Once labor begins, the overwhelming desire of most women is to have it over with as quickly as possible. Labor doesn't always move according to a timetable, though; while labor lasts 10 to 14 hours on average, according to Sutter Health, there...
Pregnancy and its endpoint, labor, mark the start of parenthood, a new phase of life, for millions of women worldwide each year. During this exciting time, the baby develops from a fertilized egg into an infant ready to be born. After a gestation...
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...
Premature labor refers to going into labor before a fetus is 37 weeks gestational age. In the United States alone about one in eight babies are born before 37 weeks. Unfortunately, premature labor and delivery is the leading cause of death in...
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....
As you near the end of your pregnancy, sick of aching back and swollen feet, you might wake up one morning with the strange desire to repaint the bathroom or clean the attic. No, pregnancy hasn't driven you crazy --- this might be the "nesting...
When a woman goes into labor, she starts having uterine contractions, the amniotic sac ruptures and birth is imminent. Since normal human gestation lasts between 37 to 42 weeks, the start of labor before the 37th week of pregnancy is considered to...
From walking, having sex, drinking castor oil and eating spicy food, there is a plethora of ways to induce labor. If you're full-term or overdue, ask your doctor if you can use natural methods to begin the labor process. One popular method is...
Every woman's experience of pregnancy, labor and delivery is unique. Experiences even vary from pregnancy to pregnancy. There is only one sure sign of labor: real contractions, which are not to be confused with the earlier practice contractions,...
Waiting to go into labor naturally is usually ideal, but sometimes things don't work out that way. Whether it is because a woman is past her due date, experiencing complications with the pregnancy or baby's development or experiencing another...
Labor, otherwise known as childbirth or parturition, is the three-part period of gestation involving the birth of one or multiple infants. You can choose to undergo labor in one of several ways, including a natural birth at home, water birthing or...
Because some sources warn that you should avoid caffeine during pregnancy due to increased risk of preterm labor, you might wonder whether you could use caffeine to induce labor. There's no evidence to suggest that trying to induce labor with...
At the end of 37 weeks, a fetus is considered full term, but normal gestation can continue for up to 42 weeks. There are a number of reasons for inducing labor, including a pregnancy going over 42 weeks, which could leave the baby at risk of not...
Learning how to identify true labor pain may help you get to the hospital or your chosen birthing center in plenty of time for the delivery. Just as every woman experiences varied degrees of menstrual cramping, every woman has a slightly different...
For many pregnant women, as their estimated dates of delivery draw near or even pass by, the idea of helping labor begin is hard to resist. Many foods have reputations as natural labor inducers and many mothers-to-be have consumed them in the...
Women who have never given birth may believe that they will automatically know when the time to deliver the newborn has come. According to Penn Health, true labor is sometimes not easily identifiable. The due date is a reference date, and actual...
A baby born before 37 weeks of gestation is considered preterm. Premature infants may face developmental and health problems both immediately and in the future. Your risks of preterm labor increase if you are carrying more than one baby, have past...
Being pregnant and thinking about labor and delivery can bring about feelings of anxiety. Though it's a completely natural process, labor can be painful. Many women choose to get pain relievers or an epidural to help ease the pain. However, many...
The traditional definition of true labor is the onset of regular contractions that prepare the uterus to deliver the fetus. But there are many signs and symptoms that can precede regular contractions.
If you're near the end of your pregnancy but haven't yet reached your due date, you may be interested in herbs or foods that can induce labor. Most women are quite uncomfortable as they approach their 40th week of pregnancy, making labor inducers...
You have been anticipating the arrival of your new little one for nine months, and now are starting to feel anxious about the upcoming labor and delivery. If you are like most first-time expectant moms, you are probably wondering what to expect,...
Early labor occurs when you start having regular contractions, occurring every five to 10 minutes and lasting about 30 to 60 seconds each. These regular contractions help thin out and dilate your cervix in preparation for childbirth. Early labor...
Acupressure is a method that uses firm pressure on certain points of the body to activate muscle release, promote blood flow and help the body to heal itself. Acupressure is thought by its practitioners to aid in induction of labor and also to...
There are many times when inducing labor is required to preserve the health of the fetus or the mom. Labor may also be induced for women who've already had a baby and live far from a hospital. In 2006, nearly one in five women were induced in the...
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...
Several physiological factors influence when it is time to have your baby. Labor does not normally occur before the fetus is mature, approximately 266 days after conception. The exact mechanism that triggers uterine contractions is unknown, but it...
The female body is designed to carry a pregnancy for 40 weeks, but sometimes it may need a little boost to get labor started. With a variety of methods available, labor-inducing drugs such as pitocin and misoprostol are the main choice for...
Many books have been written about labor and delivery as a way of preparing expectant mothers for the long awaited arrival of their baby. In reality though, there is no typical pregnancy, labor or delivery, only typical symptoms. While these signs...
Breathing is automatic. The average adult does it over 20,000 times per day. Learning how was never necessary. But learning to breathe during labor takes preparation and a trusted methodology. Since the introduction of the epidural--used for...
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