My kids are 11 and almost 15, but I remember the “baby days” pretty well and the particular challenges they brought...sleepless nights, postpartum blues, worry about sickness, lack of time for yourself, and the list could go on and on. Each stage of parenting brings with it a whole new set of difficulties (and rewards) and this month we want to help you with the challenges of the “baby phase”.

I know from experience one concern we all share is how to lose the extra baby weight that didn’t completely disappear in the months after delivery. Then, to make matters worse, our baby starts snacking on goldfish and we find ourselves turning into a human garbage disposal, munching away on what she didn’t finish. Or maybe we are eating to relieve stress or just because we are tired. Find help in Sandra Gordon’s article, Diet Traps Every New Mom Faces, where she offers fixes for several common food traps new moms struggle with daily.

While we’re on the subject of eating, we have also included Baby Food for Thought, which answers your most pressing questions about the healthiest way to feed your baby and how to do it for as little expense as possible. Topics covered include switching formulas, what moms should and shouldn’t eat when breastfeeding, storing baby food safely, and much more.

Moving from eating to sleeping, if you are pregnant you will definitely want to check out Malia Jacobson’s article, Pregnant-zzzzz, where she discusses the sleep troubles that most often accompany pregnancy and offers advice on how to get the rest you need. And don’t miss our New and Expectant Parents Guide, which lists River Region pediatricians, retail stores, baby classes, OB-GYNs and more to help you find all you need while you are pregnant, and after you bring your little one home.

We hope you enjoy this month’s issue and share it with a friend who may be new to the area or just starting a family. Have a wonderful February!