Is there anything worse than your baby biting on your nipple during a breastfeeding session? Talk about pain! When babies start biting, some moms get frustrated and stop nursing. Others just grin and bear it. But there's no reason to do either.

You can figure out why your baby is biting and implement some tips to overcome it (saving your poor nipple in the process).

According to Almarine Clark-Meagher, RN and certified lactation consultant at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, babies may clamp down on the breast for several reasons, including a fast milk flow, a slow milk flow, a low supply of milk, and teething pain or discomfort. It could also be that your baby is simply distracted while breastfeeding.

Your child can give you clues as to what's bothering them. Sometimes it's process of elimination if there's not a clear winner (i.e., milk pouring out of your breasts too fast so baby can't keep up).

The good news? A bite-happy child doesn't mean you have to give up breastfeeding. Most issues can be remedied to make your child -- and you -- more comfortable:

Problem: Fast Flow
Solution: "If the flow is too fast, mom can place her fingers around her areola to let off the first big splash," suggests lactation consultant Leigh Anne O'Connor. "You can also lay down or recline to nurse -- think anti-gravity positions."

Problem: Slow Flow
Solution: "For a slow let down, mom can express while the baby is nursing," said O'Connor.

Problem:Low Milk Supply
Solution: Frequent feedings, adequate rest, good nutrition, and drinking enough fluids can help maintain a good milk supply. 

Problem:Ear Issues
Solution: If you suspect ear issues, upright nursing can helps with the discomfort.

Problem: Teething
Solution: If your baby is teething, implement comfort strategies prior to every breastfeeding session until his new tooth or teeth break through. Moms can have a teething toy or a cold washcloth on-hand for baby to bite down on for that purpose. You can also consult your baby's pediatrician to see if a pain reliever makes sense.

Problem: Distraction
Solution: If your baby appears to be distracted or pulling away from your breast, Clark-Meagher suggests positioning him so he is facing you. That way, you can recline or lean back more than usual. This position allows your baby to possibly open wider, offer a wider gape, and help bring his jaw and tongue forward for a more "cushioned" latch and suckle.

More from The Stir: The Ultimate Guide to Breastfeeding

If you're not sure what's causing baby to bite, there are still options to help make it stop. Kathleen Doherty, lactation consultant at Westwood-Mansfield Pediatrics in Massachusetts, suggests quickly removing your baby from your breast when he bites. "Lightly tap your baby's lip and say 'no' ... but do not raise your voice too much," she says. "Remember, your baby is not setting out to hurt you; he is just exploring."

One thing to avoid is scaring baby, says O'Connor. "If a baby bites, mom should take the baby off and say 'no biting' in a firm but emotionally neutral tone," she says.

This negative attention should be enough to end the practice.

"If a baby wants to nurse, he will not bite if it is taken away frequently enough," O'Connor explains. "Most babies who are old enough for teeth can understand this communication on some level."

Most of all, experts encourage you to not give up. If you're consistent, baby will likely respond to the aforementioned techniques to alleviate the biting ... so you can get back to enjoying the bonding experience of breastfeeding.

Did your baby bite you while breastfeeding? How did you overcome it? 

Images via © Arman Zhenikeyev/Corbis; © iStock.com/HannamariaH

Deliver a baby and, suddenly, it's all about poop. We talk about it, analyze it ... even smell it during our few hours of sleep. We count our baby's bowel movements, note the consistency, and worry about constipation.

Moms especially spend a great deal of time stressing about that last one. According to Dr. Melissa King, pediatrician, director of urgent care, and Dr. Mom Squad blogger at Dayton Children's Hospital, it's for good reason. "Constipation can become chronic if it is not addressed," she warns.

So, what can mom do to help a constipated baby poop? 

First things first: constipation is a common issue for babies, especially at certain developmental times, such as introducing solid foods or transitioning to whole milk from formula or breast milk ... so do not panic. That said, it's important to establish a baby poop "baseline" to spot a problem. 

"We typically like to see a daily stool in formula-fed infants," says Dr. King. "If your child hasn't pooped in 2-3 days, you need look at the big picture. Is this typical for your child or atypical? When your child does poop is it typically hard or soft? Is your child uncomfortable, more fussy, or refusing food/bottles?"

Breastfed infants typically poop more than once a day -- sometimes after every feeding -- because breast milk contains immunoglobins, produced by the immune system, which also work as laxatives. 

