Blog Posts by TheBump.com

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

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

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

By Kaitlin Stanford for TheBump.com

© 2011 The Knot Inc. All rights reserved.

By Kaitlin Stanford for TheBump.com

Attention, ladies: You can officially stop being so hard on your ovaries. Because guess what? Infertility is not just, or even mostly, a woman's problem. It's not even mostly an older woman's problem, or an older man's problem.... A new European study has found that 1 in 5 men between the ages of 18 and 25 are "subfertile" (in other words, not up to snuff for reproduction).

6 ways to naturally boost your fertility

The stat is a bit shocking. How can it be that our youngest, most "virile" men are proving to be…well, not so "virile" after all?

Let's look back to find the answer. There have been whispers of a decline in sperm count rates for years. Back in 1997, scientists collecting data from 61 different studies found that, between 1938 and 1990, U.S. sperm counts had steadily fallen at a rate of 1.5 percent each year. (The news was even bleaker for European men, who apparently showed a decline of about 3.1 percent each year for the

By Kaitlin Stanford for TheBump.com

Just a few weeks ago, writer Melanie Thernstrom shared the tale of her difficult (and unconventional) road to motherhood with The New York Times, in a personal essay that tugged at the heartstrings. There were countless rounds of failed IVF treatments, months spent researching adoption, and plenty of self-doubt and guilty feelings over the fact that her husband hadn't married someone younger -- someone "fertile." Now in her 40s, it seemed her hopes of having her own babies naturally -- and her dream of having twins -- were dashed. So Melanie and her husband, Michael, decided to do something others would later say was crazy: In an effort to have kids as "naturally" as possible and get twins out of the deal, they implanted two different fertilized eggs into two different surrogates at the same time -- thus creating "twiblings" born five days apart.

Ah, twiblings....Let the controversy begin!

Trying to conceive? Get tips and advice here

Sometimes, it's just not working out. It may be awkward to part ways with your doc, but it may be best for you and baby. Here's how to know when to switch OBs.

By Caitlin Brody for TheBump.com

From awkward first interviews to relying on friends for personal recommendations, finding the right OB is kind of like dating. You want the doc-patient relationship to be perfect. And most important, you want it to last. And while your OB knows you inside and out (literally), it's also important to realize that you always have permission to call it quits. (After all, you hired the doc!) Easier said than done, right? With the help of clinical psychologist Dr. Shoshana Bennett, we'll help you figure out when it's time to cut the cord with your doc (and how to do it).

9 pregnancy myths busted!

Relationship Red Flags

She's too busy

"My OB told me that since I was a new patient, she couldn't see me for a week -- and that if I was so concerned, I should just make my way to the ER..."