Parenting success relies on understanding developmental benchmarks, managing maternal health during and after pregnancy, and implementing effective behavioral strategies for toddlers and teenagers.
Mothers-to-be expect a growing belly as their pregnancy progresses, but their new chubby cheeks might be an unwelcome surprise. As women enter their third trimester, edema, or swelling, is common, and it can affect every area from the cheeks down to the ankles.
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Mothers are likely expect to experience some side effects related to breastfeeding themselves, from sore nipples to plugged ducts. However, babies can also face side effects as well, including blisters on their lips caused by breastfeeding.
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By the end of your third trimester, the physical discomfort of pregnancy is taking its toll, and the anticipation of labor and delivery is building. The last thing you might want to do at this point in your pregnancy is walk, but walking has several benefits.
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When you decide it is time to stop breastfeeding your baby or toddler, your body begins to stop producing milk. This process does not happen overnight, however. Instead, as your child nurses less frequently -- and then stops -- your milk production slows down.
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You are still enjoying your new baby -- and the sleepless nights that come with her -- but you have that itch to have another baby already. Giving your body proper time to heal is important before getting pregnant again, but your personal circumstances dictate when you should try for the next baby.
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As a new parent, you might have prepared yourself for a lack of sleep when your baby arrived. While you likely aren't well rested, you might find that your baby sleeps more than you expected. Babies don't sleep for long intervals, but they do sleep often. Newborns often sleep from 14 to 18 hours a day.
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Nausea is a common pregnancy symptom during the first trimester, but as you enter the fourth month of your pregnancy and the second trimester, you probably hope to say goodbye to nausea. However, that is not always the case.
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You just found out you are pregnant, but now you're experiencing symptoms that leave you concerned, such as backache and cramping. You might fear that these common PMS symptoms might signal a problem with your pregnancy and the early stages of a miscarriage.
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Feeling your baby move is one of the highlights of pregnancy, and this movement changes throughout your nine months. The first signs of movement during your second trimester feel like flutters. By the third trimester, you are feeling kicks and punches, some of which you can even see from the outside.
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During your second trimester, those first flutters of your baby's movement were special. They created a bond between you and your baby, and it was her way of telling you she was OK in there.
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