"Up until now, I was a professional tidier, so I did my best to keep my home tidy at all times," she said at a recent event, the Washington Post reported. "I have kind of given up on that in a good way for me. Now I realize what is important to me is enjoying spending time with my children at home."
The organizing consultant went on to explain that after having her third child, she found it more and more challenging to maintain a tidy home all the time. "My home is messy, but the way I am spending my time is the right way for me at this time at this stage of my life," she said.
One thing's for sure: this news has certainly "sparked joy" for those who have a hard time staying on top of tidying. "Marie Kondo has a messy home and I'm 1000% here for it," writer Elahe Izadi tweeted. Another Twitter user wrote, "Y'all don't know how much I needed this today! The mess kids make is no joke. The mess all over my house feels validated lol." And while it's nice to know even the experts have a hard time keeping things tidy, Kondo's transparency is a great example of how we evolve and change over time - especially with a growing family.
The bestselling author shared her new philosophy in her more recent book, "Marie Kondo's Kurashi at Home: How to Organize Your Space and Achieve Your Ideal Life" ($20), which came out in November 2022. It focuses on the Japanese concept of "kurashi," which her website defines as "way of life" or "the ideal way of spending our time." Essentially, instead of hyperanalyzing which objects in our home "spark joy," she instead asks us to declutter our calendars and consider how we spend our time.
"The true purpose of tidying is not to cut down on your possessions or declutter your space," Kondo writes on her site. "The ultimate goal is to spark joy every day and lead a joyful life." So let's make 2023 the year of messy, lived-in, happy homes.
"I'm quite proud of how she managed to find it and do that."
When asked by Norton if her daughter, who she shares with ex-husband Stephen Campbell Moore, had seen any of her work, Foy replied, "No, I haven't done anything child-friendly." On whether her daughter has at least seen her picture on TV, Foy was quick to detail the 7-year-old's technological expertise: "She has discovered that you can have my face as an [avatar] on Netflix," Foy said, referring to the streamer's option to pick a character from "The Crown" for a profile icon.
"I didn't know that she'd done this. She'd gone to bed and I turned [Netflix] on and there's my face, but she called it 'Nincompoop.'" The audience immediately burst into laughter, Foy included. Still in disbelief, she continued, "I don't think she's ever called anyone a nincompoop but she spelled it perfectly - and it's just my face."
While Foy was originally caught off guard by her daughter's prank, she had a good laugh over the memory alongside Norton and fellow guests Sarah Michelle Gellar, Rob Beckett, and M. Night Shyamalan. "I can't go anywhere near it, but I also can't delete it because I'm quite proud of how she managed to find it and do that," she added.
Foy recently had a mini "The Crown" reunion at the Critics' Choice Awards on Jan. 15, reconnecting with her costar Matt Smith, who played Prince Philip to her Queen Elizabeth II.
Above, watch Foy's full retelling of her daughter's savvy prank.
Channing Tatum is due for an interesting conversation with his 9-year-old. The "Magic Mike's Last Dance" star recently spoke about one day discussing his start as a stripper with his daughter, Everly, whom he shares with ex-wife Jenna Dewan. After all, Tatum's character in the Magic Mike franchise is inspired by the actor's own experience briefly working as a stripper in Florida at 18.
"When she's old enough to watch them, we'll have that conversation."
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight published on Jan. 25, Tatum revealed that although he hasn't yet talked to his daughter about his past, he plans for the discussion in the future. "When she's old enough to watch them [the movies], we'll have that conversation," he said. "There's no version of me not having the conversation of 'Dad didn't just do them in movies, I was an actual stripper,' so I'm not gonna lie to her."
The actor has long been open about being a former stripper and boasts his exceptional skills. In fact, during an installment of Vanity Fair's lie-detector test, he confirmed most of the Magic Mike movies are based on his real-life experiences. He also admitted he thinks he's a better stripper than both Joe Manganiello and Jennifer Lopez. "I would go harder if I was stripping against her. I'm just saying. I'm gonna take it to J Lo's front door," he said.
Tatum, who's now dating ZoA<< Kravitz, recently got candid about coparenting with Dewan following their split in late 2019. While their separation was initially "super scary and terrifying," he said it ended up being "exactly what [he] needed." "I just dropped everything and just focused on [Everly]," he said in his Vanity Fair cover story. "And it was truly the best possible thing that I ever could have done. Because in the alone time that I have with just me and her, we've become best friends."
Although the star couple can't avoid being in the spotlight, they've worked hard to ensure their children's privacy, especially as their kids have gotten old enough to have opinions about their lives being shared publicly. Still, the pair have found ways to share snippets of their family life with the public (even if it means having the kids facing away from the camera).
In September 2022, Gellar opened up about the challenges of parenting. "I think my hardest challenges are the ones I put on myself and the pressure that I put on myself to get it all right and be everything to everyone," she told POPSUGAR. She also shared that she and Prinze Jr. both recently made the decision to return to work after taking some time away while their kids were very young. "They get to an age where they're so much more independent," she said. "Thanks to the invention of FaceTime and all the things, you can still be connected and in a different way - and it just felt like that they were of an age where they could handle it." Both have since returned to the screen in a big way - Gellar is now starring in "Wolf Pack," which premieres on Jan. 26, and Prinze Jr. appeared in Netflix's "Christmas With You" in December 2022. But the pair's family clearly comes first.
Here's what we know about Charlotte and Rocky, from their super close birthdays to their challenges and more.
Fox starts the tour in her "bedroom," which is actually the apartment's living room. "I put my bed in the living room so I could turn my bedroom into a little playroom for Valentino," she says while sweeping the camera over the toys on the floor and a random clothing rack she says she "really [needs] to get rid of." (#Relatable.)
She then shows off her "nostalgia mirror" that's decorated with photos of Valentino as a newborn next to mementos of loved ones who have passed. The mirror hangs over her "grow station" (two small pots filled with soil). Despite being labeled with small signs for "mint" and "basil," she confirms that "nothing is growing because we don't know what we're doing."
From there, Fox takes us down a long hallway, passing a variety of items needed to transport her toddler around NYC, including a tricycle, strollers, and an array of little shoes. She makes sure to point out Valentino's daycare schedule, written in marker on a whiteboard near the front door.
Then there's a quick stop to peek at her "little" bathroom with leftover toys in the tub. "It's very tiny, but it does what it's supposed to do," she says.
Entering the kitchen, we see Valentino's adorable mini kitchen facing the real deal. The countertops are covered with gadgets like a brand-new cotton-candy maker and various shoe boxes. She adds a disclaimer for viewers, "Don't judge me! I know it's really messy," though all we can think about is the luxury of access to fresh cotton candy.
But the crown jewel of the 31-year-old's apartment is her son's bedroom. "I put the most effort into this room," she says, showing off the lofted bed and built-in bookshelves. "I really wanted him to have a cute room." However, Fox admits he doesn't spend any of his time there. "He only wants to be in Mama's room," she says. "He sleeps in bed with me. Yeah, we're cosleepers, sue me. I don't care."
This isn't the first time Fox has shared her honest experience of motherhood. In September 2022, she opened up about the rude awakening that came with postpartum depression. "I think it's just such a reality check when you finally have a kid and you're like, 'Holy f*ck, this has just drastically made my entire life worse," she shared on TikTok. "This is not at all the fairy tale that I was f*cking promised. But how do we say that out loud?"
While Fox clearly loves her son, she acknowledges the importance of maintaining transparency among parents.
@juliafox Come with me on a very underwhelming apartment tour! also to clarify I have only ONE mouse and heas cute dY=deg
a! original sound - Julia fox
Many TikTokers appreciated the authentic nature of the tour. "[You're] a mother that obviously prioritizes your child & it is a beautiful apartment," one user commented. "Love you are showing that success looks different for every person." Another replied, "Love how much of your space is dedicated to your son." And comedian Hannah Berner dubbed Fox "a relatable icon."
The "Uncut Gems" star admits they have a "small mouse problem" but adds, "I appreciate that they come out at night while we're sleeping to clean up the crumbs that my son drops on the floor." She has no plans to evict the mice anytime soon.
