Women going through childbirth might as well check their modesty at the door. Depending on how you handle your own labor experience, any number of medical professionals, friends, and family members may be privy to parts of your body that you yourself need a mirror and an awkward angle to see.

Then, afterward, the cameras come out. The baby is cute and the husband is dressed and well-rested, but mom? Well, if your pictures look like mine, you look sweaty, pale, and exhausted.

According to the New York Post, some moms -- influenced by today's celebrity mom lifestyle -- are taking steps to look their best in their post-labor pictures. Some are even planning appointments around their due date, making sure that they have fresh manicures, pedicures, hairstyles, and even bikini waxes.

You're having a baby, now where to put the car seat? According to a recent study, the most popular placement for car seats is the rear passengers side, most likely so that the driver can most easily see and attend to the baby.

But the same study found that the safest place for baby is actually in the center position of the back seat, if the car seat can be installed correctly in that position. An analysis of data from car accidents in 16 states found that kids under age 3 who sat in the center were 43% less likely to get hurt.

Sometimes, placing the car seat in the center just isn't possible. In our first car, we couldn't get a snug fit. Our second is a minivan, with bucket seats in the back. If this is the case for you, safety experts remind you that any car seat that is properly installed in the rear offers excellent protection. But if you can get it installed correctly in the center, even better.

I've always wished I had detachable arms because they always got in the way when I try to sleep. (Of course, I've never solved the problem of how one would get them reattached when one woke up, but I'm still working on it.) Babies, according to just about everyone, have a similar issue. They prefer to be wrapped up with their arms tucked in tight at their sides.

This is called swaddling a baby. We did this for our first two and I assumed that I would remember how to do it for our third who was born earlier this week. Alas, I am old and forgetful, so the process didn't come back to me. Now, I could have just asked a nurse to show me how to do it, but being the complete nerd that I am, I turned instead to the internet. There are quite a few videos on YouTube that demonstrate various ways to swaddle an infant.

The one that I like best is the ultra swaddle, although the blankets at the hospital weren't long enough to do it right. If you're using a really big blanket, the Baby Burrito video makes it look pretty easy. Taking the simple swaddle one step further, this video uses a second blanket to create a burka-like wrap that seems pretty secure. Lastly, here's a fun pastime for new parents and their friends -- a swaddle battle. See who can swaddle the kid the best, the fastest, and the most successfully.

After watching all these videos, you'd think I'd be a swaddle master, but unfortunately, I'm not. It's not all my fault, however; I have a very uncooperative partner -- one who likes to wave his arms about and kick his legs like mad. Still, I'll keep practicing and, someday, I'll get it right. Probably right about the time he's ready to go off to college.

Picking a name for a new baby is not as easy as it might seem. Sure, some people have it easy -- their first born son is always named Humphrey or daughters' names always start with M -- and some people have the name picked out even before they hit puberty. But for the rest of us, it can be a nerve-wracking, marriage-wrecking experience.

My wife gave birth last Monday afternoon to a baby boy (9 pounds, 4 ounces; 20.25 inches) and we still didn't have a name for him. I was supposed to pick the name, but none of the ones I picked -- River, Tuolumne, Alder -- passed the mother-in-law test. (If she didn't like the name, she wasn't going to take care of it.) Even my son changed his recommendation from Firebaby to William Shakespeare Sinasohn (which has a nice ring to it, but my wife had issues with the name William.)

Girl's names are actually easier, I think -- had he been a girl, this one would have been named Tenaya. Finding the right boy's name, though, was a real challenge. I wanted something unusual and representative of my love for nature and the Sierras in particular (my first son was supposed to be named Redwood, but that got over-ruled too.) My rule of thumb is that if you can think of a famous person or more than one non-famous person with the name, then it was out (unless the famous person was someone really cool.)

So I spent a lot of time on-line looking for the right name, and I thought others might be interested in the resources I used.

We've all seen the movie version of the nervous dad-to-be sweating bullets and passing out in the delivery room while his long-suffering wife stoically endures the pain of childbirth. The next scene usually involves poor mom left to fend for herself while all medical personnel attend to dad, who by the time is on the floor. It's pretty standard stuff in the movies and usually good for a laugh. But does this ever happen in real life? Yes, it does.

