The Worst (And Best) States To Have A Baby

TOP OF MIND

What is…
The O-Shot? No, not Ozempic.

The important bits:
There's a new "O-Shot" in town, and its target? Unsatisfied moms in their 40s. The non-surgical injection promises to boost sex drives, increase sexual pleasure, and even rejuvenate the vagina.

The treatment uses platelet rich plasma (PRP), which is essentially your blood, but with the red and white blood cells removed. It's enriched with platelets and various growth factors that can help with healing. The O-Shot, activated with your own platelets, is injected into the vaginal and clitoral area to stimulate new cell growth.

One shot costs around $1800, but it's good for up to a year, so you could look at it as a $150 a month premium subscription service for one's vagina.

And while some mothers swear by this procedure, claiming it cured their dead bedroom, a handful of medical experts aren't as convinced.

OB/GYN Dr. Jen Gunter wrote an entire blog denouncing the procedure, arguing there is no scientific proof that it works. She also questions its safety.

What's it all mean?
If you've heard your friends talking about this miracle shot and you're thinking about getting it, please discuss it with a trusted medical professional beforehand. And if injecting your vagina with plasma doesn't sound appealing to you, there are other ways you can try improving intimacy in the bedroom.

DID YOU HEAR

The BEST state to have a baby
Wallethub just posted its 2023 list of the Best and Worst States to Have A Baby. States were ranked in several categories, including costs of childbirth and early child care, infant and child mortality rates, parental leave policies and family-friendliness.

The best state? Massachusetts. The worst? Mississippi. Check to see where your state ranks here.

This is how you should talk to your children
Struggling to have a meaningful conversation with your kid? You're probably overthinking it. Psychotherapist Tina Payne Bryson walks you through the process, and it all starts with the simple idea of treating your kids as people who have their own interests, insights and personalities.

6 back-to-school tips from a teacher
You've likely been inundated with back-to-school advice, but how much of that advice has come from an actual teacher? This elementary school teacher was nice enough to share six strategies that should help your little one thrive as they head back to school.

My baby? MY NAME!
Twitter debates are nothing new, but lawyer Dr. Charlotte Proudman sparked quite the parley recently when she explained why babies should take their mother's surname. The tweet, which has been viewed over 4 million times, cites the fact that women carry the baby for nine months and go through painful (and sometimes dangerous) births.

"Why is the father's surname more important than yours?" Proudman asks in the tweet, which will surely end with more than a few husbands sleeping on the couch.

Moms on mushrooms
This mom claims the key to being a great parent is microdosing on mushrooms.

Here we were thinking it was patience.

A DOSE OF GOOD

JUST FOR YOU

Bites: Taco Tuesday! We love tacos for their endless versatility and customize-ability. With one meal you can easily satisfy everyone in your family. And while we all know and love the classic ground-beef-and-hard-corn-shell taco, why not try a tasty alternative? Like these Shredded Chicken Sweet and Spicy Korean inspired Bulgogi BBQ tacos or these fish tacos with a creamy sauce.

Aesthetics: Finding a skin-care routine that actually works for you is already a difficult process, but add in being pregnant on top of it? Yikes! How do you know which products are still safe to use while pregnant? Do you need to throw everything out? Will your skin ever be the same again? Never fear. A team of dermatologists, doulas and OB/GYNs have curated the best pregnancy and postpartum skin-care routine.

Gizmos: Nightlights have gotten a major upgrade the past few years. Sure, their main purpose is still to keep the nighttime monsters away, but they can now also help your kids stay asleep and establish healthy bedtime routines. Best of all? You control the lights with an app!

HERE’S A QUESTION

Last week we asked at what age should kids be allowed to surf the web. 12-15 was the top answer, with 8-11 coming in second.

RECALLS

Over 100,000 Simplay3 Toddler Towers are being recalled due to the potential for injuries, including serious head trauma.

What happened?
The company received over one dozen reports of its Toddler Tower product tipping over while in use, resulting in at least 10 injuries, including six head contusions. The voluntary recall impacts at least 100,000 units sold in the United States and Canada between 2018 and 2023.

The towers were sold in toy stores nationwide, as well as on Amazon, Walmart.com and Target.com.

You can check to see if you have a recalled tower by locating the model number, which is printed on the base of the tower. Towers with the model number 41807 are directly impacted by the recall.

For more information you can call Simplay3 at 1-866-855-0100, or visit their recall page here.