A spokesperson for the actress told People.com: “She is elated and completely glowing. She is surrounded by her friends and family and so happy to be a mom. She is just really enjoying the moment. The baby is absolutely beautiful.”

Ortiz, a Manhattan native, is probably best known to fans for her role in the hit show, Ugly Betty. She plays Hilda Suarez, the older sister of America Ferrera’s title character. Interestingly, she had originally tried out for the role of Betty Suarez in Ugly Betty. She was quoted as saying of the experience, “I was super plain. I just put on some glasses and kept my hair kind of flat and layered on the clothing. I just wanted them to remember me, so that I could be involved in the future.” Well it seems like that part of her plan worked.

The 38-year old actress has gotten high praise for her parenting skills from the actor who plays her son in the hit series. He was quoted as saying, “She will be an amazing mom. Ana has the biggest heart and she’s so loving. She’s also laid back and chilled but at the same time she’s forceful and knows how to discipline someone if she has to be. It’s the perfect combination in being a great mom. She’s done it with me a bunch of times when I got out of line. She’s definitely my second mom.”

Congratulations to Ana Ortiz and her husband Noah Lebenzon on the birth of their first child.

While there’s no way to stop or turn back the clock, there are a few things you can do to savor the moment, no matter how sore, tired or sleep deprived you might feel.

• Take photos and/or video. It goes without saying that your cameras have been busy – probably even before baby arrived. Remember to take a picture and/or video as often as you can to document everything. You – as well as any family or friends you share it with – will be glad you did.

• Write it down. Keep a baby book to jot down your baby’s results from pediatrician appointments, keep track of vaccinations, and other details.

• Journal. When my daughter was born, I started a journal, chronicling every day with her. While it began as an everyday task, it soon became once or twice a week, and sometimes just a sentence or two noting something new she might have done that day. You can also keep an online journal right here at Babies Online. It’s fun to look back on it now and read about what she was doing in her infancy and babyhood – and to compare her notes with her little brother. Plus, someday when they are older, our kids will be given the books as their own keepsakes.

• Start a memory box. For each of our two children, I have a plastic bin where I stash any little keepsake items I want to hold onto, be it an outgrown outfit, invitations to their first parties, birthday cards, or other items. Each year I will start a new box for them, with the intention of putting together a scrapbook of their childhoods.

• Relax and try to savor the moment. Stop thinking about everything you need to do, haven’t done, or wish you had done and just enjoy the time you are having with your little one. It sounds trite, but he or she will never be this little again; enjoy it.

Finally, remember that those first few weeks will soon be past and things will get a little better. Baby (and you!) will sleep for longer stretches of time, your soreness will heal and you will begin to really appreciate your time with your new baby. And when you look back, you’ll be glad you took the time to document those crazy first few weeks – and beyond – with your little one.

The Yale researchers have observed that when pregnant mice were exposed to BPA, the genetic chemistry of their female offspring is irreversibly altered. The researchers have the identified the gene in question as HOXA10, which regulates the normal development of the uterus and fertility, not only in mice, but also in humans. BPA sometimes plays havoc with the gene’s switching on and off. They can conceive but their ability to carry the pregnancy to full term is compromised, leading to permanent fertility loss.

In a way, this doesn’t surprise me, considering that BPA is an endocrine disruptor and mimics the effect of estrogen, and therefore plays havoc with hormonal balance.

However, this isn’t the only bad news about BPA.

University of Cincinnati researchers reported irregular heart rhythms in female mice (but not male!) exposed to BPA.

Now, if ever health authorities claim again that current BPA exposure is too low to cause these effects, University of Missouri-Columbia experts will definitely show their new estimate that BPA exposure among Americans is much higher that the so-called maximum safe dose.

These recent findings are alarming themselves but what concerns me are the following:

• Babies in the uterus are exposed and possibly already damaged by BPA even before they are born.
• Females seem to be strongly affected by BPA, because of its capacity to mimic estrogen.

In other words, BPA is affecting our reproductive cycle and will be affecting or has already affected the next generation of mothers.

