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Protecting babies from whooping cough during pregnancy

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’ve read that there’s a big increase in whooping cough. I am pregnant and want to know the best way to protect my baby. Is it exclusive breastfeeding? Getting the vaccine? Making sure that visitors are vaccinated or wear masks? — D.G. ANSWER: Whooping cough is caused by a species of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. This causes a respiratory infection that can be very serious in infants, with over 80% of the youngest babies needing hospitalization. You are right that there have been massive increases in the risk of this infection during the past two years. ...

Bridge by Steve Becker

Bidding is a vocal exercise in which partners exchange messages verbally about their respective holdings in an effort to arrive at the best contract. Defensive play, by contrast, is a silent exercise wherein the defenders try to portray their holdings to each other through the play of their cards in order to score all the tricks to which they are entitled. Consider this deal, which features good defense. South reached four spades as shown, and West led the five of hearts. When dummy came down, East realized that the contract would almost certainly be made unless West held the doubleton ...

DEAR ANNIE: She’s feeling forgotten by one flaky friend

DEAR ANNIE: My best friend has become impossible to make plans with. She says yes to everything, then cancels at the last minute with a vague excuse. Sometimes she says she is “too tired,” other times she says work got crazy, and once she forgot completely until I texted from the restaurant asking if she was on her way. The worst was when I saw on social media that she had gone out with another group the same night she canceled on me because she “needed a quiet night.” I know people are busy, and I do not want to be needy. But after the third canceled dinner, the second missed ...

Grill vegetables and toss them in bacon vinaigrette

Want to make your vegetables taste better and have your friends love you? Char the hell out of some on the grill and then toss them in a bacon vinaigrette, using this recipe from my cookbook “Chasing the Gator: Isaac Toups and the New Cajun Cooking.” These are vegetables so unhealthy a ...

Making sushi can be fun

TOKYO — No food says Japan more than sushi. But few people make it themselves, even Japanese. The art of making sushi traditionally meant decadeslong training to become a master. But times are changing. Now, just about anyone can enjoy it. “There is no sushi that tastes better than the ...

Babysitting 10 grandchildren and playing jokes

Supper is over and everyone is retiring for the night. I fried chicken and made mac and cheese to go with it. Now it’s time to call it a day. I washed laundry this morning, and it’s all folded and put away. Daughters Verena, Loretta and Lovina came this afternoon for a while. We had snacks, visited and, of course, enjoyed the sweet little ones. Brooklyn fell asleep on me while we were talking and had a short nap. Denzel, 3, and Byron, 2, were everywhere and always so full of energy. Kylie, 1, is the little tag along and tries to keep up with her older brothers. Tomorrow morning ...