Delivery

In the majority of cases, both the mother and baby are perfectly well after an assisted birth, but occasionally complications are encountered.Problems during the deliveryA condition known as shoulder dystocia, in which the baby's shoulders become...

A cesarean section is the delivery of your baby by means of a cut in the abdomen. A cesarean rate of around 10-15 percent is thought to be reasonable, although in most Western countries the rate has risen beyond 20 percent and around 30 percent o...

Your baby todayThis 3D ultrasound scan shows a baby lying on its back, in exactly the same orientation as the image opposite. It is just possible to pick out the limb buds on an ultrasound scan taken at this stage. ...

Of course your experiences will depend on your labor and birth and local procedures, but here is what usually occurs in your first 12 hours after birth.1-2 hoursAs long as he is well, your baby can be placed in your arms, and you can cuddle him a...

Breech labors and births are usually more difficult, so if your baby is still in a breech position in late pregnancy, you may be offered a procedure to turn your baby.Turning your babyThe procedure to turn your baby, external cephalic version (EC...

At 1, 5, and 10 minutes, your baby's breathing, pulse, movements, skin color, and responses are assessed. In South Asian and black babies, the color of the mouth, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet are checked. Each is given a score betwee...

Your baby todayThe movements that you feel will usually be concentrated in a few areas since your baby cannot readily change position. Although the character of these movements will have changed, you should still experience many movements each da...

When it comes to screen time and kids, it isn't all bad news. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers guidelines on how to make screen time healthy and educational.

Becky is a 22-year old woman in her first pregnancy. She'd had no problems and at her 36 week appointment, she discussed her birth plan and told her doctor that she wanted a water birth at the local birth center.Becky's birth story: By the time I...

The third stageThis is from the birth of your baby until the delivery of the membranes (the amniotic bag that surrounded your baby) and placenta. The placenta can be actively managed with the help of drugs or delivered without drugs, known as pas...

As you enter the second stage of labor, you will probably experience an overwhelming desire to bear down. Once your doctor has established that you are fully dilated and are ready to start pushing, you may start to feel more in control of your la...

Your baby todayEstimating your baby's size by measuring from the top of the uterus to the front of your pelvic bone can give you an idea of size, but this is less accurate now. Your baby may not yet have moved down into the pelvis and the amount ...

Shoulder dystocia is an emergency situation during a delivery that occurs when the baby's head has been successfully delivered, but the shoulders appear to be stuck. Since the head may be delivered fairly easily, the problem is often not discover...

Although uncommon, labor and birth can occur unexpectedly fast, resulting in an unplanned home birth or a birth on the way to the hospital. Sudden birth is more likely to happen in second and subsequent labors or if you've had a previous sudden b...

This type of regional anesthesia involves injecting a local anesthetic into the vagina where the pudendal nerves are located to reduce pain in the vagina and perineum. The pudendal needle is quite long and thick, so before the injection is given,...

Your baby todayThis MRI scan shows detail of the baby's brain. MRI is particularly good at showing structures within the central nervous system. Taking and interpreting these images remains difficult and time consuming, however, so they are not p...

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  Jenna is a 31-year-old mom and this is her second labor. She had a straightforward birth with her daughter, now three. This pregnancy was uneventful, so she decided to have a home birth this time. Jenna's story: When I was eight days overd...