Parenting

10 ways to treat the modern mother’s tech dilemma.

Article & Photo courtesy of Well Rounded NY

Mamas: raise your hand if you routinely hold your newborn in one arm while refreshing your email with your other thumb or incessantly scrolling through WellRoundedNY’s Instagram feed. If you do, you may have experienced an occasional little twinge of pain at the base of your thumb.

But that twinge could be much worse: you could develop the carpal tunnel of new moms: de Quervain’s syndrome, also referred to as “Mommy Thumb.” Defined as a painful condition affecting the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist, it will probably hurt when you turn your wrist, grasp anything or make a fist.

It is said to be brought on by repetitive motions that are all part of motherhood: picking the baby up, holding them with your thumb stretched out, breastfeeding and, sadly, performing all other tasks with your dominant hand when you’ve shifted holding the baby to the other side. This includes a new stressor of our modern day era: texting, emailing, scrolling on our smart phones. All initiated by the mighty thumb.

To prevent the condition from getting worse for you, here are 5 suggestions of how to change your daily routine, as well as 5 exercises that you can do at home, to strengthen your hands.

5 Ways to Change your Routine:

1. If you own a smart phone with a thumb print unlock system, make sure to add a second or more prints to avoid using the same thumb over and over again.
2. Whenever you are scrolling, refreshing and opening items on your smart phone, do it with your index finger. Put the phone down, unlock and use your index finger. It sounds like it’s not a big deal but it will save your thumb from agonizing pain.
3. Avoid the ‘L’ position of your thumb and index finger. Instead try keep the thumb close to the palm of your hand when performing any repetitive activity like picking up the baby, to create more of a cupping movement
4. Ice the base of your thumb regularly, as soon as symptoms occur.
5. Use your non-dominant hand for activities that aren’t potentially dangerous, such as brushing your teeth, reaching for items like your coffee cup, eating snacks that don’t require silverware and anytime you instinctively do a motion that is one-handed.

5 Exercises to Strengthen the Base of your Palm and Wrists:

1. Flexing the wrist with or without a weight. With your palm facing up, make a fist and flex your wrist towards you and down away from you. Once you feel comfortable doing this without a weight, you could add a can of beans/corn/chickpeas. Do 3 sets of 10, going through the motion slow and controlled.
2. Tie a kitchen towel to a door handle or secure in a different place that won’t move. Wrap one end of the towel around your hand and standing sideways pull the towel towards you until it is taught. Hold here for 30 seconds with your elbow tucked to your side. Do 3 sets.
3. Hold your hands out in front of you, like you would push into a wall. Slowly rotate your wrists clockwise and then counter clockwise. 2 sets of 10 in each direction.
4. Press your palms into one another like you are praying and extend your elbows out to the side. Now rotate your palms out as if pointing at something and back to the starting position. 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
5. After all these exercises and throughout the day, make sure to stretch your wrists. With the palm facing up, push your fingers down towards your wrist and until you feel a nice stretch in your forearm. Then reverse and keep your palm facing down while you push your fingers down and towards the wrist. You will feel a nice stretch on the outside of your forearm. Do 2 sets of 30 second holds in each direction.

I hope that you will never have to experience de Quervain’s syndrome or Mommy Thumb. Make sure to adjust repetitive motion as soon as you feel the slightest pain because once it develops into full-fledged tendinitis it is among the most painful conditions that I have witnessed in new mothers.

This article is by Roma van der Walt, courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

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And what lighting has to do with it.

Article & Photo courtesy of Well Rounded NY

Is it just us, or are all babies programmed to come out of the womb thinking nighttime is the right time to be awake? So as if we weren’t already sleep deprived enough, we spend whatever time we could be sleeping contemplating how to get baby to sleep — at night, that is, not during the day.

We’ll give you a hint: Baby’s confusion between day and night might have something to do with the lights in your house. “We are very light-sensitive creatures. When we look back before the invention of the electric light bulb, kids tended to sleep like a baby — all night long, soundly, profoundly without waking up, even if there was a loud noise,” says pediatrician Alan Greene, author of Asleep All Day, Up All Night. But now, “Sleeping like a baby often means waking up crying every couple of hours.” Darn you, Thomas Edison.

