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BREASTFEEDING

Even breastfeeding is getting quantified, thanks to Momsense

Want to make sure your baby is getting enough milk? A new product called Momsense has been created to help ensure breastfeeding moms everywhere that their baby is getting all the milk that they need. Momsense is doing this by giving moms a product and an app that can keep track of how much a baby is actually drinking.

“Momsense attaches to the baby, not the mom: It’s a small circle that the mother places under the child’s ear, along their jawline. The device functions similar to a stethoscope, listening to the sound of the baby’s swallows to determine how much the baby is drinking. It’s also smart enough to tell the difference between a real swallow and random gurgles or half gulps. Mom can also listen in, thanks to the attached headphones, so she’s not ceding all responsibility to the app: She can still take action if something’s wrong, or she may just feel reassured having all of that sensory data available.”

The full article explains all of the features and benefits of Momsense, and how it all works. [Read more here.]

Tandem Nursing: Breastfeeding an Infant and Toddler

Tandem nursing is the practice of nursing two babies at the same time. This can take two forms: nursing twins, or nursing a toddler and an infant. Some benefits of tandem nursing include:

  • Tandem nursing can help relieve engorgement in a mother with a newborn.
  • Emotionally, it may help reduce feelings of jealousy from the older child.
  • Tandem nursing can also bond the two children together, since it’s an activity they can do together (if you nurse simultaneously). And even if they don’t do it at same time, it’s something they share… mother’s milk.

The full article discusses the tandem nursing history, benefits and problems, and how tandem nursing actually works. [Read more here.]

 

PREGNANCY

 

Exercise During Pregnancy May Benefit Kids’ Long-Term Health

If you need another source of motivation to stay active during your pregnancy, here it is. Aerobic exercise may have a positive impact on the long-term well-being of your child. Researchers believe that maternal exercise during pregnancy could provide a lifetime full of health benefits to the next generation.

“Exposure to regular physical activity (or chronic inactivity) can have profound impacts on your well-being at every stage of life…from preconception to old age. In a statement to APS, Pearson’s research team wrote, “Our findings highlight pregnancy as a sensitive period when positive lifestyle interventions could have significant and long-lasting beneficial effects on offspring metabolism and disease risk.” [Read more here.]

 

5 Signs Of Labor

Are those contractions signs of labor approaching? You may be going into labor. Before you grab your hospital bag, check to see if you’re experiencing these common signs of labor to find out if you should call your doctor

“Even moms who’ve been through it before can’t always tell when labor is starting. That’s because many of the early signs of labor are vague and easily misinterpreted: Are those cramps real contractions, or are they a result of the grande burrito you ate last night? Is that little trickle of fluid your water breaking, or is it just urine leaking because a seven-pound baby is resting on your full bladder?”

Check out these cues to see if you are ready to head to the hospital:

  1. Your water breaks
  2. You’re having strong, regular contractions
  3. You notice a discharge
  4. You get diarrhea
  5. Your back really hurts

This article gives a more in-depth analysis on these cues listed above. [Read more here.]

 

MOTHERHOOD

 

Becoming a Mom Changes Everything — Including Thanksgiving

Things change when you become a mom. This is a pretty obvious statement, but it especially rings true on the holidays when you find yourself ditching your old holiday traditions to create new ones with your new family. This article is from a mom’s perspective of adjusting to creating a new Thanksgiving tradition.

“I guess this means it’s time to start our own Thanksgiving traditions. And I’ll admit the thought of that is more than a little overwhelming. After becoming a mom, taking on — and fully embracing — the matriarch role of a holiday like this one is another level of “growing up” that I’m still figuring out.”

[Read more here.]

 

The 10 Mom Friends That Every Mom Needs

Do you have the right combination of moms surrounding you? Here is a quick look at 10 moms that every mom needs in her life:

  1. The MacGyver mom
  2. The mom that can’t be grossed out
  3. The mom who lives to cook
  4. The crafty DIY mom that knows every home remedy
  5. The true blue friend
  6. The neighborhood fun house mom
  7. The mom who loves a good glass of wine but hates drinking alone
  8. The mom who you can ignore your kids with
  9. The mom with a baby
  10. The mom with older kids

Check out the full article to see this list explained in more detail. [Read more here.]

 

INFANTS

 

When Does Swaddling Become Unsafe? Sooner Than You Might Think

How to swaddle your baby is one of the first things you learn as a new parent. When done correctly, a blanket wrapped snugly around your newborn can help imitate the comfort of a mother’s womb and help soothe your baby.

“Of course, when your baby hits a certain age, swaddling becomes less effective, and less safe. Dr. Rachel Moon, a pediatrician and chair of the task force that authored the AAP’s safe sleep recommendations said that once babies begin to roll over in their sleep, swaddling should be curbed. Because swaddling involves a blanket, if a baby were to roll over while wrapped in a blanket, it could cause blockage of their airways. “I would stop swaddling by age 2 months, before the baby intentionally starts to try to roll,” Moon told Healthy Children. “If babies are swaddled, they should be placed only on their back and monitored so they don’t accidentally roll over.”” [Read more here.]

 

The 9 Harrowing Stages of Teething Every Mom Experiences

Having a teething baby is an emotional rollercoaster until that new tooth emerges. Here are the 9 stages you and your baby will go through until that tooth comes in:

  1. Everything goes in the mouth
  2. The ear-piercing shrieking begins…
  3. You go in search of remedies
  4. You find out relief is not in sight
  5. Other (grosser) symptoms emerge
  6. Your evenings are endless (and not in a good way)
  7. You are about to give up and move back in with your parents
  8. The moment finally arrives
  9. Then two weeks later…it begins all over again

The full article includes gifs, pictures, and descriptions of each step. [Read more here.]

 

TODDLERS

 

Is Your Toddler A Fussy Eater? It’s Probably Not Your Fault, Say Scientists

Toddlers’ fussy eating habits can be very frustrating. Often times it leaves parents thinking that they are doing something wrong. To put it simply, parents should not beat themselves up over this, considering that a new study indicates that their behavior is likely influenced by genetics.

In this new study, “genetics were to blame for 46% of instances of food fussiness and 58% of refusals to try new food.” [Read more here.]

 

Our Sleep Training Nightmare

This article is a mom’s account of trying to sleep train her daughter, while in the process having method after method fail. It is an interesting story about persistence. This serves as a reminder that every child is different, and sometimes even the experts can get it wrong.

“She appears at the side of the bed, a living ghost, clutching her monkey lovey and staring with a haunted look on her face. She is 6, a month away from 7. For a week she has been waking up at the end of every sleep cycle. Forty-five minutes. Sometimes an hour.”

[Read more here.]

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