Category Archives: Child Birth

In all the excitement with the arrival of their new bundle of joy, many women neglect their own needs, both emotional and physical. Your body has been through quite a roller coaster ride with fluctuating hormones and along with the physical toll of childbirth, a new mom is often a tired basket of nerves. After all, you are an adult; you should be able to handle it, right?! If only it were that simple! Ironically, Continue Reading

You just had your baby and you feel like a million bucks, right?! No? Then you are not alone. Many new mothers go through the baby blues or postnatal depression, also called postpartum depression. This is a fairly common yet emotionally exhausting experience that can leave you anxious instead of celebrating this momentous occasion. If you were not expecting to feel this way, it can take you by surprise; after all, you have been waiting Continue Reading

Ideally, the best position for the baby to be in is with the head down and the face pointing slightly towards your spine. This is commonly referred to as the anterior position and most babies will get into this position on their own. This orientation is preferred because of the snug fit of the baby in your pelvic area. Once active labor begins, the baby will begin to tuck her head into her chest while Continue Reading

Sometimes, it is not until you begin packing your hospital bag that the reality of the situation hits you – that you are about to bring a new life into the world! In your eagerness, you may find that you need 2 bags, one for before the baby is born and one for after. While you may want to put off packing your bags until later, it is recommended that you get your stuff together Continue Reading

The prospect of getting ready for baby by preparing the nursery is an exciting one for parents. But in all the excitement of exercising regularly, taking prenatal vitamins, eating right and regular doctor visits, many expectant mothers forget to put this on their to-do list before the baby arrives. This may leave some parents running around in circles trying to find the ideal place for baby’s crib and other baby paraphernalia when it comes time Continue Reading

Once labor begins, it’s not always easy finding a comfortable position. You may want to move around to distract yourself as much as possible from the discomfort. But don’t exert yourself to the point that you will not have enough energy when the delivery process begins. If your labor begins at night, then consider flipping on the TV while reclining to conserve your energy for when the baby is ready to come out. But as Continue Reading

When a baby is born at least three weeks before its due date, it is considered a premature baby.  Ideally, a woman should give birth after a full 40 weeks but about 10-15% of women will go on to have premature babies. Many babies born premature will not have  health problems but have a higher risk of health problems than a full term baby. It is not uncommon for expectant mothers in India to worry Continue Reading

Let’s see, your bag is packed, the nursery is ready and so is everyone around you. You may be expecting a contraction at any time right about now. But… Nothing! Not even a cramp or twinge. You have been waiting 40 weeks – isn’t this thing supposed to have begun already? Maybe your baby needs a gentle reminder that it is time to come out! It might be time to consider some natural methods of Continue Reading

It used to be that expectant mothers would have a caring midwife present throughout the labor and delivery process. Unfortunately, now moms-to-be cannot automatically assume that one will be present during what can be an arduous experience. Rising costs of healthcare along with adopting western culture are to blame in part. For this reason, choosing a labor partner becomes important so that he or she can provide the expectant mother both the physical and emotional Continue Reading

Even before we were old enough to understand where children came from, we have been no strangers to the knowledge that childbirth involves a tremendous amount of pain. For this reason, most women at one time or the other have wondered how they will survive the pain and shudder at the very idea. There is no question that each woman’s pain tolerance threshold is different. Some women are able to breathe through the contractions however Continue Reading

Simply put, a caesarean section involves surgery where the baby is delivered through the mother’s abdomen. In developing nations, nearly a third of the women deliver through C-section for various reasons. Some women elect to have a cesarean section and others are left with no other option due to medical reasons; mostly to minimize the risk to the mother and baby. Just as with any surgical procedure, there are both pros and cons to delivering Continue Reading

Giving birth to a baby without surgical or medical intervention is termed natural childbirth.  Some women choose this path as they feel empowered during the process; their maternal instincts and sheer grit allows them to undergo the discomfort of child birthing sans medical support. A natural childbirth does not mean that the process itself must be carried out in a non-hospital setting.  A woman choosing a natural childbirth can choose the doctor and the hospital, Continue Reading

While some women have definite signs of the onset of labor such as the water breaking or loss of your mucous plug, in reality the beginnings of labor are much more subtle and can begin even weeks before the baby is actually born. If you are like most women and are not sure what labor feels like, this list should help you identify whether labor has begun or not. Lightening If your baby’s head has Continue Reading

Choosing the right hospital for your baby’s birth is almost as important as choosing your baby’s pediatrician. More often than not, the obstetrician that you choose will be tied in to the hospital that you will use for your delivery as your obstetrician’s privileges are most often restricted to his or her area hospitals. So consider both the merit of the obstetrician as well as the facilities the hospital offers before you make a choice. Continue Reading

Before you know it, you will be saying, “It’s time!” After almost 9 months of getting both your mind and body ready for the big day, it’s finally right around the corner. While some women experience labor quite suddenly, most of the time there are definite signs that your baby is coming soon. When your baby’s head makes its way deep into the pelvic floor, you can be assured that labor is not very far Continue Reading

With the daunting prospect of childbirth at the end of this journey, a pregnant woman’s body will begin practicing uterine contractions sporadically; these are called Braxton Hicks contractions and can begin as early as six weeks into the pregnancy. Of course, these cannot be felt by the woman until she is well into the pregnancy. Braxton Hicks contractions tend to be felt more often as you get closer to the end of your pregnancy. Initially Continue Reading

If you are expecting a baby, it is important for you to know the procedure to apply for and obtain a birth certificate for your child born in India. A birth certificate is an important document that establishes the date of birth of a person. It is usually required for admission of your child in a school, applying for a passport etc. If you apply for a birth certificate for your child immediately after birth, Continue Reading