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With this approach, you pump your breast milk (or receive donated milk) and give it to your baby in a bottle. Pumping and bottle feeding breast milk is a great way to provide your child with breast milk without needing to put them to the breast. Here’s what you need to know about pumping for your baby. Reasons for Pumping and Bottle Feeding You may make the decision to pump before your child is born, or you may breastfeed for a while and then move on to pumping as your child grows....

The advice on smoking during pregnancy is clear—it is harmful to the baby and should be avoided. If you previously smoked, you might wonder if you can smoke while you are breastfeeding. If you had quit while you were pregnant but relapse after having your baby, should you still breastfeed? Here’s a look at what the research tells us. Breastfeeding and Smoking If you smoke just before breastfeeding, nicotine is transmitted to your baby in your breast milk....

While there are so many amazing aspects of being pregnant, there’s also a lot of uncertainty about what you can and shouldn’t eat. As if carrying a tiny human wasn’t enough, you spend nine months plagued by the question, “wait—can I eat that?” A quick ham and cheese sandwich might seem harmless enough, but during pregnancy, it’s a little more complicated. Deli meat and other processed foods like hot dogs, sausages, and bacon are, for the most part, off the table during pregnancy....

Finding the Right Seat For many parents, an infant seat will be the first car seat they purchase and install—before the baby is even born. These seats typically detach from a base that is latched separately into the back seat of the car. These seats also have a handle so that mom and dad can carry the baby around in the car seat, and most offer attachments that fit strollers. Infant car seats are always rear-facing....

A Coombs-positive diagnosis is usually not serious but does require that your baby receive medical monitoring. Let’s take a closer look to understand what it means to be Coombs positive, what causes the condition, and how it’s treated. What Does a Coombs-Positive Diagnosis Mean? When a baby is Coombs positive, their blood and their mother’s blood are different types and have mixed during pregnancy and/or delivery. It is determined by a Coombs test or direct antibody test (DAT), usually done on blood from the baby’s umbilical cord....

Buckle up. It’s a bit of a bumpy ride. Divorce can be highly traumatic, not only for the principals but also for children and even for grandparents. And grandparents aren’t immune from marital discord, either. Learning to see things from the point of view of other family members is key, but good communication skills are vital, too. Grandparents also must realize that their seniority in the family doesn’t grant them a license to make decisions for others....

The day your child turns 18, they become a legal adult in most states. This means that they can vote, sign contracts, and join the military. By law, you are no longer required to support them and they are considered fully responsible for their own actions. And while you likely want to continue to help support your child to some level, you are now limited in what you can do....

A quick rewind to life before the magical formula pitcher arrived: When our son was a newborn, my husband and I were making bottles every two hours, and only one at a time. We were scooping formula from the can—in the dark and into a bottle with a quarter-size opening—making a mess while simultaneously trying not to wake the baby in the room next door. Each bottle we made had clumps and air bubbles, which left behind gas and tears for our little guy, not to mention sleepless nights for us....

Pregnancies that grow outside of the uterus cannot develop normally or survive to viability. Ectopic pregnancy also can cause the organ it’s developing in to break open (rupture), which can become a life-threatening emergency for the pregnant person. This is why medical or surgical treatment is required as soon as possible after diagnosis. Ectopic Pregnancy Surgery Ectopic pregnancy surgery is performed under general anesthesia by an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN). The surgery is usually scheduled but may be performed sooner if there is an emergency....

Expecting fathers often experience sympathetic pregnancy pains, including a wide range of psychological and physical distresses, including anxiety, difficulty sleeping, weight gain, and changes in family and professional relationships throughout a pregnancy. This sympathetic pregnancy is typically referred to as Couvade Syndrome, or “pregnant dad” syndrome. The term “couvade” comes from the French word “couver” which means “to brood." His symptoms slowly start to occur during the third month of the pregnancy and tend to peak towards the end of the third trimester....

After-Pains and the Shrinking Uterus While many expectant parents have not heard of after-pains, most childbirth classes discuss them. After-pains are contractions that occur after labor and delivery. These contractions signal the process of involution, the process of your uterus shrinking back down to its pre-pregnancy size and shape. Your uterus spent the last nine months growing to nearly 25 times its original size. Note that you may continue to look pregnant after giving birth, up until your uterus returns to its normal size....

How Do Babies Breastfeed for the First Time? Right after your baby is born, she can be dried off and placed directly on your chest. This skin-to-skin (chest-to-chest) contact helps your baby transition to the outside world. It decreases the baby’s stress and promotes bonding between you and your newborn. Early skin-to-skin also encourages breastfeeding. Newborns tend to be more alert in the first hour after birth, and they’re born with a natural reflex to help them find the nipple and latch on....

Just make sure your child is invested in earning the incentive. While one child may be motivated by extra TV time, another child may be motivated by a trip to the park. So offer rewards that are specific to your child’s interests and needs. Free and Cheap Reward Ideas for Kids Whether you want to motivate your child to get chores done, or you want to teach them to stop hitting, here are some free and low-cost reward ideas:...

When pregnancy begins and the egg and sperm are joined, you start with a brand new cell, with 46 chromosomes. Each gene is either dominant (meaning it takes only one copy of the gene to have the disease or trait) or recessive (it takes two copies of the gene to have the disease or trait). Dominant Disorders Examples of dominant disorders are Marfan syndrome, Huntington disease, breast and ovarian cancer (the BRCA gene), and neurofibromatosis type 1....

Overview Consider asking your dad some pointed questions that will help you learn more about him, what makes him tick, and might help you understand a little more why he is the way he is. From asking about his childhood experiences to finding out why he wanted to be a dad to figuring out how he developed his attitudes about love, money, or work, asking some key questions can really help start some amazing and insightful conversations....

You may spend those days taking note of every possible early pregnancy sign. You might even feel pregnant and believe wholeheartedly that this month will be your month. And then, your period shows up. If you are dealing with another month where your period makes an unwanted appearance, we have some suggestions to help you get through this disappointing time. Know That What You’re Feeling Is Normal Maybe you imagine taking a pregnancy test and finally seeing a positive result....