GoodyBlog

Trying to Conceive? It Might Sound Obvious, But A Daily Romp Could Help

In the past, some doctors have recommended that couples who wish to get pregnant practice a few days of abstinence prior to a woman's ovulation date. But according to new research from Australia, the opposite approach may be best. David Greening, M.D., an obstetrician and gynecologist, studied men with fertility problems, and found that the quality of their sperm increased significantly after they were instructed to ejaculate every day for a full week.

While further research is required to determine whether daily sex will have the same benefits for men without fertility problems, Dr. Greening believes it's likely the case. While presenting his findings to the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology, he recommended that in order to improve the quality of men's sperm, couples seeking to get pregnant have sex daily for up to a week before the woman's ovulation date.

So if you're looking to get pregnant again, feel free to add daily sex to your ovulation week to-do list. (Just avoid going at it too many days in a row. Having daily sex for longer periods—like, say, two weeks—could significantly reduce sperm count.)

Spankin' New Headlines

As grandparents pitch in to help their kids in a tough economy, there’s often a cost: Drama. Wall Street Journal

Your beloved dog or cat could be carrying a deadly MRSA infection, finds a new study—but don’t panic, transmission is rare. ABC News

Your love for your kids may not be as unconditional as you had thought: Moms are more likely than dads to reject photos of less than cute babies, according to a new study. Time

A simple self-control test predicts whether kindergartners will see success in math skills. New York Times

Why you should go old-school and bring back some games from your childhood. USA Today

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Calling (Some) Moms of Kids with Autism

If you have a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), plan to have another child at some point, and you live in Southeast Pennsylvania, Northeast Maryland, or Northern California, you may be eligible to participate in a brand-new study that's one of the largest ever to investigate early risk factors for the disorder. The EARLI (short for Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation) study will follow up to 1,200 pregnant women who already have one child with autism and will look into possible causes, both genetic and environmental (think pesticides, household cleansers, plastics, flame retardants, etc.). Researchers plan to focus on the prenatal period and to follow children through 36 months to track their exposures. The research sites—Drexel University School of Public Health and the Center for Autism Research, University of California at Davis/MIND Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Kennedy Krieger Institute, and the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, CA—are just starting to recruit moms. Go here to find out more.

Spankin' New Headlines

Want to watch me give birth? Why some moms post videos of their delivery on YouTube. New York Times

It’s surprisingly common for new dads to feel blasé about their babies. ABC News

The World Health Organization has raised the swine flu alert level to pandemic. CNN

Keeping the tradition alive: Why so many home-schooled parents choose the same education for their own children. The Philadelphia Inquirer

Missouri family shocked to find their Christmas card photo featured in a Czech advertisement. Yahoo! News

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Mix it Up: Easy Homemade Baby Food

We've all heard the raves about homemade baby food (it's budget-friendly! it's super-healthy for your baby!). But when life gets hectic (um, and when isn't life hectic with a baby?) your good intentions to only feed her fabulous organic food that was lovingly made by hand can fall by the wayside really quickly. Which is why I love the new site Nurture Baby. It was started by a mom who's been there, and it has tons of great, accessible information on exactly how to start making your own baby food, with techniques, recipes, and more. The recipes are even coded with color blocks to help you make sure your baby's getting enough nutrients. What a great resource!

How'd You Pick That Name?

A few weeks back I posted about a contest to guess the top baby names of 2008. Well, I'm a little late with this update, but the Social Security Administration's list is now available. Looking at last year's "winners" (Jacob, Emma, Michael, and Isabella topped the lists) got me thinking about how people pick their baby names. People look to all different sources of inspiration—family names, the bible, movie stars, sports legends, cities they've lived in, etc. (I know my mom named my sister and me after characters in her favorite books—Little Women and Jane Eyre.) So tell us—how did you pick out your little one's name?

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Spankin' New Headlines

Whooping cough makes a comeback as parents skip vaccines. USA Today

As Sesame Street turns 40, a look back at the show that changed the face of children’s programming. Newsweek

If you’re pregnant and obese, you should only be gaining between 11 and 20 pounds, according to updated guidelines from the Institute of Medicine. ABC News

Mike Tyson's tragic loss highlights the need for parents to watch out for these hidden dangers in their homes. CNN

You probably know your baby’s Apgar store, but do you know anything about the doctor behind it?  Wall Street Journal

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Spankin' New Headlines

The strange forces behind your baby name decisions. Wired

Is it legal for parents to turn to religion rather than medicine for their sick kids? Mother Jones

Taking folic acid for a year before pregnancy can greatly reduce your risk of premature delivery, finds a new study. Los Angeles Times

Chicago takes a stance on BPA, becoming the first city to ban the questionable plastic in baby bottles. Chicago Tribune

Four in ten babies are born to single moms, finds new research from the National Center for Health Statistics. Washington Post

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Goal: Less messy feedings

My 6--month-old son Grant is one lover of food. Even though he just started eating solids a few weeks ago, he's taken on every new food with gusto. My daughter would spit out anything new I gave her when she was this age -- it took several tries to even get her used to sweet foods like bananas. Not Grant. He'll eat anything. (I hope this continues when he's 2!) But his one problem is he's so feisty with the food that he makes one heck of a mess. He grabs at the spoon, grabs at the jar or container of food ... grabs at me. Anything to get the grub in faster. I heard about this new spoon that makes it all a bit less messy so of course, I got my hands on it pronto. It's called the Boon Spoon. You pour the baby food into the handle of the spoon and then squeeze it till the food squirts out in perfect portions onto the business end of the spoon. I tried it out with some pureed butternut squash (see above). It's pretty nifty! Grant doesn't have a jar to grab and the spoon itself is really too thick for him to get a good handle on (although easy for me to hold). I only have one issue with it. When the food is a bit thicker, like when I make it myself, the spoon has a tendency to splatter rather than squirt. So be warned -- only use it with seriously liquid purees. If you keep that in mind, it works well. And its best selling point is it's easy for on-the-go meals. My babysitter loves it because she can pack it for the park and feed him easily with one hand while holding him with the other. Do you have any other gadgets that make eating easier at your house? If so, let me know! 

Spankin' New Headlines

Temporary parents relieve mothers who need a hand to get their lives back on track.The New York Times

What hidden ingredients are lurking in supposedly healthy foods in your kitchen? The Wall Street Journal

The newborn brain: Why your baby is more aware of the world than you are. The Boston Globe

Some schools are thinking of cutting back to a 4-day week to deal with budget crunches. The Los Angeles Times

A bad economy breeds good neighbors: Experts are seeing an uptick in community activities and caring. The Washington Post

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