Your baby is about to reach another exciting milestone: eating solid food. The time at which this happens varies from baby to baby and mom to mom. While the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend moms exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months, many breastfeeding moms don't introduce solids until their baby is a year old.

When it comes to what to first feed your baby, you can toss those old-fashioned ho-hum (and processed) foods like rice cereal and jarred apple sauce right out the window.

Today's moms are getting creative and giving their babies nutritious and delicious "adult" foods right off the bat. "There is no scientific evidence as to why meats, fruits and veggies can't be introduced first," says Melissa Halas-Liang, RDN, MA, CDE, a nutrition educator and founder of Super Kids Nutrition. (Bonus: Anecdotal evidence shows that kids who start off on these foods don't grow up to be picky eaters.)

More from The Stir: 10 Processed Foods You Can Feed Kids -- Guilt-Free

And remember, always wait at least three days between trying each new food, so you can see if your baby has a reaction to what she's eaten.

Here, 9 unconventional first foods that are both healthy and yummy. 

What was your baby's first food?

Image via Somebody Else/Flickr; © iStock.com/stphillips  

Ah, the new motherhood. It’s a period of constant overdrive. I can’t remember the last time I slept. Did I re-pack the diaper bag? Where’s the binky?! It’s okay to run out for coffee with a little spit up on my shirt, right? When will I look like I am not six months pregnant? (Okay, that one doesn’t apply to celeb moms who pretty much sneeze and they’re back in their skinny jeans). 

In the midst of newborn chaos, after a nine-plus month reprieve, it’s easy to forget about one of the big questions: When will I get my period again? Then one day your partner gives you the look and finding out the answer suddenly climbs to the top 10 on your to-do list.

“Many women ask me when they can expect their menstrual cycle to return after having a baby,” said Melissa DuBois, RN, BSN, CCE, a nurse with Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates and the Watertown Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology in Massachusetts. “The truth is there is a wide range of normal and it will be different for every woman, and sometimes, different with each pregnancy.”

Here are some general guidelines on what to expect period-wise postpartum:

Breastfeeding plays a major role. If you’re exclusively breastfeeding your baby around the clock, you may remain period-free until your baby starts to space out his feedings. For example, your baby starts sleeping longer stretches at night (yay!) or you introduce solids into his diet. Some women won’t start menstruating again until they wean from breastfeeding completely. It can take months or even a year.

Some breastfeeding moms have to deal with irregular periods. It’s not unusual to have spotting or months in between periods.

Formula may mean a quicker return for Aunt Flo. If you are supplementing with formula, you may begin menstruating as early as 12 weeks postpartum. If you are exclusively formula feeding your baby, you may get your period back in as early as 4 weeks.

Don’t panic: Your period may be different. Sorry in advance for being graphic, but I tell it like it is. You may be surprised by the looks of your first period. Blood clots are gross, but they’re normal. If they persist for more than one week, give your doctor a call. Otherwise, flush fast and think of David Beckham modeling underwear to get the vision out of your mind. It works. Trust me.

You may experience heavier or lighter, longer or shorter periods with more or less cramping than you did pre-pregnancy. Again, no worries. It’s totally fine, according to Dubois.

You can get pregnant before your period returns. Just ask Tori Spelling. Remember when her sex addict hubby knocked her up with her fourth child one month after delivering her third? That’s because fertility returns BEFORE you actually get your first postpartum period. Ovulation eventually triggers a period about 2 weeks later … and you’re able to conceive during that time.

“It’s important to use a form of birth control if you’re not trying to get pregnant.” said Dubois. “This is true even for breastfeeding women as breastfeeding only provides some protection.” She also warns moms to allow time for your bodies to heal as back-to-back pregnancies can cause complications for both mother and baby.

When did your period return after you gave birth to your baby? 

From the moment my first child was born seven and a half years ago, I felt guilty. First it was because breastfeeding was a struggle. I fought and I fought to get her -- my little non-eater -- to 12 months without formula. The guilt only continued after I got pregnant again when she was just 9 months old -- would it harm her development? Make her jealous? Hurt her sense of self? On and on. And it only got worse when number two showed up.

Suddenly I had TWO kids to feel guilty over. My son flapped his arms too much. Was it because I ran throughout my pregnancy? He was reluctant to wean, so I nursed him until he was almost 3 and could ask for it by name. I have always wanted the absolute best for my children whether it was breast milk, not crying it out, or running myself ragged so they could do every activity.

More From The Stir: Wanting Three Children Is Starting to Hurt My Marriage

We moms are perfectionists. We strive and we strive to be the best -- to have the happiest, most well-adjusted children who also do well in school, say please and thank you, play the piano, and get into Harvard.

If anxiety and perfectionism were parenting styles, I was a master of them both. It wasn't just with them, either. I wanted to be the mom working a fulfilling job, being the class parent, cooking all food from scratch, and do it all in my size fours.

But then came number three.

They say three is the hardest number of children because with three, you are still under the (mistaken) notion that you have control. This third one hit me like a truck going 75 -- all 7 pounds, 14 ounces of her. 

