Family Health

Premature labor occurs when a woman goes into labor before the 37th week of her pregnancy. Signs of preterm labor include contractions less than ten minutes apart, pelvic pressure, lower abdominal...

Using an exercise or "pregnancy" ball during pregnancy can help to loosen up the pelvic joints and muscles in preparation for delivery. During labor, sitting on an exercise ball can relax the...

Natural labor induction is typically more gentle for mother and baby than a medical induction, which overpowers the body's natural ability to go into labor. With natural labor inducers, the...

If you are pregnant, or thinking of having a baby, the book "What to Expect When You're Expecting" can be a comprehensive resource to guide you through your pregnancy and childbirth experience. If...

When a doctor induces labor, she will administer the drug Pitocin intravenously. If your labor will be induced, you typically have a time and a date for the induction scheduled with your doctor...

Pregnant women who reach their due dates are often eager for labor to begin. When done safely and correctly, nipple stimulation with a breast pump is an excellent way to help encourage active...

Creating your ideal birth plan can be fun and is definitely a pregnancy long process! Start early in pregnancy to gather information outlined here and continue to adapt throughout your pregnancy....

Nine months of pregnancy can be agonizingly long. It can seem like you’ve been pregnant forever. But what happens when you go past 40 weeks? What if your baby decides to be fashionably late? While...

Medically induced labor for pregnant women can be pretty intensive and painful. But there are some ways to induce labor naturally. According to MaternityCorner.com, some of these methods are OK to...

Early labor signs may go unnoticed at first because they start off rather low-key before accelerating to active labor. However, by paying attention to your pregnant body, you can learn to...

The average pregnancy lasts between 40 and 42 weeks. Labor is best left to the body's natural process, though in some cases, induction is medically necessary. Three basic ways to go into...

More than 20 percent of pregnant women are being induced at or around their 40th week of pregnancy---often for convenience rather than medical necessity---according to certified nurse midwife Peg...

Rescue Remedy is a powerful blend of Bach flower essences that are specifically combined to calm, soothe and keep you centered during traumatic or high-stress situations such as emergencies and...

Used more in Europe than the United States, water birth lets women endure labor and/or give birth in water. Some are wary of the practice, but proponents say it is easier on baby and Mom than...

Blue and black cohosh are herbs often used as part of a tea to induce labor because of their ability to strengthen contractions and ripen the cervix, preparing it for birth. Cotton root bark is...

The decision to induce labor at 36 weeks is made when there is significant risk to the mother or unborn baby. According to MarchofDimes.com, 99 percent of babies born at 36 weeks will survive with...

Many women deliver babies in hospitals, but some choose the option of a home birth. There are certain supplies that are needed at the time of delivering a baby, in order to have a comfortable and...

There are two instances when an obstetrician will induce labor: when a mother and/or child is in medical jeopardy, or when a pregnant woman decides to schedule an induction for reasons of personal...

The average pregnancy lasts between 40 and 42 weeks, though it has become a recent trend to terminate pregnancies earlier. This is most often not because of a medical reason, but simply because it...

Although many pregnancies progress into active labor naturally, some women will continue well past their due date. Not only can this be uncomfortable for the mother to be, but it can also be...

According to Childbirth.org, Group B Streptococcus (GBS) has been identified as the number one cause of life-threatening infections in newborns. GBS is a bacteria that is normally found in the...

During the third trimester of pregnancy it is not uncommon for doctors to induce labor in patients. Though most doctors prefer to wait until an expectant mother is between 34 to 36 weeks pregnant...

Every labor and delivery is different but when it is time for the baby to come out you might not know if you are in real labor or are having false labor. Since many women aren't sure exactly what...

The experience of childbirth is different for every woman. If you happen to be one of the many pregnant women who suffer back pain during childbirth, there are ways to ease this pain, often...

Labor is the period of the birthing process just before delivery. The amount of time in labor can vary greatly. A woman in labor will experience short contractions in her uterus. In normal labor,...

Babies born prematurely look small and fragile, but with modern medicine they can go on to live happy lives. It is important to understand premature labor and its risk factors so you can prepare...

Pregnancy is a joyous time in a woman's life. As the due date approaches, many women become anxious to meet their new bundle of joy. Once the baby has reached full term, there are many methods...

Labor and delivery is one the most anticipated and heartfelt moments in a women's life. It is accompanied by multiple feeling of happiness and fear. To properly prepare for labor and delivery...

As you draw closer to the end of your pregnancy, you may be wondering when your baby will come. You are tired, and ready to just have your baby and start life with your new bundle of joy....

Pregnancy sometimes feels like it lasts forever. At some point, preferably between 38 and 42 weeks of pregnancy, labor will begin. If you have crossed over the due date of the baby, your doctor...

According to CNN, about half of all twins are born by cesarean section, a method where doctors deliver babies through an incision. Several factors cause c-sections to be safer for twins. For...

Acupressure has been used for centuries to help start labor contractions. The fingertips, thumbs, and occasionally the palm or elbow are used during acupressure to apply gentle tension to the...

A water birth is when a laboring mother sits in a tub or pool of water during the labor and birth of her child. The benefits include increased comfort for the mother and a gentler infant...

Epidural anesthesia is one type of pain relief administered during labor. According to the American Pregnancy Association, over 50 percent of women giving birth use epidural anesthesia.

If you're ready to quickly induce your labor, you might be interested in both natural and synthetic methods. Natural methods for labor induction include specific foods, herbs, and...

Toward the end of your pregnancy, you might be looking for natural methods to induce labor. Though no method is fool-proof, certain foods and supplements may help to jump start your labor if your...

A typical full-term pregnancy lasts 40 weeks. When a woman has reached 40 weeks, she may become anxious to begin labor. There are several ways to induce labor, whether it is with the use of labor...

An expectant mother can use many methods to speed up the end of her pregnancy and induce labor naturally. One of the most popular methods is using evening primrose oil to help ripen the cervix and...

Since labor and giving birth are both part of the same, painful experience, many women opt to do one, the other or both in a tub of warm water. This is still an alternative method, but it's...

Pregnancy can seem like an eternity and by the beginning of the 8th month, many women are ready to have their babies and be a mother. For this reason, many women begin trying natural induction...

By the end of the third trimester, many women are more than ready to deliver. As much as people tell you that you are glowing, you're probably feeling sick of your hips and back hurting and your...

Most babies come when they're ready; some a bit before the due date, some after. But sometimes an expectant mother goes into labor far too early. According to Science Daily, the earliest preemies...

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, doctors may induce labor when a woman is past her due date or when the baby or mother's health is at risk.

Premature births occur when a pregnancy gestation period ends before the 37th week. Currently, only one half of the cases of premature birth have causes associated with them.

Waiting for the birth of your child can seem to take forever. Especially if you are overdue, you may want to find ways to start labor without harming yourself or your baby. Some women do things...

The health of their babies is a primary concern for most pregnant women. It's important, therefore, that pregnant women learn about the side effects of pain killers, like Demerol, on their bodies,...

Having a baby is always an exciting event. After waiting nine months for your little one to make an appearance, it can be tempting to try and give him a helping hand by inducing labor. If you want...

Many women prepare themselves and anticipate the pain felt by labor contractions. But often times pregnant women do not consider the widespread occurrence of back pain with labor. Talk to your...

As professional labor attendants, doulas help hundreds of women before, during, and after childbirth. They offer emotional and physical support and can provide additional insight into techniques...

Women have used castor oil for many years to attempt to bring about the onset of labor. Castor oil is a vegetable oil that is sold over-the-counter as a laxative. Although it has a long history as...