Technically speaking, you may begin to have Braxton-hicks contractions starting well before the second trimester. Braxton-Hicks contractions can start as early as somewhere around your sixth week of pregnancy. Having said that, these early Braxton-Hicks contractions are generally so mild that you aren’t even going to be able to notice them. Typically, it is sometime [...]
It’s not entirely uncommon for a woman to feel like she may be in labor long before she actually is. Many new moms will make at least one trip to the hospital, thinking that today is the day, only to find that they’re sent back home. Knowing when labor has begun means not only watching [...]
Part of getting through labor is understanding exactly what to expect. Labor is divided into four specific stages. These stages aren’t hard and fast, and many women may not realize when they’re transitioning from one stage to another. And, because every woman and every pregnancy is different, you may not spend very much time in [...]
Labor is painful. It’s a simple fact of life. Even if you have a tremendously high pain tolerance, the fact of the matter is that you’re not going to feel good. There’s nothing wrong with feeling like you need some pain relief during labor. Today, it’s often assumed, however, that you’re going to want medical [...]
When you’re pregnant, the more you can do to stay fit and help your body get ready for labor and delivery, the easier that whole process will be. That’s not to say that labor and delivery will ever be easy or painless, but the better shape your body is in the less likely you are [...]
Over the past four decades, we’ve seen a steady increase in the number of births via cesarean section. Around a quarter of women will have a cesarean birth in the United States. There is some controversy to this statistic, as the World Health Organization believes that the cesarean rate should, ideally, be around ten to [...]
So much of what goes on during pregnancy is about choices. You need to make the right choices nutritionally in order to make sure you and your baby get what you need. You need to make choices about how to manage side effects like morning sickness. You need to make choices about baby names, about [...]
Herbal remedies have been around for thousands of years, and while some of them have fallen by the wayside because of ineffectiveness some have stayed. Herbs can enhance your life in many different ways, and their effect on the body is, for the most part, undeniable. During pregnancy, there are many possible uses for herbs, [...]
Today more than ever, couples are taking control of the birthing experience. People are becoming more and more informed about their own well-being, and about all of the various options that take place during the labor and delivery process. While some health care providers might not appreciate this trend, many parents do. One of the [...]
Over the past three or four decades, we’ve seen a consistent increase in the percentage of births that have taken place via cesarean section. It’s estimated that around a third of all births today are done via cesarean section, which is quite a staggering number. In many cases, the C-section is recommended due to possible [...]
if you have any questions or comments!