Talking to friends and family, taking parenting classes at your hospital, and researching for blogs and books, are all ways to get yourself ready for the arrival of your offspring. But there is nothing like first hand experience, which you will get once your baby arrives. Ready or not, you will find that you deal with what life and your newly expanded family hands you.

So what should you expect when your newborn arrives? The level of emotions you will feel is personal. You may bond with your baby immediately or it may take a little longer. Either way, take into account the temporary ups and downs you may experience if you suffer from baby blues. Feeling overwhelmed, no matter how prepared you may believe you are for this baby, is natural and normal. After all, your life as you know it has changed and you are now a mother.

You can expect little sleep and not very much time for yourself in the beginning. But this will change with time. As your baby grows, he will learn to sleep through the night and you will feel more comfortable to take some time for yourself.

If you plan to breastfeed, you may experience an adjustment period where your body will learn how much milk to produce for the needs of your newborn. Until that happens, you may be leaking (so get pads for your nursing bras). Also you may experience engorgement, nipple pain and other discomforts that will disappear with time and experience. While you are still in the hospital, ask to see a lactation consultant to learn about breast feeding tips and make sure your baby latches on correctly.

Having a baby is demanding, can be exhausting, sometimes nerve wracking and above all, a big responsibility. But at the end of the day, raising your newborn is the most rewarding job you can have. You will melt when your baby starts to smile and find tremendous joy seeing him accomplish milestones and learn new things.

Give it time. You will feel more comfortable in your new roll with experience, and your baby’s growth and development will be an indicator to the fabulous job you are doing.

There are many choices in the market today. Do not give your baby cow milk or other milks that adults ingest before one year of age. The best option for infants is baby formula. When selecting, decide what form best fits you, whether it is ready-made, concentrate, or powder. You may choose to go organic, or if your baby is colicky or is lactose intolerant, you may need to switch to a more specific formula.

Feed by demand but don’t force feed. This means to feed when your baby when he is hungry and when he is done, do not force him to finish the bottle. Newborns usually eat 2-4 oz every two to three hours in the first 6-8 weeks. This depends on the baby’s weight, weight gain and appetite. Consult your doctor if you think your baby is not getting enough food.

Signs that your baby is hungry include a variety of mouth movements, sucking on their hand or blanket, etc. and crying.

To heat Formula, do not use the microwave. It warms liquids unevenly and may burn your baby’s mouth if too hot. Soak the bottle of Formula in hot water for several minutes or hold under the faucet. Test the temperature on the inside your wrist before giving the bottle to your baby. Your baby may also like it cold or at room temperature.

Make sure to check the expiration on the Formula container and notate the date of when the container was opened. Once opened, its life time is shortened dramatically. Read the label on the container to determine how long it will be good for. Do not save any unfinished bottle of formula.

Never dilute the formula to get more feedings out of it. Adding even just a little bit of water can be dangerous and even fatal. When diluting baby formula, the nutrients and electrolytes in it are weakened and other than affecting the baby’s nutritional balance, it can cause seizers and brain problems.

As for anything else, if you have any questions or concerns, contact your baby’s pediatrician for assistance and information.

“Why wait…when to tell, how to tell and who to tell first”, are all things you and your partner want to decide about together. There are different reasons to share or keep the news private in the beginning. Some people just want to take a minute and enjoy this exciting time with each other, or digest the big change ahead before announcing the news to the world (family, friends, employers, etc.). Some couples choose to keep the pregnancy private until the end of the first trimester for fear of miscarriage, and avoid the hassle of re-informing those of the sad news. Some wait for signs of pregnancy such as a growing belly.

Others may rush to tell right away to enjoy family and friends’ support dealing with this thrilling, yet overwhelming news. Sharing the news early can also lead to getting advice throughout the pregnancy right from the start, as well as help choosing between an OBGYN and a midwife, finding a good book about pregnancy and other resources such as possible methods of childbirth, and more.

