Hand Jacob the crown! For the fourteenth year in a row, Jacob is king of baby boy names, at least in America. In Italy, Francesco reigns supreme, followed closely by Alessandro and Andrea. In England and Wales, Harry, Oliver, and Jack top the baby name list. Popular names in Germany include Ben, Luca, and Paul, and in Spain, nurseries are full of Daniels, Hugos, and Alejandros.  

Read on to discover the Top 10 baby boy names across the world!

United States

1.    Jacob

2.    Mason

3.    Ethan

4.    Noah

5.    William

6.    Liam

7.    Jayden

8.    Michael

9.    Alexander

10. Aiden

Italy

1.    Francesco

2.    Alessandro

3.    Andrea

4.    Lorenzo

5.    Matteo

6.    Gabriele

7.    Mattia

8.    Leonardo

9.    David

10. Riccardo

United KIngdom

1.    Harry

2.    Oliver

3.    Jack

4.    Charlie

5.    Jacob

6.    Thomas

7.    Alfie

8.    Riley

9.    William

10. James

Australia

1.    William

2.    Jack

3.    Oliver

4.    Noah

5.    Ethan

6.    Thomas

7.    Lucas

8.    James

9.    Cooper

10. Jackson/Jaxon

Germany

1.    Ben

2.    Luca/Luka

3.    Paul

4.    Lukas/Lucas

5.    Finn/Fynn

6.    Jonas

7.    Leon

8.    Luis/Loius

9.    Maximilian

10. Felix

India

1.    Aarav

2.    Vivaan

3.    Aadi

4.    Vihaan

5.    Atharv

6.    Sai

7.    Krishna

8.    Mohammed

9.    Aryan

10. Arjun

Chile

1.    Benjamin

2.    Vicente

3.    Martin

4.    Matias

5.    Joaquin

6.    Agustin

7.    Cristobal

8.    Maximilian

9.    Sebastian

10. Tomas

 Turkey

1.    Berat

2.    Yusaf

3.    Emir

4.    Mustafa

5.    Mehmet

6.    Ahmet

7.    Muhammed

8.    Omer

9.    Emirhan

10. Cinar

Spain

1.    Daniel

2.    Hugo

3.    Alejandro

4.    Pablo

5.    Alvaro

6.    Adrian

7.    David

8.    Diego

9.    Mario

10.    Javier

Photo by Picsea on Unsplash

Hundreds of thousands of babies are born each day, and although each is wonderfully unique, many share a common baby name.

Last year, America’s favorite baby girl names included Sophia, Emma, and Isabella. Italians were drawn to a similar top pick -- Sofia -- but also loved Giula and Martina. Aussies adored names like Charlotte, Ruby, and Lilly, and Indians named their baby girls Saanvi, Angel, and Pari.

Internationally popular girl names included Sophia, Olivia, Ava, Emma or Emily, and Mia. If you’re looking for an unusual baby name -- at least in the States -- why not consider Esra? It was the sixth most popular name in Turkey last year!

United States

1.    Sophia

2.    Emma

3.    Isabella

4.    Olivia

5.    Ava

6.    Emily

7.    Abigail

8.    Mia

9.    Madison

10. Elizabeth

Italy

1.    Sofia

2.    Giulia

3.    Martina

4.    Giorgia

5.    Sara

6.    Emma

7.    Aurora

8.    Chiara

9.    Alice

10. Alessia

United Kingdom

1.    Amelia

2.    Olivia

3.    Jessia

4.    Emily

5.    Lily

6.    Ava

7.    Mia

8.    Isla

9.    Sophia

10. Isabella

Australia

1.    Charlotte

2.    Ruby

3.    Lilly/Lily

4.    Olivia

5.    Chloe

6.    Sophie

7.    Emily

8.    Mia

9.    Amelia

10. Ava

Germany

1.    Mia

2.    Emma

3.    Hannah/Hanna

4.    Lea/Leah

5.    Sofia/Sophia

6.    Anna

7.    Lena

8.    Leonie/Leoni

9.    Lina

10. Marie

India

1.    Saanvi

2.    Angel

3.    Pari

4.    Diya

5.    Ananya

6.    Aadhya

7.    Pihu

8.    Khushi

9.    Kavya

10. Avni

Chile

1.    Martina

2.    Sofia

3.    Florence

4.    Valentina

5.    Isidora

6.    Antonella

7.    Antonia

8.    Emilia

9.    Catalina

10. Fernanda

Turkey

1.    Zeynep

2.    Elif

3.    Merve

4.    Busra

5.    Fatma

6.    Esra

7.    Irem

8.    Ayse

9.    Kubra

10. Emine

Spain

1.    Lucia

2.    Maria

3.    Paula

4.    Daniela

5.    Sara

6.    Carla

7.    Martina

8.    Sofia

9.    Julia

10.    Alba

Photo by Cristina Anne Costello on Unsplash

Chances are that as a mom-to-be, you read up on baby development statistics and may even know the details by heart. But if you have a preterm birth, you’ll need to readjust your expectations. Technically, a preterm birth is the arrival of a baby after less than 37 weeks of pregnancy, though your doctor may also define the birth as “late preterm” (34-37 weeks of pregnancy), “very preterm” (less than 32 weeks) or “extremely preterm” (less than 25 weeks). But don’t worry: Preemies tend to develop and grow well, though for a while they’ll lag behind their full-term friends. Here’s what you need to know about your preemie’s growth and development.

