Pregnancy & What to Expect

It's time for that greatest of all great moments: the birth of your child. It's easy to make sure you're ready by packing yourself a bag well in advance of your due date.

The good news is, you're pregnant. The bad news is, you will probably feel sick for at least the first trimester. Morning sickness can happen throughout the day, and it can last throughout your...

Many pregnant women wake up to painful leg cramps in the middle of the night. Some experts think cramps are caused by the weight increase brought on by pregnancy, while others believe they are due...

Just more uncomfortable symptoms of pregnancy, itchy legs and bellies are common, especially during the last trimester.

Just like babies, the bellies of pregnant women tend to attract a lot of unsolicited comments and touches.

It is natural to feel fear before amniocentesis. However, many women say they experience little or no pain during the procedure. And the results of an amniocentesis will do a lot to allay fears...

Your obstetrician will explain the results of the amniocentesis to you. But here are a few guidelines.

Before deciding, discuss the pros and cons of the procedure with your obstetrician and the father of your baby. Rely heavily on the judgment of your doctor.

Constipation occurs in pregnancy due to an increase in the hormone progesterone and an ever-growing uterus taking up space and cramping other organs. Following a planned diet and exercise routine...

Heartburn occurs in pregnancy because of an increase in the hormone progesterone and an ever-growing uterus taking up space and cramping the stomach. Eliminating some foods from your diet and...

Although no advice will beat the advice from your doctor or midwife, some herbal and homeopathic remedies are very effective at combating the morning sickness blues.

When your belly expands beyond your baggiest waistbands, it's time to shop for maternity clothes. You don't need to spend a lot of money to get through your pregnancy in style. A few well-chosen...

Whether it is planned or a surprise, some women need to take a pregnancy test. Taking a pregnancy test can be exciting, scary or a combination of both. While the process is not very complicated,...

Congratulations on your pregnancy! One of the first questions everyone will ask is when the baby is due and you are probably just as interested in this information as they are. Calculating your...

As soon as you tell everyone that you are pregnant, one of the first questions will inevitably be, "Are you going to find out the sex of the baby?" If you already know the sex of the baby, you'll...

While much attention is given to fatigue during pregnancy, suffering from insomnia is just as common as feeling sleepy all the time. According to the American Pregnancy Association, 78 percent of...

While pregnant, the woman's body protects the developing baby. Everything she ingests crosses the placenta and goes to the baby. The healthier her pregnancy is, the healthier her baby will be, the...

Pregnancy for some is more of annoyance than anything else. While some women enjoy feeling the baby move, and enjoy the feeling of having a new life growing inside of them, other women would...

A chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a genetic test performed early in pregnancy to screen for more than two hundred congenital diseases. A CVS, performed 10 to 12 weeks after a woman's last...

Most obstetricians recommend that pregnant women take a glucose screening test between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy. This test determines how well a woman processes sugar. Poor processing...

More than 30 percent of all births are cesarean sections. Having an elective cesarean is becoming more common, whether it's scheduled for convenience or as a precaution against possible...

Pregnancy can be a very exciting time for both the expectant mom and the dad. However, pregnancy can also be scary if you don't know what to expect. Here's how you to find our what to expect when...

When a woman is pregnant, many medications, vitamins and supplements that she normally takes suddenly become unsafe. Before a pregnant woman takes any kind of medicinal aid, she should always...

The ancient Chinese gender prediction chart, according to legend, was found long ago in a tomb. Legend has it that it can predict the gender of a woman's unborn child based on her age, calculated...

As if there weren't enough things to deal with postpartum, constipation rears it's ugly head. Constipation is extremely common in women right after giving birth. Labor and birth can temporarily...

You're pregnant! Congratulations. The reality is you're probably reading this how-to article because you're suffering from morning sickness. As a mother of three, I suffered morning sickness...

While a pregnancy test can give you a definite positive or negative, there are ways to spot early pregnancy signs before confirming with a test. A woman’s pregnant body undergoes a number of...

Whether you have just found out you’re pregnant or are planning to get pregnant, you can use a pregnancy calculator to determine your due date.

Once a woman decides she would like a VBAC, the search for the right doctor should begin. Choosing the right doctor is almost as important to VBAC success as proper nutrition. The doctor is the...

Braxton-Hicks contractions are a tightening of the uterus but they do not help dilate the cervix and lead to childbirth. It is not clear why most women experience Braxton-Hicks contractions. Some...

A midwife or doctor will check a woman's cervix for dilation to help determine if labor may soon start. The cervix will soften and dilate to allow for the baby to be delivered vaginally. The rate...

The majority of pregnant women will have to deal with Braxton Hicks contractions at some point during their pregnancy. These contractions, sometimes referred to as "false labor," are most often...

Braxton Hicks contractions (also called "practice contractions") are a common part of pregnancy for almost all women during the second and third trimesters. These contractions are usually not...

An empathy belly is a weighted garment that can be worn by men, women and teenagers to simulate the physical effects of pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy prevention programs use the bellies to dissuade...

When a pregnancy pops up in the midst of wedding plans, you might not yet want to share the news with everyone. Using a combination of clothing choices and watching what you tell to who can this...

Preparing for your ultrasound is exciting. You get to finally have a peek at the cute little one growing rapidly inside of you. Here are a few things to do to ensure you are prepared for this...

Not knowing for certain whether you are pregnant can be emotionally tumultuous. Whether you've been trying to get pregnant or it's an unexpected happening, the only way to know for sure is to take...

Most pregnant women worry about what they put into their bodies. They are conscious about getting enough vitamins and calcium. They are hyper-aware of any potential exposure to chemicals,...

Discovering you are pregnant when you haven't planned on it is unsettling, even when you're married. Though you and your spouse may have theoretically discussed this type of situation, when it's...

Finding out you're unexpectedly pregnant can be frightening and isolating. Along with coping with your own shock and feelings, you need to find a way to discuss this unplanned event with your...

Pregnancy's a wonderful time. People remark on your glow and you are looking forward to a new baby in your house. So why, then, do you feel like a blimp? Swelling during pregnancy (known as edema)...

It can be hard to be an expectant father. Most of the attention is focused on your partner's pregnancy. People want to know how she is feeling and how the baby is doing. But oftentimes the dad...

Pregnancy hormones can have some very unpredictable results. The increase in androgen and progesterone levels can cause women's oil glands to work overtime. Some women, who have struggled with...

Pregnancy requires women to make a lot of changes in their lives. Along with developing better eating habits and healthier sleeping patterns, it's important to the baby's health and growth for...

Pregnancy is a time of excitement, a time of happiness and a busy time of preparation for a new life in your home. You may wonder, then, with all this excitement, why you feel so tired. Fatigue in...

For many women the joy of early pregnancy can be overshadowed by the persistent nausea commonly known as morning sickness. Though it's true that pregnancy nausea can be worse during the morning,...

Many things change during pregnancy. Your body begins to feel and look different and you are extremely aware of the fact that pretty soon you will be responsible for the well-being of another...

It can be a daunting task for a pregnant woman to avoid all the substances that might be harmful to her baby. It's commonly known that street, or illegal, drugs can be harmful if used during...

The great thing about blogs is that even within a particular subject there are many different ones to follow. Blogs allow people to feel they are not alone in a situation and give people a whole...

Postpartum bleeding is a normal part of giving birth, even for women who have had a C-section. Most women experience postpartum bleeding (also called lochia) for a minimum of 2 to 3 weeks after...