Learn everything you need to know about labor and delivery!

Experts Remain Divided on Safety of Home Births

Some people childbirth think an act so natural as giving birth can be accomplished safely at home, without medical intervention. ... read more »

What Happens in the Delivery Room After Labor is Over?

All women, no matter who they are, go through the same general process after labor, as long as the birth was uneventful from a medical perspective. The cord is clamped and cut and baby is placed on your chest. ... read more »

Labor, Delivery, and Birth Guide

All about the stages of labor, delivery options, anesthesia and more. ... read more »

Children in the Delivery Room

Having other children in the delivery room is an option some parents choose, however, parents need to be prepared for every possible scenario. ... read more »

Medications and Baby: The First Days

After moving to the nursery, baby will likely be given a vitamin K shot.The shot promotes blood clotting as babies aren't born with the natural ability to clot properly. ... read more »

Failure to rescue fetus, baby, and mother during a homebirth

The concept of "failure to rescue" (failure to recognize, or act upon, early signs of distress) was first introduced in the 1990s as a measure of hospital performance in the care of the adult posts ... read more »

What Is Labor Induction?

Labor induction or inducing labor is usually done to start contractions of the uterus or to prepare the cervix to soften and/or dilate for a vaginal birth. It usually involves the stimulation of uterine contractions during pregnancy before labor begins on its own to achieve a vaginal birth. ... read more »

When Are Pain Medications Offered During Labor?

You may think you're ready for those pain medications as soon as you check-in to the hospital, but you may have to wait around a while before you can ease that pain and settle into labor land. ... read more »

Signs of Labor: Early Symptoms

What are the true and false signs of labor? ... read more »

Is This True Labor or Braxton Hicks Contractions?

Are these Braxton Hicks or real contractions? ... read more »

All About Childbirth Classes

Everything you need to know from conception to postpartum! ... read more »

10 Tips When Your Baby Is Due During the Holidays

You can plan for the holiday and your birth at the same time! ... read more »

Practical Labor Day Preparation

Before the time comes to rush off to the hospital, you need to think about preparing for labor, not just packing for your hospital stay. ... read more »

Labor and Delivery: Birthing Choices

The traditional birthing choice in the United States involves having a doctor-assisted delivery in a hospital setting. Despite the popularity of the traditional hospital birth, there are other birthing options women may want to consider. ... read more »

Stages of Labor

There are three stages of labor starting from the time of the beginning of contractions and cervical dilatation up to the delivery of the placenta. ... read more »

Operative Procedures: Forceps, Vacuum, Episiotomy

The use of operative procedures, such as forceps, vacuum, and episiotomy during a vaginal delivery provides a little boost to mom's birthing process. ... read more »

Labor and Delivery Room Behavior

The big day is about to arrive. You're filled with questions about what to expect on this special day - the do's and don'ts of delivery room etiquette, what will happen and who will be there to witness. ... read more »

7 Huge Don'ts in the Delivery Room

The delivery room can be both a wonderful place and a horrible place. Before hitting the labor and delivery ward, make a list of rules that everyone needs to follow. ... read more »

5 Ways to Say No to Your Mother-in-Law in the Delivery Room

You don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but if you've discussed it with your partner and you both agree that your mother-in-law will not be allowed in the delivery room, you may want to think of a few ways to tell her that won't hurt her feelings. ... read more »

Should You Choose a Birth Center for Your Pregnancy Care?

From the first minutes after finding out you're pregnant, you areconstantly making decisions. Decision making will be a major part ofyour life for the next 18 years or so ' but before you jump intoparenthood, you may want to decide where you'll give birth. ... read more »

Doulas and their Role in Pregnancy

A doula is a nonmedical person to help mom through the birthing process with her emotional and physical needs. Comforting, caring and understanding, the doula essentially mothers the mom-to-be. ... read more »

Anesthesia During Labor and Delivery

There are 4 types of anesthesia currently used in the laboring process. These include drugs, local anesthesia, spinal anesthesia, and epidural anesthesia. ... read more »

Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes - PROM

Premature rupture of fetal membranes (PROM) is when the fetal membranes break prior to labor. ... read more »

Can I Eat Solid Food During Labor?

Solid food is that source of energy you could really use about five hours into labor, but the one thing you will be denied if you think of solid food as a full meal. ... read more »

Scheduling the Hospital Tour Before Labor and Delivery

The hospital tour is a great time to get to know staff at the hospital and the layout of the labor and delivery room. Women generally schedule the tour sometime between weeks 20 and 35 of pregnancy, though some women wait until the 36th or 37th week. ... read more »

When to Work on Birth Preparation

The birth of your child is a physically intensive process many women are not ready to undertake. Making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle early in your pregnancy can mean a world of difference when labor begins. ... read more »

What is a Birth Plan?