Maybe it was because I am seven years older this time around. Or maybe it was just because my husband and I had moved on past the diaper phase, past waking at 3 a.m. with breasts that feel like rocks, spurting milk like geysers. But everything this time has been so much harder. The nursing hurt more and is a lot more difficult to accomplish when I am trying to get from one activity or another and when I am trying to make sure all three kids feel loved. "Why does SHE get to eat before we do?" my 7-year-old asked me one night. And it's a good question.

Being solely responsible for a baby (which, let's face it, nursing mothers are) was SO much harder this time around. It's no exaggeration to say it smacked me right onto my ass. All the "I can totally handle this" bravado I'd shown leading up to the birth, my whole "I've got this" attitude? Gone. Like the wind. Instead there was me, sobbing at the dinner table wondering what on Earth we had gotten ourselves into with yet another massive, overwhelming, crushing responsibility.

And then one morning, after sobbing to my midwife and worrying that I perhaps had severe postpartum depression, I bit down on the gummy bears I chewed every time the baby latched on and I realized it: Each baby is different.

I WANT to nurse her full-time. I WANT to not have to sleep train. I WANT to have my body back like I did before. But this time around, things have changed. It's not a bad thing. I am a not a mom in my 20s with nothing more to do than nurse one sweet baby. I am a mom in my 30s who has two other kids, a job I really love, and a house to take care of (not to mention a dog and a cat). I can't be perfect. 

I am learning to let go of the perfect mom. We quit some of our activities, at least until next fall. I hired more help, bumped my cleaning up from once a week to twice, and hired a dog walker. I eased some pressure on myself by considering formula. Thus far, I've been able to pump enough to get her to five months without it, but I am not opposed to using it if I need it. 

I want to be the best mom to this baby, but I need to be a good mom for all three, and that might mean letting go of some of the things that were easier the first two times. It's five months in and I've lost 47 pounds. But I still have eight to go, and unlike before, I'll skip a workout here and there. I find ways to get time to myself even amidst the chaos, but I am also accepting that my size four, flat-abbed body might take longer to come back this time around. I am accepting that I might need to use formula at some point this time and was about two nights away from letting her cry it out before she miraculously put herself on a schedule. I never would have dreamed of those things the first two times. Being resistant to those things was making my life so much harder.

No one is going to be the same mom to all their kids. We grow and change and we learn as we go. By being resistant to changing the way I parented this baby to suit the time in my life, I was making things harder on us all. This is the mom I am now. A mom of three. I am not "perfect." Not even close. I AM a hell of a lot happier. And it's better than perfect.

Did you change for each child?

"Did you change his diaper yet?"

That's the question that startled me into the realization that I was wholly and completely unprepared for motherhood.

Becoming a parent wasn't a natural choice for me. I didn't have that biological clock ticking away and I certainly didn't hear the alarm even as I approached "advanced maternal age." And yet I was pretty sure that if I didn't give the whole motherhood thing a try, I'd regret it until my dying day.

So at the ripe old age of 36, I set about the task of informing my husband that we were going to give it a go. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. No big deal.

Only it was a big deal and we both knew it. We knew that if we gave up our dual income, no kids lifestyle, there was no turning back. No refunds, no "Oh, I changed my mind," no re-homing. If we became parents, it was a lifelong decision. And four months later, we found out we were headed down that one-way road.

I'll be the first to admit that I had no clue about motherhood. I thought I had a clue. I seriously thought having two dogs prepared me for having a baby. But I had nothing else to go on. Most of my friends were too young for children or well past the baby stage and my family was just as clueless as I was.

This was literally a shot in the dark. Or more like a step in the dark ... on to a very oddly shaped, squeaky toy.

I read the books and attended the classes and thought it would all come naturally to me.

(Spoiler alert: It didn't.)

And then on Day 2 of my hospital stay, after giving birth to my son, the nurses came in and asked if we had changed his diaper. My husband and I looked at each other in a state of embarrassed panic: Were we supposed to do that? Nobody told us to do that. Why didn't anyone tell us to do that?

It was in that moment, and in many moments to come, that I realized motherhood is a job and there truly is no experience required.

If only I had the chance to interview for the position of mother, I might have been better equipped. The expectations for the role would have clearly been laid out, along with the necessary prerequisites. And I would have had a chance to ask a few questions of my own.

How flexible are the hours?

What's the company culture like?

Do you offer salary increases based on merit?

What type of benefits do you offer?

What does the retirement plan look like?

Then again, if I had really been interviewing for the position of mother, I'm not sure I would have liked what the answers looked like.

Yes, the hours are very flexible. In fact, there are opportunities to work early in the morning and late at night. And you can take lots of breaks during the day, as long as those breaks are coordinated with naptime AND your child chooses to nap (FYI -- mine didn't).

The company culture is really up to you. It can be stressful and serious with very tight deadlines. Or it can be carefree and full of frivolity. In fact, many of our employees take this as an opportunity to relive their childhood. Oh, and we do offer complimentary snacks, such as goldfish crackers, yogurt puffs, and squeezie packs of applesauce.

