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Too little or too much exercise can definitely affect fertility, especially if your workouts are having a significant impact on your body fat. A critical amount of body fat is needed to reproduce, and anything above or below this critical level can affect fertility. Moreover, the stress associated with excessive exercise can also add to the effects of lower body fat in suppressing one’s ability to reproduce. But a moderate amount of exercise can help to lower stress and can even lead to a healthier lifestyle....

We recently told you that tracking an infant’s eye patterns can help detect autism earlier. But a new study is relying on a different sense for early detection: smell. A simple sniff test accurately determined whether or not a toddler had autism spectrum disorder (ASD) 81 percent of the time. Researchers noticed that unlike those without ASD, autistic kids didn’t adjust their sniffing patterns when encountering an unpleasant scent. So while people without autism may try and limit the flow of air through their noses in, say, a public bathroom, those with autism don’t make that adjustment....

New moms have plenty to worry about: feeding baby around the clock, dealing with an ungodly number of dirty diapers, figuring out what all that wailing could possibly mean. It’s enough to stress anyone out. What new moms don’t need is to be worrying about what friends, family and random strangers on the street are going to say next about their babies and postpartum bodies. We checked in with moms to learn what comments infuriated them the most and gathered them up into one handy list, ready to be shared with those who may need a reminder on what not to say to a woman who’s just given birth....

If there’s any one product that helps you live life with baby easily in tow, it’s a baby carrier. Babywearing can be pretty glorious once you’ve nailed down the best baby carrier for your baby’s age and your own needs. Will you be carrying a newborn or an older baby? Are you buying one so you can get around quickly for errand runs, or do you plan to carry your kid during trips where big gear just isn’t an option?...

And the Winner Is: Silver Cross Slumber Travel Cot When you’re prepping for baby’s arrival, you naturally spend a lot of time thinking about baby’s sleeping area at home—the crib, the bassinet, the sheets, etc. But what about when you’re not at home? Whether you’re spending the night at Grandma’s house or taking baby on vacation, your little one is still going to need a safe, comfortable place to snooze. The new Slumber travel crib from Silver Cross is just the thing: It’s one of the easiest pieces of gear we’ve ever had the pleasure of assembling and breaking down, it’s approved for overnight sleep and it grows with your child, transforming from a newborn bassinet to a crib to a portable playard....

Whether you use a daycare, employ a nanny during work days or stay home with your kids, there’s a good chance you’ll need to hire a babysitter at one time or another. Maybe you need someone to pick up your child from a weekend playdate, or watch your little one while you go off on a much-needed date night. When the need arises, finding a trustworthy babysitter can be tough enough (good news: there are apps for that), but figuring out how much to pay a babysitter can feel downright daunting....

The Bump presents #MomBoss, a series dedicated to showing off all-star moms. We catch up with mompreneurs behind products we love, influencers who get real about motherhood and SAHMs who can multitask in their sleep. The journey to parenthood looks different for every family—something Amy Twombly knows to be true. Some become pregnant after their first month of trying, others find success with fertility treatments and others still turn to surrogacy or adoption to grow their families....

This might not be a sign of refusal. Cheryl Wu, MD, says a tongue thrust reflex causes some babies to automatically push things out of their mouths. This typically disappears around four months, but in the meantime, Wu recommends using a medicine syringe and placing it in the side of baby’s mouth. Wait until he’s swallowed it all before you put more in. You can also try using pacifiers that dispense medicine....

“When should my baby sleep?” is one of the most common questions new parents have as they try to figure out some type of nap and bedtime sleep schedule for their baby. Some parents opt to put their baby down for a nap whenever they appear tired, and others try to follow a more consistent by-the-clock schedule. But the reality is that with babies one year or younger, either of these scenarios could lead to an overtired or undertired baby, resulting in short or non-existent naps and refusal of bedtime....

Here in the US, 7.4 million women ages 44 and younger have used fertility clinics or other services. But really, trouble getting pregnant can affect almost anyone — anywhere. In fact, one in six couples worldwide will experience it. Luckily, scientists around the world are working to help couples who are struggling with infertility to conceive. Affordable fertility treatments IVF isn’t cheap. Some estimates say the price tag (including medication, ultrasounds, blood work, anesthesia and more) can add up to about $13,000 to $14,000 — but what if it cost only about $260 per cycle?...

