According to Mayo Clinic obstetrician and gynecologist Rosalina Abboud, women who wish to put off having their period may safely do so by using birth control pills. Women on the birth control pill do not have normal periods. Instead, they...
Childbirth is a physical activity. Staying fit and healthy are important ways to prepare for labor and delivery. Maintaining a healthy pregnancy weight, doing prenatal exercises, taking prenatal vitamins and following your practitioner's advice...
While no amount of preparation can truly prepare you for what having a baby will entail, you can be prepared for labor and delivery. This will include things that will make your hospital stay more convenient and things that will make coming home...
Having an estimate of your baby's prenatal weight can be useful, as this information can provide knowledge about possible birth defects, developmental problems or future delivery complications. Your doctor may base the method or timing of delivery...
Packing your hospital bag long before your first serious contractions ensures that you bring all of your necessities. A checklist of items to bring keeps you organized as you gather your hospital essentials. The specifics of your hospital...
When you find out you are pregnant, emotions begin to flow. You may be excited, scared or even nervous. As your pregnancy progresses and your body changes, the reality of your delivery is quickly approaching. If you have decided on a hospital...
When you plan a birth at home or in a non-hospital birthing center, you're typically choosing a birth with less medical intervention. When your baby is born in a hospital, the paperwork to apply for a birth certificate is available for you, and...
Some mothers start planning their children's college educations while they're in the womb, while others have difficulty simply remembering to take their prenatal vitamins. In most cases, both mothers end up with healthy babies. There's no...
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...
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...
Having a baby is an exciting time, full of changes and anticipation. Preparing a labor and delivery hospital bag makes your birthing experience less stressful. HospitalBag.org recommends packing your bag at the end of your second trimester....
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...
Whether you're a friend or a partner, being the birthing coach for a woman in labor is a big responsibility. It is your job to be her advocate, her cheerleader and quite possibly, her punching bag through the long hours of labor and delivery....
A doctor who delivers babies is usually licensed as an obstetrician/gynecologist, or Ob/Gyn, a specialty that involves training in pregnancy, birth and the reproductive systems of women. Different obstetricians have different philosophies, with...
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...
Packing for your trip to the hospital can be frantic and stressful, particularly if you are experiencing contractions and have multiple suitcases to fill. Unfortunately for expecting mothers, childbirth isn't as simple as showing up at the...
The increasingly popular practice of yoga has many health benefits, including many for prenatal women. In addition to the many physical benefits of the practice, prenatal yoga assists women through the preparation process for birth by providing...
When preparing a birth plan, some women may consider the appropriateness of a water birth. During a water birth, the mother relaxes in a tub of water that is approximately 95 to 100 degrees F anytime after she reaches 5 centimeters dilation....
At 26 weeks (6 1/2 months) into your pregnancy, you are almost at the end of your second trimester. Your baby weighs about 1 2/3 pounds and measures 14 inches (about the size of an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel, reports BabyCenter....
An epidural is a form of pain medication used by more than 50 percent of women who give birth at hospitals, according to the American Pregnancy Association. It is a local anesthetic that blocks nerve impulses, giving you decreased sensation in the...
Giving birth is a wonderful time in many women's lives. The common image of a birth is a woman in a hospital bed, hooked up to multiple machines and giving birth vaginally. However, women have more than one option when giving birth. If she does...
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that 750,000 women aged 15 to 19 become pregnant each year. As a parent, teacher or mentor to a teen girl, finding out that your charge has become pregnant can be disappointing and upsetting. Once you get over...
When preparing for a baby, a mother-to-be's focus is often on what the baby will need. The last few weeks before baby is due are often a flurry of shopping for clothing, cribs, bottles and burp cloths. But it is just as important that mom...
When there's a new baby on the way, people often get so excited about the child they momentarily forget about the mother's needs. If you're close to a mother-to-be, giving a pregnancy-themed gift that's just for her can be a great gesture of...
Delivering a baby is an intense time. Being well-prepared is a key to making the experience smooth and comfortable. Pregnancy Today recommends packing two hospital bags before the big day. One bag is filled with items you will need for labor and...
The feelings of excitement and anxiety that come with the onset of labor can be intense. You may not have much time or energy to put together all of the items necessary to have a successful and comfortable hospital stay for you and your new...
Cerebral palsy is a disease that affects the brain and physical movements. These movements may range from lack of muscle control to spastic movements of the body. While there is no cure for CP, there are various types of exercises that may be able...
It's easy to forget necessary items when you're packing a bag in preparation for delivering your baby. However, you want to avoid items you'll never use because you may not have much space in your hospital room. Learning what to pack long before...
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...
Home births account for approximately 90 percent of the world’s births and are gaining popularity in Western culture. Learn how to plan a home birth in this pregnancy video.
A doula is a trained labor support assistant who helps pregnant women physically and emotionally through labor and delivery. Learn how to use a doula during your pregnancy in this video.
A doula is a trained labor support assistant who helps pregnant women physically and emotionally through labor and delivery. Learn how to use a doula during pregnancy in this pregnancy video.