The salary? Did we forget to mention this is an unpaid position? However, we like to think the benefits of child rearing far outweigh any monetary gain from other employable positions. And the experience provides you with life skills you never knew you needed.

As for retirement, we are happy to say that you can retire with full benefits after 18 years, unless of course you've raised one of those smart kids, in which case retirement could be delayed an additional four to eight years depending on your child's educational path.

And that's just how it might have looked on paper. The truth is that motherhood is a position for which many of us apply without any prerequisites and most certainly without an interview. And yet I decided to take that job and run with it.

I have one kid and one kid only so I've only got one shot to get things right. After seven years of on-the-job experience, I'm still learning as I go.

Images via Fadra Nally

Ten weeks. That's how long my maternity leave was after my first baby was born. Two weeks shorter than usual, but generous considering I'd been at my current job for less than six months.

That 10 weeks seemed like an eternity when I thought about it in the abstract, before my daughter's birth, and even in the early days home from the hospital. Can you imagine having 10 weeks vacation? That's what I always told myself, even as I saw the days ticking by at a frightengly fast clip.

But experienced, sage moms know that maternity leave is about as far from vacation as you can get. Suddenly, almost without warning, I was a week away. Then a day. And then the dreaded "first day back at work" was suddenly here. And I was heartbroken. I felt dead inside.

It was crazy. I was one of the lucky ones. I always knew I would be a "working mom" long before I actually became one. And I loved my job!

So there I was, the first morning in almost a year that I would be separated from my baby girl (counting pregnancy, of course). I was leaving her with a warm, effusive nanny I liked and trusted -- but who was a virtual stranger to me then. I felt jumpy inside, panicky. Also weepy, devastated, and strangely indifferent. There was a bit of anticipation and excitement, sure, but mostly I kept wondering what I'd been thinking when I assumed I'd want to work after becoming a mom.

More From The Stir: 5 Totally Unfair Pregnancy Myths About Baby Girls

It was all so foreign. I'd been maternal since age 2, when I insisted to anyone who'd listen that my doll wasn't a doll, she was a "BABY," and I took care of her like any dutiful mommy would. But I was also a total career woman. I put my heart and soul into my studies, then into my chosen field of journalism. I got married later and had kids later (not by choice as much as by fate). So I was really equal parts working girl and mom. Why was it this heartwrenching to even imagine being at my job full-time again?

My best friend and other close ones were wonderfully supportive. They called, sent cards and baby gifts, emailed, helped with and visited baby, and checked in on me, not only during maternity leave but throughout the "back to work" phase. They listened, comforted, and offered pearls of wisdom and advice.

But six people saved me from crumbling completely that very first day -- and in the weeks to come.

One was my husband, who sent me flowers at the office. "We love you and miss you so much," the card read. "Have a great first day back at work!" That was only the beginning of his love and support throughout the transition. 

The second was my nanny, the relative stranger who became family almost overnight. She called me several times a day in the beginning with updates, always getting my infant daughter to "talk" to Mommy with her little baby coos and squeals. Once she kept saying, "I love you" and I could swear that when my little girl finally responded, it sounded like she said it too.

The third and fourth were my mom and dad, who not only called, wrote, emailed, and brought baby gifts -- but also made the trek to New York from Philadelphia to take care of their first grandchild a few days a week ... for months.

And the fifth and sixth were my two bosses (backed by my company as a whole), who were unbelievably understanding and kind. They let me get back into things gradually, took me out to lunch, sent me lovely baby gifts. And when I told them that I was struggling with the separation and was hoping for a second day to work from home, they gave it to me. It meant so much.

There is no way I could thank any of them enough for what they did for me -- but now is as good a time as any. And for new moms going through this now or gearing up to go through it soon, make sure you have a strong support network in place like I did.

In those early days, it was very hard to care and focus. My heart wasn't in it, and I missed my daughter so much, it ached. I felt empty and alone.

But in time, it changed. I did get back into the swing. I did care again. The passion and love I had for my job returned -- and I was able to balance it with the passion and love I had for my child and my family.

I have now been through this a second time in the last six months -- which was also very hard but in a different way. And at least with my son, I knew something about what to expect and already had trusted child care in place. The same amazing family and friends who stepped up the first time came through again after Baby #2.

One thing's for sure, though: I was right. I am a working mom at heart. It's a tricky juggle, a precarious balancing act, and an exercise in extreme sleep deprivation and multitasking. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Did you return to work after baby? What was your experience like?

Image ©iStock.com/vgajic

If you've got a baby in a rear-facing car seat, listen up. Nearly two million rear-facing car seats are being recalled today, a followup to the huge Graco recall already issued earlier this year. The problem is the buckle in the safety seats -- a buckle that has been known to jam, trapping children in their car seat.

The buckle is the same one used on other previously recalled Graco seats, but the company initially told federal regulators that a recall was unwarranted because the rear-facing seats are designed differently than others. Now 1.9 million seats for younger children are up for recall based on a company investigation that found "a higher than typical level of difficulty" when unlatching the buckle that could increase "the risk of injury in the event of an emergency situation where prompt exit from the vehicle is required."

