How Postpartum Depression Almost Landed Me In Jail… (Pt 2 in PPD Series)

Pregnancy was one big frat party to the indefinite hangover that was postpartum. Unlike pregnancy, there weren’t any concise go-to books to help me get through postpartum.  During pregnancy, there’s one goal: to deliver a living baby.  In postpartum there are more issues than you could ever write a single book about.  Just a few [...]

The Shocking Truth About Baby Einstein & The Mozart Effect

Thinking I would have some profound effect on my nieces and friends' babies brains, I spent an inordinate amount of money on "Baby Einstein" DVD's over the past decade or so. It wasn't until I began reading books as a new mom that I realized two things:  I didn't want my own child watching TV [...]

The 100 Best Songs To Jam To With Kids

I've searched high and low for great kids' playlists and, frankly, they all kinda suck. So I've taken it upon myself to share with you the ultimate kid-friendly playlist of songs that won't drive you crazy. You see, when I was pregnant, I went on a music fast that involved removing all non-religious music from [...]

2018-04-19T15:28:16+00:00By |Family|0 Comments

5 Tips For Choosing The Best Sitters on Care.com

There are few things more exciting than imagining some much-needed "me-time" after you have a baby. But sadly, there are few things more horrifying than the thought of leaving your child with a "stranger". I'm constantly asked how I found care I trust in a town I just moved to with no family or friends. [...]

2018-04-23T14:35:51+00:00By |Family|0 Comments

The Truth About Birth Weight and IQ

When I was pregnant, I spent inordinate amounts of time reading, singing, playing music, and reciting poems in several languages to my fetus.  He's pretty smart... but it turns out my efforts probably have nothing to do with it. I've recently learned a lot about what actually helps your baby's brain develop in the womb... [...]

The Gateway Drug To Eating Disorders?

Theodore Roosevelt said that comparison is the thief of joy. Is it also the gateway drug to eating disorders? Have you ever heard of a placebo effect? It's when somebody experiences the effects of a medicine or treatment that they don't actually receive. For instance, if you take water pills but think it's a special [...]

2018-04-18T14:23:45+00:00By |Recovery|0 Comments

50 Signs You Might Be A Mom…

You Might Be A Mom If...  You reserve the hashtag #worstdayever for when your kid doesn't nap.  Car crash?  Puh-lease.  #firstworldproblems You wear snot, spit-up, and drool with dignity because, well, you have no other choice. You sacrifice hundreds of dollars in makeup a year to the groping, clumsy hands of your toddler just so [...]

2018-04-18T14:23:56+00:00By |Family|0 Comments

How Much TV Should Your Child Watch?

“I was shocked to see people drugging their kids; orally and emotionally.” If you’re like me, you fell prey to reading the dark, depressing book “What To Expect While You’re Expecting”.  This book should be retitled, “101 Ways Your Fetus Can Die In Your Womb” and it has caused many a woman to treat themselves [...]

Baby Sign Language Demystified

When my son began wanting to express himself (desperately) he learned a few words, such as “doggy”, “mommy”, and “daddy”. But we found that he still whined and wailed when he couldn’t get outside, ask for food or milk, or even let us know he was done eating. My husband and I chose to teach [...]

The Only Thing You Need For Postpartum Abs

When I began posting photos of my workout progress on Instagram following the birth of my son, I was flooded with text messages from my friends asking me, "seriously, HOW did you do that?"  They weren't referring to my arms... they were referring to my abs!  I was actually shocked. To be frank, it's always funny [...]

2018-06-11T05:30:37+00:00By |Fitness|1 Comment

“Your Child is Only A Potted Plant Once…”

“Your child is only a potted plant once...” My newborn son was three weeks old when I heard something that changed the course of the next year... His godfather is a surgeon and has some pretty strong opinions on anything health-related, as you can imagine. When my son was born, our friend the surgeon strongly [...]

The Dark History of Breastfeeding…

Infant Mortality and The History of Baby Formula... It's official, breastfeeding is "in". What might surprise you, though, is that there was a long period in world history during which solid foods or formula was emphasized over mother's milk.  According to doctors, it was a more complete source of nutrition for the baby and much easier [...]

The Absolute Worst Thing A Nurse Told Me When I Had My Baby…

A friend of mine was on social media recently posting pictures of her sister, father, and husband excitedly nursing her newborn baby. I looked at the photos and thought, “yeah, good for you” in a totally childish taunting voice. When she got home from the hospital we talked on the phone and I asked, “how’s [...]