Whatever your life was like as a couple, pregnancy changes it irrevocably. Your focus, once centered on just you two, zooms in on the coming baby. So begins the transition to parenthood, an experience that can strengthen your bond as a couple if you communicate and nurture your relationship. Before baby arrives "All parents should realize that they must consciously decide to make their relationship a priority after the baby is born," says Mark E. Crawford, Ph.D., author of When Two Become Three: Nurturing Your Marriage After Baby Arrives (Revell). "Talk to each other about both the excitement and the anxiety associated with becoming a new parent. Expectant parents, especially fathers-to-be, often keep their feelings of anxiety inside." Men experience the prospect of a baby in different ways. Reactions range from exhibiting sympathetic pregnancy symptoms to becoming violent toward the expectant woman. In fact, homicide was the leading cause of injury-related death for...

Scalp and skin irritations Symptoms Cradle cap: a harmless scaling on the scalp caused by skin secretions; eczema: red, itchy and scaly skin. Neither condition is contagious. Suggested remedies • Cradle cap: Apply olive or castor oil to his scalp for a few hours (cover with a cotton hat or gauze). Gently shampoo, then remove scales using a soft toothbrush. • Eczema: Apply a chickweed ointment or compress, or add chickweed tea to the baby's bath water. Try calendula cream or a low-alcohol moisturizer such as Eucerin. • Also for eczema, eliminate milk, soy and nuts from your baby's...

I knew exactly how I was going to look and feel when I was expecting. My pregnant profile would be buff-with-a-bump, outfitted in snug tops and hip-hugging jeans that would accentuate my belly. And while I'd had friends who gained (gasp!) 30-plus pounds during their pregnancies, I wasn't going to put on an ounce more than the advised 25. Imagine how shocked I was to find myself in sloppy sweats, craving cheeseburgers and dry-heaving into a trash can every five minutes. Crippled by exhaustion, I saw less of my gym as the months wore on. By the end, I had packed on 48 pounds, and only eight...

Even if you don't have the "designer" gene, these tips will help you plan a baby's room you'll love. 1. Look for inspiration If you can't decide how to decorate the baby's room, think about a few favorite things from your or your partner's childhood or ask grandparents for items of sentimental value to help spark inspiration. "You also can get ideas from a flower, animal or color theme," say Michele Adams and Gia Russo of the Los Angeles-based design team MiGi. "Browsing fabrics and ribbons can also inspire decorative ideas." 2. Don't overdo...