The FDA's new proposed lead guidance is part of their Closer to Zero plan, which is dedicated to "continually reducing exposure to lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury to the lowest levels possible in foods eaten by babies and young children," per the announcement. This new guidance sets an upper limit of 10 parts per billion of lead in yogurts, fruits, or vegetables and no more than 20 parts per billion in root vegetables and dry infant cereals. But these are only proposed guidelines: if formally adopted, then the FDA will be able to force companies to abide by the new limits.
"Even low levels of lead in blood have been shown to negatively affect a child's intelligence, ability to pay attention, and academic achievement."
"The proposed action levels announced today, along with our continued work with our state and federal partners, and with industry and growers to identify mitigation strategies, will result in long-term, meaningful and sustainable reductions in the exposure to this contaminant from foods," said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, MD, in the FDA announcement. "For babies and young children who eat the foods covered in today's draft guidance, the FDA estimates that these action levels could result in as much as a 24-27 percent reduction in exposure to lead from these foods."
The draft guidance comes shortly after the FDA set limits in 2020 on inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal and proposed lower lead levels for juice in a draft opinion released in 2022.
Though it seems like a step in the right direction, it's important to note that there's no safe level of lead for children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Even low levels of lead in blood have been shown to negatively affect a child's intelligence, ability to pay attention, and academic achievement," per the CDC.
Still, years of research show that foods for babies and children under age 2 are contaminated with lead and other toxic substances. A 2022 report from Healthy Babies Bright Futures found that 94 percent of commercial baby food, homemade purees, and family brands tested had detectable levels of heavy metals.
Additionally, in February 2021, US congressional investigators found "dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals" in certain baby foods that could cause neurological damage, according to Reuters. And in 2019, another investigation published by Healthy Babies Bright Futures of 168 baby foods from major US manufacturers found that 95 percent contained some form of metal - nearly every one contained lead, 75 percent contained cadmium, 73 percent contained arsenic, and 32 percent contained mercury. One in four foods contained all of them. The same year, Consumer Reports announced that potentially harmful heavy metals were also found in popular juice brands.
And reports of such contaminants being hidden within infant foods aren't even remotely new. It's been nearly a decade since reports revealed concerning levels of arsenic to be found in rice.
What are parents to do with all these repeated - and alarming - studies?
Unfortunately, lead cannot be completely removed from the food supply, according to the AAP. That's because "just as fruits, vegetables, and grain crops readily absorb vital nutrients from the environment, these foods also take up contaminants, like lead, that can be harmful to health," per the FDA. To help manage your child's exposure levels, both the AAP and FDA stress the importance of feeding your young children a variety of healthy foods.
"To support child growth and development, we recommend parents and caregivers feed children a varied and nutrient-dense diet across and within the main food groups of vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy and protein foods," Susan Mayne, PhD, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said in the FDA's new draft guidance. "This approach helps your children get important nutrients and may reduce potential harmful effects from exposure to contaminants from foods that take up contaminants from the environment."
According to the AAP, FDA, and Healthy Babies Bright Futures, the following steps can also help reduce your child's risk of contaminated foods:
-Additional reporting by Lauren Mazzo
The reality is that not all medications are safe or recommended for pregnant people to take. That's why it's so important to talk to your doctor about the best options for your symptoms. We asked experts to give us an overview of taking allergy medicine while pregnant, but every person is different and nothing beats getting individualized advice.
Editor's note: This information in this article is not medical advice. You should always consult your doctor regarding matters pertaining to your health and before starting any course of medical treatment, especially when you're pregnant.
The good news is that there are allergy medications available that are safe for pregnant people to take, according to experts. "Many over-the-counter allergy medications can be used to safely treat allergy symptoms during any trimester of pregnancy," Sarah McBane, PharmD, a clinical professor at UC Irvine's School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, tells POPSUGAR.
A 2021 article in the journal Allergy reports similarly, citing several studies that show antihistamines are "widely prescribed during pregnancy for various indications" and "that the literature regarding antihistamine safety . . . is reassuring" for second-generation antihistamines, a medication classification used to treat symptoms of allergies. Likewise, there are some cases where first-generation antihistamines might be favored despite having more sedating properties.
But Dr. McBane also emphasizes that other options exist. "The best medication for a pregnant or breastfeeding individual with allergy symptoms is not always an oral medication," she says. Instead, she suggests talking to your care team about eye drops or nasal sprays to treat your most irritating symptoms, which might be a better and lower-risk option.
"Since these medications are not taken by mouth, much less of them gets into a pregnant or breastfeeding individual's system and therefore lessens any potential exposure to a developing fetus or breastfeeding infant," she says. Dr. McBane emphasizes it's "always best to speak with a pharmacist or physician before taking any medications during pregnancy or while breastfeeding."
Worth mentioning: when it comes to the safety of allergy-medication use during pregnancy, vague language like "may be safe" is often used. The Association of American Medical Colleges explains that because pregnant people are generally excluded from clinical trials, safety data is often collected through retrospective analysis. However, that doesn't mean there aren't safe options available - but it does indicate that it's always a good idea to check in with your doctor or pharmacist, who can weigh in on your specific circumstances on which medications, if any, would be best.
Find more info on specific oral medications below.
"Benadryl, also called diphenhydramine, is a first-generation antihistamine," Dr. McBane says. "It tends to make people drowsy and may cause side effects such as dry mouth or constipation."
She explains that taking Benadryl is considered to be safe during pregnancy; however, she notes that "there are other medications that would be a better choice for allergies," with fewer side effects.
Claritin, also known as loratadine, is a second-generation antihistamine. Dr. McBane says that since this medication "has been around longer and has more information on its use in pregnant and breastfeeding individuals, it's often the recommended oral allergy medication."
While it's still important to talk to your doctor before taking Claritin during pregnancy, the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology notes that Claritin has "reassuring animal and human study data and [is] currently recommended when indicated for use during pregnancy."
Zyrtec, the brand name for cetirizine, is classified as a second-generation antihistamine. According to an article in the journal American Family Physician, which cited four studies examining its effects, this medicine "[does] not appear to increase overall fetal risk." And the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology notes that cetirizine has been studied in animals and humans with "reassuring" data suggesting it's safe to use in pregnancy.
In addition, a 2018 study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, which conducted a retrospective analysis of cetirizine use during pregnancy, concluded that exposure to cetirizine "during pregnancy is not associated with adverse outcomes" for the pregnant person or baby.
Xyzal, the brand name for levocetirizine, is a second-generation antihistamine; however, it doesn't have as much data on its use as other options, so it shouldn't be your first-line option unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
"Although it's probably safe, not much information is available on the use of Xyzal in pregnant or breastfeeding individuals," Dr. McBane says. In these cases, doctors tend to err on the side of caution and recommend medicines that have been more thoroughly studied.
Allegra, the brand name for fexofenadine, is another second-generation antihistamine. The American Family Physician article states, "Studies on the safety of terfenadine (which fexofenadine is a metabolite of) in human pregnancy did not show a significant risk of congenital malformation," noting the drug didn't appear to increase "overall fetal risk." A 2020 study in JAMA Pediatrics came to the same conclusion.
While the American Family Physician article states that fexofenadine is considered mostly safe, it also notes that the drug "has been associated with early pregnancy loss in animal studies but has not been studied in human pregnancy." As always, make sure to talk to your doctor before taking this antihistamine to get a sense of your individual risk.
You should ask your doctor before taking any medicine if you're breastfeeding your child, but in general, most antihistamines are thought to be safe to use while breastfeeding, Dr. McBane shares.
A 2010 article published in the Canadian Family Physician Journal explains this further, noting that "minimal amounts (of antihistamines) are excreted in the breast milk." And because these medications don't cross into the breast milk, they "would not cause any adverse effects on a breastfeeding infant."
The "sad beige baby" trend swaps traditional pastel baby colors for muted, neutral tones like beige, cream, desert sand, and bone for both the nursery vibe and baby clothes. This trend has been around for several years, but according to social media, people aren't only over the trend - they're worried the muted monotone look might be bad for babies.
One person on Twitter called out the trend and made it clear that she's totally over this baby aesthetic. "Babies learn and develop so much from seeing and recognizing color," Ayah Khalifeh shared on Twitter in early January. "These aesthetic / tik tok moms with monotone nurseries and bland toys drive me insane lol. Not everything has to match your social media 'style.'"
