Postpartum or Postbirth is usually a happy time for most women. However it can also be dangerous and stressful. There are many potential complications for the mother that can be life-threatening. You need to care for your baby and and the same time you realize that your body has undergone many changes that need to be addressed. Read HERE more about potential complications requiring immediate attention.

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 »

Baby Blues and Postpartum Depression

Suffering from a brief bout of mild depression is common for women who have just given birth. Some women will fight through the depression and come out within a few weeks feeling better than ever before. Other women will suffer from baby blues symptoms that lead to a deeper more clinical-style depression. ... read more »

When to Return to Work After Giving Birth

Many women fight with the idea of when to work after giving birth. They’ve spent the majority of the last 40 weeks thinking about the baby, preparing for baby, and eventually leaving work to give birth and recover from delivery. ... 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 »

Preventing Thyroid Disease During Pregnancy

Clinical researchers have shown that hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and subclinical thyroid disorders have dangerous effects on pregnant women and the cerebral development of the fetus.   ... read more »

Clothing Tips for Your Post Baby Body

After nine months, you’ve given birth to your precious bundle of joy. Your body has gone through a lot in the past and likely doesn’t look or feel the same to you right now. It’s going to take some time for you to get back to your pre-baby body, but in the meantime, you may have no idea what you can wear. ... read more »

Psychosocial Correlates of Exclusive Breastfeeding

The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests at least six months of breastfeeding to ensure optimal health and well-being for every infant, though a small percentage of mothers breastfeed for this length of time. ... read more »

Newborn Care Practices and Health Seeking Behavior

Although the details of the research are limited, a new study out of Gujarat, India shows a direct connection between socioeconomic status and medical care sought and received by pregnant women and newborns. ... read more »

Lower Sexual Interest in Postpartum Women

After giving birth, women often report having lower sexual interest. It is often accepted as just being a part of giving birth and moving from pregnant woman to new mom. The revelation could help women feel less negative about looming sexual interest. ... read more »

Giving Mom a Hand After Birth

After birth emotional issues, paired with sleep deprivation, often strike a usually happy couple. Mom needs some alone time, support time, and help after the baby is born, and Dad needs to learn how to read the signs. ... read more »

Diastasis Recti and Pregnancy Abdominal Muscle Separation

Diastasis of the recti abdominal muscle (DRAM) separation is a separation between the left and right side of the rectus abdominis muscle, which covers the front surface of the abdomen. ... read more »

New Mother Selma Blair Opens up About Postpartum Hair Loss

Selma Blair, 39, best known for her roles in 90's classics like CruelIntentions, is not holding anything back about her new role as a mother. The star and mother of 4-month old Arthur Saint, became an instantfan-favorite of mothers everywhere after candidly opening up about herpostpartum hair loss. ... read more »

Postpartum Hemorrhoids

As many as half of all pregnant women get hemorrhoids during pregnancy, particularly during the third trimester. Find out the causes of hemorrhoids and ways to treat them and ease discomfort. ... read more »

Fish Oil Ineffective Treatment for Postpartum Depression

The Journal of American Medical Association has published a study claiming fish oil is an ineffective postpartum depression treatment, despite other studies finding the treatment to be highly effective. ... read more »

Postpartum Breast Engorgement

Just after giving birth, your body naturally begins to prepare for breastfeeding. During this time, breast engorgement can occur and your breasts may swell to sizes you can't believe and they may feel as hard as a rock. ... read more »

Breast Cancer Survivors Can Breast-Feed After Treatment

Researchers presented a report at the 35th Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology that may take a few oncologists by surprise. ... read more »

Brain Growth Noted After Child Birth

Many women will be happy to find out the brain actually grows after childbirth, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association. ... read more »

Best Birth Control Options After You Have A Baby

You probably feel that there is no way that you can become pregnant again right after having a baby. You will be surprised to learn that pregnancy right after you give birth is not as farfetched as you thought. ... read more »

Unintended Pregnancy Associated with Depression Risk

According to research completed at the University of North Carolina, women who experience unintended pregnancy are at increased risk of depression for at least 12 months postpartum. The results of the study were published in BJOG. ... read more »

Mothers of NICU Newborns Lacking Privacy

Despite smaller patient numbers and secluded environments, neonatal intensive care units (NICU) are not the best places for breastfeeding mothers, according to a new study from researchers at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. ... 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 »

Extra Pregnancy Care Training Needed to Improve Safety

According to a study published in the Journal for Healthcare Quality, additional education can reduce the risk and occurrence of adverse outcomes during and after pregnancy. ... read more »

Effectiveness of Immediate Post-Birth IUD Insertion

Immediate birth control is a choice many women in western cultures choose to prevent pregnancy in the months and years after giving birth, but birth control pills and other similar options are not always available to women in other countries. ... read more »

Baby-Friendly Hospital Accreditation and Breastfeeding Rates

A recent review of breastfeeding rates at one and four months postpartum in mothers who gave birth at BFHI (Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative) hospitals reveals the initiative has little impact on overall breastfeeding rates. ... read more »

New Postpartum Pregnancy Avoidance Protocol

The postpartum period can be a confusing time for some women in terms of pregnancy prevention. Breastfeeding can lengthen the time between birth and first menstrual cycle, but ovulation may occur before that first cycle, increasing the risk of pregnancy during the immediate postpartum period. ... read more »

Risk of Urinary Incontinence One Year Post-Delivery

Researchers from Copenhagen University have published a study in the International Urogynecology Journal on the effect of first-time vaginal birth on stress urinary incontinence and/or mixed urinary incontinence. ... read more »

How Soon After Birth Does Fertility Return?

There is no definitive answer to this question. Some women ovulatewithin a few weeks of giving birth and other women don't ovulate formore than one year. ... read more »

Methylergonovine During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

All about methylergonovine and pregnancy/breastfeeding. Is it safe to use during pregnancy and/or breastfeeding? ... read more »

Hospital Discharge Following Pregnancy Should Be Individualized

Many women are discharged from the hospital after birth based on insurance or hospital protocol. As long as mom and baby are healthy and ready physically to return home, the discharge is ordered. ... read more »

Serena Williams' Postpartum Complications

Just 10 months after giving birth to her baby daughter, new mom Serena Williams is set to play the final game in Wimbledon. Williams had a grueling labor and delivery, and life-threatening postpartum complications. ... read more »

Breastfeeding as Birth Control - Not a Good Idea

Breastfeeding is not a good birth control and it does not effectively prevent pregnancy. Once you resume sexual relations after delivery, there is a good chance you could get pregnant. ... read more »

When To Expect Your Menstrual Period After Giving Birth

A regular Menstrual Period or Bleeding after Birth and Delivery Of The Baby usually come when you start ovulating again. This can last between 3-9 months on average. Breastfeeding may or may not prolong that time. ... read more »

4 Postpartum Pains and How to Relieve the Pain

Just because labor is over and you’re holding the cutest baby on earth doesn’t mean the pain of pregnancy is over. Pregnancy and labor pains are taken over by postpartum pains almost immediately after giving birth. ... read more »

Exercise is Healthy for Pregnant Women

Physicians should recommend low to moderate levels of exercise to their pregnant patients, even if they have not exercised prior to pregnancy. ... read more »

50% of Mothers Who Start Breastfeeding Quit Within 6 Months

The Centers for Disease Control has published the 2010 edition of the Breastfeeding Report Card. Behind the report card is the Healthy People 2010 Target. ... read more »

Waiting to Clamp the Cord Proves Beneficial

According to the Neonatal Resuscitation program, doctors should delay umbilical cord clamping a minimum of one minute if no immediate medical attention is needed ... read more »