The grim statistics surrounding Black maternal health do not stop at childbirth. When it comes to breastfeeding, Black women are less likely to start breastfeeding than any other race of mother and even less likely to continue breastfeeding beyond six months. Only 69% of Black women initiate breastfeeding compared to 85% of white women. The benefits of breastfeeding, from financial to health-related gains for both mother and child, are well-documented....

It can be confusing when a child who has been breastfeeding and sleeping well suddenly becomes fussy and starts breastfeeding constantly. While there are differences between a growth spurt and a decrease in your breast milk supply, they can be difficult to spot for first-time parents. Before you worry, learn what’s normal at this stage in your child’s life. What to Expect During a growth spurt, your baby will begin to breastfeed more often, perhaps for longer periods of time than before....

Experts agree that drinking beer can be safe, as long as it’s done carefully. “Drinking beer in moderation is safe while breastfeeding,” says Krystyn Parks, MS, RD, IBCLC, pediatric dietitian and lactation consultant. Parks explains that alcohol does pass into breast milk, but the risks of about one drink a day pose minimal risks to babies. Let’s take a deeper dive into drinking beer while breastfeeding, including how to do it safely, how it might affect milk supply, and other precautions to keep in mind....

While strategies like bouncing, singing, and feeding can come in handy for encouraging sleep, so can using a pacifier. But you might be wondering about the safety of a baby sleeping with a pacifier in their mouth, and whether there are any precautions to consider. We turned to the experts to learn more about how to safely utilize this tool to help your baby sleep, plus the benefits it can provide....

“Green tea is perfectly safe during pregnancy,” says Yaffi Lvova, RDN, owner of Baby Bloom Nutrition. “Hydration during pregnancy is essential and green tea can contribute to overall hydration, as long as you are staying within the caffeine guidelines for pregnancy.” Here, everything you need to know to continue to sip your favorite brew while your baby grows. Drinking Green Tea During Pregnancy Generally speaking, green tea gets the green light to drink during pregnancy....

Kathryn Taylor’s book, “The Babydust Method: A Guide to Conceiving a Girl or a Boy” claims that you can choose your baby’s sex by timing intercourse correctly. The Science Behind the Method According to the Babydust Method, having sex two to three days before ovulation is likely to result in a girl. If you want a boy, you should have sex the day of ovulation and then again 24 hours later....

What Is Cardiorespiratory Endurance? This fitness term refers to how efficiently your heart (“cardio”) and lungs (“respiratory”) work together to supply your body with oxygenated blood over an extended period. The better your cardiorespiratory endurance is, the longer you can exercise—without resting—at a level that increases your heart and breathing rates. You will usually hear the term shortened to just cardio or aerobic. You might also hear these activities called cardiorespiratory fitness, aerobic fitness, aerobic endurance, cardiopulmonary fitness, or a cardio workout....

Usually, the answer to that question is no. Miscarriage and stillbirth are rarely anyone’s fault, and sometimes pregnancy loss is even a predetermined outcome at the time of conception. Even though we know pregnancy loss usually does not happen because of anything the mother (or father) did, doctors cannot always explain why they do happen. What Causes a Miscarriage? Sporadic, one-time pregnancy losses are often caused by random chromosomal abnormalities in the developing baby....

Child Support Recovery in State Court Parents seeking to recover child support payments in state court should prepare the following prior to a court appearance: Evidence that the custodial parent attempted to collect child supportEvidence that the child support obligor has not paid child support for an extended period of timeIf the parents were not married and the child support obligor is the child’s father, the child’s mother should present evidence that the father was aware of the paternity of the child....

The umbilical cord is covered with a thick protective coating known as Wharton’s Jelly. This is like gristle in texture and prevents the baby from compressing the arteries and vein that run through the cord. So the cord being wrapped does not usually pose a problem for the baby. How a Diagnosis of Cord Around the Neck Made Currently, ultrasound technology is not very useful at determining a nuchal cord....

I realized how much different my life could have been if I had realized that I was lactose intolerant, or if my parents had recognized the relevance of my signs and symptoms. Now, as a parent myself, I’ve been especially careful to look out for any signs and symptoms of lactose intolerance in my own children as early as possible. Toddlerhood is a time when many signs of lactose intolerance can present themselves, as many parents start to introduce milk to their children....