The Offbeat Mama’s pregnancy and birthin’ checklist
So… you’re having a baby? No two pregnancies and deliveries are the same, which means no two experiences will be. What you’ll find here is a handy checklist of a few things any Offbeat Mama may want to consider while pregnant.
A guide to making your family videos even more awesome
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably realised that, while you’re great at capturing all those special moments, you have no idea what you’re going to do with the gigabytes and gigabytes of memories you have piling up on your hard drives. Let’s face it — you’re almost matching a second childhood just in digital files!
How I’m preparing myself for my daughter’s future sex life
I am painfully aware that M is quickly approaching the age where she won’t be able to resist the primal urge of her loins, and she will either pursue a sexual relationship or will give into pressure from a boy that she likes. I know this is normal and we all go through it but I want to try and make sure she is prepared to do it safely, and on her terms.
Can I breastfeed if I have nipple piercings?
Jacqueline has taken the piercings out of her nipples, but still has the holes. Since she’s eight months pregnant, she’s wondering — can she breastfeed her baby with pierced nipples?
How tubal ligation fits into our family planning
Here I was, ready to talk to a doctor about getting a tubal ligation at twenty-three and with no children. Many doctors will not even consider doing a tubal on a woman unless she is over 30 and/or already has children; they worry that she will one day change her mind. Yet my husband and I had known for months that this was what we wanted.
Step in during kid conflicts or let them handle it themselves?
As the mother of a long-haired boy who has already had feminine-flavored insults thrown at him by other kids, I’ve already had to make choices on when to step in to help him handle the situation. I wonder, though: how do you decide when to let your kid(s) fight their battles, and when to stop potentially damaging situations?
Let’s talk about acne and pregnancy
You can go ahead and say it: acne sucks. It especially sucks as an adult, when you’re all “Shouldn’t I already be past this shit?!” My skin has never been the most stellar on its own, but after being prescribed Tazorac when I was twenty, I had it under control. Fast-forward a few years to twenty-three, when I was pregnant with Jasper. It turns out using Tazorac while pregnant is a BIG no-no, so I was suddenly stranded without my favorite skincare treatment.
11 artful activities to try with your kids
If you’ve been scouring the internet or your local library for fun art activities for your kiddos, look no further than The Artful Parent. Today Jean shares eleven of her favorite kid-friendly, warm-weather artistic pursuits. Note: step-by-step directions can be found by clicking the link associated with each activity.