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Types of Twins You’ve probably heard of the most common types of twins—identical (monozygotic) twins, where the fertilized egg splits and develops two babies with no genetic differences, and fraternal (dizygotic) twins, where two eggs are fertilized by two sperm and the babies are genetically unique. But there are many other, less common, twin subtypes. These include conjoined twins, superfetation, heteropaternal superfecundation, polar body twins, semi-identical twins, and mirror-image twins. Read on to learn more....

An endometrial scratch, or endometrial injury, is a procedure that’s intended to boost your chances of getting pregnant when going through in vitro fertilization (IVF). If you’re looking to conceive, a doctor could potentially ask if you want to give it a try, but it’s worth paying attention to all the evidence out there before signing up. We turned to the experts to find out what exactly an endometrial scratch entails, and if it really increases your chances of getting pregnant....

Parton’s mission is to foster a love of learning in children, making the experience of reading fun and meaningful. Imagination Library is now available in over 2,000 communities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Since the program’s inception in 1995, it has distributed more than 172 million children’s books to young readers. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Books The free, brand-new books from Dolly Parton’s book club are a mixture of classic and contemporary fiction and non–fiction for children....

This game is designed for two to four players, ages 3 and up (the pieces are too small for younger kids). It comes with an alphabet mat, tornado board, letter coins and cards, and toy boxes, and doesn’t require any batteries. If your kids are more interested in Disney Junior characters, there is a Super Stretchy game for them too. It teaches colors and shapes instead of letters. Pros Easy to learn and playShort game duration helps prevent frustration (and parent aggravation)Provides active playReinforces letter learningLittle emphasis on competition...

In Ancient Germanic, it was one of the most common names for boys. Across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden several kings and members of royalty have been given the name Eric. One of the earliest bearers of the original form of the name was Eirikir inn Rauda who was also known as Eric the Red. He was a 10th-century explorer who discovered Greenland. Although Eric is historically a boy’s name it can be given to a child of any gender....

“I have three kids, which boggles my mind, truly,” Chen says. “It’s been quite an adventure. I love being a mom. I love being a parent. I could not have imagined the infinite, heart-burst ways that I love these children.” In addition to working her 9-to-5 and being a wife and mother, she’s also an author who co-designed a collection with Janie and Jack inspired by her newest book, “I Am Golden....

The Benefits of Weaning Gradually Children can usually accept weaning more readily when it occurs gradually. By slowly reducing the amount you breastfeed your child, the changes to your body, your breasts, and your hormones can adjust over time. It also allows your supply of breast milk to decline little by little so that you may be able to avoid painful breast engorgement, plugged milk ducts, and mastitis which can occur from weaning suddenly....

Signs that your child may have more than just simple baby gas include frequent fussiness, loose or foul-smelling stools, difficulty feeding and/or sleeping, and crying for long periods of time. These could be symptoms of colic or a food intolerance. On the other hand, for babies who are otherwise happy and feeding well, gas can be normal and not a sign of an underlying medical condition. If periodic gas causes your child discomfort, find out how to avoid common triggers and treat gas pain when it occurs....

Figure out Why Your Child Hates Sports Through observation, discussion with other adults (such as caregivers, teachers, and coaches), and conversation with your child, see if you can determine why he “hates” sports. Has he always felt this way, or is this a recent change of heart? Is she frustrated by a lack of skills, ability, or progress? Is he being bullied by a teammate? Is she feeling too much pressure to succeed or compete at a high level?...

You might be used to stocking up on store-bought dehydrated infant cereal flakes, but buying rice in bulk, then whipping up small batches of cereal at home is easy and saves money. You should also keep in mind that homemade rice cereal does not contain the same amount of iron that a store-bought fortified infant cereal would. If you’ll be making your own rice cereal, you’ll need to incorporate other iron-rich foods into your baby’s diet....

What Is Paternity Leave? When people refer to paternity leave, they are referring to the period of time when a father stops working because he is about to have or just had a new baby (or an adopted baby). More often, paternity leave is referred to as family leave or parental leave because this type of leave does not just involve fathers. It can apply to mothers, fathers, or domestic partners....

Learn more about how much breastmilk a newborn should eat, including our chart to help you figure out how much they need at each feeding. Calculating Optimal Amounts You want to make sure that you’re not underfeeding or overfeeding your baby when you give them a bottle. Here’s a 3-step calculation that can help you figure out approximately how much breast milk your baby should take at each feeding....

Oxytocin’s Role in Spontaneous Labor In spontaneous labor, natural oxytocin is what controls the contraction of uterine muscles that initiates labor. The hormone is actually produced by both the mother and baby, and the mother’s body reacts differently to each, because they each have separate jobs. When the baby releases oxytocin, the hormone works to relax the uterine muscle and causes the cervix to dilate. Oxytocin from the mother is released into the body in a pulsing action and comes intermittently to allow the body a break between contractions....

Although these relationships are sometimes fraught with frustrations, jealousy, and competitiveness, they may also represent the strongest and most loyal people in a person’s life. But, can these sibling relationships prevent bullying? While there is limited research on how much of an impact a strong sibling bond will have on bullying prevention, most scientists theorize that having siblings influences a child’s adjustment and development as much as parenting does. Research also suggests that healthy sibling bonds—ones that are characterized by warmth, closeness, and problem-solving—can be instrumental in helping siblings overcome and heal from bullying experiences....

Once the baby arrives, the questions and comments simply escalate to critiques about where your baby sleeps to what she eats and how you interact with her. From here on out, it seems as though your parenting techniques are open to commentary from everyone, whether it’s your own mother or a random stranger in the grocery store checkout line. Everyone has an opinion, especially when it comes to something as ubiquitous and life-changing as parenthood....

Because parents spend so much time caring for toddlers and their bodies, it’s no wonder that by the time typical toddlers reach 1 or 2 years old, they can identify a few body parts. And by the time they reach 2 or 3 years of age, small children should be able to identify many body parts. How Toddlers Identify Body Parts What does it mean for toddlers, especially nonverbal ones, to identify body parts?...

Your need for iron will just about double over your pre-pregnancy requirements. It is also important that you get adequate iron in pregnancy because towards the end of pregnancy, your baby will also be storing iron for their first six months of life. Anemia Risk Factors Some women are at higher risk for anemia. You may be more likely to be anemic if: You have been dieting to lose weight Your pregnancies are closer than two years apart You bled heavily with your periods You don’t usually eat foods high in iron You have tested low or been told you have anemia You are under 20 years old...

Types of Locomotor Skills Roughly in order of how children learn them, the locomotor skills that follow walking are: Galloping: Traveling with one foot always in the leadHopping: Moving up and down on one footJumping: Going up and down, with both feet in the air at once; can also mean jumping off a height or jumping forwardLeaping: Jumping forward or back with one leg outstretched; taking off on one foot and landing on the otherRunning: Sometimes both feet are in the air while travelingSkipping: Alternating steps and hopsSliding: Galloping sidewaysWalking: Moving with one foot on the ground at all times...