Yesterday, I took my five-year-old for a back-to-school haircut. She'd decided she'd had enough of her long, straight hair and wanted a chin length bob. At home it seemed like a good idea, but when the stylist lifted her scissors to cut off that first length of hair, I nearly had to hang on to the counter to stop myself from snatching her back out of that chair.
That's pretty close to how I feel about the upcoming first day of kindergarten. It's not about the hair, of course, it's about the letting go and letting her grow up. Kindergarten is a huge milestone, but part of me wants to scoop her up and tell the world, "You can't have her yet. She's still all mine."
NYMetroParents has some good advice for parents facing that first day of kindergarten, two that especially stick out for me. The first is that, no matter how ambivalent I might be feeling about school starting next week, my game face is always on for my daughter. We talk frequently about how much fun it's going to be, how exciting it is to start "big girl school," how it'll be great to see her preschool friends again and make new friends as well. Though I'm watching her closely for signs of anxiety or nerves, I keep my personal angst to myself.
Ghazala Khamis made history last week when she gave birth to seven apparently healthy babies via c-section, making her only the second mother ever to successfully give birth to septuplets. The children, four girls and three boys, all appear to be doing well and range in weight from 2 pounds to 4 pounds. Khamis recently told the media that she has only seen her children via TV, but that she intends to try and breastfeed them all. (Can you even imagine? Newborns feed up to 12 times a day. Twelve multiplied by seven equals... when do you go to the bathroom?)
Khamis and her farmer husband, who earns only £2 a day, one or two days per week, underwent IVF to conceive the children, in a desperate attempt to have a son. The couple are already parents to three daughters. Now that the babies are here, family members are concerned about how they'll care for them. The government has pledged free diapers and milk for two years, but what the family really needs, says Khamis's brother, is a home.
When I was in labor with our second (and last) child, I teased my husband that if he wanted a son, he was on his own, because two times through labor was enough for me. He reassured me that he was perfectly happy with his mini-brood of two girls. The pressure that women must feel in cultures that revere sons over daughters must be extraordinary. Khamis can breathe easy now that she has three sons, but the risks she had to take to get there had to be overwhelming, as their life will likely be from here on out.
Poland thinks that they have the answer to their declining population problem, a controversial "baby house" where 37 young women live, prepared to provide babies for infertile couples. Authorities say that 1.5 million couples in Poland are unable to have children, but for 11,000 pounds (about $21,000 U.S.), women at the baby house -- who are screened for health problems and who pledge not to drink or smoke -- will have one for them.
Though it's not entirely clear from reading this article, it appears that these women are not gestational carriers, or women who carry a baby who is not biologically related to them. They are surrogates in the truest sense of the word, carrying their biological children, then giving them up for adoption. This, I think, is one of the most controversial parts of this "baby factory" idea. What if the women change their mind during the pregnancy or after the baby is born? What if they aren't prepared for the emotional part of relinquishing a baby?
The center requires parents to adopt the babies immediately after birth, regardless of whether the child is healthy or not. This may prevent them from being embroiled in a situation like the recent surrogate custody issue in India, but even so, this seems to be a solution that might create more problems than it solves. What do you think?
Matt McConaughey's bongo drums aren't just for show; the man is earthy and he's not afraid to show it. His costars have to learn to put up with his "natural scent," since he refuses to wear deodorant. And after the birth of his son Levi in July, he saved the placenta to plant at a later date.
"It's going to be in the orchards," he told CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta, "And it's going to bear some wonderful fruit." The new dad apparently got the idea from a trip to Australia, where he met a tribe who had a placenta tree where all new babies' placentas are buried.
Honestly, I don't care what people do with their children's placentas. But don't Matt and Levi's mom, Camila Alves live in a motorhome? Where do they keep that thing -- next to the frozen breastmilk in the freezer? I can't be sure, but I'm guessing sharing a home and parenthood with Matthew means never having a dull moment.
My five-year-old can't wait to go school shopping and drools over the markers, novelty erasers, and pencil boxes each time we go shopping. Now is a good time, with stores pricing things low for the back-to-school season.
But if you're trying to be a little more frugal this year or just like to make use of household items you already have of hand, Reader's Digest has a few suggestions for homemade school supplies. Some of them are a little nonsensical -- making index cards out of paper plates, for one. A pack of paper plates would cost you more than a pack of index cards right now, but the tip might be handy on a Sunday night when your tween announces he needs them for school the next day.
