Pregnancy & Babyhood Articles I've Written

I've been writing for Baby Gaga, a pregnancy and babyhood site, for over a year now. It's been a while since I last updated you with the articles, and I no longer have this blog's Facebook page to post them. I get bonuses for the more views I get, so please read and share! It only takes a click. Tell me which one is your favorite or what topics you'd like me to write about! Thank you :)

100+ American Patriotic Baby Names

Problems Petite Women Face During Pregnancy

25 Colors That Make Unique Baby Names

En Caul Births Explained

10 Celebs That Would Make the Cutest Babies

25 Baby Girl Names Inspired by Flowers

15 Places You Should Put a Baby Gate

15 of the Best New Products of 2016 for Baby and Mom

8 Things You Learn About Yourself Through Your Pregnancy

How to Come Through "Mommy Wars" Without a Scratch

7 Ways to Deal With Unwanted Pregnancy Advice From In-Laws

Unique Baby Names

No, I'm not pregnant again, but it's always good to be on the lookout for cute names. I came across most of these in an Etsy forum discussion. I seem to like Greek names. And you can tell I'm hoping for a girl next!

Boy

• Orion: Justin likes this one. It sounds strong, just like the hunter in the constellation.
• Atlas : I like this one better. Remember, it was a name before it meant a collection of maps!

Girl

• Penelope: Penny is a cute nickname too.
• Athena: My favorite! The goddess of wisdom.
• Athea: A variation of the above.
• Avaline: I like it pronounced "lean" not "line."
• Alouette: Cute in theory, but this is one I wouldn't use, because the way I pronounce it (silent e at the end) makes it sound like an Italian guy saying "all wet."
• Wren: I first came across this one years ago in the comic strip Baby Blues. I didn't like it then, but now I think it's cute.
• Red: In the TV show Once Upon a Time, Little Red Riding Hood simply goes by Red and I love it!
• Felicity: Yes, like the American Girl doll. Justin doesn't care for it, but his mom does!

Other names I like that aren't unique

• Lucy: Justin thinks it's too old fashioned.
• Delilah: Lovely, but unusable because she was a bad girl in the Bible.
• Sophia: Everyone and their dog are named Sophia, so I wouldn't use it, but it's still a pretty name.

Which do you like? What other unique baby names are your favorites?

Cool Names I'm Not Dumb Enough to Give My Kids

We all know what quirky names celebrities give their poor children. Here are a few words I think would make pretty names but would never actually use. Before you think I'm too weird, remember that many traditional names are also words, such as Heather and Jack.

Meadow
Sequoia
Ballerina
Sailor
Soliloquy
Canyon (I've heard of a boy with this name)

What names do you like but would never give your kids?

Choosing the Perfect Middle Name

There are so many resources out there on how to choose the perfect baby name that we often forget about the baby’s middle name. A baby’s middle name can be just as fun to choose as, if not more fun to choose than, the first name. Use these tips to choose the perfect middle name for your baby.

• Family names make good middle names if you would like to honor a family member or relative but do not like the person’s name as a first name, especially if it is old-fashioned or in another language. Our son's middle name is his great-grandfather's name (and my husband's middle name). The same idea applies to the names of friends and other important people in your life.
• Your maiden name could be a middle name if you want to honor your family name without hyphenating it with your new last name. This idea also works for Latino families who live in the U.S.: my nieces and nephews all have two names as first names and “Huerta” (my sister-in-law’s maiden name) as their middle name.
• If you like a certain letter but cannot agree on a middle name or you want to honor two people whose names have the same initial letter, simply use the letter. For example, my half-brother’s middle name is just the letter L because his parents couldn’t agree on what it stood for.
• Quirky names are good for middle names because your baby can be unique without having to deal with the problems of having a weird—or weirdly spelled—first name, and because middle names are minimally used. For example, one friend of a friend gave his baby boy the middle name “Pez” because he obsessively collects Pez dispensers.
• If there is no special name you already have in mind, then pick a few other names that you like. Try them out with the chosen first name to see which one goes best. Listen for a nice flow.
• If your baby has two first names, such as Mary Ann, then consider not adding a middle name. Keep things simple for your baby.
• Remember to consider what the baby's initials would be.