The scientists at the Endocrine Society Meeting issued a scientific statement declaring that BPA and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals in food, water and consumer products represent a “significant concern to public health.”

I really hope that the health authorities are listening.

The Grand Prize winner was
Kaylie Barrett

Thanks to all the babies (and their parents) who participated in this weeks round.

From now until July 14 we will be accepting entries for July’s contests. July’s theme is Patriotic Babies (Red, White, & Blue)!

The contest is free so enter your babies picture today! Or just vote for your favorite. (Anyone can vote)

At the end of each preliminary week one (1) winner is chosen and will be awarded a prize package. The winners of each preliminary round (3 total), as well as two (2) runner-ups from each round are automatically entered into the Final Round. The winner of the final round is awarded the Grand Prize.

Round 1: 1st through 7th
Round 2: 8th through 14th
Round 3: 15th through 21st
Final Round: 22nd through last day of the month

Click Here for more information.

But these two people are not only celebrities – they are also parents. So what happens to the children when celebrities pass away? The ones who have the normal family set up such as the children of Natasha Richardson seem to fare rather well despite tragically losing their mom. However, I can imagine that things can become complicated in the case of the so-called “patchwork” families. Do they get tangled in custody battles and fights over wills? Do they end up rich like Dannielynn, Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter or end up with nothing like Heath Ledger’s daughter Matilda Rose?

Farrah Fawcett has a 24-year old son with her long time partner Ryan O’Neal. At least he is already an adult and can probably manage on his own despite his drug problems.

Michael Jackson’s family set up is a bit more complicated. He leaves behind three children from two relationships for whom he had full custody. From his second marriage, he had a son Prince Michael Joseph Jr. (12), and a daughter Paris Michael Katherine (11). He had another son Prince Michael Jackson II (7) in 2002 but the identity of the mother was never revealed, although there are speculations that he was born through a surrogate mother implanted with an embryo fertilized with Jackson Sr.’s sperm. With Michael Jackson’s untimely death, I wonder whether he has provided properly for his children, considering the financial problems he had been having lately.

I can imagine that celebrities, especially superstars, can sometimes feel invincible. Even at middle age and beyond, death seems very remote. Does it occur to them that they can’t live forever and that their kids might become orphans? I feel sad for them, but I feel even more for their children especially if they are as young as Michael Jackson’s children. I hope that they won’t be caught in nasty court battles about custody, paternity/maternity and money. I hope that they will be protected from the relentless media coverage.

The deaths of Fawcett and Jackson made me ask myself questions about  life and death, about my children and my family.

How about us who are “mere mortals”? Are we prepared for all eventualities? Do we know what would happen to our children in case something happens to us?

Psychiatrists have defined 4 main categories of personality types using a clinically recognized system of character evaluation.

These 4 types are:

• A novelty seeking personality is characterized by impulsive actions.
• A harm avoidance personality is characterized by pessimism and shyness.
• A reward dependence personality is prone to addiction.
• A persistence type personality tends to be hard-working and a perfectionist.

There’s a question on personality that’s been keeping scientists busy for years now. Is personality due to nature or nurture? Well, these researchers from the US, UK and Italy seem to think they have found proof that it’s the former rather than the latter. They report that different personality types have different brain structures. For example, novelty-seeking types had a structurally bigger area of the brain known as the inferior part of the frontal lobe, whereas harm-avoidance types had significantly smaller volumes of tissue in the orbitofrontal area and the posterior occipital region.

It seems that personality depends on the anatomical structure of the brain, structure that you were born with. In other words, your personality was already determined at birth. This report can either give us comfort or despair about our own personality.

• Comfort – because it’s not something that we do but something that we are.
• Despair – because it’s something that we are and therefore cannot be changed.

But what about the personality of our children? Can we still do something about it? What about our baby having a brain scan to determine his or her future personality? The researchers think this isn’t actually such a bad idea because once you know what to expect, you can alter the environment to minimize the risk.

