Labor refers to muscular contractions of the uterus that lead to widening of the cervix to prepare for delivery of a baby. Sometimes, labor may progress too slowly and induction of labor is necessary. According to The March of Dimes, labor is...
While many of the body’s hormones are shared by men and women, there are some that predominate in females. These are responsible for the unique characteristics and qualities of women, including menstruation, breast function and pregnancy....
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...
Helping another person makes you feel good. It also makes you more appealing to others because most people admire those who help others. Observing people help each other increases a sense of goodwill, which can build unity and responsibility in a...
The generally positive health effects of breastfeeding upon children are often discussed. Mothers do not always learn, or learn much, about the profound and amazing physical changes that breastfeeding brings about in their own bodies. Yet since...
A pregnancy is term at 40 weeks. While some mothers go into labor on their own before 40 weeks, it is best to avoid any natural labor induction techniques until the pregnancy is term. Women may attempt to induce labor themselves naturally as a...
Massage therapy is an often-overlooked healing art form that can provide not only physical benefits but also mental benefits, such as relief of stress and tension. A study published by Reuters in March 2010, conducted by Dr. Wen-Hsuan Hou of...
After being pregnant for nine months, most mothers are ready to meet their new baby. Doctors ideally want labor to start naturally, and that means that sometimes a woman has to continue a pregnancy a few days up to a week past her due date. There...
The breasts are hormonally regulated tissues that respond to a number of hormones circulating within the body. The developmental cycle of the breasts begins in puberty, and extends to changes during pregnancy. According to the Ohio State...
Breasts that leak before, during or after a nursing session are nature's way of ensuring that your body's production of breast milk does not turn into a health problem such as a clogged milk duct or an infection. Methods to stop this extra milk...
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...
Relationship conflicts between couples are inevitable. Differences often exist in the way conflict is managed. A women may desire to talk things out while a man may retreat, both physically and emotionally. These patterns don't mesh well,...
Because breast milk contains optimal nutrients and antibodies, it is considered by many pediatricians to be the best method of feeding your baby. Some mothers who feel they're not producing enough milk supplement their own breast milk with formula...
The paternal bond is seen as the relationship between a father and a child. Most people agree the maternal bond, the relationship between mother and child, is usually the stronger, with a woman developing the bond even before the birth of her...
Hormones are molecules that your body uses for communication, often between organs in different organ systems or over long distances in the body. There are two major types of hormones: steroid hormones and protein, or peptide, hormones. Peptide...
If you are past your due date and your doctor allows it, you may be able to induce your labor through various exercises, says Dr. Marjorie Greenfield, associate professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Case School of Medicine and University...
Women who routinely use medications to manage allergies should consult a medical care provider about devising a treatment plan during pregnancy. When deciding on the best course of action, the woman and her health care provider must weigh the...
Hormones may provide an explanation for why women store fat around the hips and men store it around the abdomen. Fat around the hips, to some degree, is actually advantageous for women because it provides resources for nourishing pregnancy....
Immediately after giving birth, most women lose around 10 pounds of their pregnancy weight, according to MayoClinic.com. When they leave the hospital, however, many are surprised to find that they still look about six months pregnant. While the...
People communicate with much more than just words. Touch conveys powerful messages, especially between mother and child, according to the International Association of Infant Massage. Aside from conveying these messages of love and nurturing,...
Inducing labor is not something a woman should do without the consent of her health care provider, no matter how natural the technique. Attempts to start labor should not be made prior to the 40th week of pregnancy. With a medical care provider's...
Online dating websites offer opportunities for men to connect with other men and women. Dating sites are portable, and men can access the database from any computer with an Internet connection. Many dating sites have mobile applications that...
Breastfeeding your child during her first year offers plenty of health benefits, according to MedlinePlus. Providing your child with breast milk results in fewer stomach and intestinal complications, as well as a reduced risk of skin diseases,...
Going past your due date is quite common, and according to the website Pregnancy-info.net, 7 out of 10 babies are content to wait an extra week or two before making their appearance. You can coax him out using easy techniques, but as Marjorie...
It's second nature to comfort a distraught friend by rubbing her shoulder, or to instinctively rub your big toe to ease pain after stubbing it. Massage therapy operates on a similar premise, and has been used throughout the ages for pain...
"Endorphin" is usually a buzzword that is thrown around when people are talking about the general benefits of exercise, but some don't really understand what endorphins are. Endorphins are neurotransmitters found in the brain that activate and...
During pregnancy, a woman's body works hard to fill the needs of not one, but two separate individuals. Maintaining adequate hydration can be difficult to accomplish when dealing with morning sickness or a busy schedule. According to the American...
Women who want to have a natural labor may want to find ways to help labor along. There are ways that can do just that; however, these methods should only be done under the supervision of your practitioner. Women with underlying health conditions...
According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, induced labor has doubled since 1990, with approximately 1 in 5 pregnant women opting for this due to a variety of circumstances, such as carrying past term or water breaking...
