The diet of a breastfeeding mother is just as important as it was during pregnancy. While nursing, it's important for the mother to have essential nutrients and calories to maintain her energy level in order to properly care for her new baby....
According to the March of Dimes, teens made up 10 percent of all women giving birth in 2007. Unfortunately, teenage pregnancy carries risks for both mother and baby. Some of the risk comes in the form of lifestyle choices, since teens are more...
The only food your baby needs for the first six months of life is breast milk, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. You should continue feeding your baby breast milk for a year or for as long as both mother and baby desire. Always...
Some mothers start planning their children's college educations while they're in the womb, while others have difficulty simply remembering to take their prenatal vitamins. In most cases, both mothers end up with healthy babies. There's no...
Pregnancy is an exciting phase in a woman’s life. While some of you may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue, mood swings and weight gain during pregnancy, which may undermine your excitement, what matters at the end of the...
Breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed a young baby, according to Dr. Bill Sears, pediatrician and professor at University of California at Irvine. He states that breast milk contains enzymes and anti-viral agent that help to reduce a...
Midwives have cared for women during childbirth for thousands of years. The meaning of the word midwife is "with woman," and the midwife's role is to offer supportive care to the expectant mother. In general, midwives use fewer interventions than...
Every pregnancy carries its share of risks, such as miscarriage, tubal pregnancy, and premature birth. In some cases, pregnancy poses danger for both the mother and fetus; these are high risk pregnancies, as the National Institutes of Health...
The first year of a baby's life is one of rapid growth and development. Therefore, nutrition is especially important for a newborn. For the most part, both breastfeeding provides a baby with all the nutrition she needs, as well as providing your...
Facing a pregnancy can be frightening for any teenager. There are a lot of unexpected issues the teen will face as she makes decisions that will affect her and her unborn child. Pregnant teens not only need to prepare for a lifestyle with baby,...
Cerebral palsy (CP) is caused by brain damage that occurs prior to, during or shortly after the birth of a child. As the location and extent of the brain damage varies tremendously, so do the symptoms that result from it. In general, however,...
Breastfeeding mothers commit themselves to making their babies as healthy as possible. They give their time and even avoid some foods to make sure their babies are the healthiest possible, which involves breastfeeding. From time to time, however,...
Most parents are aware that breastfed babies receive numerous benefits from their mother's milk. Most breastfed babies, however, also tend to gain weight more slowly than their formula-fed peers. They may rank in lower height and weight...
Taking prenatal vitamins has benefits even before a woman gets pregnant. Although a healthy diet can supply the majority of a woman's vitamin and mineral needs during childbearing years, the diets of many women lack valuable nutrients. Because...
Getting at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week applies still applies when you're pregnant, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. One of the biggest benefits of exercise is that it can make you more...
Baby food has long been a substance that sustains children beyond breast milk. Infants not yet old enough to tolerate full adult foods need their own food to help them grow. In the early 20th century, commercially marketed products became...
Establishing an attachment between an infant and his mother forms a crucial element of the baby’s development, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says. The term “infant-mother attachment” simply means forming a...
Pregnancy lasts approximately 266 days from conception. A due date of 40 weeks from the first day of the last period is not exact. Kick counts and other tests can assess fetal well-being to see if it is safe to wait for natural labor to begin....
Many new mothers worry what to eat to produce nutritious milk for their babies. Infants, like older children and adults, require certain amounts of nutrients to stay healthy. Babies that breastfeed depend on their mothers' milk to supply all the...
During pregnancy, your developing baby is exposed to anything that you put in your body--whether that is healthy food and water or drugs and alcohol. Substance abuse during pregnancy can severely affect the health of your developing baby. The...
Prenatal vitamins all seek to accomplish one goal -- a healthy pregnancy that results in a healthy baby and mother. Different types of prescription prenatal vitamins can help make the supplements not only palatable, but manageable given the...
When a woman is pregnant and obese, both she and her baby face risks for medical problems, some of which can be life-threatening. Developing healthy eating habits and working toward a healthy weight are critical to ensuring the best possible...
No matter how carefully a woman watches what she eats during her pregnancy, a few stubborn pounds often remain after she gives birth. For women who are nursing, and who want to shed those extra pounds, Weight Watchers offers a modification to its...
Ensuring a baby's healthy weight is important in preventing adverse health conditions. To prevent low birth weight, a proper diet must be followed to get vital nutrients to both mother and child.
Kids bite their nails for a number of reasons: because they're stressed, because they are bored or sometimes because it provides an escape from a scary situation. Whatever the reason, nail biting is not only unsightly but it can also cause...
By attending to nutritional needs, a breastfeeding mother helps ensure a healthy, happy baby and a rewarding experience for both of them. Mothers need a well-balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and foods rich in calcium and...
The most natural way to feed a baby is breastfeeding. Healthy mothers can provide their baby with all the nutrients needed in the right amounts. Meeting the food demands of a nursing infant can be a challenging, but rewarding experience. In order...
It is important for a woman to gain weight during a pregnancy. The extra weight provides nourishment for the growing baby, as well as for breastfeeding after the child is born. There are several contributing factors to weight gain during...
One of the most important factors for having a healthy baby is being a healthy mother. If you are planning on becoming pregnant, you should take steps to be as healthy as possible before conceiving. Women who are obese have an increased risk of...
