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Actress Ali Sweeney, 31, host of Biggest Loser, and husband Dave Sanoy are expecting baby No. 2, according to People magazine. The baby is due this winter and will join big brother Ben, who is 3.

Read more about Ali Sweeney here.

(7-08-08)

Tony Hawk, 40, pro skateboarder, and his wife, Lhotse, 35, welcomed a baby girl on June 30, according to People magazine. Kadence Clover Hawk weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces, and is the couple's first child together. Hawk already has three sons, Riley, 15, Spencer, 9, and Keegan, 6.

(7-08-08)

With warmer weather, extended daylight hours and a host of outdoor activities to enjoy every day, the summer season beckons all comers to take advantage of more time under the sun. With the official start of summer having launched, experts at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago warn against overexposure to the sun, which can lead to heat-related illness.

"Many people assume that applying sunscreen once in the morning is sufficient protection for the entire day," says Dr. Mary Martini, director of the Pigmented Lesion and Melanoma Clinic at Northwestern Memorial. "Sunscreen slows the effects of UV rays, but does not totally block them out. And sunscreen's effectiveness breaks down with sweating and swimming."

Dr. Martini recommends that sunscreen be reapplied every two to four hours if outdoors for prolonged periods of time. As she explains, ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is a major, and often underestimated, cause of skin damage. Sunburn is a common, and painful, signal of overexposure to UV rays. In fact, over 90 percent of all skin cancers, including tumorous growths such as basal cell carcinomas and melanomas, are associated with UV radiation. Sunscreen is a powerful, year-round safeguard against sun damage and is especially crucial during summer when more skin is exposed.

Following are recommendations of guidelines that can help when choosing and applying sunscreen:

For optimal results, identify broad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.

Those with allergies can try chemical-free sunscreens containing titanium or zinc oxide for hypoallergenic protection.

It's advisable that children under 6 months old be kept out of direct sun – period.

Sunscreens with an SPF between 30 and 50 are suitable for children ages 6 months to 12 years.

When applying sunscreen, don't forget to cover the entire body, including the ears, tops of the feet and along the scalp where the hair is parted.

Equally important to sunscreen is the prevention of heat exhaustion, which can occur when body temperatures rise to dangerous levels due to dehydration or overexertion in hot weather. One major culprit of heat exhaustion is the lack of proper liquid intake. Sweat acts as the body's natural cooling system. But sweating also means that the body is losing essential fluids and salts or electrolytes. Replenishing the body with water and/or sports drinks can help maintain that cooling system. Other measures to avoid heat exhaustion include the following:

Limiting time spent outdoors if you aren't accustomed to the heat.

Wearing loose clothing.

Avoiding strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest time of the day, which is typically between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Refraining from intensive outdoor activity in high humidity, which can hinder sweat from evaporating quickly and prevent the body from releasing heat effectively.

(7-08-08)

To reduce the number of shots that a child must endure, a federal advisory panel has endorsed two new combination vaccines. The panel gave its approval to a four-in-one shot from GlaxoSmithKline that protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio. The shot is administered once to children of preschool age. Also approved was a five-in-one shot from Sanofi Pasteur that protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and HiB. The shot is given in four doses by the age of 2.

(7-08-08)

In a country where childhood obesity is an epidemic, parents must be cautious of what they feed their children, starting in infancy. A recent article in The New York Times reports that all formulas contain added sugar, and that Similac Organic formula is sweetened with cane sugar (sucrose), a much sweeter sugar. Breast milk, on the other hand, provides the perfect nutrition for babies while reducing the risk of infections, chronic diseases and childhood obesity, says Lamaze International.

Added sugar in infant formula, specifically sucrose, is linked with several health risks, including damage to tooth enamel, a preference for more sweet foods and the inclination to overeat. Research shows that babies and children prefer sweeter foods and tend to eat more of it than foods that are less sweet. Babies who overeat and have rapid weight gain in the first year are more likely to become obese during childhood.

Breast milk, which contains no hidden ingredients, provides superior nutrients that cannot be duplicated in infant formulas. Breastfeeding provides nutritional, immunological and developmental benefits to children. Breastfed children have fewer incidences of respiratory infections and ear infections, and are leaner at one year than formula-fed children. Exclusive breastfeeding for a minimum of four months also decreases the risk of type 1 diabetes as well as the incidence of asthma and eczema.

"While parents' decision of how to feed their baby may seem inconsequential, it is a matter of optimal nutrition and health," says Lamaze International President Allison Walsh, IBCLC, LCCE, FACCE. "Mothers who breastfeed can feel confident knowing their babies are receiving the perfect nutrition – with no harmful added ingredients. Women are born to breastfeed and babies are born to be breastfed."

For more information, visit www.lamaze.org.

(7-08-08)

Many women experience emotional swings in the first two weeks after childbirth, commonly called the "baby blues." Symptoms include crying spells, sadness, irritability and difficulty sleeping.

"A woman who has just given birth experiences hormonal changes which may compound stressors such as financial or relationship problems, anxiety about motherhood or a lack of support, leaving a new mother more vulnerable to sadness," says Dr. Anna Brandon, staff psychologist of the Women's Mental Health Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

To cope with these feelings, Dr. Brandon suggests napping when the baby sleeps and asking for help with motherhood's physical and emotional demands from a partner or family, friends and support groups.

If these symptoms last longer than two weeks and keep a mom from functioning well, Dr. Brandon says a health care provider should be contacted right away. Longer duration and greater intensity could indicate an episode of Major Depressive Disorder with a postpartum onset.

"Although the baby blues generally resolve in a few days, postpartum depressive episodes beg attention to ensure the physical and emotional well-being of mother and child," Dr. Brandon says.

(7-08-08)

Actress Amy Jo Johnson, 37, best known for her role as Keri Russell's best friend, Julie Emrich, on Felicity, is pregnant with her first child, according to People magazine. The dad is her fiancé, Oliver Giner. Johnson will continue to shoot her new TV show, Flashpoint (CBS), while pregnant. The baby, her first, is due in late fall.

(7-01-08)

Shyness and a higher risk of learning difficulties and behavioral and emotional problems may be associated with low birth weight, according to a study in the journal Pediatrics. The study tracked 71 young adults that were born with extremely low birth weight. Compared to young adults born at normal weights, these individuals reported higher rates of shyness, behavioral inhibition and lower sociability and well-being.

(7-01-08)

Want to lighten your mood? Watch your baby smile, says a study in the journal Pediatrics. The study found that photos of smiling infants triggered activity in the reward centers of their mothers' brains. First-time moms were shown pictures of their infants' happy, sad and neutral faces. When they saw the happy photos, their brains "lit up" in areas associated with the neurotransmitter dopamine. Sad or neutral babies created less of a reaction.

(7-01-08)

Singer Charlotte Church, 22, and her boyfriend, rugby player Gavin Henson, 26, are expecting their second child. Ruby Megan, the couple's first child, was born in September 2007.

(6-24-08)