Blog Posts by TheBump.com

More than half of parents say their kids (as young as 12 months) undid their straps -- some while the car was moving.

By Elena Donovan Mauer for TheBump.com

You know that car seat that came with a 50-page manual and took you an hour to install? Well, your kid might be able to get himself out of it at an earlier age than you thought. Yup, car seats are a total pain for us, but a cinch for some toddlers to unlatch, according to a new study from Yale School of Medicine.

Top 20 baby safety questions--answered!

In the study, researchers surveyed 378 parents and found 51 percent of them reported that at least one of their children had unbuckled their car seat themselves. What's even scarier is that 75 percent unbuckled themselves for the first time at age three or younger -- some did it as young as 12 months old. And a shocking 43 percent did it while the car was moving!

The 5 coolest new baby gadgets to know about

Researchers suggest that buckling mechanisms need to be

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It's National Infertility Awareness Week, and TheBump.com surveyed more than 1,000 women who are having trouble trying to conceive. Read on for the surprising results.

By Caitlin Brody for TheBump.com

When you're ready to have a baby, you probably think that it's going to be easy to conceive. But it often isn't. In fact, infertility affects more than 7.3 million people (yep, both men and women) nationwide, according to RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. To help raise infertility awareness, TheBump.com surveyed more than 1,000 women and asked them to share their experiences with infertility.

Are you ready for a baby? Find out here

Surprisingly, 50 percent of the women surveyed said they never thought they'd ever have trouble trying to conceive. And while 47 percent of the women surveyed experienced female infertility (this typically refers to women who have been trying to conceive for at least 12 months and are under 35, or who are over 35 and have been trying

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From riding bikes to wearing tighty whities and, ironically, using sex toys, there are lots of rumors and myths surrounding male infertility. So you might find the reality a bit shocking (we did!).

By Kristin Koch for TheBump.com

Bikes Aren't Bad for Below
You've probably heard the rumors that bikes can do damage to his nether regions, but there's actually not much truth to this one. One small study from Austria found that male mountain bikers may experience more infertility from scrotal damage caused by jolting over rough terrain -- but the study only looked at men who logged at least 3,000 miles a year (that's an average of two-plus hours a day, six days a week), which is pretty extreme. Plus, the study concluded that the bike's narrow, racing-type seats were to blame and that using newer, wider seats with cutout holes was a safe solution. The study's limited findings have been widely criticized in the medical community, and according to Karen Boyle, MD, FACS, director of

Read More »from 8 Surprising Facts About Male Infertility

This shocking study sheds a spotlight on two family-focused issues that need immediate attention.

By Christine M. Porretta for TheBump.com

A new study published online in the journal Pediatrics reveals that among 1,746 fathers who were surveyed, those who had experienced depression were almost four times more likely to have spanked their one-year-olds than the dads who weren't depressed.

Top 6 things moms wish dads knew

It seems that common symptoms of depression -- irritability and anger -- may play a part. But it's not all bad news: These depressed dads were also just as likely as non-depressed dads to play games, sing songs or say nursery rhymes to their babies.

While it's easy to peg the depressed dads who spanked their babies as villains, they actually need guidance more than scorn. Most of the depressed dads even had contact with their child's doctor, so the study's authors point out that well-child visits could be a good opportunity for pediatricians to talk to

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By Sarah Newell for TheBump.com © 2011 The Knot Inc. All rights reserved.More from TheBump.com

When it comes to baby-related old wives' tales, we don't know about you, but we've sure heard some real doozies. Read on to get to the bottom of a few common mistruths.

By Kaitlin Stanford for TheBump.com

Myth #1: You need to orgasm in order to conceive
Hey, orgasming is always a plus, but when it comes to conceiving, it's not actually a must. What it does aid in doing is contracting the uterus -- which definitely helps sperm travel toward the fallopian tubes faster. But even if this doesn't happen, your baby-making efforts won't be for naught.

6 ways to naturally boost your fertility

Myth #2: Swallowing semen will make you more fertile
You gotta admire the creativity of the guy who started this rumor. But c'mon, you really believe it? Semen definitely has its wacky benefits (ahem, "sperm facials," anyone?), but making you more fertile isn't one of them -- at least, no studies have proven it so far. Semen does contain tons of protein, though, so we can say it has

Read More »from 10 Crazy Fertility Myths -- Debunked

We take you behind the scenes to learn what it's really like to have a C-section -- and brace you for a few common shockers. (Vaginal car wash, anyone?)

By Erin Walters for TheBump.com

1. There will still be hands on your coochie

Surprised? Bump Lori (our creative director!) gave it to us straight: "After C-section #2, a nurse came into my room in the middle of the night and gave me what I now refer to as a vaginal car wash. I was NOT expecting that!" It's true: even though it isn't baby's exit route, your vagina will still be involved in your C-section and recovery. Basically, the "vaginal car wash" will come sometime after delivery (and more than once, if needed), and just involves a little rinse-down with a peri bottle and a pat down with a dry cloth -- the point is to clean up any blood that will be leaking out after the surgery. (More on that later.) Also, be prepared for a nurse to insert a catheter before surgery (but usually after you've received anesthesia, so you

Read More »from 10+ Things No One Tells You About C-sections

By Kaitlin Stanford for TheBump.com © 2011 The Knot Inc. All rights reserved.More from TheBump.com