By Lyz Lenz for YourTango

Moms across the nation are in a tizzy, and no, it's not over the teething toy Sophie the Giraffe (although Sophie is pretty great). Instead, what's got these ladies all hot and bothered is an erotic novel about BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism, masochism), Fifty Shades of Grey, the first novel in a trilogy describing the relationship between 21-year-old Anastasia Steele and 27-year-old billionaire Christian Grey, who wants Steele to be his love slave.

What's interesting about the novels isn't the raunch; it's that Steele, throughout each scene, is a consensual partner in this BDSM sex. She has control—and when she feels uncomfortable or squeamish, she leaves. Many women read the book when it was initially available for free (under a different title) on a fan fiction website. Tell us: Have you—or do you plan to—peruse this steamy text?

YourTango.com recently surveyed its roster of experts—which includes psychotherapists, marriage counselors and relationship coaches—and the results may surprise you. One myth the survey debunked is that infidelity is the No. 1 reason couples break up. When asked why splits occur, experts said that having "communication issues" is the biggest factor in breakups, followed by "loss of intimacy." Infidelity came in third.

While communication is a well-known component of relationship success, it's also the glue that holds our bonds in place. "A lack of communication is the origin of most problems couples experience, often resulting in the breakdown of a relationship," says dating coach Norma Germain. "Not understanding how to make feelings known to a partner in a non-threatening, non-combative way can lead to massive frustration and alienation."

So much for the silent treatment.