Before you go smashing all your lights out, you should know that not all bulbs are bad bulbs. In fact, some, like the Sleepy Baby® Biological LED Lamp, might even help. Unlike the melatonin-disrupting light found in typical bulbs and in all of your screens, the light from the Sleepy Baby bulb encourages melatonin production, promoting relaxation and helping establish your baby’s natural circadian rhythm. You know, one like you have. One that makes you sleep at night.

Below, Dr. Greene drills down on the importance of getting your light right, and offers a few more tips on getting your baby to drop the nighttime partying so you can all get some more sleep.

Why do so many newborns have their sleep cycles reversed during those first few weeks of life?
During the later part of pregnancy, each baby develops her own sleep/wakefulness rhythm. You can get a good idea of what this rhythm is by the baby’s activity patterns. Some babies will tend to be fairly quiet during the day — lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking motion as Mom moves about her daily activities. These same babies often begin doing gymnastics in Mom’s belly about the time things get quiet at night. Other babies tend to be active while Mom is active during the day and to be quieter at night. Whatever your baby’s pattern before birth, it is likely that she will continue the same rhythm in the period shortly after birth.

When can you expect a baby to start to recognize the difference between night and day?
In just a few weeks you will be looking back at this time with amazement. Was she ever really as small as those tiny clothes that she no longer fits into? She was always able to hold her head up, wasn’t she? Didn’t she always smile back at me? And even then, though you still won’t be sleeping through the night, the all-night play sessions will seem like a distant memory of a magical time before you knew just how wonderful being a parent really was.

Tell us about the role that light plays in helping a baby distinguish between night and day.
One of my favorite ways to help baby distinguish between night and day is to try to support the circadian rhythm, so named because it’s “circa dian,” or “about a day.” For most of us, it would be about a 25-hour rhythm where we have not only sleepiness and arousal that rise and fall, but also fluctuations in blood pressure, body temperature, and many hormones. It is a profound rhythm that we share with other living beings that is reset daily by certain cues from the environment. We are seasonal creatures. If we were in a cave and had none of these external cues, our circadian rhythm would eventually get completely off from other people in the external world. But for us that rhythm is reset by something called zeitgebers. Zeitgebers (which literally means “time giver” in German) are our friends. The more they are in line with each other and the more they are consistent, then the better, longer and deeper sleep we have. [And] the most profound zeitgeber is probably light.

But, as you said above, most of our light these days is provided by melatonin-suppressing light bulbs. And I obviously need light bulbs in my house! So what can I do?
One thing that we can do is try to keep the environment as dim as possible between sunset and sunrise. That can have a profound impact on sleep. When you’re camping, you tend to get very drowsy a couple of hours after sunset [because there are no artificial lights present]. That’s difficult in our modern, urban, digital life, but the more we can at least remove the wavelengths of light that trigger melatonin suppression, the easier it is to sleep.

There is a pigment in the retina, called melanopsin, which responds to a 475 nm signal, and suppresses melatonin or disorganizes it for the rest of the night. Eliminating that response from sunset to sunrise is a rather simple thing that can help people get drowsy earlier. There are now apps that will pull out the blue wavelength of light [found in traditional melatonin-suppressing light bulbs], which is about 475 nanometers (nm). You can also get light bulbs that pull out that wavelength of light in the evening or wear blue-blocker sunglasses to get rid of it. And pay attention to screens. Part of that means not viewing screens in the last hour or so before bed at least.

Are there other cues that can affect baby’s sleep?
Another strong zeitgeber is temperature. For most of the history of humanity, we experienced our evenings and nights as much cooler than daytime, but with central air and central heating we have compressed our temperature window in a very narrow range. Creating a cooler nighttime environment, 7 degrees cooler or more, helps with falling and staying asleep.

Is there anything we can do during the day to promote healthy baby sleep?
When actively trying to switch a new baby’s time clock, have bright lights on in the house during daylight hours. Keep up a steady stream of talking in normal conversational tones during the day. Play with baby’s feet often, and make eye contact whenever you can. As soon as the sun begins to go down, purposely avoid all of these things. When you feed her, try not to make eye contact with her. Speak only in whispers or sing-song tones. Sing lullabies. Have the lights dim in the house. And don’t stimulate her feet.