Another Twitter user agreed with Khalifeh and knocked the muted baby trend, claiming the look "actively works against the development" of a baby's brain because of the "low contrast/color environment."
These two social media users aren't the only ones who have questioned the beige trend for a baby's nursery, clothing, and toys. So we asked the experts: is the "sad beige baby" aesthetic harming babies?
"A color isn't inherently 'bad' for babies, although some aspects of color can be beneficial," Jody LeVos, PhD, a childhood cognitive development expert and the chief learning officer at BEGiN, tells POPSUGAR. For example, babies prefer "highly contrasting colors or color blocks" simply because the color combinations are easier for their developing eyes to focus on, Dr. LeVos explains.
According to the American Optometric Association, a baby's vision is relatively blurry at birth, and they can only focus on objects around eight to 10 inches from their face. So, before babies have good color vision (typically between 5 and 8 months old), their eyes are drawn to contrasting patterns or colors like black and white simply because they're easy to see. Muted, neutral colors tend to blend into the world.
"So, while a toy that is beige is not harmful, a toy with a bold black-and-white pattern will likely be more interesting for your baby," Dr. LeVos adds. And when a baby is able to focus on something, their brain is doing lots of learning.
Stimulating colors do help a baby's brain develop and aid in their learning, says Harvey Karp, MD, FAAP, the founder and CEO of Happiest Baby. "Brightly colored, high-contrast toys and books help stimulate your little one's developing optic nerves and focus their attention, overall vision, and even their budding curiosity," he explains. But the benefits are more about contrast and patterns and less about a particular color group.
"Exposure to high-contrast colors and patterns helps your little one focus and strengthens their eyesight, which bolsters brain development," he explains. "Think about it like this: when you give your baby toys and books that feature colors and contrasts that they can see relatively clearly, they have more opportunities to learn and explore."
Dr. LeVos echoes the very real benefits of offering your baby stimulating colors and patterns. "Providing opportunities for your baby to look at black and white shapes, patterns, and objects can be important for their cognitive and visual development," she explains.
"There are likely many things in your home that will serve a similar purpose: a dark door frame next to a white wall, the place where a dark hardwood floor meets a light carpet, and a bright toy sitting on a light-colored blanket," she says.
However, a preference for high-contrast colors doesn't mean you should avoid muted, neutral tones in your baby's nursery or the development toys you buy. On the contrary, these "boring" colors are also important for a baby's brain development because they offer their brain much-needed rest, Dr. Karp says. "It's mentally exhausting for babies to be constantly exposed to high-stimulation sounds, commotion, or colors. Having periods of low stimulation can give babies time to recharge for the excitement that will come later in the day."
Whether choosing to decorate your baby's nursery in muted beige colors and playful pastels or going the high-contrast route, finding a balance and offering variety is always a good route.
"Kids do best with a balanced diet of color," Dr. Karp says. "It is great playing with beige or neutral toys . . . as long as there are some bright and high-contrast toys in the mix, too."
During an interview with Reuters at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last week, Eugenie chatted about parenting her son, August Philip Hawke, who turns 2 in February. "My son's going to be an activist from 2 years old, which is in a couple of days. So, he, everything is for them," Eugenie said, according to the Daily Mail.
"I talked to Peter Thomson, the U.N. Special Envoy for Oceans, and all he says to me is that I do this for my grandchildren. And that's the same," she continued. "Every decision we now make has to be for whether August, what he's going to be able to look at and do and how he's going to live his life."
After becoming a parent, she says, her outlook on life changed completely. "I think also as a mother, you all of a sudden, totally you change, your hormones change, everything changes."
Eugenie isn't the first royal to pivot to climate activist. She joins her uncle King Charles III and cousins Prince William and Harry in advocating for change. And that starts at home, especially because she wants August to learn about the importance as well. "At home, we have no plastic, we try to as much as possible have no plastic and I'm trying to teach him that. But it's a battle," Eugenie added, per the Daily Mail.
The princess has made efforts in recent years to raise awareness of the connection between climate change and modern slavery. "There are 49 million people estimated in slavery today, and we know that when the climate is vulnerable, the most vulnerable people are affected by it," she told Reuters. "And we're going to see that more and more, each time there's a crisis happening, that people are going to be vulnerable and taken into difficult situations. So climate goes hand in hand with it, really."
After announcing that she and husband Jack Brooksbank are expecting their second child this summer - the 13th in the line of succession to the British throne - she tries to remain optimistic for the future, despite the uphill battle. "I'd like to be glass half-full - my mum calls it just glass full - I'd rather be that way, but sometimes, the facts and the figures and sometimes having the dinners do give you that sort of sense of frustration and doom and gloom," she said. "But I almost think we need it to do more."
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Chrissy Teigen and John Legend welcomed another addition to their family on Jan. 3, daughter Esti Maxine Stephens. Teigen and Legend have two other children, daughter Luna, born in 2016, and son Miles, born in 2018.
Teigen is staying true to herself by portraying her postpartum life as authentically as possible. In the TV personality's most recent update, she shared a photo of her in what first appears to be a pretty put-together look with a slip dress and heeled boots. But after closer inspection, it's clear she's leaking milk with an additional stain lower down on the dress, likely the result of her C-section. The 37-year-old captioned it, "omw to bandage together both my wound and 3.8 second clips of Beyonce performing in Dubai until I get a full hbo special."
Fans rushed to the comments to commend Teigen on her transparency and to share similar experiences. "The soggy stage . . . everything is soggy," one person wrote. Another said, "The milk spots add an extra layer of authenticity to this."
This isn't the first time Teigen has brought attention to her C-section. Earlier this month, in an Instagram post celebrating the birth of her daughter, Teigen wrote, "She's here! Esti Maxine Stephens - the house is bustling and our family could not be happier d Daddy sheds nightly tears of joy seeing Luna and Miles so full of love, and I am learning you still need diapers with a c section!? We are in bliss. Thank you for all the love and well wishes - we feel it all! X."
Reflecting on her recovery from a C-section, Teigen raised a question about birth that many expectant parents may not consider - needing a diaper (for mommy and baby). And not just for vaginal deliveries, but C-sections as well.
Labor delivery nurse and founder of Mommy Labor Nurse Liesel Teen, BSN, RN, says underwear - and yes, diapers - are an essential part of postpartum recovery, regardless of your delivery method. "I highly recommend C-section mamas stock their cabinets with C-section underwear and/or diapers for the postpartum period," she says.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen)
C-sections are a major surgery, involving an incision made in the abdomen and uterus to deliver a baby, Mayo Clinic says. But no matter how the baby is delivered, the postpartum parent will experience some vaginal discharge, Teen says. Known as lochia, this discharge "is your body's way of ridding itself of leftover blood, bacteria, mucus, and tissue" after giving birth, Teen says.
The lochia flow is generally heavy in the first three to four days after birth and generally tapers off over the course of a few weeks, before finally stopping after six weeks, Teen adds. It's a completely normal (and healing!) part of recovery.
During this time, many people use menstrual pads, in addition to opting for underwear and diapers particularly suited to C-section recovery.
There are quite a few options for postpartum underwear and diapers, but for a C-section, it's important to consider how the underwear will interact with the healing incision.
"In the days and weeks following your C-section, you will want to make sure you avoid wearing anything that is too tight or anything that rubs your incision; this includes underwear," Teen says. When choosing your underwear, Teen says, the most important consideration is finding one that comes fully over the incision or fully under it to avoid any rubbing or irritation. Additionally, Teen recommends choosing a garment that's breathable, comfortable, and made of a stretchy material like cotton.
For strong absorbency and comfort, postpartum diapers like Always Discreet Boutique Postpartum Underwear For Women ($17) are a great option, especially because they look and feel like regular underwear.
Regular adult diapers can work, too, as some women have found that they are most comfortable and catch more blood and discharge than pads - in addition to helping with incontinence, which many people experience after giving birth. The advantages of regular diapers are primarily comfort and absorbency, both important during the early (and heaviest) days of lochia discharge and as the incision heals. LivDry Ultimate Adult Incontinence Underwear ($37) with a high waistband or TENA Overnight Incontinence Underwear ($47) are both highly rated options that are disposable and boast high absorbency.