I personally find it a bit scary. What if I find out that  my baby is predisposed to become a pessimistic introvert, a compulsive workaholic or worse a drug addict? How would affect the mother-child relationship?

On the other hand, I still believe strongly in the power of nurture, e.g. the family environment. I also believe that these so-called personality types are rather artificial categorizations. Most people I know, including myself, exhibit some characteristics from each of the 4 types. No, I’d rather see my children’s personalities unfold as they grow. I’d rather that they grow without expectations, preconceptions and predispositions. Surprise me, my darlings.

So what do you think? Want to look into your baby’s brain?

McConaughey broke the news on his official website. “Happy Father’s Day. It’s my first, and the last 11 months with Levi and Camila have been the most rewarding adventure to date. We have more blessed news to celebrate this Father’s Day that (will) make this time next year double the fun. Levi is going to be a big brother… Yeah, we pulled off the greatest miracle in the world one more time, Camila and I are expecting our second child, bringing more life into the world, making more to live for. The future looks bright as the family grows,” he wrote.

Of course, like any proud dad he spoke about his upcoming arrival at other times as well. Case in point the National Conference for Service and Volunteering that was recently held in San Francisco. The actor talked about his j.k. livin’ foundation as well as Levi’s sibling. He said of the foundation, “We are putting after-school fitness and wellness programs into undeserved communities nationwide, teaching physical fitness, nutrition education, with an emphasis on daily gratitude for how much or how little we have. And now that I’m blessed to be a father myself — I got one at home who’s 11 months and as you people know, we have another one in the oven, three months — this foundation and its cause means even more to me.”

As happens with so many of us, parenthood is clearly affecting the way he sees the world and his place in it. It is good that someone who has the visibility to make a difference can reach out to touch the lives of others. If being a father is what helps to inspire that drive to help the less fortunate then more power to him. He uses the j.k. livin’ foundation to allow himself as well as friends and fans to reach out to those in need.

Congratulations to Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves on the pending addition to their family. I wish her a happy and worry free pregnancy. Some people may jokingly call him a hippie because of his lifestyle, but so far he seems to be a pretty grounded dad. Good luck to them as they continue on this adventure called parenthood.

1. You can use a stroller in the airport, and leave it at the gate.

I knew ahead of time that I could check a stroller at the gate free of charge. But I didn’t do it, thinking that I wouldn’t see it again until I reached my final destination–and where I really wanted it was in the airport when I switched planes. Turns out, you do get it during the layover. As you go through the gate, there are crew members who whisk away things like strollers and wheelchairs while you are in the hallway leading from the gate to the plane. And they were right there waiting for the people in the corridor when we deboarded the plane. A word of caution though: if you will be going through a big airport on a tight schedule, it would be less convenient to hassle with the stroller, since you have to find an elevator, etc.

2. You can bring a bottle/cup with more than 4 ounces.

Security measures restrict the amount of fluids you can bring on a plane, but infant stuff is different. You can bring food and bottles or cups for your baby through security. Larger airports have a separate screening line for families. You just take it out of your bag and “declare” it. On the way there, I was worried about what I would do for my daughter as far as eating on the plane. On the way home, it was much easier!

3. You can bring a carry-on plus a diaper bag.

But on an airplane, less is more! I read that I could bring a diaper bag in addition to my carry on. It sounded great in theory. So on my way out to Ohio, I loaded the diaper bag up. But then I had to lug around a carry-on, a diaper bag backpack, plus a baby through the airport. And I didn’t use much of anything I brought with me. On the way home, I pared down. I chucked everything but the bare essentials:

• my wallet

• phone

• change of clothes for her

• socks for me

• three diapers

• some toys

• and dinner

–all in the backpack. It was so much easier!

4. Reserve your seats as soon as you book your flight.

For the way out, I booked my seats right away. But I was back by the bathroom and I wasn’t pleased about the location, so I decided to wait on booking seats for the return flight. I hoped maybe the gate agents could help me get closer to the front. BAD plan. I discovered on the way out that having a little elbow room (even if you’re over the wing or by the bathroom) was much more important than being close to the front. It’s not like you’re going to enjoy the view or the movie, anyway. On the way back, I got stuck in the middle of a row of three people, with a squirming, restless, napless 14-month old on my lap, for three hours. I couldn’t even get to the things in my carry-on. The people next to me were gracious, but it was still miserable, and there was nowhere to go.

