Online Health News - Current Health News from Around the World

Pregnancy & Parenting - iVillage.com  

Despite the fact that nearly 80 percent of new moms experience the baby blues, most of us still sail through pregnancy expecting to be wowed every minute when our new bundle of joy arrives. But hormones and sleep deprivation can take a serious toll on your mood -- and it helps to be prepared for it. Here are 14 things we wish we'd known about the baby blues and postpartum depression.

As I approach the end of my pregnancy, breaking out the dance moves isn't exactly on the top of my priority list. Sure, I'll clap my hands while watching Yo Gabba Gabba with my 2-year-old, but I'm feeling way too big to do much more than that. But not every pregnant woman feels like I do right now, judging from the preggo women who responded to a "dance dare" from Ellen DeGeneres. Ellen asked the moms-to-be to get jiggy behind an unsuspecting passerby.

Want an amazing family vacation? Plan a trip to one of these 10 must-see destinations. Get there while your little ones are still little (or at least before they're out of the nest altogether!).

A year ago, baby was just a teeny, gurgling nugget. Now, he's a crawling, maybe walking, little munchkin who's ready for his first taste of cake! What to make for this milstone? Check out these adorable first birthday cakes -- ones to be smashed, and others to be enjoyed by an adult crowd of doting relatives.

You're a new, nursing mama, and suddenly your boobs are baby's business. But as you've probably heard -- or experienced firsthand already -- breastfeeding isn't always easy. Here, 10 products that we think every breastfeeding mom should have in her arsenal. (Pssst: Mama-to-be: Put these items on your registry!)

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon said they were going to do "something special and something unique" for the first birthday of their twins Monroe and Moroccan. They did.

Last month we learned that Katherine Heigl and hubby Josh Kelley added to their family by adopting a second baby girl. Now, we've learned the name: It's Adalaide Marie Hope, according to People.

Read more at this website...

05/16/2012
Nursery Companies: Stop Making Deadly Crib Bumpers!

We realize that crib bumpers are a sweet design complement to cute sheets and curtains, but they can be deadly. So deadly that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), an organization of 60,000 pediatricians, unequivocally states that "bumper pads should not be used in cribs." So why do many major retailers from Pottery Barn to Land of Nod continue to sell them?

Read more at this website...

05/15/2012
See Jessica Simpson's New Maternity Line. It's Cute!

Jessica Simpson just barely gave birth to daughter Maxwell Drew, but she's already announced her next baby. This fall, the Fashion Star will launch a maternity line with Destination Maternity, joining Heidi Klum and Rosie Pope who have also designed collections for the pregnancy clothing store.

As we all know, thanks to her live tweeting of the birth, Rosie Pope's new baby girl arrived in oh-so-fitting fashion on Mother's Day -- just two days shy of the premiere of the second season of Pregnant in Heels. (Catch the episode at 10/9 central on Bravo tonight!) But Rosie's tweets left out one crucial detail: the baby's name!

Read more at this website...

05/14/2012
WATCH: 3-Year-Old Genius Has to Go Poop on 'TODAY'!

You know how nervous you get when your kid is at the preschool story share, and you sit there biting your nails and praying she won't cry or wet her pants? Now imagine you're up there with her, sitting alongside Natalie Morales while the TODAY show cameras roll and all of America watches.

As my due date fast approaches next month, I have roughly a zillion things running through my head. Making sure I bring the baby's going-home outfit to the hospital? Check. Drafting the email alerting everyone to the big news? Check. Making sure I have my smartphone handy so I can live tweet my birth? Umm, no.

Make room for Mason! The Social Security Administration released its list of top baby names today, and the most surprising thing about this year's top 10 is that the name of Kourtney Kardashian's little cutie -- Mason -- is the only new addition to the top 10. Mason jumped from the number 12 spot in 2010 to number two in 2011.

Read more at this website...

05/11/2012
Shocked by the 'Time' Nursing Cover? Oh, Come On!

Just in time for Mother's Day, TIME magazine has poked a stick at the delicate state of motherhood in America. The current magazine cover features a slender blond mom breastfeeding her 3-year-old child. Next to the cover image is the question: "Are You Mom Enough?"

An Indiana couple took a disturbing road trip when they strapped four kids to the hood of their car in a liquor store parking lot and drove away. Read on for more about this and other bigtime parenting scandals. 

At some point all the puzzles and play-things loose their allure -- and mama has to get a little creative. From colorful balloon breaking to painting with our shoes -- we've found the easiest, cheapest way to keep little hands busy.

Jessica Simpson's nursery for baby Maxwell Drew was featured in this week's issue of People. In true celebrity style she hired a designer -- Rachel Ashwell of Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture -- but the couple apparently had a clear vision of their own in mind, too. Yes, that's right, the couple, meaning even fiancé Eric Johnson had a say in the nursery decor. According to People, he shared her vision and loved nearly every idea she proposed, but he wasn't afraid to voice his opinion.

Read more at this website...

05/11/2012
Links We Love: Snooki's "Surprising" Parenting Skills, Celeb Mommy Moments & More

From Snooki's "surprising" parenting skills to a peak inside Jessica Simpson's new nursery for baby Maxwell, plus the gift moms really want this Mother's Day, don't miss these great parenting links from around the web!

Read more at this website...