According to Cynthia Rodriguez, the birth of her first child could have been scripted in Hollywood. Her husband is New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez - better known as A-Rod - and for a big, tough ball player, he's pretty wimpy when it comes to hospitals.

For an episode of YES Network's YESterdays, Cynthia recounts the 2004 birth of daughter Natasha Alexander Rodriguez. She says she knew her husband had difficulty dealing with medical situations, but was hopeful that he could stay upright and conscious while she gave birth. No such luck.

"The one nurse had a cold cloth on his head. The other nurse had the blood pressure on his arm. And my mother was like rubbing his back. And he is passed out on a couch. And I am there, in the middle of labor," she says. "And really, I am not being paid much attention to besides the doctor and a couple of nurses," she said. "And he is there moaning. In between pushing, I am going, `Honey, are you OK?' and `Are you breathing? Are you OK?' "

Thing went much smoother the second time around. When Cynthia gave birth to Ella Alexander last month, A-Rod arrived about ten minutes after she delivered. I imagine him walking very slowly down the hall of the hospital, hoping and praying the messy stuff will be over by the time he reaches her room.

What about you? Was your labor and delivery a comedy show, too?

New motherhood -- fulfilling as it is -- can be a difficult adjustment. I can only imagine that adjusting to life with a demanding young baby has to be especially hard for a young celebrity mom who's used to spending her days shopping and her nights partying.

That's why it didn't surprise me when I read that an "insider" recently told the press that Nicole Richie is torn between enjoying life as a new mom and missing her old party girl ways. She calls life with baby Harlow "beyond amazing," yet misses her former, carefree lifestyle. Yep, that about sums it up.

I remember sitting in a rocker on my third night as a new mom. Suffering from the baby blues and sleep deprivation, as well as a little uncertainty about why my baby wouldn't stop crying, I began to wonder if life would ever be the same again. What I didn't realize then -- tears falling, hormones raging, brain exhausted -- was that I was right; life would never be the same again, it would be better.

Nicole may already realize that, despite what this "insider" says. But if not, I'm sure that she soon will. What about you -- did you mourn your former life when your child came along?

One article--and one set of research--would have us think so. Perhaps this story is more the sort that would fall under "Pregnancy Fact or Fiction," as breastfeeding in general is a REALLY hot topic, but let's investigate the findings.

To be honest, before we get started, I'd like to point out that this story feels very familiar. That's probably because it is. We never seem to stop talking about breastfeeding--those for it, those against it, etc.--I guess that discussion is a good thing. Way back when no one ever talked about breasts or using them for anything other than filling out a bullet bra.

In this most recent study, 14,000 babies were studied by an international research team. Their findings suggested that breastfeeding makes babies smarter, especially when not mixed with formula. The way the process worked was a little unsettling to me, though: half the mothers were strongly encouraged to breastfeed and the other half were given no encouragement.

As someone who was a recent new mom myself, I can't say that a lack of encouragement would be especially helpful. I guess I wouldn't want the medical staff breathing down my neck about it either, but it would seem especially unfair to a new mom to not encourage her to give breastfeeding a chance. I was able to breastfeed, but I was also given a ton of support and encouragement from everyone from my family to the OBGYNs and nurses to our ParentDish readers. Not everyone gets that kind of support.

What really upset me about the article are some of the other assertions made by the researchers, namely that mothers who breastfeed are "different" because they are smarter and more invested in their children. Say WHAT? So, someone who chooses to not breastfeed or can't breastfeed given the circumstances is not as invested in her child? I disagree. Completely.

Our plan for the birth of kid number three is to go to the hospital, then have the baby. It seems they do things differently down in Southern California. Seventeen-year-old Xochitl Parra was getting ready for school at 5:30 in the morning last Wednesday; alone and in the shower, she felt the contractions start. "I felt his head coming, so I sit down and pushed so he could come out," she said.

Her phone was disconnected and it was too early to bother the neighbors, so instead of calling for an ambulance, she got dressed and walked eight blocks to the hospital, carrying her newborn son, still attached by his umbilical cord. "She still had the placenta and the baby was still attached, so of course everyone said, 'Don't move!'" said Dr. Jose Perez, director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Despite the odd circumstances of the baby's birth and the subsequent trek to the hospital, the 8 pound, 3 ounce baby boy named Alejandro is normal and doing fine. Parra hadn't told anyone about being pregnant because she was worried about her mother's response. She is a sophomore in high school and didn't want to get kicked out of the house. Since the birth, however, her mother has come to accept the situation and will help take care of the baby so her daughter can continue her schooling.

