Whether it is your first, second or tenth baby, there are so many creative ways to announce pregnancy. Do you have a creative or favorite idea for announcing a pregnancy or a story about how you announced your pregnancy? Post it in the comments.
Ways to Announce Pregnancy to Family

Take a picture of you and your partner and get a blank card. Inside write, “Day Trip to Catalina: $70, Dinner at an expensive restaurant: $100, New Shoes she had to have: $50, Knowing there are actually THREE people in this photo: …

Welcome to the very first round of the Baby Bump Diaries Meme! The Baby Bump Diaries Meme is a way to share your stories about pregnancy, parenting, and homemaking! Learn how to participate here and view all topics here.
The topic for this week is:

How did you find out about your pregnancy? Was it expect or unexpected? How did you feel? What was your partner’s reaction?

Write about it and come back here to post a link to your story OR post your story in the comments!
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Our Story:
I was on a bill …

Wow. I thought I’d heard it all in terms of natural childbirth and all the baby and mom friendly options we pregnant mamas have to think about. In pregnancies past I’ve taken Bradley Method Classes, Hypno Birthing Classes, read Birthing From Within and done prenatal yoga all second and third trimesters long. I’ve used birthing balls, water and birthing bars to help my kids enter the word drug free. My husband was on the receiving end of my first two deliveries. I held each baby on my belly even as …

If you are or have been pregnant, odds are you know what I’m talking about. Over 50% of pregnant women suffer (and I mean suffer!!!) from these horrible, jaw clenching seizures in the muscles of the legs, usually in the calves, and (for me anyway) the sneaky little devils like to strike in the middle of the night.
I started getting them every other night around 2a.m.  about two weeks ago. One was so bad it lasted into the next day and had me limping… considering a cane or a crutch …

If you start baby travel slowly and plan wisely, both you and baby will enjoy first-class comfort. Begin with baby steps and you’ll find that soon you and your little one will be able to walk, ride, or fly in the fast lane.
Day Trips
Introduce baby to travel starting with a few day-trips to a local relative or friend. Basic equipment will be a packed diaper bag, a stroller or pram (if you’ll spend some time outdoors), and a car seat. Most modern car seats easily detach and convert into a …

Great baby shower decorations are more about using your imagination than your pocketbook! You can create a wonderful party mood with simple, high-impact arrangements. This article details some of the best ideas for baby shower decorations.
Use balloons artfully
Balloons make it feel like a party! Always have balloons at your events. Here’s a money-saver tip – your local 99¢ store will usually have balloons at a much lower price than most party stores.
A basic use of balloons is to create color spots around the room or area where you’re holding the …

The first week of your baby’s life brings big adjustments for both of you. You are adjusting to being a mother and caring for your baby and your baby is adjusting to life outside the womb. It is a time of great joy – and possibly immense fear! Although you’ve been preparing for the birth of your baby for months, now he is here and depending on you for everything which can seem overwhelming. Don’t expect too much of yourself during these first days! If anyone offers you help – …

Growth charts are tools your pediatrician can use to keep track of your child’s physical growth. During each checkup, the doctor will measure your baby’s length, weight, and head circumference. The doctor can then compare the measurements for your baby to a chart of national averages for infants of the same age and sex.
The result is that the doctor will be able to tell you what percentile your baby is in when compared to average baby growth around the nation. For example, if your doctor tells you your 4-month-old is …

Childbirth classes can be a helpful and informative step for new parents. A detailed knowledge of pregnancy and delivery is helpful for both the expectant mother and father because there is comfort in knowing what the future holds and having the resources handy to make it as easy as possible.
Childbirth Class Locations
Childbirth Classes are often held at your local hospital. You can contact your local hospital or doctors office to get information on locations and times.
Online Childbirth classes are a great alternative for busy parents-to-be. They offer the flexibility and …

The Baby Einstein Takealong Tunes toy is a great purchase and for only $10 you can’t beat it! The weight and size is just right for a baby or infant. The sound quality is good and it doesn’t have that electronic sound that some music toys have. It has two volume settings, neither of which are too loud. It has multiple songs and doesn’t get annoying. It also lights up to the beat of the music. The battery life is great. The thick handle makes it easy for small hands.
We …

Baby Massage is a relaxing activity that parents can do to bond with their baby. It is just one of the ways parents can communicate love through touch. Several studies also show that massage supports positive infant development and growth.
Following are the many benefits of infant massage.
Physical benefits of Baby Massage:

Increases blood flow and circulation.
Strengthens the immune system.
Stimulates neurological development.
Provides sensory stimulation
Relieves discomfort from constipation and gas.
Aids in digestion
Eases congestion and stimulates the baby’s ability to suck.
Has a positive effect on colic symptoms.
Produces Oxytocin.

Mental benefits of Baby Massage:

Relaxes and reduces …

As if babies where not cute enough when they suck on pacifiers – here are the top 7 cute, unique, and funny pacifiers to make you laugh, cry, or be out the cost of a car AND how you buy them.
#7 The Pumpkin Pacifier

Buy Now at Amazon – Pumpkin Pacifier
#6 Pacifiers with Sports Themes
Sports themed pacifiers. This line includes basketball, soccer, football, and baseball shaped pacifiers.

Buy Now at Amazon -Basketball Pacifier
Buy Now at Amazon – Baseball Pacifer
Buy Now at Amazon – Soccer Pacifier
Buy Now at Amazon – Football Pacifier
#5 The …

Below are two innovative baby pacifiers. Keeping your baby safe and happy at the same time!
The Thermometer Pacifier

This pacifier doubles as a thermometer which is a great idea. It is a digital thermometer inside of a silicone pacifier. There was a study done to test its effectiveness. They compared the temperatures given by the pacifier thermometer to a rectal thermometer. It did pretty well although it did require about 3 minutes to provide a reading with the pacifier thermometer. They recommend it for home use so you probably won’t …

Baby Lily is almost two months old and received her first shots yesterday. She was not happy about the shots but she did like the bandaid.

At this doctor visit she had 5 vaccines. She only had to have 3 shots though because they were able to combine them and one was taken orally. She cried for about 1 minute but gave me the sad face all the way to the car. She was cranky for the rest of the day and had a little fever. Other than that, she was …