More from The Stir: Baby Poop Colors & What They Mean

If you think your baby is constipated (hard stools, a change in pooping frequency, fussiness or not feeding well are all symptoms), here are some tips from Dr. King to help him poop:

1. Make sure baby is getting enough formulaor breastmilk daily.
2. If baby has not started solid foods, you can try giving him 2-4 ounces of 100 percent fruit juice a day. If he is over 4 months of age, you can try sorbitol-containing foods, such as pear or apple purees.
3. Grains (other than rice cereal) and other high-fiber foods such as peas and prunes in the appropriate consistency may relieve symptoms for babies who are on solid food.
4. Providing your baby with 6-8 ounces of water every day -- once you have introduced solid foods -- sets up a good habit of water intake, maintains hydration, and helps baby poop.

If your child remains constipated, it's time to call your pediatrician. "Overall, if your baby seems to be not eating well, is more fussy, and has not had a bowel movement for a few days you should consider evaluation," says Dr. King. "Your child should be seen sooner if you are seeing hard rabbit-like pellets, blood, or your child seems to be in pain."

Has your baby had bouts with constipation? How did you help him poop?

Images via © Sasha Gulish/Corbis; iStock.com/3sbworld 

When babies want their bottle, they want it NOW -- not in ten minutes. Which is why it can be agonizing for parents to have to grab their baby in one hand and a pot in the other, turn on the stove, and warm the milk or formula. For millennia, moms have been told this is a necessary step before a baby will accept your offering. Yet many experts now say that warming the bottle is optional and by no means necessary. 

"It is not necessary to warm milk," says Cheryl Wu, MD, a pediatrician in New York. "Milk is fine to be dispensed at room temperature." Some experts say it all depends on what each individual baby prefers. Those who breastfeed are accustomed to imbibing their beverage of choice at body rather than room temperature, and may prefer a warm bottle.

"Many pediatricians will tell you there's not a medical reason to warm the bottle, that's it's more of a personal preference," says Lauren de la Rosa, a baby feeding and nutrition expert at NurturMe. "Some babies may like their milk better warm, at room temperature or even chilled –- and that's okay." 

Yet Dr. Wu warns that warming bottles can get babies into a groove that they'll want to continue. "If we 'teach' baby that every time they drink something, it is warm, they may start to refuse things that are room temperature down the line," she says. "Remember, babies and children are quick learners, and take whatever is given to them consistently and routinely as the 'norm,' and may reject things that are outside of it."

The baby's age is another big factor, says Deedee Frank, a registered nurse and lactation consultant at Mercy Medical Center. When babies are young they may prefer their bottle warm, but once they're older and eating solids may more easily transition to cold or room-temperature drinks. "If a baby is older, giving them milk from the refrigerator is okay," says Frank. "After all, isn’t that the way we adults like milk?"

More from The Stir: How to Wean Baby Off a Bottle: 7 Tips for Moms

If your baby does prefer her bottle warm, here's how to do it: Take the milk out of refrigerator and warm the bottle under warm tap water for 5 to 10 minutes. "Then drip the milk on the inside of your forearm to test temperature prior to giving it to the baby," says Frank. "It is NOT recommended to microwave breast milk or formula. That is very unsafe since microwaving heats unevenly. Parents are risking burning the baby."

Bottom line: Don't feel pressure to warm the bottle unless your baby won't drink it otherwise. Parenting is enough work as it is, why do any more than necessary?

Does your baby refuse to take a "cold" bottle?

Image © Lisa B./Corbis

When babies are born in hospitals across the country, it's standard operating procedure for doctors to give them a shot of vitamin K to protect them from bleeding issues. But more and more moms are saying no to the vitamin K injection and it's opened up an alarming problem in hospitals: dangerous -- even fatal -- hemorrhages in infants.

Doctors at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, noticed a spike in hemorrhages last year with five babies in just eight months suffering from what's known as Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB). Doctors determined the cause of bleeding and noticed all the babies had something in common: their parents declined the vitamin K shot at birth.

They alerted the CDC of their findings, and, as a result, a case-control study is under way to assess whether any additional risk factors may contribute to VKDB in babies who do not receive vitamin K at birth. Since making the connection, which was featured in Pediatric Neurology, Vanderbilt has been actively spreading the word about vitamin K.

