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In some cases, those epigenetic changes take affect before you’re even born. “A theory in medicine, originally known as the Barker Hypothesis, suggests that the origins of chronic disease, cancer, and mental health begin prenatally and early in the life course,” says Bernard Fuemmeler, PhD, MPH, interim co-leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control program at VCU Massey Cancer Center. Fuemmeler worked on a study that is the first to connect secondhand smoke during pregnancy with epigenetic changes, measured at birth....

The question is: What does this all mean for parents? Should we be worried about our kids getting infected or reinfected? Will masks come back? Will there be outbreaks in classrooms? What else should parents know about these new variants? What Are the Symptoms of the BQ.1 Variant? BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 are sublineages of Omicron. The two variants are quickly multiplying in the U.S., rising from 1% of cases just a few weeks ago to almost 12% in mid-October....

Factors to Consider When making a decision about whether or not to wear a nursing bra while sleeping, think about how each of these affects you. Breast Size If you have small breasts, wearing a bra is a matter of preference. But if you have large, full breasts, a bra can feel more supportive and comfortable. Even if you have smaller breasts, during the first month or so after your baby is born, when your breast milk is adjusting, you may find that you appreciate the support of nursing bra overnight....

Benefits of a Strong Father-Daughter Connection When you connect with your daughter, the positive impact can be quite significant. Research suggests that daughters who have secure and loving relationships with their fathers: Are more assertive without being aggressive Are more likely pursue higher education Feel better about themselves Feel more confident in relationships with partners in general Have better grades in school Besides these lifelong benefits, nurturing a rewarding relationship with a daughter can be a great experience in the present....

Subfertility simply means that you, as a couple, are less fertile than other couples like you. It doesn’t mean you won’t get pregnant; it simply suggests that it may be more difficult based on the various measures used to assess your fertility. Differentiating Between Subfertility and Infertility Someone who is described as being subfertile still has a chance of getting pregnant on their own, although it may take longer than others....

If you are embarking on the process of teaching your first teen to drive, or if you are trying for a first “successful” experience, then there are some things you should know about teaching your child to drive. What to Know and What to Expect As you begin the process of teaching your teen driver, you should be aware of the basic rules for success. Be careful with directions. Give your teen lots of notice when you want him to do something....

Depending on your kid’s activities and where you live, the best winter gloves may be a heavy-duty, waterproof pair for extended outdoor play, or a lightweight pair with touchscreen-compatible fingertips so they can use their tablet in the car. Plus, keep your kid’s personal preferences in mind: “Finding what children will keep on is just as important as anything else so involving them in the selection and shopping process can make all the difference,” San Diego-based pediatrician Curtis Leong, MD, tells Verywell Family....

Before purchasing a toothbrush for your baby, check for one that is age-appropriate with soft bristles for gentle brushing. We carefully considered design, age recommendations, ease of use, and value when reviewing products. Here are the best baby toothbrushes to get your little one excited about brushing teeth. The Baby Buddy is designed for babies 4 months old and up, because the soft silicone bristles make it useful before those teeth start to show....

Simple toys that focus on one concept (shapes, colors, etc.) are a key idea in Montessori thinking. You should also look for toys that encourage children to build, interact, learn, and manipulate. We carefully considered age recommendations, simplicity, function, realism, design, value, and toy safety when reviewing products. Here are the best Montessori toys for your family. Price at time of publication: $70 Price at time of publication: $22 By seeing that the ball did not disappear but instead rolled out of the box and into the attached tray, they’ll be learning object permanence....

Portable Sitz Bath In the hospital, you may be given a portable sitz bath. This sits over a normal sized toilet. You fill a bag with warm or cold water and sit on the sitz bath. The water then flows over your perineum allowing for healing and cleansing. You can add medication or herbal preparations at will. Try Cold Water While you can use warm or cold water, the studies that have been done show that cold water provides more pain relief in the hour and half hour after doing the postpartum sitz bath....

Although it can be painful, thrush usually is not serious. But it can spread quickly and it is tough to treat. The best way to combat thrush is to try to avoid it. Here is what you need to know, including how to prevent thrush while breastfeeding. Signs and Symptoms of Thrush Signs of thrush in a baby include white spots on the inside your baby’s cheeks or on their tongue or gums....

How to Set Up Primary Furniture in a Nursery There are four main pieces of furniture in the nursery—a crib, changing table, dresser, and a chair. The price of furniture varies and may be influenced by detailing, finish, quality of construction, and overall design. The first step in your selection is to determine how long you want to be able to use it. With planning, you might consider a nursery design so that:...

Toddlers often misbehave in their quest to find out what the rules are. After all, they are still pretty new to the world and there’s a lot they don’t know. “Developmentally, there is more going on in your toddler’s brain now than at any other time in their lives, and exploring the world around them with so many newfound skills can easily become overwhelming,” says Paul McLaren, a Norland-trained nanny and the former head nurse of Norland College....

1. Know What to Expect When you start a new job, you get an employee handbook. Not so in the stay-at-home mom world. You’re now with the kids 24/7 and that can be a difficult adjustment, especially if you’re used to answering to a boss, listening to water cooler buzz and working in a deadline-driven environment. Now your boss is a person under 3 feet tall, your water cooler buzz has been replaced with toddler talk and your deadlines include beating the clock before the diaper leaks and running through the store before your child has a public meltdown....

Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome only happens when identical twins share a placenta. Fraternal twins and identical twins with separate placentas are not at risk for TTTS. Signs of TTTS Twins with TTTS have different symptoms based on whether they are donors or recipients. Recipient twins receive too much blood, both from the placenta and from the other twin. These babies are larger and have excessive amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios). Because these babies have so much blood in their bodies, their circulatory systems may be overloaded, causing heart problems....

As such, whether you intend to pump on a regular basis, or only occasionally, most breastfeeding parents will want to have a pump available to them. But when you start to consider all the pumps on the market, it can be quite overwhelming! There are just so many different kinds of pumps, and you may be unsure which pump is best for you. Let’s take a look at what each different kind of pump does, and how to know which pump is best for your needs....

Some lucky mothers will survive their entire pregnancy without much adjustment to their normal routine. However others may require hospitalization or some form of modified bed rest at home. Since there’s really no way to predict the outcome, your best bet is to be prepared for any eventuality. What Bed Rest Accomplishes According to Amy E. Tracy, author of The Pregnancy Bed Rest Book, gravity is the underlying reason. “Many obstetricians believe that using gravity through a lying down position aids in stabilizing or improving some medical conditions....

Financial Security The first benefit of having children later in life is financial security. Older parents who’ve waited to have children have likely spent most of their adult lives working. They’re more likely to have already climbed the career ladder and feel financially ready to raise children. More Time to Spend With the Kids With financial security can come more time to spend with the kids. Those countless hours and late nights at the office may equate to a lot of accumulated vacation time and personal days....