Some women still choose to opt for a natural childbirth, and refuse pain medication upon entering the hospital to deliver their baby. For those that prefer to use pain relief, there are many choices available today. Some involve medicine administered through an IV; others involve medicine that is administered through a needle in the back. Here are some of the choices.

Narcotics
The most popular narcotics available for labor and delivery include Demerol and Stadol. The narcotics do not take away the pain completely, but can help dull it for as long as the shot is effective. The shots go in through your IV and must be given in small doses because they can enter the blood stream, and get to your baby through the placenta. One of these shots normally provides relief for 30 minutes to 3 hours. Some women love using these narcotics, while others have complained about them making them feel loopy or sick. There is normally no way to know how narcotics will affect you until you take them. The good thing is that narcotics do not last a long time, and the effects will wear off quicklyl.

Spinal Block/Epidural
The spinal block and epidural are both administered by an anesthesiologist and enter your spinal column through a needle in your back. The pain relief from both of these is normally immediate and can last a while. However, after opting for a spinal block/epidural, most of the time, a woman can no longer move or walk around, so she is restricted to bed and given a catheter to empty her bladder.

With the epidural a woman may still be able to feel the contractions, although she should not feel any pain. In some instances, however, depending on the dose of epidural given, a woman is unable to feel the contractions at all, and may find that it is difficult to push her baby out. Often the doctor will have to reduce or end the flow of medicine being given to the woman via the epidural line when it comes time to push, in order to get the baby to move down properly. If a woman is going to have a c-section, she will be given either a spinal block or an epidural rather than a narcotic

General Anesthesia
This form of pain relief is rarely used, and only generally in case of emergency, or if the baby has to be delivered in a hurry via c-section and there is not time to put in an epidural or spinal block. When a woman is given general anesthesia, the mood is generally hurried as the doctors try to get the baby out quickly. The problem with general anesthesia, and the reason it is not used more often, is that the drug can easily get into the baby’s lungs and affect his ability to breathe, or make him too sleepy to respond properly at birth. The mother also misses witnessing the birth of her baby when she is given this type of pain relief.

There are many choices for pain relief when you go to deliver your baby. Make sure you research all ahead of time and know your options so when the big day comes you are able to make the best choice available for you and your unborn child.

Pregnancy is such an incredible experience in a woman’s life. My experience was incredible in an unsettling way. While I was pregnant with my first child I felt wonderful for the first six months. I was always on the go and loved watching my belly grow. Then suddenly at 24 weeks, I started to feel cramping and started spotting.

After racing to Labor and Delivery, my ob-gyn told me that I was experiencing pre-term labor. I was clueless; I had never heard of pre-term labor and certainly didn’t know anyone who had experienced this. I was given terbutaline pills and told to stay off my feet for a couple of days. That was easy enough. It was nice to relax for a couple of days.

I went back to my doctor for a follow up visit and was shocked to learn that I was still experiencing pre-term labor. I was admitted to the hospital and my doctor performed numerous tests to make sure my baby was not stressed. It was too soon for my baby to be born. Finally, my doctor informed me that I had to be on bed rest until I was 37 weeks pregnant. Most importantly, I would have to be attached to a terbutaline pump to minimize my contractions. I was in disbelief. How could I be in bed for the remainder of my pregnancy?

The next few months were very difficult. I remained in bed all day and was only allowed to get out of bed to go to the bathroom. I was also allowed to leave the house once a week to visit my doctor. Each time I did get up from bed the pressure of my baby was extreme. I felt like my baby was going to fall out! Wearing the terbutaline pump was a test of my strength and will to deliver a healthy baby. I wore a cartridge with two syringes at my waist which pumped medication into my body every two hours through a small catheter in my thigh. Every five days the site of the catheter would have to be switched from thigh to thigh in order to prevent infection. Thank goodness for my husband who supported me through all of this and helped me change my catheter site. After all I was experiencing, I was terrified to prick my leg with the very small needle! Additionally, I had to wear a monitor around my belly twice a day to monitor contractions. I would submit the data via my phone line to a nurse who would review it and keep my doctor apprised of my progress.

