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Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post about how royal baby names are chosen.

The royals tend to use the same traditional names, generation after generation. This may seem repetitive, but when looking for baby-name inspiration, it means you're almost guaranteed to find a name that's elegant, respected, and, most importantly, timeless.

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With Queen Elizabeth II celebrating 60 years on the throne, and speculation rife about Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (aka Kate)'s pregnancy, the spotlight on royal names has never been stronger. Here we look at the most influential royal baby names of 2012.

The Year of Elizabeth?
With the queen celebrating her diamond jubilee, 2012 is definitely the year of Elizabeth. Baby-name trends have reflected the nation's fascination with the queen. In 2012, the popularity of Elizabeth is set to increase by 264 percent. It's the perfect name for parents looking for a name that's traditional yet feminine.

The name Elizabeth was made popular by Elizabeth I, and it's been a royal favorite ever since. The queen shared her name with her mother, the hugely popular Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. And three of the queen's granddaughters — Zara, Beatrice, and Louise — have Elizabeth as a middle name.

Elizabeth isn't only a popular choice in royal circles; it's also a firm favorite with the Middletons. Both Kate Middleton and her mother, Carole, have Elizabeth as a middle name.

The Middleton Effect?
Since the announcement of her engagement to Prince William in 2010, Catherine has had a huge impact on popular culture, and baby-name trends are no exception. In 2012 the name Catherine is on track for a 188 percent increase in popularity. The name Catherine, meaning pure, also has a strong royal history, with three of the wives of Henry VIII sharing the name.

Kate is a nickname for Catherine, and one that's been widely adopted by the world's media when referring to the Duchess of Cambridge. Debate continues over whether the duchess herself prefers Kate or Catherine. Whatever her personal favorite, she's no doubt had an influence on the popularity of the shortened version of Catherine, with Kate on track for a 260 percent increase in popularity this year.

Keep reading to find out more about Kate Middleton's baby-name options!

It's not only Kate Middleton who's been making an impact on baby-name trends. There's never been more interest in Kate's younger sister, Pippa. This year, the name Pippa is on track for a 633 percent increase in popularity. It's the perfect choice for those who want something a little less formal than the traditional royal choices.

And for those who prefer something a little more regal, there's Philippa, which Pippa is a shortened version of. This is a name with a strong royal heritage. Philippa of England was the daughter of Henry IV, King of England, and was the queen of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in the early 15th century. Interestingly, Philippa was the first documented princess to wear a white wedding dress during a royal wedding ceremony. Perhaps Pippa was following in her namesake's footsteps when she wore white to her sister's wedding in 2011?

It's not just with girls' names that the Middleton effect can be felt. The name of Kate's brother, James, is on track for a 374 percent increase in popularity in 2012. Of course, James has also been a popular choice in royal circles over the centuries. In the 17th century, James I was King of England and Ireland. The queen's eighth grandchild, son of the Earl and Countess of Wessex, is also called James.

What About Royal Names For Boys?
Prince William has always been in the spotlight, but the attention has never been greater than since his marriage to Catherine in 2011. Unsurprisingly, the interest in the prince has seen his name surge in popularity. William is on track to be 654 percent more popular in 2012 than it was last year.

William, meaning resolute protection, is a name with a rich royal past. It was introduced to England by William the Conqueror. In the 17th century, William III ruled England along with his wife, Mary, and in the 19th century, William IV was king. When Prince William inherits the throne, he will become William V. Prince William has always been known as Will or Wills, and these nicknames have gradually replaced Billy and Bill as the popular short forms of the name.

Another royal favourite is George. The name George is on track for a 500 perecnt increase in popularity in 2012. St. George has been the patron of England since the 14th century, but the name did not become popular until the accession of George I of England in the 18th century. George is also the name of Prince William's great-grandfather George VI. Edward is another royal name that's trending upward in the jubilee year, on track for a 366 percent increase in popularity. Edward has always been hugely popular in royal circles, with eight English kings going by the name. It's still a popular choice and is the name of William's uncle, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Edward.

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Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Carolyn Robertson about oversharing during pregnancy.