So what do parents need to know?

1. The recall affects the buckle, not the whole seat, and as such the seats can still be used.

2. Models affected (and manufacture date) included: 

3. To determine whether your car seat is affected, look under or behind your car seat, locate the white label, and note the name and date of manufacture. It should look like this:

4. Graco will provide a free buckle replacement. While waiting for your replacement, the company suggests cleaning the existing buckle.

More from The Stir: Kim Kardashian Ripped for Photo of North West in Car Seat

5. To get your repair kit, to check if your seat is under the recall, or for other information, visit Graco's buckle recall site or call 877-766-7470.

Have you experienced issues with your car seat buckle? What happened?

Images via © iStock.com/RobHainer; Graco

Before they even utter their first word or can complete a full sentence, your babies are talking. They're babbling all the time, trying to have conversations, or maybe they're even arguing with the family dog. Yup, the latest video to go viral features a baby chatting with the family bulldog, and it's just as cute as you'd imagine. 

You can just picture the conversation: "What are you doing? I told you to get off the couch already!"

See for yourself:

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

Looks like mom and dad have a future lawyer on their hands. It's always hilarious to have babies attempt to carry on "conversations" with other people ... or dogs. They may not know what they're saying, but it's their only way of expressing themselves.

Unfortunately, this dog's not having it.

Does your baby ever carry on a "conversation"?

Image via shira gal/Flickr

An Icelandic couple named Tristan and Kristin Cardew having an incredibly difficult time trying to get a passport for their 10-year-old daughter -- all because of her name.

Believe it or not, Iceland's laws state that unless both parents are foreign, they have to submit their name choice to the National Registry for approval within six months of birth. Government-approved names have to fulfill requirements such as "Icelandic grammatical endings," "linguistic structure of Iceland," and "Icelandic orthography." And the Cardews' daughter, Harriet, doesn't fit with these laws or appear on the approved list of 1,853 approved female names. (For the record, there are just 1,712 boys names that are fine by Iceland officials.)

Given that we live in a country where Kim Kardashian and Kanye West can name their kid North, and Subaru is making baby name lists, the dilemma the Cardews are facing is an extremely difficult one for us Americans to wrap our heads around.

But it's situations like this that should remind us not to take our freedom for granted. We're so lucky to live in a country where we can name our kids whatever we want. That we don't have to go through a grueling process of submitting our name choice to a committee or having to adhere to a set list. I would imagine that as a result, our kids are afforded an even greater sense of self. Even if they have a common name, like John or Elizabeth, it was likely chosen for personal reasons -- not because the government would sign off on it!

That said, we could clearly stand to reframe how we see baby naming: as a privilege to be taken seriously. A case for skipping some of those more disturbingly unconventional choices (like Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and Hashtag) perhaps?!

In the meantime, the Cardews have appealed Iceland's decision to deny Harriet an updated passport. "They have deprived our daughter of freedom of movement," the girl's mother told visir.is. It's absurd. But it should sure make American moms all sorts of grateful that this is one bureaucratic hoop we definitely don't have to jump through!

How would you feel about the government telling you to stick to a list of approved baby names?

Image via jaaronfarr/Flickr

Tired of celebrities acting like they have it so much harder than everyday moms? Don't worry, this isn't another one of those stories. Cameron Diaz doesn't actually have any kids, but the child-free by choice actress had some pretty interesting things to say about motherhood this week when she was interviewed about her upcoming film, Sex Tape.

As reporters tend to do, a writer working on a piece for Esquire asked the 41-year-old why she'd never settled down and made babies. Yeah, go ahead and shudder at the question ... but not her response.

Said Diaz:

It's so much more work to have children. To have lives besides your own that you are responsible for -- I didn't take that on. That did make things easier for me. A baby -- that's all day, every day for 18 years. I like protecting people, but I was never drawn to being a mother.

Folks, we don't want to start a war between moms and non-moms here. Everyone has their own tough stuff in life, their own crosses to bear. Non-moms are to be respected for what they do in life, and for making their own choices. Period. 

But often the very reason the two sides seem to be at war is because one or the other feels disrespected, feels that the other doesn't acknowledge how tough it is.

If we all want to just "get along," that means giving each other a pat on the back once in awhile and looking at our different challenges.

Yes, there are advantages to motherhood. Every woman who has ever found a note to "Mom" on her pillow or just fallen asleep with someone small snuggled up in the crook of her arm will tell you that.

But we do give things up to become moms -- our time, our chances to get ahead in the workplace, our independence. And goshdarnit, it's nice to hear someone else, someone on the other side, giving us our due!

And we won't lie -- it's especially nice to hear it out of Cameron's mouth in light of some rather insensitive comments about moms from celebrities of late (cough, Gwyneth Paltrow, cough, cough)!

Do you feel like your non-mom friends "get" motherhood? What's the nicest thing they've ever said to you?

