risk of miscarriage. While many of these risk factors are out of your control, there are other ways to reduce your chances of having a miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death....

Japanese names are noted with kanji characters, which often can be read in several different ways. In addition, since there are thousands of kanji to choose from, even the same name can usually be written using many different kanji combinations (some have more than 50 combinations). The kanji character for the zodiac animal for the year may also be used in boy names, but less often for girls. There is also a trend to use only one kanji character for girls’ names, especially when choosing names that are associated with a plant or nature....

Your Baby’s Development at 25 Weeks At 25 weeks pregnant, the baby is over 8 3/4 inches (22.4 centimeters) from the top of the head to the bottom of the buttocks (known as the crown-rump length). The baby’s height is about 12 1/2 inches (31.8 centimeters) from the top of the head to the heel (crown-heel length). This week, the baby weighs a little more than 27 ounces or 1 3/4 pounds (778 grams)....

Early detection of infection during pregnancy is of cardinal importance. Early screening for infection reduces the incidence of intrauterine infection and birth defects. Certain steps can be taken to minimize the risk of infection during pregnancy, including vaccination and other preventive measures. It’s important that all people who are either pregnant or planning to become pregnant be aware of the various pathogens that can result in pregnancy loss or birth defects....

Maintaining target blood sugar levels during pregnancy can often be like a balancing act. On the one hand, you want your levels low enough to avoid hyperglycemic symptoms. On the other, you do not want them to be so low as to experience symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), including shakiness, lightheadedness, confusion, nausea, vomiting, and fainting. 5 Steps to Controlling Blood Sugar Most women who have gestational diabetes will give birth to perfectly healthy babies....