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Gonadotropins are fertility medications that contain follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), or both. These hormones are normally present in the brain in both men and women. Gonadotropins can stimulate the ovaries to mature multiple eggs at one time. Gonadotropins were originally developed by extracting hormones from the urine of postmenopausal women. Brand names for these preparations include Bravelle and Menopur. Newer, recombinant DNA gonadotropins, such as Follistim and Gonal-F, are actually completely developed in the laboratory and are not derived from urine....

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?...

“A friend of mine told me I could have a tummy tuck at the same time as my c-section, if this is my last pregnancy,” says MacieLu8* on The Bump community boards. “I asked my doctor about it and he said, ‘Sure, I just did one of those last week.’ I’m so excited!” There’s plenty of appeal to the idea of having a nip/tuck right in the same breath as a c-section....

When baby gets bored with her toys, it’s so easy to pop in a cartoon and let the TV work its magic. Baby gets hypnotized by the TV for one simple reason: The animation. The colors, sounds, and movement really engage and stimulate her. The take-away? Add a little animation into playtime! By playing to baby’s senses, you can entertain and educate her. (no TV necessary!) Some crowd pleasers: □ Sing songs Babies love music....

When my first child was born (after a grueling 36 hour labor) – he and I were an exhausted, overwhelmed, high strung, nervous mess. I had every intention of breastfeeding, but I had no idea how hard it would be. I latched him on over and over and as he fought me, we’d both just sob. I tried nipple shields, a lactation consultant, and after about two weeks I had an emotional and physical breakdown and switched to formula....

I always say that I successfully used the three-day potty training method with my son, but looking back it was more like the two year stop-and-go method. When he turned 2, I realized it was time to start thinking about potty training my kid. So I checked out the one potty training book on the shelf at my local library and started reading. I’d never heard of Oh Crap! Potty Training: Everything Modern Parents Need to Know to Do It Right, but I liked the no frills approach that seemed to emphasize a laid back vibe without bribes....

If your burps and farts could rival that of a frat boy these days, there’s a good chance you’re experiencing one of the most annoying side effects of growing a tiny human: pregnancy gas. (And the worst part is, you don’t even get to use beer-guzzling as an excuse!) While pregnancy gas pain and increased frequency (like, all day, every day) are totally normal symptoms of pregnancy, that doesn’t make them pleasant to experience....

Like many people over the course of the pandemic, our family decided to change our location. I’m a relatively new mom of two (I have a 2.5 year old and a one year old) and had it made with friends in my previous home in San Francisco. Now we’ve moved closer to family but in terms of mom friends, I’m starting over. Since I’ve been in our new home since the summer, I’ve finally been able to start to form connections with other women....

Babies have a long, adorable list of skills to learn: how to crawl, how to stand, how to turn those babblings into fluent conversation, how to not drop a spoon on the floor for the fifth (or sixth!) time. Safely chewing and swallowing are on that list too—which means while infants are born ready to eat, they’re not totally primed to avoid choking. Here’s what you need to know about preventing baby from choking and how to perform infant CPR in the event of a worst-case scenario....

No, it isn’t. By now you’ve realized that your body responds to a lot of things differently since you’re pregnant. And while you’re expecting, getting a laser treatment (for your skin or for hair removal) could actually lead to a permanent discoloration of the skin. So for now, just stick to a basic facial. Also remember that laser treatments can be very painful, and many believe that pain and stress can affect a mom-to-be’s growing baby in a negative way....

Are some men wired to be good dads? A new study from the University of Michigan looks into this question, analyzing how testosterone levels can affect a father’s empathy and parenting skills. The takeaway? Lower levels meant more nurturing, a definite parenting plus. Most research about dads and babies involves their interactions during play. But that rarely triggers testosterone changes. “A better trigger assessment is their own baby crying,” said study author Patty Kuo....

When I went into labor with my second daughter at 33 weeks, I thought I knew what to expect; my first child came early too. But this time was different. There was a week of hospital bed rest, medical interventions, poor communication and, ultimately, an umbilical cord wrapped about my sweet baby’s neck. Four terrifying hours after my little girl’s birth, I finally got to meet her in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where she was sedated in an incubator and on a ventilator....

You’ve made it to your second trimester, which means your baby bump is likely starting to show, your nausea may be dying down and your energy might be returning. Just in time for you to tackle your second trimester to-dos! Here’s what’s on your checklist for the coming months. Pregnancy Checklist for Weeks 12-16 • If you haven’t already, get into a healthy pregnancy workout routine; sign up for a class or download a training app • Send out pregnancy announcement cards or come up with creative ways to announce your pregnancy to family and friends • Tell your boss or employees about your pregnancy • Start planning your maternity leave • Go to your doctor’s visit...

You may think you know the signs and symptoms of baby brain: car keys in the trash, soap in the refrigerator, crying at that commercial. It’s that emotional, confused state many pregnant women swear they experience. Don’t let anyone roll their eyes and tell you it’s a myth; Victoria Bourne, PhD, says baby brain is very real—it’s your body’s way of preparing you to bond with your child. But it might not mean exactly what you think it does....

And the Winner Is: Loulou Lollipop Silicone Suction Snack Plate Mealtime with baby is a gleefully messy affair. Food will be smeared across their tray, their bib and their hands and face, and once they discover the joy of tossing items (anything, everything!) onto the floor, forget about it. That’s why parents love a good suction plate. The trick, of course, is to find a suction that actually works, which is harder than you might think....

On her way home from an ultrasound appointment, surrogate Crystal Kelley got a frantic phone call from the baby’s intended mother. “I could barely understand what she was saying, but it was that something was wrong with the baby, and they didn’t know what they were going to do,” she says. “I thought I’d seen a cleft palate on the ultrasound, which is no big deal, so I kept telling her that it would be okay, that we would get through it....

What is tonsillitis in a baby? Tonsillitis, sometimes called pharyngitis, is an inflammation of the tonsils, the two oval-shaped lymph nodes located on either side of the back of the throat. It can be caused by a virus or bacteria — most often, it’s a virus. What are the symptoms of tonsillitis in babies? A sore throat is the classic symptom of tonsillitis, but it can be hard to know baby has a sore throat if he can’t yet talk....

A new study , just published in the journal Pediatrics by researchers from Boston Medical Center, suggests that you may want to think twice before turning over the remote to your fussy toddler. The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Jenny Radskey, is recommending that parents not put their toddler in front of a TV to soothe any tantrums , because that could garner developmental issues later in life. “We found that babies and toddlers whose mothers rated them as having self-regulation problems — meaning, problems with calming down, soothing themselves, settling down to sleep, or waiting for food or toys — watched more TV and videos when they were age 2,” says Radskey....

It’s no secret that adjusting to life with a newborn on little to no sleep is one of the most difficult parts of becoming a parent. All babies have different sleep patterns, and figuring out what techniques and routines works for your itty-bitty nap-fighter is no easy feat. Whether you’re looking for tips on how to establish healthy sleep patterns for baby or having a tough time with a toddler who battles bed at all costs, a sleep consultant may be able to help....

It’s true what they say: You haven’t seen “cute” until you’ve shopped for nursery decor. From cribs and changing baskets to rockers and rugs, the options available are endless, and that’s a wonderful thing. No longer are we limited to a few popular baby nursery trends and themes—planes, trains and automobiles; safari animals; fairytale fortresses and over-the-top florals). The nursery design landscape has evolved into a cornucopia of creative, gender-neutral options—and we are here for it!...