A diaper cake isn't really a cake at all. It's made up of dozens of disposable or cloth diapers, layered in such a way that the finished product resembles a tall, white wedding cake.
Diaper cakes range from the simple to the elaborate. Rolled up diapers secured with rubber bands are the foundation of a diaper cake. Ribbons, bows and other trimmings are then used to decorate the cake. Some diaper cakes consist entirely of diapers while others have hidden gifts for baby or mom concealed within the layers.
Diaper cakes can be purchased from specialty stores or hand-made at home.
Diaper cakes are often given as gifts to pregnant women and make for a unique and practical table centerpiece at a baby shower.
1. Preparing for pregnancy, birth and parenting.
2. Feeding with love and respect.
3. Responding with sensitivity.
4. Using a nurturing touch.
5. Ensuring safe sleep both physically and emotionally.
6. Providing consistent and loving care.
7. Practicing postive discipline.
8. Striving for balance in personal and family life.
To help parents achieve these principles, Dr. Sears has identified "The Baby B's," seven tools designed to improve the parent-child relationship.
A normal pregnancy lasts for 40 weeks. If a baby is born three or more weeks early, she is considered premature. Babies born close to 37 weeks usually do not have many problems, but babies born between 32 and 37 weeks may need to stay in the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to receive help eating, breathing, staying warm, and continuing to develop before going home. Babies born before 32 weeks are the most likely to have serious problems and may have to stay in the NICU for an extended period of time.
Preterm babies must often be tube-fed or even fed intravenously (through a vein) because they cannot eat on their own. Others need ventilators to help them breathe. Premature babies also can have difficulties staying warm, so they are kept in heated beds called isolettes.
A neonatologist is a doctor who specializes caring for preterm babies. If the hospital you choose to deliver your baby at has a NICU on-site, you will be introduced to the staff neonatologist. If your baby needs to be moved to another hospital, you can ask your ob/gyn for a reference or you can find a doctor on the Revolution Health web site.
Although many claim this gender predictor are accurate, it's not a scientific method. It can, however, be another great baby prediction game to play during your pregnancy.
To learn about other baby prediction games, check out ParentDish's Pregnancy and Birth section.
If a pregnant woman drinks during her pregnancy, she runs the risk of giving her unborn child fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Consumption of alcohol during pregnancy does not always lead to FAS. Doctors are unsure exactly how much alcohol can cause problems, but they agree that consuming any alcohol is unsafe. They advise pregnant women and those attempting to become pregnant to avoid alcohol.
When alcohol is consumed, it crosses the placental barrier and can stunt the growth of the fetus. It can also cause atypical facial features (a flat face with narrow eye openings) and damage brain structures and neurons. Permanent brain damage is often common because developing brain cells and neurons become malformed from the alcohol exposure.
At 22 weeks pregnant, an expectant mother is in the middle of her second trimester and may start to feel some movement in the womb. The baby is approximately 10 inches and nearly a pound. Her organs are developing at a rapid rate and she may now be moving her limbs and exploring her face. Lips, eyelids and eyebrows are more defined and although her eyes have formed, the iris lacks pigment.
Thanks to a surge of hormones, there are lots of changes for mom too. Her hair is more lustrous and her nails are growing at a more rapid rate. Stretch marks usually appear around this time and skin may take on different textures or shades due to increased melanin. Nipples and areolas often get darker and larger. Some women's feet begin to swell at this point, often going up a half or whole shoe size.
As your near the end of the first trimester of your pregnancy, your baby is changing rapidly and you may begin to notice differences in your own body. By the end of the 12th week, your baby is about is about 3.15 inches long and weighs about one ounce.
What's happening to your baby? This week, your baby's facial features take on a more normal appearance as the eyes and ears move closer to their final positions. Your baby's kidneys may have begun to secrete urine and nerve cells are multiplying at a rapid rate. Your baby is developing more complex reflexes and may begin sucking. Stimulating certain points of your uterus may cause your baby to move, but you won't feel the movement for several more weeks.
What's happening to mom? You probably don't need maternity clothes at this point, but your uterus has expanded to the point where your doctor can feel it in your lower abdomen. You may begin to notice changes in your skin including a darkening of the areola and the appearance of dark patches on your face and neck.
Labor generally refers to the uterine contractions a woman experiences just prior to giving birth. The process of going into labor can be broken down into five distinct stages: Lightening, passing of the mucus plug, contractions, water breaking and effacement and dilation of the cervix. Not all women experience labor in the same way and not all of these stages will be apparent to a expecting mother.
Lightening is the process of the baby settling lower in the pelvis just prior the onset of contractions. The mucus plug is an accumulation of secretions which protect the uterus by forming a barrier within the cervical canal. Contractions are defined as the tightening and shortening of the uterine muscles during labor which lead to effacement and dilation of the cervix. Water breaking refers to the rupture of the amniotic sac, which has protected the baby throughout the pregnancy. Effacement and dilation refers to the stretching and opening of the cervix that occurs to prepare for the passage of the baby through the birth canal.
