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Pregnancy is often viewed as one of the most joyful events in life. And while the feelings of happiness that many moms-to-be expect to experience do occur, there can also be many more moments of sadness, loneliness, and hopelessness. While all of these emotions can be attributed to a healthy pregnancy, there are instances when these changes in mood may be reflective of something more serious. Antepartum depression or depression during pregnancy, while quite common, is not discussed as much as postpartum depression, which can leave many pregnant women feeling isolated and alone....

Most people understand addiction when it comes to a dependence on substances, such as alcohol, nicotine, illicit drugs, or even prescription medications, but they have a hard time with the concept of addictive behaviors. Yet, it’s also possible to develop a behavioral addiction. In fact, people can get hooked on everything from gambling to sex to the internet. Some activities are so normal that it’s hard to believe people can become addicted to them....

As your baby’s vision develops at around 7 to 8 months old, you will notice they have begun to discover movement, light, patterns, and shadows. For example, your baby may suddenly become totally transfixed by the television when they never used to notice it. The contrast between light and dark will really pique your baby’s interest, and it’s important to encourage those new skills by stimulating your baby. Take advantage of their newfound awareness to help further develop their visual tracking skills by playing fun and easy shadow games indoors and outdoors....

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are an educational blueprint of what literacy and math skills to teach at each grade level, resulting in children all across the U.S. who have the same solid set of skills in each grade level. So then, what is all the fuss about if the new standards are nothing more than a common blueprint to ensure that all children have been taught the same basic skills at each grade level?...

Battery-related emergency room visits have doubled in the last decade compared to the previous 20 years. That’s according to a new study conducted by researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Safe Kids Worldwide. On average, a child visited the hospital every 1.25 hours for a battery-related incident. Key Takeaways A new study from Nationwide Children’s Hospital showed the number of battery-related injuries more than doubled in the past decade.As technology gets smaller and more common in homes, researchers say children have access to more button batteries than before....

In March 2022, an ingredient called lilial made headlines as it was formally banned from cosmetics products in the EU after the European Commission found the substance to be a potential reproductive toxin. This conclusion was formed as a result of animal studies. In the wake of this news, Olaplex was thrust into the spotlight as it once contained lilial in its very popular No. 3 Hair Perfector. As of 2022, the brand no longer uses the ingredient....

Forensic psychology has become one of the most popular subfields of psychology in recent years. Increasing numbers of students express interest in this field of study, yet many are not quite sure what they need to do to pursue a career in this area. If you have an interest in psychology as well as the law and criminal justice, then this is an area that certainly might interest you. So how do you get started in forensic psychology?...

Often, media literacy can help people to grasp how TV viewing patterns may reinforce certain narratives. A new study published in The Journal of Sex Research found that heavy consumption of reality TV was linked to greater endorsement of gendered sexual scripts among youth. Key Takeaways High levels of reality TV viewing may reinforce heteronormative behaviors in adolescents.Heavier TV consumption impacted the acceptance of gendered sexual scripts among girls, but not boys....

Labor has three stages, but the active phase of the first stage is what many think of, as it is when contractions become strong and frequent. This phase can last 4 to 8 hours. In total, all of the stages of labor—from when the baby ‘drops’ (lightening) to delivery of the placenta—can take 12 to 24 hours for first births and about 8 to 10 hours for subsequent ones. These ranges may not match up with what you’ve heard friends report about their experiences, however....

It’s summertime, and a historically hot one at that, which means people are more inclined to show some skin. But for those affected by psoriasis and eczema—skin conditions that can cause itchy, painful rashes—this may not be the case. Key Takeaways Millions of Americans deal with chronic skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema.While the physical symptoms are clear, the psychological impact can be less obvious.Research links psoriasis and eczema to anxiety and depression, but support groups, positive self-talk, and educating yourself can ease the struggle....

Chances are, if you are on social media, you have seen #MeToo, the hashtag people everywhere are using to share their stories and let people know that they have been victims of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and sexual bullying. Not only has this movement helped victims feel supported, but it also has made the statistics about sexual assault and sexual abuse become very real. No longer is the issue a gray area, but one that is now in bold print for everyone to see....

Nicotine gum (e.g., Nicorette) is a form of therapeutic nicotine designed to help ex-smokers gradually reduce the amount of nicotine they are used to receiving daily from cigarettes. Nicotine chewing gum is sugar-free and comes in two strengths: 2mg for people who have smoked fewer than 25 cigarettes a day, and 4mg for those who have smoked 25 or more cigarettes a day. It’s widely available over the counter (without a prescription) at pharmacies, department stores, and online stores....

At Verywell Family, our mission is simple: to support you through every stage of pregnancy and parenthood. Nothing is as precious or important as your family, so we have created a rigorous and thorough process for vetting the products we recommend for you and your loved ones. It all starts with market research and interviews with industry experts. From there, we create comprehensive methodologies and test products in The Verywell Testing Lab, our testing facility in New York City, and our testers’ own homes....

One challenging aspect of stress is that it can pile up: activities that are mildly stressful can feel overwhelming when you are experiencing too much stress in other areas. Fortunately, it’s also true that small spurts of stress relief can accumulate, and can add up to increased resilience. One potential challenge that many people face when stressed and busy, however, is that they feel they lack the time or energy to practice some of the most stress-relieving and resilience-promoting activities when they need them the most....

Mother’s Day can be so painful after a pregnancy loss. Everywhere you go, you’ll be faced with reminders of the holiday. No matter what kind of loss you’ve gone through or whether you’ve got other children at home, you’ve earned your right to recognize Mother’s Day if you want to. If you identify yourself as a mother, you’re a mother. How You Choose to Spend Mother’s Day After a Miscarriage Is Personal For some women, the “mother” title may be uncomfortable....

Each and every day we are faced with a multitude of decisions. Some of these are relatively small, such as deciding what to wear or what to have for breakfast. Others are big and can have a major influence on the course of our life, such as deciding where to go to school or whether to have children. Some decisions take time while others must be made in a split-second. While we employ a number of different decision-making strategies, we also often fall prey to a number of common fallacies, biases, and other decision-making problems....

Some parents spend hundreds of dollars reinforcing their kids’ math skills. But mathematics is part of everyday life, especially when shopping. Since you have to go to the grocery store anyway, why not make it a mathematical playground? There are a number of different skills to practice both before and during shopping. Begin by approximating a budget, get your kids’ help to make a list, and you can take off from there....

The teen years are a time to ensure your child is going to be ready for life after high school. Your teen can be quite independent in many ways. But, it’s also a time when you’ll notice areas that need some improvement and maturity before adulthood. Plus, your teen may seem on top of everything one minute and then struggle the next—this is also common during these sometimes volatile years of rapid growth and development....

Whether you’re headed to the gym or studio, running errands, or lounging around the house, sweat shorts are a great addition to your warm-weather wardrobe. “These shorts are more breathable and airy and don’t stick to you like leggings, which allows you to stay cool during workouts without having to worry about sweat stains,” Sabrina Sarabella, NASM-certified personal trainer and ACE-certified group fitness instructor, says. Sweat shorts come in a variety of materials, lengths, and styles, and the best shorts for you will depend on personal choice and desired function....

Many psychoactive substances are sourced from plants. For example, compounds with hallucinogenic effects can be found in mushrooms and ayahuasca, both of which are used for both recreational and spiritually-oriented drug trips. The usage of plant-based drugs is no less dangerous than that of commercially and/or synthetically produced ones, though, which is very much the case with a poisonous plant called moonflower. Moonflower has been used in recent years by young people to induce a cheap high, and is particularly dangerous as it is unregulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)....