This article is by Jessica Pallay, courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

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Here are Nine Naturals’ top five fetching nurseries, bringing next-level nesting inspiration to your Instagram feed. Tag #NineNaturals to feature your creative nursery decor!

WHIMSICAL (@luxebabylove)

Frankie Kate is a professional designer who put her talents where her heart is in creating a dreamy, whimsical nursery for her baby daughter, Marlowe. Lush textures and sweet, unexpected details come to life against a backdrop of soft neutrals, natural elements and just the right amount of white: it's nursery love at first sight!

BOHO-CHIC (@_dimity_)

Baby Zaeli is the star of her stylish mama's feed, but the oh-so-sweet, boho-chic nursery--of which we get gorgeous glimpses now and again--is well worth the follow. A little vintage here, a touch of macrame there, without any overwhelm; balance is key in bohemian baby decor and this nursery just nailed it.

MODERN (@designbydad)

Baby design from a dad's perspective! Make that two dads, and one amazing nursery with a streamlined, modern style, a specific, mostly black-and-white palette and lots of fun surprises. This look is cute enough for kids but cool enough for the grown-ups who live with them. (Plus, you can't beat those NYC skyline views.)

WARM GRAY (@emsloo)

Who knew gray could be so warm? This cozy, hip and luxe little nursery is laid back and yet, clearly, carefully curated with lots of love. Mom Emily is to credit for this gem. Take a peek, and be inspired.

MINIMALIST (@projectweekley)

This modern, minimalist nursery is brimming with awesome. Check out the changing table and *be amazed.* It was built DIY-style by daddy Adam Weekley for his baby girl. We're just a little jealous!

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Have you ever wondered what the world would look like through your baby’s eyes? Now you can follow along, with this timeline of baby’s vision development, courtesy of our friends at Comotomo, baby bottle and teethers brand.

Just like walking or talking, babies must learn to see over a period of time. The ability to focus eyes, move them accurately, use them together as a team, and process visual information in the brain to understand the world and respond accordingly happens over a span of a few months.

Newborn - Vision: 0.03 degrees

A newly born baby can only distinguish light and darkness. Immediately after birth, a newborn can only see about 7-10 inches of her surroundings. She neither can recognize a figure nor distinguish different colors. After 1 month, baby will be able to see within a 3 feet range and eye-hand coordination improves significantly during this phase too. She may slowly to attempt to grab or reach for moving objects that picked up in her visual field.

2 months - Vision: 0.03-0.05 degrees

At this stage, the baby can recognize an overall shape. She can also keep her eyes open for a longer period of time--now we can gaze at those beautiful eyes! Her eye movement starts to coordinate with moving objects in a corresponding way. During this phase, encourage your little one to crawl and actively move around. This will definitely help her to further develop eye-hand coordination.

3 months to 4 months - Vision: 0.03 – 0.05 degrees

At 3 to 4 months, babies can focus in on an object and make direct eye contact with people. As her vision continues to gets sharper and more colorful, this is a great opportunity to introduce a wide spectrum of colors. Try offering different color toys and teethers. We love Comotomo’s fun-shaped BPA-free teethers.

5 months to 7 months - Vision: 0.05 degrees

Based on her accumulated experiences and memories, the baby will be able to start recognizing an object from a distance and perceive it in a three dimensional form. By the time she reaches 6 months, her vision development will be almost complete, with heightened depth perception. She will be able to see objects with nearly the level of clarity and sharpness as a fully developed adult. They grow up so fast.

Imagine how it would feel to be introduced to a whole new world, and see things for the first time. As parents, it’s important for us to stimulate baby’s vision development at the right stages, introducing our little ones to a spectrum of colors, shapes and movements. Tag us in your newborn’s developmental adventures using #NineNaturals!

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The postpartum app that every new mom needs.

Article & Photos courtesy of Well Rounded NY

There’s something about pregnancy that makes people go out of their way to be nice, areweright? But then baby comes and, well, the sweetness subsides. Which is such a bummer because you’ve just gone through one of the hugest physical and emotional transformations a human can go through, AND you’ve got a brand new baby at home.

