Lamaze breathing takes its name from Ferdinand Lamaze, a French obstetrician who developed the technique in the 1950s, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Along with visualization, movement and focusing, Lamaze...
If you're opting for a natural childbirth, or simply want better control over your breathing while giving birth, breathing techniques can allow you simultaneously to relax and focus on the task at hand. Through breathing, you can focus your...
Childbirth can be a long, painful process. Your body begins to prepare for labor and delivery up to a month before your baby is born. You should start getting physically prepared well before then. Knowing what to expect and being ready for it can...
Giving birth naturally provides a sense of empowerment to the new mother and minimizes potential side effects for the baby, but it can be painful. Planning ahead is key to having a successful natural delivery, but you should also be prepared to...
Prenatal yoga is an effective way to help your body deal with the stress of pregnancy and to prepare for baby. If you live in a big city like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, prenatal yoga can help relieve the stress of urban hustle and bustle.
Pregnancy is an exciting phase in a woman’s life. While some of you may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue, mood swings and weight gain during pregnancy, which may undermine your excitement, what matters at the end of the...
Lamaze has become a common term for any prenatal birthing class. Lamaze is its own specific view of natural birth whose principals have been used to form other birthing techniques. The main Lamaze technique that has migrated to other birthing...
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...
Pregnancy can be a frightening and isolating experience for an expectant mother. Do your best to alleviate her negative feelings by talking, taking part, reinforcing your bond with her and, as much as possible, making the experience of bringing a...
Whether this is your first pregnancy or your fourth, the prospect of laboring to deliver your baby can be both exciting and frightening. As you count down the last weeks of your pregnancy, remember that very few babies are born on their due dates....
The pain of childbirth causes fear in many expectant mothers. Knowing your options for relieving the pain and making the delivery easier prepares you to make decisions when you go into labor. A birth plan offers a way to document your preferences...
Delivery of a baby is different for each woman. Some deliveries are long and arduous; others are relatively short. However, every labor is the same---if it is not a C-section---in that there are three stages that you go through. The three stages...
Prenatal yoga is a type of yoga specially designed with pregnant women in mind. Prenatal yoga is an ideal exercise during pregnancy. Not only will you strengthen and tone your muscles with little impact, you also will improve your circulation and...
Houston, Texas, is one of the largest cities in the United States, and there is no shortage of things to do there, especially for kids. From theme parks to science centers, you can plan a different activity for each day of the week, keeping your...
Expecting a child signifies a number of preparations are in order to welcome your new little one into the world. You have nine months to prepare for your baby's arrival, meaning decisions must be made concerning where the baby's room or area will...
Losing weight after baby can be challenging enough, but you may find it especially difficult to lose weight around your midsection. Your abdominal muscles have been stretched and out of use, and returning your belly to its postpartum appearance...
Discovering that you are pregnant can be a time of anxiety, excitement and amazement. From the first weeks of your pregnancy all the way to your due date, your body changes rapidly. The worries about weight gain, the common irritability and the...
Working out is as beneficial for women postpartum as it is during pregnancy, and like prenatal exercise, postnatal exercise comes with a set of guidelines meant to promote a healthy recovery after childbirth. Usually, prenatal yoga classes are...
Lynn Felder states in "Yoga Journal" that prenatal pregnancy can ease the moodiness, shortness of breath and swollen ankles associated with pregnancy. In addition, Felder states, it can help the mother bond with her unborn child, build a sense of...
Being a surrogate mother means taking on a huge responsibility for someone's else's life. A surrogate is someone who chooses to implant either another couple's fertilized egg or sperm that is fertilized with the surrogate's egg. The surrogate...
Birthing classes, meetings with your doctor and chatting with friends may leave you feeling confident that you know what to expect during pregnancy and labor. But what about after your baby is born? As a result of the process of delivery and...
Exercise during pregnancy is generally safe and beneficial. Getting a good workout regularly can prepare your body for the stress of giving birth. Though some exercises, such as skiing or scuba diving, should be avoided during pregnancy, there are...
In your first trimester you can attend regular yoga classes, as long as your care provider gives you the OK and you let your yoga instructor know you're pregnant. Your instructor will want you to take prenatal yoga precautions. Of course, if you...
Lamaze breathing is the most widely used birthing technique in the United States, says KidsHealth.org, a division of the Nemours Foundation. It is a method of birthing and dealing with the pain and stress of birth through breathing exercises....
Minnesota abounds in prenatal yoga classes designed to help pregnant women prepare for delivery and ease the pregnancy process with physical fitness activities, meditation, breathing and other mind-body techniques. Make sure that yoga teachers are...
Prenatal yoga is a popular exercise option for expectant mothers. You can find prenatal yoga classes in local gyms, community centers and even some hospitals. Staying active during your pregnancy, as long as your doctors allows, can keep your...
Swelling in the ankles can be a sign of a minor problem. It could also signal a serious underlying health disorder. Swelling in the ankles that is also known as ankle edema can have several etiologies ranging from minor to significant underlying...
Childbirth education classes strive to inform expecting parents about childbirth, while covering a plethora of topics related to labor and delivery. Class participants may want to learn about birth choices, or explore birth topics that are...
Exercise is an important part of prenatal health. Prenatal yoga offers low impact exercise that not only keeps you moving, but also helps to cope with the fatigue, back pain, stress and other physical symptoms of pregnancy. There are many...
