When planning a nursery, one of the most important pieces of furniture new parents will invest in is a crib. Selecting something that will create a safe sleep environment, look attractive in the space, and be durable enough to withstand at least a few years’ worth of use can feel daunting at first. The options can seem truly unending. Convertible cribs—models that can be converted to transition for multiple uses, from toddler beds to full-size headboards—are popular choices for many parents....

In recent years, a handful of scientists have suggested that the mutation could explain why certain women have recurrent miscarriages. While the theory is far from conclusive, it does highlight the role that genetics may play in otherwise unexplained pregnancy loss. Explaining the MTHFR Mutation The MTHFR mutation is an anomaly, or “mistake,” in a person’s genetic code that interferes with the body’s ability to produce the MTHFR enzyme. This enzyme is needed to change folate into its active form in the body....

Keep your trips to a minimum, and when you do go out, make your trips short and sweet so you’ll be home in time to go potty in a familiar place when the urge comes up again. However, this is really avoiding the problem of public restrooms instead of trying to solve it. This may be necessary if the problem is severe and causing your child to refuse to go to the potty at all....

Camp is for the children of wealthy parents; I can’t afford it. Actually, there are a number of financial options for kids who wish to attend overnight summer camp. Scholarships and discounts for families that qualify are typically offered by private camps, and numerous nonprofit organizations exist to provide all children with an opportunity to spend some time at summer camp. The U.S. government also cushions the cost with certain financial and tax benefits for day-camp attendees....

By around 18 months, however, your toddler will probably begin to phase out one of the naps. Your child will no longer seem ready to settle down for a morning nap at, say, ten o’clock. But he certainly won’t make it all the way to his usual afternoon nap at, say, three o’clock either. Nor will your toddler make it all the way from the end of his morning nap until bedtime....

5 to 10 minutes Materials Food toppings like grated cheese, yogurt, raisins, popcorn, salsa, or guacamole Directions Try broadening your finicky child’s menu while aiding good choices by offering familiar toppings to new or less desirable foods. For example, your child might choose to sprinkle popcorn onto vegetable or pea soup or coconut onto squash. Extensions Let your child go through the refrigerator to find favorite toppings, being careful to remain nonjudgmental about any unusual combinations....

If you are interested in stars, planets, and constellations, an observatory or planetarium is the place to go. An observatory is a tall, dome-shaped building specially built to observe the night sky through large telescopes. Reservations are usually necessary to tour the facility and to look at the stars. The hours change according to the season and available daylight. Once you are inside, a tour guide will explain the different kinds of telescopes and answer your questions about astronomy....

Students are typically evaluated by a healthcare professional to determine if they have an orthopedic impairment that will interfere with their academic progress. Medical professionals may also observe the child in the classroom to get a sense of potential problems the student will face. Orthopedic Impairment Children may be born with an orthopedic impairment or they may acquire it at some point in life. Hereditary, congenital, and environmental factors can play a role in causing orthopedic impairments that affect the normal functioning of the bones, joints, or muscles....

Foremilk When you place your baby on your breast to start breastfeeding, they begin to drink foremilk. As your baby nurses, the low-fat foremilk slowly changes over to high-fat, high-calorie breast milk called hindmilk. Then, when your baby stops breastfeeding on the first side and you switch to the other breast, your baby once again starts drinking foremilk. The amount of hindmilk your baby gets on the second side depends on how long your baby nurses on that side....

What Does Lactoferrin Do? Lactoferrin has many functions. Its main role is to bind with and transport iron in the body. But, another important function is to fight off the germs that cause bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections. Since some types of bacteria need to iron to grow and thrive, lactoferrin can prevent the growth of these bacteria by attaching itself to the extra iron in the body and preventing it from feeding the bad bacteria....

Lateral Job Shift! You have influence but no control over your children. This is even more true for adolescents. Michael Riera, author of Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers, says that during your child’s early life, you are the manager. As the parent of an adolescent, it’s time to shift your role, from manager to consultant. As a consultant, your job is a lot more hands off. Back off on the “shoulds” and the “shouldn’ts” (before you step over a cliff)....

Half ’n’ Halfer Many times, divorcing parents have their children spend equal time in each house. In some ways, this is the fairest and most reasonable approach, both for the parents and the kids. But in other ways, it’s more stressful for the kids, especially if they are shifting houses every week or more than once a week. When kids have two houses all the time, they can begin to feel like nomads, never quite sure of where they are or where they belong: “If this is Thursday, this must be Mom’s house....

But what exactly is PCOS, and what are the symptoms of PCOS? How common is this condition, and what complications can it cause for things like ovulation, childbearing, and other aspects of women’s health and pregnancy? In this article, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about polycystic ovarian syndrome, including the risk factors to look out for, how to get a diagnosis, access to treatment, and how it might affect fertility and pregnancy....

Swaddled newborn Photo Source: Flickr/Olaf Gradin The Nose Knows Under normal circumstances, our dog has the best sense of smell in the house. Enter pregnancy. My wife once asked me to empty the kitchen trash as the smell of it was making her queasy. The kicker is that our kitchen is on the first floor of the house. We were on the second floor when she made that request. I glanced at her sideways with a “you can seriously smell the kitchen trash from up here?...

Age group: 18-40 months Duration of activity: 20 minutes Materials: Food coloring Paper plate This is a great way for your child to observe how water reacts with other materials. Your child will also be able to experiment with mixing colors. This activity is only appropriate if your child will not be upset when the painting is altered.

Turns and Axels There are so many ways in which you can foster your girl’s interest in dance steps or skates, whether they’re meant for an ice rink or a skate park. Classes abound in ballet, jazz, rhythm, tap, modern dance, and all forms of skating. The great thing about getting your girl involved in these activities is that they increase her flexibility, poise, and gracefulness. Her body, and her self-confidence, benefit greatly as well....

There are several benefits to delaying the baby’s first bath, and you may reconsider when you would like it to happen after learning about the advantages of waiting. (Much of the research on bathing newborns is related to the preterm or low birth weight baby.) Babies Are Born With a Natural Skin Protectant In utero, babies are protected from their watery environment by a special substance called vernix, found on their skin....