Others, like three-hole punching a ziploc bag and putting it into your child's three-ring binder to hold pencils and erasers might just work. And if you're a recycling family, there are a lot of other unusual uses for household goods that might otherwise be thrown away.
I think we can all agree that hospital gowns are horrible. They're shapeless, come in terrible colors, and open in the back, forcing you to either wear two gowns or a bathrobe to keep your backside to yourself. During labor and delivery, I felt like I kept getting tangled up in the yards of fabric. And don't get me started on the two-tie system on the neck.
But there's a reason that women give birth in hospital gowns. For one, they're all access. For another, childbirth can be messy and who wants to be concerned about ruining a favorite gown in the middle of pushing out a baby?
The Dar-a-luz challenges the notion that we all need to have our babies in shapeless shifts, however. The "birthing dress," which sells for $98, is made from organic cotton and comes in violet or steel blue. I have to admit, it's pretty cute and looks very comfy. Its sleeveless style is sure to keep a laboring mom cool and would make for easy nursing. I'm not the kind of women who spends $100 on a dress like this, but if I was, I'd save it for lounging around in after the baby was born and I wanted some decent family pictures!
What about you? Would you buy a special gown or birthing dress for giving birth?
When Leo and Kelley Durant lost one of their twins after a premature delivery, they could have easily and understandably turned inward and focused only on raising Cameron, their surviving son. But instead, Kelley wanted to do something in honor of her daughter, Ressa. So she started pumping her extra breast milk and donating it to a local milk bank.
Kelley just dropped off her last delivery of donated milk, which put her total amount donated at an unsurpassed 100 gallons, enough to feed a baby for 17 months. Kelley said that she wanted to do it to help babies who are born prematurely or who are sick, and that she hopes to be able to donate again in the future.
Any mom who has had the pleasure to be acquainted with a breast pump will understand exactly how big of a sacrifice Kelley, especially, and her family have made. What a wonderful way to honor her daughter. Women who are interested in donating their breast milk can do so through international organizations such as Give Milk, or domestically through a local milk bank.
Unlike other celebrity parents with new babies, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have chosen not to sell pictures of their new daughter, Sunday Rose. In fact, they would prefer that the paparazzi not photograph her at all, and are asking for a little space while they spend time in Kidman's native Sydney. The couple used decoy cars and kept Sunday under wraps when they arrived in Australia recently.
"She's like a doll," Kidman told a Sydney radio station, "She's like a little, little thing. Just (don't photograph) right in her face or in our faces, because it's scary for her."
I remember when my girls were born that flash photography made them flinch, and I was constantly telling my husband to STOP TAKING PICTURES. (Thank goodness he didn't listen, or I wouldn't have any photo memories of those early days). I can't imagine what it would feel like if strangers were constantly jumping into our faces to snap photos and making my baby cry. New motherhood gives you that mama bear feeling, and Nicole is obviously very protective. Hopefully, the paps will give them the space they're looking for. I'm sure Sunday Rose is a gorgeous baby, but really, is it that important that we all get a glimpse of her?
(Click the photo for more Shocking Parenting Screw-ups)
Most parents try to protect their children from criminal activity, but in a brazen attempt to burglarize an apartment while its tenants were still at home, two pregnant women put one of the women's toddlers right in the middle of the crime... and then abandoned him.
A 20-year-old woman and a pregnant teen climbed into the bedroom window of an apartment, with the two-year-old in tow. When the apartment's residents confronted the women, they fled, leaving the child behind. The women are now being charged with robbery and larceny, but the 20-year-old mother will face child abuse charges as well.
For the sake of this poor little boy, as well as the sibling that will be born in a few months, I hope these moms find the help they need to get back on track. Two-year-olds belong on a swing set, not a crime scene.
Last May, while denying pregnancy rumors, Posh Spice shared that she and husband David Beckham would like to add to their brood of three young boys: "... We would love another baby, but right now the boys are still really young. Cruz is only three, and David and I would like to enjoy them for a while."
But some sources are saying that the Beckhams recently received the difficult news that a fourth pregnancy would be dangerous for Victoria. Doctors fear that if something went wrong, says an unnamed source, she'd need an emergency hysterectomy, though they don't state exactly why. Rumor has it that the Beckhams wanted to try for a little girl after the Spice Girls tour.