Once you get the go-ahead from your doctor, you can look for underwear that offers compression to reduce the incision's swelling and help flatten the bulge of the incision. Compression can also help support the abdominal area, which is weakened during the procedure. High-waisted compression underwear like Leonisa's High-Waisted Postpartum Tummy Control ($60) come with an adjustable belly band that gives you control over the level of compression and will fit well over the incision line to avoid irritation. However, Teen cautions that with this type of underwear, a pad will still be necessary until bleeding fully stops.
- Additional reporting by Melanie Whyte
Every baby moves at their own pace (literally), and there's a lot of variety from baby to baby. But like all developmental milestones, there's a typical age range for when your baby will start crawling. So when should you expect them to start moving on all fours? Well, POPSUGAR spoke to pediatricians to find out typical crawl times for babies and what you should you do if your baby isn't crawling as quickly as expected.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) addresses crawling in a greater conversation about movement. That includes sitting up without support, flipping over, and crawling, scooting, and slithering.
In general, the AAP says babies start to become more mobile when they're 8 months old, although that could mean rolling, scooting, or crawling. "Babies will usually crawl anywhere from 7 to about 10 months, but there is a range," says Danelle Fisher, MD, a pediatrician and chair of pediatrics at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. "The average age is 9 months, but all babies are different," she adds.
It's important to note that crawling was recently removed from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's developmental milestones. "There were too many variations in timing of when babies might crawl," explains Lori Storch Smith, MD, a pediatrician at Bay Street Pediatrics in Westport, CT. She also offers this caveat with crawling: "Some babies don't crawl at all and go from rolling to eventually just walking."
If you're ready for your baby to start crawling, the AAP says there are a few things you can do to encourage them to get moving. One method includes trying to present your baby with something interesting that's just out of reach to get them to move toward it. The AAP says you could also create mini obstacle courses for baby to get around by using pillows, boxes, and sofa cushions - under your close supervision, of course.
Pediatricians say there are a few factors that can be at play if your little one isn't crawling yet.
Babies with motor issues will typically have trouble with the steps that come before crawling, Fisher says. "They may have difficulty rolling, sitting with assistance, and sitting on their own," she says. If your baby isn't rolling over by 6 months and isn't sitting by then, she recommends talking to your pediatrician. "Your baby may need a little encouragement or physical therapy," she says.
Fisher also stresses the importance of allowing your baby time to learn to crawl. "Give them lots of time on the floor," she says.
In general, Smith says that you should notice a progression of skills, including motor skills, over time with your baby. And, of course, if you have any concerns about your baby's motor skills, it's important to talk to your child's pediatrician. Some motor delays can be a sign of more a more serious condition, like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy as well as structural problems like a difference in limb length, according to NYU Langone.
When Brookings Institution analyzed 2015 data from the US Department of Agriculture, they calculated the current cost to raise a child from birth until age 17 to be around $310,605. That number - which totals about $17,000 a year - represents a $26,000 increase from the USDA's previous 2015 calculations, due to a rise in inflation.
Worth mentioning: this total calculated cost is based on middle class, married couples with two children - a very specific subset of the population - so while it's an OK ballpark figure, the actual numbers will vary for every family. These numbers also only represent the financial burden up to age 17. If you plan on supporting your child with college finances, as many parents do, it could run you another $25,313 per year, according to Sallie Mae's "How America Pays for College" 2022 report.
So what's the $300,000+ dollars going toward when it comes to the cost of raising a child? Here's an estimated breakdown of your expense sheet.
First-year baby costs total more than $15,000, according to new research from BabyCenter - which we can use to represent your annual spend during baby years. BabyCenter estimates the exact total to be around $15,755 due to inflation. This includes both one-time costs and ongoing expenses. Of course this number may fluctuate with each family depending on your income level, but here's the general breakdown.
One-time first-year costs include items like a car seat, crib, diaper bag, bassinet, bottles, nursing bra, bathing and grooming tools, and baby-proofing supplies, among other things, according to BabyCenter. Those all add up to around $3,955. And while these are all considered "one-time" costs, your kid will grow out of some of those items, and you'll need to repurchase - like swapping a toddler bed for a crib, or a booster seat for a car seat.
Ongoing monthly costs account for the rest of the estimate for first-year costs. After that initial investment, you'll have to budget for recurring expenses like childcare, diapering, feeding (for formula and solid food), clothing, savings (to go toward schooling/college), toiletries, toys, books, and other media. These monthly expenses are really what add up. See the breakdown, per BabyCenter.
This all adds up to $11,820 for the first year for recurring costs. That said, BabyCenter left out the average cost of healthcare in its estimations. While healthcare costs can be a significant part of a baby's budget, they are hard to estimate and vary depending on your child's health and your insurance and copays. However, The Washington Post estimated healthcare to be around $600 annually, based on USDA data.
Now that your little one has ditched the diapers, think you're going to save a little money? Unfortunately, the chances are unlikely. As your child gets older, your spending is likely to increase or stay the same.
USDA data from 2015 estimates that the annual spend to be around $12,730 a year for children aged 3 to 5; $12,350 for kids aged 6 to 8; $13,180 for ages 9 to 11; $13,030 for ages 12 to 15; and $13,900 for ages 15 to 17. These expenses are divided up by housing, food, clothing, transportation, healthcare, childcare and education, and miscellaneous expenses.
This figure, however, doesn't factor in inflation over the past eight years, which the USDA estimates would add another $26,000, which would account for around a $3,000 increase to each expense category - increasing the cost of raising a kid to around $15,000 to $17,000 per year.
Again, that average is dependent on a two-parent middle-income household with two kids. To see a closer estimate for your situation, use the calculator from The Washington Post, which factors in your annual income and the age of your child or children. Depending on the income range you select, your total cost can range from $6,700 a year to $325,800 a year - a pretty huge difference.
Bottom line: while there are ways to cut costs, raising children is expensive. So before you make that major life decision, take a careful look at your finances. Maybe you'll decide the DINK lifestyle is for you, or maybe you'll start implementing important saving strategies to offset some of the costs. Whatever your decision, here's to going into it with a more informed point of view.
However, this isn't any ol' list of TV shows that are easy to watch in bulk. These TV shows are ones that you can watch at three in the morning when your newborn is cluster feeding and keeping you from sleeping. These shows are calm and quiet enough that your baby won't be stimulated to stay up later than they need to while being compelling enough to get you through until they fall back to sleep. Also, there are no confusing storylines to follow because that's the last thing a new sleep-deprived parent needs.
There's a little something here for everyone, so if you're caught in the middle of the night, half dozing off, these titles will help.
"I can't keep up with the pressure of always having to lol or like or heart everyone's random thoughts, pics, and amusements," Thomas wrote, really flexing the 'honesty is the best policy' on his wife and two daughters. "For all future texts: I love them, laugh at them, or like them unless it's bad, then I dislike them," he added. "In perpetuity. I can't live with this pressure. I'm out."
More than 420k likes later, to say this was relatable is an understatement. Whether you are the dad in the thread or the sibling who can't stop sharing photos of your dog (guilty), we all have opinions about the overflowing group chat.
He really said pic.twitter.com/O6xlczojOX
- snakel3t (@snakel3t) January 17, 2023
The 23-year-old told Today that they share the group chat with her mother and 19-year-old sister. "The three of us are very extroverted and send random stuff all day long," D'Orazio said. "He's so kind and engaged with our lives - he's like the perfect human being - and I think it was stressing him out that he can't respond to all the messages." To be fair, "I was sending pictures of every single stitch I was doing on a sewing project," she admits.
But don't worry, no feelings were hurt in the process. "When I read it, I burst out laughing. He's hilarious," D'Orazio says. "He's surrounded by a bunch of extroverted girlies always doing something, and he just loves a simple life," she later said in a follow-up tweet.
People were quick to share versions of their parents' antigroup chat mentality. "Lmao is this a dad thing? my dad called me to tell me he didn't like group chats," NBC News host Kwani A. Lunis replied. "Dude network burnout is a real thing," commented another user. "Some humans were never meant to have this much contact this quickly with this many people. I blow off easily 3/4ths of the daily messages I get on various platforms because I just can't stay glued to my phone all day every day."
So if anyone else needs a way to exit a chat, D'Orazio suggests copying and pasting her dad's message - but feel free "to personalize the template."