Image via Splash News

While C-sections are meant to be done only when there's a major medical reason for skipping a vaginal delivery, up to 20 percent of babies born in the US are delivered by cesarean section these days. As a result, many moms -- both those who knew they'd be going under the knife ahead of time, and those who had it happen unexpectedly -- are left wondering how the involved surgical procedure will affect their baby.

It is true that babies delivered by C-section will have a different experience than those delivered vaginally. "Babies born by C-section are usually healthy," assures Siobhan Dolan, MD, MPH, medical advisor to March of Dimes, and author of Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby. "But they can have some side-effects."  

Here, 7 things a C-section baby might have to deal with.

Did your baby have any side effects from a C-section birth?

Image via isafmedia/Flickr

Just one month after welcoming her second child, Kendra Wilkinson is facing some major problems with her marriage. Rumor has it that Kendra's husband, Hank Baskett, had an affair with a transsexual model back when Kendra was eight months pregnant. But even after Hank's extramarital affair became public news, new reports have just surfaced that Hank and Kendra are still living together!

She's the mom to a newborn baby girl and 4-year-old Hank, Jr., so it's no secret that she needs help with the children. And it looks like that is what has been keeping the couple of four years living under the same roof.

According to new reports, that does not mean that the couple is reconciling. Instead it's a simple sign that Hank "needs to help out," says the source. US Weekly also notes that the children are her top priority and she is "doing what she needs to do" to get through the situation.

Having a newborn is exhausting. But having a newborn and doing it alone is infinitely more difficult, especially with a big kid as well. Taking it day-by-day, especially when dealing with babies, is paramount. New problems arise daily, and the constant stress and attention require non-stop care. No mom should be afraid to ask for help, and fathers should be parenting no matter what the relationship status is with their children's mother. It's good to see them focusing on their kids.

But as draining and taxing as caring for a family may be, it's also important for women to remember that they should feel empowered and not be forced to stay with a jerk because she just had his child. Dads aren't the only ones who can lend a hand with a new baby. And plenty of single mothers the world over do it alone -- and do it well!

Our hearts go out to her right now!

Any mom been in a similar situation? What's your best tip for a new mother going through marital strife?

Image via kendra_wilkinson_baskett/Instagram

From bacteria or heavy metals in our food when we're pregnant to bisphenol-A (BPA) and other hormone disruptors in baby bottles, moms may feel like they're constantly ducking and hiding from worrisome toxins. Now, there's controversial new buzz about fluoride that may perk up some parents' ears.

A retired chemistry professor named Paul Connett, co-author of the book The Case Against Fluoride, is speaking out about eliminating fluoride from municipal water supplies. He recently published a list of reasons why he believes water fluoridation must be stopped ...

According to Connett, while the level of fluoride in a mother's milk is exceedingly low, formula-fed infants receive up to 175 to 250 more fluoride than a breastfed infant. He also points out that for bigger kids, the concern comes in the form of dental fluorosis, or discoloration and mottling of the teeth that occurs as a result of overexposure to fluoride, which 41 percent of American kids aged 12 to 15 have in some form or another, according to the CDC.

Most jaw-dropping, though: Connett states that there are three human studies that link fluoride exposure to impaired fetal brain development and 100 animal studies linking it to brain damage. Obviously, these are unnerving assertions for any mom to hear.

More from The Stir: It's Official: Fluoride Makes Your Kid Dumb

This isn't the first time that the potential downstream negative effects of fluoride have made headlines. Back in 2008, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) asked the Federal Trade Commission to stop Nursery Water -- a bottled water for infants -- from advertising that its fluoridated water is safe for babies, in violation of FDA rules and American Academy of Pediatrics guidance. And in 2011, the EWG won a victory by getting the Department of Health and Human Services and Environmental Protection Agency to propose a change to the amount of fluoride allowed in drinking water due to the rising rates of fluorosis in kids.

In other words, though it looks like progress is being made, fluoridation remains a complicated, controversial topic. And Connett's points only serve to raise certain burning questions about fluoride all over again for moms. He seems to make an even stronger case for moms to be concerned if they're formula-feeding and may be reason to steer clear of fluoridated toothpastes and mouthwashes for our kids. Because when it comes to both of those things, the ball is in our court. But as for fluoride in our city's water? That's obviously still a hot topic of debate that parents may very well be stirred to get into, given the possible dangers for kids.

How do you feel about fluoridated water? Do you try to steer clear of it in the products you buy for your kids?

Image via Gunnar Grimnes/Flickr

So, you've decided baby is ready for solid food, and you're wondering what the heck to feed them? Scientists may have just made the choice a little easier. A chemical named acrylamide has been linked to cancer. What does that have to do with baby food?

Turns out that's where it's hiding (along with certain coffees and starchy foods such as French fries). The new warning comes out of the European Food Safety Authority, but American parents should know they're not the first to flag acrylamide. Here in the states, the FDA has been warning folks about its presence since late last fall. 

Typically it seems to be via skin exposure that acrylamide hurts humans -- those in industrial settings have reportedly experienced muscle weakness or limb numbness. But lab reports done on animals have shown that acrylamide in the diet has been linked to DNA mutations that could increase the risk of tumor growth and spread of cancer cells.

