Our friends at DadLabs.com are at it again with a new book that tries to put in prose what they do so well in video. And, they do a great job, with tongue in cheek article son everything about pregnancy through Year 1 (subsequent volumes will treat older kids). The new book is DadLabs Guide to Fatherhood. It has many practical tips on subjects like picking a baby name and how to change a diaper, just as you will find on DadLabs TV, but much of the value of this book is the ability to laugh at the early stages of parenthood, just as your pregnant partner is taking it so seriously. There is a time for soulful feelings about incipient fatherhood, but also a time for having a beer and making some...

For you men hoping to have a baby at a more advanced age, here are a list of your potential heroes: David Bowie (at 53), Mick Jagger (at 57), Michael Douglas (at 58), Rod Stewart (at 60), Paul McCartney (at 61), Eric Clapton (at 59), Pierre Trudeau (72), Charlie Chaplin (at 73), Saul Bellow (at 84), Pablo Picasso (at 68), David Letterman (at 56), Larry King (at 65 and 66), Woody Allen (at 51), Warren Beatty (at 62), Dennis Quaid (50) and Jack Nicholson (at 53)

This one hits closer to home since I was already 43 when w had our first. A recently released study finds that children of older dads score lower on IQ tests even after weighing socioeconomic factors. Australian and US researchers analyzed test results of more than 33,000 US born children born to fathers between the ages of 14 and 66. The tests included reasoning, concentration, learning, memory and speaking and reading skills, at eight months, four years and seven years. [From Fatherhood Examiner: Older Dads Father Dumber Kids?] The lead author, John McGrath says that he was surprised by the results, since a lot of the “blame” for DNA errors usually goes to older eggs in the...

Fatal Distraction: Forgetting a Child in the Backseat of a Car Is a Horrifying Mistake. Is It a Crime? The charge in the courtroom was manslaughter, brought by the Commonwealth of Virginia. No significant facts were in dispute. Miles Harrison, 49, was an amiable person, a diligent businessman and a doting, conscientious father until the day last summer — beset by problems at work, making call after call on his cellphone — he forgot to drop his son, Chase, at day care. The toddler slowly sweltered to death, strapped into a car seat for nearly nine hours in an office parking lot in Herndon in the blistering heat of July. It was an inexplicable, inexcusable mistake, but was it a crime?...

The Mico Cosi Mico car seat is a seat you can easily use everywhere. Thanks to rigorous European and US standards testing, the sleek and brightly colored Maxi Cosi Mico car seat is known for its safety, surpassing US safety standards. Most people choose it for its safety features, including the padded harness and side impact protection, but also enjoy it’s ergonomic design and distinctive colors. The snugly padded seat also makes your baby feel safe and comfortable. Off its base, the seat is light and easy to carry around with its retractable carrier handle (4 different positions!). It also fits nicely into the Quinny Zapp stroller, which we use a lot. Snapping in the seat to the base in...

There are planes – and then there are private jets. There are cars – and then there are Bentleys. There are houses – and then there are mansions. There are strollers… And then there is Mutsy! Super chic, super sleek, and oh-so-indulgent, never before has there been such a posh stroller! European design is just one of the fantastic things about this wonderful stroller. Your little one will be the center of attention in this one-of-a-kind experience. Now, if I sound over excited, I am – simply put, The Mutsy Urban Next is just too cute for words and definitely a conversation starter! Pros: Amazingly smooth ride – large, easy-swivel tires make any terrain a snap (the stroller comes...

In our careful watch to ensure our baby slept on his back to avoid SIDS, our newborn son started to develop a flat head. While only a cosmetic concern, our pediatrician recommended we put him on his side while sleeping to mitigate the potential problem. The challenge was, our active son actually rolled over by himself at 1 week, so was not likely to stay on his side. We found the Symmetry Sleep Positioner useful to keep him on his side (and rotated sides). In the months before he was able to really move on his own, we place him in the SSP within his crib, and he slept comfortably. The device stopped being useful once he could roll himself off of it, but by then he was moving enough that the...

Buckle up – it’s the law! And not just for you, either – babies in every state are required to be placed in a rear-facing car seat. So you have to juggle between convenience and safety (not to mention how it looks!). You look, you compare, and you search high and low. But you may never find one as good as Safety 1st ‘s onBoard™ car seat. OnBoard™ manages to combine functionality, safety, and a sweet, sophisticated look all into o ne affordable package. And Safety First is a well-known household name when it comes to baby items (I have more than several myself!) The Good: Spacious – as baby sits comfortably snuggled inside, you rest assured knowing that he won’t soon outgrow...

Clue one: The soothing, subtle sound of the heartbeat Clue two:Ambient, soft conversation sounds Answer: The SoundSleep for Babies CD, from Sound Science A lot of parents, especially frustrated ones, have tried products that say they’ll help soothe your baby. And then you turn it on. Far less from soothing, they seem to actually be bothering both you and the baby. That’s not true with the SoundSleep for Babies CD. The very first time I used the product I was amazed. I put the CD in the player, hooked up the headphones (making sure the volume was appropriate), and put them on a fussy baby. BAM – silence. A doe-eyed, blinking baby was calm. Maybe from the new experience of headphones, but...

Sometimes a product comes along that isn’t quite one thing or another. Baby K’tan fits that description. Not quite a sling, not quite a wrap, the best way to label it is simple “carrier” – and what a unique carrier it is. A lot of carriers have one or two good points to their designs, but the Baby K’tan is chock full of beneficial features. Pros: Can be used from birth to 42 lbs – one of the only systems to carry that much Made completely of natural cotton making the carrier very breathable Ability to carry twins – the only carrier I’ve seen that is able to do this Comes in patterns for both moms and dads 8 possible positions for baby Cradle Hug Explore Adventure Twins Two-Hip Hip Back Phone...