A birth plan is a simple, clear, flexible plan expressing the birth mother’s preferences during birth. The plan is not a medical guide or definitive declaration of how the birth will go, but it does give everyone involved an idea of the pregnant woman’s wishes. ... read more »

Labor Signs and Symptoms: Diarrhea

As your body gets ready for giving birth, muscles loosen in the entire body, and this includes the muscles that regulate bowel movements. Often, diarrhea can be a sign that baby is on the way! ... read more »

Can I Bring Clothes from Home for Labor?

Some hospitals give moms the chance to wear her own clothes, after approval from the hospital staff during labor. However, the clothing must be similar to hospital clothing and non-restrictive. ... read more »

What to Pack for Labor & Delivery

Here's what to pack for the hospital in your labor bag! ... read more »

First-Time Fathers and the Delivery Room

Euphoria, agony, and everything in between. Back and forth, for hours. Those are the emotional memories of ten fathers participating in a Swedish study of first-time fathers in the delivery room. ... read more »

Will I Poop When I Push During Labor and Childbirth?

Women have many concerns during pregnancy regarding the dreaded fear of pooping while pushing. This is why it is important to understand the facts around this as well as a few tips that can help. ... read more »

Labor Monitoring: What Are All These Wires?

The first few hours you spend in the labor and delivery department are hectic. You will have little to no alone time as medical staff prepares you for delivery. ... read more »

Interactive Apgar Score Calculator

The Apgar score is done on every baby at 1 and 5 minutes of life to assess whether the baby needs resuscitation. This interactive Apgar Score Calculator will help you determine your baby's Apgar score. ... read more »

Back Labor and Back Pain In Pregnancy

Back labor is a type of labor in which the mother feels most if not all of her contraction pain in her lower back. ... read more »

Induction of labor

In most women, labor induction is not necessary because labor begins spontaneously without anyone having to do something about it. ... read more »

Top Reasons to Choose a Hospital Birth

So many reasons to deliver the baby in the hospital. ... read more »

Vasa Previa - Vasa Praevia and En-Caul Delivery

Vasa previa is a rarely (1:3000) reported condition in which one or more fetal blood vessels from the placenta or umbilical cord cross the entrance to the birth canal, beneath the baby and just clo ... read more »

What Is an Episiotomy?

For decades, episiotomies have been routinely performed to help speed delivery during the pushing phase of labor and to prevent tears to the vagina. ... read more »

Are Immunizations Started in the Hospital?

If mom and dad have agreed to have baby immunized, the vaccination process will be started in the hospital, but with only one vaccine. The only vaccine currently given at birth is Hepatitis B. ... read more »

Labor Contractions

Labor contractions are the body's way of saying, 'Let's get ready tohave a baby!' and are caused by hormones in the body. Labor contractions come in three forms: false, practice and activelabor. ... read more »

Can My Partner Attend My Delivery?

If you simply want your partner in the delivery room you can address her as your birth coach and no one will ask another question. ... read more »

Should I Have Advanced Directives (Living Will) in Place?

Advanced directives are legally binding documents that outline how you want to be cared for and who should make choices about your care should a medical emergency arise and you cannot make health care choices for yourself. ... read more »

Grandparents and the Delivery Room: Yes or No?

You may love your grandma and grandpa with all your heart, but are they the perfect people to have in the delivery room? Before making the final decision, ask these five simple questions. ... read more »

Labor Support: What to Bring to the Birth

The labor support person or team is elected to be the main caregiver, outside of doctors and nurses. The support role is important during the entire birthing process. ... read more »

Hospital Security Policies: What You Need to Know

You can be certain that all hospitals will have a different set of rules and methods in place to ensure optimal security, but here are a few policies common across the board. ... read more »

Baby: The First Hours After Birth

You've made it through labor and met your baby for the first time - now what happens? Baby will be taken to the weighing station where mucus and fluid is sucked from the mouth and the initial Apgar score is noted. ... read more »

Where is My Baby? Post Labor Questions

After labor is over and the umbilical cord is cut, your baby is taken to a warmer in the delivery room. The initial Apgar score is given, baby is given a bracelet that matches yours and prints are made for security. ... read more »

Alternative Pain Management During Labor

You've set your mind to having a pain medication-free labor, but that doesn't mean you have to approach labor without any pain management techniques in mind. ... read more »

Is My Baby Allowed in the Room for My Entire Hospital Stay?

Barring any complications during labor and delivery, infants are allowed and encouraged to stay in the room with mom during the entire hospital stay. Having baby nearby is crucial to early bonding and breastfeeding, if applicable. ... read more »

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