Delivery is simply the state of being delivered or giving birth to a child. As with labor, not all women will experience delivery in the same way or by the same method. Vaginal delivery is the most common and safest type of childbirth. This involves the baby passing through the birth canal and out the vagina. In some cases, a vaginal delivery is not possible and a cesarean delivery may be necessary to protect the health of the baby and the mother. A cesarean delivery, also known as a C-section, involves delivering the baby through a surgical incision made through the mother's abdominal wall and uterus.
Learn more about prenatal care on AOL Health.
More pregnancy questions answered:
Each episode focuses on one girl, who is in her sixth- to eighth-month of pregnancy and ending when the baby is a few months old. The first season featured six girls. Farrah was a cheerleader from Iowa. Ebony, from Colorado, dreams of going to the US Air Force Academy. Catelynn might have had the greatest impact on the audience because of her decision to give up her baby for adoption. All six girls returned for a reunion show with Dr. Drew Pinsky, who answered questions from the studio audience and e-mails.
The Childbirth Education Doll, made by Sharon Coleman (etsy)
The Childbirth Education Doll has caused a bit of controversy, with some saying that they found the doll to be too, well, creepy. ParentDish spoke with Sharon Coleman, the doll's designer, via e-mail about her creation.
ParentDish: Why did you create this doll? Sharon Coleman: I created this doll as an educational tool for my three-year-old daughter while I was pregnant with her little sister. Since my children are planned home births, the older siblings are present during the births.
The Philadelphia Phillies aren't the only ones who got lucky yesterday as they advanced into the World Series for the second straight year -- fans of the 2008 World Series champs are having a mini baby boom and naming their newborns after the home team players.
St. Mary's Medical Center in Bucks County, Pa., reported that Chase, Shane and Ryan are the preferred monikers for babies born in recent months, and that the trend started in August -- nine months after the Phillies took home the 2008 pennant.
New mom Anna Frymier told NBC Philadelphia that her daughter, Chayse, is named after second-baseman Chase Utley. The entire family is made up of die-hard fans, she added, and Chayse's grandfather played for the Minor League team, the Reading Phillies.
Nurse Patty Crocker told the station that the home team's championship lit romantic fires with some of the hospital's patients. "It appears that St. Mary dads were hitting home runs along with the Phillies," she said.
The team was tickled by the trend, and even sent a box of rally towels to the hospital.
Just a warning to hometown fans out there: If the Phillies clinch the series, watch out -- there may be a new little person in your future nine months from now.
If you and your doctor agree to try a VBAC, you will have what is called a "trial of labor," meaning you plan to go into labor with the goal to deliver vaginally. It is difficult to know if a VBAC will work, you still may need a C-section.
The primary risk of a VBAC is that a C-section scar could tear open during labor, however this risk is low. Benefits of a VBAC include avoiding further scars on your uterus, shorter recovery, low risk of infection and less pain after delivery.
By the 38th week of pregnancy, the fetus has grown to about 6.8 pounds and is more than 19 inches in length. The baby has also developed a firmer grasp and his or her organs have developed enough to sustain life outside the womb. Fingernails have also begun to develop.
For the expecting mother, her feet and ankles will begin to swell. Excessive swelling should be reported to the doctor if it does not subside. Any odd symptoms such as severe headaches or excessive weight gain should also be reported to a doctor immediately.
The last few weeks of the third trimester are characterized largely by preparations for the impending arrival.
Once a week for the twelve weeks leading up to the birth, Bradley Method instructors focus on lowering the risks associated with childbirth by educating parents on healthy exercise and proper nutrition. Techniques for natural breathing and relaxation are taught to help reduce pain through each stage of labor and coaches are instructed on how to actively participate in the birth. By teaching women to tune into their bodies, the Bradley Method promises to help mothers avoid the need for drugs and ensure that giving birth is the beautiful experience it was intended to be.
In addition to providing the tools for a safe and less painful natural childbirth, the Bradley Method curriculum covers possible complications that might arise as well as information regarding post-partum care of mom and baby.
Bradley Method instructors are located in cities around the country and fees for the course vary by instructor and location.
Close to 70 percent of Americans say they favor donating embryos to another couple. For parents dealing with fertility issues who still have the option of pregnancy, this could be a variation on adoption.
According to a story that appeared on Reuters, American adults were queried in a survey dubbed "Public Opinion Regarding the Disposition of Frozen Human Embryos." The most significant responses for parents centered around their feelings about the disposition of human embryos not used by parents undergoing fertility treatment.
One in five Americans, some 19.5 percent, said they'd prefer the embryos be used for research, while 68.6 percent said they'd be in favor of donation, an adoption of the embryo by another family.
The survey was conducted by Nightlight Christan Adoptions. The nonprofit organization lists its mission as providing "domestic, international, and embryo adoption services to families in all 50 states." Overall funding came from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, which last month awarded a grant to the National Embryo Donation Center in Knoxville, Tenn., to broaden its campaign to heighten public awareness of embryo donation and adoption.
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