Friday Night Movies

February 3, 2012 at 3:23 pm , by Kourtney Eidam

This Week’s Big-Screen Goody:

Whales are the new penguins! We’re officially declaring the trend now. First up: Big Miracle (rated PG), a based-on-real-life movie that follows the journey of a family of gray whales trapped in the Arctic Circle. I’m fine with films that put the lead actor in danger. Make that lead an animal, though, and I will cry like a baby. Check out the trailer below.

 

This Week’s DVD Goodies:

The Adventures of Milo and Otis [Blu-ray]

Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated: Season 1, Part 2

Timmy Time: Timmy Needs a Bath

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in Peoples Ears and more African Folk Tales

 

The Rock-’em-Sock-’em Pick of the Week:

 

The Put-Your-Kids-To-Bed-First Pick of the Week:

 

American Baby’s Baby Booty: Support for Nursing

February 3, 2012 at 3:03 pm , by Jessica Hartshorn

Breastfeeding is something you both have to learn; Mom and Baby. It’s rarely simple for a first-timers. But once you both get it, you can go on autopilot. I try to encourage pregnant women to have all kinds of tools for those first few weeks: A lactation consultant on-call, a comfy nursing bra you can wear all day and night, and a designated spot to sit where you can keep water to drink and have something to relax your mind, whether it’s the TV or a magazine or your smartphone to scroll through Facebook. Also you need a nursing pillow, which saves you from hunching over in a back-aching position while your newborn nurses every two hours around the clock. A nursing pillow makes everything nice and comfy for your baby, too!

Our readers seem to agree; for years now, in our Bests for Baby contest, the Boppy pillow has gotten the most votes as a new-mom must-have. It’s what I used; in fact, I think I had one on each floor of the house! The C-shape fits plenty of bodies and makes for a baby-propping support later on, when you’re helping your child learn to sit up.

There are a few new pillows on the market now too. Simplisse launched the Gia, which is more of a raindrop or a comma shape. It holds your baby at a slight incline, which could help with reflux, and provides lots of extra cushioning for his or her head. The cotton cover is anti-bacterial and removable. Seems smart!

And finally, this week we met the Mombo, a new U-shaped nursing pillow from Bright Starts Comfort & Harmony line. It’s more fitted to your body, so it stays in place. One side is firm, if your baby likes the support; flip it over for a softer side, if your baby prefers to lay on that. It comes with an optional vibration unit, too, to give your baby a little massage!

 

I’d love to know what you used to make breastfeeding easier. And please, join our community and post on the Baby Bests discussion boards, here. Spout off on all your favorite products: what you buy for friends’ baby showers, what little thing under $10 turned out to be a lifesaver, all that good stuff.

Finally if you leave a comment here at this blog, you’re eligible to win the Gia (worth $40) one of two Mombos (also worth $40 each), a Boppy ($40) or a Travel Boppy ($45). You have between now and the end of the day on Thursday, February 9th, to enter. You can read the full rules here. Goody luck!

Elmo’s Birthday Party

February 3, 2012 at 2:12 pm , by Chandra

I just took my son Grant, 3, to Elmo’s Birthday Party at the Sesame Street Workshop today here in New York City. Elmo claims that he is 3 1/2 today (he even had a cake with 3 big candles and one short one), but I think he’s around 10. (Anyone out there keeping count?) In any case, the party was really to celebrate Elmo’s newest DVD: Elmo’s World: Elmo’s Favorite Things which is in stores on Tuesday. At the party, we got a sneak peek. It’s Elmo as you love him, hanging out with Dorothy, Mr. Noodle (actually, Mr. Noodle’s brother, Mr. Noodle) and his kid friends and the subject is, what else: birthdays. Grant laughed out loud like he’d never seen an Elmo episode before — curiously, at home he says he’s too old for Elmo. As far as I’m concerned, you are never too old for Elmo. Love that little red monster. Speaking of monsters, at the party there were two balloon genius whipping up Sesame Street characters for the kiddos. Grant asked for Cookie Monster — check it out. Pretty amazing, isn’t it?

Elmo made an appearance at the end — the actual muppet himself with I assume Kevin Clash, his puppeteer behind the podium Elmo was sitting on — and Grant was shocked. “Elmo is real, Mommy? I didn’t believe Elmo real!” I said, “Now do you believe?”