"While vitamin K deficiency bleeding remains rare, it only happens to babies who did not get their vitamin K shot ... and it can cause hemorrhaging or death," says Dr. Anne Morad, director of the Newborn Nursery at Monroe Carell JR. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. "It's devastating for the families who are impacted."

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), babies who are not given the vitamin K shot are 81 times more likely to suffer from Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding. The shots are typically given at birth because all babies are born with low vitamin K levels.

Saying no to the shot has become common, Morad says, in part because of a myth that the shot is a vaccination or they're concerned about preservatives in injections. But it is not a vaccine; it is an injectable vitamin. And there are many brands of vitamin K that are preservative-free.

"This shot is one of the safest things we give," says Morad. "We're working with our midwives to increase our community outreach efforts. We need to ensure families understand the importance of vitamin K."

More From The Stir: 7 Things Moms Must Do Immediately After Giving Birth

Some families ask for oral vitamin K instead of the shot, possibly because they don't want baby to be "hurt" by a needle. But while Morad says it's better than nothing, she discourages parents from going that route. "There's no FDA approved oral version of vitamin K, and it can be difficult to accurately give repeated doses of oral medication to an infant," said Morad. "Oral vitamin K requires multiple doses over the first months of life."

Babies are at highest risk for VKDB during the first 6 months of life. The risk drops when they start eating regular foods and their intestinal bacteria starts making vitamin K. The risk is also higher in babies who are exclusively breastfed, as formula is typically supplemented with vitamin K.

More from The Stir: Vitamin K Shots for Newborns: Everything You Need to Know

If you refused the vitamin K shot for your baby at birth, there are some warning signs of a critical deficiency. Some babies will have "warning bleeds" with unexplained bruising or bleeding from their nose or rectum. If your baby experiences these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.

If you're rethinking your decision about the shot, there is still time -- vitamin K can be given after your baby is born.

The good news: most babies will do just fine ... even without the shot. However, some babies will spontaneously bleed and doctors don't have the ability to predict which ones. For that reason, Morad encourages parents to thoughtfully consider vitamin K -- which has been administered in delivery rooms since the 1960s -- before they make a decision that could put their child at risk for hemorrhaging. 

Did you consent to the vitamin K shot when your baby was born? Why or why not?

Image © AMELIE-BENOIST/BSIP/BSIP/Corbis

You know the feeling. When that itty bitty baby is screeching in the middle of the night and refuses to fall asleep, you'll do anything to get her to calm down and stop. Any funny face, any hilarious dance, and any possible song in your repertoire. Even mega celeb Kelly Clarkson knows the struggle. And in her latest tweet, the American Idol alum admits to doing something we all can sympathize with. Clarkson sings "Silly Ho" by TLC to her daughterto get her to sleep.

Is it possible to like her even more? Because that's pretty genius. Check out her confession:

Ran out of songs 2 sing while trying 2 put my little girl 2 sleep & she finally nods off after "Silly Ho" by TLC #shecantunderstandthelyrics

Even when you're a multi-award winning artist, you run out of official "lullabies." Then it's time to resort to some good ol' fashioned TLC. 

More from The Stir: Kelly Clarkson's Teeny Baby Attends Her First Concert (PHOTO)

Sure, it may be a little inappropriate ("Boy you need a silly ho to do whatever you wanna do" is just a sample of the quality song), but listen people: desperate times call for desperate measures. And getting baby to sleep is one desperate moment. So use anything in your arsenal. G-rated or not.

Because remember ... little babies don't understand Mom and Dad's inappropriate choice of lullaby lyrics. They just hear your soothing voice and bliss out. So pull whatever you've got in your arsenal out and work it ...

Be honest: what's the most inappropriate song you've sung to baby?

Image via Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Ah, a baby's floppy-headed stage. There's nothing more nerve-wracking than putting a shirt on a baby with an elastic neck and soft spots on his head. It's like aiming for a moving target of Jell-O ... on two hours of sleep. Of course your reflexes are off.

You move left ... he flops right. Go right ... and he does a surprise maneuver. His head falls forward and he spits up all over you and that cute little shirt you are trying to get over his head. Game over. That little bugger.

Here are the 50 steps ... yes, 50! ... moms go through to put a shirt on a newborn baby. It's really comical when you break it down.

