Skimm Parenting·

No one asked us, but…

we have to talk about

mom holding her crying toddler

The latest in parenting news, tips, and trends:

How co-regulating our emotions might be easier for those who aren’t financially strapped. After all, less money =  mo’ problems.


Ways to protect your family if you get laid off. Small changes can ease the financial and emotional stress. 


A new study that found babies of unvaccinated moms who had COVID during pregnancy were three times more likely to develop respiratory distress. Docs suspect increased inflammation.


The best way to support new moms, including how to prep for the ups and downs of parent life.  See you at midnight. 


Things that could help your stress levels: no-dad dinners and baby happy hours. Bring out the cereal.

ask an expert

mom holding sleeping son

Last week, we asked you to vote on a question to answer. The winner was:

What physical and mental changes should I expect when I wean my breastfed baby?

FEATURED EXPERT:

Dr. Jessica Madden, MD, IBCLC

Dr. Jessica Madden, MD, IBCLC

Pediatrician, infant feeding specialist, and the medical director of Aeroflow Breastpumps

“[Physically,] engorgement can unfortunately occur even if the weaning process is gradual. It’s OK to slow down the weaning process at any time to minimize pain,” says Madden.

She says these tips could relieve your physical symptoms of weaning:

  • Place ice packs or cold cabbage leaves on the breasts

  • Wear a comfortable, supportive, and well-fitted bra

  • Have occasional brief pumping sessions that last less than 60 seconds

  • Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication as needed (like ibuprofen)

“[Mentally,] weaning from breastfeeding can be stressful…Decreases in [the two main hormones involved in breastmilk production] oxytocin and prolactin can trigger depression and anxiety, especially if [you have] other risk factors for these conditions,” says Madden.

Here are her tactics to help you mentally cope:

  • Wean slowly to help prevent major hormonal swings

  • Get plenty of rest and try to minimize stress 

  • Acknowledge and talk about your feelings — whether you’re celebrating the freedom or grieving the end of your breastfeeding journey

  • Get professional help if needed

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no one asked us, but...

Parenting and kid beauty trends

We still have thoughts. This week, we ranked the latest beauty trends for kids and parents from 0–10 with absolutely no science behind it.

Hard pass

  • 0/10 Serum Moms: Blaming our beauty-obsessed culture for this one (and cough, Sephora kids). Remember when kid’s skincare was just moms aggressively applying sunscreen?

  • 1/10 Silent product reviews: Why are these so infuriating? Just. Talk. Or at least make it charades.

Ehh

  • 4/10 Ultrasound nails: We get the excitement and appreciate the artistry, but… no. 

More of this

👀See a trend you’d like us to include? Submit it here.

relatable

“We gotta get more paper plates.”

—   Elmo's dad after his little one invited the 40,000 people who responded to his viral tweet to his birthday party.

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Quick, trustworthy, and relatable parenting info — for parents, by parents. We tap experts to break down difficult parenting dilemmas, recommend products that work, and clue you in on big trends. Raising small humans can be hard. We make it a little easier.