Labor & Birth

Millions of women have gone through labor successfully (some more than once), and so will you. Here are some tips to help you get ready for the big day.

Prepared by parents before a baby's due date, a written birth plan helps couples think through how they'd like labor and delivery to proceed.

If you're scheduled for a cesarean section, you'll want to prepare ahead to make the day go smoothly.

The onset of labor varies from woman to woman, but there are some clear markers that will let you know the time has come.

Water births, say advocates, make labor less painful for the mother and ease an infant's transition into the world outside the womb.

Giving birth at home is, for many women, a way to make sure they're comfortable and in control during labor and delivery.

Sometimes a baby comes at an unexpected time or place. The key is not to panic - the mother's body will do most of the work.

Though most births in the United States are attended by physicians, more and more women are choosing to have midwives, who specialize in personalized care and low-technology births, help them...

Many pregnant women, especially the first time around, hire a doula (a word from the Greek, meaning female birth companion) to support them throughout labor and delivery.

Performing some simple exercises can prepare your perineum for the crowning and delivery of your child and lessen your chances of having an unnecessary episiotomy.

Sometimes labor must be induced. Under the careful supervision of a health care provider, there are some natural and synthetic practices that may give labor a jump-start. Follow these steps to...

Worldwide, more than 25,000 babies have been born underwater. Women laboring and delivering under water report a 30 percent to 80 percent reduction in pain. Their lower bodies are freed from the...

A baby grows and develops in the aqueous environment of the mother's womb. Some birthing experts believe that there is less delivery trauma for a baby born into water.

Being pregnant is a life-altering transition. Your questions and concerns will grow right along with the new life in your belly. Many women are finding the answers and reassurance they need with...

The contractions are coming faster and the baby's not waiting. Whether you're the father, a friend or just an innocent bystander, you need to know that there's more to do than boil water and get...

So you're having a baby. Maybe this is your first child and you want to have a natural childbirth. Maybe it's your second and a planned cesarean section is ideal. Regardless of the type of birth...

Even the best birth plan does not guarantee a successful delivery. The only way to make sure you have the best delivery possible is to prepare and educate yourself for every situation possible,...

You have made it through nine months of pregnancy. You are probably anxiously waiting for the moment when your little one decides to make his arrival into the world. You are most likely prepared...

If you are a healthy woman with a normal pregnancy, then you may want to consider giving birth at home. A home birth typically involves delivery in the comfort and familiarity of your own home....

Some women enjoy dimmed lights during labor. Others like gentle music. Trying to tell your birthing team your preference during mind-altering contractions, however, can be difficult. Birthing...

Your days of pregnancy are coming to an end, and your little one is preparing to make his way into the world. Below are a few suggestions that will help you feel prepared for your child's birth.

Although labor is a painful experience, some women still decide to forgo the medications available to help relieve the pain. If you plan to give birth naturally, there are steps you can take to...

Whether you are recovering from a caesarean birth yourself, are having a planned c-section or want to be prepared in case you deliver via this method, there's plenty of information available to...

Having a natural childbirth means that you won't be medicated and neither will your baby. Unmedicated mothers and babies are more alert and awake during labor and delivery because their senses are...

Home-birth is an intimate way to bring your new baby into the world, surrounded by family and friends who love her. Making the commitment to home-birth requires a lot of preparation, both mentally...

Birth centers provide a private, comfortable setting to have your baby naturally. If your health is good and your pregnancy is low-risk, you may choose a birthing center over a hospital. Here's...

Acupressure involves applying pressure using your fingers and thumbs on specific points. Using acupressure is a natural way to induce labor by helping the cervix to ripen and dilate. This is a...

Labor support is vital for laboring women. Studies have found that simply having another person in the room with a laboring woman, even if that person is doing nothing, will reduce a woman's pain...

Hypnobirthing or the Mongan Method is a new concept that promises laboring women a "pain-free" birth. Using basic hypnosis, women in labor focus their pain away and breathe their babies through...

During labor, it is possible that a fetus will be in fetal distress. Fetal distress is not terribly common, but if it occurs, it's important for it to be dealt with right away. There are some...

An epidural is a regional anesthesia that can reduce and eliminate labor pains while keeping the mother mentally alert during delivery and posing little risk to the baby. When mulling over the...

Being a Lamaze coach requires much more than urging the mother-to-be to "Push," or telling her "You can do it," and feeding her ice chips. Developed by Dr. Fernand Lamaze in France in 1951, Lamaze...

Hypnobirthing is a system of childbirthing that allows you to enter a state of deep physical and mental relaxation during childbirth. When using this system, many women are able to avoid using...

Fetal macrosomia is defined as a birth weight greater than 8 pounds 13 ounces. It is a fairly common problem that occurs in about 10 percent of pregnancies. Macrosomia increases the risk of having...

Some women have their babies naturally with no complications, while others must have cesareans for medical reasons. If you're pregnant and you want a natural childbirth, there are some steps that...

Paracervical blocks, given during childbirth, were once very common. While paracervical blocks can give good pain relief from the discomfort of dilation and can be used quickly without the woman...

Hypnosis during childbirth is a popular choice for many people who are aiming for a natural childbirth or who are trying to wait as long as possible before getting the epidural. People who use...

Choosing an OB/GYN is one of the most important decisions you'll make in your life. This is the person who will be responsible for bringing your future son or daughter into the world and helping...

An amniotomy, or artificial rupture of membranes (AROM), is when a doctor or midwife breaks a pregnant woman's bag of waters. Many women have the choice to have an amniotomy, and some doctors...

One of the more difficult things pregnant women can do is figure out who to listen to, and who not to listen to. It seems everyone wants to offer a pregnant woman advice about what to eat, how...

Most women desire a natural vaginal birth at some point, and many do even after having a c-section. If you plan to try a vaginal birth after a cesarean (VBAC), there are certain things that you...

A VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) is a choice that many women, who have previously delivered by cesarean, consider for their next birth. This is an especially common choice for women who have...

Today many more women are choosing to give birth at birthing centers, rather than in a hospital. There are many reasons for this, including more involved care and a more relaxed setting than a...

There are many reasons you may want to take your placenta home. You may want something that was a piece of you or there may be religious or cultural reasons. You may want to freeze it, ingest it,...

If you want to keep or use your placenta after your birth to ingest it, make placenta prints or plant a tree over it, you will need to know how to freeze it. Since the placenta is an organ, like...

If you take your placenta home, a wonderful to thing to do with it is to plant a placenta tree to remember your baby's birth. A placenta tree is something that will be the same age as your baby,...

A great way to remember your birth is to create placenta prints. The shape of a placenta is very interesting, mimicking a tree or, according to some people, mimicking the Tree of Life. You can...

Usually if your water is going to break, you may feel a slight pop and notice a ton of fluid gushing down your legs. You may also notice a slight trickle of fluid that may be confused with urine...

Many couples aim for a natural childbirth, but feel their hospital-based childbirth classes don't prepare them well. However, a natural childbirth instructor, whose goal is to prepare couples...

It can be difficult for an expectant mother to tell the difference between genuine and false labor, which is also known as "Braxton Hicks" contractions. This is especially true for first-time...