Happy Monday,

One thing my wife and I have talked about recently is when if ever it gets easier to hear your kid cry or to see them in discomfort. As parents, we’re willing to go through any lengths to ensure that our kids are always protected, happy and comfortable. But sometimes that isn’t possible.

For example, my daughter got stung by a bee on Thursday for the first time. Now, we can look back and make up excuses as to how we wish we would have seen the bee first and other ways we could have potentially stopped her from getting stung. But, the fact of the matter is that it was a beautiful warm day sandwiched in between days with freezing temperatures and she was so glad to be outside. And on the bright side, at least we know she isn’t allergic now…

We can’t always be there to stop these things from happening, no matter how hard we try or how good our intentions are. Though it pains us to see her cry, I know that these are all learning moments and help them to understand their boundaries just a little bit more. Hopefully, the next time she sees a bee, she’ll hesitate before she tries to grab it.

Trending Stories & Insights

• Push and push and push: In a recent interview, a NYC-based clinical social worker, psychoanalyst, and parenting expert says that parents need to take their foot off the gas. In a world that is more competitive than ever, her advice for parents is to be "self-aware” and to “really think about how you define success in your child’s life”

• Urging caution: As parents, we’re familiar with anxiety and restlessness, and a new era of baby monitors that measure your baby’s vital signs (heart rate, pulse, etc) have sprung up. However, pediatricians are urging caution with these devices as well as some formulas, because they can give parents a false sense of security and over promise / under deliver

• Not walking the walk: The CEO of a Texas based-baby baby clothing company, Kyte Baby, has issued 2 apologies after she fired an employee after she requested to work remotely due to her child being in the NICU

Tip of the Day

• Midnight snack: A pediatric dietician shares 7 nutrient dense bedtime snack ideas

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One Big Idea

Protecting IVF Rights in a New Legal Landscape

Democratic lawmakers have recently introduced the Access to Family Building Act, a bill aimed at safeguarding the right to assisted reproductive technologies like IVF. This move comes amid concerns that strict anti-abortion laws in some states might inadvertently restrict access to IVF, a process where eggs are fertilized outside the body and later implanted in the uterus. Senator Tammy Duckworth, who co-authored the bill, used IVF to grow her family, and serves as a first hand witness to the significance of this act. It not only promises to enshrine the right to IVF in federal code but also addresses the complexities around the legal status of fertilized eggs, especially in states with stringent anti-abortion laws.

For many young and new parents, IVF represents a beacon of hope in their journey to parenthood. However, the overturning of Roe v. Wade has sparked anxieties about the availability and legality of such reproductive treatments. The Access to Family Building Act stands as a testament to the evolving nature of reproductive rights and the need for clarity in a post-Roe world. This legislation seeks to distinguish between the legal status of a fertilized egg in a clinical setting versus in utero, a distinction critical for the continuation and accessibility of IVF treatments. With about 2.3% of infants in the US conceived using assisted reproductive technology, this bill touches the lives of countless families, embodying a broader conversation about reproductive autonomy and the right to family building.

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