“Yes, yes! I believe!”

 

 

Parents Daily News Roundup

February 3, 2012 at 10:46 am , by April Rueb

Colorado to Consider Toughest Trans-Fat Ban in the Country
The nation’s leanest state is taking aim at junk food in school cafeterias as it considers the nation’s toughest school trans-fat ban.

Pfizer Birth Control Recall: Could Women Who Get Pregnant Sue?
If women wind up pregnant from faulty pill packets, product liability lawsuits or “wrongful pregnancy” cases — reminiscent of medical malpractice — could be filed.

Moms’ Bossiness at Snack Time Tied to Kids’ Weight
Mothers who push their toddlers to eat more at snack time may end up with a heavier child, a new study suggests.

Some Colleges Cut Tuition, Hasten Graduation
Even before President Barack Obama announced plans last month to push colleges to improve affordability, a number of schools beat him to the punch by lowering tuition and helping students graduate in fewer semesters.

Many Public Schools in D.C.’s Poorest Area Should be Transformed or Shut, Study Says
A new study commissioned by D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray recommends that the city turn around or close more than three dozen traditional public schools in its poorest neighborhoods and expand the number of high-performing charter schools.

Super Bowl Breastfeeding Room Bonds Nursing Mothers, Football In Unlikely Partnership
It may seem like an unlikely partnership — football and breastfeeding — but last month, when the nonprofit health care provider MESH set up a clinic in Super Bowl Village, it partnered with the Indiana Perinatal Network to include a lactation room.

10 Celebrity Moms Who Breastfeed In Public

February 2, 2012 at 5:06 pm , by Jessie Assimon

This post is by our friends at celebritybabyscoop.com. Check Goody Blog every Thursday for Celebrity Baby Scoop posts with all you need to know about your favorite celebrity moms and kids.

Although it’s still considered taboo in some circles, there’s no shame in nursing your baby in public… or on the cover of a magazine for that matter! Celebrity moms such as Gwen Stefani, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Miranda Kerr are on board. And not to mention Salma Hayek‘s experience with wet nursing a starving infant in Africa!

Take a look through Celebrity Baby Scoop’s pictures and read about 10 celebrity moms who have breastfed in public.

Gwen Stefani

Rockstar mama Gwen Stefani shared a tender moment with her youngest son, then 3-month-old Zuma, on a park bench in Los Angeles, Calif. A few months later, the mom-of-two talked about how Zuma self-weaned during No Doubt’s reunion tour.

“I didn’t want him to [quit],” Gwen said. “It felt like a total rejection. It was really hormonal, and trying to stop in the middle of tour was insane.”

 PHOTOS: Best Pictures of the Week

Maggie Gyllenhaal

When her daughter Ramona was 7-months-old, Maggie Gyllenhaal was caught by the paparazzi breastfeeding in a New York City park. At the time, the internet was abuzz with controversy over the intimate shots. Some said the paparazzi were too intrusive, while others felt that Maggie didn’t seem fazed at all – regardless of who saw her – as she breastfed her baby in public.

 The Academy Award-nominated actress has commented about the pressures of breastfeeding and raising a newborn.

“I’m not a leave-them-in-their-crib-to-cry kind of girl. Fundamentally, I didn’t find that worked. Everyone’s got their own thing, you know? You can’t tell another person when it’s right to stop breastfeeding, or how to put your kid to sleep. Every child is different.”

 Julie Bowen

Modern Family star Julie Bowen made an appearance on Lopez Tonight in 2010, where she shared a picture and talked to George Lopez about nursing her then 1-year-old twin boys, John and Gus.

“It’s like two little liposuction machines on you,” she said. “They suck the fat out of you. They call it the ‘double football hold.’ You hold one here, and here [gesturing to her breasts], like two footballs… They’re doing God’s work right there, helping me return to my birth weight.”

 Julie later commented on her feelings about the pressures of breastfeeding.

“I’m a big live and let live-r,” Julie said. “Seriously [do it], if it works for you, if it’s easy. If it wasn’t easy, I wouldn’t have done it. Some people can’t do it physically…so don’t do it.”

Celebrity Moms:  Who had natural vs. c-section births?

