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Some cultures have special prayers that are said immediately after birth. Others believe in specific sentiments that should be said or heard. Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, your words are sure to reflect the love you have for your new baby. 25 Common First Words When we asked moms and dads what they said to their baby when they saw them for the first time, we got a wide variety of responses....

Scars are an unavoidable part of giving birth by C-section. During your surgery, your doctor will make an incision in your abdomen before removing the baby. Afterwards, the incision will be sewn up and it will need to heal. Read on to find out more about what to expect from a healing c-section incision, how to care for your incision to reduce the risks of complications, and what your c-section scar might look and feel like....

Thankfully, it’s generally not harmful to eat honey while breastfeeding. You may have heard that babies under the age of 1 shouldn’t eat honey because of the risk of botulism, but your baby can’t get botulism if you eat honey while breastfeeding. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about eating honey while breastfeeding, what the benefits of eating honey are, and what to know about keeping your baby safe in general from the risks of botulism from honey....

A widely popular skincare product for just such concerns—particularly stretch marks (a.k.a. striae gravidarum)—is Bio-Oil, one of the most commonly used formulations among pregnant and postpartum people. Yet, consensus on whether or not it’s safe to use while breastfeeding may vary, depending on which side of the global pond you may live. Whether or not you’ve used it before, or are merely intrigued by all the skin benefits it boasts, the safety of using Bio-Oil while breastfeeding is a maternal conundrum that’s still up for debate....

Research indicates that hormonal birth control taken early in pregnancy does not have adverse effects on the baby, so rest assured you have not caused any harm. “About one to three in 100 women could still get pregnant using the pill,” notes Kerry-Anne Perkins, MD, an OB-GYN on the medical review board of Women’s Health Interactive. “However, studies show that the likelihood that it may lead to congenital malformations or birth defects is extremely low....

The truth is that it is safe for you to eat pineapple during all three trimesters of pregnancy. “Pineapple is a nutritious, healthy, and safe food to intake during pregnancy,” says Shaista Waheed, MD, a Pakistan-based professor and gynecologist with 33 years of experience in the field. “Pineapple causing a miscarriage is a myth [and there is] no scientific evidence to support this.” While it is true that pineapple contains an enzyme that increases the miscarriage risk in pregnant people, this enzyme exists in very small amounts in the part of the pineapple we eat....

Then, she’s supporting her patients and followers through her virtual private practice, Carried With Love, and her Instagram account @Carried.With.Love, where she documents her journey as a surrogate. Right now, the Canadian therapist is carrying her fourth and last surrogate baby for a close friend who’s experiencing infertility. She’s carried three other surrogate baby boys and donated five eggs that have resulted in four babies. She’s raw and real on her Instagram, sharing inspiring quotes and cute kiddo pics, as well as videos of her getting hormone injections and hooked up to all kinds of machines in the hospital....

While it can be scary when you first come across it, there’s likely no need to worry. Blood in your breast milk isn’t usually a serious medical problem. Typically, blood in breast milk is caused by abrasions to the nipples. However, it can occur due to a breast infection like mastitis, which needs medical treatment. Learn more about the causes, prevention, and treatment of blood in breast milk. The Color of Breast Milk Blood can change the color of your breast milk to shades of pink, red, orange, or brown....

While one teenage bully may primarily attack people online, others may bully their peers at school. Despite whatever method they use to torment their targets, research shows most teenage bullies share these characteristics and exhibit these behaviors. Impulsiveness Anger management problems Controlling, rather than leading Prone to frustration and feeling annoyed Lacking empathy; not sympathetic to the needs or desires of others Blames victims by saying things like, “If that geek didn’t look so stupid, I wouldn’t have to hit him....

A recent study, co-led by researchers at Ohio State University and Kenyon College and published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, found that almost one-third of the 571 participants (teenage boys and young men in urban and Appalachian Ohio) reported that their mood had worsened or their anxiety had increased between March 2020 and June 2020. The study found that these effects were more likely in those with higher socioeconomic status, those who felt a decreasing closeness to friends and family, and those who were older....

A recent study published in the Journal of Dairy Science indicates that childhood milk consumption has been decreasing for decades. This is concerning, according to some health experts, given that milk provides an array of health benefits for kids’ growing bodies. “Adequate consumption of milk and dairy products, especially during childhood, has beneficial health outcomes for growth, development, and reduced risk of osteoporosis, hypertension, obesity, and cancer during adulthood,” the authors wrote in the study....

The term “dry drowning” is no longer used in the medical community, as it’s considered misleading. There is no difference between dry drowning and drowning, so the preferred term is simply “drowning.” We use “dry drowning” here, however, to describe drowning incidents in which symptoms don’t appear until later. Risk Factors According to the World Health Organization (WHO), children ages 1 to 4 have the highest rates of drowning, followed by children ages 5 to 9....

Tips to Help Your Child Learn Spelling Try a few of these fun, easy tips and tricks to help kids learn spelling words. Play Alphabet Ball Alphabet ball is a great game for kids when you introduce them to phonics but it’s also a great tool to use with spelling lists. All you need is an inflatable ball and a marker. Write the alphabet all over the ball, writing each letter randomly and not all in order....

Epstein pearls are benign, meaning they are not dangerous to your baby. They do not require treatment and will go away on their own over the course of a few weeks. Characteristics of Epstein Pearls Epstein pearls contain keratin, a protein found in skin and other mucous membranes. They may resemble small pimples in your baby’s mouth and are generally painless. Epstein pearls are: Known to appear on their own or in clusters of 2 to 6 Less common in first-born babiesMore common in higher birthweight babiesMore common in Japanese, White, and Black babiesA range of sizes, from less than a millimeter to several millimeters in diameter...

Published in Nature Metabolism, the study involved 150 pregnant and postpartum women who wore activity trackers during pregnancy and afterward. Those who had more steps per day showed higher level of a compound known as 3SL, or oligosaccharide 3-sialyllactose, found exclusively in breast milk. The compound has been shown to confer health advantages even later in life. To confirm that the level of 3SL was from breast milk and not an inherited trait, researchers also gave baby mice born from sedentary mothers milk produced by mice that were active through pregnancy....

In a recent survey of 2,000 millennial parents, most said they prefer to watch old favorites rather than dive into a new movie when they’re sick. According to the results, the most popular films for parents to watch when they’re home with their kids are the “Harry Potter” and “Toy Story” franchises. Both tied with 32% of the vote. Other favorites include “Frozen,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” and “Moana....

Daycare centers specialize in the care of infants through pre-schoolers. Some daycare facilities also offer before- and after-school care for school-age children. Some daycares have formal schedules, similar to a preschool when children become toddler age. Many daycare centers are national or regional chains, and some are privately owned. Daycares may also be in-home, run by a single person. Your family’s needs might be practical, philosophical, or anything in between....