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The Pregnancy Blog Week in Review for August 5-12

The Pregnancy Blog is a great source of information for everything from trying to conceive a baby up to the birth and the early postpartum period. Whether this is your first or fifth baby, you will find something interesting or new in our archives. The Week in Review offers a synopsis of the blogs posted this week. If you are pregnant, you may have heard that you shouldn’t change the litter box. You may be wondering exactly why this is harmful. What is Toxoplasmosis? answers questions about this infection and how to avoid coming in contact with it. Morning sickness … Continue reading →

Coping Strategies for Transition

Transition is the end of active labor. During this phase, your cervix will dilate from 8 to 10 inches. At the end of transition, you will begin to deliver your baby. This is the most intense part of labor and it is the one that pregnant women tend to fear the most. You can prepare for this phase of labor to reduce fear and add a few coping strategies to your repertoire. During transition, the contractions are much stronger than earlier in the labor. The contractions come about every two minutes and last one minute, so you don’t get the … Continue reading →

Daddy During Labor

If you’re interested in feeling completely useless, Dad-to-be, get excited about labor. My wife recently gave birth to our first child (a boy to make a father proud) and I must say that I felt entirely useless. Even before he was born I had asked the midwife if she would obtain some hot water for me to make some tea because I was so exhausted I was falling asleep. Wait a minute (Finger wagging!) you didn’t DO ANYTHING! Your wife was in labor, in real pain, doing real work. Well, that’s true. My wife was in pain for a number … Continue reading →

Effacement and Dilation Explained

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Most women know that the words effacement and dilation are music to their ears while in labor. The bigger the number or percentage, the closer she is to delivery. Your goal is to be 100% effaced and 10 centimeters dilated. But what exactly does it mean to be “90% effaced” or “5 centimeters dilated”? Both effacement and dilation are terms that refer to your cervix. Think of your cervix as a doughnut located at the top of your vagina. (If you have ever seen a photo of an actual cervix, it really does look like a doughnut or a swim … Continue reading →

When Your Baby Won’t Stop Crying

It is frustrating to listen to your baby cry for hours on end. And yet, many parents experience this type of high need baby. Try these strategies for coping with your new bundle of joy to make life more bearable: 1. Wear baby in a sling (or similar carrier). Wearing a newborn in a sling helps “recreate” the womb and eases the transition between inside mommy’s tummy to the outside world. If your baby is very fussy, a sling helps by allowing you to do other things while carrying the baby. Another benefit is that you can offer baby the … Continue reading →