5. Short layovers are good.

If I were flying with my husband, I would consider two or three hours perfect–not too short to be nervous about missing a connection if the first leg were delayed, but not so long that you start to get on each others’ nerves. But alone with a baby, I found my one-hour layover on the return flight ideal. I had enough time to comfortably get where I needed to go (even in huge Atlanta), and got to the gate as they were allowing the first people to board–and people with a baby get priority boarding. I didn’t have to worry about how to keep my daughter off the filthy airport floor for two hours. It was great!

If you plan a air travel with a baby anytime soon, I hope these discoveries are helpful!

It could also be a little extra weight.  Bolder people than me might just ask outright but I don’t want to cause offense if she isn’t pregnant. But, I don’t want to not ask, it would be rude not to ask after her new baby, and besides, if she’s pregnant I want to know!

I asked her how she’d been, and she replied that she was feeling a lot better this week because her morning sickness had eased off.  Congratulations, my friend, and thank you for saving me from asking the awkward question.

I just read an article about riders on the subway in Chicago, and whether they give up seats to pregnant women or not. Only half of bus and train users in Chicago give up their seats for a pregnant woman. Some commuters said that they don’t want to offer their seats to pregnant women just in case the woman in question isn’t actually pregnant.

I think moms have a pretty good radar for spotting other pregnant women. Have you ever noticed one of your friends or colleagues acting a little differently, holding herself differently, or has that subtle expression that she knows a really exciting secret? And then a few weeks later, she made the announcement?

I guess since we’ve been there, done that and got the maternity t-shirt, we can pick up the subtle signs that differentiate early pregnancy from a recent jelly donut binge.

But, my policy is still going to be to wait until I’m told to start talking about someone’s pregnancy. if you get it wrong, your friend is probably going to be offended and feel fat. I’ve had a messy relationship with weight most of my life, and the last thing I want to do is make anyone else feel bad about their weight. Most pregnant women like to make the announcement themselves, not have someone else guess first. It takes the excitement of the news away if someone else already knows .

A representative for the couple was quoted as saying, “The babies are doing beautifully and the entire family is over the moon.” Marion Loretta Elwell Broderick weight at birth was 5 pounds and 11 ounces, while Tabitha Hodge Broderick weighed an even 6 pounds. Both baby names are said to come from Parker’s side of the family. Reports also indicate that the babies were named immediately after they came into the world.

Broderick and Parker have a son James Wilkie who is now six years old. They had trouble conceiving again which led to their decision to use a surrogate. Sadly once the story broke it took on a life of its own and the ugly side of celebrity reared its head. Media outlets were practically falling over themselves to find out more about the woman carrying the babies. In the latest twist to this story, Barry Carpenter, Martin’s Ferry’s Police Chief, is being investigated following accusations that he tried to pry into the life of the surrogate mother. He was said to be doing this at the request of a tabloid reporter.

Now that the babies are here, it is hoped that the intense interest will die down, and for the sake of the babies they will be allowed some space. In today’s celebrity obsessed world however, that is probably too much to ask for. At one point some reports pointed to Parker being concerned for the surrogate’s safety.

Other celebrities who have used a surrogate to carry their babies include Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance, Karen Duffy, an MTV VJ and actress, Fraser star Kelsey Grammer and his wife Camille.

Congratulations to Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick of the birth of their twins. Both parents have demanding Hollywood careers so they can expect to be even busier going forward.

Mercy’s case opened up again the controversy about celebrities adopting children from impoverished countries. Inter-country adoption has become popular in recent years and some social scientists believe this is actually counterproductive and that celebrities like Madonna and Angelina Jolie and their well-publicized adoptions are clouding the issue.

