What happens on the morning of the first birthday? - Heidi Murkoff

If you can laugh, you’re less likely to cry.

For Dads
Helping Ease Her Quease Morning sickness is one pregnancy symptom that definitely doesn’t live up to its name. It’s a 24/7 experience that can send your spouse running to the bathroom morning, noon, and night — and hugging the toilet far more than she’ll be hugging you. So take steps to help her feel better — or at least not worse. Lose the aftershave that she suddenly finds repulsive, and get your onion ring fix out of her sniffing range (thanks to her hormones, her sense of smell is supersized). Fill her gas tank so she doesn’t have to come nose-to-nozzle with the fumes at the pump. Fetch her foods that quell her queasies and don’t provoke another run to the toilet. Good choices include ginger ale, soothing smoothies, and crackers (but ask first — what spells r-e-l-i-e-f for one queasy woman spells v-o-m-i-t for another). Encourage her to eat small meals throughout the day instead of 3 large ones (spreading out the load and keeping her tummy filled may ease her nausea), but don’t chide her for her food choices (now’s not the time to nag her about eating her broccoli). Be there for support when she’s throwing up — hold back her hair, bring her some ice water, rub her back. And remember, no jokes. If you were throwing up for weeks, you wouldn’t find it amusing. Not surprisingly, neither does she.

Taking the time to watch, listen to, and discern your baby’s nonverbal cues won’t only make your job of providing care easier, but it’ll make your baby’s job of taking on the world easier. Knowing that what he or she has to say matters will boost not only your baby’s language development, but also his or her confidence, sense of security, and emotional maturity, not only now, but in the lifetime that lies ahead.