Many parents introduce iron-fortified cereal early on in the weaning process. While it’s true that iron is super important for babies, meat also contains plenty of iron. “Meat is a good source of protein and nutrients, including iron, for your baby,” says Preeti Parikh, MD, a board-certified, practicing pediatrician in New York City and executive medical director at GoodRx. You can safely feed your baby most kinds of unprocessed meat as soon as they are ready for solids....

This simply means that their first set of teeth is about to start peeking through their gums. On average, this happens between the ages of 4 months and 1 year. Here are a couple of things you should know about how the teething process should go for you and your baby. When Will Your Baby Start Teething? Your baby is most likely to get their first tooth some time between 6 months old and their first birthday....

Seven or eight hours a day is a sizeable chunk of time for another set of eyes to observe children in a wide range of activities. And, unlike families who usually have only one child of a given age, teachers are experts on all students of that age. Behaviors that may seem merely annoying at home may send up red flags at school. In the case of a seasoned professional, the child is also “seen” in relation to a caseload of thousands of predecessors....

Despite the celebrity endorsements in recent years, doulas are far from a new phenomenon. In fact, all ancient societies had their own version of a doula—typically a person who already had their own children and would support other pregnant individuals during labor. If you’re thinking about hiring a doula, here’s the lowdown from those who know exactly what’s involved. What Do Doulas Do? If the midwife or OB/GYN is the baby catcher, the doula is the birth champion....

More: Will My Child Be Athletic? A Genetic Explanation What is my child interested in? Does she want to stick with one sport, or participate in several seasonal ones? What can I afford in time, money, and commitment? What is the coach’s philosophy? Do we share the same values and beliefs about sports? Does this coach enjoy working with athletes at my child’s level? Do all the kids in the program appear to be having fun?...

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Now, what’s followed has been a very public divorce and custody battle over their six children — Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne —with accusations of child abuse, domestic violence, and public smear campaigns. While we can’t know what actually transpired in the Jolie-Pitt family, we can consider the complex issue of domestic violence and how this kind of public divorce battle can negatively impact children. What are Angelina Jolie’s current accusations against Brad Pitt?...

Here are 5 reasons you should not post that fake pregnancy announcement. Your joke is going to be very, very painful for them. Odds are—because most people dealing with infertility or experiencing early miscarriage keep it a secret—you won’t even know who these friends are. Baby pictures, ultrasound scans, and pregnancy announcements… these kinds of Facebook posts bring a heaviness in the chest that you just cannot understand unless you’ve experienced it....

There are reports from the Journal of the American Medical Association that warn specifically against parents using newer “smart” baby monitors that sync to their smartphone, to warn if their baby stops breathing. What’s the danger in these options? How Do Wearable Baby Monitors Work? Wearable baby monitors are designed to monitor a baby’s heart rate and breathing and alert parents or caregivers if their baby stops breathing. For example, the Owlet sock monitor and other options are pulse saturation technology, similar to what you would find in a hospital....

Whether this is a real concern of yours—because you want it to be clear you’re pregnant, for example—or you’re simply curious, the answer is: it’s hard to say. Everyone is different and unless you’ve been pregnant before only time will tell how your body will change as your condition progresses. One thing that is for sure is that you’re not alone: Women of every size often wonder when their pregnancy will show....

How will your relationships with them change? After you adopt a child, you’ll have to make some major shifts in your relationships with your parents and friends. You’ll learn that parents must (usually) put their children ahead of other people outside the immediate family. Will you need and want their help with the adoption, or should they try to step back and wait until you ask? Most people assume that a woman who has just given birth needs plenty of extra help because she is so exhausted from the childbirth....

History of Childbirth Hospital Stays The length of hospital stays for mothers and their newborns declined steadily from the 1970s until the 1990s. Many hospitals implemented early newborn discharge policies in the 1990s and most mothers were discharged 24 hours after delivery. By 1996, most states and the U.S. Congress passed laws to ensure a woman could stay in the hospital 48 hours after an uncomplicated vaginal birth and 96 hours after an uncomplicated cesarean section....

Questions run through your mind about how to tell your boss and your coworkers. You wonder if they will share in your excitement or feel resentful and burdened by your changing needs. In addition, you will have questions about how to plan your maternity leave as well as answer the uncomfortable questions. The good thing is, you have nine months to get things in place. Before you run to the office to share your good news, take some time to learn about what your rights are as a pregnant employee....

If one side reneges on the agreement, the other may be able to take the matter to court, depending on which state the parties live in. However, in most cases, the contracts do not appear to be enforceable. But parties should be encouraged to act in good faith. In a confidential adoption, neither the adopter nor the birthparents know each other, nor do they ever meet. Instead, all the arrangements and paperwork occur through a middleman, usually an adoption agency or an attorney....

Despite this fact, the special education staff usually won’t inform you of the issues. Although there could be any number of reasons why they keep these opinions to themselves, here are some of the most common: Believe you won’t listen to them Fear the advocate will use their words against themSee you as unapproachable once an advocate is involved Make sure they are familiar with state and federal laws pertaining to special education as well as the policies and procedures in your school district....

If you’re expecting twins, don’t skip your prenatals. In fact, you might need to take higher levels of folic acid. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water and make sure you eat enough nutritious foods. Go easy on yourself and always reach out to your healthcare provider if anything feels off. Here are ten things to avoid doing while pregnant with twins or multiples. While it is a great time to implement a healthy approach to eating, it is not a good idea to start a diet or restrict your food intake in any way....