What You Should Know About Common Birth Interventions
By Teri Shilling, MS, CD(DONA), IBCLC, LCCE, FACCE You may be planning a natural birth, but there are times when your health-care provider must intervene for health and safety reasons. Or you may find...
View ArticleEarly Induction: What You Should Know
In line with last week’s post about recommendations against elective induction before 39 weeks, let’s talk about what an early induction means. Below are some basic points with links to more in-depth...
View ArticleMaking Progress in Labor is More than Just Dilation
“How far dilated are you?” When you get past 36 weeks of pregnancy, this is most likely a question you’ll hear again and again — from several people. And more than likely, you’ll wait in anxious...
View ArticleWhat to Know About Your Water Breaking
In Hollywood, it is usually the first sign of labor and happens with great fanfare and an exaggerated sense of urgency. In reality only about 10% of women experience their water breaking before labor...
View ArticleWhat to Know if Your Labor Stalls
Labor is unpredictable. We have no way of knowing in advance when labor will begin, how long it will last, or how it will feel. Sure, there are some universal markers and generalizations about the...
View ArticleHealthy Birth Practice 1: Let Labor Begin on Its Own
Adapted from The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth with Confidence. Letting your body go into labor spontaneously is almost always the best way to know that your baby is ready to be born and that...
View ArticleIf You Have an Epidural: How to Keep Your Body and Labor Moving
Epidural anesthesia delivers a combination of anesthetic (numbing) and narcotic medication into the epidural space outside of your spinal cord. The medication creates a loss of feeling from your...
View ArticleThe Straight Scoop on Inductions
The holidays are upon us. If you are due on or near a major holiday, you will be more likely to face the decision of whether or not to get induced to go into labor. But before you succumb to the...
View Article60 Tips for Healthy Birth: Part 4 – Avoid Interventions that Are Not...
In this six-part series, we are sharing 10 tips for each of the Lamaze six Healthy Birth Practices that help guide women toward a safe and healthy birth. The Lamaze Healthy Birth Practices are...
View Article60 Tips for Healthy Birth: Part 5 – Avoid Giving Birth on Your Back and...
In this six-part series, we are sharing 10 tips for each of the Lamaze six Healthy Birth Practices that help guide women toward a safe and healthy birth. The Lamaze Healthy Birth Practices are...
View Article5 Ways to Be Your Own Best Advocate for During Birth
When seeking to maximize your comfort and minimize interventions during your hospital birth, there are simple things you can do to advocate for yourself. Be sure to also share these tips with your...
View ArticleChildbirth Challenges
The following and several more great resources can be found at Lamaze.org/PushForYourBaby Every pregnant mom wants a healthy baby, but common maternity practices may actually make it harder to have a...
View ArticleNew Medical Guidelines Released to Prevent Cesareans
Earlier this week, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) along with the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) released a joint Obstetric Care Consensus: Safe Prevention...
View ArticleRed Light, Green Light – A Quiz on Getting the Best Care
Are you getting the best prenatal care from your provider (midwife, OB, or family doctor)? Take this “red light, green light” quiz to find out. Red light indicates care that is not evidence based or...
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