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Halloween is practically a rite of passage for American kids.

Candy, costumes, parties and other fun festivities make it an exciting annual event. But it can also be quite dangerous if everyone’s not totally careful — masks, candles, strangers and germs can make the evening less than pleasant.

We spoke with pet and baby safety expert Debra Holtzman, author of The Safe Baby, Expanded and Revised: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Home Safety and Healthy Living, to get her tips on keeping Halloween fun instead of frightful.

1. Make sure costumes are flame-resistant, well-fitting and flexible. Be sure accessories follow these guidelines, too. If any pieces are baggy or long, be sure to tailor them. “Children should wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes, as well,” says Holtzman. “This will help prevent trips and falls.”

2. Consider non-toxic makeup instead of a mask. “Facial gear can can obstruct the child’s vision or restrict breathing,” cautions Holtzman. “If they do wear a mask, make sure the child can see and breathe easily.”

3. Do not let children under the age of 12 go trick-or-treating or cross the street without the supervision of an adult. For guidance and safety sake, accompany younger children to the door of every home or apartment they visit. “Make sure to stay on well-lighted streets, too,” says Holtzman.

4. Be sure that teens go trick-or-treating in a group. “They should be taught to only stop at familiar homes and those with an outside light on,” shares Holtzman. “Make sure they know that they should not go inside any home or apartment.” Give teens a cell phone to carry with them, too.

5. Illuminate jack-o-lanterns with flashlights or glow sticks. Avoid candles as they can pose a danger for trick-or-treaters who may come in contact with the open flames and ignite their costumes.

6. As a parent, tote a bag filled with Halloween-night essentials. Holtzman recommends carrying a fully-charged cell phone pre-programmed with numbers for doctors, poison control and family members; flashlights and reflective tape; alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers; bandages and antiseptic wipes; and bottled water with some healthy snacks.

Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale must be over the moon about the arrival of their new son, Zuma Nesta Rock. While the second-time parents know their baby basics, this time around, they’ll need to help big brother Kingston James McGregor, 2, adjust to life as a sibling. To help the family work through any rivalry issues between Kingston and Zuma, we consulted baby care experts Dr. William Sears, author of more than 30 parenting books, including The Baby Book, and Jennifer Waldburger, co-author of The Sleepeasy Solution.

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We can only imagine how happy and excited the Jolie-Pitt family must be with their new arrivals, Vivienne Marcheline and Knox Léon. However, we also know they must be feeling a few other things as well… like tired! To help them and their family get a little more peace and rest these first few manic weeks, we consulted some of our favorite baby care experts: Dr. Harvey Karp, author of The Happiest Baby on the Block, Cheryl Lage, author of Twinspiration: Real-Life Advice from Pregnancy through the First Year and Dr. William Sears, author of more than 30 parenting books, including The Baby Book. Here’s what they recommend for Angelina and Brad.

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I was bothered by what Salma Hayek said on Oprah about women who lose weight when breastfeeding not eating enough and that weight loss while breastfeeding is a lie. I know from my personal experience that it isn’t a lie – I ate well, didn’t intentionally exercise (I took a lot of stroller walks), and still lost all of my pregnancy weight and then some. Many friends, relatives and others have shared similar stories to me. I do know, however, that many women do not lose weight at all while breastfeeding or not until their child weans. So I asked an expert, lactation consultant Catherine Genna, BS, IBCLC, about the weight loss. Here’s what she said:

People with gestational diabetes [like Salma] have a 33% chance of getting type 2diabetes in their lifetime, so their carbohydrate metabolism is alreadyproblematic. Type 2 diabetes rates are strongly linked to obesity,though genetics play a role as well. Breastfeeding protects women fromtype 2 diabetes, even 10 years after their baby weans. So there is a lotgoing on that we don’t fully understand.

Women are primed to put on fat during pregnancy to support lactation.Lactation is a fairly energy efficient process. The body changes the wayit does things (absorbs more nutrients from food, reabsorbs more calciumfrom the kidneys) to be more efficient while breastfeeding. The "old"studies that CALCULATED that women needed 500 extra calories a dayduring breastfeeding are likely responsible for some of the "not losingweight" during breastfeeding. We make up for the extra calories with ourfat stores and by reduced activity while we sit and breastfeed ourbabies. Studies that actually measured weight loss (rather thancalculating by some proxy measure) showed that breastfeeding women onaverage lose more weight than women who don’t breastfeed.

The big problem is that our bodies are designed for hunter-gathering,and we now have access to tons of food without having to walk or dig orhunt to get it. Being reasonably active after birth and eating a widevariety of foods with as little processing as possible (apples ratherthan apple pie or apple granola bars) will result in a healthier body.

Unfortunately in the US the cheapest foods are the most processed; themost fat, sugar and salt laden; and the least nutrient dense. This meansthat many people in poverty are undernourished even while they areobese. TV or video/computer games are the safest thing your kids can doin an urban neighborhood. They are inside, away from the dangers of thestreet. This promotes obesity too. Many of us were not breastfedourselves, which also affects our number of fat cells and ourmetabolism. Our social activities mostly involve eating, and sittingstill. We have a lot of Standard American Diet (SAD) to overcome beforewe can see how our bodies are supposed to be. 