Needless to say the three months I spent in bed were very lonely. I had many visitors, but how I longed to be mobile. Winter turned to spring it became more difficult to remain in bed. Pregnancy is such an exciting time! I was missing out on so much. I didn’t get to dress up in maternity clothes and show off my growing belly. I didn’t get to prepare the baby’s room. I cried a lot, but knowing that I was doing this to deliver a healthy baby kept me going.

Finally, my 37th week arrived and my doctor told me to stop the medication. I had waited for this time for so long, yet I was so scared to be off the medication. The terbutaline had been my security blanket. Now I was ready to have a baby. I was terrified about what was next.

I stopped the medication at 1 p.m. in the afternoon, and was free to do whatever I wanted. At this point, my baby was full term so I could get out of bed, go outside and walk around! Unfortunately, I had been in bed for so long that I had developed atrophy in my legs. I couldn’t walk! My husband took me out for a celebratory dinner that night in a wheelchair.

At 11 p.m., I started to feel crampy. I had never been pregnant before, so I didn’t know what I was experiencing. Was I in labor or was my stomach upset from dinner? For hours I paced back and forth to the bathroom and referred to my pregnancy manual to determine what I was feeling. At 2 a.m. I decided to call my doctor. She told me to head to the hospital. I was excited and frightened at the same time. When I finally arrived at the hospital, I was told to go home because my water did not break. I didn’t want to be home – I needed to be at the hospital! I’ll never forget lying in the hospital bed as the doctor told my husband to take me home. As she said that, I heard a pop! My water broke! How ironic.

Several hours later, after a couple of epidurals and five pushes, my son was born! He was healthy and he was beautiful.

So many people commend me for meeting the challenge of my pregnancy. As difficult as it was, it was what I had to do to for my son. He’s truly my miracle.

About The Author
Judy Shaw is a mother of two and co-owner and President of Sexy Belly Maternity.

1. Smoking – Smoking is not only bad for you, but bad for your baby as well. Smoking during pregnancy reduces the amount of oxygen that the baby receives and increases the risk of miscarriage, bleeding, and morning sickness. Chemicals inhaled while smoking may lead to other health problems with the baby. Reduced birth weight, premature birth, increased risk of SIDS, and stillbirth are other possible consequences. Pregnant women should also avoid second hand smoke.
2. Alcohol - Drinking can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, including symptoms like low birth weight, medical problems, and behavior abnormalities. As soon as you know you are pregnant, stop drinking. For more detailed information on problems that can be caused by alcohol, visit www.nofas.org.
3. Caffeine – There are many conflicting studies about caffeine and pregnancy and some believe that caffeine is not as harmful as it was once thought to be. Nevertheless, the FDA warns against caffeine consumption during pregnancy and suggests quitting or reducing consumption at the very least. Caffeine has been shown to affect fetal heart rates and awake time (fetuses grow when sleeping). Decaffeinated coffee can also be harmful since producers often add additional chemicals to remove the caffeine. Caffeine can also increase risk of stretch marks. Suddenly quitting coffee intake can cause headaches; so most experts recommend gradually reducing the amount consumed.
4. Drugs and Herbal Remedies – Always be careful about drugs or herbal remedies that are not prescribed by a doctor. These substances may affect the development of your unborn child.
5. Nutrition – Good nutrition is crucial to a developing child, particularly getting enough folic acid. Lack of folic acid can cause birth defects. At least 400-1000 micrograms of this B vitamin is suggested (about ten times more if you’ve already had a child with neural tube birth defects) starting one month before pregnant and throughout the entire pregnancy. Leafy vegetables, orange juice, and beans are some natural sources of folic acid. Many stores sell vitamins with folic aci! d.
6. Exercise – Moderate exercise is helpful as it improves the mother’s mental state and can increase oxygen flow to the fetus. However, over-exertion can be dangerous. Most experts recommend reducing your exercise intensity during pregnancy. Activities like walking, swimming, and yoga are popular for pregnant women.
7. Prenatal Care – Regular doctor visits are important to your baby’s development. The body undergoes many changes during pregnancy. Some side effects may be completely normal, whereas other may not. Regular monitoring by a professional will help ensure that your baby will be born healthy.
8. Multiple sex partners – Multiple sex partners can increase risk of STD’s, which in turn may lead to birth and pregnancy complications, like low birth weight or premature birth.
9. Exposure to chemicals – During pregnancy, reduce exposure to unnatural chemicals, particularly pesticides in food. Many people now eat organic produce, which is grown without chemicals. The simplest precaution to take before consuming vegetables or fruits is to wash them thoroughly. Also, removing the outer surface of vegetables can be helpful since most pesticides will rest on the outside of the vegetable or fruit.
10. Other factors – Many other factors can affect fetal development, including heart disease, the mother’s age (before 15 years and after 35 years is riskier), asthma, excessive stress or depression, diseases, and bleeding. ! Consult your physician if you are affected by any of these conditions.

