Labor and Delivery

Labor and delivery can be much easier for you if you understand what to expect and understand what health care professionals are saying to you.  These in turn can reduce your stress.

Sometimes, if labor hasn't started on its own, your doctor may use medication to start your labor so that you can deliver your baby vaginally. This is called "labor induction."

When labor is approaching, your body undergoes certain changes and provides you with signals to let you know if this is the time for delivery.  Knowing the differences between these signs and phases will help you wait through "false labor" without anxiety and be prepared for "true labor" when it arrives.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 1 in 3 babies in the United States is delivered by cesarean section (C-section). This site will help you understand what a C-section is and how you may be affected by a C-section.

An episiotomy is a procedure where the skin between the vagina and the anus is cut. It is done occasionally to enlarge the vaginal opening so that a baby can be more easily delivered.

Even though it is possible to have labor with relatively little pain, it is best to prepare yourself for the idea of pain during labor and delivery and to plan some strategies for coping with it.