Posts tagged: Health + Wellness

So the 4th might not be the most baby-friendly holiday (infants don’t really mix well with beer, sparklers, and sweltering temps) but it can still be lots of fun—so long as your bag is packed right. Check out what Payal Adhikari, MD, a pediatrician with Child & Adolescent Health Associates in Chicago, suggests for a safe and baby-happy celebration. Battle Pesky MosquitosAfter two months of age, the CDC and AAP say it’s safe to put mosquito repellant on your baby—and a really good idea if you’re in a place where...

You’ve probably heard the stats: all it takes are a few bad sunburns in childhood to double a person’s chance of developing skin cancer. But what exactly is in the SPF we’re supposed to slather on our babes (that is, after six months), and which brands offer the safest, most effective ingredients? Read on before you hit the kiddie pool. Babies Under 6 Months: An umbrella, stroller canopy, and lightweight, long-sleeved clothing are your best bet for sun protection if you’ve got a little babe under six months. Doctors recommend...

Bouncing off the walls. It’s pretty much the only way to describe the frenetic energy you might notice in your kiddo after the second, or third, slice of cake at a birthday party. But get this: studies show that there’s actually no link between sugar and hyperactivity in kids, says Chicago-based registered dietician Amanda Baker Lemein, MS, RD. Surprised? You're not alone—most parents assume extra sugar provides kids a quick dose of kooky, but a number of double blind, placebo-controlled studies (the best kind) done over the years haven’t found...

When you’re cruising the grocery store aisle for baby food, it’s almost harder today to find jars and pouches that aren’t organic. But when it comes to getting your little dressed? Totally different story. Loads of babies live in cotton—yet organic cotton makes up less than 1 percent of all cotton grown in the US (despite the boatload of info we’ve got about the benefits of shopping organic, especially for tiny babes.) While cotton sounds super gentle and safe, it’s actually a crop that—unless produced with organic farming—receives a ton...

For plenty of women, growing a bump is anything but blissful—between symptoms like nausea and back pain, crazy hormone activity, and the stress and unknowns of delivery, pregnancy can feel like more of a nailbiter than a nine-month joyride. But for up to 15 percent of women, pregnancy is packaged with full-blown anxiety and depression, says Carly Snyder, MD, a reproductive and perinatal psychiatrist based in NYC. What’s worse: only a third of those women seek help. Why do the majority of those suffering skip treatment, and what kind of...

You’ve heard it before—maternity and paternity policies in the United States are the pits compared to the rest of the world. But this chart from the Pew Research Center, below, spells out just how far we’re lagging behind other developed countries: Ready to move to Estonia—where parents can expect a year and a half of paid leave? Or how about Japan, Norway, or Austria, where new parents can take a year of paid leave as well? If you need a refresher on US paid leave policy, the gist is that—surprise—we...

The epidural’s more popular than ever for pain relief during delivery (71 percent of all expecting mamas get one!) but what should you know before opting in—or out—of that go-to numbing med? Read on. It’s Ok (And Even Advised) to Get It Early To administer an epidural, doctors insert a tiny tube into your lower back, and you’ve got to sit super still for it. (Yep—hard to do when contractions are coming in fast.) So while you may have planned to tough out contractions for as long as possible before...

Feeling wiped? Mom-of-three Anna Rodney hasn’t slept through the night since 2009—the year she started breastfeeding. (Her youngest, two years old, is still nursing and has yet to stop.) We caught up with the Founder of Chicago Family Doulas for an honest take on what it’s like to nurse a five-year-old (in public, to boot), how nursing on demand impacts her daily life, and why she's still making milk, nine years in. Can you take us through a timeline of your breastfeeding journey? I started breastfeeding in 2009 after my...

Postpartum doulas—caregivers trained to ‘mother the mother’ after birth— are becoming a popular solution to those frenzied first few weeks with a newborn. Wondering if they’re worth the investment? Read on. Postpartum traditions around the globe tend to be remarkably more mom-friendly than they are in the US—new moms in Latin American culture, for example, spend the first 40 days after birth healing and resting while her female family members feed and bathe her, clean the house, and take care of the child. In the US, moms often feel the...

“I tell women that whole ‘you can have it all’ — mmm, nope. Not at the same time — that’s a lie. It’s not always enough to lean in, because that s--- doesn’t work.” Michelle Obama’s super candid take on the work/life struggle during her recent book tour resonated deep with employed mamas across the country—perfect balance is, womp womp, a pipe dream. But as more and more high-achieving women search for mom/job harmony, flexible work schedules seem to be a step in the right direction. Whether it’s the option...