About the Author
Criss White is a professional web writer on baby and new mother topics for baby and pregnancy websites. For more articles on baby showers, check out our Baby Shower Ideas and more baby articles at Baby Lullaby.

___ Family history for both mother and father
___ Blood types of both mother and father
___ Rubella, 5th’s Disease and Chicken Pox immunity
___ Prenatal vitamins
___ Prescription medicines
___ Weight control
___ Foreign substances (smoking, alcohol, drugs)

Family History
During your first prenatal appointment your doctor or her nurse will probably just draw blood and ask a bunch of questions regarding your health and the history of health problems in both yours and the father’s family. Questions regarding birth defects, cancer, Downs Syndrome, and other general health questions. If you know these answers ahead of time it will make that first visit go much faster.

Blood Types
The blood type is very important for both you and the baby’s father when you decide to get pregnant. There are rare occasions where the mother and father’s blood type will not be compatible. In this case the baby’s blood type may not be compatible with the mothers. This can cause rejection of the fetus by the mother’s body, or lead to serious problems after the baby is born. Knowing the blood types before getting pregnant can easily solve any problems before they occur.

Immunities
Diseases such as Rubella, Chicken Pox and 5th’s Disease can be very dangerous to a pregnant women and her baby. There are blood tests that can be done before a woman gets pregnant that tests her immunity to these diseases. If a woman finds that she is not immune to one or more of these diseases she might be able to take the vaccines prior to getting pregnant to assure that she doesn’t get the disease while pregnant.

Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are very important for a woman once she gets pregnant. They help provide enough folic acid and iron as well as other essential nutrients that the woman will need to help sustain a healthy pregnancy. However, if you are thinking of getting pregnant, it is never too soon to begin taking the vitamins as an attempt to help maximize your health.

Prescription Medications
Be sure to review any prescription medications that you are currently taking with your doctor before trying to get pregnant. There are several medications that are not safe for you to take while pregnant and could cause harm to the fetus. In most cases there are alternate medications that you can take that are safe during pregnancy.

Weight Control
Before you get pregnant it is a good idea to be at the best weight you can be. A woman who is in the right span of weight for her height will have an easier time getting pregnant and staying pregnant. Women who are over or under weight may have a harder time getting pregnant as their body is not working to its’ full capacity.

Smoking, Alcohol, and Drugs
If you use any foreign substances you should stop. Smoking while pregnant can lead to fetal death, underweight babies and cause later health problems such as asthma in your child. Alcohol can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome which can damage parts of the brain. The same is true for recreational drug use. If you are addicted to a drug then your baby can also be born addicted to that drug causing him more long term problems in the future.

Wanting to raise a healthy baby is a primary desire for parents. An expectant mother will get her check ups, follow the advise of her doctor or mid wife in the myriad of things she can do to contribute to the health of her unborn child.

The usual list of things to do and not to do can include, but certainly not limited to, are eating habits, exercise, rest and stress release while avoiding smoking, alcohol and drugs.

Every person is different, without getting into “lists” of what vitamins and minerals to take or the amounts, we will just touch on some of the basics. Sensible eating and lifestyle habits are at the forefront.

