It’s a tummy soother. Breast milk is not only easier going down, it’s easier staying down … and easier going out. Breastfed babies are less likely to have tummy troubles (including excessive gas or spitting up) and almost never become constipated (formula can sometimes clog up the works). And although their poops are normally quite soft, nursers rarely have diarrhea. In fact, breast milk appears to reduce the risk of digestive upset both by keeping harmful microorganisms in check and by encouraging the growth of beneficial ones. You know the much-touted pre-

Part 1 First Things First

Booze and Your Boys Hoping to toast some big baby news soon? You might want to consider swapping your accustomed toasting beverage before that big news even comes through, or cutting back on how many toasts you make during conception season. Too much alcohol (as you may have been dismayed to discover at one point or another) can impair a guy’s sexual function — a function you’re now counting on. But worse than that, research indicates that daily heavy drinking can damage sperm as well as reduce their number (in some men, even one or two beers or glasses of wine is enough to temporarily keep the boys down). Too many rounds on a regular basis can also alter testicular function and reduce testosterone levels (not a good scenario when you’re trying to make a baby). Heavy drinking (equivalent to two drinks a day or five drinks in one sitting even once a month) by the dad-to-be during the month prior to conception could also affect your baby’s birthweight. So for best baby-making results, your best bet is to drink only occasionally and lightly — or