I have a friend, Christina, who is allergic to dogs–when she’s around them, her airways start to close, and she has a difficult time breathing. I am the owner of two shaggy dogs and a house full of hardwood floors. What this means is that no matter how often I sweep or vacuum, I can never get rid of all the hair. So when Christina and I first became friends, she wouldn’t be able to last five minutes in my house. But we noticed that the more she came over, the longer she could stay, until we got the point where she could be here for a dinner party–and stay from appetizers to dessert time. We always joked that she was “building a tolerance,” but after reading the LA Times article, In the Works: Immunotherapy for food allergies, I realized she really was.
Immunotherapy is when an allergy sufferer Read More
When I was working my first job after college (in other words, I was in my young 20’s), there was a mom who had just had her second baby. She had gone back to work a mere six weeks after her baby was born, and she was breastfeeding. I probably would’ve never paid much attention to this, except for the fact that we had one bathroom in the office, and it seemed as if every time I had to use it she was in there pumping. At the time, it was an annoyance. Looking back now, after I’ve had two children that I breastfed, I can’t believe she stuck to it. I think there may have been five females in the entire office; this, coupled with the fact that we were in a male Read More
Some very strong emotions usually erupt following the birth of a baby. While most new mothers experience a combination of excitement, anxiety, fear, or happiness, some women also experience symptoms of depression. In fact, about 10% of new mothers develop a more severe type of depression known as postpartum depression.
Duke's Cord Blood Kit
When I was pregnant with my first child, I had read about the benefits that the blood in my baby’s umbilical cord could have for others. Filled with stem cells, this blood could help those with cancer, sickle-cell anemia, immunodeficiency, marrow failure and genetic diseases that call for transplants. Normally, this blood is literally thrown away, so if it has so many benefits, I thought, why not donate it? Unfortunately, when I told my OB my intentions, she informed me that the hospital that I was giving birth at didn’t have the availability to store the blood and get it to a bank. And my hospital was of the norm–there are only approximately 175 hospitals in the United States that can transfer cord blood to a bank, but it looks as if that’s about to change.
Time recently reported on a Public Donation Kit that’s allowing Read More
Jaime and her husband Devon, after the birth of their first child.
For a woman preparing to give birth for the first time, the idea of labor can be a frightening prospect. You hear that it’s painful, you have no idea what to expect, and it’s something that you have no control over. As a result, many women opt for the epidural route (which is fine) but for those that are wanting a drug-free birth, hypnobirthing may be your answer. Read More
Babies are generally able to start eating solid foods between the ages of 4 to 6 months. While most parents believe that they need to carefully feed babies very bland foods such as plain pasta and flavorless cereals, recent research has indicated that most babies are perfectly able to handle foods that not only contain some flavor, but some much needed nutrients as well.
Nanny personality assessments can help parents learn more and choose better
Selecting a caregiver for our children is a difficult task and the risks in making a wrong choice are frightening. Most articles on this topic advise parents to interview the nannies, check their references and perform a background check. While each of those screening tools is important, they all have their limitations and do not necessarily provide sufficient information to make the best possible choice.
Though most people really do not think about it much, baby teeth serve a very important purpose. Baby teeth help your infant learn how to speak and chew food properly, and they act as a type of space saver for the adult teeth that will grow in a few years down the road. Baby teeth also promote healthy jaw growth, so it is important for parents to take care of these teeth from the beginning.
One of the best things pregnant women can do is eat a healthy, well-balanced diet every day. The discouraging news, however, is that even when women make sure that they eat the most nutritious foods each day, it is still very likely that they are not getting all of the nutrients they need for their developing baby, and for themselves.
For the majority of parents, finding effective ways of disciplining their toddler is incredibly difficult. Throughout a toddler’s development, he will naturally start to test the boundaries that you impose upon him. It is important to remember that establishing boundaries for your young child is extremely important, and he needs to know where these boundaries exist in order to abide by them.
I have a friend, Christina, who is allergic to dogs–when she’s around them, her airways start to close, and she has a difficult time breathing. I am the owner of two shaggy dogs and a house full of hardwood floors. What this means is that no matter how often I sweep or vacuum, I can never get rid of all the hair. So when Christina and I first became friends, she wouldn’t be able to last five minutes in my house. But we noticed that the more she came over, the longer she could stay, until we got the point where she could be here for a dinner party–and stay from appetizers to dessert time. We always joked that she was “building a tolerance,” but after reading the LA Times article, In the Works: Immunotherapy for food allergies, I realized she really was.
Immunotherapy is when an allergy sufferer Read More
