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Filed under: Newborns, Babies, In the newsWith their roly-poly sausage thighs, dimpled hands and neck rolls, babies are made for cuddling. They fit perfectly in the crook of an elbow and sleep best curled up on top of a person who loves them. All that snuggle time serves an important purpose -- security, attachment, trust -- but it might also set off a sequence of DNA events that will eventually determine how a baby parents her own child.Columbia University neurobiologist Francis Champagne studied the mothering tendencies of female rats. Mama rats who licked and groomed their babies (the rat version of cuddling) raised daughters who went on to lick their own babies. Daughter rats of non-licking mothers treated their own children the same way. This might seem like a nurture issue. We learn what we live, so baby rats either learn or don't learn to lick their babies. But Champagne discovered that in baby rats who weren't licked and groomed, genes affecting mother skills were actually turned off. "Mothers are incredibly important, so the quality of care that they're able to provide to infants is critical for shaping infant development, and will have consequences for the next generations of mothers and infants," says Champagne.Continue reading Mother's Touch Turns on Parenting Genes Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Bloggingbaby.com Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST
Filed under: Pregnancy & birthHere's something you don't hear very often during childbirth: "Oooh, that feels so good!" Generally that is because the mother-to-be-is either unconscious, writhing in pain, or numb from the waist down. But according to a new documentary, childbirth and sexual pleasure are not mutually exclusive.Last year, actress Ricki Lake started a conversation about birth practices in the U.S. with the release of her documentary The Business of Being Born. She urged us to to rethink the way we view childbirth and experience it for what it really is -- a natural life process and not a medical emergency.Now, a new documentary by filmmaker Debra Pascali-Bonaro takes that idea a giant step further by claiming that childbirth can not only be a natural experience, but an orgasmic one as well. The film, Orgasmic Birth, was shot over a five-year period and follows eleven women as they experience what midwife Naoli Vinaver describes as "the sensual and sexual nature of birth." Yes, these women are having orgasms while in labor.Continue reading Orgasmic Childbirth? Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Bloggingbaby.com Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EST
Filed under: Image of the DayWe're not sure if anything could be cuter than a toddler's toes. Thanks to thenagainphoto for this fun shot.If you'd like your own picture featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr Pool - We'll highlight an image every day. Remember: we're on the lookout for shots with interesting backgrounds, cool angles, or original composition. Be sure to read the intro on our main Flickr page for more information and limit your uploading to 5 photos per day. LookBook - Image of the Day Think your baby is the cutest of all? Our answer is a 2.0 style cutie-pie contest. Click on for a collection of the most adorable baby pictures we could find. Want to show off your own? Click here to send us your pictures. Blushing BabeRosy-cheeked babies pull our heart strings every single time. Thanks to robax for such a great shot of this adorable wee one. -- 1/9/2009 robax, Flickr Snoozin' StripesAll of these colorful patterns sure don't seem to keep this cute baby awake. Thanks to DtotheV for this glimpse at their precious tyke! -- 1/7/2009 DtotheV, Flickr Double LeanWe've all been there - trying to get our littlest tykes to sit upright for a photo. These cuties seem to be experiencing a domino effect! Thanks to Naasif and Kim for this adorable photo. -- 1/6/2009 Naasif and Kim Face OffIt's either you or me, Elmo. Only one of us gets the spotlight today. Looks like PAC 412's little one doesn't mess around! -- 1/5/2009 PAC 412, Flickr Little PeanutApprehension, Anticipation, Glee. Looks like Greg Gladman accurately captured many expressions of the holiday season. --12/31/08 Santa CutieHearts are aflutter over this little Santa! Thanks to Dhanny for this precious portrait. --12/30/08 Un-Merry ChristmasDon't worry little tot, the holidays are almost over. Thanks to ESnod for giving us a little sympathetic giggle this afternoon. --12/29/08 Christmas ReflectionsAmidst ornaments and gifts, this little one is learning the art of a quick peek. Thanks to Shayne Marie Casto for this beautiful photo. Shayne Marie Casto, Flickr Baby in the BubbleThis tot artfully photographed by BethLo surely won't bust your bubble. -- 12/23/2008 BethLo, Flickr soKe.flace('parentdish-parentd... '584', '577'); var uid = new Date().getTime(); var flashProxy = new FlashProxy(uid, [url] var flashvars = {}; try { flashvars.lcId = uid; } catch (Exc) { }; try { flashvars.targetAds = 