1. Spot absolutely adorable, I've gotta have it, oh-so-cute shirt for your little man in the overpriced baby boutique. 

2. Ignore fact that the nursery is already full of so many onesies from your shower that no one baby could possible wear them all and buy it anyway.

3. Refuse the receipt. Oh no, no way you're returning this one, baby.

4. Giggle at your stealthiness. You don't need a paper trail that you just bought your baby a $50 shirt he will grow out of in 2.2 seconds. Duh.

5. Ignore the side of your brain that screams YOU WILL ONLY FIND ONE OCCASION IN HIS LIFE TO PUT HIM IN THAT FANCY SHIRT ... IF THAT. DO I NEED TO REMIND YOU THAT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU LEFT THE HOUSE IN A WEEK?

6. Tell that side of your brain to shut up. Did you say it out loud? Oops.

7. Remember your baby has no idea his mommy has a potty mouth yet. He's only a baby. No worries, right?

8. Scream hell yeah! because he has no clue what that means anyway.

9. Wonder if your internal dialogue is normal. You decide it is. I mean, when was the last time I slept? 

10. Decide your husband is getting up with the baby tonight. You have emerging personalities. Clearly, you need rest.

11. Put the shirt in a Target bag for good measure. Scurry into your house with your naughty little purchase, undetected. Yeah, you're undercover mother. Sounds like a superhero name, doesn't it?

12. It's about time I get an appropriate alter-ego for all I do on any given day. Undercover Mother to the rescue!

13. Take the shirt out of the hoity-toity tissue paper. Marvel at its fabulousness.

14. Realize there are a lot of buttons.

15. Seriously, seven buttons?

16. Curse the stupid tailor who put buttons on a shirt for babies. Doesn't he know they're a choking hazard?

17. Start to panic.

18. How can I put a shirt on my baby that could kill him? What kind of mother am I?

19. Consider therapy. Your dueling personalities are not playing well in your internal sandbox.

20. Look at your baby's angelic little face. Hold the shirt up next to his bobble head and decide you're going to go for it. You will closely monitor him for choking.

21. OMG. How fragile is this kid?

22. I wish he would stop bobbing and weaving. Or am I making him do that?

23. Oh! If I wiggle a little to the left ... there! It's over one ear!

24. No, it's not. Dammit.

25. Let's try again.

26. Maybe hubby can hold his head while I slide on the shirt.

27. I mean, he has absolutely no fashion sense. He won't know it was $50.

28. Honey! I need some help in here!

29. That walk of shame feeling you had in college (more than once, but who's counting?) washes over you in a wave of humiliation. What would a single mom do in this situation? It's a shirt. And a baby. Your baby. You've got this.

30. An inspirational soundtrack starts playing in your head. "Eye of the Tiger" from Rocky.

31. It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight. Rising up to the challenge of our rivals.

32. ADRIENNE!!!

33. You realize you are full-out talking to yourself. Singing, too. Your husband isn't home. Are you even married?

34. This freaking shirt has you frazzled. You're questioning who you are as a wife (hope so) and mom (that's confirmed ... baby's right in front of you). Oh, wait, baby is hysterical!

35. Realize your baby is crying because you've been trying to force the button catastrophe shirt over his jelly donut head for 20 minutes. You were rocking out to "Eye of the Tiger." He wasn't. He can't hear "Eye of the Tiger."

36. You counted wrong. There are actually 11 buttons ... there are four little ones on the underside of the sleeves, for extra chokability. That tailor is completely inept. Frankly, he's an a--hole. So is that saleswoman who talked you into buying the darn shirt.

37. Focus.

38. You cup your baby's chin with one hand. YES! He's steady.

39. With your other hand, you try to stretch the shirt out wide enough to get over his head.

40. You quickly realize you're just not that talented.

41. Maybe you need to talk to someone? Your emerging voices are pretty harsh. Therapy sounds dreamy. Dumping your problems on a stranger on a weekly basis. Take that, doc. And that. And that and that and that! 

42. You flip baby over and lay him down. I've got this under control. I don't need a shrink.

44. This is it! His head is supported by the (disgustingly dirty) floor.

45. You pull the shirt over your baby's head ... finally. It's going ... it's going ... OMG ... this feels great! ... 

46. Oh no! What's wrong, baby?!

47. The price tag is scratching your face! I am the worst mom ever. Maiming my child with the price tag on a shirt decorated with 11 choking hazards.

