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I never considered that the OB/GYN I’d been seeing throughout my first pregnancy wouldn’t be at the hospital to deliver my baby. Not until I was about 38 weeks pregnant and chatting with a friend who had given birth around six months earlier. “Will your doctor be at the hospital?” she asked. I was confused by the question. “I assume so,” I replied. She told me that hers wasn’t, that her baby was delivered by the OB who was on-call when she went into labor....

Disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) is an attachment condition characterized by difficulty forming emotional bonds with others and a lack of inhibition around strangers. The condition tends to occur in young children who have experienced neglect, trauma, abandonment, or abuse. Most children are naturally cautious with adults they don’t know. For the most part, a fear of unfamiliar people is healthy and helpful. However, children with disinhibited social engagement disorder do not have this fear....

What Are Laughing Disorders? These episodes are commonly intense, and may be inappropriate or exaggerated given the social setting. Other terms to describe laughing disorders include involuntary emotional expression disorder, emotional lability, pathological laughter, crying, or emotional incontinence. Laughing Disorder (aka Pseudobulbar Affect) Laughing disorders, aka pseudobulbar affect, involve episodes of uncontrollable laughter or crying during situations that do not warrant that reaction. This condition typically occurs in people living with existing neurological disorders....

Whether you are just starting to shop for cribs or your baby is already home from the hospital, you probably have been thinking a lot about where your newborn will sleep. Of course, you want your baby to sleep soundly and comfortably—maybe even for a few uninterrupted hours at a time! But safety should be the top concern. Implementing safe sleep practices is essential to protecting your baby from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other accidents....

Conception! Even though the start of your pregnancy journey began two weeks ago at week 1, the start of your baby’s development begins this week. While you won’t know if you’re officially pregnant until the end of week 4 or in week 5, during week 3, a new little life is beginning to take form. Your Baby’s Development at 3 Weeks Fertilization, or the joining of the egg and sperm, is the first step in your child’s development....

Growing up, all I knew of ADHD was the stereotype of someone who is easily distracted by squirrels and disruptive in class. That didn’t fit what I was going through. I didn’t care much one way or the other about squirrels and I was too busy either daydreaming or ditching school entirely to be disruptive in class. Instead of squirrels and restlessness, it just felt like there was a wall in my head blocking me from doing what I wanted to do....

Psychosis usually accompanies episodes of extreme mania in people with bipolar I disorder (the more severe form of the disease). While less common, it can also happen to people with bipolar II disorder. Bipolar psychosis is the loss of contact with reality in which the person cannot distinguish between real and imagined. Symptoms include delusions (believing something that is not real) and/or hallucinations (seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, or tasting something that is not real)....

Thanks to the advent of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, ketamine, MDMA, psilocybin (also known as shrooms), and LSD are currently being studied for their ability to heal various mental health ailments. This renewed interest in psychedelics empowers many to lean into their curiosity about these substances. This article will focus on ‘shrooms,’ sometimes called magic mushrooms, and their impact on pregnant and breastfeeding people. While shrooms have documented mental health benefits, some risks are associated with consuming them....

There are so many baby products on the market these days that parents often have a difficult time deciding which products to buy.​​ And even when they do narrow it down to a specific type of baby product, deciding on which brand to buy can be another big decision all on its own. In addition to reading product reviews, simply trying the product for yourself, and asking friends and family members for advice before buying baby products, it can help to look for products endorsed by professionals you trust....

Every Friday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern. Friday Fix: Episode 223 A decade ago, the idea of meeting with a therapist online seemed too far-fetched for many people. There were concerns about everything from privacy to credibility. And it’s no wonder why. Some online therapy sites take insurance....

Subscribe Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Every Monday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, interviews authors, experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and other inspirational people about the strategies that help them think, feel, and do their best in life. Meet Ty Tashiro Dr. Ty Tashiro is an author, social scientist, and relationship expert. He’s a popular TED speaker and the author of a great book called Awkward: The Science of Why We’re Socially Awkward and Why That’s Awesome....

It is normal for couples to go through turbulent times together. However, the common challenges that a couple faces can be even more difficult when one partner is struggling with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, are marked by extreme fears and worry. When one partner is trying to cope with the symptoms and emotions of an anxiety-related condition, it can add stress to a relationship. These issues can potentially cause a breakdown in mutual communication and understanding....

Managing your pregnancy while working can be quite the juggling act. You can think of it as a prelude to the bigger juggling act you’ll be performing when you become a working mom. Finding out that you’re pregnant may be some of the best news you’ll ever receive. Likely, the thought of your growing baby inside of you is a welcoming and warm feeling. However, the side effects that come with pregnancy, like morning sickness, interrupted sleep and (extreme) fatigue can put a damper on your lifestyle, especially on your career....

In 2013, President Obama proposed making high-quality preschool education available to every four-year-old in the United States. Since then, early childhood education has been a controversial topic with both parents and policymakers. For the 2014-2015 year, 44 states offered state-funded pre-Kindergarten education for children beginning at age 4. Prior to age 4, parents are responsible for the full cost of preschool. Cost of Preschool Most preschool fees are comparable to the high costs of daycare centers....

American psychologist Henry Murray (1893–1988) developed a theory of personality that was organized in terms of motives, presses, and needs. Murray described needs as a “potentiality or readiness to respond in a certain way under certain given circumstances.” Murray’s Types of Needs Theories of personality based on needs and motives suggest that our personalities are a reflection of behaviors controlled by needs. While some needs are temporary and changing, other needs are more deeply seated in our nature....

My family had just arrived 24 hours earlier in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, for what was meant to be an exciting weekend getaway until it hit—RSV, a highly contagious virus that attacks both children and adults. Now, my usually healthy 3-year-old was suddenly coughing, puking, and (the biggest shocker) tired before bedtime. We packed up immediately to make the three-hour trip back home. “RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is a respiratory illness that causes a common cold in most people but can cause more significant breathing problems in infants and young children,” explains Jonathan Miller, MD, chief of primary care for Nemours Children’s Health, Delaware Valley....

Regular consumption of caffeine could increase risks during pregnancy, including potential miscarriage and changes in fetal development, new research published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine suggests. Key Takeaways Consumption of caffeine during pregnancy could raise risks, both for a healthy pregnancy and for fetal development, a recent meta-analysis finds.The situation is particularly acute during the third trimester, since caffeine stays in the body longer due to maternal metabolism changes.Despite widespread recommendations for moderation, some experts think no amount of caffeine during pregnancy is safe....

Every infertile couple must make sure the male partner’s sperm is tested. Even if a fertility problem has been identified in the female partner, that doesn’t mean the male partner’s fertility is normal. While one-third of infertility cases involve the female partner, one-third of infertility cases are related to the male partner. The other third involves both partners or is unexplained infertility, which means there is no known cause. Semen analysis is an important fertility test for infertile couples, and the test should be done before any treatments (even “just Clomid”) are prescribed....

Although it’s only an adjustment by one hour each spring and fall, daylight saving time (DST) has such a profound effect on sleep and health that the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has just released a position paper calling for eradication of the practice. Key Takeaways The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has released a position paper calling for the end of daylight saving time for health-related reasons.Although daylight saving time is an adjustment of just an hour, it can have profound effects on wellness, experts suggest....

Wrist wraps are helpful during moves like deadlifts and pull-ups when you’re pulling a load greater than what your grip can handle. For those with hand or wrist injuries—particularly those in which the function of the joints is compromised—who still want to strength train, your doctor might recommend a wrist wrap to help you lift and shield your joints at the same time. The most important thing to keep in mind when using wrist wraps is to make sure they’re secure, but not so tight that they cut off circulation....