Tell your true friends. Let yourself grieve. That’s the best advice I have for those of us who have lost a pregnancy. Miscarriage is in the news, now that Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, mentioned their experience in a Facebook post announcing their pregnancy. It’s an opportunity to talk about how we should talk more about […]
Occasionally I speak in summits like this one, and the conversation is lively. Dr. Laura Markham talked about giving ourselves permission to be less productive. Lori Petro talked about healing ourselves if we didn’t grow up with good role models for communication. I talked about letting our kids do things for themselves — and asking […]
Who wants to guess the origin of fake baby poop? Baby-shower activities could use an upgrade in the usefulness department. The usual activities range from sweet (write down your wish for baby) to creative (paint a onesie) to wrong (guess how much weight the guest of honor has gained). Then the mama-to-be opens gifts from […]
“Oh, so this for you, then?” That’s what my neighbor said when I told him a) I was thinking about a Lorax themed birthday party for my almost-3-year-old, and b) she’d probably be happy if the only decor were the three big, white balloons she’d chosen herself that morning. His words replayed in my head. I wanted the party to feel special. […]
There’s a joke floating around online about how to prepare if you’re expecting a baby: Walk around the living room from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. carrying a wet bag weighing 8-12 lbs. At 10 p.m., put the bag down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to bed. Get up at 12 a.m. and walk […]
I remember trying to get the real scoop on parenting, good and bad, before I had a baby. “It’s hard,” new parents would say, and then quickly paper over that tiny admission. “But of course I wouldn’t trade it for anything!” It sounded suspicious to me. Even so, once I had a baby, I followed suit: […]