Some of the objections brought forward by the critics are:

• It gives false hopes to people, sometimes leading parents to deliberately abandon their children in orphanages in the hopes that some rich celebrity would pick her/him out to enjoy a life of comfort.

• Children are uprooted and cannot grow up in familiar cultural and religious surroundings.

However, adoption advocates, especially those who have adopted children from other countries defend their choice: they can’t help every child in this world but at least they could help one or two escape poverty and disease. Surely, this is a worthy cause.

So what do you think? Are you for or against inter-country adoption? Celebrity adoption?

Our favorite way to enjoy summertime fruit is in a quick and simple fruit sorbet. Fresh peaches, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, or a mixture are all delicious – just be sure to adjust the amount of sugar so that the sorbet isn’t too tart.

To make sorbet, you need:

• About 5 cups of chopped fruits or berries. (The juicier the better, such as various berries and stone fruits.)

• Wash and remove any peels

• Chop the fruit so that all are about an inch in diameter.

• Set aside about 1 cup of fruit from the batch, and scatter the other 4 cups onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

• Place the sheet in the freezer and the 1 cup of fruit in the fridge overnight.

When you are ready to make the sorbet, remove frozen fruits from the freezer and pulse them in a food processor until it looks like a smooth fruit puree. Add some sugar as needed to smooth out the fruit even more and sweeten the mixture – about half a cup should be enough, but be sure to add enough so that the sorbet is sweet and not too tart (raspberries, for example, need more sugar than peaches or strawberries). You can also add a little water to further smooth out the fruit. Add the fruit from the refrigerator and blend until smooth, then serve.

I first herd… sorry, bad joke… heard about Udder Cream from a friend whose six-month-old baby had eczema, and was having a difficult time finding anything that would relive it. Her son’s pediatrician recommended Udder Cream, and reassured her that he didn’t think that her baby was a calf and that the cream was perfectly safe for human babies, and that he had used it on his own children.

My son, a few months older, also had eczema and dry skin on his legs and arms. I had been using other lotions but hadn’t found one that helped. So, I tried the Udder Cream on the rash, and on his dry skin. A few days later, his dry skin was much improved, and while his eczema rash was still there, it didn’t seem to be bothering him so much. We used it twice-daily from then on.

One of the first compliments I received on a date with the man who turned out to be a serious relationship was what soft skin I had. Oops, did I mention that I’d been stealing it? Mom’s skin takes plenty of abuse, with frequent handwashing after all those diaper changes, and baths and all that extra laundry and housework babies generate. I love using it on my hands, and I keep a pot in the kitchen, and one in the bathroom.

It comes in a nice big screw-top tub that cost about $5 each and last a long time, and then are useful for storing bits of toddler toys in when empty.

The downside is that it’s hard to find in stores. I order mine online in packs of six. Ace Hardware is the only store that (sometimes) carries it in my town, but you can order a tub online and have it shipped to your local store for free.

And a little warning – the cream contains lanolin, which is a natural product from sheep, but rarely, it can cause an allergic reaction. I’d advise doing a patch test and trying a little out on your baby and watching for a reaction before using it.

I love Udder Cream. It helps dry skin better than any other lotion I’ve tried, and it made a big difference on my son’s eczema. The best part is that it’s cheap enough to try even if you’re unsure.

Round 3

Thanks to all the babies (and their parents) who participated in this weeks round.

From now until July 14 we will be accepting entries for July’s contests. July’s theme is Patriotic Babies (Red, White, & Blue)!

The contest is free so enter your babies picture today! Or just vote for your favorite. (Anyone can vote)

At the end of each preliminary week one (1) winner is chosen and will be awarded a prize package. The winners of each preliminary round (3 total), as well as two (2) runner-ups from each round are automatically entered into the Final Round. The winner of the final round is awarded the Grand Prize.

Round 1: 1st through 7th
Round 2: 8th through 14th
Round 3: 15th through 21st
Final Round: 22nd through last day of the month

Click Here for more information.