48. Decide to stick with zip-up onesies. Screw the shirt and its death wish.

49. Call the boutique to beg the owner to accept a return without a receipt. Of course it's store credit only ... and only with a receipt.

50. Make a second call to book that therapy session. It's time.

Have you ever done #14?

Image via © Roberto Westbrook/Corbis

The Jersey Shore family continues to grow! Just two months after best friend Jenni "JWoww" Farley gave birth to daughter Meilani, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi has followed up with her own baby announcement. Just this morning, Snooki welcomed her own baby daughter with fiance Jionni LaValle.

The proud mom shared her announcement via Twitter, and even revealed her daughter's name ... which sounds very familiar, no?

So happy to let you know we had our beautiful daughter this morning Giovanna Marie LaValle. 6.7 lbs, full head of black hair & perfect💗💗😍

Giovanna is the couple's second child -- son Lorenzo just turned 2 last month -- but she seems to already be taking after her daddy.

Both Giovanna and Jionni are derivatives of Giovanni (the Italian for John), so it looks like the couple didn't look too far down the family tree for baby name inspiration.

Think the couple will invent a nickname for the little princess? Just imagine the potential confusion when yelling around the house for Giovanna and Jionni ... that could get a little messy.

But for now, the family is celebrating their new addition. Proud aunt JWoww even shared the first pic of Giovanna and Snooki in the hospital, and it looks like the mother-daughter team is doing perfectly well. Even though she was worried about sharing her love with her second baby, it seems that the new mom-of-two has plenty of love to give.

Congratulations to the family!

What do you think of the name Giovanna?

For more great baby name ideas, visit Baby Name Wizard.

Image via snookinic/Instagram

Back when I was a kid, antibiotics were all the rage "curing" everything from the sniffles to the more serious. But it wasn't really the cure-all we once thought it was, and it has done more harm than good in many cases, building up an antibiotic resistance and not allowing the medicine to work the way it's supposed to work when it's needed.

I am one of the anti-antibiotic parents. My children's pediatrician was of the same school of thought. Antibiotics were only for emergencies like when my daughter had Lyme Disease and needed it. I made sure she had probiotics as well, to boost and not kill off all the helpful bacteria in her gut. A new study has revealed that it's suspected if a child is given antibiotics early in life or raised in a overly sterile environment, they may bemore susceptible to food allergies. And there's more.

This study was done on mice who were put in sterile cages and given antibiotics. It was shown that the mice ended up lacking Clostridia, a bacteria that reduces the likelihood of being allergic to peanuts. The peanut allergic are listening. This is a big deal. The study's author Cathryn Nagler who is a food allergy professor at the University of Chicago believes this can be applied to humans as well. She said:

Environmental stimuli such as antibiotic overuse, high-fat diets, caesarean birth, removal of common pathogens and even formula feeding have affected the microbiota with which we've co-evolved.

Our results suggest this could contribute to the increasing susceptibility to food allergies.

Let's not make this a c-section or formula-feeding argument. Let's see the good in this study. We all know natural is better, but it's not always possible. Still, this all factors in to if our kids will get allergies or not. The good news is that the researchers identified the bacteria some lack -- Clostridia -- and we can reverse the allergy even later in life with supplements. Maybe. Hopefully. They are looking into it. 

Food allergies are on the rise; they can also be deadly. This study is showing that it is possible that our overreaction to dirt and our abuse of antibiotics and how we want to throw drugs at everything could be the cause. This changes the bacteria in our guts and leaves us more prone to health issues.

We shouldn't disinfect everything three times. We should let our kids play in dirt. So they eat a little of it. Don't rinse the kid's mouth out with antibacterial soap. We need to strengthen our kids' immune systems, not suppress them. We can't live in a bubble -- we don't have to. Thank goodness! It's okay for our kids to play in the pile of leaves and not run and hide when another baby has a cold and our baby does not. We cannot ask for the drugs at the doctor's office -- we should often refuse them if our doc wants to throw antibiotics at the non-serious sicknesses. We have to trust that cold, the flu, the sniffles are going to run their course and, in turn, build up our child's immunity.

And if we screwed up, and created a sterile environment for our kids complete with antibiotic abuse, we can look to probiotics for a little help.

Do you avoid antibiotics for your kids? What do you think of this news?

