I had never heard of a wipe warmer before I got one as a present at a shower for my first baby.  I tried to be polite, but what I was thinking was, “Now we have to warm up our baby wipes?  Come on!”  That was right up there with waiting lists for elite pre-schools [...]

I’m writing this post with the assumption that you are planning this pregnancy with a committed partner.  I know that’s not always the case; a mature single woman can plan a pregnancy all on her own, and most of what I’ve wrtten so far would apply to this woman, too.  But a pregnancy and a [...]

So…you’re doing your Kegels and saving your pennies to get ready for the pregnancy you’re planning.  Good.  Let’s look now at the least predictable, least tangible part of preparing your life for an impending pregnancy, your emotional life.  Im going to divide this into two parts–your personal emotions and your couple life.  This post will [...]

In some ways, you’ll never be financially ready to have children.  There are just too many expenses you can’t predict.  For example, how many birthday presents will you have to buy for kids in your baby’s day care?  How much does it cost to have a birthday party for a 1-year-old, 2-year-old, etc?  You don’t [...]

Some people actually plan their pregnancies–unlike most people in my family.  And really, that’s the best way to go, to choose the next major turn your life will take, rather than have it thrust upon you because you had too many margaritas on New Year’s Eve. 
There are a lot of things to think about if [...]

Most of us, when we dream about having a baby, imagine how we’ll decorate the baby’s room.  Perhaps we’re partial to Winnie-the-Pooh or Noah’s Ark, or even the classic pink-for-girls/blue-for-boys schemes. 
Maybe real life bursts our dream bubble right around then, and we realize that the cost of paint, furniture, wallpaper, and a bajillion diapers really [...]

I asked a friend of mine who is a nurse practitioner, “What one thing do you wish you could say to the parents of small babies?”
Now, if someone asked me that question, I’d probably say, “I’d want to tell them, it’s time to grow up.  That child comes before you in everything.  That’s not to say you [...]

On February 4, President Obama signed legislation expanding S-CHIP, or State Children’s Health Insurance Program, by $35 billion, which includes about 4 million kids. 
What this will mean for your family is that if you are middle class and don’t have health insurance– a situation more and more families find themselves in–it might be possible for [...]

The previous article talked about how you can care for your lady during her pregnancy.  But you’re going through a lot of changes, too, and you need some TLC as much as she does.  Here are some ways that you can do to take care of yourself during your partner’s pregnancy.

Enjoy the benefits. You know [...]

So, you’re going to be a dad. Your wife or girlfriend is pregnant, and it was your little guys that crossed the finish line. Take a deep breath and believe what I’m about to tell you: This is good news. Sure, maybe you’re a little terrified. Understandable. This is a life-long deal, and that’s always [...]