I have been a certified tightwad since I became pregnant with my first child and decided to find a way to stay home with him. I enjoy sharing my experiences in my journey back to financial health and planning for a future -- which will include sending 2 kids to college and early retirement.
It's not hard to find books and information that focus on how the expectant dad can help the mother of his child through the pregnancy, but finding help for the dad himself isn't quite as simple. Just like mothers-to-be, expectant fathers also need information, reassurance, and advice during the various stages of pregnancy. Following are some of the best online resources and books just for fathers-to-be... … [Read more...]
With so many choices for baby bottles on the market, does it really matter which one you choose? What's the difference between all these baby bottles?Which are the best ...and why?What do the experts say? As a mom, each of us is partial to what we used for our own kids. In fact, we probably wouldn't have used them if we didn't swear by them. I, for one, was shocked when my favorite baby bottle, Avent, was not on this list of the 5 best baby bottles: #1 … [Read more...]
Many claim that absentmindedness and forgetfulness during pregnancy are, indeed, very real! This condition is commonly referred to as: mommy brain pregnancy brain momnesia baby brain pregnancy amnesia placenta brain Soon into your pregnancy, don't be surprised if you feel foggy-brained and forgetful. You may find yourself misplacing your purse, forgetting to return phone calls, or going off to fetch something only to discover you have forgotten what you are looking … [Read more...]
Your wife is pregnant. You might be wondering if you should continue life as usual, spoil her rotten, or hide until the baby is born! Chances are, you will be doing a bit of each of these over the coming months. Following are 7 fun things you can do to help your pregnant wife throughout the pregnancy. As long as your heart is in it, these are guaranteed to be just as fun for you as they are for her! #1 Give her foot rubs. Don't make her beg for a good foot rub every … [Read more...]
My biggest pet peeve when I was pregnant was when people touched my belly. I have never been the type of person that allowed people to touch me without some kind of invitation, even if implied, so I was baffled when I discovered that the world saw my belly as community property. It actually enraged me and I wanted it to stop immediately. I'm definitely not alone in this thinking. "Dear Sugar" describes the touching of a pregnant woman’s belly as a taboo subject. She's even … [Read more...]
If you've ever visited an online forum for mothers and expectant mothers, then you are probably familiar with pregnancy tickers and countdowns. These cute graphic counters give you a visual of when the baby is due. They also make it possible to share the information with family and friends. For example, with extended families being spread out across the miles these days, baby tickers and countdowns are a wonderful, visual way to give everyone a constant update of the progress of your pregnancy. … [Read more...]
We all know that you should not smoke, drink, or do drugs when you're pregnant. Beyond that, there are many myths and truths as to what you can and cannot do when you are pregnant. For instance, my superstitious mother-in-law would not allow me to stand on a balcony to watch fireworks or go to a funeral during my pregnancy. Still, both of these things were certainly fine to do. Following are some of the most important, fact-based things that you SHOULD NOT do when … [Read more...]
In a world filled with technological devices, it shouldn't be surprising that parents are buying and renting devices that monitor the baby, including fetal heartbeat monitors and fetal dopplers.Even 12 years ago when I was pregnant with my second child, I was pleasantly surprised to find that my doctor owned an ultrasound machine and treated me to a visual presentation of my child at every appointment. I still never imagined being able to have listening devices at home just over a decade … [Read more...]
Most expectant families are faced with decisions like: What will we name the child? Should we circumcise? Are cloth diapers a good idea? Should we use an epidural? In recent years however, another major issue must be decided upon prior to the birth of the child. That is: to preserve the baby's cord blood or not. Ever since a child was successfully treated with cord blood stem cells to cure his Fanconi anemia in 1988, the popularity of cord … [Read more...]
Sometimes, I think we must be crazy for having children, especially considering the cost. And I'm just referring to the monetary expense. The cost of a normal vaginal delivery alone is enough to nearly bankrupt a family. That is, if they don't have their health care insurance needs met. With marked regional variation, estimates of the cost of having a baby in the U.S. range from $6,000 to $8,000 for a normal vaginal delivery and $10,000 to $12,000 for a cesarean birth (on up to as much as … [Read more...]
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