Posts

Skin also tends to darken during pregnancy, although the cause for this is unknown. One possible explanation is the increased levels of estrogen and melanocyte-stimulating hormone, which stimulate skin pigmentation. Many creams, lotions, and oils have been marketed for the prevention or treatment of stretch marks but none has been proven to work. Studies have shown that some creams containing ingredients such as vitamin E, elastin, collagen-elastin hydrolysates, and menthol can reduce the development of stretch marks; but other trials have shown that creams containing vitamin E had no effect....

Before Breakfast “Where’s Papa going with that ax?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast. “Out to the hoghouse,” replied Mrs. Arable. “Some pigs were born last night.” “I don’t see why he needs an ax,” continued Fern, who was only eight. “Well,” said her mother, “one of the pigs is a runt. It’s very small and weak, and it will never amount to anything....

When someone becomes a foster parent or adopts a child, they are often put into a position to manage difficult behaviors. The children in the foster care system have usually endured abuse and neglect and often express their feelings through behavior. Some internationally adopted children may display similar behaviors due to living in an orphanage. Here are a few child discipline ideas that helped numerous foster and adoptive families....

Even though your child’s pediatrician will measure your child’s BMI as part of their annual physical exam, this measurement does not paint a complete picture of your child’s health. As the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states: “A child’s BMI is a valuable screening tool, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle to finding out if a child is at a healthy weight.” BMI takes weight, height, and age into account, but many other factors play a role in body mass, including genetics and metabolism....

Figure Out Your Academic Profile College is about more than just academics, but taking classes, doing well, and learning is a significant chunk of what you’ll be doing. And you want to make sure that you go to a college that challenges you without being overwhelming. When the admissions officers read through your application, they’ll also be thinking about this and will be trying to figure out how well you’ll be matched up with the college’s academic profile....

Even though the court gave both you and your ex the right to spend time with your kiddo, sometimes just don’t want to stay with the noncustodial parent. When you’re the parent who is losing together-time, this situation can feel much more than messy. Before anyone starts playing the blame game of divorced parents or you give up and give in, check out what you need to know about noncustodial parent visitation, healthy relationships, and how to co-parent your way through this potentially rocky road in an amicable way....

Apnea of Prematurity Because the pathways between their lungs and brains are not fully developed, premature babies are at high risk for apnea, periods when breathing briefly stops. Apnea occurs in 85% of babies born at 30 weeks and 20% of babies born at 34 weeks. Apnea may come with periods of bradycardia (or “bradys”) when heart rate slows down. Stimulation, either with touch or by an automated device, usually helps the baby start breathing again, and monitors make sure that episodes are caught right away....

Considering Your Child’s Contribution You need to think about how much you want your child to contribute to the financial aspects of her education. If you are going to handle the whole tuition cost, make sure that you nonetheless provide parameters that will eventually help your child achieve financial independence. One of the biggest mistakes a parent can make is to do everything for a child, and then throw her out of the nest without any experience of financial responsibility....

Where Do I Fit In? Your teen is most worried about belonging – finding a group of like-minded peers who will accept him and call him their friend. These safe havens come in many forms: sports teams, clubs, extracurricular activities, and friendship circles. As you might recall from your own high-school days, every student body is fractured into distinct cliques – jocks, geeks, nerds, goths, preps – and while the labels may change with the times, the pressure to fit in seems eternal....

Meaning “maiden” or “daughter,” Cora (or Kore), is a name found in classical Greek mythology referring to Persephone. She was the goddess of Spring, and the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, who was the goddess of agriculture. As the wife of Hades and the queen of the underworld, Cora used the name Persephone. How Popular Is the Name Cora? The name Cora has been in use in the U.S. since the 1800s....

Chris, my youngest, will wake first, trundle downstairs in his boxershorts, pee, and scratch himself, wondering what to do in the quiet house.His first instinct will be to go to the family room and turn on the TV.But there it will be: Daddy's homemade sign, taped to the set. No TV today. Sunny Day Rule. Dad.He'll grumble and look around. And for a few minutes, he won't know whatto do with himself....

We decided the best first step was to take the training classes and go from there. Several months later, we were so nervous when we drove our first foster child home, but we knew we had taken stock of our skills and limitations and decided that we were ready to become foster parents. Questions to Ask Yourself After gathering information from your state’s foster care agency, ask yourself the following questions:...

What Is an Ectopic Pregnancy? An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus. More than 90% of ectopic pregnancies implant in the fallopian tube. For this reason, ectopic pregnancy is also sometimes referred to as a tubal pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancies occur in 1% to 2% of all pregnancies. When an ectopic pregnancy develops undetected for too long, it can become life-threatening for the pregnant person. The main risk is that the fallopian tube can rupture, which can cause severe internal bleeding....

Taking Time for Time Out When a toddler reaches the age of two or older and has language skills, you can use disciplinary techniques like time out. In this technique, you tell your errant child that he or she is in time out and has to sit in a certain place for a certain period of time. You use a timer and keep the time-out period short—it’s intended as a cool-down period, not as a punishment....

How Do Pregnancy Tests Work? Home pregnancy tests that you can buy from the supermarket (such as a strip test or digital test) measure the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in your urine. Your body begins making this hormone after an implantation. The tests tell you whether HCG is present in your body. Your body only makes HCG when you are pregnant, so even the faintest line indicates a positive result....

But scientists still know little about why some couples have identical twins and others do not. They do, however, know a little more about fraternal (non-identical) twins and the likelihood of them running in families. Here’s a closer look at what researchers know about twins, specifically fraternal twins. Overview To better understand the factors contributing to twinning, it’s important to know the difference between identical twins and fraternal twins. Monozygotic (MZ) twins, which are better known as identical twins, occur when a single egg is fertilized by a single sperm cell....

However, most electrical fires are caused by problems with fixed wiring. Often, it’s because the renovation adds an additional burden to existing electrical systems, and they can’t handle it. Goings-On Behind the Walls Because electrical wiring is usually hidden inside walls, it’s easy to not give it much thought. This oversight can and does lead to problems. According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly 40,000 housefires and 350 deaths in the United States every year are caused by faulty home wiring and other electrical equipment such as plugs, lighting, and extension cords....