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Even though every delivery is different, each woman's labor usually comes with predictable stages that you can read about in any reliable pregnancy book. It's after the baby's born that many women are surprised by how they feel. After you've delivered your baby, you'll have some residual aches and pains -- perhaps some that your friends and relatives might not have talked about. Here's what you ca...

The bond between parents and babies is one of the strongest forces in nature. Romances come and go, but once you've fallen for your baby, you're hooked for life. Jen Harrington of South Riding, Virginia, felt the rush the instant she looked at her new son. People had warned her that she was about to fall in love as never before, but she didn't know what they meant until Joshua came along. "It was ...

As the Girl Scouts motto goes: Be prepared. The better supplied you are before your baby gets here, the smoother your transition to parenthood will be. What follows is a handy checklist so you can make sure you've got the right stuff in time for your new arrival. Infant car seat You won't be able to leave the hospital without an infant car seat. In fact, if you don't have one, the hospital may loa...

Not too long ago, pregnant women didn't have many options when it came to choosing a place to give birth. It was just assumed that they would end up at the nearest hospital, whether they felt comfortable there or not. But today's moms-to-be have more possibilities than ever. They can find a hospital with the doctors and services that they prefer, they can opt to have a baby at home with the help...

Before you reach your third trimester, you should be thinking about registering for a childbirth education class. Like most prospective parents, you're probably apprehensive about labor, delivery, and your first days with your new baby. The courses are an excellent way to prepare yourself and your partner for childbirth -- psychologically, emotionally, and practically. If you possibly can, attend...

A birth plan is simply a document that outlines the kind of birth experience you wish to have. Creating one will help you talk with your physician or midwife about your baby's birth. Perhaps some of your requests can't be granted due to hospital policy, but at least you can start the discussion with hospital staff and see if your physician can work out some compromises. There are three important...

Expectant parents can be forgiven if they panic when they hear the word "bonding." Library shelves and Web sites are devoted to the importance of bonding with a newborn and the trauma that may result when it doesn't take place. Many parents now fear that if they don't bond immediately, their children may be scarred for life. No wonder the issue has wrought so much stress. Studies in the last two d...

How does breastfeeding help me? No food is more perfect for babies than breast milk. Breast milk contains all the nutrients that a newborn needs -- to date some 100 "ingredients" have been identified in breast milk that cannot be duplicated in formula. In fact, the benefits of breastfeeding are so well established that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommends that women breastfeed t...

Everyone thinks that breastfeeding comes naturally. But for infants born prematurely or who are ill at birth, that often isn't the case. Some babies, even healthy ones, just plain struggle with the mechanics of suckling, becoming more frantic by the hour as their anxious moms try desperately to feed them. That's why it's good to learn as much about breastfeeding as you can before the baby gets her...

Babies have two basic options at birth: They can come out the hard way, or the really, really hard way. Ninety-seven percent of babies enter the birth canal headfirst, the safest approach for both mother and baby. The other 3 percent enter feet-first, bottom-first, or a combination of both. This is called a breech presentation. There are three different types of breech presentations. Some breech b...

Male circumcision is perhaps the world's oldest operation. It's depicted on ancient Egyptian tombs, and it's mentioned -- commanded, actually -- in the book of Genesis in the Bible. Over the years, it has been prescribed as a cure for epilepsy, asthma, alcoholism, insanity, and other maladies. Today, doctors realize that the only thing it really eliminates is the foreskin. The days of cutting off ...

If you're preparing for an international adoption, you're probably knee-deep in paperwork, waiting to be matched, or scheduling a flight for China, Russia, India, or another country to meet your new son or daughter for the first time. With all the excitement, medical tests for your child after you return home may be the last thing on your mind. But once you get home, it should be high on your li...

Greg Bellisime gets envious comments when he talks about the five weeks he took off after the birth of his daughter, Beatrice. Even after his time off, he returned to work only three days a week, saving most of his week to care for his wife and daughter. Bellisime, a 35-year-old inventory manager for Patagonia outdoor clothing company in Ventura, California, wanted to make sure his wife was recupe...

