Hair Dyeing Tips for New Moms and Moms-to-Be

Adhemar Sburlati/Broadimage; Charley Gallay/WireImage

To dye or not to dye! When you’re a mom-to-be, it’s so hard to decide especially since there are so many conflicting reports on whether it’s truly safe for your baby. We recently chatted with Mazza BenTov (below), a colorist at the Valery Joseph Salon, to help clear up any confusion.

Lucky for us, she’s very knowledgeable about the topic — she’s a new mom to a 9-month-old. If you’re looking to highlight or completely color your tresses, make sure to check out her tips below.

Consult Your Colorist. Once you become pregnant, let your colorist know so you can discuss the safest options for all-over color or highlights. With highlights and using foils, there is a lot more room for the color to accidentally touch the scalp so ask your colorist to try balayage. It’s more precise so there’s more control over where the color is going. But if you’re still having doubts about whether coloring is safe, talk to your doctor.

Do Your Research. If you want to color at home, there are lots of at-home coloring treatments with little to no chemicals. Just do your homework. If you’re pregnant, I wouldn’t recommend all-over color unless you have permission from your doctor and are working with a professional. But if you’re a new mom, L’Oréal’s ammonia-free Healthy Look is a great option for all-over dyeing. But ultimately, it’s best to go to a colorist because over the counter coloring kits are easy to mess up.

Courtesy Valery Joseph Salon

Try Ombre Highlights. Since you’re only lightening the tips of the hair, it’s safer than most highlights. And it’s very low maintenance, especially if you have long hair. You could go for up to 4 months and not worry about it, which is a great money saver too. For the ombre look, tell your colorist to use soft balayage so it’s not a harsh color change. You want it to look subtle, yet add definition and dimension.

Go Ionic. After birth, many women lose hair and hair becomes temporarily dry and brittle because of all the hormonal changes you’re going through. To help rejuvenate your locks and keep your color rich, try an Ionic Hair Treatment. This involves flat ironing crystals into damp hair to hydrate it. It usually lasts about a month and really makes your hair shine.

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The other day I decided to slap my son’s hand for being rude and he was like “Naughty mummy, rude mummy hiss teeth” now what do you do in a situation like that? Is he being rude or just don’t understand what he is doing?

My mum explained that maybe at school if a child slaps another child that’s what they tell them naughty and rude, so when I did that he was just saying what he has learned. Children, what to do.

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Happy Sunday! Kick off the weekend with these cool reads:

• Ten breastfeeding tips for spouses – giggleGAB
• Why “pregnorexia” is a dangerous trend – lilSugar.com
• Mocktails for moms-to-be – TheBump.com
• Would you let your daughter learn how to pole dance? – Parenting.com
• Michelle Obama will wear a dress designed by a sixth grader – WFIE.com

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Giuliana Rancic: We’re Trying IVF Once More ‘In the Near Future’

Jeff Sciortino

After two unsuccessful rounds of in vitro fertilization, Giuliana and Bill Rancic still aren’t giving up hope of one day becoming parents.

“One time sadly we miscarried and the other time didn’t work, so it’s been really tough,” the E! News host shared during a Tuesday visit to The Talk.

“We’re going to do IVF another time in the near future because our doctor suggested, ‘I think I can get you pregnant.’”

And if their third try doesn’t end in a pregnancy, the couple are already considering their other option: adoption.

“When we were in Italy recently I felt very connected to Naples, where I’m from. We thought it would be really wonderful to be able to adopt a child from where I’m from and give a child there some opportunity,” Rancic explains.

Much to her surprise, however, news of the possibility of a foreign adoption struck a chord on Twitter.

“I got some Tweets … of people saying, ‘You should adopt from America’ and ‘A lot of kids need help’ and of course that’s true, but you know what? How can you tell a woman where she should adopt from?’” she questions. ”You’ve got to follow your heart. So if it’s a foreign country, if it’s in your backyard … A child is a child.”

Despite their “really tough” battle with infertility, Rancic is determined to keep an upbeat attitude. “Right now we’re doing a year of fun — we just needed time off,” she says. “You’ve got to look at the positive.”

– Anya Leon

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Take a break this Tuesday to check out these interesting links:

• Lauryn Hill reportedly welcomes sixth child – PEOPLE.com
• Kids who are breastfed are less likely to develop asthma – ParentDish.com
• Moms weigh in on their favorite baby shower games – BabyZone.com
• Can eating baby food help you lose weight? – ABCNews.com
• New Zealand bans weird baby names – ModernMom.com

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Review: Cybex Aton Infant Car Seat

Courtesy Cybex

Buckle up, baby!

