How We Develop and Review Our Articles at the Bump
As a new or expectant parent, you know that the learning curve is steep and the consequences of every decision feel heavy. It’s a lot to manage on your own—and that’s where we come in. Whether you find us on the web, via our app, on social media or by newsletter, The Bump strives to be your go-to guide for all things pregnancy and parenting. We’re committed to being the ultimate resource—an encouraging and knowledgeable friend you can turn to in times of celebration and moments of concern, and we take our duty to inform and educate seriously. After all, you’re coming to us during a vulnerable stage of life, and we want to be a reliable and trustworthy source of information and inspiration. So how do we develop and review our articles to ensure you’re getting the most accurate and current counsel available? Let’s break it down.
It starts with a question—a problem that needs solving:
“How can I boost my fertility?”
“Are these real contractions or Braxton Hicks?”
“What should I do when baby has a fever?”
We know what keeps you up at night, and we’re happy to help put your mind at ease with vetted answers—and a hearty dose of relatability.
Journalistic integrity is at the heart of everything we publish on The Bump. Our professional writers conduct extensive research into each article topic and gather health and safety information from peer-reviewed medical journals, highly regarded academic and government institutions, reputable hospitals and accredited organizations, as well as directly from leading doctors and other area professionals that they interview first-hand. We want you to feel confident knowing that you’re getting updated facts and advice from actual experts.
That said, it’s important to know that 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.
Articles on The Bump see their way through a multistep review process. Before being set live for public consumption, they are carefully edited and then top edited by senior staff editors to make sure the content reflects today’s leading advice as well as The Bump voice and brand stances. Moreover, our health-related content is scrutinized by a professional fact checker and then reviewed by a doctor or medical professional to ensure accuracy. And since we know that fertility, pregnancy and parenting information is ever-changing, we review, revise and update content frequently to reflect evolving recommendations and guidelines.
Considering using a baby name you found on The Bump? Rest assured that internal fact checkers review our most popular baby name descriptions, cross-checking reputable online sources and print books to ensure that spelling, origin, gender and meaning are accurate.
Transparency is key, so you can see the medical reviewer and fact checker for each article, read bios for quoted experts and check out a full list of sources used.
Pregnancy and parenting call for all the things. Raising babies is an expensive endeavor, and we want you to spend your time, energy and money wisely. To that end, we break down what you really need, which brands make the best stuff and where to buy it.
We begin each of our product roundups with exhaustive research, scouring forums, message boards and consumer reviews to identify what new and expectant parents need and want out of their products, and which brands offer the leading options on the market. We also conduct regular surveys of parents across the country about items they’ve used and loved, and seek out product recommendations from parents within The Bump community groups and on The Bump staff (we’re moms and dads ourselves—we get it!). We combine this extensive research with safety and medical advice from credentialed experts, as well as our own area knowledge of parental needs and trusted baby brands to create a shortlist of the best products available for families’ varied needs.
But we don’t stop there. For our product-tested articles, we enlist hundreds of parents and parents-to-be (just like you!) to try these items in their own homes and with their families. Editors pair products with testers who have relevant lifestyles, needs and appropriately aged children, so they can try items out in real-life scenarios and assess whether the products perform well for specific uses. These testers put the products we send them through rigorous testing, and after assembling, installing, using and even cleaning these items, they submit both qualitative and quantitative evaluations on a wide range of category-specific criteria, covering everything from effectiveness and ease of use to design and value for money.
With a team of testers and commerce editors devoted to research and reviews, we work hard to identify the best products on the market for families’ various needs. Purchases made through links on The Bump may earn us commission.
We’re here for you through this rollercoaster ride. Whether you’re looking for an inclusive community to turn to while struggling to conceive, in the throes of a harrowing pregnancy or up in the wee hours scrolling articles with a crying baby in your arms, we want to empower you with the information and support you need to make the best choice for you and your family. By partnering with parents and parents-to-be as well as expert contributors, The Bump shares unique stories and diverse voices with the goal of shedding light on the real life ups and downs of this journey. Thanks for letting us be a part of yours.
We want to hear from you! Please share your thoughts and feedback with us at editorial@thebump.com.
Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.