'parentdish-parentdish_lookboo... } catch (Exc) { }; try { flashvars.omniture_tracker = '0'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { flashvars.adrefresh_wrapper = '1'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { flashvars.appswfURL = soKe.fv('http://xml.channel.ao... } catch (Exc) { }; if (typeof(screen_name) != 'undefined') try { flashvars.userName = screen_name; } catch (Exc) { }; var params = {}; try { params.wmode = 'opaque'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { params.menu = 'false'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { params.bgcolor = '#ffffff'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { params.quality = 'best'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { params.allowScriptAccess = 'always'; } catch (Exc) { }; try { params.allowFullScreen = 'true'; } catch (Exc) { }; var attributes = {}; try { attributes.id = 'outlet'; } catch (Exc) { }; top.exd_space.refresher.ads2Re... Array( 'parentdish-parentdish_lookboo... new Array('93217847','300','250','... )); top.exd_space.refresher.iFrm2R... Array( 'parentdish-parentdish_lookboo... new Array('Placement_ID', '1370711'), new Array('Domain_ID', '1079767') )); top.exd_space.refresher.mmx('p... [url] ''); swfobject.embedSWF('http://cdn... 'parentdish-parentdish_lookboo... '584', '577', '9.0.115', [url] flashvars, params, attributes); top.exd_space.refresher.launch... 'parentdish-parentdish_lookboo... dynamicSlide:[''], size:['456t'], photoNumber:['0'], title:['LookBook - Image of the Day'], numimages:['28'], [url] imageurl:['ParentDish_LookBook... credit:['Getty'], source:[''], caption:['Think your baby is the cutest of all? Our answer is a 2.0 style cutie-pie contest. Click on for a collection of the most adorable baby pictures we could find. Want to show off your own? Click here to send us your pictures.'], dims:['http://o.aolcdn.com/dim... showDisclaimerText:[''], disclaimerText:[''], CSS_Title:['#f53d87'], CSS_Caption:['#5b544c'], CSS_Disclaimer:['#5b544c'], CSS_Container:['#ffffff'], CSS_Border:['#ffffff'], CSS_PhotoWell:['#bbe9e6'], CSS_photoHolder:['#ffffff'], CSS_Buttons:['#f53d87'], CSS_BtnOver:['#bbe9e6'], CSS_Scroll:['#ffffff'], topMargin:['78,0,252,269,408,2... } ); Permalink | Email this | Comments
Bloggingbaby.com Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST
Filed under: Just for moms, Celeb parentingThis week on "The View," the ladies discussed actress Julia Roberts' wavering popularity and whether being a mom (or not) is what makes a woman sexy. Julia Roberts, 42, is often photographed with her three children, pushing a stroller and looking frumpy. "View" co-host Sherri Shepherd compared her to the ever-popular Jennifer Anniston, 40, who is single, just two years younger than Julia, and a box office hit -- and rarely photographed looking anything but fabulous. So what makes one celebrity mom sexier than another?Does giving birth zap a celebrity's sex appeal in the eyes of the public? That's not the case with Angelina Jolie, 34 (mother of six), who is hailed for her exotic beauty and as Shepherd mentioned, has given birth twice, just like Roberts.Perhaps a star mom's sexiness is dependent on her ability to make headlines. Jolie consistently graces the covers of weekly tabloid magazines for her scandalous romance with Brad Pitt, while Roberts (who also started dating camera man Danny Moder while he was still married) seemingly makes a concerted effort to stay out of the limelight when she's not working, and focuses on family life. Could age determine sexiness? One would be hard pressed to argue that Jolie's beauty is greater than Roberts'; after all, Roberts was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by "People" magazine in 2002 - when she was roughly Angie's age.And consider Reese Witherspoon, a beautiful mom of two who makes a point to avoid the spotlight when it comes to her personal life. No doubt she is equally as gorgeous as mom Kate Hudson, yet Hudson is portrayed as a sex symbol far more often than Witherspoon, and appears in the tabloids on a regular basis for her fickle romance with Owen Wilson. Witherspoon, on the other hand, seems to have settled down with boyfriend Jake Gyllenhaal.What do you think - does age, motherhood, or plain old controversy determine sexiness? Beauty After Motherhood Angelina JolieThe actress and her partner Brad Pitt have three adopted children -- Maddox, 7, Pax, 4, and Zahara, 3 -- and three biological children -- Shiloh, 2, and baby twins Knox and Vivienne. "I know this is going to sound corny, but I first became happy with the way I look when I became a mother." Getty Images Halle BerryBerry and boyfriend French-Canadian model Gabriel Aubry have one child, Nahla Ariela, born on March 16, 2008. It was her role in the film, "Things We Lost in the Fire," that convinced her motherhood was for her. "I think it validated that I was meant to be a mother because every day I dealt with the character as a mother and thinking as a mother...It let me know that I must be a mother." Getty Images / FilmMagic Gwyneth PaltrowHas two children, Apple, 