Stem cells

• bone marrow
• umbilical cord
• skin
• breast milk
• fat tissue
• menstrual blood

Recently, Brazilian researchers have reported about another potential – and “politically correct” – source of stem cells – discarded Fallopian tubes.

The Fallopian tubes are the tubes that “catch” the eggs from the ovaries, to be transported to the uterus. Sometimes the tubes have to be removed surgically, an intervention called salpingectomy. In many cases, it is performed in connection with oophorectomy (removal of the ovary) and/or hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) in women with cervical or breast cancer. The researchers found abundant immature cells in Fallopian tubes during surgery, cells which can potentially develop into bones, muscles, and other organs.

Stem cell research is cutting edge technology in the quest for curing many diseases, from cancer, to cardiovascular disorders, to neurodegenerative diseases. Identifying more “ethical” sources of stem cells can give this field of research a boost and hopefully produce results. Currently, a few stem cell-based therapies are undergoing clinical trials.

Here are a few of the things we do.

• Save up and make “bigger” items special gifts. We’d love to have a season pass to the zoo and to the local YMCA, but they’re not cheap. For holidays or birthdays, we’ve asked family and friends to give toward these memberships instead of buying clothes or other items. That way, the gift will be used – and appreciated – all year.

• Buy used items. This one is a real money saver for clothing and other items that we seem to go though quickly. Winter coats and other gear are especially nice to buy used, either at consignment stores specializing in baby items or second hand shops. Be cautious, however, when buying used cribs, toys or other equipment – inspect them carefully for signs of wear and make sure all pieces are there. In addition, be sure to thoroughly wash or clean any used item before the kids touch it. Never buy used car seats – you don’t know if they have been recalled or ever been in an accident.

• Buy in bulk. Purchasing diapers in bulk saves money. Better yet, switch to cloth diapers. They cost more up front, but we have saved a great deal of money in the long run with using cloth diapers – especially since we have used them on two babies.

• Make it yourself. Instead of purchasing baby foods in jars, I try to make baby food whenever possible. Steam some extra vegetables and blend them into a smooth puree for baby. Many play items can also be made at home for far cheaper than they cost to buy, such as play dough and finger paints from kitchen pantry items.

• Take advantage of Free Offers! You can find a wealth of free offers, samples, and coupons on the internet. Many sites, especially Babies Online, work hard to bring you the very best free baby deals available. Often times these deals are brought to you with zero obligation.

• Playgrounds are free. While it’s nice to have your own play equipment in the back yard, it’s not truly a necessity. We like to take the kids down to the neighborhood playground – not only is it free, but it’s also a nice way to meet other kids – and parents.

While having kids is by no means cheap, there are some ways to save money. What’s your favorite money saving tip?

Wilson has been married to musician Rob Bonfiglio since June 2000. The new arrival, Luciana Bella joins big sister, 4-year old Lola Sofia is four years old. The new baby weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces and was 19 inches long at birth. Wilson gave birth at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Wilson has been open about her struggle with weight. She is quoted on a movie website as saying, “Was I a perfect gastric-bypass patient? Yes. Was I the perfect gastric-bypass pregnant woman? No. I made a decision to enjoy my pregnancy….So sue me! But I’ve learned a lesson: Next time I’ve got to watch the carbs.” Clearly she also had issues with weight gain during pregnancy.

Wilson is the latest in a string of celebrity moms who are having children in their 40’s. Other moms in the so-called, ‘advanced material‘ group are Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman, Madonna and Marcia Cross to name a few. While some over-40 celebs have used expensive reproductive techniques to become pregnant, this is not always the case.

Congratulations to Carnie Wilson and her husband Rob Bonfiglio on the birth of their second daughter. Hopefully Wilson will be able to finally win in her battle with obesity, not only for herself but also for the sake of her growing family.

The first confirmed death due to swine flu in Europe happened in Scotland last weekend and involved a 38-year old mother who just gave birth two weeks ago. The mother had some “underlying conditions” aside from the flu and delivered her baby prematurely. The baby was not infected with the H1N1 flu but also died shortly after, probably because it was very premature – eleven weeks early. The first case of swine flu fatality involving a pregnant woman was reported in Texas in May.