Sharing with your employer is another thing to consider, depending on your job description. If you work with hazardous materials you may need to share the news with your employer right away so you can be stationed appropriately. Also if you are a flight attendant, you may need to share your news early, so you can be assigned a land post.

Regardless of when you choose to share the news, make sure you are content with your decision, and change it if need be. Remember once your news is made public, you cannot reverse it and it may spread faster than you anticipated.

While you understand the importance of care your child is receiving in the hospital, it would have been much simpler and exciting to take your child home with you. Bonding is just so much easier with physical touch, and you may not have even touched your baby, let alone hold him/her.

It can be frustrating and scary when faced with this scenario, and many parents find it hard to deal with leaving their newborn at the NICU. This time, already so saturated with emotions, may be confusing and scary, but it important for parents with babies in the NICU to do their best to start bonding right away, despite the challenges and difficulties.

Bonding with your baby in the NICU requires patience and strength. Start with being there for your newborn. His/her development is influenced from your care tremendously. Even with no touch, you can give your child love. Talk to him, or read his stories. Your voice and smell, and if possible the touch of your hand on his head, can comfort you both.

If you planed to breastfeed, there is no need to change your plans. Start pumping right away and give your milk to the nurses to give to your baby. This way your milk supply will not diminish due to it not being used, and your baby will have the benefit of mother’s milk.  Breastmilk is important for his immune system and development. If your preemie can not yet eat (which is common in smaller preemies), pump and store your milk.

While parenting in the NICU is difficult and poses challenges, it is time well spent for both you and your little one. Your presence and care may very well help shorten his stay in the hospital, and when you bring your baby home you will already have a strong relationship and the adjustment will be made smoother.

As your delivery date approaches, you may suddenly realize that you actually do not know how to care for a baby, have never given a bath to a newborn, or you are clueless about breastfeeding. These types of thoughts may be overwhelming, but are expected. Before you allow yourself to freak out (which is allowed, but not always necessary or beneficial…) you should know – you are not alone!

Lets start with the fact that everyone who chooses to have a baby has to learn how to care for their child.  It has been done for generations (how else would we be here?…) by new parents around the world. While parenting comes from experience, there are plenty of resources to help you feel prepared for parenthood!

New parents often ask: how do you get over the anxiety and get the hang of caring of a baby that isn’t even here yet? That’s a great question! First, you can (and should) take advantage of parenting classes offered by your hospital, such as baby basics, infant CPR, breastfeeding, etc.

Another great resource is your friends and family for help and advice. Other Moms have experienced the same feelings and questions you are facing now. While some parents are timid about sharing their newborn experiences, most feel obliged to giving tips and ideas as they too were once in your shoes.

You can also find reading material on caring for a newborn online or in print (there are some really good books that can guide you through more than just the first year!).  Many have found various blogs to be useful and honest, and provide the opportunity for parents to connect and relate to other parents around the world.

When your baby arrives, ask for help and accept any help offered to you! And always remember, you are not alone! Parenting can seem intimidating and requires a huge amount of responsibility, however the more you read and talk about it, the better you will feel about becoming a parent!

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) was originally developed for reasons unrelated to embryo sex selection. The initial cause for developing various types of embryo tests was to detect genetic diseases that a baby could inherit from its birth parents before pregnancy.  Couples or individuals who test positive for serious genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis or other genetic diseases can investigate whether their child will share the same condition through these embryonic tests and determine if pregnancy is the right decision for them.

While the opportunity of sex selection is a result of PGD, it is rarely used for this purpose. It is also a very costly treatment (a single round of PGD can cost nearly $20,000). The procedure is invasive and can be painful; and unless needed for reasons other than infertility or known genetic defects, it can be an expensive investment.

If you’re determined to choose the sex of your unborn baby, you’ll have to meet strict eligibility requirements. Some clinics that perform the procedure only accept married couples that already have at least one child of the sex opposite to the one they’re trying for.  Other clinics have age limits or require you to take hormone tests to prove you’re not approaching menopause.

