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...
You've carried your baby for nine months and you've finally started having contractions, your water broke, or both. Just as going into labor can vary from woman-to-woman, so is the entire delivery experience. Some women are in the delivery room...
Doctors at one time believed that exercise was detrimental to an expectant mother and her unborn child. Today, exercise during pregnancy is a common practice welcomed by doctors. Exercise after the 34th week of pregnancy is a viable option for...
Pregnancy is a time of great change. As a woman's body changes, her emotions change as well. When you experience negative feelings or fear during your pregnancy, your first instinct may be to hide or suppress those feelings. This isn't the best...
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....
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...
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...
Most full-term babies will take a head-down position before labor. However, approximately 3 percent of full-term babies are in a breech position -- head up instead of head down -- when labor begins. Because the pressure of your baby's head on your...
Childbirth is painful, and modern medicine provides many coping methods. Two-thirds of laboring women in the U.S. use epidurals for pain control, according to Epidural Analgesia in Labor, which appeared in the August 2004 issue of "Continuing...
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...
Lamaze has come a long way from simple breathing exercises. Lamaze International, a non-profit organization that teaches a natural, healthy and safe approach to pregnancy and childbirth, provides resources and information for women and men...
According to the Guttmacher Institute, 750,000 women under the age of 20 became pregnant in 2006. Teen mothers face challenges beyond the normal pressures of the teenage years. A higher risk of poverty and domestic abuse is associated with teen...
Preparation before labor and delivery aids in the smooth transition of bringing your newborn home. You can take steps to prepare for your baby's arrival by examining your health, living arrangements, current knowledge of childcare and plans for...
Many expectant mothers worry about the pain of giving birth. One of the most popular, natural, techniques for pain management is deep breathing. Achieving proper breathing techniques during labor can be achieved with preparation and practice....
The third trimester of pregnancy lasts from week 28 until delivery. During this time the baby is growing and gaining weight rapidly. There are many physical and emotional experiences that occur during the last months of pregnancy. Emotional...
If you get pregnant soon after having a baby, it's possible you might still be breastfeeding your baby. Though it is generally safe to continue breastfeeding while you are pregnant, some consequences can make it difficult for you to continue.
Hypnosis operates on the theory that the mind controls the body. Through the power of suggestion, the body and mind enter a state of deep relaxation, which theoretically decreases pain perception. The more hypnosis is practiced, the more effective...
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....
Prenatal yoga is the subset of yoga poses, stretches, and activities that are considered safe for expecting mothers. Participating in prenatal yoga can be beneficial to pregnant women on multiple levels. It is a way for mothers-to-be to stay...
Pregnancy is a time characterized by an array of emotions, ranging from joy to pain. Entering the seventh month, the baby already weighs just more than a full pound and is approximately 9-inches long. The mother is now visibly pregnant, having...
Packing for the hospital ahead of time allows you to check one more thing off your "to do" list as you prepare for the birth of your baby. You want to pack items to keep you as comfortable as possible during and after labor, and some items your...
Sleeping on your stomach puts pressure on your unborn baby. If it's early in your pregnancy or you're simply trying to conceive, you should try to get in the habit of sleeping on your side, so when you are further along, sleeping this way comes...
If you're looking for an enjoyable way to exercise and burn calories -- as well as learn a few smoldering dance moves -- consider signing up for a belly dancing class. Belly dancing isolates and strengthens certain parts of your body, such as your...
Pregnant women need increased calories, nutrients and minerals during all phases of pregnancy, in addition to prenatal vitamins. While many women simply eat enhanced versions of their normal diets during their pregnancies, there are a variety of...
Childbirth is an exciting time for most expectant mothers, a culmination of 40 weeks of pregnancy. Soon the mother will finally be able to hold her precious newborn. However, the birthing process can be challenging and painful, and no two...
If given the choice, which of the following would you prefer to use to improve your health--Mozart or medicine? How might you answer if you knew that Mozart is medicine? Stress levels are high in 2010 due to economic instability, unemployment,...
If you're pregnant, chances are you are at least a little concerned about the impending pain of baby delivery. Since labor varies from woman to woman and baby to baby, you won't know how painful your childbirth will be until it begins. However,...
When a baby is on the way, fathers-to-be often have no idea what to expect. Throughout the pregnancy, the most important thing the dad can do is to be involved and supportive. Learning as much as you can about the process of pregnancy and birth...
The American Academy of Pediatrics states that breastfeeding is best for both mother and baby, providing excellent nutrition that boosts the infant's immune system. Even though mothers have breastfed their babies for centuries, it is not a task...