In the meantime:

• Argentina also reported its first H1N1 flu fatality – a 3-month old baby.

• Hong Kong closed all its kindergartens and primary schools due to increasing numbers of infected pupils.

• A Swiss daycare was also shutdown temporarily this week due to a positive H1N1 infection. It seems that the virus is getting closure to home.

Why pregnant women are at risk

According to MSNBC, the New Zealand Herald, and other sources:

1. Pregnancy weakens the immune system. The immune system is naturally suppressed during pregnancy to accommodate a foreign body – the baby – in the womb. The likelihood of flu leading to pneumonia during pregnancy is high.
2. A flu infection increases the risk for premature delivery which itself also can lead to other complications.
3. Pregnant women suffering from asthma and other underlying conditions have even higher risk for complications.
4. Young people (this includes children and women of reproductive age!) are more vulnerable to the H1N1 flu compared to older people because the H1N1 virus seems to be susceptible to flu antibodies that were probably produced during previous seasonal flu infections. In other words, older people have had more flu exposure and have had therefore built up more immune defenses against the current flu.

What the health authorities recommend

Pregnant women are therefore advised to especially take care and see their doctors immediately as soon as the flu symptoms start. Health authorities believe that the danger the virus poses to the fetus is much more than what anti-viral drugs do. The National Health Services (NHS) of the UK recommends the use of the inhalable antiviral drug Relenza, which can treat flu symptoms without reaching fetus.

Azaria, who does a lot of voice over work, revealed that he put his skills to use when communicating with the unborn baby. He was quoted saying, “I get inspired to talk to him like John Lennon occasionally. He seems to like it, he gets very kicky when I talk this way.” We may not all have the voice skills of this talented guy, but many people talk to their babies before they are born. This is a practice that is recommended by some experts as a means of helping the baby get used to the parents’ voices.

Before finding love with his current girlfriend, Azaria was married to actress Helen Hunt of Mad About You fame. The marriage ended after one year. He and Katie Wright have been dating since 2007.

At 45-years old Azaria is certainly not as young as many Hollywood parents but maturity certainly counts for a lot. He is also much younger than some such as Larry King and Michael Douglas.

The busy actor can expect his life to get a little busier now that he has added to his family. There is no word on whether he has plans to add to his brood. No doubt right now he is just enjoying the moment. I certainly wish him and his girlfriend well, and hope for the continued health of the newborn.

The mom I met was out rock climbing. She was standing on the edge of a cliff in a state park about an hour out of the city, holding armfuls of climbing gear, enjoying the beautiful day, the beautiful scenery, and doing something she loved. She taught me to set up climbing anchors at the cliff tops, I lent her some of my gear, and we all climbed together for the rest of the day, and heard her stories about sleeping in a sleeping bag roped to the side of a cliff half-way up a mountain, and other daring tales.

Her son is in his mid-twenties, and she’d been climbing for over 30 years. Climbing is something I’m very passionate about and it was wonderful to meet someone who has kept up her passion through motherhood.

Our lives change so much when we become moms, and often many of the things we do for ourselves get lost, or there is no time to do the hobbies and interests we used to have. I hope I can maintain some of the things I’m passionate about as well as being a mother. And I hope one day I’ll be old and wise, and I can help others and share knowledge and experience as generously as the mom I met does.

Maybe my son will love climbing too, maybe he won’t, I’d love to share that with him if he does, but whatever he is passionate about, I hope that I will be as good at supporting him, and also helping him to find a balance between doing things he loves and doing things he needs to do (like school).

And when he’s all grown up, and off doing his own things, I hope he’ll let me know what he’s doing, even if it’s something I don’t understand (and it probably will – who knows what kids of 2030 will be into?) and I’m sure I’ll be very proud of him. And I hope he’ll feel that however grown up he is, that his mom will always be his mom.

What kind of mom do you think you’ll be as your children grow, and when they are grown up? How do you maintain doing the things that you love?