$10,000 for newborn pics? Que?

The latest in parenting news, tips, and trends:

How to prep your kids — and yourself — to lose an hour this Sunday. No second coffee needed.

Why one dad says channeling your inner Mister Rogers can bring calm to your kids’ morning routine. It’s a beautiful day… in your house.

Signs you may be parenting from your own childhood’s unmet needs — and how to change that.

What you should do when your kid wants to talk about the tough stuff. Scripts included.   

More of this, please: late-night daycares and this school for men. Every dad-to-be needs the latter.

Last week, we asked you to vote on a question to answer. The winner was:

What’s a gentle C-section and how’s it different from a regular C-section?

FEATURED EXPERT:

Antonia F. Oladipo, MD, MSCI, FACOG

Double board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist and specialist in maternal-fetal medicine 

“A gentle C-section, also known as a family-centered C-section, is a surgical procedure that prioritizes the comfort and well-being of both the mother and baby during and after birth.” The goal is to give women an experience that more closely mirrors a vaginal birth, adds Oladipo. 

Note: Gentle C-sections may not be as widely available at all hospitals. They can also be more expensive and may not always be the best option for all pregnancies (if there are certain medical conditions or fetal complications).

It differs from a traditional C-section in several ways:

• Positioning: The mom is in a semi-sitting position, which allows for better visibility and reduces pressure on the diaphragm, making it easier for her to breathe.

• Surgery technique: The doc gently lifts the uterus out of the abdomen, rather than pulling it through the incision. The baby is delivered through a small opening in the uterus, minimizing trauma to both the mom and baby. 

• Visibility: Moms can see their child’s birth through clear sterile drapes (instead of seeing nothing, like in a traditional C-section).

• Skin-to-skin contact: The baby goes straight on the mom’s chest for immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth, which promotes bonding, breastfeeding, and temperature regulation. It also reduces overall stress for mom and baby, says Oladipo.

• Delayed cord clamping: This allows the baby to get more oxygen and blood from the placenta (which has been shown to improve the baby's iron levels and overall health).

PS: Here’s how to talk to your doctor about having a gentle C-section. 

Let us help you get your spot. We’re building a new tool to guide you through making major life decisions, like who should care for your kids. Check out our five-step guide with expert-backed info on how to pick a daycare that’s right for you. Then let us know how we could improve it. We want to make your life easier, one choice at a time.

We have thoughts. This week, we ranked parenting spending trends from 0–10. No science, just snark.

Hard pass

1/10 Spending $10,000 on newborn photos. No thanks. We can think of a million better ways to spend that money.  

2/10: Luxury tooth fairy gifts. Phones and LV bracelets are a little much. We’re cool with recognizing inchstones with a few bucks or a puzzle. 

Ehh

5/10 Pricey Easter baskets. Honestly, a fun Easter egg hunt is probably all toddlers need. 

More of this

7/10: Affordable birthday parties. Listen, we can’t all get a racetrack like the Kardashian-Jenners, but we can have a great time on a budget. 

10/10 Loud budgeting. Flex your ‘no’ muscle. Speaking about your finances openly with your family is a good thing for kids, for many reasons.   

Cheerios With a Side of Pesticide? Here's the Truth

A pilot study by the advocacy organization Environmental Working Group (EWG) connected chlormequat — a pesticide linked to reproductive issues in animals —  to products like Cheerios and Quaker Oats. 

Let’s catch you up: 

• Chlormequat is a pesticide used to prevent grain crops from bending — it is currently not approved for use on edible crops in the US, but the Environmental Protection Agency does allow imported grains to have trace amounts. 

• Around 80% of people tested in the EWG study were exposed to it. Meanwhile, other studies found that chlormequat can be linked to fertility and growth issues in animals.

Before you toss your cereal and oats, two scientists (and the hosts of the Unbiased Science Podcast) don’t want you to panic. Here’s why:

Pilot studies are very small (they are step one in the research process). Because of this, the results “drastically overstated the risk [of the chemical] to humans,” the scientists say. Plus…

• You’d have to eat 1,647 boxes of Cheerios in a single setting or 82 boxes daily for the rest of your life to reach a level that the EPA would consider toxic. 

• If eaten, the body automatically (and quickly) removes the pesticide via urine, feces, or bile. There’s little evidence it accumulates in the body. 

• Scientists don't know the exact impact of chlormequat on the human body, since testing so far has been focused on animals.