This Is Pregnancy Over 40

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/16/parenting/pregnant-over-40-newsletter.html

Version 0 of 1.

A roundup of new guidance and stories from NYT Parenting.

That wail echoing throughout your house in the middle of the night? It’s got an accent, according to Dr. Kathleen Wermke, a German scientist whose team decodes newborns’ cries. They’re helping medical professionals catch speech delays and giving parents new communication tools. (Visiting Dr. Wermke’s lab made for adorable photos too — see below.)

Also new to the site this week, Reyhan Harmanci investigated how being pregnant over 40 could affect her and the 100,000 other Americans who give birth in their 40s each year. Dr. Jen Gunter debunked seven fertility myths and shared her personal experiences caring for very premature twins. “While other new parents were figuring out mobiles or vibrating chairs, I was learning how to change a regulator on an oxygen tank,” she wrote. And, with the holidays coming up, Christina Caron outlined some factors to consider before buying your child a device.

A special thanks to those who shared stories about parental imposter syndrome. You can find some of them here. Have a great weekend!

— Jessica Grose, lead editor, NYT Parenting

A researcher in Germany is working to decode newborns’ cries.

Read about what she’s learned.

Is it responsible or smart to try to have kids at 40? Risk is a squishy concept.

What to know.

No, lying flat after sex won’t increase your chances of conception.

Other common misconceptions.

When we focus only on prematurity survivors, we erase that experience, for the parent and the child.

What we need to start talking about.

“I think the parent remains the best parental control,” said an assistant professor of pediatrics. “There’s no technology that replaces your own eyes and ears.”

Yoo-Lee Yea, 43, of Seattle, said she is still flooded sometimes by the “what if”s.

Overcoming imposter syndrome.

Parenting can be a grind. Let’s celebrate the tiny victories.

On a long, tantrum-filled Sunday my husband and I decided to take our 2-year-old twins to the nature center to see the blub blubs (fishies), but just as we reached the doors we discovered they were closed! We quickly diverted to a nearby pet store where they could happily watch the cheap aquarium fish for nearly an hour. — Kelley Feighan, Cleveland, Ohio

If you want a chance to get your Tiny Victory published, find us on Instagram @NYTparenting and use the hashtag #tinyvictories; email us; or enter your Tiny Victory here. Include your full name and location. Tiny Victories may be edited for clarity and style. Your name, location and comments may be published, but your contact information will not. By submitting to us, you agree that you have read, understand and accept the Reader Submission Terms in relation to all of the content and other information you send to us.