What questions do you always ask other parents and then immediately regret?
There are a few questions that I always find myself asking other parents — whether or not the answer is something that’s interesting, let alone worth discussing. The number one is (in the case of parents and their kid) “Who do you think he/she looks like?”
From the operating room: photos from a planned cesarean section birth
I recently had the privilege to spend a few hours in the hospital with a friend of mine and shoot the birth of her third child, Gabrielle. While I’ve shot births before, this one was a new experience — it was my first time in an operating room, and my first time shooting a cesarean section.
Tips for keeping your pregnancy a secret when you’re known for partying
Much to our delight, my partner and I found out we were pregnant with our little pickle three days before our wedding date. There were happy tears, cuddles, and an immediate feeling of “we need to go celebrate!” Usually for us this means cracking open a bottle of bubbles or a few beers… and in just three days we’d have five cases of wine, a dozen cases of beer, and six bottles of rum that people were going to expect us to celebrate with. So how was I going to get out of drinking on this special day without dropping this huge bombshell?
I’m infertile but not defective: how our journey to parenthood is changing
I’m one of those women struggling with infertility issues. One: my age. I’m no spring chicken. Two: endometriosis — I was treated for that two years ago after suffering for over a year with crazy painful periods, and after my husband and I had been trying for more than six months. Three, high FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) levels — it’s taking more hormones to kick-start my ovaries and get them working.
How can I gently wean my breastfeeding toddler?
My son will be three years old in March and is still breastfeeding. He is VERY persistent, and I’m having trouble weaning him. The advice from family and friends (who think I should have cut him off a long time ago) and from the pediatrician is to make him quit cold turkey. I fear that he might perceive it as abandonment if I forced him to suddenly stop something he loves so much, but I have no other ideas about what to do.
These maternity photos are about to redefine what it means to be badass
A week or two ago, UK photographer Emma, of Emma Lucy Photography, sent over these photos of Penny, who is now my hero for life. The photos would be awesome even if Penny wasn’t pregnant in them, but the fact that she is = a whole new level of incredible.
Honesty and kids: just because you told the truth doesn’t mean they will
Honesty is the best policy. I truly believe that. I am like Honest Abe Lincoln who, when confronted about chopping down the cherry tree, shouted “Give me liberty or give me death and I’m really sorry about the tree but Babe the Blue Ox told me to do it!” Growing up, I may have kept things from my mother but I only really lied to her once.
A photographer uses monthly photos to document his premature niece’s growth
These photos by Albuquerque-based Justin Thor Simenson have the sweetest story to go with them. His niece, who turned one in November 2011, was born several months premature. Before her birth Justin had mostly focused on fine art, but he began taking Amya’s portrait in the hospital. This turned into a regular thing — every month he took several photos of her. The end result is hundreds of photos of a now quite happy and healthy girl.