Positive pregnancy tests, ultrasound photos, naked baby bumps… it sometimes seems that when it comes to pregnancy and social media, there's no such thing as "TMI."

Just last week actress Busy Philipps announced her second pregnancy by posting a photo of her Clear Blue Easy test on Twitter. She's not the only one — according to a new survey out of the UK, 22% of respondents had been treated to a photo of a friend's positive pregnancy test online (while a whopping 90% had seen an ultrasound image!). I have to admit, it's a trend I don't really get.

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I know that a picture says a thousand words, but in this case I think just two will do: "I'm pregnant." If you say it, I'll believe you; you don't need to show me the pee-soaked stick to prove it.

Things don't tend to get much better as the pregnancy progresses. A quick Twitter search shows that #morningsickness is a hugely popular hashtag. As in, "Omg I hate #morningsickness! I threw up my entire breakfast," which one suffering mom-to-be Tweeted just this morning. I feel for her… but suddenly I don't feel much like breakfast, either.

Here's another gem from today: "Oh snap three chunks of my mucus plug came out! Pleaseeeeee let her come today!!"

Shudder. (And good luck, by the way!)

Hollywood mama Jessica Simpson was a classic case, happily chatting and Tweeting about everything from pregnancy-induced sweating ("I was sweating my butt off and I just started calling myself 'Swamp Ass,'" she shared) to her insatiable sex drive. But even she drew the line when it came to childbirth.

It's the final act of over-sharing: Posting the complete, unedited birth video online. For everyone to see. YouTube is home to a huge collection of childbirth home movies. Shaky cameras zoomed in on women writhing and grunting, moaning in pools, slumped over exercise balls, pushing and screaming as their babies' heads crown. I can appreciate the educational value in it, and certainly the miracle of it, but it's all just a bit too much for me.

Did you share all the great (and gory) details of your pregnancy and childbirth online? Do you have pregnancy friends or family members who are guilty of "over-sharing?"

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Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Denise Cortes about motherhood and worrying.

In my home, we love Legos.

Throughout the day, I'll hear the sweet twinkling of Legos moving around in a Rubbermaid bin and then concentrated silence. It means my kids are playing Legos and I'll have a few moments of peace.

My son Cyan is a highly devoted Lego collector. Since he has the tendency to be a neat freak, he has Rubbermaid bins inside of his Rubbermaid bins filled with the stuff. My two daughters enjoy playing with them, too.

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One day while I was cooking dinner, Maya walked up to me and asked, "Mama, will you buy me my own Legos? Cyan won't let me play with his." Bottom lip sticking out, the whole nine yards.

"Yes, of course," I answered her absentmindedly, stirring the spaghetti sauce.

"But, mama, I want girl Legos!"

That made me stop stirring.

"And what exactly are 'girl' Legos? Are they pink or something?" I questioned her.

"I don't know!" she said, shrugging her shoulders. "But I don't want boy Legos like Cyan's!"

"A Lego is a Lego, little girl!" I called after her as she ran outside to ride her bike.

Ever since my kids were little, I encouraged them to play with whatever toys they wanted to. This meant my boys played "store" and "restaurant" with fake food and my girls often played with Buzz Lightyear and a light saber.

Recently, a 13-year-old girl named McKenna Pope launched a petition on Change.org on behalf of her 4-year-old brother, who always wanted an Easy Bake Oven but felt that the toy was "for girls only." Big sis McKenna has become quite an activist, stating that pink toy ovens discourage boys from kitchen play.

I totally agree. Kids should play with whatever toy they want, not "gender assigned" toys. This explains why my daughter clearly defined Legos as "boy toys" — they weren't swathed in baby pink, just like her favorite toy aisle. The color sends a message loud and clear, these are your toys, young lady, this is what's acceptable to play with.

But what about the little boy who want an Easy Bake Oven? Or the little girl who wants to collect Iron Man and Batman action figures? They should be able to do so, without feeling like they're strange. As for my daughter Maya, she requested Lego Friends, which seems to be a happy medium for us.

Does your child stick to "boy toys" or "girl toys"? How do you feel about gender-specific toys?

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Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Betsy Shaw about motherhood and worrying.

This essay in the New York Times, written by a woman who was surprised by how much she still worries about her grown-up kids, is the antithesis of the e-mail written by the British dad informing his grown kids they're disappointing failures.

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This particular parent, college psychology prof Susan Engel, sees her three sons — aged 19, 25 and 29 — trying their best, yet still struggling to make it in the tough game of adulthood — relationships and career — and, occasionally, being dealt a terrible hand.

Instead of judging them and telling them they've only themselves to blame, her instinct is to want to help them, to make it all better just like any mother would. Yet she's learning, with a little help from her expressive oldest son:

He cut me off."Mom," he said, "when I tell you what's wrong, I don't want you to tell me how to fix it, and I don't want you to tell me it's not as bad as I think. I just want your sympathy."

and a wise friend:

My friend, with two grown children of her own, looked at me calmly and said, "Don't hope for anything."

that her sons' lives don't need fixing so much as her sons need space to learn how to fix their own lives.

I found her essay to be honest and, even though I'm seeming miles from having 20-something kids, all too easy to relate to.

If I'm the worrying type of parent now, which I am, how on earth will I cope with my children playing grownup. My mother once told me she hardly slept when she knew any of her grown children were flying in an airplane. The poor woman. After robbing her of sleep during my infancy, then again during my terrible teens, my entire 20s spent traveling the world as a competitive athlete only served to keep my mom sleepless well into her sixth decade.

Unlike many of the scathingly-critical readers of Engel's essay, who seem to think she's just another self-pitying, hopeless helicopter mom, I don't find any fault in Engel, or my mother, for their inability to let go of maternal worrying.

And I know I'll be just the same. When I'm not worrying about my kids on some subconscious level, I'll be dead.

What about you? Do you imagine letting go will come easy or hard for you?

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Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Stacie Lewis about toddler food strikes.

When I picked up my toddler, Ieuan, from day care last Monday, he greeted me with a huge smile. “He’s just such a happy little boy!” his nursery worker said. Then, as she does at every pick-up, she gave me feedback on his day. “Ieuan had a good day,” she began, “he played with building blocks, got very messy in the sand pit and ate all his food.”

Wait a minute. What?

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“For breakfast, he had cereal and he ate all of that. For snack, he had apple sauce and he ate all of that. For lunch, he had spaghetti and he ate most of that!”

Sorry, what?

That was Monday. On Tuesday, same thing. And, Thursday – the only other day he attends day care – the report was exactly the same. 100% happy. 100% food eaten.

“I don’t get it,” my husband said, baffled. “He never does that with us.”

Sure, Ieaun is a happy boy but, at home, he barely eats anything. On Friday, he drank a few bottles of milk and ate half a bag of potato chips. That was it for the whole day!

He doesn’t look malnourished and he definitely eats – at least, he eats on the three days he attends day care – but is it enough? And, what will happen to him if this phase continues?

The BabyCenter Experts know all about toddlers who refuse to eat:

It’s no coincidence that right around the time children learn to walk… they become much less interested in food. When there’s so much to discover, who has time to eat? Plus, their growth has slowed and, no matter how active they are, their energy needs are smaller…

Rather than get hung up on the fact that your toddler has refused everything you put in front of her today, write down what she eats over the course of one week. Parents are often surprised to find that their child’s food intake balances out.

Don’t forget to consider fluids in the food equation, too. Milk and juice can offer vital nutrients… But since too much fluid can also dampen an appetite, you may want to serve drinks after and between meals.

This description fits Ieuan (and his mom) perfectly. I give him a bottle while I rush around preparing his meal. I can’t believe it never occurred to me that this might be a mistake. And, I focus on the uneaten meals. Probably, I don’t want to think about the day care’s successes.

Ieuan is a rambunctious toddler. It’s a phase. Just wait ’til he discovers pizza.

How do you feel when your child won’t eat?

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Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Summer Schiavo about giving birth silently.

When I was in labor with both my children, all my breathing lessons from the childbirth class completely evaporated in my brain. The pain was crazy and beyond anything I could have imagined. With my first, I really did try the breathing, but ended up screaming like mad, and eventually had the epidural.