 Miranda Kerr

Victoria’s Secret model Miranda Kerr and her handsome hubby Orlando Bloom welcomed their first child in January 2011. The model mom tweeted a gorgeous photo of her and baby Flynn, then 3 months. “Another day in the office,” the new mom wrote, sharing a photo of herself in full hair and make-up at a photo shoot breastfeeding her adorable babe.

 Having returned to work just a couple of months after giving birth, Miranda said her quick post-baby weight loss is thanks in part to breastfeeding.

“I think if you really eating the right foods, putting the nutrition into your body and doing yoga and breastfeeding; those things have helped me get back into shape. I remember I was on the elliptical machine when I was pregnant with Flynn.”

 The 28-year-old Australian beauty added, “I intend to breastfeed for as long as I can,” she said. “My breast milk will give our little Flynn the nutrition he needs for his continued healthy development and to all mums out there I am sure you will make the right choice for you and your baby.”

 Just hours after giving birth to Flynn, Miranda shared a precious picture breastfeeding her newborn. In response to the photo, she said, “The photo was one of the first photos Orlando took. We both loved it and we wanted to share it. The pleasant surprise was that it also had the added benefit of promoting breastfeeding which to me is the most natural thing in the world and I love it.”

Celebrity Baby Names:  The Best and the Worst

Continue Reading

Parents Daily News Roundup

February 2, 2012 at 10:37 am , by April Rueb

3 Changes to Children’s Vaccine Recommendations Announced
The nation’s largest pediatrician group today released its new schedule of recommended childhood vaccinations. It made three major changes to its previous recommendations, after a federal advisory panel of experts reviewed recent evidence from vaccine studies. The biggest change is the new recommendation that boys should be vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV).

Can Anesthesia Raise the Risk of ADHD?
A new study finds that children who have multiple surgeries early on have a higher risk of learning disabilities later.

Home-Birth Advocate Dies in Childbirth
With home births growing more popular in the U.S., the death of a home birth advocate who went into cardiac arrest during childbirth brings renewed attention to the debate over the safety of giving birth at home.

Should Sugar Be Regulated Like Alcohol and Tobacco?
Sugar poses enough health risks that it should be considered a controlled substance just like alcohol and tobacco, contend a team of researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

Webtastic Wednesday

February 1, 2012 at 11:47 am , by Grace Gavilanes

Earlier this week, I came across StoryCorps, a non-profit organization dedicated in providing “Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives.” Its mission definitely intrigued me, so I decided to look through their animated interview archive on YouTube, and ended up finding a treasure—a beautiful, poignant story entitled, “Q&A.” Joshua Littman, a 12-year-old honors student with Asberger’s syndrome—a form of Autism—interviews his mother Sarah on animals, love, and life.

If you enjoyed “Q&A,” be sure to check out StoryCorps’ YouTube channel for more interviews and their site for more information.

Parents Daily News Roundup

February 1, 2012 at 10:17 am , by April Rueb

Birth Control Pill Recall Amid Pregnancy Fear
Pfizer said on Tuesday it was recalling about a million packets of birth control pills in the United States because they may not contain enough contraceptive to prevent pregnancy.

Cancer Group Halts Financing to Planned Parenthood
In a decision that is inflaming passions on both sides of the abortion debate, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, is cutting off its financing of breast cancer screening and education programs run by Planned Parenthood affiliates.

Experts Want Suicide Risk Warning on ADHD Drug
Children who take a common drug for attention deficit disorder should be warned about the risk of suicidal thoughts, U.S. pediatric health advisers said on Monday.

Parents: Mentally Disabled Girl, 3, Might Be Eligible for Life-Saving Transplant After Denial
A 3-year-old girl whose parents claimed she was denied a kidney transplant at one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals because of her mental disability is now being considered for the procedure, her father said Tuesday.

Infections Might Raise Stroke Risk in Children: Study
Many children who suffer a stroke had some sort of an infection in the days leading up to the stroke, a new study says. However, childhood stroke is rare and parents shouldn’t be unduly alarmed by these findings, the researchers noted.

Nurturing Moms May Boost Children’s Brain Growth
School-age children whose mothers supported and nurtured them most in early childhood had a larger hippocampus, an area of the brain that is involved in memory, learning and stress response, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.