For More Information
Knowing where to look for information and ideas is key to good parenting. Many very informative sites offer the latest product safety recommendations as well as the option to subscribe to regular news updates via e-newsletter or RSS feeds. Here are some starting points on the Internet:
Your best bet for good new and used books about everything from how to conceive to raising your toddler. Check out lists of recommended books from other parents who've posted their favorites on the mega-bookstore site.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Before purchasing toys and furniture for baby, check out this site for the latest in safety information and product recalls. It's a definitive source.
Subscribe to this highly regarded magazine for parents and parents-to-be, or access articles through the archives.
Alert
Don't trust every piece of information you read online. Just because it appears on a Web site doesn't mean the information has been thoroughly checked out or verified. If you want the most accurate information, visit hospital, association, or brand name Web sites as authorities on the subject.
Postpartum Support International
This site is dedicated to the 20 percent of new moms who experience postpartum depression — the condition beyond the “baby blues.” It's a valuable resource for you or any other new mother you know who's feeling like her depression is insurmountable. Here you find local chapters of support groups that can be extremely helpful.
For stressed-out moms, here's a website that aims to preserve your sanity while informing you at the same time. It's a welcome (and sometimes comic!) relief.
Here is a terrific resource for parenting questions of all kinds, from newborn concerns to teen issues. It offers an extensive library, too.
This is expressly for actively involved dads. After you've visited it, you'll see why these great dads don't want to be known as “Mr. Moms.” After all, they are parents, too, and every bit as competent as moms!
This site contains resources and plenty of information in the form of a newsletter; you'll also find a bulletin board, a chat room, articles, and a list of experts on a variety of subjects.
Alert
Most online shopping experiences, especially with larger, more recognized sites such as Amazon.com or eBay.com, are safe places for credit card transactions since they use secure servers. Always look for the “https” to appear, with a warning box that you will be connected to a secure server, before entering your credit card information at any site.
This site helps you locate child-care professionals in your area.
This directory receives more than 20,000 searches a month from parents seeking child-care providers. A Child Care Parent Provider Information Network Web site.
If you're looking for the right nanny, this resource (constantly updated) is an excellent place to start.