Thinking you're going to have make all your own baby food from now on, just to be on the safe side? Read on, Moms ...

The good news is this chemical only seems to be present in commercial baby foods that contain processed cereal grains -- so if you're buying jars of pureed peas that contain peas and only peas (or any other fruit or veggie), you don't have to panic. The FDA also has a handy guide to baby foods they've tested, including those that were acrylamide-free and those that tested positive for the chemical.

What is your baby eating? Have you checked it against the FDA list?

Image © iStock.com/tcort

Any time I read about a successful and powerful woman who swears up and down it is possible to be an equally amazing worker, wife AND mom, my BS detecter shoots through the roof. Either these women are lying -- to us and/or to themselves -- or they have, God bless them, figured out a way of dropping their expectations and not feeling guilty about doing so.

And that's why PepsiCo's CEO Indra Nooyiis my new hero. The mom of two daughters, who is obviously a hard-working and kickass woman, told it like it is in a new interview this week with Atlanta Media Company. And here's the bottom line: everything other moms say about having it all is dead wrong.

Nooyi, who has been married for an impressive 34 years, said women pretend to have it all, but that this simply is not possible because, ya know, we aren't the superhuman superheroes we wish we were. I love what she has to say about balancing all of our responsibilities in life. Instead of making believe it's realistic to be everything to everyone at once, she says we all make choices throughout the day about whether we're going to be a wife, mother, or employee at that moment.

She also admits that she isn't sure her daughters would call her a "good mom" if they were asked and that she has certain "coping mechanisms" to help deal with the guilt and pain and -- what else is that we hear -- could it be self doubt?! Finally! A woman who isn't confident that she's doing it all right. I don't know about you, but I can certainly relate.

My absolute favorite part of her interview is when she confesses she felt so much guilt when her daughter came home from school and rattled off the list of moms who actually made it to some kind of Wednesday morning mom coffee chat that she called the school and demanded to know which moms hadn't attended the event. And then she let her daughter know she wasn't the only mom not there.

It's definitely a silly thing to do, but how many of us have been in a position in which we feel so bad about how we're not living up to our (and our kids') expectations of what a mom should be, that we totally want to resort to pointing the finger at other parents. Emily's mom can't drive you to soccer either because she's busy earning a living for her family and trying to be a strong female role model for her daughters. So there.

My job is IN NO WAY near as stressful as Nooyi's, but her message to moms -- all moms, including those who choose to stay at home - is one we can all relate to: we aren't perfect. We aren't going to be able to fulfill every expectation we have of ourselves at all times. And we need to just get over it because our guilt isn't helping our children or ourselves.

Now comes the difficult part: actually processing her message and living it.

What do you think of what Nooyi has to say about motherhood? Do you feel you can have it all?

Image via Hero Images Inc./Hero Images Inc./Corbis

Megan Fox is a mom to two boys under 2 with husband Brian Austin Green. Bodhi Ransom is 4 months old and Noah Shannon is 21 months old. She also stars in the movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and I wonder how her kids will feel about that when they are old enough to be into those kinds of things. For the record, she doesn't let the kids watch much TV.

Fox describes her life as chaos and despite her best efforts, she's just like the rest of us and has a ton of that mom guilt. But don't worry. She's not saying anything to make us dislike her like Gwyneth Paltrow did. In fact, I like Megan as a mom a lot.

Fox is a hands-on type of parent. She said:

As a mom it’s hard because I don’t feel like I’m ever giving either one of them 100 percent of my attention or 100 percent of myself, so I carry a lot of guilt.

Do they each understand how special they are and how much I love them? And are they understanding that they’re unique? It’s hard to make each one feel like an individual when you have to raise them together and manage them together all of the time.

That resonates with me very much since I have twins. It's a feeling many of us, twins or not, completely relate to.

Megan and Brian have a no computers, no cell phones rule until the kids are in 8th grade. But she does let them watch family friendly movies once in a while. I love how mindful she seems of all her parenting decisions.

I’m excited for the future, to see them be brothers and be best friends and I know that there’s gonna be lots of fighting, but there’s also gonna be lots of hugs and kisses.

I have to make one movie a year because I have to invest in their future and I have to be able to pay their way through college and be able to provide for them. It’s all about trying to spend as little time away from my kids as possible.

The mom guilt strikes all of us at one time or another. That's why we have to support and encourage each other no matter our situations.

Are you surprised to hear that Megan Fox has mom guilt? Doesn't she seem so down-to-earth?

Image via Megan Fox Green/Instagram

With up to 20 percent of babies born in the US being delivered by C-section today, more and more expectant couples are considering how they might handle mom having to go under the knife to deliver their little one. The fact of the matter is that while the surgical procedure is more routine than ever (for better or worse) and perfectly safe, cesarean sections come with different downstream effects than vaginal births.

For instance, dads or partners whose babies are delivered by C-sections will have responsibilities that those whose kids arrive via vaginal delivery don't. 

