Health and Safety

I got my tubes tied when I was 33 years old, right after the birth of my daughter. She was my third child, and even though I wasn't entirely sure that I was "done" with the whole baby-making thing, I knew that my husband and I couldn't handle any more.

I became pregnant the first time while I was on birth control. I did not know that antibiotics and birth control didn't like each other, and I unwittingly asked them to play nicely. They didn't; the antibiotics won, and I found myself in an ER in the middle of the night, writhing from the sharp pain of a kidney infection, and thinking that surely I was hallucinating when the nurse told me that I was six weeks along.

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We know the dangers of huffing and smoking, but who knew that our kids' safety could be in danger from a simple spice in the cupboard? Kids are actually being hospitalized after taking the "Cinnamon Challenge." What is it, why is it so dangerous, and what are moms doing to address it? Keep reading.

Having a baby is the most emotionally charged time of our lives. Within hours, minutes sometimes, we can swing from elation to despair and back again. The first days, weeks, and months after having a baby, our body (not to mention our life) goes through so many changes, it is no wonder we may experience massive highs and lows. 

So how can we tell what are normal, natural responses to an incredibly emotional time? And what are in fact warning signs of something more sinister? Postnatal depression is discussed a little more than it used to be, but the subject of postnatal anxiety is hardly ever spoken about.

Having suffered with anxiety myself, and running a 40,000-strong online community for mental health, I have come into contact with literally thousands of anxiety sufferers. So here I have put together a checklist of what are regular emotions for new parents, and what are likely warning signs you should contemplate seeking help.

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While many things have changed since you were a teenager, many have stayed the same. One of them is acne or, if you prefer, zits and pimples, the embarrassing skin condition that plagues teens. Keep reading for five antiacne tips from Circle of Moms members whose kids have been there recently.

Has your child developed a red, itchy, crusty eye? The likely cause of this inflammation is pinkeye, or conjunctivitis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), conjunctivitis is a common eye condition that causes swelling of the conjunctiva, the thin layer that lines the inside of the eyelid and covers the whites of the eye. All types of conjunctivitis — viral, bacterial, and allergic — can clear up on their own, with the latter usually improving once the allergen is removed. Viral and bacterial pinkeye are particularly contagious, so to prevent spreading, speed recovery, and avoid long-term effects, Circle of Moms members suggest the following treatments.

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Today, doctors are very cautious about recommending removal of the tonsils and adenoid because of throat infections. Still, as the American Academy of Pediatrics shares, the following conditions may lead your pediatrician to recommend a tonsillectomy and/or removal of the adenoid. 

1. Breathing problems. Swollen tonsils and an enlarged adenoid can cause a variety of breathing problems, including sleep apnea. If your child has sleep apnea, snores loudly, breathes loudly, or breathes mostly through the mouth instead of the nose, then your pediatrician may recommend removing his tonsils and/or adenoid. 
2. Recurring ear or sinus infections. Does your child have frequent sinus or ear infections? A swollen adenoid may be the root of the problem. In this case, your pediatrician may recommend surgery to remove only the adenoid.
3. Speech distortion. An enlarged adenoid can also alter a child's speech. If your child has a speech distortion, then your pediatrician may check whether the adenoid is enlarged and make recommendations accordingly. 
4. Frequent sore throats or strep throat. While removing the tonsils and adenoid is much less common than it used to be, pediatricians will sometimes recommend these procedures if a child has an excessive number of sore throats and infections such as strep throat. The Academy of Otolaryngology "recommends a cautious approach for children who have had fewer than seven infections during the past year, fewer than five per year over the past two years, and fewer than three annually over the past three years."
5. Lymph nodes stay swollen. One more sign your child may need surgery is if the lymph nodes underneath the lower jaw remain swollen for at least six months, even with antibiotic treatment.

The preceding information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

If you do one thing with your kids this weekend, it should be tuning into Cartoon Network's The Bully Effect on Sunday night. Having just previewed the half-hour documentary, I can attest that not only is it moving and eye-opening, but also, the takeaway will change the way that your kids think and act for the better.

Produced by CNN in partnership with Cartoon Network's ongoing Stop Bullying: Speak Up initiative, The Bully Effect chronicles the life of 14-year-old Alex Libby, who many of us were first introduced to in Lee Hirsch's 2012 film, Bully. Hirsch observed and empathized with the then-12-year-old teen, who was emotionally and physically bullied by his peers, and took a stand. Over the past year, not only has Libby's self-confidence skyrocketed, but he's also become an advocate against bullying, appearing on national television and even visiting the White House.

"For three years now through Stop Bullying: Speak Up, Cartoon Network has served to provide valuable resources and materials to help educate and empower kids to speak up whenever bullying occurs," says Cartoon Network President Stuart Snyder. "Our first documentary, Speak Up, illustrated what kids could do practically to help other kids who've experienced bullying. The Bully Effect takes that message one step further, demonstrating how powerful empathy and understanding can be in helping to turn someone's life around."

The documentary will air on Sunday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. EST. Immediately following each telecast, author and bullying-prevention expert Rosalind Wiseman will host online chat sessions at StopBullyingSpeakUp.com to answer questions from kids, parents, and educators. Tune in, and get the dialogue going in your own home.

With all three of my pregnancies, I had morning sickness so severe that I vomited 24/7 and needed IV rehydration and other medical interventions. This kind of severe morning sickness, known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), is more common than you might think. 

Not all moms realize what they are experiencing is out of the norm, but those who have experienced it say that if you're sick enough to wonder, then you probably have HG.

Is It HG or Morning Sickness?

It's a misconception to say that HG is just severe morning sickness. Certainly morning sickness is miserable, but HG can be a life-threatening complication for both mother and baby.

The Hyperemesis Education & Research Foundation (more commonly known among HG patients and survivors as Help HER) provides a comparison chart on its website to help mothers understand the difference between morning sickness and HG.

Some of the more obvious symptoms that indicate HG include: