Motherhood

Before having her third child last month, Joelyz Lugo had planned to breastfeed, but her daughter’s difficult birth derailed such plans. While in the neonatal intensive care unit, her baby needed to be fed formula, and when the pair finally tried breastfeeding, the baby struggled to latch. One month later, with a baby formula shortage making it all but impossible for Ms. Lugo to give up breastfeeding, she has settled into a grueling routine. Every three hours, she hooks herself up to a breast pump to try and boost production, but her milk supply remains low. Ms. Lugo gets less than an ounce of breast milk per pumping session — a fraction of what her daughter needs. Between breastfeeding and pumping and searching stores around her home in New Britain, Conn., in search of formula, she spends hours every day simply trying to ensure her baby has enough to eat. “I have been crying about it because I’m trying my best, and nothing is working,” said Ms. Lugo, 31, who in two weeks is … [Read more...] about Amid a Worsening Formula Shortage, Mothers Are Asked: ‘Why Not Breastfeed?’

I began donating breast milk after I had my first daughter three and a half years ago. I breastfed her exclusively until she was 18 months old but we spent some of that time in Hawaii, and ended up with a freezer full of breastmilk that we weren't going to pack and bring it back to Duluth, Minnesota, where we live. So, I was able to donate to some moms in Hawaii. I was able to recognize that there was a need and it was a need I could fill in a specific way. Feeding my second daughter has been a more nuanced journey. My husband is a stay at home dad while I run a company, so the demands on my schedule are different. Since she was born six months ago, I have breastfed almost exclusively but we have had to supplement with formula. My husband and I went on a trip in April, and my parents were babysitting, so my mom was mixing my fresh breast milk with formula to make it last. This was because we had discovered that my breast milk has a high level of the enzyme lipase. This enzyme can … [Read more...] about “I’m donating my breast milk to moms running out of baby formula”

Bollywood actress Dia Mirza is a yummy mummy, and she loves to embrace motherhood. The diva often shares adorable pictures of her son Avyaan Azaad Rekhi which always send netizens gushing. The former beauty queen maintained the trajectory on Monday when she took to Instagram and shared a couple of cute pictures with her little one. In the photos, Dia is seen with Avyaan as she went out for a stroll amid nature and her husband Vaibhav Rekhi captured the special moments for the two. She even introduced her little munckin about the ‘wonders of natural world.’ Dia Mirza who is an environmentalist and continuously tries to make the world a better place, attempted to get her son Avyaan close to nature’s beauty with a stroll in the garden. In the pictures shared by the Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein actress, Dia is seen dressed in an off white dress as she keeps Avyaan close to her with a baby carrier. The actress is seen playing with a flowers and green bushes as she smilingly makes her tiny … [Read more...] about Dia Mirza Introduces Son Avyaan to ‘Wonders of Natural World’; Shares Adorable Pictures

The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week was loneliness . It seems fitting because for many people, the pandemic has meant experiencing new levels of loneliness and isolation. The ongoing pandemic aside, many women are made to feel alone by being in our 20s, 30s and 40s without having kids or being married. A recent study by the Office for National Statistics using the term “childless women” sparked discussion online , and some people were uncomfortable with the emphasis on whether women of a certain age have kids or not. I don’t have kids, or a partner – but I neither feel alone nor lonely. Not having kids does mean that I don’t see various childhood friends as often, as I can’t help them kill two birds with one stone by bringing my own child along for a playdate. If I’m sad, I’m reassured by friends that “I’ll find someone soon”. Usually the root of my sadness is as menial as a broken nail, rather than the supposed empty void of singleness. … [Read more...] about I’m single and child-free at nearly 30 – and I’m not lonely

Married… with Children, the greatest sitcom in the history of sitcoms, is on the comeback trail with the four original stars, only this time it will be animated. Family Guy executive producer Alex Carter is leading the charge, and the original Bundy family has signed on: Ed O’Neill (Al), Katey Sagal (Peggy), Christina Applegate (Kelly), and David Faustino (Bud). Apparently, the show is being shopped to various networks and streamers, and there’s plenty of interest. Married… with Children, which originally aired for 11 seasons between 1987 and 1997, helped establish Fox as a legitimate broadcast network. Along with The Simpsons and In Living Color , Fox soared because it offered something different: edgy, no-holds-barred, nothing-sacred humor — something you couldn’t get anywhere else during primetime, something that’s almost extinct today. Married… with Children has been my favorite sitcom for 30 years, a show in constant rotation in my house. Other than Abbott … [Read more...] about Nolte: Woketard Alert — ‘Married… with Children’ Might Return

A cat who ran down the road to get a lift home with his owner has left the internet in stitches this week. In a viral video shared on TikTok on Thursday, Zazu the cat's antics have been viewed more than 2.1 million times and gained thousands of likes and comments. TikTok user modern_motherhood posted the video from inside her car when the white kitty can be seen running up the road and the voice behind the camera says: "Oh my god as if he actually can't even wait for me to get on the driveway today, this cat takes the p***." "I've just come up here to turn around," she shouts to the cat. "Are you having a laugh mate?" As the cat runs up to the car, she opens the door for him to jump inside and make his way to the passenger side. "Make yourself comfortable Zazu," jokes the TikToker. Driving around the corner with the cat eagerly looking out of the window, they arrive at home with the happy cat looking very pleased with himself. "Laughing my head off at Zazu," said one … [Read more...] about “Wrapped around his paw”—Cat demanding ride in car delights internet

A cat struggling with the demands of motherhood turned to her owner's dog for help—and he was only too happy to oblige. Footage of the feline mom carrying her kittens over to nestle around the paws of pet pooch Toby is proving popular on TikTok , where it was posted under the handle ljayne7 and has already racked up 9.4 million views. While living alongside both cats and dogs can present challenges to the average pet owner, the widely held notion that the two species are incapable of cohabiting is incorrect. In fact, a 2020 survey of 1,270 people who owned both a cat and dog found that, for the most part, they get on swimmingly . The survey, conducted by veterinary scientists in Italy , found 64 percent of pet owners polled had cats and dogs that sometimes played together, while 58 percent said their pets sometimes even slept together. A further 11 percent of cat and dog owners, meanwhile, reported that their two pets slept together every night. Rather than living … [Read more...] about Dog babysits kittens for owner’s cat in adorable video—”She trusts him”

The manufacturer of Ashley Hernandez’s preferred baby formula for her two girls said it was out of stock on its website. Listings on eBay showed it would cost her up to $120 for a single can. So when she found a seller online offering 10 cans for $40 each, she expressed her desperation. “I have two children,” Ms. Hernandez, 35, of Dallas, began her message. “I cannot find it. I can purchase this today. I can pay cash.” Parents across the country are struggling to keep up with a nationwide shortage of baby formula — a problem worsened by a recent recall by Abbott Nutrition , a manufacturer of baby food. The recall came after at least four babies were hospitalized with bacterial infections and two died after consuming its products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. “We know that our recent recall caused additional stress and anxiety in an already challenging situation of a global supply shortage,” Abbott said in a statement last month. “We are working hard to help … [Read more...] about ‘Please Help’: A Nationwide Baby Formula Shortage Worsens

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday welcomed the release of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case life convict Perarivalan terming the Supreme Court’s verdict historic. He said the release of Perarivalan was not just a victory for an individual but had served as an example for federalism and the autonomy of States. In a statement, Mr. Stalin said Perarivalan, who had spent 32 years in prison and lost his youth behind bars, was finally able to smell freedom. “I convey my wishes to him and welcome him,” said the Chief Minister. மாண்புமிகு முதலமைச்சர் @mkstalin அவர்களை சென்னை விமான நிலையத்தில், பேரறிவாளன் அவர்கள் சந்தித்து தனது விடுதலைக்காக தமிழ்நாடு அரசு மேற்கொண்ட நடவடிக்கைகளுக்கு நன்றி தெரிவித்து வாழ்த்துப் பெற்றார். pic.twitter.com/uSongSaHH3 — CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) May 18, 2022 Mr. Stalin also lauded the efforts of Perarivalan’s mother Arputhammal for waging a long battle for his release. She had proved the essence of motherhood and was an … [Read more...] about Perarivalan’s release victory for federalism, State autonomy: Stalin

THE FORMER Welsh secretary Ron Davies spoke yesterday of his "darker side" and a compulsive disorder which drives him to take risks. Acknowledging a "death wish" which compelled him to gamble with his life, the MP for Caerphilly revealed that he was now receiving psychiatric treatment. For many, he answered the question which had hung in the air since that night eight months ago when a walk on Clapham Common in south London left him stripped of his Ford Granada and his dignity. Why would a man of obvious intelligence with so much to lose jeopardise everything in such a way? And why would he continue his "bird-watching" activities when he must have been aware of a continued interest from inquisitive tabloids? Yesterday, Mr Davies, 52, insisted that his downfall had been precipitated by an illness which makes him seek out dangerous situations with a sexual undercurrent. "I now understand that I have a compulsive disorder which causes me to seek out high-risk … [Read more...] about Davies: I have compulsive need to seek out danger