Within the last month of pregnancy, changes occur that prepare an unborn baby for delivery. During this time the baby actually changes position and moves lower in your abdomen to a location that will allow the baby to properly pass through the...
During your pregnancy, you may have limited the amount of time exercising. After childbirth, it's time to regain strength in your buttocks and pelvic floor muscles. Before you exercise to rebuild strength and endurance, you'll need to consult your...
During delivery, a mother is usually minutes away from holding the baby that she carried in her womb for nine months in her arms for the first time. While it is a time of excitement and wonder, it can also be a time full of nerves and fears. Many...
Babies often twist and move around inside their mothers' uterus during pregnancy. A few weeks before the mother's due date however, most babies settle into a position that allows them to be delivered head first. If the baby is not in the correct...
According to the American Diabetic Association, there are 135,000 cases of gestational diabetes per year. In diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin to properly metabolize glucose. The extra glucose that the mother produces crosses the...
As your baby -- and baby belly -- grow, you've probably found it increasingly difficult to do everyday tasks. During your last month of pregnancy, your baby is growing rapidly and preparing for delivery. Some pelvic pressure is normal, as your...
The pains of labor are typically associated with the belly and perineal area. However, some women do experience pain in the lower back as part of their labor process. Most often, back labor pain is contributed to the baby coming down the birth...
Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is the most common type of sexually transmitted infection in the United States, according to the Baby Center website. Women are screened during an annual gynecological exam for abnormal cells on the cervix, which are...
Despite the lack of development in their bodies, babies are born with heads that are at an advanced stage of development. As the brain reaches half of its adult size by 9 months and nearly three-quarters by two years of age, a baby's head must be...
The delivery of a baby has been called one of life's most treasured events. In reality, while marking the event of a new life in the world, childbirth can also be painful and can bring the possibility of complications for both mother and baby. The...
Planning a baby delivery involves getting information and then deciding on the best option for you and your baby. Whether you decide to give birth in a hospital setting, a birthing center or in the privacy of your own home, there are several...
Labor and delivery is a three-step process, however according to the Mayo Clinic, stage one can be divided into two stages---early and active labor---making it a four step process. While it can be overwhelming, and a bit frightening for first-time...
When the meninges, the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, become inflamed, it is called meningitis. This illness is typically caused by a bacteria or virus, according to the Nemours Foundation website Kids Health. In a newborn, these...
Among the many changes that occur during pregnancy is lightening, the physical shifting of your baby's body that takes place shortly before labor. Understanding the facts about lightening, including what it is, what it means and how it might...
HPV, or human papillomavirus, is a sexually transmitted disease where certain strains can cause genital warts or cervical cancer in women. According to Dr. Arthur Schoenstadt, author of the eMedTV.com article "HPV and Pregnancy," no research shows...
Labaor may be induced by drugs when it doesn't begin naturally or becomes stalled or when the life of the mother or baby is threatened if labor doesn't occur soon. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) does not recommend...
The pelvic floor is a grouping of muscles that cradle a woman's pelvic organs, including the uterus and bladder. During childbirth, the pelvic floor muscles play an important role in pushing the baby through the vaginal canal. Exercises to...
Every mom has a different experience in the labor and delivery room. Some women opt for anesthesia, usually in the form of an epidural; while others turn away from pain-reducing medications, preferring to feel the entire experience. Some women...
According to the American Pregnancy Association, squatting during labor can open your pelvic outlet up to 10 percent. The theory developed that squatting also can help prompt labor by opening up your pelvic area. No conclusive testing has proved...
Pushing is the final stage in labor before you meet your baby. This period of labor and delivery may be the most painful or the greatest source of apprehension as a woman worries if she will know what to do. It is difficult to describe the...
Labor and delivery is a normal process that will happen in its own time for every woman, but health care providers can often estimate how long labor will take by breaking the process down into a number of stages and stations. Stages offer several...
Group B beta-hemolytic streptococci, or Streptococcus agalactiae, are normal flora of the lower intestinal tract and female genital tract in up to 35 percent of women. Colonization of the vagina with group B streptococci typically is an indication...
Forceps use during delivery has decreased as cesarean deliveries have increased and vacuum suction has become available. Most forceps deliveries today are low forceps deliveries in which forceps are applied when the baby's head is visible or low...
Newborn babies are routinely given eyedrops shortly after birth to prevent eye damage from possible infection. The drops usually contain an antibiotic, and they are meant to protect the baby from bacteria or viruses in the mother's birth canal....
Meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. In babies, especially newborns, meningitis can be a serious condition that can lead to death if left untreated. In babies younger...
Cervidil, generic name dinoprostone, is a drug used to induce labor. It may have other uses, as determined by a medical professional. Cervidil is inserted into the vagina in a number of ways. The Mayo Clinic says it can come as a tampon,...
More diabetics are able to successfully carry pregnancies to term today, due to improved treatment of blood sugar before and during pregnancy. Yet some complications are still common in diabetic deliveries. Diabetic mothers need close attention...
After an average of 40 weeks of pregnancy, a woman goes into labor and gives birth. The delivery of a baby involves many choices on the part of the mother-to-be, including decisions about where to give birth, the degree of assistance desired and...
Delivering a baby is one of the highlights of a mother's life, along with other friends and family members who are patiently awaiting the new arrival. Baby delivery isn't always as easy as it seems, there are several things that come into play and...
The pushing stage of labor occurs once the cervix is dilated and the baby is in the birth canal. Learn how to push during labor with expert childbirth tips in this pregnancy video.
Pink eye (conjunctivitis) is an inflammation or infection of the transparent membranes (conjunctiva) that line your eyelid and part of your eyeball. The cause of pink eye is commonly a bacterial or viral infection, an allergic reaction or, in...