Starting with healthy eating, look to a well-balanced, nutritious diet of lots of fresh greens, fruits and whole grains, organic if possible, to avoid consumption of pesticides and herbicides. These chemicals are detrimental to you and your baby. At the very least, if organic is not an option, avoid foods that contain additives and artificial ingredients.

It has been estimated that Americans consume about 5 lbs of additives/year. If you include sugar, the most used additive, the number jumps to an astounding 135 lbs /year. To learn more about the staggering number of food additives now being used, you can consult Michael Jacobson’s Safe Food: Eating Wisely in a Risky World or Unsafe at Any Meal: How to Avoid Hidden Toxins in Your Food.

Additionally, avoiding junk foods, highly seasoned or fried foods will help with energy levels as well as keeping low the intake of liver clogging hydrogenated fats. When choosing healthy proteins, cooking practices should be considered to be very important. Steer clear of undercooked or rare meats, poultry and fish which can cause food poisoning.

Considering we are approximately 70-75% water, being well hydrated, especially during pregnancy is imperative. The body’s water supply is involved in and responsible for nearly every bodily process, including digestion, absorption, circulation, excretion and the transport of nutrients. It is essential to drink about half your body weight in ounces/day (eg. 130 lbs = 65 oz).

Consuming a high quality water is of the utmost importance, investing in a reputable water purifier or purchasing purified or spring water is the way to go. Distilled water is fine in moderation, too much or drinking solely distilled actually robs your body of vital minerals.

Avoiding high sugar or chemically laden drinks, such as sodas, soft drinks, fruity drinks, etc will keep the additives down as well as the empty calories. (If you drink 100% juices, diluting with pure water will make it easier on the system to handle and keep your insulin from spiking) Other than the obvious reasons to pass on alcohol, it is a depressant, dehydrates and robs you of vital nutrients, including Vitamin C.

After touching on food and water, smoking not only affects the lungs, hence oxygenation of every single cell, but smoking causes serious depletion of vitamin C which is an antioxidant required for collagen formation, tissue growth and repair, adrenal gland function, immune function, healthy gums and an endless list of additional tissues and functions requiring this vitamin.

Moderate exercise (always check with your doctor or midwife) can not be over emphasized, it helps to alleviate many of the common problems of pregnancy. Improving circulation, helping to prevent hemorrhoids, constipation and varicose veins, to name a few, can be reason enough for many women to hit the walking path.

Strengthening the circulatory system gives more endurance, improves your physical condition and some studies suggest it can actually result in shorter labor and help the mother to bounce back quicker.

The previous items are some very basic considerations in your child’s health before it arrives. OK, the sweet little bundle has arrived, now the parents will do what they can in feeding and caring for the new addition. From the right crib to covering edges, outlet guards, breast feeding or formula, bathing, there is an endless list of things to consider……. the point is of the long list of things to get or have or change or do for the health of your baby, some very important considerations may be overlooked if the parents aren’t aware.

At the top of list is the bedding and clothing that babies live in. Racking up almost 60% of their time in bed, the sheets your baby is in are just as important as the construction of that oh so fabulous crib. Have you thought of organic? Did you know they produced organic bedding and clothing? Were you aware they manufactured baby organic bedding and clothing? Most people really have no idea, it is just something they hadn’t thought of as well as the fact it is not quite yet the main stream.

Organic means growing fibers in fields without synthetic chemicals, for at least three years. Third-party certification organizations verify that organic producers use only methods and materials allowed in organic production. Pure, natural, chemical free.

Conventional clothing and bedding embedded with chemical toxins from growing to processing to finishing are now unacceptable to many. In the child and baby arena, it is getting even more so. As concerned parents start to research or happen by an article with vital information on poison exposure, they are finding that children and infants are uniquely at risk from pesticides because of physiological susceptibility and greater relative exposure. Three major factors are particularly important:

Drugs that should never be taken while breast-feeding include:

Bromocriptine (Parlodel): A drug for Parkinson’s disease, it also decreases a woman’s milk supply.

