The best excuse ever! But for how long?

See that tiny little pink bundle in the photo above? It's all her fault. She is the reason:

photo from Better World Books

My daughter loves books—she has since she was just a few days old. When she cried, I'd put her in front of our tall bookshelves and she'd immediately stop. She'd just stare at all the book titles for a while and then she'd fall asleep. Now she won't nurse unless she has a book in her lap that she can flip through and "read." Books make her so happy, I can't imagine what her life would be like without them. But not every baby is so lucky. I was inspired when I read a post about Spiffing Up Used Board Books for Kids in Need on enviromom.

It's hard being a new mom (or even an experienced mom to a new baby) and sometimes we do things we know we shouldn't, despite what all the experts say. But this is a safe place to share your secrets—we won't tell.

This Week's Secret:

"When I'm in a hurry and my baby's diaper is just wet—no poop—I sometimes skip the wipe and just put on a new diaper. What's the big deal?" — anonymous

photo from Dr. Greene

Dr. Alan Greene, M.D., FAAP, (yes, that's really his name) is a holistic pediatrician and author of Raising Baby Green, a guide on raising happy, healthy children in an earth-friendly way. The book includes advice on the seven most important choices you can make for your newborn, eco ideas for the nursery, a comprehensive guide to green diapers, and more. He's also got a web site that's packed with all kinds of health information and advice about keeping your baby healthy. Check out my interview with Dr. Greene, below.

photo from Maya Wrap

I've been using a baby carrier since my daughter was born. My husband carried her in a sling, and I used a Baby Bjorn until she was about 9 months when I switched to an Ergo, which I love. A lot of moms in my community and here on CafeMom are fans of slings. But Consumer Reports recently published "Five Products Not to Buy for Your Baby," and slings were on the list. Why?

Photo from

Unmarried with Children

Salma Hayek had a big fancy wedding this weekend in Venice, Italy. Her groom, in case you don't know, was French billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault. The couple tied the knot in a civil ceremony in February in Paris, but that was still a while after their daughter Valentina Paloma, now 19 months, was born.

A West Virginia mother tried to sell her 5-month-old baby boy for $10,000 after failing to bond with it. Rebecca Sue Taylor, 19, told Leigh Burr, the woman she was trying to sell the baby to, that she needed money for her apartment. Burr had been talking to Taylor about being a surrogate mother for her when she offered to sell her son. Taylor later reduced her asking price to $5,000. Burr reported the offer to the police and Taylor was arrested. She is being held in jail with bail of $2,500. In West Virginia, offering to sell a child carries a fine of $100 to $2,000 and one to five years in prison.

Was it okay for Taylor to try to sell her baby? Do you think she should be fined or go to jail or both?

photo from Better World Books

Three days after having her baby boy Luke by C-section, Karen Piper was ready to take him home to the nursery she had lovingly prepared. But instead of getting the typical discharge papers to fill out, Piper was visited by uniformed police, a social worker, a psychiatrist, and assorted doctors and nurses.

Her baby had been placed on "medical hold" while government investigators considered whether Piper was fit to take Luke home. She had failed to bond with her baby, a nurse told Piper.

Why? Right after delivery, when she was woozy and exhausted, Piper mentioned to her doctor that she'd been hoping for a girl.

Apple Inc. apologized yesterday for its iPhone game "Baby Shaker." The app showed a picture of a baby on the screen and played a recording of a baby crying. The user had to shake her iPhone until red X's appeared in the baby's eyes and it stopped crying. Here's a video of how the 99 cent game worked:

photo by LexsiesMommy

The backlash against breastfeeding continues, but why? — Babble

Feling bad about your parenting skills? No mom is perfect. — Big Kid Buzz

Are you annoyed by babies on planes? — The Mommy Files