What is considered a poor appetite for a baby? In a perfect world, your baby or toddler would eat exactly the right amount of food — at the right times — each and every day. But that’s not even realistic for adults, so why expect it from your tot? Fact is, just like for grown-ups, a baby or toddler’s appetite changes from day to day, week to week. And depending on where they are with their growth spurts, it may seem like your baby or toddler either can’t get enough food — or practically subsists on air....

Let’s start with international adoption. I suggest you look at the Country Charts at CreatingaFamily.com. In your case, you will have to do a bit of reading between the lines here. Usually, I tell people to start with their limiting factors, such as age or marital status, but many countries will make exceptions to their stated requirements for families looking for a child with special needs. For you, the greatest limitation will be your inability for at least one of you to travel, and your strong preference to not adopt a child who was prenatally exposed to alcohol or drugs....

Yes. However, it may take some work to ensure a good milk supply, and your baby should be closely monitored to make sure she is getting enough calories while you make this switch. The first few days and weeks are very important in terms of establishing a good milk supply, so the sooner you start, the easier it will be. The key to bringing in a good milk supply is to stimulate and drain your breasts — either by having a baby nurse or by using a hospital grade breast pump — at least eight to 12 times per 24 hours....

And the Winner Is: Miku Pro If you feel compelled to check baby’s breathing every few minutes in the middle of the night, a smart monitor may be a worthwhile investment—it can take some of the panic out of parenting and help you feel like you’re not perpetually on guard (adorable as that rising and falling little tummy may be). The Miku Pro is the only monitor on that market that tracks baby’s respiratory patterns and changes without the use of a wearable device, thanks to its patented SensorFusion technology....

Worried your toddler and preschooler might be spending too much time in front of the iPad? ABC and a team of researchers from the Center for Toddler Development at Barnard College set out to determine whether or not all of the electronic play is hurting our children’s developing brains. ABC’s Nightline experts were invited to sit behind a two-way mirror at Bernard College’s Center for Toddler Development, where a team of researchers observe young children and monitor their reactions to traditional toys and iPads, taking note of how each child reacts after an iPad is taken from them....

I think your body is perfectly normal Most people feel self-conscious. But I always say 99 percent of women are completely normal and pretty much the same. Chances are you’re not going to have anything I haven’t
seen before. I hate it when you have to wait If your appointment doesn’t happen on time, that means I’m either overbooked or had to deal with an unexpected delivery or emergency. Either way, it’s stressful for you, me and my staff, and we do everything we can to avoid this situation....

Zyban, which originally was created as an antidepressant medication, is prescribed to help smokers quit. If you’re taking it now, give yourself big congrats, since smoking itself is harmful for both you and your future baby. And there’s no known reason that Zyban should affect your ability to conceive. Like most prescription medications, however, it hasn’t been studied on pregnant women, so if you do become pregnant, your doctor may recommend you stop taking it....

Love the Hamptons? Oceanfront real estate? Stolen identities and tales of gore masked by VIP-access-only parties? Then chances are you tuned in for the season three finale of Revenge on Sunday. And if you did, there’s also a chance that after stomaching all of the twists and turns of the episode, you thought, “Victoria, Emily and Nolan are a crazy and crafty bunch, but I just love their trendy, chic names!...

As a mom-to-be, your body is hard at work and needs all the rest it can get. The cruel joke, of course, is that as pregnancy progresses, it often gets harder and harder to get some quality sleep. Here’s why, and what you can do to catch those ZZZs. You’ve Got to Pee, Constantly Sorry, but frequent peeing and pregnancy go hand in hand—your baby is practically using your bladder as a pillow right now....

I was never the type of girl that dreamed of the day that I would be married or have children. Instead I dreamed of the day that I would be recognized for other accomplishments in my career. While I listened to my friends share the names of their future children, I was busy thinking of what countries I would travel to first or what I would say to the President when I first met him....