• Last updated 9/29/10 by Mothering Editorial

We all need our friends, it’s true, but friends are especially critical for new mothers. Build strong relationships with other women now, so that you have support when your baby is born, as well as while you are pregnant.Friends of both sexes can be supportive, but there is something about the company of women that is special. Another woman is most likely to understand what your mind and body are going through, particularly if she is also a mother or mother-to-be. If possible, having a whole community of women close to your home is even better.How can you meet other... read more

• Last updated 9/29/10 by Mothering Editorial

According to popular belief, a woman reaches her second stage of labor at a definable moment, and she is told that is now time to push. In reality, few women experience such a clear-cut transition to the second stage of labor. Technically speaking, the second stage begins when the cervix is fully dilated at 10 centimeters. The transition into the second stage, however, begins somewhere between 8 and 10 centimeters of dilation.Transition into the Second StageFor many women, transition is marked by a sudden intensity of contractions that begin to follow each other quite... read more

• Last updated 3/30/13 by mamazee

Champagne cake* in the conference room, folks! We got word today that one of our own, Mothering staffer Micki Garcia, was accepted at Birthingway College of Midwifery in Portland, Oregon. She’ll be heading there in February—which both thrills and saddens us. We’ll miss her smart, funny, upbeat presence in the office but are, of course, excited for her (and happy to have somebody to stay with in Portland!). Micki, who recently graduated from Indiana University, has been working at Mothering since last May as our fulfillment manager. We’ll be sure to... read more

• Last updated 9/27/10 by Mothering Editorial

Related Article:Sidebar: Diagnostic Tests Of The Third Trimester By Peggy O'Mara Issue 120, September/October 2003 Fom the book Mothering Magazine's Having A Baby, Naturally: The Mothering Magazine Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth edited and published by Peggy O'Mara with Wendy Ponte. Copyright © 2003 by The Philip Lief Group, Inc. and Mothering Magazine, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Atria Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, Inc. Birth goes best if it is not intruded upon by strange people and strange events. It goes best when a woman feels safe enough and... read more

• Last updated 10/9/10 by Mothering Editorial

Karen Nugent Issue 87, March/April 1998 We couldn't have done it without our doula! Despite difficulties encountered during an arduous 96-hour labor, my husband Paul and I cherish the birth day of our first child. We were fortunate to have a doula who provided continuous emotional and physical support, and worked as our advocate to complement the midwife's medical expertise. This personalized labor assistance enabled us to achieve our childbirth goals, which included birth without medication or other unnecessary medical intervention. We couldn't have... read more

• Last updated 9/29/10 by Mothering Editorial

Food Groups and Servings During Pregnancy Grain Products: 5 to 11 servings. Include whole grain bread, corn tortillas, rolls, bagels, muffins, whole grain waffles or pancakes, hot grain cereals, rolled oats, cracked wheat, wheat germ, cold cereal, granola, whole grain pastas, brown rice, millet, and bulgar. Vegetables: 5 servings or more. Include a colorful variety of vegetables such as spinach, yellow squash, red peppers, pumpkin, corn, arugula, collard greens, carrots, turnip greens, dandelion leaves, purslane, chard, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, broccoli, and... read more

• Last updated 6/3/10 by Mothering Editorial

  What's Happening In My Body? Month One:During the first month, you often don’t even know you’re pregnant. It’s not until you miss your first period that you begin to suspect. You may feel tired, your breasts may be tender, and you may urinate more frequently. Month Two:During the second month, your uterus will begin to expand and, if this is your first pregnancy, it will be about as big as a tennis ball. With subsequent pregnancies, your uterus will become larger earlier in your pregnancy. Some women feel occasional nausea or morning sickness during month two and... read more

• Last updated 6/3/10 by Mothering Editorial

What's Happening In My Body? Month Seven: You feel good during this month. You have a hearty appetite, and may feel less moody and more in the groove of your pregnancy. Your baby will be moving around a lot, and you may notice that your belly itches. You may also have breast tenderness and leg cramps while you sleep. Month Eight: During month eight, you may experience shortness of breath as your uterus presses on your diaphragm or ribs. You may have heartburn and indigestion as your uterus puts pressure on your stomach. As the baby grows larger, you may have a hard... read more

• Last updated 6/3/10 by Mothering Editorial

  What's Happening In My Body? Month Four: During the fourth month, your appetite will begin to increase again, and you may find yourself craving certain foods. You may have to urinate more frequently during the night. Despite these changes, you feel a new calmness - you’re becoming accustomed to pregnancy. Month Five:The risk of miscarriage is past. Morning sickness subsides and your appetite continues to increase. You may even have a decrease in your need to urinate as your body adapts to pregnancy. Month Six: You will now feel distinct fetal movements, especially... read more

• Last updated 11/16/12 by Melanie Mayo

A freestanding birth center is a facility devoted solely to the care of pregnant and laboring women. It is not physically attached to a hospital, although some are hospital-owned.   Reasons To Choose A Freestanding Birth Center The National Association of Childbearing Centers reports birth centers to be as safe as hospital births-with the added benefit of a significantly lower rate of cesarean sections. Birth centers, which generally service low-risk pregnancies, average only 4.4 percent c-sections, less than half the rate for low-risk women in hospital... read more