Do the math. In order to track your baby’s development, you’ll need to adjust her age. For example, if your baby is 10 weeks old, but was born 5 weeks prematurely, subtract 5 from 10 and you’ll see that she’s actually 5 weeks old in terms of reaching milestones. So while a full-term baby should make eye contact and smile socially by 2 months of age, you’ll need to wait 5 more weeks to see these tricks from your preemie.

Look for improvement. Just because your preemie is progressing at a different rate than others doesn’t mean she won’t be moving forward. Take note of each skill she masters (crawling, waving, walking) and be sure to let the doctor know if she seems to be losing ground (she used to be sitting up well, but now she’s toppling over, for example).

Hold her close. A preemie will benefit greatly from “kangaroo care” or being held skin-to-skin. Lying closely with mom (or dad!) will help boost your preemie’s development in many ways: She’ll cry less, her heartbeat tends to stabilize, her weight may increase, and it’ll improve her ability to breast- or bottle-feed. Find a private spot with a comfy chair and position your preemie so that she can lie underneath your clothing, directly on your chest. Your baby doesn’t need to wear anything except a Pampers diaper because your body heat will keep her warm.

Compared to other babies you know, your preemie’s growth may seem slow at times, but know that this is normal. Talk to your pediatrician if you have any concerns, and remember that, whether or not you can imagine it now, your tiny new baby will soon turn into a boisterous big kid. So savor these precious baby days!

Pregnancy may seem like a great excuse to become a regular at your local bakery or ice cream shop, but even if you’re aching for sweets daily, that doesn’t mean you should give in to your cravings on a regular basis. In fact, a healthy diet is a must for your baby’s development. But while eating a wide array of fruits, veggies, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein can give you most of the nutrients you and your developing baby need, it’s still possible to fall short on a few key factors. This is where vitamins come in. Read on for all you need to know about taking prenatal supplements when you’re having a baby.

Reach for the right jar. Moms-to-be have an array of multivitamins to choose from, but it’s important to reach for prenatal vitamins. These are specifically formulated with more folic acid and iron, two key nutrients for your baby’s development. Folic acid helps prevent brain and spinal cord abnormalities, while iron helps ward off the chance of anemia during pregnancy. Prenatal supplements also help you meet your daily requirement of other vitamins, such as calcium, which boosts your baby’s bone strength, and vitamin D, which lowers the risk of dangerous birthing complications.

Choose carefully. Ask your doctor if they have a preferred brand of prenatal supplements. If not, look for a jar that meets the following requirements: 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid, 250 milligrams of calcium, 30 milligrams of iron, 50 milligrams of vitamin C, 15 milligrams of zinc, 2 milligrams of both copper and vitamin B-6, and 400 international units of vitamin D.

Know the proper dosage. Be sure to carefully read the dosage instructions before taking your prenatal, and ask your doctor if you’ll need any additional supplements. Some new moms may need an extra dosage of certain vitamins, such as omega-3 fatty acids. And if your prenatal vitamins are making you feel nauseous, bring that up too, as your doctor may prescribe another type of supplement. 

Prenatal vitamins help give your body the best shot at a healthy pregnancy, but remember that they are not an excuse to eat a poor diet. Loading up on wholesome, nutritious foods in addition to taking a regular supplement will put you in great shape for having a healthy baby.

Photo by Adam Nieścioruk on Unsplash

Think about the last time you got a soothing massage. Felt pretty good, right? So it’s no wonder that a rubdown feels wonderful for your new baby, too. But there might be more to a baby massage than meets the eye. You already know that babies are soothed and calmed by a loving mother’s touch, but research actually suggests that massaging your baby from time to time can help him grow and thrive. Read on for how a rubdown can benefit your new baby and tips for giving your own baby massage at home.

The benefits: For starters, experts say that infant massage helps ease constipation and strengthen the immune system in new babies. It’s also been known to calm baby crying, and can help soothe them to sleep. If that’s not enough, experts say baby massage can even help your infant with his muscle development. Of course, you should always follow your baby’s cues. If he’s simply not in the mood for a rubdown, no amount of your soothing touches will help.

The how-to of baby massage: The first thing you’ll need is a lubricant or lotion that’s safe for your new baby’s skin. Some people even like to use vegetable oil, since it’s usually readily available in the house and is easily absorbed by your baby’s skin. Plus, it’s digestible in case your little one gets some in his mouth. After picking out your baby massage lubricant of choice, give your baby a rubdown from head to toe.

• For his head: When approaching your baby’s head, gently place your hands on both sides and run them up and down both sides of his body, all the way down to his toes.
• For his face: If he’ll let you, use your thumb to gently draw a smile on your new baby’s face by stroking from cheek to cheek.
• For his tummy: Use your fingertips to draw an oval below your baby’s belly button, then massage across his belly from one side to the other in an ‘X’ pattern.
• For his back: If your baby – of any age -- is awake, you can lay him on his stomach and try gently stroking his back from side to side, then up and down.
• For his legs and feet: Holding your new baby’s heel in one hand, use your other hand to stroke his leg from the top of his thigh down to his ankle, gently squeezing as you move down. When you get to his feet, rub them with your thumbs, and then switch legs. Repeat these strokes for your baby’s arms and hands.

It might take some time for you and your little one to get into a baby massage rhythm, but once you do, you’ll likely see a difference in his mood when the massaging starts. For new babies especially, there’s really nothing else like it.