To throw salt in our postpartum wounds, a new mom’s care often stops 6 weeks after baby’s arrival; the U.S. has some of the lowest paid maternity leave rates; 1 in 3 women have undiagnosed postpartum depression; and there’s no standard protocal to track postpartum maternal health outcomes.

How ’bout a little postpartum love?

Maternal health advocate and midwife Rebecca Egbert’s got your back. Her new app, Little Mother’s Helper, and its companion deck of cards (yes, you heard us right), is an educational self-care kit for women from 6-weeks postpartum through the first year. It’s filled with nuggets of wisdom, advice, tips and encouragement to make your journey a little bit more manageable, and organized by different areas of health: body, mind, heart and soul. The app and (deck) covers topics like the physiology of sex postpartum, “boob issues” (mastitis, engorgement, etc.) and even finding your mom wife. The words are few but meaningful, and the illustrations are adorable.

“I see the postpartum period as a crucial time for extra attention, because there is little to no emphasis on care. You’re left to discover the information and what helps on you own,” says Egbert. “If we start to focus on this period now, systemically, we will largely impact and improve the health and wellbeing of future generations to come.”

Below, Egbert shares some of those valuable postpartum nuggets of wisdom to help a new mom’s body, mind, heart and soul.

Body: For the first 4 months postpartum, refrain from doing high-impact activities, such as: running, horseback riding, high-impact workout classes, jump-roping, heavy weightlifting, and sex if it’s painful (there are plenty of ways to be intimate). These activities put a lot of pressure on your pelvic floor, increasing the risk of further weakness. This can lead to long-term or permanent incontinence and other issues. Consult a physical therapist, or trainer who specializes in postpartum recovery for exercise to help you retrain your pelvic muscle in early postpartum months.

Mind: Beyond receive professional care for maternal mental health issues, such as postpartum depression and anxiety, some things you can do everyday to help yourself follow:
● If your baby blues don’t go away within 2 weeks and symptoms intensify, get professional help.
● Get up each day and take a shower.
● Get out of the house and do something, even just one thing, just for you.
● Talk about your feelings and experiences with your partner, friends, and family.
● Allow yourself to do less.
● SLEEP when the baby sleeps! Get adequate rest.
● Be really clear with your partner about how they can help you with chores around the house.
● Eat enough food, drink enough water, take care to get good nutrition
● Make time to get outside and get your Vitamin D!
● Get acupuncture and massage to help your anxiety.

Heart: Being new parents has a steep learning curve. One way to strengthen your relationship is to delegate tasks and responsibilities equally during the first year. Delegate tasks so that you both know you’re in this together, such as chores, negotiating drop-off and pick-up committing to that schedule, and negotiate who does the grocery shopping, arranges childcare, etc. Delegating early will prevent resentment and stress resulting from unspoken feelings of inequality.

Soul: As you filter through the volumes of advice you’ll get, remember to allow your heart to guide you to do what’s best for you, your family, and your baby. Intuition can’t be measured; it goes beyond science and into the soul. The secret: Trust that quiet voice deep inside. Trusting and believing in yourself is key!

This article is by Jessica Pallay, courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

Peaceful, sleepy grins. Gently closed hands. Pale, pinky feet. Who doesn’t love a good newborn pic...or two, or three… As new parents, you may be interested in documenting this precious and fleeting moment professionally. Whether they’re for new-grandparents, posting on social media, or your new phone background, follow these top tips from Photofaire on how to get the most out of your newborn photoshoot:

Timing is everything. The ideal time to photograph a newborn is within the first two weeks of birth. At this stage, babies are sleeping most of the time, making their sweet moments easier to capture. These serene moments won’t last forever so make sure you have some photos to help cherish it forever!

Don’t procrastinate. It’s safe to assume you (and your family) will be pretty overwhelmed once the baby arrives. For help on finding a photographer, refer to Photofaire, which connects anyone with a story to share to a trusted professional near them. Spend adequate time finding the right photographer beforehand, making sure his/her style and personality match with what you’re looking for in the photos and in the experience. Be sure to understand how much the total investment will be, what you will need to bring to the shoot, and what you will be walking away with, to ensure the smoothest shoot possible.