Some reviews of the new animated Netflix movie hint that this darker take on the classic story might be too sad for little ones. But while it is sad, is that necessarily a reason to take it off your family's watch list? Experts are saying maybe not. Here's what to know.
The story of Pinocchio has been around for nearly 140 years, first released as "The Adventures of Pinocchio," a novel by Carlo Collodi, in 1883. Since then, there have been dozens of takes on the story, including 20 screen adaptations since 1911, Vulture reports. Arguably, the most popular version is Disney's 1940 film.
However, even Disney's take has been criticized for being too dark for kids. And that version of "Pinocchio" does include some pretty scary scenes, between the puppet master, Pleasure Island, and that entire whale sequence.
Del Toro's version takes some creative liberties, and parents absolutely need to know that this story is sad (although it's more sad than scary, in my opinion). Netflix attempts to make the subject matter crystal clear. Before the film even plays, there's a disclaimer: "PG; Dark thematic material, violence, peril, some rude humor, and brief smoking. Parental Guidance Suggested."
Quickly following the message, the movie's first scene sets the stage, which includes Geppetto sitting at the gravesite of his 10-year-old son, Carlo. Viewers are then taken into a flashback, during which the happy dad plays with his curious son. Not even 10 minutes into the movie, tragedy strikes when Carlo dies in a dramatic scene during a WWII air raid.
From there, the story is built upon grief, depicting a dad who struggles years later to make sense of the tragedy of his son's death, rebuild a life, and see beauty when there's so much heaviness. The adventures that follow don't shy away from those complex emotions.
But the story also brings in the magic we've come to love with fantasy movies. There are wood spirits and Cricket, and Pinocchio comes to life.
As a parent myself - with four kids between the ages of 9 and 17 - I felt that this movie wasn't too sad for any of them. Yes, it was heavy, but there's a beautiful takeaway about fatherhood that makes the sadness feel worth it in the end. And that speaks to a larger point about sad movies and kids. Yes, a parent's instinct is to protect their little ones from pain. But isn't there value in being exposed to less-than-happy storylines?
"As a parent, I wholeheartedly relate to how hard it is to watch my children suffer, even if only emotionally," Angela Caldwell, MA, LMFT, a California licensed marriage and family therapist, tells POPSUGAR. "When my daughter faced her first broken heart over 'The Velveteen Rabbit,' I instinctively wrapped her in my protective arms and sopped up her tears with kisses and empty reassurances that made my husband roll his eyes," Caldwell shares.
But she later realized that jumping to soothe her little one might not have been the best move in the long run. "In my attempt to protect my daughter from suffering, I was essentially robbing her of an opportunity to explore a crucially important part of her emotional self safely and without the distraction of her mother's fear," Caldwell says.
Bertrina Olivia West Al-Mahdi, PhD, aka Dr. O, is a psychologist from Atlanta who tells POPSUGAR there are some benefits to watching sad movies with our kids. "Sad movies teach resilience and that it's OK to express emotion," she says. "But on the other hand, you want to ensure you are not exposing traumatic experiences to children."
Dr. O suggests parents "be open to discussing the content" when deciding if something is appropriate for their kids to watch. If "you feel like it's an opportunity to build resilience and teach about the healthy expression of emotion, then go with it."
Even based on my personal experience with the movie, I would caution parents with younger children against watching it - and experts agree.
There's no hard rule for how old a child must be to watch a movie of this weight, and much of that decision will come from the parent's preferences and knowledge of their own kids. But Caldwell says there are a few guidelines parents can follow.
"Generally speaking, children under the age of 3 are unable to distinguish fantasy from reality and may become overwhelmed by onscreen depictions of death, pain, or separation from a parent," Caldwell shares. "A crucial element for a child's safe processing is a healthy distance between fact and fiction."
You also know your kid best. If you've checked out the plot line and reviews and feel reasonably certain that there's a risk of the harmful effects of the emotional themes outweighing any benefits, choose something lighter. The movie will always be there in a few months or a few years, when the timing is right.
Guillermo del Toro's "Pinocchio" is available now on Netflix.
Unfortunately, amid the congratulatory comments, there was a darker theme. People accused her of "outsourcing" her pregnancy by choosing surrogacy, "renting" a womb due to vanity, and purchasing a "ready-made baby," even implying that she wouldn't have a maternal attachment to her child.
Chopra opened up about what it was like to face these criticisms during such a vulnerable time in an interview with British Vogue. "I've developed a tough hide when people talk about me," she said in the interview. "But it's so painful when they talk about my daughter. . . . I've been really protective of this chapter of my life. Because it's not about my life only. It's hers too."
In the interview, Chopra said she used a surrogate due to "medical complications," calling it a "necessary step" that she was "so grateful" she was able to take. And the actor and producer had some choice words for the people who decided to speculate about why, exactly, she went that route: "You don't know me. . . . You don't know what I've been through. And just because I don't want to make my medical history, or my daughter's, public doesn't give you the right to make up whatever the reasons were," Chopra said in British Vogue.
Adding to her conviction is the fact that Malti was born at 28 weeks, making her "extremely" premature. For the first three months of her life, she was incubated in the neonatal intensive care unit, and Chopra said she wasn't sure if her daughter would survive. After such a fragile entry into this world, Chopra is very protective of her baby girl - both of her physical safety (the actress jokes that she has seven cameras in her room) and her emotional well-being. "I'm like, 'Keep her out of it,'" she said, referring to critics and commenters. "I know what it felt like to hold her little hands when they were trying to find her veins. So no, she's not going to be gossip."
Now, the family of three are happy and healthy in their Los Angeles home. And after decades of "grinding" in Bollywood and Hollywood, the 40-year-old actor and producer has taken the past year off from projects to focus her energy on being a mother.
"It's been 20 years of hustling and working at breakneck speed. I've always been like, 'What's the next thing?'" Chopra said. "But now I feel I have a centre, a sense of calm, because every decision ends up being about her."
Ireland Baldwin is letting pregnant people know that it's "perfectly ok" to struggle with your feelings and mental health during pregnancy. In an extremely candid Instagram post, the 27-year-old shared a series of screenshots to her profile, detailing some of her recent ups and downs.
"Vulnerability trigger warning. I'm not writing this post for sympathy. I'm only posting this because I personally have found a lot of comfort in unfamiliar corners of social media during this time in my life," she opens her statement.
Baldwin also addresses how toxic social media can be and how she hopes to bring more truth to by sharing her "inner most feelings," because that's the type of content that has made her feel less alone.
"I came across various posts and videos where people were just f*cking honest about how hard this journey can be and it's helped me so much," Baldwin says. "Pregnancy is hard. It takes so much out of you. I wasn't ready for that."
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While she says that she's "always wanted to have a child of my own with someone who would treat us right and love us unconditionally," Baldwin admits that she never knew it would be so hard. "I underestimated just how hard pregnancy would be on my mind and my body," she wrote. "Being someone who deals with extreme health anxiety on a daily basis, pregnancy turned things into high gear. I've struggled to adapt to these changes."
"I feel like my brain and thoughts are going to war every single day."
She also lists some of the pregnancy changes that caught her off guard, including bodily sensations, pains and aches, and "organs going to sh*t randomly." While Baldwin acknowledges that "everyone has an entirely different experience," she would describe hers as a "struggle" - both physically and mentally.
"It's so hard to have so much pressure on yourself. Forget the physical aspect . . . I feel like my brain and thoughts are going to war every single day. Mental warfare," Baldwin writes.
Baldwin's post highlights the realities of pregnancy and mental health. There's a common myth that "hormones released during pregnancy protect women from psychiatric disorders and foster a period of emotional well-being," Stanford Medicine reports. But anxiety and depression during pregnancy have been reported to affect between 20 and 40 percent of pregnant women, according to the Journal of Mental Health and Clinical Psychology, which also notes that "women are disproportionately affected by mood and anxiety disorders, especially in the childbearing age and mental health issues often worsen or emerge during pregnancy."
Baldwin also admits to struggling with comparison. "I'm exhausted. I'm unmotivated. I feel like life is passing by and my career hasn't even begun. It's hard coming on here and seeing mutuals dressing up for events, getting drinks, working on sets, going to school. It's hard feeling alone."
