Is a first baby usually early or late?” A due date based on a 280-day pregnancy is pretty much an educated guess, and a lot of factors can affect it. One factor a mom’s genetic heritage:a study of 14,000 Danish pregnancies found that the average spontaneous labor was 282 days from the first day of … [Read more…]
Contractions: Braxton-Hicks or Real?
So you’re minding your own business when without warning your belly hardens up like a slab of concrete. You might even feel a sharp pain. Is labor starting? Is it time to grab your bag and race to the hospital? … Probably not. Odds are you’ve just experienced a Braxton-Hicks contraction, a … [Read more…]
Packing for the Hospital: The Ultimate Checklist
A towel. If your water breaks on the way to the hospital you can sit on it. Your health insurance card. Yes, your hospital should have it on file and you’ve probably given it to your health care provider and testing facilities over and over again, but don’t be surprised if you’re asked to produce … [Read more…]
Six Months Pregnant and Taking Birth Classes, How Else Can I Prepare?
I am in my 6th month and carrying a baby boy. I started childbirth classes and they are going great. What else can i do to help me get through labor?” Have you taken a hospital tour yet? Most hospitals host Labor and Delivery tours for expectant parents a few times a month. You’ll find out where to … [Read more…]
What’s Group B Strep?
Group B strep is a kind of bacteria that’s part of normal gut flora for 20-40 percent of women. While it can sometimes cause yeast-infection-like symptoms like itching and discharge, most of the time it doesn’t cause any symptoms at all. However, newborns are vulnerable to the bacteria and can get a … [Read more…]