And of course there is a moral debate surrounding the idea of embryonic testing.  Some say that PGD helps parents make educated decisions about pregnancy and assist with planning for their future.  Others argue that it should be left to nature to navigate the proper balance in the world.  After all, we are only human…

The danger in premature birth is that the baby may not be fully developed to live outside the womb. Premature babies (also called preemies) are at high risk to develop complications, which in some cases can result in death. The risk of complications increases the earlier the baby is born. After a preterm birth, the preemies are cared for in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) until they are of full term, have reached the minimum weight and are out of harm’s way.

It is hard to predict preterm labor or birth, especially with first pregnancy. There is a range of factors that can affect preterm labor, including certain genital tract infections, placenta issues, excessively large uterus, too much amniotic fluid and certain chronic maternal illnesses. Speak to your doctor about preterm labor or birth if you experience any of the above issues or are concerned about it and want to know more.

Traditionally, baby showers were given only for the family’s first child, but over time, it has become more common to hold them for subsequent children as well.

Deciding whether you should have a baby shower is personal as well as cultural. Some cultures celebrate the birth of a child only after the delivery for various reasons such as religion, belief and/or superstition. Others may choose not to have a shower due to a previous miscarriage or other unfortunate experiences.

Many moms to be and their family and friends see the baby shower as a celebration of the new life coming to the world. It is also a great excuse to get everyone together…

Whatever you choose for yourself and your baby, weather you have a shower or not, if it is a small gathering or an elaborate event, get someone to either throw it for you (you have enough on your plate with your baby coming) or help!

It is fascinating how the perception of time changes when you become a parent. The pregnancy, although ‘only’ nine months long, seemed like the longest period of time. Time stubbornly slowed down with the excitement to meet our baby. But looking back now, a year after the delivery – the fears of the unknown, getting ready for motherhood, the anticipation and all the WAITTING – they are almost like a faint memory.

So much has changed in the past year. Our little baby grew to be a happy, curious, adventurous and very energetic toddler. The transformation from an infant a baby girl went hand in hand with our own development from a couple who happens to have a baby, to parents.

It was amazing to watch her development. From a helpless infant who needed our help with any and every little thing, she has grown to be an independent little lady (ok, tom boy may be more like it..). It is so hard to imagine these changes that you just have to be present to experience them, and every moment (first real smile, the first time she turned, crawled, walked, first tooth, first sounds, first anything) is just so precious.

Happy First Birthday!

We are taught to never have unprotected sex, in order to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. Although, it is a good way to avoid an unwanted pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted diseases, it leads to misconceptions of the actual chances of conception. Here are some facts you may want to take into consideration while planning to conceive. Don’t be discouraged, but have patience.

After getting off birth control pills it can (but doesn’t have to) take a little while before you become pregnant. Some healthcare providers say that your body needs to ‘clean itself out off the hormones’, while others say there is no truth to this statement. Regardless of which of the two you choose to believe, be aware that you may not conceive the month following termination of your birth control pills. This is not an indication for a problem. Take your time and continue trying.

Stress is a major factor in delayed conception. When trying to get pregnant, try to avoid stress in your life. If you exercise, continue to do so, or find another way to relax. Stressing over the coveted pregnancy that does not happen can delay it as well. Plan a romantic getaway for two and try to ‘let it happen’ rather than force it on.

To get pregnant faster, you certainly need to have frequent sex, preferably before you ovulate (after which it is too late for this month. But no worries, there is always next month). Sperm can live for three to five days in your body, which means you can have sex even several days before you ovulate and still conceive.

To increase your chances of conception, start having sex every day (or every other day) on the 10^th day of your cycle (start counting on the first day of your period). Try to keep stress levels in your life low, especially does related to whether or not you become pregnant, but also at work, home, etc. Eat healthy and exercise and do not get discouraged if it takes longer than desired. Most couples will achieve a pregnancy within the first 12-18 months. After 12 months, you can speak to your ob/gyn about other options for you and your partner.

Best of luck! And stay positive. Attitude does make a difference!