David Beckham recently told the press that he and Victoria "always wanted a big family," so if this news is true, it must be a difficult time for the celebrity couple. They may decide that this news means their family is complete. But with their considerable resources, they could also consider alternative methods (like surrogacy) or adoption. The unnamed source says that right now, they couple are seeking more medical advice before they decide what to do next.
Now the the Jolie-Pitts have delivered their much-anticipated twins, the world needs a new belly to watch. Katie Holmes is a likely target, and The Daily Mail is reporting that Tom Cruise's wife is sporting a mysterious belly bump. Looking over the pictures, all I have to say is that if that's a baby bump, then I've been pregnant for, oh, about 16 years. (Note to The Daily Mail: That's not a bump... that's a big lunch.)
While we're on the subject of Suri's mom, can we talk about something? Not the mom hair, which Katie recently and wisely cut into a much cuter pageboy. I'm talking about those jeans, those pegged jeans. I'm having 8th grade flashbacks, and believe me, that's not a good thing. But she's been in those baggy, pegged jeans pretty frequently lately, which, stylish woman that she is does make a person wonder....
Is Katie just trying to fit in with the other moms on the playground, or do you think she's making room for baby number two?
Here's a boy after my very own heart. Three-year-old Max McGrath woke up at 3 A.M. and decided he wanted a chocolate egg. So he put on his brother's shoes, grabbed some money, and even remembered his house key. Thenhe walked a mile and a half to the supermarket. What he hadn't counted on, of course, was the store being closed. As he stood outside, no doubt disappointed, he was spotted by a delivery driver who picked him up. The boy was safely delivered home to his shocked parents.
I understand, Max. Sometimes you just have to have a little chocolate, even if it's 3 A.M.
In all seriousness, this situation could have ended badly. Max's parents call him an "adventurous" boy, but say they never thought he'd try something like this. I woke up early one Sunday about a year ago and spotted my neighbor's two-year-old standing on the curb across the street, munching on an apple. When I returned him home, his parents had a similar reaction -- shock and awe. My own kids won't even venture downstairs in the morning without one of us in tow, so it's hard to imagine them making a cross-town trek in the middle of the night.
What about you? Are you raising an escape artist? If so, do you have a plan in place to prevent your little one from getting out without you noticing?
Childbirth is no walk in the park, that's for sure. But for a majority of women, the experience is a positive one. We made need a little time to let the memory of painful contractions fade or for stitches to heal, but the rewards definitely outweigh the pain and stress.
But when complications arise, things might go a little differently. When a mother or child's life is threatened or heavy interventions are needed, the trauma of childbirth can linger long past Mom and baby going home. The Wall Street Journal recently reported on a new study that found that post-traumatic stress disorder may be far more common in new mothers than previously thought, and some are wondering if screening new moms should be a regular part of post-partum recovery.
Yesterday, I took my five-year-old for a back-to-school haircut. She'd decided she'd had enough of her long, straight hair and wanted a chin length bob. At home it seemed like a good idea, but when the stylist lifted her scissors to cut off that first length of hair, I nearly had to hang on to the counter to stop myself from snatching her back out of that chair. 
Ghazala Khamis made history last week when she gave birth to seven apparently healthy babies via c-section, making her only the 
Poland thinks that they have the answer to their declining population problem, a 
Matt McConaughey's bongo drums aren't just for show; the man is earthy and he's not afraid to show it. His costars have to learn to put up with his "natural scent," since 
My five-year-old can't wait to go school shopping and drools over the markers, novelty erasers, and pencil boxes each time we go shopping. Now is a good time, with stores pricing things low for the back-to-school season.
I think we can all agree that hospital gowns are horrible. They're shapeless, come in terrible colors, and open in the back, forcing you to either wear two gowns or a bathrobe to keep your backside to yourself. During labor and delivery, I felt like I kept getting tangled up in the yards of fabric. And don't get me started on the two-tie system on the neck. 
Unlike other celebrity parents with new babies, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have chosen not to sell pictures of their new daughter, Sunday Rose. In fact, they would prefer that the paparazzi not photograph her at all, and are 
Last May, while denying pregnancy rumors, Posh Spice shared that she and husband David Beckham would like to 
Now the the Jolie-Pitts have 
