Labor and Birth

A discussion of home births and how to plan one.

A look at the stages of labor, and how long you should expect it to last.

A look at what happens if you go into preterm labor.

Now that you've had your baby, you might be anxious to begin to take off that extra weight and get back to exercising. The most important thing to remember is that you should begin to get back into a routine slowly.

Breastfeeding is a truly bonding experience for mother and child, and it's one of the best things that you can do for your baby. You might not think about it before you begin breastfeeding, but the choice to do so can make choosing a birth control method more difficult than it would be if you weren't breastfeeding. Not to worry, you don't need to give up breastfeeding to go on birth control, you can do both. While many believe that breastfeeding is a suitable birth control, this isn't always the case and you should have a backup method.

Nubain is a analgesic narcotic that is commonly used during simple surgeries or during labor. Nubain is effective and safe for most people, though it's not the strongest drug that you can use for pain. Drugs such as Nubain simply lessen pain perception, making the pain more tolerable. Especially during labor, decreasing pain perception is important to help a woman get through the contractions and difficult parts of labor.

Clary sage is often used in labor to provide an aromatic delivery, where the smells in the delivery room can benefit the mother in a variety of ways. Clary sage should never be confused with regular sage, as sage can actually be very toxic to the baby because it's so strong. Your midwife might recommend using Clary sage, but if she doesn't, why not bring it up and see what she thinks. Clary sage has a very unique smell, so be prepared, because not all mothers will appreciate the smell!

A discussion of back labor.

A look at pudenal blocks and their use during labor.

A look at the postpartum hospital stay.