Even though Parra -- still a kid herself -- seems like she's not really prepared to have a kid of her own, it also appears that this is going to work out okay. "We hear so much negative with teenagers throwing their babies in the Dumpsters," said Perez. "This baby is fine, and hopefully there will be a happy ending with the extended family." Good luck to Parra and to little Alejandro!

Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera and Nicole Richie may think selling photos of your newborn bundle of joy is a great way to make some extra cash, but R&B singer Usher clearly does not. In fact, rumors that he tried and failed to find a buyer for his own son's pictures have him sounding pretty riled up. "In no way would I ever pimp out my child for money. I am livid that people talk about my child," he tells New York Post's Page Six.

He goes on to say, "What makes you a man more than being a father to your child? I recognize I gave anonymity away when I became an artist, but to have people try to paint a horrible picture of what's so beautiful - it's obvious someone is trying to stop something so beautiful."

Usher may have a problem with celebrities who make money off their babies, but that doesn't mean the proud papa doesn't want to show off little Usher V. Father and son are to be featured on the cover of the Father's Day issue of Essence magazine. Free of charge, of course.

Seems Tom Cruise has reversed his opinion about post partum depression. He's also gone public with his change of mind and heart. In a recent interview with Oprah Winfrey, for whom you'll recall he jumped all over a couch as he professed his love for now-wife Katie Holmes, Cruise admits what he said about Brooke Shields in his other most-famous moment back in 2006. His harsh comments about Brooke Shields turning to medication--specifically anti-depressants--to treat her post partum depression came under fire from all sides.

Now Cruise confirms that what he said came out the wrong way, that he was raised by four women with babies and that he doesn't want to tell anyone what they should or shouldn't be doing or believing in. He insists what he said about Shields "came out wrong, it's just not true." Cruise has since apologized to Shields several times.

The damage, however, seems to have been done. Cruise was attacked by the media, mothers and feminists everywhere. His career seems to have taken a back seat to his rantings. In the interview Cruise comments that he regrets saying a lot of what he did and talking about Shields at all. Say what you will about Tom Cruise, and perhaps he's just trying to save face, but it does take some guts to come out and say you're wrong about something, especially when you admit it to the whole world.

By the way, remember the Tom Cruise from the pic? The young cutie? Hrd to believe how far he--and we--have come after all these years!

Kids are expensive, there's no doubt about it. If you're expecting your first, setting up your household can be especially daunting. It's not helpful that there's a gadget out there for every possible parenting moment -- wipe warmers, pacifier cleaners, shopping cart covers. A walk down the baby aisle at your local Target is enough to make your head spin and your wallet hurt.

It's hard not to overspend when you're expecting that new little bundle. It's an exciting time, and you have no idea what to expect. But if you've got the desire to be frugal, Moolanomy has some tips that can help you keep spending to a minimum when shopping for clothing, toys, and accessories.

A year ago, Lori Coble was sitting in traffic on Interstate 5 in Southern California when a big rig rear-ended her minivan at an estimated 55-60 mph. Lori and her mother were injured, but her three children, five-year-old Kyle, four-year-old Emma, and Katie, just two years old, were killed in the horrific crash. Like the Phoenix of legend, the Coble family has risen from the ashes of tragedy to be reborn.

In an amazing coincidence, Lori Coble has just given birth to triplets, two girls and a boy. Of course, Ashley, Ellie and Jake, all born about a minute apart, are not a replacement for Kyle, Emma, and Katie, but it is interesting that the three triplets are two girls and one boy, just as the their first three children were.

"It's kind of a two-sided coin," said Chris Coble, when he found out his wife was pregnant with triplets last October. "We feel amazed that it's happening, but at the same time we're still mourning Kyle, Emma and Katie. Nothing will ever replace them. We feel joy for what's happening, but we're crying and missing the kids."

I'm sure nothing will ever replace the three children they lost a year ago, but hopefully the couple will find renewed happiness in their three new bundles of joy.