Have you ever heard your dad talk about the day you were born? He may be able to describe the weather or the big story on the television news. Chances are, though, he can't talk about your actual birth. Back then, fathers were often barred from the delivery room. While your mother was pushing, your dad was probably in another room, worrying and looking at his watch. When you talk to your kids, the...

Josh Kraft and his wife originally planned to have their first baby in a hospital. But as the months went by, the idea seemed less and less appealing. "My wife wanted to control things," Kraft says. "She didn't want a doctor saying, 'Well, it's 5:30 on a Friday, let's move this thing along.'" Eventually, they decided to have the baby at home, where they could be in charge -- at least until the bab...

If you find that you're not immediately overwhelmed with love with your newborn, don't worry. Like any other emotional relationship, developing a connection with your child can take time. Similarly, as with any other relationship, this one will have its own unique rhythms and pace of development. The timing will depend upon you and your baby; your experience of childbirth and your life circumstanc...

During 42 hours of painful labor, Julie McNitt of Amherst, New York, had two constant companions: Her husband and a professional labor assistant called a "doula." And if she ever has another child, both of them will be invited back. Her husband earned points by sticking around despite a bad case of "deer in the headlights" syndrome. Her doula, Cindy Whittaker, simply helped her survive. "Because ...

Pregnancy is a time of many changes not only for your body, but also for your mind. Your mood can swing from sunny to dark, and you'll probably start worrying more than usual. And no matter how much you're looking forward to your baby's arrival, you just might find yourself feeling depressed. By some estimates, depression strikes one in five women during pregnancy. If you're feeling down during ...

It doesn't just happen in the movies: Sometimes babies really are born in taxis or on trains -- even in the hospital parking lot. Rapid labor is most common in women who have given birth quickly in the past, have given birth several times before, or have previously gone into labor prematurely. But you never know when you may be called upon to assist in an emergency birth. The first rule of thumb? ...

What is an episiotomy? An episiotomy is a surgical cut to widen the vaginal opening during delivery. Doctors sometimes make an incision in the perineum -- the area between the vagina and the anus -- to help the baby come out. Your doctor will likely numb the area with a local anesthetic before making the cut and suture the incision after the baby is born. When is an episiotomy necessary? T...

What are Braxton-Hicks contractions? Known as false labor, Braxton-Hicks contractions may be the first contractions you feel during pregnancy. They can start anywhere from the 20th week on. If you put a hand on your abdomen during a contraction, you can sometimes feel your abdominal muscles tighten and release, becoming hard, then softening again. This is different from feeling the baby move, w...

Every birth is a miracle -- even though the miracle happens all over the world, every moment, every day. Just think: Each squirming little bundle starts out as two microscopic cells. Within a few weeks, an embryo grows to the size of a grain of rice. By that time, it has also grown a brain, a heart, and, yes, a tail. In just a few short months, the heart gets stronger, the brain gets smarter, and ...

Carrie Hook had her first two babies in a Minneapolis hospital, where she was surrounded by obstetricians, nurses, and cutting-edge technology. When she had her third baby, she was surrounded by a midwife, a house contractor (her husband, Joe), and a tarp to protect the living room carpet. Home births aren't for everyone. But if Hook ever has another baby, she knows exactly where she wants to be...

Long before you take your new baby home, you need to think about a crucial issue: Who will take care of her at times when parents are otherwise occupied? Whether you're staying at home or quickly going back to work, you can make sure your baby spends all day, every day, in a safe, nurturing environment. Many factors will influence your choice, including cost, convenience, and, most of all, your ba...

Over the course of 11 years and two sons, I've stood by my wife for about 20 hours of labor. As it turns out, that's enough time to do and say some truly stupid things. During my first stint in the labor room, I developed an obsessive interest in the monitor that measured the strength of every contraction. It was easier to look at the numbers than my wife's anguished face. Even worse, I started ...

