• Last updated 5/22/13 by Melanie Mayo

  I remember registering for my first baby before he was born. I went to a giant baby warehouse store with a HUGE corporate list of things that I "needed" for this new little one and obediently registered.   And then he came.   The crib sat in the corner, the swing hung empty, and the tub wouldn't fit in my shower.   Sometimes I think groups of childless men sit around shining wood tables and literally make stuff up that new babies "need" for survival just so that they can make money. Seems like a good idea, but for the first time mom, I think it just... read more

• Last updated 5/10/13 by Cynthia Mosher

    Although every human female is different, there is no doubt that her body is endowed with a unique capacity to breastfeed, should she choose to do so. "The human infant is likewise biologically designed to sleep next to his or her mother’s body and to breastfeed intermittently throughout the night, at least for the first few years of life. In fact, nothing that a human neonate does makes sense except in light of the mother’s body."   This is a collection of new evidence in support of cosleeping and the family bed, and  includes "The Science of Sharing... read more

• Last updated 5/7/13 by Cynthia Mosher

  By Peggy O'Mara Published in Mothering, Issue 141       One of the biggest crises of confidence that new mothers face has to do with sleep. Mothers feel responsible for their babies' sleep. Others ask mothers if their babies are sleeping through the night, as if this is something the mothers can control. Mothers lie to one another about whether or not their infants sleep through the night. And everyone lies about not bringing their babies into bed with them.   We lie because our society has unrealistic expectations of babies, and therefore we have... read more

• Last updated 5/7/13 by Cynthia Mosher

Mothering launched the International Breastfeeding Symbol contest and received an overwhelming number of responses - all beautiful graphic expressions of mother and child and the nursing bond. Here we share photos of the winning symbol in use sent to us by readers who have captured it in all over the nation and world. Download a copy of the icon. Read the winning symbol story.   Magnet from Seton Center for Women & Infants' Health "We give [the magnets] to breastfeeding moms when they are in the hospital to put on the door frame of their room to... read more

• Last updated 5/3/13 by JenniO11

brought to us by Mothering sponsor Boba   Thoughtful Design Bests Babywearing Challenges It’s no secret that babywearing is the most natural choice for baby’s physical, emotional, and social development—but that doesn’t mean it always comes naturally. When choosing a baby carrier, it’s important to understand what growing babies need and how you can best support them.    Unfortunately, some baby carrier manufacturers have not thought through babies physiological development, and their poor designs can have unintended consequences. Luckily, carriers like... read more

• Last updated 5/2/13 by AdinaL

Please post an introduction about yourself, a suggestion of things to include would be..... * EDD: (feel free to use 1st or 2nd half if you prefer) * Name: (whatever you would like to be called or like us to know) * Age: * Location: * How long it took to you to get your BFP: * What number child is this for you: * Family (partner, other children, and/or furbabies): * Baby's gender (hopes or guesses): * Names you like (& are willing to share): * Birth plans/preferences: * Blog, website or the like: * Anything else you'd like to share: I will compile the... read more

• Last updated 5/2/13 by Cynthia Mosher

  Looking for information about cosleeping? We've got a great list here for you!    Click here for a list of Mothering Magazine on-line articles about co-sleeping, the Family Bed and related topics. Get started with this great article by Mothering's founder: Sleeping With Your Baby by Peggy O'Mara   Basic Instinct A dad can do so much more than defend the cave. New research shows that he too has the biological goods to nurture baby http://www.todaysparent.com/lifeaspa...1225399&page=1 Children Need Touching and Attention, Harvard... read more

• Last updated 5/2/13 by AdinaL

Adoptive Breastfeeding, Relactation, Induced Lactation, A Special Gift: Breastfeeding an Adopted Baby Breastfeeding an Adopted Baby and Relactation (La Leche League International Book) Thread prepared by Cathmac on MDC Stimulating Breastmilk Production Breastfeeding your Adopted Baby Adoptive Breastfeeding Notes from "Induced Lactation and Adoptive Nursing" Adoptive Breastfeeding: Nursing Max Allergies Please See the Allergy Forum on MDC Allergies and the Breastfeeding Family Dairy and other Food Sensitivities in Breastfed... read more

• Last updated 4/26/13 by Marcy Axness

We tend to throw around the word “attachment” a lot when talking about kids and parenting, so let’s make sure we’re all talking about the same thing: attachment is a measure of the security of relationship between a child and those one or two or three adults with whom that child is in consistent contact. We now recognize that healthy (secure) attachment is a fundamental form of nourishment for a child’s growing brain. In particular, attachment fosters rich circuitry in the area of the brain that mediates social and emotional functioning. A parent's ability to be... read more

• Last updated 4/10/13 by Melanie Mayo

By Lindsay Evans "I'll definitely give them a try." Before the birth of my daughter, that was my tentative answer to questions from friends and family about cloth diapers. In my head, I was weighing the stereotypical cloth-diaper routine of pins and plastic pants, smelly diaper pails, and red bottoms against the carefree ease of disposable diapers. I was familiar with the environmental problems caused by disposables, but did this first-time mother really want yet another hassle? In the first two months after Amelia was born, I didn't. Albeit with a slightly... read more