She did say, however, that having her boyfriend and father of her child, RAC (born AndrA(c) Allen Anjos), by her side has made the experience much better. Without him, Baldwin says, "I would have lost my mind," especially considering that she isn't close to many family members and she's watched friendships just "fade away" during this time. "It's hard making new friends at 27 years old," Baldwin notes, adding that she can't always be the chipper version of a pregnant person that people expect. "When people expect you to be glowing and angelic and in a constant state of bliss . . . it's unrealistic sometimes."
Still, Baldwin says, despite the struggles, "even through all of this, none of this reflects on how excited I am to be her mom." And she's come to an important realization: "My career isn't going anywhere and if it is, f*ck it. The friends that mattered most will be there and you'll have more room for new friendships. All of this is still worth it but it's ok to admit how hard and scary it all can be."
An important message for pregnant people to remember, Baldwin says: "You are not alone."
Of the many, many things people never seem to tell you about parenthood, cluster feeding is at the top of the list. People talk about feeding an infant as though it's something that happens on a strict schedule - every few hours, draining to be sure but nothing too unmanageable. They rarely tell you about cluster feeding.
"Cluster feeding is a term used for natural periods of time when your newborn wants to feed frequently in a few hours and often for many short bursts," Jenelle Ferry, MD, director of feeding, nutrition, and infant development at Pediatrix Neonatology of Florida, says. It can happen with babies who are breastfed, formula fed, or both.
If that sounds exhausting, it's because it can be. But cluster feeding in newborns and older babies is normal - and even has benefits. "Cluster feeding helps mothers to increase their breast-milk supplies to keep up with their babies' nutritional needs," says Jessica Madden, MD, a board-certified pediatrician and neonatologist, an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and medical director of Aeroflow Breastpumps.
Here's more about what cluster feeding is, when to expect it, and how to handle it without reaching a state of baby-feeding burnout.
Cluster feeding is a period of more frequent feedings. "Most newborns and young infants breastfeed about every two to three hours, but during cluster feeding, they might have several feeds in a row with only about an hour in between each feed," Dr. Madden says.
Cluster feeding is a normal part of lactation, which relies on supply and demand. The baby "demands" food, and the lactating person's body learns to "supply" it based on the little one's feedback about their needs.
"[Cluster feeding] is a natural mechanism for the baby to communicate needs for milk supply to mom's body," Dr. Ferry says. "These frequent feedings send a message to maternal feedback pathways that lead to an increase in mom's milk supply."
But again, it can happen with formula-fed babies as well, since it's a hardwired mechanism in babies. "Formula-fed babies can also cluster feed during growth spurts," Dr. Ferry says. "Since the supply situation is a bit different, this often isn't quite as pronounced as with breastfeeding. Often with formula feeding, the infant will start to eat more formula at each feeding."
Cluster feeding in newborns is common, but it can happen throughout an infant's first few years of life.
"There is typically a growth spurt on baby's second day of life, and babies cluster feed to encourage breast-milk production," Demi Lucas, an IBCLC with The Lactation Network, says. "Other common times for growth spurts are week one, 2 to 3 weeks old, 6 weeks old, 8 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months."
Lucas notes that these ages also typically coincide with growth spurts when babies demand more milk (or formula) to support their rapid development.
In the moment, cluster feeding can feel like an endless cycle of putting a baby down only to pick them up to feed again. But there's good news: it usually only lasts about two to three days, Lucas says, "then babies resume their typical feeding patterns."
Lucas also says it's common for cluster feeding to happen at the same time each day. "[Cluster feeding] often happens in the late afternoon or evening," Lucas says. Dr. Ferry says cluster-feeding periods typically last "a few" hours. But if it's happening all day, every day, it may be a sign of a problem.
"If cluster feeding is lasting more than a couple of days, it is a good idea to talk to a lactation consultant and the baby's physician to see if there's another issue that needs to be addressed," Dr. Ferry says.
Lucas emphasizes that cluster feeding is normal and doesn't mean your baby isn't feeding efficiently. But the constant feeding can get stressful and cause parents to question whether the infant is getting enough. "Not being able to quantify how much milk a baby transfers during a breastfeed adds to this concern," she adds.
If there's concern, Dr. Ferry says that parents and their support teams, including pediatricians and lactation consultants, can look for key indicators to evaluate efficient feedings. Dr. Ferry says that signs a baby is feeding efficiently include the following.
Additionally, Lucas says that cluster feeding should stop after about two to three days - if a period of cluster feeding goes on for longer, it may be a sign that the baby is having trouble getting enough food.
Reasons for inefficient feeding vary, and it's not always the lactating person's supply. Hormonal issues or past surgeries can affect milk production. But Dr. Ferry says poor latches and oral restrictions or "ties" can also prevent a baby from taking in enough milk to sustain themselves. If the parent is breastfeeding, the apparent lack of "demand" caused by the baby not taking in much milk can then decrease supply as well.
That's why support is crucial to ensure the baby is fed, the milk supply is protected, and families meet their feeding goals - whatever they are.
Both Dr. Ferry and Lucas suggest setting up a meeting with a lactation consultant (like with an IBCLC) to talk through any concerns. They'll be able to determine if a baby is having a feeding problem and, if so, what's the root cause and how it can be treated. You can find a consultant through your pediatrician, local social media groups, or websites like The Lactation Network.
Consultants can be pricey but are covered by some health insurances. You can also look for group classes or support groups, which are often lower cost or even free (but may not be able to help you diagnose specific problems).
Cluster feeding isn't something you need to stop, really - the baby will naturally grow out of the cycle within a few days. "It's the way that our bodies increase the amount of breast milk we make for our babies, so it's not something that can be prevented, stopped, or controlled," Dr. Madden says. "We need to look at it not as a problem but as a normal part of our breastfeeding journeys."
That said, cluster feeding can be overwhelming, and if a parent is struggling to keep up, that is completely valid and should be addressed. "The decision as to how to handle cluster feeding needs to be individualized," Dr. Madden adds. "If your goal is to exclusively breastfeed and your baby is well nourished with good weight gain, then during cluster feeding, you should plan to breastfeed very frequently."
Similarly, exclusive-pumping parents will need to pump more frequently during periods of cluster feeding - once for every feed. "You might want to consider power pumping once per day to simulate cluster feeding," Dr. Madden says. Power pumping involves pumping for 15 to 20 minutes, waiting 10 minutes, then pumping again for 10 minutes. Repeat that one more time. Even if no milk comes out, it's stimulating the breasts as a baby would.
But the fact is that not every parent will be able to keep up with cluster-feeding phases, and it's not reasonable to expect them to. Sometimes, supplementing with your own milk, donor milk, formula, or a combination is necessary. "If you've been struggling with a low breast-milk supply, having an infant with an inefficient latch, significant pain while breastfeeding, and/or your baby has not been gaining enough weight, you might need to temporarily supplement with pumped milk, donor breast milk, or infant formula during periods of cluster feeding," Dr. Madden says.
A physician or lactation consultant can help you figure out a plan for supplementing and can walk you through how it might affect how you'll feed your baby in the future.
"Cluster feeding can be exhausting for everyone in the household and can leave anyone else taking care of the baby who doesn't have a natural milk source feeling a little helpless," Dr. Ferry says. But nonlactating partners play a critical role, too.
"The nonlactating parent can support their partner by aiding in the other tasks that come with infant care," Lucas says. "Diaper changes, soothing the baby, bathing, baby wearing when the lactating parent isn't feeding, and providing snacks, meals, and water is immensely helpful."
The nonlactating person can also help the lactating person get some much-needed sleep. If supplementing is necessary, the nonlactating partner can take those feeds so the lactating person can pump or rest. They can also take the lead on finding a lactation consultant and setting up an appointment if the support is needed, Lucas suggests.
Taking care of a baby is exhausting, and it often requires a village. So try to get help when you need it, and know that the most difficult periods won't last forever.
Emma Roberts's motherhood journey has been quite the learning experience - specifically, learning just how much work it takes to be a parent. "It's really hard," she told People at the Jan. 17 premiere of her film "Maybe I Do." She added, "I now see why moms are always so tired!"