Image via Daniella Segura/Flickr

Chelsea Clinton sure has an enthusiastic little peanut. She and husband Marc Mezvinksky have just welcomed their new baby girl into the world -- four days before her due date.

Bill and Hillary's daughter, who famously decided to embrace what she called one of life's few mysteries and not find out their baby's gender, made an official announcement via Twitter early Saturday morning. And I've got to say, I love the sweet, classic, timeless name they gave their first lovebug.

Chelsea's tweet reads:

Marc and I are full of love, awe and gratitude as we celebrate the birth of our daughter, Charlotte Clinton Mezvinky.

Aww, Charlotte! I immediately think of writer Charlotte Bronte or the beautiful Charlotte Casiraghi of Monaco. And I'd be lying if I didn't admit that an image of Charlotte from Sex in the City also popped into my head. All great Charlotte's.

One of the coolest facts about this name is that, even though it sounds like one you'd give your girly-girl, it actually means the "feminine diminuitive form of Charles," and Charles means "full-grown, a man." Interesting!

Charlotte is the couple's first child, as well as the first grandchild for Bill and Hillary, who we're sure are going to dote on their little princess. In an interview she gave prior to the birth, the 34-year-old attorney said it felt like the right time to welcome a baby into the world because there are so many "strong, young female leaders."

More from The Stir: Chelsea Clinton's Pregnancy Gives Hillary One Thing She's Always Wanted

No doubt Charlotte is going to have quite a few fantastic role models in life and grow up to, perhaps, be a future president.

Do you like the name Charlotte?

For more great baby name ideas, visit Baby Name Wizard.

Image via Simon Russell/Getty Images

It's hard to say who is more excited when a baby is born -- mom and dad or the child's incredibly proud grandparents.

As you've probably heard, Chelsea Clinton recently gave birth to a baby girl that she and husband Marc Mezvinsky named Charlotte. Ordinarily, we have to wait and wait for a celeb to give us a glimpse of their little bundle of joy (Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes, we're talking to you!) but, in Chelsea's case, we were treated to some pretty cute photos almost immediately.

Chelsea, dad Bill Clinton, AND Hillary all proudly tweeted pictures of little Charlotte and there's no denying the former president and the (perhaps) future president are totally smitten with their little girl.

Looking as if she just spent a day at the spa and not delivering a child, Chelsea posted the message: "At 7:03 PM on September 26th, we finally met Charlotte. We're in love."

There are few things more special than that first photo of baby and family. The look on mom and dad's face is a combination of awe, pride, and unbelievable joy.

With that said, the grandparents shot is right up there. Hillary tweeted: "@BillClinton and I are over the moon to be grandparents! One of the happiest moments of our life!"

Talk about a baby/grandparents photo that has some style. This shot looks like it belongs in Vogue! I don't know what your experience was like, but my little boy was born at 12:30 a.m., which means most of our family members who were kind enough to visit were photographed pretty much wearing their pajamas and slippers.

I saved the best for last.

Bill. Oh, Bill. You are so going to dote on little Charlotte and sneak her ice-cream and cookie treats. This precious photo was posted along with the message: "Charlotte, your grandmother @HillaryClinton and I couldn't be happier!"

Sweet!

Are your children's grandparents doting and incredibly involved in their lives?

Image via Ramin Talaie/Getty Images

Baby spit-up ... it's a rite of passage for new moms. There's no way you will escape infancy without getting slimed. Your washing machine will get a workout from burping cloths. It is what it is.

But while all babies spit up, some babies spit up more than others, and that can be disconcerting for moms. You may wonder if all that spitting up is normal. Is baby getting proper nutrition from his feedings, is he uncomfortable ... will the spit-up phase ever end?

According to lactation consultant Leigh Anne O'Connor, IBCLC, spitting up after a feeding is completely normal for infants. And the reasons why have to do with anatomy.

"In adults, when the esophagus feeds into the stomach, there is a kind of curve," said O'Connor. "In babies, it is more of a straight shot ... and stomachs are pretty active, churning nearly constantly. These factors cause spit-up in babies."

Spit-up volume and frequency really does vary from baby to baby.

O'Connor says most spit-up issues are due to swallowing air. For example, a baby who takes a fast flow bottle may be more prone to a date with your burping cloth (on a good day ... your black sweater on a bad day). Babies with a tongue tie are also prone to spitting up more frequently.

