Magazine

A folded pile of soft muslin baby washcloths sitting next to a baby bathtub

The Brutal Truth About Baby Washcloths And Infant Bath Time

I'm currently staring at a grayish ring of curdled formula trapped in the third chin fold of my toddler. It smells vaguely like a frat house basement. My mother-in-law would probably tell me to fetch the soap and a heavy...

Read more

A tired mom holding a slippery baby next to a bathtub filled with plastic soap bottles

The Ugly Truth About Baby Wash and That Famous Newborn Smell

I was standing in the middle of Target, heavily pregnant with my second, actively sniffing a plastic bottle of yellow shampoo while my oldest kid scratched his eczema patches until they bled. I remember looking at the ingredients list, which...

Read more

A mother holding her red-haired baby in the grocery store aisle

What You Actually Need to Know About a Baby With Red Hair Now

I was standing in the middle of aisle four at H-E-B, holding two packs of store-brand diapers and trying to calculate if I had enough energy to make it to the frozen food section for a frozen pizza. My baby...

Read more

A wooden baby gym with hanging animal toys over a soft rug

Baby Oil Memes, Skincare Myths, and Our Cradle Cap Disaster

It was 3:14 AM. The blue glow of my phone was illuminating Twin A's aggressively gripping fist, which was currently tangled in my collarbone. I was scrolling blindly with my free thumb, desperate to keep my brain awake while the...

Read more

Tired mother holding a sleeping baby wearing an organic cotton bodysuit

Put down the loves baby soft perfume before you hold my baby

The pink bottle appeared out of nowhere while I was trying to figure out how to ice my perineum. My mother-in-law had cornered me in the hospital recovery room, brandishing a vintage bottle of Loves Baby Soft perfume like it...

Read more

Confused dad looking at a pink bottle of baby oil next to a squirming infant

Debugging the Johnson's Baby Oil Skin Hydration Myth for Dads

My hands are slick with a ridiculous amount of synthetic fragrance and highly refined petroleum, and my eleven-month-old son is currently sliding across the living room hardwoods like an aggressive, giggling hockey puck. It's a Tuesday evening. I'm trying to...

Read more

Sarah holding a yellow bottle of baby shampoo while her toddler splashes water everywhere in a messy bathtub.

The Big Myth About Johnson Baby Shampoo (And What I Use Now)

I was sitting on the cold, unforgiving bathroom tile in my favorite pair of ancient, bleach-stained yoga pants. It was exactly 8:14 PM on a Tuesday. Maya, who was two at the time and going through a truly unhinged phase...

Read more

Sarah sitting on a beige bathroom rug holding a half-empty bottle of baby oil next to cold coffee

The weird, messy truth about baby mineral oil: A letter to past me

Dear Sarah from last November, You're sitting on the beige bathroom rug at 2 AM. You're wearing those faded black leggings that have a hole near the left knee, you're freezing, and you're drinking your third cup of lukewarm coffee...

Read more

Tired dad researching jelly baby safety guidelines on his phone while holding jars

The Complete Jelly Baby Survival Guide For Overthinking Dads

Dear Marcus from six months ago. It’s me, future Marcus. Our kid is 11 months old now, and I know exactly what you're doing. You're currently standing in aisle four of the Hawthorne Fred Meyer at 9:15 PM, holding a...

Read more