Most Chemotherapy Drugs for Cancer: Since they kill cells in the mother’s body, they may harm the baby as well.

Ergotamine (for migraine headaches): Causes vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions in infants.

Lithium (for manic-depressive illness): Excreted in human milk.

Methotrexate (for arthritis): Can suppress the baby’s immune system.

Drugs of Abuse: Some drugs, such as cocaine and PCP, can intoxicate the baby. Others, such as amphetamines, heroin and marijuana, can cause a variety of symptoms, including irritability, poor sleeping patterns, tremors, and vomiting. Babies become addicted to these drugs.

Tobacco Smoke: Nursing mothers should avoid smoking. Nicotine can cause vomiting, diarrhea and restlessness for the baby, as well as decreased milk production for the mother. Maternal smoking or passive smoke may increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome and may increase respiratory and ear infections.

About this Article:
Provided by FDA

Did you know that the number of twin births have more than doubled since the early 1970s? Today, about one of every 35 births in the United States are twins. Even more significant is the number of triplet and higher multiple births which have increased 200 percent over the last three decades.

Why the huge jump in the number of multiple births?
The most obvious reason for the growing birth rates of twins and multiples is the use of fertility drugs and treatments. These medical interventions are most often the reason for births of four or more multiples. Recent studies from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) show that approximately 43 percent of live births resulting from assisted reproductive techniques were multiples.

But fertility drugs don’t tell the whole story.

Where you live could make a difference. If you reside in Massachusetts or Connecticut, a study by the National Center for Health Statistics found that the rates for twin deliveries was as much as 25 percent higher than the overall national rate. If you want to give birth to triplets, move to Nebraska or New Jersey. Both states boast a percentage of triplets that is twice the national average.

On the other hand, if you reside in tropical Hawaii your chances of having a multiple will decrease to about 30 percent below the overall U.S. rate.

The time of year and the number of daylight hours also has an impact on multiple births. More fraternal twins are conceived in July than in any other month, while January has the fewest twin conceptions. Scientists speculate that this is probably due to the longer length of daylight in July, which allows for a higher secretion of the Follicle Stimulating Hormone in women.

Enhanced medical care and good nutrition may play a role in skyrocketing multiple birth rates, although experts caution that it is difficult to directly link these influences. In fact, if access to state-of-the-art medicine were a deciding factor, then why does the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria have the highest twinning incidence in the entire world? These Nigerian people attribute it to their population’s consumption of a specific type of yam. Yams? That’s right, scientists have discovered that these colorful vegetables that are grown only in Africa contain a high level of a substance that is similar to the hormone estrogen — which could bring on multiple ovulation.

Surprisingly, age can work in a woman’s favor when it comes to conceiving twins. Older mothers traditionally have a higher chance of delivering fraternal twins, with the odds increasing to one in 27 when the mother is 35 years or older.

While identical twins have no familial connection, it is true that fraternal twins can run in the family. Female fraternal twins score an impressive one in 17 chance of giving birth to their own set of fraternal twins, probably because many carry a gene for hyperovulation, which means they sometimes release more than one egg during ovulation. And, if a woman has already given birth to fraternal twins, the chance of another set increases fourfold.

Want to learn more about babies and multiples? Visit the All About Baby website at www.allbaby.com for extensive child-related content, including tips on how to pick the best name for your newborn, interesting birth statistics, a list of the most popular given names for children and much more.

**All statistics were taken from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the National Center for Health Statistics and from the National Organization of Mothers of Twins Club (NOMOTC).

About The Author
Nancy Wurtzel founded her ecommerce business, All About Baby, in 1995. All About Baby located online at www.allbaby.com specializes in personalized and memorable gifts for children as well as interesting and helpful child-related site content. Ms. Wurtzel consults with small businesses seeking to expand. nancy@allbaby.com

Wanting to raise a healthy baby is a primary desire for parents. An expectant mother will get her check ups, follow the advise of her doctor or mid wife in the myriad of things she can do to contribute to the health of her unborn child.

The usual list of things to do and not to do can include, but certainly not limited to, are eating habits, exercise, rest and stress release while avoiding smoking, alcohol and drugs.