More from The Stir: 9 Newborn Essentials Every Mom Needs

The good news is babies usually outgrow spitting up food by age 1 (if not sooner). In the meantime, O'Connor suggests the following if your baby spits up excessively (more than three times per day):

Try feeding your baby less ... more frequently. If you're breastfeeding, put a time limit on your session. If your baby is bottle-fed, give him less per feeding.

Keep baby in an upright position. Don't put your baby down for a nap or in a pack-n-play immediately following a feeding. If possible, keep him in a sitting position for a half hour after he's finished.

Burp him. Regular burping helps prevent gassy build-up in his stomach. It's all about getting that air out!

Watch what you eat. Breastfeeding moms can experiment with their diet to see if their choices affect spit-up frequency in a positive way.

If these tips don't work -- or if your baby is not gaining weight or is crying or vomiting after feedings -- he should be seen by his pediatrician.

However, most of the time, spit-up is a laundry problem, not a medical one. "If your baby is generally happy and growing, then I suggest mom and baby wear cotton," O'Connor says. "It is much easier to wash."

Do you worry about your baby spitting up after a feeding?

Image © KidStock/Blend Images/Corbis

As any breastfeeding mom knows, breast milk is liquid gold. Some moms are taking that to heart and milking it for all it's worth. They're turning their breast milk into jewelry, key chains, soap, even teddy bears. While it might seem odd to some, for others, it's a beautiful way to commemorate their breastfeeding experience -- and maybe have a trinket to give their child when they're grown.

Not to worry, if you're not a crafty mom, there are plenty of places you can ship your breast milk and they'll turn it into a treasure for you.

We've rounded up 10 ways you never have to say goodbye to your breast milk. Would you ever try #6?

What do you think of breast milk mementos? Gross or good idea?

Image via Mom's Own Milk

If you have friends with kids, you are going to want to read this.

Hey. Hey you. Shut up! Yeah, you know I'm talking to you. The one with the flappy mouth and the fingers that can't refrain from typing when you see a post about how someone else is raising their kid. People like you are the Internet equivalent of the weirdo stranger that comes up and touches a pregnant woman's belly in public. You are a new mother's worst nightmare. 

Maybe you saw a post on your Facebook feed from a friend about how their baby is doing well after their circumcision and you felt compelled to tell them that it's an unnecessary procedure they didn't need. Or maybe you saw a picture of your friend's baby next to the family cat and you felt the urge to comment and say how cats like to suffocate babies and they should get rid of it. Sure, your advice was only intended to save your friend's precious baby from something tragic, but I can assure you that your well-intended advice will most likely be met with an eye-roll.

A general rule for telling someone else how to parent their kids is simple to remember: Don't.

But since this concept inevitably eludes you, here is a set of guidelines to follow if you can't refrain from acting like a know-it-all parent who's never done anything wrong:

The best thing you can do is be supportive. The worst thing you can do is to make someone feel like they aren't raising their kids right. There is no right and wrong way to parent, and each kid, each parent, and each family is different. You are not the parenting police, and your sole responsibility is not to make sure that every child is taken care of properly. Focus more on being a friend, rather than an advice columnist, and you'll get a lot more respect and a lot less eye-rolls.

How do you deal with unwelcome parenting "advice"?

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Baby R is here, everyone! Just a couple days after posting an adorably huge pregnancy belly picture, Ashley Hebert has given birth to her first child with husband J.P. Rosenbaum. Baby boy Fordham Rhys Rosenbaum was born earlier today and the proud dad is happily sharing the news.

"Both mom and baby are doing great and we are so so happy to welcome little Fordy to the world!!!" J.P. toldUs Weekly. "Cutest little baby on the planet!"

The former Bachelorette and her "winner" have been keeping us all updated on the pregnancy. From finding out they were pregnant at Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici's wedding to having an on-air ultrasound to announce they were having a boy on The Bachelorette: Men Tell All, it's all been an ABC affair.

We're sure Chris Harrison will soon officially welcome little Fordham as well. Or "Fordy," as J.P. has already affectionately nicknamed his son. And like they promised, the couple took the initial of a deceased family member to mark the baby's middle name, Rhys.

Very stately, no? Fordham Rhys Rosenbaum. The little guy has a strong name already. Ford, for short, is a shallow place in a river, and Rhys is a traditional Welsh name. Put them together, and you have our newest member of Bachelor-nation.

