A certified nurse midwife, or CNM, offers an alternative health-care option for delivering your baby. Beyond childbirth, a CNM is able to perform your routine checkups, family planning, prenatal care and postpartum care, according to BabyCenter....
If you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the near future, one of the first decisions you will need to make concerns the type of health care you will receive. While many women seek the services of a traditional obstetrician, certified...
To earn a master's degree in nursing, you must attend schooling through an accredited college or university. Having a master's degree in nursing gives you the skills, educational background and training to become successful in the nursing field....
Care from midwives can very greatly. A certified nurse midwife working in a hospital with an obstetrician will use medically minded induction methods, such as Pitocin, artificial rupture of the membranes and vaginal prostaglandin preparations....
Stretch marks form on the belly, upper arms, thighs, and chest as a result of rapid weight gain, often from pregnancy. The skin stretches, leaving unsightly red and purple scars. Not only are there modern creams and processes for getting rid of...
Achieving healthy weight loss is an investment in long-term lifestyle changes, according to Doria Keesling, a certified nurse midwife at St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center's Women's Care Center in Missouri. After all, many of us who...
Your baby spends nine months swimming in a warm, watery environment. Home birth supporters feel that transitioning the bay from one warm, wet environment to another is more calming and soothing and thus helps to prevent complications, according to...
Milk provides calcium, the most prevalent mineral in the human body and the building block for healthy teeth and bones. Pregnant women need at least four servings of milk or other calcium-rich foods daily. Women who don't get enough calcium during...
During pregnancy, you have plenty of reasons to exercise, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Keeping active helps you sleep better, gain the right amount of weight and helps prevent aches and pain. It may even help speed up...
If you have a disorder that causes your blood to develop clots, you may need to take low-dose baby aspirin during pregnancy. Often prescribed in conjunction with heparin, another drug that prevents clotting, baby aspirin reduces the ability of...
Midwifery is an ancient tradition. The midwife acts as a helper for the pregnant mother as she comes to term, helping her through labor and delivery. However, specially trained physicians and surgeons with access to medications and surgical...
It is not uncommon for many women to remain pregnant after their due date, especially for first time moms. Most obstetricians and midwives will give mom until 42 weeks to go into labor naturally, though you may be monitored more after you have...
If you are looking to improve your overall health, look no further than your kitchen cupboard. Walnuts and almonds aren't just a delicious snack, but for some individuals, they may also be an effective home remedy for a variety of health...
Nausea with or without vomiting in pregnancy is commonly referred to as morning sickness. American Family Physician, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Family Physicians, reports that about 80 percent of pregnant women are affected...
Although it would be nice if your body miraculously returned to its prepregnancy state the instant you deliver the baby, this is not the case for most women. It can take weeks for you to recover from childbirth. After you heal, it can take several...
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...
Hormones affect both women's and men's bodies in numerous ways beyond sexual function. Progesterone in particular is important for women, not just for reproduction. It is often noted as a natural antidepressant, and you may be contending with...
Pregnancy without insurance is a cold, hard reality for 13 percent of the 6 million women who conceive each year in the United States, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Although it can be stressful at times, experiencing pregnancy...
Pregnancy nutrition focuses on eating healthy, which means choosing foods from all food groups and eating the right number of calories daily. Eating eggs every day can have some benefits during pregnancy, but there may also be risks associated...
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...
After a baby arrives, the mother's body must recover from pregnancy and childbirth. Abdominal muscles, including the uterus, need time to get back to a normal, non-pregnant size. These changes can cause intense abdominal pain for the first few...
Congratulations, you are pregnant. One of the most frequent questions you will be asked over the next nine months will be, "What is your due date?" For some women, especially those who were actively trying to conceive, this may be an easy...
Each woman's body reacts differently to yeast infection treatments. Some women need strong prescription medicines while others swear by over-the-counter and home remedies. Garlic is one such home remedy that women can safely use to treat vaginal...
Bouncing soundwaves through the pregnant uterus and measuring the feedback produces an image of the fetus. Ultrasound pictures are extremely detailed, and are safer than X-rays. Hand-held dopplers use the same technology to "hear" the unborn...
Due to the availability of doulas, midwives, at-home nurses and other birthing experts, numerous options exist for mothers wishing to give birth in natural settings. Although having such experts on hand can help to make nearly any environment...
When it comes to questions about what foods are safe to eat while pregnant, your obstetrician can guide you in making the healthiest food choices for you and your unborn baby. If you enjoy foods with poppy seeds, you may have heard the connection...
Pregnancy is a natural, healthy state of being, and there are many steps a woman can take to ease the discomforts of pregnancy and prepare her body for an efficient and strong delivery. One such step is to include the herbs red raspberry leaf and...
Many women don't even think about stretch marks until the second or third trimester of pregnancy, when they begin to see thin, red or purple lines creep across their abdomens. Following delivery, the worsening appearance of these stretch marks,...
Cravings occur when only one type of food will satisfy your urge, often completely independent of hunger. If you munch on chips all day, you may have more than a preference for salty foods. Likewise, if you have an uncontrollable urge to chew on...
