Labor & Birth

Cesarean sections occur in more than one out of four births in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some of the main C-section risks involve wound...

If you are 39 to 40 weeks pregnant and your baby still has not dropped or you have not started showing any signs of labor, try using castor oil. Castor oil is a natural laxative that some mid...

Birthing balls can speed the first stage of labor, which begins as the cervix starts to change. Steady contractions rhythmically squeeze the baby whose head applies pressure to the cervix...

Knowing the date on which a baby is estimated to be born can help expecting parents plan accordingly for their new arrival. It will also help a doctor know when to administer certain tests and...

Whether past their due date or simply hoping to speed along the delivery process, many women have turned to natural remedies to ease them into the beginning stages of labor. One such herbal remedy...

Choosing the right doula is easy with these simple interview suggestions.

Am I in labor? It seems like it should be a simple question, but so often it isn't. In the movies, a woman's water breaks---and then the baby's on the way (after a mad dash to the hospital). In...

After nine months of aches, pains and sleepless nights, many pregnant women are anxious for labor to begin. The good news is that there are plenty of methods you can try to induce labor naturally....

According to both the American Pregnancy Association and the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, water births have become more popular over the last 25 to 30 years. Proponents...

Are you planning on getting pregnant or already pregamant and want want to calculate your estimated due date as well as your estimated conception date? You can do this by using a pregnancy...

Water birth is a birthing technique used most often in home deliveries. Water birth is used to help ease the contraction pain of the mother during delivery, and can be used by women who are not...

After childbirth it is not uncommon to feel burning in the vaginal area. This burning sensation is often caused by the pressure and strain of pushing during labor and can be moderate or severe. ...

Clary sage essential oil is known to help heal a variety of aliments including migraines, PMS, depression, and stress-related symptoms. Another interesting way to use this essential oil, however,...

A pregnant woman may become anxious when her doctor schedules her for a labor induction. The methods of inducing labor in the hospital include the administration of Pitocin, which results in more...

Labor is induced for several reasons, usually determined by your doctor. Overdue babies are often brought into the world via induced labor. This combination of medicine and technique is used in...

If you are pregnant and thinking of hiring a midwife, then you probably have some questions about the kind of care you will receive during your pregnancy, labor and postpartum period.

Childbirth is called labor with good reason: it's hard work. Moderate exercise is important to keep new mothers healthy during pregnancy. It's also good for your baby if you exercise; exercise...

A birth certificate is an important legal document that is used to prove that you are a United States citizen. The application for a certificate is completed after your baby is born, usually while...

The past few decades have seen a drastic rise in the number and uses for DNA testing. Scientists have known about the existence of DNA for quite some time, but testing for common purposes has...

In the last trimester of pregnancy, time seems to pass incredibly slow. If you've gone overdue, which happens in many first pregnancies, you may find the wait (and weight) unbearable! Many people...

The Bradley Method and Lamaze are two of the most popular methods of natural childbirth. Both emphasize limited medical intervention and focus on childbirth being a natural process. To a casual...

Midwifery is the term applied to the field of medicine practiced by midwives. Midwives are people, usually women, trained in pregnancy and delivery that emphasizes a natural approach based on the...

When you are 39 weeks and ready to pop, you may be willing to do anything to encourage your little one to emerge. Here are a few things you can do to induce labor at home.

If you are over 39 weeks pregnant, you are not only excited about having your bundle of joy, but also probably bulging and uncomfortable. There are certain herbs that will help induce labor....

A C-section, also known as a caesarean delivery, is surgery that delivers a baby through an incision in the abdomen and uterus, according to the Cleveland Clinic. A C-Section is a safe procedure,...

The baby clothes have been folded and re-folded, the crib is put together, the car seat is buckled in the car, and you might possibly feel like you can't wait one more day to welcome your new...

Packing the hospital bag for the birth of a baby causes a mixture of excitement and anxiety about the impending arrival. A packed hospital bag also offers a sense of relief because you are...

Stripping of the membranes is a procedure performed by a doctor which may help stimulate labor in a pregnant woman. This technique is usually used at the end of pregnancy during a vaginal exam.

Forty weeks can seem like an eternity for a pregnant woman. Fortunately, there are some foods that can be eaten that may induce labor---if your cervix has already begun to dilate.

Sometimes pregnancy does not go exactly to plan and a women is close to or past her due date and wants to just meet her baby. Labor typically happens naturally when the body is ready for the baby...

Women cannot predict exactly when they will go into labor. A month before a woman gives birth, her body begins to prepare. There are signs that a woman can look for during the last month of...

A cesarean section, or c-section, is a surgical procedure sometimes performed to deliver a baby. It is performed if there are risks associated with a vaginal birth or if the mother has had...

There's more to Lamaze than the "hee-hee-hee-hee-hoo" breathing exercises you see on TV. Lamaze is a birthing philosophy that uses a variety of natural pain-relieving techniques. Lamaze was...

You have many choices to make when you find out you are pregnant, including how you will labor and deliver your baby. You decide whether you want to work with a doctor or a midwife. Whether you...

Having a c-section birth due to breech baby, multiple births, or another medical condition? Not exactly looking forward to surgery? There are definitely some advantages to having a c-section...

After 9 months of pregnancy, many women cannot wait to get it over with and finally meet their baby. While some methods of inducing labor are old wives' tales, there are many tried and true ways...

After nine months of pregnancy, many women are anxious to deliver. The female body is an effective incubator, and most women will go into labor once the baby has reached full term and is ready to...

Preparing for bringing home baby may or may not come naturally to you. A lot of woman have a lot of frantic energy in the last few weeks of pregnancy so here is a good plan to use that energy and...

During the final stages of a pregnancy, many women feel more than ready to finally meet their son or daughter. While it is not recommended that you attempt to induce labor without first speaking...

When a pregnant woman's due date has come and passed, being pregnant becomes increasingly uncomfortable. Some foods, such as pineapple and mangoes, can stimulate contractions to begin. Natural...

Acupressure is a natural way to help induce labor by pressing on certain points located on the body. Pressing these points stimulates the uterus to begin contracting or can make contractions...

Birth weight is one of the first facts parents brag about after the birth of their child. Second only to gender, people want to know how much your baby weighs because it is a good indicator of his...

Think it might be time to have your baby? This article will teach you all you need to know about timing your contractions and getting to the hospital on time!

If you are pregnant and have passed your due date, you're probably very eager to meet your new baby. There are many safe and natural ways that you can induce labor at home. However, if you have a...

As your due date approaches, you might start asking yourself...will I know when I'm actually in labor? What if I wait too long to go to the hospital? What if I go in to soon? This article will...

Many pregnant women are anxious to begin labor. It is often the highly anticipated arrival of your baby, and perhaps because you are tired of being pregnant, that may encourage you to try to...

Bromelain is an enzyme that naturally occurs in pineapple. It is believed to work like a prostaglandin, which aids in the ripening and softening of the cervix. This enzyme is only present in fresh...

Preterm labor is when the uterus begins contracting and initiating birth prior to full gestational age. Generally, labor prior to 34 weeks is considered preterm labor. The baby may not be fully...

Pregnancy is an experience filled with uncertainties and surprises. Women can eliminate part of the guessing game associated with pregnancy by using the conception date to estimate their baby's...

Being pregnant is a beautiful, natural occurrence that can be uncomfortable and painful at times. Women look for natural methods to ease their discomfort and hopefully bring on labor....