Home is Where the Heart Is. Even if your photographer has a studio, consider having the session done in your home. Being in a familiar surrounding will put both you and baby at ease and ensure that whatever you need to feed, change and calm your baby is within an arm’s reach. Taking the photos in your cozy abode can also give the photos a more intimate look and feel. Depending on what you’re going for this may be a good style choice.

You Can Never Go Wrong With Neutrals. To keep the focus on the baby. Dressing him/her in solid or simple patterned apparel--classic and timeless. There’s a reason why the majority of newborn photo shoots show baby in light, simple clothes, but if you really want to reenact Star Wars or capture the final battle in Harry Potter, don’t forget it is your shoot! That said, never worry about running out of opportunities to have fun with family photos--Halloween comes every year!

Just like any photoshoot, the experience should be something both to look forward to and fondly look back on. Who doesn’t love a good newborn pic? Be sure to share yours with us using #NineNaturals and keep ‘em coming.

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Taking the guesswork out of babywearing with an expert and educator.

Article & Photo courtesy of Well Rounded NY

While we’re huge fans of babywearing thanks to its countless benefits for baby and mama, we also know that it can be easier said than done. For many a first-time mama, a carrier can be confusing and complicated–throw in a crying baby during that first try, and well, there just might not be a second.

But don’t give up, mama! Just like birth and breastfeeding, babywearing is much easier when you’ve got a little knowledge going into the process. So to help get you ready for your own babywearing journey, we asked Sarah Longwell-Stevens, babywearing educator and owner of Small Things NYC , to answer some of the most common babywearing questions out there.

When can you start babywearing? Is there a required weight or age?
From birth! Generally if the doctors cleared the baby to come home from the hospital, they are usually fine to put in a carrier. Most carriers have a lower weight limit of 7 lbs. That is the lowest limit most manufacturers will allow. While I think some fabric carriers are probably still safe for a smaller baby because they get custom fit as they are put on, I would definitely respect that limit if you are learning. Also, you want to give yourself some time to recover from pregnancy and birth. Generally, if you are able to hold your baby’s weight, you are able to wear them. Babywearing is a physical skill though and just like some people need a little hands-on breastfeeding, getting some help in how to use your carrier can make a world of difference.

When can you babywear until?
Until you can’t or don’t want to carry them anymore! That will be a different age for everyone depending on their needs for it. Most families wear their babies anywhere between 3 months to 3 years, but all families are different! Three years sounds big and heavy but you build the strength gradually as you go. Plus you don’t need to go to the gym! There are carriers for preschoolers and older that are fantastic for families with children in wheelchairs.

How do you know if baby is breathing?
You can feel it! The nice thing about babywearing is the baby is right there and we pretty naturally lay our hands on their bodies. The rise and fall of their chest is easy to feel. To ensure a clear airway in any device you put your baby in just make sure their chin isn’t laying on their chest–you want to be able to get a finger or two in between.

What’s the most ergonomic positioning, no matter what carrier you are wearing?
We like to see babies supported in the same way we would naturally hold them upright in our arms. High enough to kiss the top of their head, a finger between their chin and chest, and their knees a little higher than their bottom in a squat position. Ideally the fabric of the carrier will reach from the back of one knee to another. This helps to support the baby in the squat and makes carrying them much more comfortable for the parent. Just changing that one thing can make a baby feel 10 pounds lighter!

How do you know if you’re doing it right?
I always like to do a head to toe check for the positioning elements above when they are first put in the carrier. But another good question is: “Do I feel comfortable being hands free?” Usually when I see babies poorly positioned in a carrier, I see the parents holding them around the carrier supporting their body in a more ideal position. If you don’t feel hands-free, get some help adjusting the carrier. Even if you feel like the baby is secure if they are in the carrier in a way you would never hold them in your arms (like down by your hip), then don’t do it. The carrier should feel like holding.

Any babywearing no-nos?
Babywearing and most sports are not compatible—horseback riding, biking, skiing, rock climbing and so on. If you wouldn’t feel safe doing it while holding them in your arms, I wouldn’t do it. Be careful with hot liquids and cooking, both are probably safer with a baby on your back if at all. Babywearing in cabs is particularly dangerous because you feel like they are secure but in an accident their weight will exceed the upper weight limit of the carrier several times over. You also don’t want to experience whiplash with your baby’s head right under your chin.

