http://www.iparenting.com/ Latest articles from preconception to the teenage years. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/142878877/2630.php Breastfed babies are provided with protection from developing allergies during the breastfeeding period and well into the future for two major reasons, says Ann Russell, IBCLC , of Poway, Calif. "[Breastfed] babies are exposed to fewer allergens in the first months of life, and secondly, the first feedings of colostrum literally 'seal the gut' (the porous lining of the intestines), providing a barrier to the absorption of allergy-producing agents... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/2630.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/143846170/67.php "I'm finally onto this game," said one mother I know. "Until recently I wasn't aware this parenting thing was a competition. An honest mom clued me in, after I asked her son's age when he started walking." "Do you want the truth or the fictional answer?" she asked... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/67.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/144953762/946.php When a girl has a mad crush on a boy, evidence can inevitably be found on her notebook – her first name written with his last name or a hyphen joining her last name to his. Eventually, however, it goes beyond the notebook. Boy-crazy girls might get up the confidence to send him instant messages and e-mails, and they might go so far as to record love songs and leave them on a boy's answering machine... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/946.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/401921645/1432.php They’re so cute! Two or three, just alike – or similar enough so you can tell that they’re twins or triplets. But it’s not all sweet-smelling babies and identical clothing: multiple pregnancies are considered high-risk, and the more fetuses the mother is carrying, the higher the risk to both her and her unborn children... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/1432.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/143091076/1213.php One night, Ivana Childs* decided to talk to her husband about something that was on her mind. Originally, he only wanted one child, and she wasn't sure if she wanted one or two. But after having her son, Childs became convinced she wanted two. Because she knew her husband said only one, she was hoping that fatherhood had convinced him otherwise – like motherhood did for her... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/1213.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/212251742/5440.php Any time a new baby is brought into the house, change will undoubtedly follow. But throw in another small child – a toddler or preschooler – and other issues can ensue. What if your older child cries every time the baby does? What if both children are young enough for a crib? Do you need two? And what about twins and jealousy? These are just a few of the topics our experts have tackled... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/5440.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/226742206/5435.php On October 24, 2007, a miracle baby named Amillia Taylor turned 1 year old in Miami, Fla. The daughter of Sonja and Eddie Taylor, Amillia was born at 21 weeks weighing just a little over 9 ounces, and is the first baby known to survive after a gestation period of fewer than 23 weeks... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/5435.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/195749368/5367.php If the feeding and changing demands and erratic sleep schedules weren't enough for new parents to juggle, try multiplying that arrangement by two. Most parents spend the first six months of their new baby's life trying to establish good eating and sleeping habits while trying to catch up on sleep in between... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/5367.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/164364960/5052.php When Julie Ellis' son was born at 32 weeks weighing only 3 pounds, 6 ounces, it took this new mother by surprise. And among the challenges she faced, a most unexpected one was finding clothes that would fit her little boy. "Thinking I would have a big baby, I hadn't even bought many 0-to-3-month clothes since I figured he'd barely be in them," says Ellis, who is from Miami, Fla... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/5052.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/154400506/5009.php The nursery may be perfectly prepped; the prenatal classes passed with flying colors; the bags already packed. But all the planning in the world seldom prepares parents for the shock of having their newborn whisked away to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/5009.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/143870725/4982.php Children's birthday parties are not what they used to be. In the olden days – you know, three or so decades ago – these yearly celebrations were made up of Pin the Tail on the Donkey games and piñatas; cupcakes baked in ice cream cones; little girls dressed in their best smock dresses; and homemade gift bags filled with google-eyed animal erasers and yo-yos for guests to take home... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/4982.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/143808433/4981.php Successful breastfeeding of twins, triplets or more is possible and highly rewarding. Research certainly confirms that breast milk is the ideal food for babies because it contains the nutrients needed for the first four to six months of life. Breast milk also contains substances that help protect babies from many illnesses... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/4981.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/131982776/4896.php Asea Tremp from Huntington Harbour, Calif., was all too familiar with the colors of the walls inside her home when her 2-year-old daughter, Abigail, was an infant. While some stay-at-home moms don't leave the home often because they feel self-conscious about their baby weight, Tremp wanted to guard her daughter from germs... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/4896.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/127886036/4869.php Children can often act as though parents are their worst enemy. So where can you turn to get the appreciation you deserve as a parent? "Parenting is one of life's hardest and most rewarding challenges," says Dr. Jeff Richards, a psychiatrist at Health Partners Riverside Clinic in Minneapolis, Minn... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/4869.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/127886037/4866.php "I've asked my child's doctor and searched the Web about how much tummy time my baby needs and when she should start, but I've heard a lot of different answers. Are there any specific standards for tummy time?" Gay Girolami, a physical therapist and member of the Pathways Medical Round Table, a group of leading pediatric professionals that include pediatricians, surgeons, physical therapists, nurses and researchers, is all too familiar with questions like this one... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/4866.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/400889650/4806.php The first time it happened, I woke up at 3 in the morning. Except for the sound of my legs rustling under the blankets as I sat up, there was no sound. In the shimmer of a red nightlight, nothing looked disturbed. But in the center of my breathing, it felt tight... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/4806.php http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/iparenting_twins/~3/127886035/4794.php Designing the nursery and shopping for bedding is one of the many pleasures of planning for a new baby. Although tucking your little one in with a comforter that coordinates perfectly with the rest of the room's decor seems like a set up for sweet dreams, blankets and other bedding aren't safe for use in the crib... http://www.twinstoday.com/articles/4794.php