Roberts is the mother to 2-year-old Rhodes, her son with ex-partner Garrett Hedlund. While Roberts said she's "so lucky" to get child-care help from her mother, she shared just how much admiration she has for parents who do it all by themselves. "I just see it from such a different perspective now," she explained. "I see how being a mom is a full-time job, so I see how for women who have full-time jobs and [are] full-time moms, it's so hard and I have so much respect for them."
Roberts gave birth to Rhodes in December 2020 and was open about how the pregnancy took her by surprise - especially because the 31-year-old has endometriosis, a condition that causes intense period pain and can negatively impact fertility. "I always had debilitating cramps and periods, so bad that I would miss school and, later, have to cancel meetings," Roberts told Cosmopolitan in 2020 of her endometriosis experience. Roberts sought a second opinion after a doctor initially dismissed her symptoms and was diagnosed in her late 20s. "By then, [endometriosis] had affected my fertility," said Roberts, who decided to freeze her eggs on the advice of her doctors.
"When I found out about my fertility, I was kind of stunned," Roberts told Cosmo. "It felt so permanent, and oddly, I felt like I had done something wrong." Speaking with other women about her diagnosis helped her find community. "All of a sudden, there was a new world of conversation about endometriosis, infertility, miscarriages, fear of having kids," Roberts said. "I was so grateful to find out I was not alone in this. I hadn't done anything 'wrong' after all."
Roberts said she got pregnant by surprise, telling Cosmo, "It sounds cheesy, but the moment that I stopped thinking about it, we got pregnant." Despite her initial anxiety about sharing the news publicly ("Things can go wrong when you're pregnant," she noted), she was eager to become a parent and has fully embraced this new phase of life, including the major mindset shift that came with it, she told People in 2021.
"That was definitely the most eye-opening, having a child," Roberts said. Prior to having Rhodes, Roberts remembered "operating in the world on my own" and prioritizing her own needs. "And when you have a kid, it's like, 'Wait, how old is he going to be in the year 2050? What's the world going to look like?' . . . I definitely wanted to educate myself more on what I should be doing."
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Great for small apartments and undersized kitchens in general, this
To help you find the best storage solutions for everything from messy cabinets to cluttered drawers, the retailer's stock of handy organizers, trays, storage carts, and more may be the change your small kitchen needs. Getting tidy never looked so easy with these organizers in your home. Trust us, you may be surprised to find all the unique systems that Target has in store. Make life simpler with these useful products for kitchens ahead.
TikTok user @z00mie recently went viral for a post in which she expresses her shock at learning what's actually involved in an epidural. "Finding out that the epidural isn't a shot, it's a tube that stays in your back for your entire labor," she wrote over video of her mouth hanging open. "I have no words," she wrote in the caption. Shocked to learn the truth? Well, so were many people in the comments section.
"They really don't tell us anything on purpose," one person wrote. "Wait, I thought it was a pill," someone else said, while another person chimed in with, "I never knew this! This is really confirming my desire to NEVER get pregnant."
@z00mie I have no words
a! original sound - Taylor Dean
Of course, you're not born knowing how epidurals work, and this generally isn't covered in school unless you're a med student. So what is an epidural, again? Here's the deal.
An epidural - also known as an epidural block - is the most common type of pain relief used in childbirth in the US, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). With an epidural, medication is given through a tube placed in your lower back, per ACOG.
"A labor epidural is a very thin plastic tube - about the size of a guitar string - that is placed in a patient's lower back during labor," says Caitlin Sutton, MD, assistant professor of anesthesiology at Baylor College of Medicine. "Medicine is given through the epidural to bathe the nerves that carry pain signals during labor and delivery."
Epidurals are a popular choice during labor because of the way they work, says Laurie Chalifoux, MD, an obstetric anesthesiologist at Corewell Health and Anesthesia Practice Consultants. "The beauty of this method is that the medication works at the level of the spine instead of going into your bloodstream, so it does not make you or the baby sleepy," she says.
At a basic level, an epidural is designed to provide pain relief while you're in labor. "This can allow patients to really enjoy the birth process instead of being overwhelmed by pain," Chalifoux says.
An epidural "numbs the person's pain fibers from about the belly button down so they don't feel the pain of uterine contractions," says G. Thomas Ruiz, MD, lead ob-gyn at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. But, he points out, "everyone is a bit different" and some people may feel and be able to do more than others when they have an epidural.
"If someone were to have an ideal epidural, it would be what we refer to as a 'walking epidural' where you have just the right amount of local anesthetic to dull your pain fibers but not take out your musculoskeletal fibers, so you could still move your legs," Ruiz says.
Still, an epidural "can often make the legs feel a bit heavy," Sutton says. "This pain relief helps lower stress hormone levels and often allows patients to rest comfortably during labor before their babies are born," she continues. "The pain relief can also be helpful after the baby is delivered if you need any stitches for tearing."
In general, you should be able to feel the urge to push when you have an epidural, Ruiz says. "But most patients with an epidural are not very mobile," he says, noting that you'll usually have a catheter in your bladder as well to help you use the bathroom.
While Chalifoux stresses that it's the patient's choice whether they would prefer to have an epidural or not, she also points this out: "Doctors would never expect a person to have dental work or an appendectomy without anesthesia. So, we believe that birthing persons should have a right to safe pain control as well."
Getting an epidural is a bit of a process. It may be given soon after you start contractions or as your labor progresses, Ruiz says.
Before you're actually given the epidural, your skin will be cleaned and you'll be given local anesthesia to numb an area of your lower back, ACOG says. You then sit or lie on your side with your back curved out in a C shape.
An anesthesiologist will insert a needle into a small area of your lower back and a thin tube will be inserted through it, ACOG explains. "Some people may feel a 'funny bone' sensation momentarily down one leg or the other during placement," Sutton says.
The needle will be removed and the tube remains, typically secured with tape. Medication is given through the tube, and you may be able to control how much medication you're given with the help of a button. Pain relief usyally starts within 10 to 20 minutes after the medication is started, ACOG says.
An epidural is a medical procedure, and it comes with the risk of potential side effects. According to ACOG, those can include:
"Generally, they're safe and most people do like them," Ruiz says. "It's a good option to have if the pain of labor is overwhelming someone."
The epidural will remain in until you've delivered your baby and any tears are repaired, Chalifoux says. The removal process is simple. "The tape is removed and the epidural catheter is pulled out," Chalifoux says. "This part does not hurt."
The numbness will usually wear off in a few hours, Chalifoux says.
If you're interested in having an epidural or you're unsure of whether you want one or not, Ruiz recommends talking to your doctor. "We're pretty well versed in epidurals," he says. "And, if you're really nervous, the anesthesiologist from labor and delivery will usually be more than willing to talk to you about the process."
"Baby grunting is a common and normal behavior for infants, especially during the first few months of life," Ali Alhassani, MD, head of clinical at Summer Health, tells POPSUGAR. He explains that in the first few weeks of a baby's life, these noises may be common and normal for a baby "learning to control their breathing and muscle tone."
If you're curious about why your baby grunts, experts say there are a few reasons it can happen. And while grunting is totally normal for babies, there are also some occasions when these sounds may be something to worry about. Keep reading as doctors share what you need to know about baby grunting.
Often, "grunting can occur when a baby is passing gas or having a bowel movement," Dr. Alhassani explains. Baby grunting syndrome (infant dyschezia) is the name for when an infant has difficulty coordinating the muscles they need to pass a bowel movement, according to Cleveland Clinic. As a result, a baby may grunt to try to create the abdominal pressure they need to poop. There's no need to worry - it is a learned reflex and can take some time to master, per the nonprofit.
Grunting "can also occur when a baby is trying to sleep or is feeling discomfort," Dr. Alhassani says. In harmless cases of grunting, your baby might also make facial expressions, draw their legs up to their chest, or move around while making noise, which Dr. Alhassani says can be very normal.
However, baby grunting can also be a sign of potential medical concern. Christina Johns, MD, senior medical advisor for PM Pediatric Care, says baby grunting could indicate reflux or be a sign of respiratory distress.
Again, baby grunting is totally normal. However, it's not always easy to discern why your baby is grunting - or when it indicates something might be wrong. Are they doing everyday baby things, or could something more serious be happening?
Dr. Johns says the best way to investigate why your baby may be grunting is to look for other signs that something is amiss. "Consider other factors such as - is there a fever? Have they been constipated? How are they able to feed?" Dr. Johns notes.