4, and Moses, 2, named after a song her husband Chris Martin. "It's like being the most in love you've ever been...but mixed with the worst heartbreak...because one day you're not going to be together anymore." Getty Images Julia RobertsJulia Roberts and her husband Danny Moder, have 4-year-old twins, Hazel and Phinnaeus, and a boy Henry, 17 months. She told Vanity Fair: "At this point I'm having so much fun with them. You only have so much energy and you want to put so much energy into each child. I wouldn't know how to have five kids. And they're a really good trio, these three." Getty Images / AP Jennifer Lopezher twins with husband Marc Anthony, Emme and Maximillian, were born 2008 by C-section. According to People, "Jennifer described it [motherhood] as the most magical time of her life. She said, 'You know what? You can win an Oscar, you can win a Golden Globe, and as an ambitious artist you strive for those things. But when you have a kid, all of that is irrelevant." WireImage.com Gwen StefaniShe says that Zuma Nesta Rock and Kingston have brought her closer to husband Gavin Rossdale. Also, "I've gotten a little more feminine over the last few years. "As the years go by, you get more comfortable with looking more like a woman." Getty Images / FilmMagic Uma ThurmanShe's says she's open to the possibility of having more children. "If it's meant to happen, it will. I love and adore being a mother." Thurman has two children with ex-husband Ethan Hawke, Maya, 10, and Levon, 6. Getty Images Thandie NewtonThe British actress, most recently starring in "W" as Condoleezza Rice, has two daughters, Ripley, 8, and Nico, nearly 4. "So many people thought I was a really cold person, but I was just painfully shy. But having a kid made me explore how I was going to guide another beautiful being in this world. I was released -- it doesn't happen for everyone, but it happened for me." WireImage.com soKe.flace('parentdish-beauty_... 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Array( 'parentdish-beauty_after_mothe... new Array('93217847','300','250','... )); top.exd_space.refresher.iFrm2R... Array( 'parentdish-beauty_after_mothe... new Array('Placement_ID', '1370711'), new Array('Domain_ID', '1079767') )); top.exd_space.refresher.mmx('p... [url] ''); swfobject.embedSWF('http://cdn... 'parentdish-beauty_after_mothe... '584', '577', '8.0.0', [url] flashvars, params, attributes); top.exd_space.refresher.launch... 'parentdish-beauty_after_mothe... dynamicSlide:[''], size:['456t'], photoNumber:['0'], title:['Beauty After Motherhood'], numimages:['8'], baseImageURL:['http://cdn.comp... [url] credit:['Getty'], source:[''], caption:['Angelina JolieThe actress and her partner Brad Pitt have three adopted children -- Maddox, 7, Pax, 4, and Zahara, 3 -- and three biological children -- Shiloh, 2, and baby twins Knox and Vivienne. "I know this is going to sound corny, but I first became happy with the way I look when I became a mother."'], dims:['http://o.aolcdn.com/dim... showDisclaimerText:[''], disclaimerText:[''], CSS_Title:[''], CSS_Caption:[''], CSS_Disclaimer:[''], CSS_Container:[''], CSS_Border:[''], CSS_PhotoWell:[''], CSS_photoHolder:[''], CSS_Buttons:[''], CSS_BtnOver:[''], CSS_Scroll:[''], topMargin:['78,0,252,269,408,2... } ); Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Bloggingbaby.com Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST
Filed under: Kids 5-7, Fun & activities, In the news When it comes to getting things to grow, my thumb's not the greenest one out there. Many plants have died under my oversight. But one summer it happened: I got the hang of gardening, and the zucchini multiplied like rabbits. Relishing my victory, I zealously baked zucchini, stuffed zucchini, steamed zucchini, stir-fried zucchini, and made zucchini bread and muffins. Finally, my family begged me to find another hobby. In the spirit of moderation, I propose five good reasons why planting a garden this year is a good idea. 1. Gardening is an excellent family project. It provides natural opportunities to spend time together working toward a common goal. 2. You save money by growing your food instead of buying it. 3. Gardening presents all kinds of creative learning opportunities for your children as they pore over seed catalogs, read seed packets, create plant markers, pay for nursery plants, and learn about the growth process. (Who knows, you may have a future botanist the the family.) 4. You can track your progress with the new White House garden. 5. April is National Garden Month, and the National Garden Association has 101 ways to celebrate. No doubt you can find one or two ideas that will take root in your own family. Here are strategies for your own gardening victory. Continue reading Your Own Victory Garden Permalink | Email this | Comments
Bloggingbaby.com Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST
