Cesarean delivery, also called c-section, is surgery to deliver a baby. The baby is taken out through the mother's abdomen. Most cesarean births… Read more

Sometimes, a doctor or midwife might need to induce (bring about) labor. The decision to induce labor often is made when a woman is past her due… Read more

While you're in labor, your doctor, midwife, or nurse should ask if you need pain relief. It is her job to help you decide what option is best for… Read more

More and more women in the United States are using water to find comfort during labor. This is called hydrotherapy. Laboring in a tub of warm… Read more

Many natural methods help women to relax and make pain more manageable. Things women do to ease the pain include: 
•    Trying breathing and… Read more

Virtually all women worry about how they will cope with the pain of labor and delivery. Childbirth is different for everyone. So no one can… Read more

Labor occurs in three stages. When regular contractions begin, the baby moves down into the pelvis as the cervix both effaces (thins) and dilates… Read more

Many women, especially first-time mothers-to-be, think they are in labor when they're not. This is called false labor. "Practice" contractions … Read more

It's not always easy to know. If your water breaks, it could be a gush or a slow trickle of amniotic fluid. Rupture of membranes is the medical… Read more

As you approach your due date, you will be looking for any little sign that labor is about to start. You might notice that your baby has "dropped… Read more