Can you babywear part time?
People have been using a wide variety of carriers to care for babies for thousands of years in every nook and cranny of the planet. It is a way to get things done and a great tool to have at your disposal. Like all tools, you might find you have more use for it than others and it will be more suited to certain situations. Not all babies need or want to be held all the time.

Can anyone babywear your baby? Does it provide the same benefits for Dad, Grandma or caregiver?
Absolutely! Babywearing can be a great way for anyone to form a close bond with your baby. In many cultures, babies are passed around and everyone wears them. We tend to have smaller, more nuclear families, but there are still great benefits to other people wearing your baby. It is a really great tool for anyone who might care for your baby as it can still have that same centering effect and can help a baby adjust to new caregiving environments.

Can you babywear twins?
Yes! I recommend that you get comfortable wearing one baby in a carrier at a time first, but it is totally possible to wear both babies at the same time. You want to really be aware of each baby individually and feel comfortable with how your carrier works first. I prefer using one carrier per baby so that when possible you can share the load with a partner. It is a more flexible arrangement than a carrier that only carries two. Find a carrier you like, learn how to use it, and when you feel ready get some help on how to wear both.

Is it safe to breastfeed while babywearing?
Yes! Especially in the city, babywearing can be a lifesaver if you need to feed your baby in an awkward time or place. It can be especially amazing for second time mamas who are trying to keep up with the activity of an older child. It is another advanced skill and one that gets way easier after about three months. You want to get comfortable breastfeeding and comfortable using the carrier separately before you start trying to put the two skills together.

How do you choose the right carrier for your baby and lifestyle?
I really recommend trying them on with your baby or with some weight in them. I bring weighted dolls to people so they can feel what a baby will feel like if they haven’t had their baby yet, or they are feeling nervous about using their real baby right off the bat. It is so hard to get a feel for what you will like without trying it first. Buying a carrier is really a lot like buying jeans–they all do the same thing but everyone has their preferences in terms of the very small details.

This article is by Jessica Pallay, courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

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5 ways to make keepsakes out of your favorite pictures of your kids.

Article & Photos courtesy of Well Rounded NY

Like most parents, I love taking pictures of my daughter and capturing the special moments in our lives. Over the course of the last three years, I’ve taken thousands of photos that have been unceremoniously thrown into a neatly organized cloud – sound familiar? Finding the time and energy to bring the photos to life in a creative way is definitely where I fall short, but thankfully there are so many options available for busy (and tired) parents.

With the holiday gift-giving season in mind, we’ve compiled a list of awesome options for capturing and displaying timeless memories in the form of photo books, digital time-lapse videos, wooden calendars and more! Here’s 5 ways to make keepsakes out of your favorite pictures of your little ones.

1. Tweed Wolf Photo Book
   Tweed Wolf is a fully customizable “Do-It-For-You” photo album service. The album-creating process begins by using Tweed Wolf’s photo uploader (or mail in a flash drive) and then a team of experts steps in to “cull, curate, edit, design and produce” a gorgeous hardcover photo album. Tweed Wolf offers a one-of-a-kind keepsake and the opportunity for parents to cross an item off the to-do list without spending a lot of their own time (signature package retails for $270).

2. Artifact Uprising Custom Wood Calendar
   If you’re looking for a unique photo gift, look no further than Artifact Uprising’s customizable Wood Calendar. The 12-month photo calendar can be created directly from AU’s app and is placed on a 5 x 7 wooden clipboard with a magnet for easy hanging. The refreshingly simple, yet cool design is not only functional, but a beautiful piece of art to look at each day (retails for $29.99).

3. Jessa Flynn Productions
   What could be more timeless than a maternity, newborn or family video shoot? Jessa Flynn Productions creates stunning 1-5 minute videos to capture the unforgettable moments in your life. The final videos include color correction and are professionally edited with music. The video packages include two HD DVDs and an Instagram ready version to share seamlessly with family and friends (packages start at $500).

4. BlinkBuggy
   BlinkBuggy is a service for parents who want to digitally “capture, store, access, and share family memories.” BlinkBuggy’s latest TimeLapse feature allows you to upload weekly videos of your baby and turn them into a short video at the 1-year mark – the service will even remind you to take the videos! The BlinkBuggy family just launched a new photo-sharing app called BlinkPix that prints and ships 5 photos a month to two households of your choosing (BlinkBuggy subscription plans range from $0-$5.99 per month and a BlinkPix subscription is $9.99 per month).