Every person is different, without getting into “lists” of what vitamins and minerals to take or the amounts, we will just touch on some of the basics. Sensible eating and lifestyle habits are at the forefront.

Starting with healthy eating, look to a well-balanced, nutritious diet of lots of fresh greens, fruits and whole grains, organic if possible, to avoid consumption of pesticides and herbicides. These chemicals are detrimental to you and your baby. At the very least, if organic is not an option, avoid foods that contain additives and artificial ingredients.

It has been estimated that Americans consume about 5 lbs of additives/year. If you include sugar, the most used additive, the number jumps to an astounding 135 lbs /year. To learn more about the staggering number of food additives now being used, you can consult Michael Jacobson’s Safe Food: Eating Wisely in a Risky World or Unsafe at Any Meal: How to Avoid Hidden Toxins in Your Food.

Additionally, avoiding junk foods, highly seasoned or fried foods will help with energy levels as well as keeping low the intake of liver clogging hydrogenated fats. When choosing healthy proteins, cooking practices should be considered to be very important. Steer clear of undercooked or rare meats, poultry and fish which can cause food poisoning.

Considering we are approximately 70-75% water, being well hydrated, especially during pregnancy is imperative. The body’s water supply is involved in and responsible for nearly every bodily process, including digestion, absorption, circulation, excretion and the transport of nutrients. It is essential to drink about half your body weight in ounces/day (eg. 130 lbs = 65 oz).

Consuming a high quality water is of the utmost importance, investing in a reputable water purifier or purchasing purified or spring water is the way to go. Distilled water is fine in moderation, too much or drinking solely distilled actually robs your body of vital minerals.

Avoiding high sugar or chemically laden drinks, such as sodas, soft drinks, fruity drinks, etc will keep the additives down as well as the empty calories. (If you drink 100% juices, diluting with pure water will make it easier on the system to handle and keep your insulin from spiking) Other than the obvious reasons to pass on alcohol, it is a depressant, dehydrates and robs you of vital nutrients, including Vitamin C.

After touching on food and water, smoking not only affects the lungs, hence oxygenation of every single cell, but smoking causes serious depletion of vitamin C which is an antioxidant required for collagen formation, tissue growth and repair, adrenal gland function, immune function, healthy gums and an endless list of additional tissues and functions requiring this vitamin.

Moderate exercise (always check with your doctor or midwife) can not be over emphasized, it helps to alleviate many of the common problems of pregnancy. Improving circulation, helping to prevent hemorrhoids, constipation and varicose veins, to name a few, can be reason enough for many women to hit the walking path.

Strengthening the circulatory system gives more endurance, improves your physical condition and some studies suggest it can actually result in shorter labor and help the mother to bounce back quicker.

The previous items are some very basic considerations in your child’s health before it arrives. OK, the sweet little bundle has arrived, now the parents will do what they can in feeding and caring for the new addition. From the right crib to covering edges, outlet guards, breast feeding or formula, bathing, there is an endless list of things to consider……. the point is of the long list of things to get or have or change or do for the health of your baby, some very important considerations may be overlooked if the parents aren’t aware.

At the top of list is the bedding and clothing that babies live in. Racking up almost 60% of their time in bed, the sheets your baby is in are just as important as the construction of that oh so fabulous crib. Have you thought of organic? Did you know they produced organic bedding and clothing? Were you aware they manufactured baby organic bedding and clothing? Most people really have no idea, it is just something they hadn’t thought of as well as the fact it is not quite yet the main stream.

Organic means growing fibers in fields without synthetic chemicals, for at least three years. Third-party certification organizations verify that organic producers use only methods and materials allowed in organic production. Pure, natural, chemical free.

Conventional clothing and bedding embedded with chemical toxins from growing to processing to finishing are now unacceptable to many. In the child and baby arena, it is getting even more so. As concerned parents start to research or happen by an article with vital information on poison exposure, they are finding that children and infants are uniquely at risk from pesticides because of physiological susceptibility and greater relative exposure. Three major factors are particularly important: