Splashing in the tub, pouring out cups of water over and over and, of course, swimming! Want to dive into some water play with your child? Grab a few towels and your bathing suit and get ready for some wet and wild fun! What is water play? All you need are a few plastic cups (no glass, kindly! ), buckets, sponges and lightweight toys to float on the waters surface....

Playing games with your baby elicits the best sound in the world: that adorable giggle. From finger games to clapping rhymes, here are the best games to play with your baby. These games for older infants take advantage of a longer attention span and her burgeoning motor skills. Try each of these when your baby is alert and rested or to distract when youre someplace unfamiliar. Shell invariably be tickled to play with you any time, anywhere....

Snacks, too, are a smart form of nutritional insurance. Good pregnancy snacks are delicious, healthy and filling and there are no shortage of ideas. No matter what flavors you’re craving, here are some of the best snack ideas for pregnancy. Dry snacks also tend to be pretty easy to eat when youre queasy. Do You Need a Supplement? Since meeting your needs at mealtime alone isnt always easy, calcium-packed snacks can help fill the gap....

Medically reviewed to ensure accuracy. Does your baby have a skin spot that is beige or light brown? Chances are, its a cafe-au-lait mark, a harmless and common bang out of birthmark. What are cafe-au-lait spots? Cafe-au-lait spots are flat, usually round or oval, and can be light to dark brown in color. Think a very large, pale version of a freckle. Cafe-au-lait spots can form when pigment-producing cells called melanocytes group together under the skin....

But do any of the foods commonly thought toinduce laboractually work? And more importantly, are they safe? Can certain foods really induce labor? (Old wives' tales are a different story.) So why do so many moms swear that eating a particular food kick-started their labor? Still, some practitioners may recommend takingevening primrose oilto help get labor started. Again, this theory has yet to be supported by clinical evidence. That said, theres no evidence to support the theory that spicy food induces labor....

Here’s more on whether any caffeine or coffee is safe during pregnancy, and if so how much. Can pregnant women drink coffee? You don’t have to completely kick your caffeine habit once you’re expecting a baby. How much caffeine is safe during pregnancy? More than that may slightly increase the risk of miscarriage, though the existing evidence is inconclusive. Consuming moderate amounts of caffeine during pregnancy may also result inslightly lower birth weights, one recent study found....

To eat or not to eat during labor? That is the question and the answer depends on whom you’re talking to. (Not that you’d be much in the mood for much once those stronger contractions kick in.) So poll your practitioner, and get his or her take on the labor eating debate. But he or she may still draw the line at solid foods (like toast). Why do some practitioners recommend not eating during labor?...

In short, its okay to eat raw fish, even if youre nursing a little one. But you do need to be careful about your choices. Why shouldnt pregnant women eat sushi? Sushi is off-limits during pregnancy for two reasons: 1. Raw and undercooked seafood can harbor harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites. Consuming fish that hasnt been thoroughly cooked can sicken moms-to-be and endanger their unborn babies. A pregnant woman who eats fish contaminated with listeria can spread the bacteria to her baby through her bloodstream....

Medically reviewed to ensure accuracy. Sleeping close to your little one seems innocent enough. After all, what’s sweeter than cuddling up all night with your baby? Here are answers to the most common questions parents have about co-sleeping and bed-sharing. What is co-sleeping, and what is the difference between co-sleeping and bed-sharing? Bed-sharing means sleeping in the same bed as your baby, or sharing the same sleeping surface. In other words, bed-sharing is one way of co-sleeping....

Updated to include information about additional skin rashes in babies and toddlers, plus new medical review. Itching and scratching and red patches, oh my. At some point or another, your baby or toddler will likely get hit with an uncomfortable rash. So what should you do when you spot a spot (or bumps, or hives)? Just keep your cutie comfortable and sit tight until her skin is back to normal....

Medically reviewed to ensure accuracy. they’re usually nothing to worry about. What does a blue birthmark on baby’s skin mean? Congenital dermal melanocytosis spots arebirthmarksthat often appear around a baby’s lower back, buttocks or shoulders. But babies with light skin can sometimes develop congenital dermal melanocytosis, too. Most of the time, congenital dermal melanocytosis is harmless and doesn’t raise the risk for skin cancer. But the spots are tied to a slightly greater chance for certain underlying metabolic conditions....

Is it a cold? Or something else like whooping cough, croup or RSV? Fortunately, croup does have some telltale signs and symptoms and treatments that can bring some relief. Heres what you better know. What is croup? The illness shows up most frequently in the colder months between October and March. Most cases of croup are not serious, but a severe case can require hospitalization. What causes croup in babies and toddlers?...

Your labor is over! Your sweet baby is finally in your arms and the tough job of childbirth is nearly complete. It may seem a little anticlimactic (“it’s a placenta! What does the placenta look like? The placenta is a flat organ that resembles a disk and is attached to the umbilical cord. What does it mean to deliver the placenta? Does delivering the placenta hurt? What is a retained placenta?...