Blog Posts by Babble.com

Reading Amanda Bynes' Twitter feed is like watching bad reality TV. We shouldn't look, but we can't help ourselves. In the throes of what can only be described as a meltdown, you can't help but wonder who is looking out for her, and when will she get help. This is the woman who in recent months has called both Miley Cyrus and Drake 'ugly,' and said Chris Brown assaulted Rihanna because she wasn't pretty enough - who has also been arrested for allegedly throwing a bong out her window. As she is evicted from her New York apartment and her father hopes to stage an intervention, it is interesting to look back at the child stars who have walked this tragic line before her. Between the headlines and the gossip, underneath the scandal and the outrage, there are lessons to be learned and lives to be supported. Click through for 7 child stars who went off the deep end! -By Suzanne Cowie

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wirelessBy now, most tech-savvy households have installed some kind of wireless network. Whether you use it to download e-books to your Kindle, stream movies to your iPad, or just occasionally log on from the bedroom, a wireless network brings efficiency, convenience, and flexibility.

But it can also lead to frustration. While you may get a perfectly good signal in the bedroom, you're lucky if you get any signal at all in the kitchen. And forget about the idea of working outside in the summer. The promise of high-speed Internet access gives way to dropped connections, constant buffering, and agonizingly slow Web browsing.

Related: 7 ways to avoid becoming a victim of online shopping fraud

But there are some simple steps you can take to improve the range and performance of your wireless network - and they don't involve buying expensive equipment or re-wiring your home. Try some of these tips and see if you notice an improvement:

Replace your router's antenna. The antennas that come

When I think "all natural" and "organic" I usually also think "pricey." But that doesn't have to be the case. There are plenty of great all natural beauty products that can be found at your local health food store, Whole Foods, or at online retailers like Spirit Beauty Lounge. I've tracked down 8 affordable options to keep you feeling beautiful from head to toe without harmful additives.

-By Sonya Lee Benham

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Tips to avoid a bad breakupIf you're anything like me, a breakup can drive you over the edge. Hundreds of questions consume my mind while I try to maintain composure and keep my paws away from my iPhone.

My sadness and confusion post-breakup isn't surprising. Most of the men in my life (and possibly in yours) ended the love affair carelessly. They had little love and respect for my well being, as if the time we shared hardly made an impact.

There is, however, a right way to end a relationship. We can break up with someone without devastating them. Here are seven things to keep in mind to avoid a bad break up.

Old Cliches
We've all heard them before. "It's not you, it's me" and "you deserve so much better" seem to be the go-to phrases when breaking up with someone. But it only makes the dumpee feel worse. Don't be shocked when they scream, "If I'm so fabulous, why don't you want me?!" Dump the overused cliches and be honest about why you really want to end the relationship.

The Blunt Truth
The

exercise mythsWhen it comes to working out it seems that everyone is an expert these days. Eat this. Drink that. Wear this. Try that. No matter what new trends and fads pop up in the world of fitness, there are some myths that just don't seem to go away. Here are 12 myths about exercise and weight training debunked for your reading pleasure:

Weight Training Myths:

You can get rid of fat simply by doing strength work in that area. In truth, experts say that fat reduction only happens through a combination of healthy eating, cardio and strength work. You must have all three in order to see success. Those bicep curls will not give you more sculpted arms if you are not also eating healthy and doing cardiovascular activities.

Machines are safer than free weights. Neither one is safe if you are not using them properly. Make sure your form is correct in order to avoid injury. If you are not sure of proper form, ask someone at the gym for help. Working out at home? There are many videos online where

I've been conducting a contest on Mommy Shorts called The Search for the Most Epic Head of Baby Hair. There have been over 500 submissions of some of the most ridiculous heads of hair you've ever seen. Ridiculous even if they weren't ON A BABY! I took the Top 100 and named their hairstyles- everything from The Rachel to The Dinosaur to The Danny Devito. Currently, I've got 12 finalists vying to win. The finalists all have one thing in common- a HUGE HEAD OF HAIR. But there were many entries, that while not exactly EPIC, were still really funny. Even if they are not up for the win. Here are 7 of my picks for the funniest heads of hair entered into the Mommy Shorts Epic Baby Hair contest. - By Ilana Whiles

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First C-SectionVery few women go into their first pregnancy knowing they're going to have a Cesarean Section (c-section). Even though my first pregnancy was extremely complicated, a vaginal birth was always the plan…right up until it wasn't. My first c-section was in an emergency situation, so there wasn't time for anyone to tell me what to expect. I've since had two more c-sections, and these are the things I wish I'd known before that first time I was rolled into the OR.

1) An epidural or spinal block only keeps you from feeling pain.

I had NO IDEA that I would be able to feel pressure, tugging, and pushing during my c-section. I remember laying on the table and screaming, "I CAN FEEL THAT!" The anesthesiologist then explained that the epidural/spinal only blocks pain, not sensation. So know that you'll feel tugging on your stomach, and lots of pressure, especially when it's time to pull the baby out (usually someone is pushing - hard - on the top of your uterus, which is right at the base of your

Once upon a time, I was a little girl whose dreams didn't solely consist of being a mother.

I was exactly one year old when Helen Reddy's seminal "I Am Woman" song was introduced to the world. It was 1972 and, in that same year, the Ms. Foundation for Women introduced one of my favorite childhood books (with an accompanying album) titled "Free to Be…You and Me". Both of these events contributed greatly to how I grew up despite the fact that my parents held traditional roles of the time. My mom stayed at home to raise three daughters while my father went out and opened his own printing company. If I picked up on my mother's frustrated domesticity it was quickly altered when she, with the help of my father, opened up her own printing shop and became her own boss. We girls were a bit older by then and were expected to work at her shop as well as at my father's. This helped us get a sense of what the working world would be like and the family expectation was that we would attend