• Last updated 10/23/12 by Melanie Mayo

        Week 35: Pain in labor   Rain, after all, is only rain; it is not bad weather. So also, pain is only pain, unless we resist it, when it becomes torment.  -I Ching   What's Happening in Your Body? Sleeping becomes even more of a challenge for many women in the final weeks of pregnancy. It's hard to find a comfortable position when you are limited to sleeping on one side. As well, you may find yourself waking frequently during the night to urinate. What's Happening with Your... read more

• Last updated 10/23/12 by Melanie Mayo

        Week 36: How to avoid medical interventions   The more pregnancy is lived like an illness, the more it becomes in itself a cause of illness. -Michel Odent, MD, Birth Reborn     What's Happening in Your Body? It is not uncommon to experience Braxton-Hicks contractions during this time. You will feel your abdomen tighten and then release when this happens. Some women feel them more commonly if they have been walking or moving around a lot. Don't worry, these contractions are normal and... read more

• Last updated 10/23/12 by Melanie Mayo

        Week 37: The First Stage of Labor       Except for being hung up by the feet, the supine position is the worst conceivable position for labor and delivery. -Roberto Caldeyro-Barcia, MD   What's Happening in Your Body? You may experience some swelling in your ankles at the end of pregnancy due to the increased pressure within your abdomen, the decreased blood return from your legs and feet, and the effect of the hormone progesterone, which relaxes the walls of the blood vessels. Around... read more

• Last updated 10/23/12 by Melanie Mayo

        Week 38: The Second Stage of Labor     While you can still ask if you should push, you aren't ready to push.       What's Happening in Your Body? Your lower back may ache a bit from the increased weight of your uterus. Braxton-Hicks contractions may be happening on a daily basis. You may be feeling very weary of pregnancy by now. It's almost time! What's Happening with Your Baby? Your baby is now gaining vital immunities from you that will protect him after he is born. The... read more

• Last updated 10/23/12 by Melanie Mayo

        Week 39: The Third Stage of Labor Years ago it was unheard of that a woman should wish to see the afterbirth. Today, nearly every mother who watches her baby born asks me to show her the placenta. This I do, and point out the bag in which the infant, now lying peacefully in her arms, developed and became a perfect little human being. -Grantly Dick-Read, MD, Childbirth Without Fear   What's Happening in Your Body? Many women report a sharp, almost knife-like feeling from the pressure of the... read more

• Last updated 10/23/12 by Melanie Mayo

        Week 40: Newborn Decisions     During the early days postpartum with our four kids, we always put a sign on our door to remind people that our home was a special sanctuary with a newborn inside. -Aviva Jill Romm, Natural Health after Birth   What's Happening in Your Body? Your body is ready to give birth. Soon you will be meeting your baby! What's Happening with Your Baby? You may notice sharp kicking and pressing into your softened cervix that can feel almost knife-like. Your... read more

• Last updated 10/11/12 by Mothering Editorial

There are three kinds of breathing exercises that you will want to practice during the last weeks of pregnancy and use during the first stage of labor. These are variations on the classic Lamaze-prepared childbirth breathing. The deep cleansing breath. This is a simple breath. Sit with your spine comfortably straight. Put your hands on your abdomen. Slowly inhale as you watch your belly rise. Slowly exhale. Let out a sound as you exhale. Use this deep cleansing breath at the beginning of each contraction to help focus you and then begin the chu-chu or moan-pant. The... read more

• Last updated 10/11/12 by Mothering Editorial

By Michelle CrouchWeb Exclusive - February 13, 2009 When I was expecting my first baby, the nurses who gave the hospital tour stressed how comfortable the hospital was with natural childbirth. Instead of asking specific questions about what that meant, I believed them. I should have known better. Though my labor was normal, the nurses would not unhook me from the fetal monitor to let me walk around the room to ease my contractions. They didn't have birthing balls or a squat bar available. At one point, they even tried to keep my doula out of the room. Despite those... read more

• Last updated 10/11/12 by Mothering Editorial

Now is the time to stock up on things you might need during labor. If you are giving birth away from home you can begin to pack your suitcase. Here are things you might consider having handy at home, or packing up to take with you: A couple of your favorite nightgowns or long pajama tops. You can choose one that is made for nursing, if you prefer. Something comfortable for your feet such as slippers or socks, or maybe a pair of slipper socks with rubberized bottoms. Hot water bottles, heading pads, and icepacks. A tennis... read more

• Last updated 10/4/12 by Mothering Editorial

May 03, 2011 by Geradine SimkinsPresident, and Interim Executive Director, Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) This article is excerpted with permission of editor, Geradine Simkins, from "Into These Hands: Wisdom from Midwives." Published by Spirituality & Health Books, April 2011. Every new member of the human family arrives on Earth through the body of a woman. Each day on our planet, the majority of babies emerge from the waters of their mother’s womb into the hands of a midwife. Since the dawn of time, midwives have been receiving the generations into their... read more