Delivery

What are the common physical and emotion signs of labor? And how do you know if your labor really has started...?

It's important to take special care of yourself before labor so that you can keep your energy and strength up for the big event. This checklist will help.

Pain-relief plans may change during labor and childbirth. Hear a woman's story about planning for a natural birth and then deciding to use low-dose anesthesia for her pain: a combined spinal epidural.

General anesthesia, when the mother is asleep, is used in cesarean births and other necessary cases. Find out when and why it's used and what happens to you and your baby during and after the surgery.

A natural home birth using a nurse-midwife is an option for childbirth. Read one woman's story of safely delivering her baby in the comfort of her home without medications.

This is the story of 31-year-old Jenna's natural home birth. She chronicles everything in a detailed timeline from the start of her contractions to the arrival of her brand new baby.

Various types of pain relief medication can help during labor and childbirth. Get the facts about analgesic drugs, which dull the perception of pain; and anesthesia, like epidurals, which numb pain totally.

Labor and birth pain varies among pregnant women and progresses and affects them in different ways. Learn how you might react to pain and can plan ahead to cope using medication or natural methods.

During pregnancy, you can plan ahead for the collection of stem cells from the umbilical cord that can be used later in a baby's life to treat diseases like leukemia. Get tips to arrange cord blood banking.

Learn what breech means, and find out what complications it can cause during delivery.

Both your health-care provider and your partner should be involved in your decision about where to deliver your baby.

Learn the difference between false labor and the real thing, and get tips on safely getting to the hospital during labor.

Learn what Braxton Hicks contractions are and why they may occur during pregnancy.

Read about some of the specific care your body needs after giving birth.

This advice for expectant mothers can help them distinguish between false cues and true labor.

Find tips on what you should bring with you to the hospital when you're ready to give birth.

What happens to your baby right after birth? Learn about post-delivery care and the tests that will be administered to your baby immediately after delivery.

Learn how to tell the difference between real and fake contractions, spot the signs of impending birth and know when to call the doctor and head to hospital!