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When it comes time for labor and delivery, fetal monitoring is of the essence to ensure safety for both the mother and the baby. Monitoring keeps close tabs on the baby’s heart rate during the labor process, providing vital insight into how the baby is handling the intensity of the mother’s contractions. Fetal monitoring may be either continuous or intermittent in timing, depending on the delivery method, certain risk factors, labor duration, or the practices of the health care provider or facil …

On the subject of childbirth, is it really true that there’s no place like home? Most expectant mothers today choose to have their labor and delivery in traditional hospital settings—yet many visualize a mellower, more comfortable environment for welcoming their beloved child into the world. Planned home births are another option for moms-to-be—and this made-in-advance decision comes with a variety of potential risks and rewards. The evident differences in labor management and healthcare teams u …

Pregnancy has a prevalent array of old wives’ tales and urban myths surrounding its sum and substance. One such topic of this popular hearsay is that of gender. Bringing a human being into the world is about more than the simple question of boy or girl. Yet, there is no harm in expectant parents playing the guessing game along the way. Hunches, dreams, and fortunetelling are not considered foolproof methods of gender prediction. But does a baby’s heart rate accurately predict their gender? …

To a mother-to-be, no other sound is sweeter to hear than their baby’s own heartbeat. Listening to a little’s one heartbeat for the first time is a treasured and memorable moment of pregnancy. For this reason, a fetal doppler is a handheld ultrasonic tool that allows expectant mothers to check and listen to a fetal heartbeat. Heartbeat detection begins around the end of the first trimester, typically at 12 weeks. An obstetrician or midwife can use a fetal doppler to safely detect and monitor the …

Women in the modern world can choose from several setting options for their deliveries. Each provides a distinguishable type of birthing experience. Diverse birth settings have their own advantages and disadvantages to be weighed, depending on what surroundings, philosophy of care, support, and routines matter most to the mother. As the middle ground between hospital care and a home birth, a birth center is a viable, beneficial solution that every healthy expectant mother can consider for childb …

Nothing is as essential to the health and well-being of a human as proper blood circulation. Blood critically carries and distributes the necessary oxygen and nutrients to keep the brain and other vital organs functioning properly. How so? Blood disperses throughout the human body via set circulatory systems. Essentially, the heart is the genuine center of the cardiovascular system, as the strong, responsible muscle that continuously pumps blood in and out of chambers. The arterial syst …

The intentional artificial rupture of amniotic membranes (AROM)—commonly called the general description “breaking the water”—is a well-known procedure in modern obstetric and midwifery care. Medically known as amniotomy, this standard practice has the primary objective to hasten and strengthen one’s contractions, essentially shortening the duration of ongoing labor. What exactly does an amniotomy involve? An obstetrician or midwife will use specialized equipment and methodology to relea …

Deep tendon reflexes are key self-regulating processes for human life. Indicative of connections between the cerebral cortex and spinal cord, these reflexes are critical for assessing the integrity of one’s motor system. Physicians clinically evaluate reflex arcs of muscle-tendon units—the pathways of involuntary responses to stimuli—to examine the health of pathologic processes. If you’re wondering about the five main types of deep tendon reflexes, let’s take a closer look at these stretch …

A common concern among breastfeeding mothers is their ability to maintain breast milk production. The good news is that many do not need to worry about the rare occurrence of an insufficient supply. However, many new moms strive to produce more milk and are unsure if their baby is feeding enough.The truth is that how well a baby drains breast milk is the main influence on its production. Ergo, the incorrect approach, improper latch, or weak suck can effectually decrease one’s supply. Never fear— …

Breastfeeding—known broadly as nursing—provides integral and ideal nutrition for the development of newborns and growing infants. Breast milk carries a wide array of positive benefits for mother and child. Yet the practice is no simple feat. As natural as the process is, breastfeeding is also something that both the mother and baby need to learn, one step at a time.Everyone’s breastfeeding journey is unique. Not one looks exactly like another, as mothers of multiple children can attest to. Ergo, …