Congratulations to Ashley and J.P.!

What do you think of the name Fordham?

For more great baby name ideas, visit Baby Name Wizard.

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Nobody said toddlers were easy. If they did, please give me their name so I can set them straight. Toddlers are easier, however, if you're prepared for them. Here are some tips for best doing that:

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Everyone knows that moms don't get much sleep. But what many of us don't realize is that from the instant you're pregnant to the day your kid graduates from a crib to a bed and beyond, moms endure different kinds of sleep deprivation, and each stage sucks in its own unique way.

Without further ado ... the 6 stages of sleep every mom goes through.

Which stage of sleep deprivation sounds the worst to you?

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We've waited what seems like a very long time for Mila to give birth and the moment has finally arrived. Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are now parents to a sweet baby girl. She has to be sweet if she's the blend of these two. Could you imagine the cheekbones she's going to have!

We've known since April that these two lovebirds were expecting a girl and naturally we've all had guesses on what the name could be.

We've heard that the name could be a nod to Grandma -- Ashton's mom. Her maiden name is Finnegan, so the thought was that there would be a little Finn Kutcher. But so far the couple has remained quiet on the name.

We do know that Mila arrived at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles with Ashton and hospital bag Tuesday morning around 6 a.m. And that's it. Just the two of them. Perhaps close friends and family arrived later.  Baby Kutcher wasted no time -- it was reported that they went straight to the delivery room. Most of us expected this baby to arrive in October, but the little sweetie made her entrance on September 30th.

It's been such a joy to see Mila, 30, and her growing baby bump. She was such an active and stylish mama-to-be. But we are betting that this isn't going to be the only baby for her and hubby Ashton, 36. Plus, Ashton's sister Tausha is expecting her baby's arrival this month and his twin brother Michael's wife is due in December.

Such exciting times for the Kutcher and Kunis families!

Do you think they named the baby Finn?

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At first glance, babies might not seem that smart. Not that it's their fault! They're just young, their minds like Silly Putty -- mushy and malleable to whatever adults want to impress on them. Heck, French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau called babies "perfect idiots." Yet a growing body of science argues otherwise, claiming that babies know a whole lot more than we think they do, from physics to statistics. Check out some of their unbelievably brainy abilities in the slide show below.

Did slide #7 throw you for a loop? 

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Add this to the list of things to deep fry your nerves, moms: The food choices you make for your infant, both in quality and method of delivery, may affect his dietary choices at age 6.

No pressure, really. 

According to a series of studies funded by the Centers for Disease Control and published in the journal Pediatrics, infant feeding patterns affect kids' dietary choices longer than anticipated. Children who breastfeed for longer periods tend to eat healthier at age 6. But there's something formula moms can do to give their kids a healthy edge, too. 

Researchers found that children whose parents introduced them to healthy foods between 6 months and 12 months ate better later on in life. They tracked the diets of about 1,500 6-year-olds, comparing their eating habits to those observed in a study that followed them until they turned 1.

Basically, when infants ate lots of fruits and vegetables, they still ate lots of them at age 6. If they were introduced to sugary drinks in infancy, their taste for them continued at age 6. Food preferences start really early.

While breastfeeding has an added benefit when it comes to developing healthy eating patterns because it naturally exposes infants to a variety of flavors, the foods all moms introduce their kids to during infancy make a big difference.

The researchers suggest introducing a variety of fruits and vegetables by late infancy -- between 10 to 12 months old. It's important to keep trying as babies transition to table food. Sometimes it takes many attempts before a child develops a taste for a particular fruit or vegetable, but they usually will if you're persistent.

More from The Stir: 7 Signs Your Baby Is Ready for Solid Food

Contrary to popular belief, kids are not born with an overwhelming disdain for vegetables or desire for chicken nuggets. It's more of a learned behavior that moms can influence ... if we start early. 

Do you think the foods you gave your baby informed his or her palate?

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US parents are overwhelmingly guilty -- even if they really don't have a reason to feel that way. They're scared something will happen to their kids. They hover, they stifle ... they hold hands too tightly, for too long. It's common criticism we hear from parents who raise children in other countries.

There's praise, too. US parents are creative, silly, loving, attentive ... but there may be some lessons worth learning if we open our minds. Here are 7 ways parents from around the world approach childhood differently.

Do you think the US could learn a thing or two from parents in different countries? What could they learn from us?

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