Filed under: Playground bureauA neighbor's three-year-old repeatedly comes across the street to visit without her parents' knowledge, sometimes for up to an hour. Call CPS, talk to the parents, or just keep waiting for her to get picked up ... what would you do? -- MomLogicDinner out with baby is rarely without incident. One mom manages a lovely dinner in a hip bistro with baby in tow ... until her daughter pulls the fire alarm. -- StrollerderbyGone are the days when pregnancy meant daytime TV and chocolate bonbons. (Did that time ever really exist in the first place?) Today's expecting moms need to stay active, so here are the seven best workouts for pregnant women. -- BabyCenterCharlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller aren't shy about playing favorites. "Max [is my favorite]. Max is sweet and quiet. And Bob is kind of loud and cries a lot like his father," Mueller tells Extra. Do you have a favorite child? And if so, do you admit it? -- Celebrity Baby BlogAlways wanted to be a mommyblogger? LilSugar has some great tips for anyone who's considering starting up a family blog. It's a must read for anyone who's thinking of sharing their personal life with the Internet. In Denmark, toddlers say goodbye to their pacifiers by hanging them from the branches of a tree. If I had tried that, it would have meant driving back to that park at 2 a.m., just to prove that "paci" was still safe. See what other tricks and traditions parents around the world are sharing with their kids. -- AlphaMomSpend more than a few minutes online, and you'll learn there's a lot of negativity out there. The moms at Momversation explore this issue and ask the question: Do we have an obligation to share an optimistic attitude within the web community?A teenage daughter steals money from her mom's purse. Her mom calls the police, who handcuff her daughter and put in her a police car -- for scare tactics more than anything. What do you think -- a creative consequence or overkill? -- MotherlodeAdorable, handmade, and just in time for Easter baskets ... Naked Peggies. These little wooden dolls (think old-fashioned Fisher Price) can be bought unfinished for DIYers, or custom painted and ready for play. -- Mighty Junior Permalink | Email this | Comments
Bloggingbaby.com Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST
Filed under: Eating & nutrition, In the newsLast Friday, Michelle Obama and a group of fifth graders from Washington DC's Bancroft Elementary School dug up soil on the White House lawn for what will soon become the first White House victory garden. With this high profile on-site garden located near her daughters' swing set, the First Lady hopes to educate children about the importance of a healthful diet and the need to think local when it comes to our food choices. She also hopes to inspire more Americans to start digging, planting and harvesting at least some of their own fruits and vegetables.The concept of a victory garden started during World War I and II when, as a result of food shortages, the United States government began encouraging Americans to start gardens as a way of supporting the war effort. Americans responded overwhelmingly and soon, nearly one third of all the produce consumed came from homegrown victory gardens - a tasty testament to American patriotism. The historical roots of the American victory garden are an ironic backdrop to the First Lady's efforts. While her motivations for starting a White House garden are to educate, especially at a time when obesity and diabetes are at an all-time high, many Americans began plans for their garden well before the Obama's garden made news. In fact, many of them started around the time her husband's stimulus package passed. Dubbed, "crises gardens," these gardens are largely a response to fears and uncertainties over the American economy, specifically, inflation and currency devaluation. Evidence of this crisis mood can also be seen in the shortages of canning supplies, an uptick in internet ads for seeds, and even in the extraordinary and underreported rise in sales of guns and ammunition.As a resident of rural Wisconsin, I have first-hand knowledge of the many "crises gardens" sprouting up in my neck of the woods, but when I mentioned this phenomenon to a friend of mine on a trip to New York City two weeks ago, she had not heard of it at all. In fact, she was surprised when I told her that we too had plans to expand the garden my husband and kids plant for fun each year in response to the crisis. When I revealed that we had also invested in some canning supplies, and extra food and ammo, just in case, she looked at me like I was Granny Clampett. We laughed about it. "You should blog about that!" she laughed. So, ok, maybe it's a just a rural-urban thing, but I did major in Economics and with all the dollars we're printing and talk of yet another trillion dollar bailout this week, I figure there's no harm in a little precaution and a bigger, heartier garden. Besides, in my book, whether you call yours a victory garden or a crisis garden, eating fresh and local produce is always a very patriotic thing to do! Permalink | Email this | Comments
Bloggingbaby.com Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST
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