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With my second baby, I just went ahead and screamed! I was so loud; I am certain the entire hospital could hear me. The nurses told me I should try to breath rhythmically, so I tried. I really did! But every time I tried the rhythmic breathing I just wanted to puke.

Being helpful, the nurses got me one of those kidney-shaped bowls in case I puked and otherwise encouraged me to continue the breathing. Instead I asked them if I could just scream, because it felt better actually. The breathing really was making me nauseous. They laughed and said go for it, so I did! I am sure I terrified any first time moms in the early stages of labor who could hear me! Ah well…

So now I was reading in the BabyCenter Community and found this thread about silent labor. Apparently a lot of women actually go through all or nearly all the stages of labor without even making a peep. How is this possible, I wonder?!?! Some mention hypno-birthing, others mention that they are quiet people in general, several say they were very focused on getting through it. Many said they felt screaming was a waste of energy.

I definitely tend to agree, that screaming is a waste of energy. I was lucky both my labors went by quickly (8 hours for my first, 4 for my second), so I didn’t have to worry too much in the end about saving my energy.

Are you aiming to have a silent labor? Did you manage to do this yourself? How did you manage this amazing feat?

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Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Jessica Kim about pumping at work.

Remember the song, “Pump…pump it up…yo pumpin’!” It has become my theme song as I walk off to pump throughout the work day. As the founder of a startup, BabbaCo, I brought baby Brandon to work with me and breastfed him in front of anyone and everyone. I used my hooter hider cover, of course, but would breastfeed him even while recruiting new hires! (My co-founder recalls that I was all business from neck up, but in the midst of talking about product lines, you heard baby Brandon literally slurping underneath a cover. Hilarious.)

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Well, now that Brandon no longer comes to the office, I’m now pumping several times a day. It has become a very public "to do" amongst my 14-person team. "Jessica, you need to pump, right?" "Let’s meet while you pump! I used to whisk away and privately pump, but I soon got comfortable with pumping in front of people.

Here is a pic of me in the bathroom stalls meeting with Stef, my product director, as I pumped. At first, I felt really odd about her seeing my milk for some reason. I obviously got past that quickly.

However, it’s different. I can breastfeed in front of male co-workers, but I can’t pump in front of them. I just feel a bit guarded and awkward. Everyone discusses breastfeeding in public, but what about pumping? Is it different to pump in public vs. breastfeed in public? In both situations, I’m covered, but I have found that people respond differently when it’s a machine sucking my milk out versus. a baby.

Would love to hear your thoughts…before I scare off my 26-year-old bachelor teammate. Thanks!

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Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Erin Lane about throwing a low-key birthday party.

My son turns four in December. Last year, when I stared at the chocolate cake stamped into my carpet, wondering if my hearing would ever return, I swore next birthday we wouldn't have the party at my house. Oh yes, we were going somewhere.

But here we are, five weeks out, and I'm questioning myself. I've gone over it and over it in my head. Majority of the places I've called will allow around 20 children. I made a list and can't come up with more than 12 kids in my head. The cheapest option out there? $200. $200 y'all!

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I've been debating buying him a LeapPad for his birthday but finally decided no based on the price. Yet, I thought nothing of spending that much money on a party he'll barely remember, when he'd have just as much fun with just a few friends or heck, just family? Sheesh, what am I doing?

I'm not sure why I feel he needs a big party. He doesn't. He's going to be four, for Pete's sake. He's content playing with two or three friends. Twenty friends? He'd barely know who all was there. Then you have to think about parents and siblings and food. It's overwhelming. Is it other parents/ past parties that make me feel this way? I’m don't know, but I think I've finally come to my senses.

We're going to have a birthday play date at our house the Friday morning before his birthday with a few friends from school. I'll get Donut Holes and they can run around and play. Then on Saturday, we'll have a nice (read: small) party with the family. The family party will have the Spider Man cake that he's so desperate to have. He'll be happy and I'll be happy.

I'll worry about bigger parties when he gets a bit older. Or maybe I won't and we'll just have him invite one or two friends over for dinner.

What do you think? What do you do for your kid's birthday parties?

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Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Stacie Lewis about kids sharing a room.

