Congratulations! You’re about to have a baby. So do you know what to take to the hospital or birthing center? Here are 10 items to make your stay as relatively pleasant as it can be: Necessities The first thing you’ll do is write down what you absolutely need for your stay. Here are the

photo credit: SantaRosa OLD SKOOL One of the growing concerns among women who would prefer to deliver their baby naturally is the increasing pressure from certain doctors and hospitals to have a C-section. For example, for a long time it was common practice for many doctors to refuse to deliver a baby naturally if a

photo credit: zosogis Traditionally, full term for pregnancy has been defined as 37 weeks or later. Until very recently, it was assumed that a baby born any time after 37 weeks wouldn’t face the same risks that preemies face. To be sure, there are significant risks of having a baby prior to 37 weeks. According

photo credit: DioBurto Roughly 10% of deliveries in the United States are induced without a specific medical reason. There are a number of nonmedical reasons why doctors and moms choose to induce labor. Often, the reason is simply convenience. While the practice of elective induction is becoming more common, recent studies show that there are

photo credit: Lars Plougmann A C-section is sometimes a medical necessary. In some cases, however, the procedure is more or less elective. While it’s somewhat hard to understand why someone would choose to have abdominal surgery when it’s not necessary is a bit confusing, the fact is some women feel safer with a C-section. A