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When the weather warms up, families love to head outside. A sunny day spent out at the park or beach is a great way to stimulate baby’s senses and make special memories with your little one—but it calls for some extra sun safety precautions (especially for babies under 6 months old), and they go beyond keeping baby cool. While your instinct may be to yank off that onesie to help them cool down, remember, the more clothing you remove, the more skin is exposed to UV rays....

The Bump has partnered with some amazing mothers who also happen to be amazing writers. They’re dishing out all their thoughts, observations and real life lessons about mothering in the best way they know how. We’re embarking on an essay series and we’re hoping you’ll follow along as these authors share what they’ve learned about motherhood through their inspiring navigation of the written word. We’ve already introduced you to Maria Kostaki, Kelley Clink, Kamy Wicoff and Susie Orman Schnall....

A milk blister is a blocked nipple pore. (You might also hear it called a “nipple blister” or “bleb.”) This forms when skin grows over a milk duct opening, backing up the milk behind it. A milk blister looks like, well, a little blister. It is usually a painful white, clear, or yellow dot on your nipple or areola. If you squeeze your boob, the blister may bulge. A milk blister sometimes sticks around for a few days (or even a couple of weeks) before healing on its own when the skin peels away....

Thursday, March 18, 2010: Graco and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission have announced a recall of 1.2 million high chairs today, after 464 separate complaints were filed against the Graco Harmony high hair. According to the CPSC, the complaints all concerned screws or plastic brackets on the high chair coming loose and falling out, causing the high chair to tip over. In total, 24 injuries have been reported so far, causing hairline fractures to the arm and bumps and bruises to the head....

Considering a minivan? Welcome to the club. Trading in your sporty sedan for a minivan or an SUV is basically a rite of passage once baby—or baby No. 2 —comes along. And while the minivan might seem like the epitome of uncool at first, there are a lot of good reasons to give it a second look, including (spoiler alert!) sleeker, more stylish designs and smarter features. We help break down the pros and cons of the ultimate symbol of parenthood....

When it comes to getting pregnant, timing is everything. But we don’t have a whole lot of control surrounding that timing. A new study released today from the University of Warwick found the synchronization of a mother’s body clock and her womb’s clock is essential to carrying a pregnancy to full term. Failed synchronization can switch off body clock genes that line the womb, jeopardizing a pregnancy. Wondering what body clock genes are, and why your body has more than one “clock?...

Once baby arrives, you’ve got a million things to keep track of every day. One more thing to add to the list: baby’s immunization schedule. From the MMR to the tetanus shot, be prepared for every doctor’s visit by checking baby’s recommended vaccinations before you go (bonus: you’ll be mentally ready to comfort baby after the shot). Follow the timeline below to see when baby will receive each routine vaccination as recommended by the CDC, and click the pop-ups to learn more....

We’ve all heard the tummy forecasts: A high, tight bump means it’s a boy; low and wide means it’s a girl. And if you’ve got an extra-large bulge? Well then you have an extra-large baby on the way. But do any of these old wives’ tales hold true? Not really, according to experts. In fact, baby bumps can tell you far more about Mom than the baby. Read on to see what exactly your bump can—and can’t—tell you....

Sure, there are some good excuses not to have sex: You’ve got a headache, tonight is supposed to be laundry night, you’ve got to finish Tiger King… But being pregnant shouldn’t be one of them (after all, you’ve got nine whole months of this). That’s because sex is totally fine in a normal pregnancy without complications, assures Jacques Moritz, MD, associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive science at Mount Sinai Morningside in New York City....

It’s true: Breast milk is quite the superfood. What other form of nutrition automatically changes to meet baby’s needs and comes absolutely free? But even Mother Nature’s genius can be improved upon now and again. Read on for a few ways to give your milk a boost, from maximizing your output to improving its nutrition and ability to keep baby healthy. Get More Omega-3 Fatty Acids These play an important role in baby’s brain, nervous system and vision development....

Types of Breast Pumps Things to Consider When Choosing a Breast Pump Open-system or closed-system breast pump. Don’t know the difference? No worries! These terms simply refer to whether there’s a barrier between the pump parts and the expressed milk. A “closed-system” has a built-in barrier that prevents milk overflowing and entering the pump mechanism. Whereas, “open-system” models don’t have a barrier to prevent contamination. If milk gets into the device it needs to be cleaned and dried before its next use....

If you’re the type to keep a blank face when things go wrong, baby can see right through you — and even empathize with you — a new study published in the journal Infant Behavior and Development reveals. The study posed two scenarios to a group of 71 babies who were all around 18 months old. Half of the babies saw human research developer Sabrina Chiarella act outwardly sad and disappointed after someone grabbed her toys away from her....

We know, it seems like the moment your bump is visible, people — and by people, we mean everyone from that creepy uncle to complete strangers — feel the need to touch your belly. And maybe you just want to scream, “Hands off!” You’d think that keeping their hands to themselves would be a no-brainer, but in reality, many people think you’re so adorable, they just can’t resist. So keep in mind that their intentions are good before you get testy....

Hasti Daneshvar, Esquire earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and a law degree from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles, where she served as Vice-President of the Student Bar Association. She is also licensed by the State of California and the United States District Court as an Attorney-at-Law. She is a member of the California State Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA), National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA), and Iranian American Bar Association (IALA)....

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.What is premature rupture of membranes (PROM) during pregnancy? Premature rupture of membranes, sometimes called PROM, is when your water breaks before you actually go into labor....

What are holidays like with a new baby? Well, Grandma A invites you over for the whole week of Thanksgiving (don’t worry about packing—she’s set up a full nursery and bought a dozen turkey-themed onesies). Grandpa B insists that he and Grandma B will tag along for baby’s first Santa photos and will have you sleep over for baby’s first Christmas Eve. After Christmas lunch, of course, it’s over to Grandpa A’s place so that he gets a piece of baby too....

If your baby will need to take bottles of breast milk at some point, some experts recommend introducing it at around six to eight weeks. The theory is this: Your milk supply and breastfeeding relationship are usually well-established by six weeks, meaning there’s less likelihood of nipple confusion or damaged nipples due to a shallow latch. (Babies suck in a different way on artificial nipples. If they treat your boobs the same way, it hurts....

Just when you thought you had a routine down pat and even some semblance of a good night’s sleep, a teensy tooth starts poking out from beneath the surface of baby’s gums—unleashing the sort of outsized mayhem that can make grown men and women cry (or at least something close to it). And you can’t help but wonder maybe that’s why dentists refer to baby teeth as “erupting” instead of “coming in....

In my first pregnancy, everything that could go wrong, did. I had blood clots in my uterus, my water broke at 19 weeks, and my daughter Madeline was delivered via emergency c-section at 28 weeks. When I first became pregnant with Madeline, I hadn’t had much experience with doctors. Until then, my only interaction with one was with my general practitioner for my yearly checkups. I never questioned doctors, because in my mind, they knew best....

Once you know she’s got a clean diaper and is fed, you’re ready to get a move on! You’ll likely use these necessities every time you’re road tripping. Tip: For convenience, keep a second stowaway diaper bag in the car. [] Extra baby wipes [] Diapers (pack two more than you think you’ll need) [] Change of clothes for baby (One set with multiple layers should do it. Don’t forget extra socks, which go missing, like, all the time!...