Denise Long

The best preparation for pregnancy is to plan for it and to be in the best health possible when you conceive. See your health care provider as soon as you are considering a pregnancy. Your provider will help you determine if there are any health problems you currently have that might be a problem

Every baby is different and so the time they take to feed is also different. The milk they get at the start of the feeding is lighter and helps to satisfy their thirst. The milk they get later in the feeding is richer and gives them the calories needed to gain weight. A basic rule is to allow the baby

Every baby is different and so the time they take to feed is also different. The milk they get at the start of the feeding is lighter and helps to satisfy their thirst. The milk they get later in the feeding is richer and gives them the calories needed to gain weight. A basic rule is to allow the baby

Several things can help with the pain from a vaginal tear or episiotomy (incision made by your birth attendant to ease delivery). Ice packs placed on the area for 15 minutes at a time several times a day may help, especially in the first day. A warm water sitz bath (a small basin with warm water that

Although medications were once used to speed up this process, it was found that the medications caused harmful side effects that outweighed the benefit of drying up the breast milk. Breast milk will be produced after any delivery but if it is not removed by the baby nursing, the body realizes that there

Research studies vary on the answer to this question. Some studies show that an epidural can slow labor if given too early in the labor process. These studies, and many of the professionals who practice in labor and delivery, suggest that it may be better to wait until active labor (4 or more centimeters dilated with regular, strong co

First, be assured that most complications are rare if you and your baby have had a healthy pregnancy. However, there can be complications even in the healthiest of pregnancies. These complications might be related to you or your baby. Your baby could have problems in tolerating the labor or in traveling down the birth

You should consult your healthcare professional since choosing the right contraception for you and your partner, at any time, is based on many things. For the first 6 weeks after delivery, you are at increased risk for blood clots due to the changes of pregnancy.  Due to this, your provider may want you to avoid

A molar pregnancy, also called gestational trophoblastic disease, is not always a true pregnancy. If there is a fetus, there are usually abnormalities not compatible with life outside the uterus. It involves excess growth of tissues related to pregnancy. It is frequently suspected by the provider

There is no definite answer to your question as the decision is a personal one and each labor and delivery is different. The best thing you can do is to inform yourself about the pain management options available to you at the facility in which you plan to deliver as well as the pros and cons of each method.