She knew that pregnancy and motherhood are physically challenging to any woman, so when Samantha happily found herself pregnant for the first time at age 40, a lot of attention went into staying healthy, strong and flexible. The fact that she was a dancer and is currently a Pilates instructor definitely gave her a head [...]

Your baby is precious and perfect in your eyes, except for the fact she cries night and day! Your pediatrician says it is colic, but what does that really mean?
“The medical community defines ‘colic’ as anytime a baby cries inconsolably for hours at a time for a minimum of three weeks,” explains Dr. Steven Yannicelli, [...]

Some women understandably wish from time to time that a baby could be delivered by Fed Ex. After nine months of hormonal changes, carrying extra weight and reduced movement many will want to just get it over. But the race is won at the final leg and Lamaze, Bradley or other options can help carry [...]

For centuries giving birth was strictly an affair between the pregnant woman and a midwife. Though not always present, a mid-wife would frequently aid in the birthing process. The role was often performed by an older woman who had previously experienced birth herself. She gave comfort, medical knowledge based on real experience and a second [...]

It can be difficult to know exactly when labor begins in earnest. But some signs are unmistakable. One such occurs when your new baby’s head exerts pressure on the amniotic sac and it breaks. When your ‘water breaks’ (the liquid isn’t just water, but amniotic fluid), labor is imminent.
Unfortunately, ‘imminent’ doesn’t mean ‘will occur within [...]

There are a variety of tests that an expectant mother can have performed to gain information about the health of her growing fetus. Some, like amniocentesis, have been around for over 100 years. Ultrasound was introduced in the 1960s, though early tests had limited value. Modern tests are much clearer, some even in 3-D, many [...]

Inside the uterus, surrounding your growing baby, is a liquid called ‘amniotic fluid’. A long needle is inserted through the abdomen to extract a small sample of that fluid. Using it, doctors can perform tests that indicate potential problems and provide information about the health of the gestating fetus.
Test results typically arrive in a week [...]

Any expectant mother will want first and foremost to optimize her health and that of her growing baby. Proper nutrition is a major key to that effort.
The amount of additional calorie intake that pregnant women need, may be a surprise. Only about 300 extra calories per day is recommended by experts. Much more than that [...]

Mothers report that few things are as painful, or as rewarding, as giving birth. How much pain, for how long and when varies enormously among individual women. But expectant women, especially when giving birth the first time, may want less pain in order to better enjoy the reward. For them, there are many choices.
Most experts [...]

Expectant mothers, especially those pregnant for the first time, often have doubts about when labor begins and what it feels like. That’s natural. Only experience can inform a woman exactly what it is, and even then one childbirth will vary from another. But being prepared by acquiring guidance can help ease concerns.
False labor is one [...]