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Active Play Ideas Ideas for non-competitive active play include: Animal Antics: Distribute animal stickers or small stuffed animals to each party guest, then challenge them to imitate their designated critter with motions and sounds. Line them up for an animal parade. Ants on a Log: Have kids stand on a line (make it with a jump rope, sidewalk chalk, painters’ tape, etc.). Give them each a number. Then have them switch places to line up in the opposite order, so #1 ends up in, say sixth place, while #6 is in the first place....

It provides all the important nutrients your developing child needs. It lessens the risk for congenital abnormalities and improves the chances that your baby will be born at a healthy birth weight. Poor Nutrition During Pregnancy On the other hand, poor nutrition can lead to issues with your pregnancy. The results of a poor diet can include: Low birth weight Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) Pregnancy complications Premature birth A baby born sick or with congenital abnormalities Pregnancy loss Chronic illness later in the baby’s life Although rare, the death of the mother or child...

Pros & Cons Octave is one of those online therapy companies that is helping make mental health care more accessible for the whole family by offering individual, couples, family, and group therapy virtually. Since I was reviewing this company for Verywell Family, I decided to try the company’s couples therapy services. In addition, we tested (separately) the company’s individual therapy sessions and we surveyed 105 users who had or are currently using Octave right now....

Learn more about using Ovidrel trigger shots for fertility treatments, including possible side effects and success rates.. Types of Trigger Shots There are several types of trigger shots available, including Ovidrel (r-hCG) and Pregnyl (u-hCG). Your doctor will determine which one is best for you. Ovidrel (r-hCG) Ovidrel is composed of recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin (r-hCG). Recombinant fertility drugs are made in a laboratory using DNA technology. They are molecularly similar to hormones made by the body....

An ovulation test kit may come with several paper test strips, or the test may look more like a pregnancy test stick. You either pee on the extended tip of the pregnancy-test-like version, or you pee in a cup and then carefully dip the test strip into your urine. The results can tell you if you might be ovulating soon. Using ovulation strips can help you time sex for pregnancy....

Research suggests that up to 7% of women with this condition may die as a result of PAS, and up to 60% experience significant complications. However, these rates are reduced with expert medical care and diagnosis of the condition prior to childbirth. Two related complications of the placenta that are even more severe are placenta increta and placenta percreta. When the placenta grows into the muscles of the uterus, this is called a placenta increta....

Proponents claim that this discipline method can help strengthen bonds and increase trust between parents and children. When you respond to provocation with these five tried-and-true examples of positive discipline instead of anger, you also teach a child that it is possible to respond to frustrating moments without conflict. 1. Redirection Little ones have a short attention span, so it’s not too difficult to redirect them to another activity when they’re acting out....

With the wave of decriminalization, researchers at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri wanted to understand the long-term effects of cannabis exposure on fetuses in utero. Back in 2020, the researchers decided to look at mental health indicators for thousands of 9 and 10-year-old kids who had varying degrees of cannabis exposure in the uterus. They also intended to follow up with them over the course of their adolescent and teenage years to track any changes....

What Is an Episiotomy? To aid with vaginal delivery, an incision may be made to the pregnant person’s perineum, the skin between their vagina and rectum. The surgical procedure, known as an episiotomy, has its risks, so there are only very specific circumstances under which it is performed. Experts including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend against routine episiotomy going as far as laying out steps for providers to take to avoid it and advising that the procedure only be done when absolutely necessary, such as when the baby is in distress and needs to be delivered quickly or to prevent much larger tears....

While prolactin is always present in the body, its levels rise significantly during pregnancy, at the time of birth, and while breastfeeding, affecting breast milk production as well as menstruation and fertility. What Is Prolactin? While it’s named for its primary role in lactation, prolactin also plays important roles in the reproduction system, including impacting the production of sex hormones (including testosterone), behavior, and the immune system in both females and males....

This can lead to athletes returning to play too soon or stop them from being pulled from a game in the first place. A second injury, before the initial concussion has healed, can have lasting impacts on brain development and function. What the Study Shows Published in the September issue of JAMA Opthalmology, the study has determined that adolescents with a concussion have a different pupillary light reflex (PLR) of the eye than their non-concussed peers....

Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Take Childbirth Classes The biggest problem for getting the class you want to take is procrastination. Forget procrastination, take your childbirth class early. As a childbirth educator, I can tell you that I get several calls a month from people wanting to take my class but can’t get in because they are booked. They usually say they are late for one of the four reasons below:...

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Act) is an education law act that requires public schools to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to students with disabilities who qualify in one of the specific categories detailed in the law. IDEA requires schools to develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) based on the student’s demonstrated need. Normally, student needs are determined based on evaluations and IEP team discussions. IDEA services are individualized and may include specialized instruction, therapies, and services that are not provided to other students....

This recommendation has changed and the car seat may not need to be replaced after a minor crash. However, note that car seat manufacturers are ultimately responsible for their products. If the manufacturer says to replace a seat after any crash, follow that rule. NHTSA Car Seat Re-Use Recommendations The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers recommendations on when to replace children’s car seats and booster seats after car crashes....

General Tips for Summer Car Safety Whether you’re packing up the car for a road trip or just taking a trip down the road to hit a local park or the city pool, there are some general tips to keep in mind that will help keep your kids safe in the car. Create Reminders Experts recommend creating a reminder system to help prevent a child from being left in the car....

When you’re ready to use it, having the food saved in cube-sized portions makes it easy to thaw out only what you’ll need for a single meal. You’ll prevent waste from preparing more than your baby will eat at one time. When it comes time to thaw the baby food cubes, you have a few choices of safe methods of preparation. Thawing Baby Foods in the Microwave While microwaves themselves can stir up a bit of a debate on how safe they may or may not be, both the FDA and WHO deem microwaves safe if used according to manufacturer instructions....

Memory books come in a variety of formats, so look for one that fits your family’s needs. Some grandparents enjoy telling their own story; others might prefer to answer prompts or write a letter to their grandchild. Make sure the memory book you choose is made of high quality paper that will last. If the grandparent has a hard time getting started, it might be fun to discuss what they might include in their memory book at your next family gathering....

There are a lot of sunblocks and sunscreens for kids out there, so you’ll want to read the ingredients on the label to ensure it’s safe for your kiddo’s skin. “The ingredients recognized and generally recommended as safe and effective include titanium dioxide and zinc oxide,” Dr. Garshick explains. We carefully considered ingredients, application, age recommendations, and value when reviewing products. To save you from having to read through every ingredient list yourself, we’ve rounded up the best sunscreen options available....