If you breastfed, what was your experience losing weight? Did you lose weight or hang onto it until you stopped? If you had gestational diabetes and breastfed, what was your postpartum weight loss experience? If you formula fed one child and breastfed another, what kind of difference did you notice in terms of weight loss?

Note: Please keep comments limited to the questions asked about nursing and weight loss, not about breast vs. formula in general. If you’d like to discuss Salma’s interview, please head to the original post.

Liz Lange is practically a maternity expert.  Not only does she have two children of her own, but she spends every working day of her life counseling mothers-to-be on everything from diaper bags to diapers.  Please see below for some tips on how expecting mothers can look their best even when they feel their worst.

1.  Dress
“The best thing to do on the days you feel enormous is to actually show off your pregnancy."

Liz strongly urges all expecting mothers to find maternity clothing that fits them properly. Just as in your non-pregnancy life, clothing that is too tight or too loose can make you look and feel larger. Another quick fix for when you are feeling down about your new size? Try what Liz calls “dipping,” which is dressing from top to bottom in one color such as black or dark brown.

2.  Beauty
“Nothing wakes up your look like mascara, even if you can’t stand makeup, invest in a good black mascara to instantly revive your appearance. It’s like a cup of coffee for tired eyes.”

Liz also suggests treating yourself to a facial every few weeks to really let the glow of maternity shine through. Even if you have never had a facial before in your life, starting during pregnancy is a wise time as many women undergo dramatic complexion changes and need to be re-educated on how to care for their new skin.

3.  Exercise
“You’re first impulse might be to veg out in front of the TV when you feel crummy, but you should do just the opposite. Don’t worry, you don’t need to run a marathon, but just a simple walk around the block will get your heart pumping and jumpstart your spirits.”

Liz also recommends that women try to schedule some moderate exercise at least 2-3 times a week during their pregnancy. It aids in circulation and strengthens the body for labor. Liz always suggests consulting a doctor before starting any exercise routine, however.

Do you have any tips for banishing the pregnancy blahs?

Angelina Jolie has just adopted a son, Pax Thien Jolie, from Vietnam.  What will life be like for the newly enlarged Jolie-Pitts clan?  We spoke to Carrie Craft, About.com’s Adoption/Foster Care Guide, about the challenges and joys Angelina, Brad, Pax, and the rest of the family face may face with the new addition to their family and why some people are complaining.  

Pax is 3 1/2 years old.  What are the benefits and difficulties in adopting a child this age- one who is no longer a newborn,  infant or toddler but not of schoolage? I can imagine the language barrier could be significant as the child is older.
Benefits: I think being done with “baby stuff” is a benefit, but that may not be true for other parents.
Challenges: I keep thinking of attachment issues as this is a problem with a lot of adoptions.  Babies rely on us for everything so attachment through holding and feeding can come more naturally.  Angelina and Brad will have to do a lot of work to attach to this child and help him work through his fears and the language barrier (The orphanage could have taught him some English which may be a possibility.).

Pax was called by another name at the orphanage- Pham Quang Sang- but Angelina has changed his name.  Can a name change be an issue for older children?
A name change may cause problems down the road for him inregards to attachment and identity issues as a teen.  The report said that she was very emotional trying to calm him as he wascrying.  She is a stranger to him.  This MAY be a different adoptionexperience for Angelina. 

How common it is for Americans to adopt from Vietnam?
Vietnam just opened back up to the US for adoption in September 2005.  So in 2005 only 6 kids were adopted from Vietnam.  2006 found 163 Vietnamese children finding homes in the US.  Vietnam fell into spot number 14 in the top 20 countries for international adoption in 2006.   There are more toddler boys available than toddler girls, so this isn’t a surprise [that they adopted a boy]. (For more on international adoption statistics, visit about.com.)

As to be expected with foreign celebrity adoptions lately, there is controversy over Angelina’s adoption of Pax.  Can you tell us why people are up in arms?
This is the issue: Vietnam does allow for single women to adopt, single men on a case by case basis, and married couples.  So, is Angelina being honest here?  She really is not single.  She does not live as a single person, yet this doesn’t seem to be an issue for her adoption.  Would it be for an every day couple?

Here is another reason why some adoptive parents are making a stink.  The child is chosen by adoption authorities in Vietnam, not by the prospective adoptive parents.  A child referral is sent to the prospective adoptive parents for their review.  The referral may include pictures, medical and social history, and perhaps a video tape of the child.  The prospective adoptive parents then must accept or reject the referral.You don’t go and select your own child.

What is the consensus among families adopting that youmay be in touch with- do they feel that adoptions are unfairly sped upfor celebrities? Do they resent celebrities?
I’ve received one comment on this story and she was not happy as itseems that celebrities can solve all problems with money.  That’s howit appears on the surface.  That’s why I ask – if an everyday [unmarried] couplelived together and attempted to adopt from Vietnam, would they beallowed?

Have you adopted a child from Vietnam? Or an older child (from anywhere)?  What was adjustment like?