5. Parabo Press: Accordion Zine Photo Magazine
   Parabo Press, a new app from the team at Photojojo, allows you to create unique and effortlessly cool photo prints straight from a smartphone. One of our favorite products is the playful and gorgeous Accordion Zine photo magazine that features 14 photos of your choice and a marble, gold-foiled-printed cover. The accordion design is great for displaying photos for any type of festivity, including birthday parties and baby showers.

This article is by Anna Julien, courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

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In order to have a positive birth experience, many new parents are deciding to “go with the flow,” believing that this will keep them relaxed and positive by remaining flexible. However, it's still important to do some prep before birth! Getting educated about what happens during birth, asking questions, expressing any lingering fears/concerns to your birth team, and discussing higher level birth preferences with your partner will make the process a lot smoother. Like all big decisions, especially for coordinating birth, it’s important to do research. Here are a few tips to make sure you remain in YOUR flow:

Ask questions

When it comes to birth, many successful and outspoken moms-to-be surprisingly don’t ask questions. Not asking questions is like running a marathon without being prepared. To avoid being overwhelmed in any stage and quickly agreeing to unnecessary interventions, ask questions and know your options--ask as many questions as you can before as well as during the labor.

Consider Hiring a Doula

Hospitals are busy and overcrowded, so hiring a doula can facilitate the birth process. The doula can help ease the pressure on the birth partner and keep them fresh for the moments closer to birth. The doula can also help with little things like paperwork and the bigger things - like decisions that come up in the delivery room. A doula helps with preparation and relaxation for both you and your partner by providing information and keeping you aware. Some studies have shown that continuous support from doulas during childbirth may be associated with decreased use of pain relief medication during labor, incidences of C-sections, length of labor, and negative childbirth experiences.

Take a Childbirth Class

Attending a childbirth class will help to inform and prepare you for what to expect during labor and delivery. Learn more about baby’s development, warning signs that something may be wrong, breathing and realization techniques, and pain relief options during labor. Additionally, it will help you familiarize yourself with medical terms and common hospital protocol.

Look out for your own best interest

One major appeal of the “go with the flow” mentality is the stress-free aspect. . However, the more information you have going into your birth and the more control you have during your birth, hopefully the more relaxed you will be and the better your birth will go. For example, educate yourself on the signs of labor and your options for how you can labor while you are in the hospital (i.e. -the fact that you can move around when you want to, or that you don’t have to lie down to give birth). With more knowledge, whether it be from a doula, a class, or personal research, you will feel more empowered throughout the birth experience.
Birth is an amazing experience. Take it into your own hands and go through it at your flow.

Stephanie Heintzeler is a German educated midwife, US Doula and Certified Lactation Counselor. She owns The New York Doula Concierge with a team of 20 doulas.
Find out more at www.thenewyorkdoula.com

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Trying to conceive involves many variables from mom but dad makes up half the equation too! To ensure a healthy pregnancy, both men and women have to be ready. Here are PregPrep’s top 4 tips for helping dad-to-be prepare for little one.

CHECK WITH DOCTOR. Healthy or not, men should see a doctor for a full physical exam before trying to get their partner pregnant. Besides chronic disease, medication, and problems with ejaculation/erections/libido, anything can affect fertility, so be sure he reveals his family history to his physician.

EAT HEALTHY. A healthy diet rich in fruits and veggies not only improve sperm quality but certain antioxidants found in said foods, like Vitamin C and E, boost sperm count and motility too. Lean protein, low-fat dairy, and whole grains also enhance overall sperm health. Make sure you and your partner are working on this together--it makes eating healthy a lot easier and more fun.

CHOOSE BOXERS. Some experts claim that testicles can overheat in briefs, thereby affecting sperm production. While this may seem silly, it’s always better to play it safe, right?

RELAX & HAVE FUN. Between tracking cycles and everything else you have to consider, trying to conceive can get stressful. But don’t make baby-making feel like a chore. The process can take many months, so unwind and enjoy each other’s company. Ever consider honeymoon #2?

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