My son is 15 months old. My daughter 3-and-a-half. No one would accuse them of uncontrollable sexual urges. But, after my post yesterday about the unexpected joys of them sharing a bedroom, I read comments on how brothers and sisters are kept apart, specifically for this reason. Even young children like mine.

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• Jeanine wrote in: ". . . where I live siblings can't share a room if they are different genders. So if #2 is a girl I'll have to rethink what to do."
• Katie Kimes: "I live in Cleveland, Ohio and CPS can get involved in room sharing of opposite sex kids if the oldest is over 5. Its a form of child neglect here."
• And, this tweet I received from @sarahmanynames: "This is true for foster children in the US, even if they are siblings"

This really shocked me, especially the last one. But, I found examples, such as this policy in Arkansas, in regards to adopting and fostering children: "Children of opposite sexes will have their own separate bedrooms if either child is 4 years old or older, except for a mother in foster care with her child(ren)." And, countless other examples of people questioning the legality of children sharing rooms. (I couldn't find any law against it.)

Are we really so paranoid now that we don't trust 4-year-olds of the opposite sex?

The situation in which a child must be fostered is already a traumatic one. Should we separate siblings on top of that? Make them feel even more alone? I would question the merits of such a policy, especially as housing two or more siblings together is already a challenge. Under this policy, it must be the case that sometimes appropriate housing cannot be found, and that siblings are separated into different foster families because the requirement cannot be met.

Four-year-olds are one thing, perhaps, but teenagers are another. What will I do when my children hit puberty?

In my research for this post, I came across an old Dear Abby column. A mother wrote in to her about her two teenaged children, of the opposite sex, who share a room: "Many evenings, my husband and I have stood in the hallway and heard the children talking about their friends, teachers, relatives, even us; sharing ideas and discussing problems. When children share a bedroom, they learn to cooperate, share, and compromise."

Abby responded: "It's obvious that you are ignoring (or denying) the power of natural and very strong sexual urges in that period in the life of a normal teen-age boy and girl. To subject them to the nightly stress of such close private physical proximity is not only unfair to them, but also presents a greater risk of subjecting them to a potentially traumatic and incestuous experience."

This column would not be so out of place today. What a dark fear we have of our own children, if we subject them to the kind of paranoia that paints them as sexual predators in their own bedrooms. It says far more about us, the adults, than them.

Would you worry about your 4-year-old sharing a room? Your teenager?

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Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Evonne Lack about grandparents caring for their grandkids.

The number of grandparents as caregivers continues to rise, but according to the American Academy of Pediatrics many grandparents, are unaware of the newer safety guidelines for young children.

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Among the findings of research presented at last month's AAP National Conference:

• only 44 percent of surveyed grandparents knew that babies should be put to sleep on their backs
• 25 percent thought that a 22-pound, 9-month-old baby should ride forward-facing in the car seat
• 49 percent thought that it was OK to have blankets, stuffed animals, or bumpers in the crib
• 74 percent thought walkers were perfectly safe

It's not always easy to stand up to Grandma, but there are instances when it must be done — not only by parents, but by health care providers. As primary study author Amanda Soong of the University of Alabama puts it, "Discussion of health and safety recommendations is an essential part of routine well-child care, and pediatricians must recognize knowledge deficits that may exist in grandparent caregivers and be comfortable addressing these deficits."

I think that many grandparents just want what's best for their children's children, and will be open to hearing about — and following — the new guidelines.

Of course, there are always the exceptions — the grandparents who fall back on the "in my day" argument and who insist on doing things their way no matter what. If there's one thing that gets under my skin, it's hearing a grandparent say something like, "Well, I raised [insert number] kids, and we always put them down on their tummies / gave them solids at two weeks / used crib bumpers / let them use walkers / etc., etc., etc. / and they turned out just fine!”

As if the fact that they were lucky enough to have their children survive into adulthood disproves the validity of sound safety research.

But again, I would think these grandparents would be the exception, rather than the rule. I would hope so, anyway.

Are you lucky enough to have an open-minded grandparent in your life? Or do you have a stickler for the old rules? And when it comes to safety issues, do you have trouble standing your ground?

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