Look out for anything else that might be out of the ordinary. For instance, the color of your baby's skin could point to a respiratory or heart issue. Does your baby look pale? Are they slightly blue? Does the baby's grunting accompany other symptoms like vomiting and coughing, or does it seem like they are struggling to breathe? These are signs that something more serious could be at play.
"If the baby is crying or fussy, check for signs of discomfort such as a fever, teething, or ear infection, and address those issues as needed," Dr. Alhassani adds. You can also massage the baby's belly to see if that helps release any trapped gas, which could be causing discomfort, he says.
To help keep track of what's normal for your baby and what's not, you can keep a diary of grunting episodes to see if there's a pattern, Dr. Alhassani suggests. However, both doctors agree that parents should trust their instincts if they're worried about their baby's grunting noises.
"If the grunting persists or is accompanied by other symptoms such as difficulty breathing or a change in color, consult a pediatrician to rule out any underlying medical issues," Dr. Alhassani shares.
If you're noticing ongoing grunting, "always play it safe," Dr. Johns echoes, and "have your baby evaluated by a healthcare professional."
Despite the glossy maternity shoots and glowing skin touted by the internet, pregnancy can take a lot out of birthing parents, both emotionally and physically. And while most people are aware that pregnancy involves weight gain and maybe pregnancy nose, there's also a slew of physiological changes that can impact a person during their pregnancy.
Recently, there's been talk from Twitter users diving into these lesser-known impacts of pregnancy. One user tweeted, "I had a woman today tell me she had no idea that being pregnant can permanently harm your body and I can't help wondering which part of this is personal ignorance or a societal lie and glorification of pregnancy."
Certainly, pregnancy is risky - especially given the United States' high maternal mortality rate, with NPR and ProPublica reporting that "American mothers die in childbirth at a higher rate than mothers in all other developed countries." More alarmingly, when looked through the lens of race, Kaiser Family Foundation reports that Black and Indigenous women have pregnancy-related mortality rates three and two times higher, respectively, than white women.
But even if all goes smoothly, pregnancy can still take a lot out of someone - literally. For example, one Twitter user pointed out: "A woman on the clock app said when she was pregnant two of her teeth just crumbled out of her mouth????" And the comments section flooded with the same explanation, suggesting that babies "steal your bones and nutrients" during pregnancy.
Biology teaches you that babies steal your bones and nutrients . Normalize getting in the best health possible before getting pregnant. Normalize taking vitamins relentlessly https://t.co/NRNA1LgJit
- aMani (@maninopedi) December 7, 2022
POPSUGAR spoke with board-certified gynecologist and surgeon Shaghayegh M. DeNoble, MD, FACOG, to find out how exactly growing another human can alter your body.
According to Dr. DeNoble, it is possible for the fetus to "steal" - or at least siphon off - the birthing parent's bones, especially during the third trimester when fetal bones grow the most.
"If the pregnant person is not getting enough calcium through nutrition and vitamins, then the calcium needed to grow the fetus's skeleton will be drawn from the mother's bones," Dr. DeNoble says. However, it's important to note that this bone thinning is temporary and restored in the months following birth.
Additionally, Dr. DeNoble notes that "there are changes that occur in pregnancy to protect the mother's bones. For example, a pregnant person is able to absorb more calcium from food and vitamins than someone who is not pregnant. Estrogen is also increased during pregnancy, which helps to strengthen bone." According to Dr. DeNoble, research shows that pregnancy does not increase risk for future osteoporosis for adults, "although some could be at risk for fragility fractures during pregnancy." For teenagers who are pregnant, however, there is a high risk for developing osteoporosis later in life, as teenagers themselves are not done growing.
A simple solution? Make sure you consume enough calcium during pregnancy through diet and vitamins, Dr. DeNoble says. The American Pregnancy Association recommends 1,000 mg of calcium a day for pregnant and lactating adults and 1,300 mg for pregnant and lactating teens.
In addition to bone thinning, there are also other symptoms to be aware of during pregnancy. In addition to more well-known experiences like morning sickness and enlarged breasts, a parent's body will also change internally throughout pregnancy.
Notably, the cardiac system adapts to accommodate the growth of the fetus. Blood volume increases by about 50 percent, the heart size increases slightly, and the heart rate rises while blood pressure dips slightly - all to ensure the fetus receives enough blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients, Dr. DeNoble says. It's likely the parent will feel shortness of breath, a racing heart, dizziness, and an increased urge to urinate, as these are all common side effects of the aforementioned cardiovascular changes.
There's also a slew of other lesser-known pregnancy symptoms you could experience. For example, ligaments throughout the body soften as a hormone called relaxin increases, Dr. DeNoble points out.
"This can cause joints to loosen especially in the pelvis, which can affect the way the pelvis feels with walking and sitting. This also causes separation of the pelvic bones and, when significant enough, can cause significant pain," she says. A pregnant person's feet can also grow due to softening of the ligaments.
What's more, hormones can also impact the GI system, causing acid reflux, gas, constipation, and bloating. A heightened sense of smell, common during pregnancy, can also play into your symptoms, causing nausea and food aversions, Dr. DeNoble notes.
Finally, she says that pregnancy can impact sight. "Vision can get blurry during pregnancy due to water retention causing thickening of the cornea, as well as increase in the fluid pressure within the eye." There are also other serious conditions in pregnancy (like preeclampsia) that can cause vision changes, so if you notice any changes in your eyesight, Dr. DeNoble recommends seeing your doctor right away to talk about symptoms.
Thankfully, very few of these bodily changes during pregnancy will stick with you postpartum, though Dr. DeNoble notes that increased foot size can be permanent, as well as stretch marks.
In addition, the pelvic floor can become permanently weakened due to pregnancy, causing bladder symptoms, incontinence, and sensation of pelvic pressure. However, with physical therapy and pelvic-floor exercises, pelvic-floor issues can be reversed, Dr. DeNoble says.
There are some benefits to the body during pregnancy as well. Many people grow thicker, shinier hair, and nails often grow faster and stronger. It's also possible that menstrual cramps become less severe after pregnancy.
More importantly, Dr. DeNoble says, "Pregnancy lowers a woman's risk of ovarian, breast, and uterine cancers. This is because when you don't ovulate during pregnancy, you have less exposure to the hormones estrogen and progesterone."
After driving around Phoenix, AZ, to four different FedEx locations in an attempt to track down the milk, the star offensive tackle turned to his 114K followers. "Shoutout FedEx for losing a perishable 24-hour shipment of a month supply of milk for my newborn, and responding that there is nothing they can do, and will not reimburse me. What a joke," Decker tweeted late Thursday night.
After the tweet went viral, FedEx reached out to offer "further assistance." In the meantime, fans responded on Twitter with possible solutions like ordering milk through a pharmacy. But the large shipment cannot easily be replaced. "Unfortunately it was my wife's breast milk that she had pumped and frozen so we could transport it for the off season," the 29-year-old wrote in reply. "So sadly it can't be replaced, which is why I'm pissed." The couple shipped it to Arizona, where they plan to live with their 3-month-old daughter, Daisy Faye Decker, until the season starts up again.
Others weren't as helpful. One person wrote, "You should have been a better dad and found safer ways to obtain it then [sic] relying on a shipping company that is governement [sic] owned. You have no one to blame but yourself imho," to which Decker replied what we were all thinking: "You are probably so much fun at parties."
If FedEx is able to track down the package, it's on a ticking clock - and it may even be too late, depending on when Decker shipped the package. The CDC guidelines on human-milk storage recommends using previously frozen breast milk within 24 hours and to never refreeze human milk after it's been thawed. However, if the breast milk begins to thaw but still has ice crystals, it can safely be refrozen. Best of luck to Decker and his "little lioness."
We've rounded up 43 of the best shows on Netflix for teens and tweens. There's something for everyone, from a series about a 15-year-old girl rocket scientist to one about teenage girls turned mermaids to one that spreads awareness about mental health struggles (and features an adorable talking dog). These tween and teen shows on Netflix are trustworthy, too - you can let your kids watch solo without worrying about what they're being exposed to, and they're gripping enough that your tweets or teens won't be complaining of boredom before the first episode is even over. Happy watching!
- Additional reporting by Lauren Harano and Charlotte Kho
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