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As your due date draws near, you wonder if your contractions are signs of “false labor” or if they are “real” contractions. As early labor ramps up, you wonder if your contractions are becoming frequent enough to head to the hospital. Once you are having regular contractions, you hope they are doing the work of dilating your cervix and allowing your baby to descend through the birth canal. Yes, contractions can be uncomfortable and painful (to put it mildly!...

But a baby’s smile doesn’t come right away. In the early days when you first hold your baby in your arms, they aren’t likely to even open their eyes, let alone smile at you. It’s common to feel impatient and to wonder when your baby is finally going to turn the corners of their mouth into a happy grin. Let’s look at when to expect your baby’s first smile, what to know about infant developmental milestones in general, and what to do if your baby isn’t smiling within their first few months of life....

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends that all children 6 months old through 8 years old should get two doses of flu vaccine the first year that they are vaccinated against the flu. If your child had their first flu shot last year but only got a single shot, then this year, they should get a flu shot and a booster shot....

And you may want your friend to share in one of the most exciting and wonderful times of your life, but know that might be too difficult for them. It’s normal to be confused about how to handle the situation. Be Sympathetic Even if you have no personal experience with pregnancy loss, if you are pregnant you can probably at least imagine some of what your friend is probably feeling....

Differences in Closeness Some believe this difference is due to parents’ role as gatekeepers between grandparents and parents. In spite of strides in gender equality, mothers are still likely to direct their children’s activities. They may give heightened importance to contact with their own parents. Others hold that the relationship between a woman and her mother-in-law — the paternal grandmother of her children — is always going to be complicated. Possession, so to speak, of a treasured male, has been passed from mother to wife....

There’s a good chance, however, that as your 15-year-old becomes comfortable in their own skin, they will think they are ready to take on the world now. They may even behave like they know everything. This attitude—often mixed with a hint of rebellion—can be par for the course for many 15-year-olds, but that doesn’t make it any less challenging for parents or caregivers. But understanding teen development can be instrumental for successful parenting during mid-adolescence....

The research team looked at different preschools’ philosophies around nap time and found that it was not uniform across the board. Some schools had dedicated nap time while others did not see the need.“We were observing the preschool classrooms and how mixed the opportunities for sleep were. Often we would hear things like ‘kids don’t need to nap’ or they don’t really support the sleep environment,” Dr. Spencer explains. “For people to actively question whether these kids should be napping was really surprising to us and became a question of its own....

Reasons Discipline Gets Derailed Don’t let these 10 excuses get in the way of giving your child healthy discipline. Your Child Is Under Stress Parents sometimes feel guilty when kids have had to endure rough times, such as a divorce or being bullied at school. It’s natural to feel bad. After all, who wants to see their child hurt? Allowing misbehavior to slide, however, isn’t the solution. In fact, stressed-out kids may need discipline more than ever to help them feel secure....

Not surprisingly, parents from various parts of the globe have different ideas about how to raise the next generation. Here are some of the differences in parenting styles from around the world. Parents in Denmark often park strollers on the sidewalk and leave their baby to sleep outside while they enjoy a meal at a restaurant. Many of their strollers have high tech baby monitors so parents can keep an eye on their little ones while they’re shopping or dining indoors....

If you find yourself having difficulty drawing inspiration, we get it. It’s easy to get stuck in a hairstyling rut, especially if you’re always running late and rushing out the door. To help make mornings easier, we asked four expert hairstylists to break down 12 creative styles, so your child will look and feel confident on the first day of school and beyond. “Back-to-school is an exciting time for both the kids and their parents,” stylist Ona Diaz-Santin enthuses....

Some stay-at-home moms may benefit from having a nanny, though. Look past these harsh criticisms to see the top 12 reasons why some stay-at-home moms need a nanny. You Can Focus on Your Children It may sound strange that having someone help care for your children can actually help you focus more on them, but it’s true. Mommy burnout is a problem many stay-at-home moms face when they’re taking care of kids 24/7....

Kids need time and space to practice trying new foods (and for little ones, most foods are new to them!). The goal is to encourage exploration of food without fear, and to avoid power struggles and ongoing arguments around meals and food. If your child is a picky eater, it’s never too late to start to integrate the tips below. Get started as soon as you can. Go slowly and incorporate them in a way that works for you and your child....

As babies grow, so do their bellies and, therefore, the length of time between feedings increases. In addition, once you get into a good routine, you’ll discover that there are lots of things that can be done in a short period of time. Snuggle There is no better time to snuggle your baby then after a nice full feeding. This is great for you and your baby. Snuggling stimulates the production of the hormone oxytocin, otherwise known as the “cuddle hormone,” which helps a baby establish a sense of trust and maternal attachment....

Indoor Gross Motor Activities Muscle-moving play doesn’t have to take up a ton of room. Given just a little floor space, your child can enjoy these skill-building activities inside. Building and navigating: Create obstacle courses with furniture, pillows, boxes, and blankets. Dancing: Kids go can freestyle or follow songs with movements, such as “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes,” “I’m a Little Teapot,” “The Wheels on the Bus,” or “Popcorn.” Hopping: Set up targets with masking tape or cardboard to make jumping from place to place on the floor more fun....

Empty Nest Syndrome Empty nest syndrome is the name used to describe the sadness—and sometimes even distress—that parents feel when their children move out. People experiencing empty nest syndrome may display feelings of loss, sadness, anxiety, grief, irritability, and fear and it impacts both men and women. Here are the five most common signs of this syndrome. The good news is that after an adjustment period, you can find new purpose in your life....

Still, its people have seen more than their share of hardships over the centuries. In the face and aftermath of adversity, though, the Polish people have boldly fought for what they believe in. Today, there’s a heartfelt pride in democracy, entrepreneurship, hard work, and cultural freedom among the country’s people. Polish baby names may not be extremely popular in the United States, but to be given a Polish name ought to be considered an honor!...

Young adults who experience violence in a relationship are more likely to drink heavily, smoke marijuana, develop depression, or experience suicidal tendencies. This isn’t a situation limited to young women; teen boys can also fall prey to an unhealthy—or even abusive—relationship. So no matter your teen’s gender identity, it’s important to monitor their relationships. Warning Signs of Unhealthy Relationships Violence is just one way that abuse manifests in an unhealthy relationship....

All children are sassy at one time or another. As toddlers, they often talk back in an effort to test limits and gain independence. At that age, responding isn’t so hard. As your child ages, there are fewer excuses for sass, though nearly all children go through mouthy phases at one time or another. While you want to pick your battles, this rude behavior shouldn’t be tolerated. How to Stop Sassy Behavior Teach a sassy child how to be more respectful with these strategies....

“When working with families I like to remind them that nutrition habits and food relationships are made over time,” says Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, of Brooklyn-based Maya Feller Nutrition. “Continue to offer nutritious options through the holiday season.” Feller encourages parents to keep nutrition top of mind when deciding what to bake for the holidays and get the whole family involved. “Kids can and should be invited into the kitchen to engage in age-appropriate cooking activities,” she adds....

In the past, an HDN (clinically known as erythroblastosis fetalis) could put a baby’s health at serious risk. In fact, at one time HDNs were a major cause of death for new babies. Now that medical researchers better understand the mechanisms that cause HDNs, they aren’t nearly as threatening. Symptoms of ABO Incompatibility in Newborns There are two main signs that a newborn has an ABO incompatibility: jaundice and anemia....