Here, 8 things a dad may need to do if his partner has a C-section.

How did your partner handle your C-section birth?

Image via © Terry Vine/Blend Images/Corbis

Army wifeYesenia Ruiz-Rojo wasn't expecting to receive the news she did when she was admitted to a hospital four months into her pregnancy. The mom of one was experiencing severe abdominal pain, but other than that, she seemed perfectly healthy. But shortly after meeting with doctors, the mother-to-be learned she had a massive tumorcovering half of her liver and that she had an aggressive liver cancer that gave her four months to live, tops.

In that moment, all Ruiz-Rojo wanted was for doctors to save her baby. But given the size and the location of the tumor, it was a task that seemed almost impossible. A team of medical experts put their heads together and decided an experimental radiation treatment was the best course of action, given the mom's situation. And at 32 weeks, Ruiz-Rojo gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Luke. The mom has turned down cancer treatments in an effort to not impair the days she has left with her family, and, tragically, her days are likely numbered. "I love spending time with my son; he’s beautiful," she said. "I'm so thankful for him."

Wow.

To call Ruiz-Rojo brave is the understatement of the year -- she literally allowed doctors to experiment on her body for the sake of her growing baby. Nothing she did, or is doing, should be minimized at all, but at the same time, this heroic woman did what many other parents out there would likely do for their kids. When we become moms and dads, we, literally, are willing to sacrifice our lives for our children. Nothing supersedes the health and happiness of kids, and parents typically won't give a second thought to putting their little ones first in any given situation.

It really doesn't get much more heartbreaking than Ruiz-Rojo's story, and it's impossible not to hope and pray for a miracle for this family. But whatever happens, this amazing mother can rest-assured that her children will never, for a split second, doubt her eternal love for them.

What do you want to say to this mom?

Image via U.S. Department of Defense

With the summer sun out in full force, moms are quicker than ever to coat their little ones in sunblock in an effort to protect their delicate skin. But unnervingly, sunblock itself could burn kids. A mom in Alabama named Amber Reece says her daughter Sydney experienced this firsthand.

Reece told WHNT News 19 that back on Mother's Day, she applied Banana Boat SPF 50 stick sunscreen to her 11-month-old daughter's face, under her eyes, and across her nose. Just minutes later, the little girl's skin started to turn red, Reece says. 

When it continued to peel and scab, Reece brought Sydney to her pediatrician, who told the local news station that what happened here was a very rare occurrence -- a "photo allergic reaction" -- seen in less than one in 10,000 people. She also said the reaction could've been triggered by too much sun exposure and not necessarily the sunscreen.

Still, it's not hard to see why Reece is skeptical and upset by what happened. Any mom would be!

What's more, Sydney's not alone. Moms have reported little ones developing itchy, red rashes from different sunblocks. It's discouraging, considering that we're using these products to protect our kids' skin. But just as with any cosmetic product, children obviously can have an adverse reaction to the chemicals in sunscreen.

For that reason, moms would do well to check out the Environmental Working Group's website and research "safe" sunscreens that are better for little ones' sensitive skin. Reading online reviews from other moms could help, too.

Once you do bite the bullet and buy a new block, experts recommend moms “spot test” the product on kids (simply by putting a dab on a small area, like their hand) and waiting a few minutes to watch for an allergic reaction to the product. For little ones whose skin is particularly sensitive, protective clothing and staying out of the sun may be even better.

Because clearly, as unnerving as it is, it's possible sunblock could end up doing the opposite of what it's meant to. And moms who find themselves in Reece's shoes do have a recourse: You can contact the FDA and submit an "Adverse Event" report.

Has your child ever had a bad reaction to sunblock? How do you test it before applying?

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Image via Stevielee/Flickr

Here's a scary statistic for parents: car crashes are the leading killer of children 1 to 12 years old in the United States. Here's another one: some 70 percent of car seats are installed improperly. Never want to get in a car with your child again? Don't worry ... as confusing as those car seat manuals can be, we've got the answers to your biggest questions about safety seats.

The experts have weighed in on parents' biggest mistakes in the backseat -- and how to fix them!

1. Only reading the car seat manual. The car seat manual should be read, and adhered to, but did you know it's not the only one? "The car has its own rules," explains Lorrie Walker, training manager and technical advisor for the Safe Kids Buckle Up Program. Walker suggests pulling out the directions for your seat as well as read up on what your vehicle manufacturer has to say about car seat installation to make sure you're following both sets of guidelines.

This also applies when moving your seat from one family car to another. Not every vehicle is the same, she warns, and you may have to make adjustments to installation for safety's sake when you make the switch.

2. Assuming every seat belt fit is safe. If not in a car seat with a harness, kids should be wearing seat belts, but they need to actually fit kids the "right" way in order to protect them.

If your child is using a seat belt -- with a booster seat or without -- the lap portion of the belt must sit low on the hips rather than across the stomach or somewhere on the legs. The upper portion should come across the chest and rest on the bony shoulder, Walker says, not on the neck and not be placed under the armpit.