There's no way to truly understand labor until you've been through it. No matter how much you've read or how many people you've talked to, you'll be shocked by the intensity of your feelings, both physical and emotional. But that doesn't mean you want to go blindly into the birthing room. You can take some of the shock and uncertainty out of childbirth by learning about the basic process of labor....

Just as every pregnancy is different, every delivery is unique. Some women get no clues that labor is around the corner, and then -- wham! -- here it comes. Others have telltale signs for weeks, maybe even a false start or two, before the real thing begins. The simple truth is, there's no way to predict exactly when you'll go into labor. In fact, no one even knows for sure what triggers the big ev...

If you've ever packed at the last minute for an important trip, you know that you're likely to leave behind the one thing you really need, that one little item you end up kicking yourself for forgetting. Maybe it's the extra memory card for your digital camera, your favorite shampoo, or the coffee you just can't start your day without. But for the trip to the hospital to have your baby, start ear...

Every year in America, more than 500,000 babies are born too early. They enter the world weeks or even months ahead of schedule, and they're more likely to suffer illness and disability. Premature babies are usually underweight -- some weigh three pounds or less -- and underdeveloped. Their lungs may not be developed enough to work on their own, and their immune systems may not be ready to fend o...

If you saw Erinn and Rowan Cuddy a year after they were born, you would never guess they had had a rough start in life. The twins, who live in Redwood City, California, were hardy, healthy, and rambunctious. They were starting to talk, and they obviously had big plans for the future. When they were born, things didn't seem nearly as secure: Erinn and Rowan were born at just 33 weeks gestation (abo...

New parents are easy to spot: The bloodshot eyes and dazed expressions are an instant tip-off. Although the birth of a child is a joyous event, many parents are taken aback by how exhausted they feel during those first weeks and months. Newborns usually require constant attention -- they need to eat every hour or two and have their diapers changed just about as often. As a new parent, you may fee...

Looking at most newborn twins squirm contentedly in their cribs, you'd never guess that some were recently in peril. That's because carrying multiples raises the risks that a woman can suffer complications before she actually delivers. Many twins are miscarried early in the pregnancy, often before a woman even knows she's pregnant. As reported in the International Journal of Fertility, only about ...

Shortly after meeting their new baby, many parents will take a quick look for birthmarks. They may find a mole, a red splotch, or a patch of skin that's a different color from the rest of the body. Birthmarks come in several different varieties, most of them harmless and easy to ignore. Some marks fade away over the years, and others, if desired, can often be removed or concealed. There are two...

Most birthmarks are harmless and easy to ignore. But if your baby is born with a port wine stain, you may want to take quick action. Port wine stains are red or purple patches that usually show up on the face, neck, arms, or legs. (The red mark on Mikhail Gorbachevs forehead is the most famous example.) Caused by dilated capillaries near the skins surface, they can vary greatly in size. Some st...

In the first month of life, your baby's social life revolves around you. She's already familiar with your voice, which she could hear from inside the womb. One of her first images is likely to be your face as she is brought to the breast (or bottle). At her age, all she needs for optimum emotional and social development is an attentive parent, lots of touch, and love. Your baby may spend so much...

You've waited patiently for months to greet this little person, and now suddenly, here he is. Meeting your newborn for the first time is likely to be one of the most memorable moments of your life, so you may not even notice that immediately following your baby's birth, a nurse, midwife or physician will assess your baby to see how he is coping with life outside the womb. What are the doctors loo...

What will my newborn look like? When you gaze at your newborn, you'll notice the color of his hair and eyes, the shape of his nose and the curve of his mouth. You may also notice some lumps and bumps that you didn't expect, but of course your baby will still be the most beautiful creature you've ever seen. You may also find a few surprises. Here are some of the things that you perhaps didn't expe...

Premature babies often start life behind the curve. They are generally smaller than full-term babies, and their bodies may be less developed. From the very beginning, their parents watch them anxiously for signs of progress. They want their babies to grow larger and stronger, and the little ones usually oblige. According to a report from the American Academy of Family Physicians, most premature ba...