Labor & Birth

Planning for a natural childbirth is a personal choice and is something that takes time and careful planning on your part to ensure that your caregivers understand your wishes. As you plan for...

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...

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...

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...

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...

You'll learn how easy it is to have your baby naturally, at home, rather than in a hospital under the influence of doctors.

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.

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...

Preparing to have a baby can be an exciting, yet scary time for a new mother. Being pregnant is such a joy for many mothers-to-be as they can't wait to meet the little one they've come to love...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

A C-Section can be scary when you are expecting it, but when you are faced with an emergency C-Section, it can be 10 times scarier. After all, it is major surgery! Here is how you can deal with...

Before going to labor, every mother hopes for a swift and relatively painless labor and delivery. Child birthing classes will prepare those who attend for a complication-free, vaginal delivery...

When a baby is coming the nursery is decorated, the crib sheets are on, and newborn clothes wait for your new arrival. Than once baby arrives the whirlwind begins. My husband and I took Bradley’s...

Years ago, delivering a baby involved lying on your back, feet in the stirrups, working through contractions and pushing the baby through the birth canal. Now there are a number of ways to deliver...

The use of midwives during pregnancy has been around for centuries--and some say they are just as good, if not better than, having a doctor deliver your baby. Some also prefer to have a doctor and...

Giving birth is tough. VERY tough. It will never be easy, and arguably should not be-you are bringing a new life into this world. It is a big deal and that is why it is hard to do. Here are some...

Weather it’s an emergency or planned first time or repeat, c-sections are major surgeries. Here are some helpful guidelines to make your recovery as smooth as possible.

As a baby develops in utero his own body systems, including his excretory systems, begin to function.

Every woman wants that perfect childbirth experience, where we go into the hospital, have a short labor followed by a quick delivery. We have dreams that the baby will spend hours on end sleeping...

So you've watched your due date arrive, and pass, and you're still carrying your little bundle of joy. If you've gone days or weeks past your due date, it may be time for some interference on your...

After 9 months of carrying around another human being, you're probably completely exhausted! It's no wonder many soon-to-be mothers look for ways to get labor started when they're on or past their...

Home births have become increasingly popular over the last decade, as more pregnant mothers begin to shy away from medically-controlled births. The idea of a home birth is to bring both mother and...

Preparing for childbirth is a big deal, there are so many things to think about and emotions running wild that it helps to have a checklist of items to pack to take with you to the hospital. When...

The end of pregnancy is boring and exciting all at once. There's nothing to do but wait for the baby to arrive, and once the time comes, things get very hectic, very quickly. Packing a hospital...

As your due date looms closer, you may find yourself becoming increasingly apprehensive about what exactly happens during your delivery. According to the American College of Obstetricians and...

According to the March of Dimes, the average labor for a first-time mother lasts 12 to 14 hours. The idea of experiencing baby delivery pain for that many hours can throw many mothers-to-be into...

Signs of labor during pregnancy are difficult to ignore. Physical changes in the body begin to prepare women for the arrival of the baby. Every woman is different, and their signs of labor during...

When you are packing to deliver a baby you are going to need to pack for up to three days in the hospital. You never know how long you will actually be there. Being prepared is key. You do not...

It seems that in movies and on television, when a woman is ready to have a baby, she goes to the hospital. Every now and then, something goes completely wrong and the baby is born at home. But in...

Childbirth can be a frightening experience for most women. Many women have negative experiences for many reasons. You want to do everything you can to try to avoid that.

Inducing labor can be challenging. Not all pregnancies are the same, nor will each woman's body react the same way to different methods. It is important to note that the best thing to do is wait...

Selecting the right ob/gyn, nurse practitioner, midwife, or team of doctors to deliver your baby is one of most important decisions that a mother-to-be and father-to-be can make, yet it is often...

The last thing you want to be thinking about when you are in labor driving to the hospital is “did I pack the camera?” Follow these steps and create a list to ensure you have everything you need...

While preparing for the birth of your baby, make sure you don’t overlook the importance of packing a labor bag far in advance. You are going to need to pack things for yourself as well as your baby.

Toward the end of your pregnancy you start to want to get labor moving along. You wonder what the early labor symptoms are and what signs show you that you are going into labor. Look to these...

Trying to decide what all you need to put into your hospital bag for labor, delivery, postpartum and baby? Thinking it would be nice to look through a list of stuff that you may or may not need...

If you are expecting twins, you are sure to have many questions about what to expect during a twin childbirth and delivery.

Deciding who will deliver the baby is an important decision for every pregnant woman. Learn more about how to choose who will deliver the baby with tips from a certified doula in this free...

Every woman's experience giving birth will vary greatly. It is influenced by genetics, family support, preparation and birth place. The factor that will most predict what will happen during labor...

Having a baby is a wonderful and joyous event. Here's how to give your baby the best start.

The placenta is an organ by which an unborn baby gets its nourishment. The placenta attaches to the uterus and delivers oxygen and nutrients to the baby. The placenta also helps protect the fetus...

The recover y from a C-section can be both physically and emotionally challenging. Besides the normal feeling that come along with being a new parent, you may be in pain at the incision site....

The last month of pregnancy is hard enough, but when you are overdue, you can become down right miserable. Be smart; do not risk your baby’s health by trying any of these methods without...