Newborn babies spend much of their waking hours nursing or bottle-feeding. In the exhaustion of new parenthood, it’s easy to dismiss how remarkable it is that babies come into the world already knowing how to eat. In fact, rooting (looking for the breast) and sucking are natural reflexes that get newborns off to a good start on mastering the art of breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. The primary purpose of sucking is feeding....
Looking for a baby girl name with a touch of modern elegance? You may have found it with Olivia. Olivia is a Latin name meaning “olive tree,” and the feminine alternative to the boy name Oliver. Records of the name Olivia date back to 13th-century England. Its initial popularity might be attributed to the beautiful, sought-after heiress in William Shakespeare’s play, Twelfth Night. There are only a handful of popular O names for girls in the U....
About a third of pregnant people will give birth via Cesarean section or c-section. In addition to being the birth of your baby, it is also abdominal surgery. This can mean a very different recovery than you would have had with a vaginal birth. By knowing what to expect and planning properly, you can alleviate some of the stress and strain surrounding this recovery period. Immediately Post C-Section C-section recovery happens in stages....
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy disorder that involves high blood pressure along with other symptoms, such as protein in the urine. Other names for preeclampsia include toxemia, pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), and gestosis. Preeclampsia is one of four hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and can be very serious for pregnant people and their babies. If you have high blood pressure during your pregnancy, your healthcare provider will want to find out if preeclampsia is the cause....
While the primary focus of naming a child usually goes to the first name, selecting the perfect middle name is very important as well. Just like first names, middle names run the gamut from simple and traditional to short and sweet to quirky and creative to obscure or trend-setting. While there is great variety, middle names are often used to commemorate a loved one, such as an older relative, someone who has died, or a personal hero....
Waterproof fitness trackers are a durable and versatile tool that can help track your progress through a variety of sports and activities. In fact, research shows using fitness trackers may help you become more consistent with your exercise and activity goals. The best waterproof trackers will pair with whatever devices you need, monitor stats specific to your training regimen, and include extra features that match your lifestyle. Fitness trackers come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, so there’s one out there to match anyone’s style and needs....
While many of us start our day with a layer of sunscreen on our face, we sometimes forget the sun’s rays still pass through our clothes. Wearing sun protective clothing is a simple and effective way to augment your current sun safety routine and give your body complete protection from sun damage. “UPF clothing provides a wonderful way to protect your skin and can be an important part of a good sun-protection regimen along with sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats,” Carol Trakimas, MD, a dermatologist practicing in Raleigh, NC, and spokesperson for The Skin Cancer Foundation, says....
Young people who start drinking before age 15 are significantly more likely to develop alcohol use disorders as adults than those who wait until after age 18, but researchers are not sure if early-onset drinking is a marker for higher risk or a direct risk factor. Researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) examined data from a three-year study of 22,316 drinkers who are now 18 years or older....
Headaches are often described as pain or discomfort in any part of the head. The pain caused by headaches often varies for different people. Some people report feeling severe discomfort in the back of the head, others may complain about pain in the eyes, and some may feel the headache all throughout their head. Regardless of how the pain is experienced, frequent headaches can really interfere with your life. Types of Headaches Depending on symptoms and severity, most headaches can be categorized into two main types: tension headaches or migraines, although there may be some overlap between the two....
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are anxiety disorders that commonly co-occur in people with a history of trauma. Research shows that the likelihood of a person diagnosed with PTSD developing OCD within a year is about 30%. The treatment for OCD may vary if it occurs with PTSD, so it is important to discuss any trauma with your therapist. Before delving into the link between PTSD and OCD, it’s important to understand the basics of these mental health conditions....
Tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) are thought to be some of the most potent carcinogens in tobacco products. They are unique to tobacco and present in smokeless tobacco, snuff, cigarettes, and electronic cigarette liquid. Most of the damage comes from cigarettes and cigarette smoke, however, because of the prevalence of smoking. As of Dec. 20, 2019, the new legal age limit is 21 years old for purchasing cigarettes, cigars, or any other tobacco products in the U....
What Are Persecutory Delusions? Persecutory delusions occur when someone believes others are out to harm them despite evidence to the contrary. It’s a type of paranoid thinking that can be part of several different mental illnesses. Whether people with this condition think co-workers are sabotaging their work or they believe the government is trying to kill them, persecutory delusions vary in severity. Some people with persecutory delusions believe they have to go to great lengths to stay safe—and consequently, they may struggle to function in everyday life....
Morning sickness is nausea experienced during pregnancy. It tends to be the first pregnancy symptom many women experience. It can start nearly as soon as the pregnancy test is positive, though many women will not notice morning sickness until about the sixth week of pregnancy. It typically lasts for just the first few months of pregnancy (the first trimester). But for some women, it can stretch out into the second, and sometimes even the third, trimesters....
Mental instability, while not an official diagnosis, is a very broad term that people use to refer to a wide range of mental health conditions. While the terms “mental instability” or “mentally unstable” may still be used, neither is an official diagnosis and each is highly stigmatizing and offensive. More appropriate terms include “mental health condition” and “mental health disorder.” Some common examples of mental health conditions include anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)....
A woman’s body is subject to disempowering cultural expectations that stem from her social interactions, environment, and the media. Some ideals that women try to meet include how she should do her make-up, what clothes she should wear when she should or should not have children, and what her body should look like. Female Embodiment Female embodiment is a concept that describes a woman’s sense of self as influenced by the experiences her body has with the world....
The Fregoli delusion is a rare psychiatric condition characterized by a false belief that different people are in fact the same person. People with the Fregoli delusion often believe that a particular person, usually someone they don’t know, is following them and impersonating other people. The delusion can be quite distressing, leading to feelings of paranoia and anxiety. There is no known cure for the Fregoli delusion, but treatment may help lessen symptoms and improve quality of life....
Living through a pandemic, natural disasters, racial discrimination, and the sporadic adversities that accompany everyday life, it can often feel as if you are losing your faith. You might not only lose faith in the higher power you worship, but you might also feel a loss of faith in humanity, loved ones, or in yourself. Many people experience feelings like this, especially when it feels like you have no control over what is going on in your life and the world around you....
Whether bedtime at your house starts with a storytime, a lullaby, or a nursing session, the rules of safe sleep are always the same. You probably know them by heart by now—babies should sleep alone, on their backs, in a crib. Nothing at all should be in that crib beside your baby, with the exception of a pacifier. When you first put your swaddled-up little one to bed, it may have looked a little strange to see them lying in the middle of their bare mattress....
Have you ever been really angry and found yourself in tears? While some people shout and scream when they’re angry, some people cry when they’re mad. Depending on the circumstances, this experience can be confusing, embarrassing, and frustrating, so you might wonder why it happens. “It can be easier to express anger initially, rather than the vulnerability that comes with acknowledging and displaying dejection,” says Romanoff. Once you express your anger, she says you can more easily access the pain and other underlying emotions it is connected to, which is why you might cry when you’re angry....
Most people abandon New Year’s resolutions within the first month and then make the same resolutions all over again the following year, according to a recent study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Key Takeaways A new study suggests most people give up their resolutions quickly and repeat resolutions in future years.For healthy lifestyle changes, experts suggest moving away from the resolution model if it’s not working for you and focus on smaller goals instead....