Whether you’re heading back and forth to the pediatrician’s office or taking a trip to grandma’s, your wee one will likely be in one place — the infant car seat.

And these days, most carriers are designed to go from car to stroller to living room floor in order to not disturb baby’s slumber time.

If you want to make your child’s ride as smooth and comfortable as possible, we suggest checking out the cushy Cybex Aton Infant Car Seat ($199).

Want to learn more? Check out our review below:

Things We Like:

Listen, there’s nothing better than getting new-mommy-sculpted arms, but not at the expense of an excessively heavy car seat.

At just 8.8 lbs., the Cybex is one of the lightest models available and that’s not even the best part. Hands down, our favorite feature is how easy it is to install the base!

In fact, it comes with clips that attach to pre-installed latches available in most cars making it uber convenient to move back and forth from mom’s to dad’s car or any besties that offer to babysit (hey, a girl can dream!).

Things We Didn’t Like:

While we’re fans of sunshades, theirs is a bit on the awkward side. It doesn’t pull down very far so it’s unlikely it provides that much protection and could make for a cranky baby on a sunny day.

Moms & Babies Rating:

Comfy and stylish, the Aton is a great pick for first time parents and even worth the upgrade for those ready to shift into high gear and have a second (or third… or fourth…) baby.

– Chelsea P. Gladden

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Kick off your Monday with these links:

• It’s hot! How to keep your kids safe in the heat — Chicago Tribune
• If you’re scheduling your delivery, wait until 39 weeks — NPR.com
• Best apps for parents — summer edition — BreezyMama.com
• Things I wish I did before I had kids — TheBump.com
• Two sisters, two babies, one day — Orange County Register

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What Stars Are Reading: The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet

Courtesy Fair Winds Press

Having worked as a nutritionist for close to 20 years, Tina Ruggiero became the go-to resource for her 17 pregnant girlfriends on what to eat.

And when her friends gave birth, the questions kept coming in.

“Everybody was emailing, texting, calling me at all hours of the day and night, about what to eat and what to do,” she tells PEOPLE. ”I thought, ‘If I could write a book, and answer all of their questions, I would.’”

Thus spawned The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet, which features 216 recipes that can be prepared in 10 minutes or less, and passed the taste test of Ruggiero’s many friends’ tots.

“This is the book you can use with your little one during the first year of his life to shape his palate,” she says. “So he grows up loving and enjoying wholesome, natural, nutritious foods.”

In coming up with her recipes, Ruggiero, a mom of two, considered what a child would be capable of eating at different stages of development, and crafted meals that parents can easily prepare from all-natural ingredients for their children throughout infancy and toddlerhood.

“Every parent was amazed at what their baby would eat, from pureed Brussels sprouts to some of the more gourmet things, like the creamy turkey and spinach,” she says. “This is how the book influences an adult life. Parents learn to cook the basics. Then they start to mix ingredients and get creative. And then they begin to understand how easy it is to cook for yourself and your family.”

The book is already winning raves from celebrity fans like Zookeeper star Kevin James, who welcomed his third child earlier this year.

“He wrote a note to me, and he said, ‘We are so impressed with the wholesomeness of the recipes, the nutritional information, and the clarity of the recipes,’” Ruggiero says.

Parents-to-be Emily Deschanel and Sam Trammel have also expressed that they plan on using the book to cook meals for their little ones when they arrive.

“I’m so psyched because they can set a precedent for the rest of the country,” she adds, “and maybe moms will be inspired and follow in their footsteps.”

Noting that the recipes in her book can be adapted for adults as well, Ruggiero, who counts the rice pudding and the itsy-bitsy apricot chicken with couscous as her favorite dishes, considers the book, “a staple for everyone’s shelf.”

“I think everyone can find something in here to make their own,” she says. “The book is life-changing. It ensures health and wellness for your child forever.”

– Kiran Hefa – People.com

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So my son is now going through the my my my stage. Everything is my car, my keys, my house, my everything. its something to behold the wonderful stages of development as yet many say there is now God. How does I child just automatically go through all these stages of development.

He is speaking much clearer now and putting together sentences. I thank God each and everyday for him and the wonderful experiences.It’s still challenging but I am learning each day to just enjoy the moment.

Disciplining is still an issue but I just handle this day by day. I just do my best and try not to do it when I am angry or annoyed. What to do???  I have come to realize that life is short and all we can do is our best.

I havent posted alot because I was a little down. A relative lost a baby in death shortly after delivery after going full term and honestly I was just plain down, it brought back alot of memories.  But we are all trying to work through the depression and the pain.

At this point all I say is do your best each and everyday and just love and appreciate what we have.

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