Since discovering the Mama blog world some time in 2004, I've pretty much stopped watching TV. I rarely read the newspaper, instead finding relevant tidbits about the world through the blogs that resonate most with me.

I read about 70 blogs a day, most of them parenting blogs. Many of them are funny, most are well-written, all are provocative. Of my seventy favorite bloggers, three have lost babies in the last two years.

The first time I read about a normal, everyday Mama losing her newborn, I cried. Alone in front of my computer, tears streamed for hours in hurt, horror and dismay. I had not yet given birth to my own son, but even at eight months pregnant, I understood that there can be nothing worse in this world than losing a child. Karla has remained one of my favorite bloggers, and there is rarely a day when I don't think of her lost baby girl Ava, and all she meant to her parents.

I died a little inside when I read about Kate's loss of her baby boy last year, and then again recently when my blog friend Jen lost her brand new girl. It's not a topic we like to talk about, the death of an innocent new soul, but it is one that needs to be acknowledged and addressed, supported and discussed, in order that healing might begin. Until now, there have been few online resources that have even attempted to address these kinds of unfathomable loss.

Kate emailed me the other day to tell me about the birth of a new site: Glow in the Woods. The site is, according to its mission statement:

"For mamas of still babies, tiny babies, lost potential of all kinds.

In the beginning you stagger, disoriented, through this storm.

We want to be a glow through the trees, a golden refuge of log and glass. Stumble up the steps, shake off the snow and the crust and the stiffness, cross the threshold to be encircled by figures welcoming, nodding, easing you to a roaring fire and piping hot tea and wine and whoopie pies and whatever else warms you from the inside out."

It is an example of something good and well-meaning and hopeful in this tangled forest of blogs, and I already know its presence will help aching souls who are experiencing the deepest dread of any parent.

I have the utmost respect and admiration for the women who have come together to bravely share their stories and experience, in hope that others might take comfort. That's what Mama love is all about.

According to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, new moms who do not breast-feed are now in the minority. The report released yesterday reveals that 77 percent of newborn babies are breast-fed, at least for a little while. This is up from 60% for the period 1993-1994.

The numbers are based on in-person interviews and physical examinations of 434 mothers and infants during 2005 and 2006. Breaking down the numbers by race, the most significant rise in breast-feeding rates were found in black mothers, who historically have had lower than average numbers. During that 1993-1994 period, only 36 percent of African-American babies were breast-fed. That number has now risen to 65 percent.

"It was very impressive that when it comes to beginning to breast-feed, African-American women have had the greatest progress," says U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher.

For Mexican-American mothers, 80 percent now report breast-feeding their babies - up from 67 percent. For white moms, the numbers rose from 62 percent to 79 percent. The lowest rates for breast-feeding were found in unmarried, poor, rural and young mothers under 20 who have a high school education or less.

Experts attribute the rising numbers of breast-feeding moms to education campaigns and a changing culture that is more accepting and accommodating of nursing mothers.

I seem to keep forgetting to take Dylan to his 2-month checkup, for no particular reason other than life is busy and I am stupid. This week has officially become No Good Schedule-Wise so it'll have to be next week at the earliest, at which point he'll no longer be 2 months old. Will they refuse to see him? "I'm sorry, ma'am, but this child is THREE months old. You'll have to leave, and please collect your Bad Parenting Sticker on the way out."

I also just realized that this upcoming appointment is the one where he is supposed to get, what, about seventy-eight shots? All in his defenseless Pillsbury-roll thigh? Okay: it's really five, right? Five vaccinations. All at once.

*giant, anxiety-filled sigh*

I am neither convinced I should delay vaccinations for Dylan (uh, delay them more than I already have by means of forgetfulness, that is) nor am I filled with a sense of conviction that I'm doing the right thing by getting those shots ASAP. All I know is that I want to keep my baby safe: safe from ALL diseases and reactions and, you know, random bolts of lightning that everyone says won't happen but hello, sometimes they DO.

So! You think we can talk about this subject without getting all pissed off at each other? I'm just curious about your take on vaccination schedules: did you go the typical route with regards to timing when your child was little (2 months, 4 months, 6 months, etc), or did you choose something different?