What is bonding? When experts talk about bonding, they’re referring to the intense attachment you develop with your baby. It’s the feeling that makes you want to shower him with love and affection, or throw yourself in front of a speeding truck to protect him. What if I don’t bond right away? Don’t worry. Bonding […]
At birth, your baby’s vision was pretty fuzzy, though she could make out light, shapes, and movement. Newborns can see only about 8 to 15 inches away — just far enough to clearly make out the face of the person holding them. Handily enough, your face is the most interesting thing to your baby right at this […]
The average age for crawling is 8 months, but many babies wait until later to crawl, or may skip this stage entirely. If your child has had no developmental problems up to this point (she sits without support, grabs objects with both hands, uses arms and legs equally, rolls over both ways, stands on legs if supported), you don’t need […]
What are growth charts? At each checkup, the doctor or nurse measures your baby’s length, weight, and head circumference, and then marks those numbers on a chart of normal ranges for babies of the same age and sex. In the end, you’ll find out what percentile your child is in. (The most recent charts take […]
What are Braxton Hicks contractions? Braxton Hicks contractions are intermittent uterine contractions that start in early pregnancy, although you probably won’t notice them until sometime after midpregnancy. (Some women never notice them.) They’re named for John Braxton Hicks, the English doctor who first described them in 1872. As your pregnancy progresses, Braxton Hicks contractions tend […]
How can I tell when I’m going to go into labor? There’s no way to predict exactly when labor will start. And even when you notice early signs of labor, your baby’s birth could still be days or weeks away. Your body actually starts preparing for labor as much as a month before you give […]
Babies grow in unique ways: The baby who sits up weeks before her peers might be one of the last to learn how to crawl. Or the 18-month-old who’s still communicating with grunts and gestures suddenly bursts forth with prepositional phrases at 2 years. That’s why we created this series of developmental guides. Since babies aren’t identical – […]
Do all babies experience separation anxiety? Yes, to a degree. Separation anxiety is a normal stage of emotional development that starts when babies begin to understand that things and people exist even when they’re not present – a concept called object permanence. At certain stages, most babies or toddlers will show true anxiety and become […]
By definition, organic produce refers to fruits and vegetables grown without the use of most synthetic pesticides. If you’d like to buy organic food but find it’s too expensive, you can prioritize by buying organic versions of the Dirty Dozen – 12 fruits and vegetables found to have the highest levels of pesticide residue. The list is […]
During pregnancy, you might have: During your pregnancy, you might feel tired even after you’ve had a lot of sleep. Many women find they’re exhausted in the first trimester. Don’t worry, this is normal! This is your body’s way of telling you that you need more rest. In the second trimester, tiredness is usually replaced with […]