3. Turning a rear-facing child around too soon. It may seem like turning your kids around so you can see their faces in the rear-view mirror is safer (not to mention easier on you), but there are good reasons for holding off ... the longer, the better.

"It comes down to simple, anatomical development of a child," says Allana Pinkerton, global safety advocate for Diono. "The vertebrae does not fuse together until a child is between 4 and 6 years old. Frontal, crash impacts are strong enough to damage the spine on a young child."

Scary stuff, and that's not all.

"If your child sits close to the seat in front of them, their head and legs can hit the seat hard enough to cause a brain injury or broken legs and feet," Pinkerton warns. "Rear facing is safer in all types of collisions."

So when can kids finally make the turn?

No sooner than 2 years old, for sure, but check your car seat manual (ahem -- number 1 above). Some seats can accommodate a larger toddler in rear-facing mode.

4. Not tightening the straps enough on a seat. Yes, it's inconvenient having to loosen and tighten those suckers every time you get your kiddo in and out of the car. But it's one hassle you need to deal with if you don't want your child flying out of the seat in a crash. So how do you know what's "tight enough"?

Pinkerton says parents should do what's known as the "pinch test."

"Once you have snug down the harness, take your index finger and thumb and try lightly grabbing the harness up at the collar bone," she says. "You don’t have to dig down into the harness; just see if you get a fold in the webbing. Do not check for a snug fit at the chest clip. This will give you a false sense the harness is too loose and you might over-tighten the harness, making your child very uncomfortable, leaving red marks on their skin."

5. Thinking state laws are the safest. Of course, you need to follow state laws. But often they're just not enough! "The law of physics has overtaken the law of each state," says Walker.

What she means by that is this: your state may say your child is big enough to "graduate" from a safety seat, but it really comes down to what's safest for the child. If your kiddo's seat belt doesn't fit the way Walker describes in number 2, they still need that safety seat -- no matter what your state says.

6. Not adjusting the car seat as kids age. Many safety seats cover an age range, but as your child grows within the seat, you need to make some changes! One of the biggies? Adjusting the shoulder straps for your forward-facing child.

Shoulder straps should always begin above your child's shoulder -- never below -- says Walker. Most seats have different slots for the straps, so parents can move them up as a child gets taller. If your child's shoulders are above the highest slot, it's time for a new seat!

7. Not moving the chest clip. That little doohickey isn't just there to look good. "It helps position the harness so that they stay on the child’s shoulders," Pinkerton explains. After hooking the clip, slide it up so it's level with your child's armpits for a proper fit.

8. Picking a car seat by age. Take two 2-year-olds and put 'em side by side. What are the chances they'll be the exact same size? Slim to none? So why would you think a car seat manufacturer -- who has never met your kid -- would know how big they are at any particular age?

The age guidelines are a general guideline, Walker says. The more important numbers to look at are height and weight. So if your child is 8 and still weighs just 40 pounds (for example), you shouldn't put them in a seat that's for 8-year-olds and kids who weigh at least 50 pounds.

For help gauging whether your child is in the right seat for their size, the government has a handy tool!

9. Assuming hand-me-down car seats are safe. Hey, every mom loves a freebie, but sometimes you're just asking for trouble. Pinkerton suggests assessing the following before accepting a used car seat:

If you've got a used seat, and you want to see if it's safe, check with the manufacturer for recalls. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also has a hotline for parents to call to check on recalled seats.

10. Using LATCH and a seat belt to secure a car seat. If one is good, two are better, right? Wrong! According to Walker, car seat manufacturers only test seats with one method of securing a seat in place. They want to make sure the seat can withstand a crash with just one because not every car has both in place.

Picking both methods, Walker warns, could "compromise" the safety of a seat.

"Pick the one that works best for you!" she tells parents.

Have you made any of the mistakes on the list?

Image ©iStock.com/zer05; ©iStock.com/ZekaG

The first few months of a newborn's life are critical in establishing breastfeeding practices. And there's some good news out there according to a new "breastfeeding map of America." Some 77 percent of U.S. infants begin breastfeeding!

Now for the bad news: the number of mothers who are still breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months -- the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics -- drops significantly. So where do moms have the best chance of making it to that six-month mark? Where do they have the lowest chance? Using data from the CDC, the map shows us where moms are faring well at nursing ... and where they're not.

Ten best breastfeeding states (from best to worst, based on the percentage of mothers who still exclusively breastfeed at six months):

And here are the 10 worst states (from worst to best, based on how percentage of moms still exclusively breastfeeding at six months):

Interesting breakdown, huh? There are much higher rates of breastfeeding on the West Coast, while the South experiences especially low percentages (you can check out how other states ranked on the map at the Wall Street Journal).

Of course, there are several different indicators that influence whether or not a mother breastfeeds. Between income, birth facility support, skin-to-skin contact, mother-to-mother support, professional support, and child care settings, mothers in different states have various challenges to breastfeeding. All determine just how successful they'll be six months down the road.

Where does your state fall in the rankings? Did you meet or exceed your state's guidelines?

Image via Raphael Goetter/Flickr