Medical science has yet to discover what exactly causes contractions to start and labor to begin.  If your due date has come and passed with no delivery in sight, you may be at a point where you are ready to do anything to get the process started. It is normal to want to meet your little one already, or want the pregnancy to be over because you are uncomfortable.

There are different home remedies to jump starting labor, but you should know that none of them is a sure thing, so don’t get your hopes too high, and cross your fingers when you try them.

You can try Maternity Acupuncture. Certain spots between the thumb and the pointer finger, near the ankle, and on the shoulder are considered by shiatsu practitioners to be linked to the uterus. According to shiatsu practitioners, pressing these points can speed labor up.

Having Sex can help induce labor. Semen contains prostaglandin, a natural fatty acid that helps soften and dilate your cervix. That, as well as an orgasm, can cause your uterus to contract.

Take a Long Walk. Gravity helps lower the baby and the pressure on your cervix can dilate it.

Raspberry tea helps to tone the muscles of the uterus.  To make it – boil water, let it sit for 5 minutes and then, add two to three teaspoons of red raspberry tea leaves. Drink two to three cups a day. Start only after week 35.

Your OBGYN may offer to strip the amniotic membranes to induce labor, if your cervix has started to dilate. This method can cause labor to start within 48 hours. However effective, it may be painful procedure.

Try nipple stimulation. Rubbing your nipples with your fingertips helps release the hormone oxytocin, the natural version of the labor-inducing drug Pitocin, which causes contractions to begin. It’s a slow process that requires breast stimulation for an hour at a time, three times a day. Some practitioners only recommend doing this at a hospital, where you can be monitored, since very strong contractions could affect the baby’s heart rate.

Castor Oil taken with orange juice for example, can stimulate prostaglandin production and in turn cause contractions. However, it is also a known laxative, so you may get terrible diarrhea before or during labor, suffer from vomiting, sever cramping and other unpleasant side effects. So think twice and speak to your doctor before choosing this method.

Consult your health provider before trying any method.

Vaginal birth is the normal biological consequence of pregnancy, regardless of previous births experiences. It is important to know you are not limited to a cesarean section procedure in future pregnancies even if your previous delivery was a cesarean section.

Vaginal Birth after Cesarean is actually quit common. Some 90% of woman who have had a cesarean delivery can deliver vaginally the next time around.

The biggest concern for women who have had a previous cesarean is the risk of a uterine rupture during a vaginal birth. Studies show increased rates of uterine rupture in women who go through labor induction or augmentation. Discuss the possible complications of induction with your OBGYN before you make your decision.

You can avoid a cesarean this time around if the reason for your first cesarean delivery is not repeated with this pregnancy, you have no major medical problems, you baby is a normal size, the baby is head-down

To be considered for VBAC you must have had no more than 2 low transverse cesarean deliveries and no additional uterine scars, anomalies or previous ruptures. You will be monitored through labor and may end up undergoing a cesarean if the situation shall call for one.

You may require a cesarean delivery if you are pregnant with twins, have diabetes or high-blood pressure.

If your due date has come and gone and you are still pregnant, with no signs of contractions in sight, your OBGYN will check you and have an ultrasound to estimate the size of the baby and how much amniotic fluid is around him. If the baby is estimated to be in any danger you will be induced soon there after.

If the baby still has room to grow, your doctor may let you wait for another week or two before inducing labor. The longest most practitioners will let you go before inducing is the 42^nd week of pregnancy. After that time the placenta may become less effective and many risks may present themselves to both baby and mom.

Some other reasons you may be induced are if your baby is too big, your water breaks and labor does not start on its own, your placenta no longer functions properly, you have a chronic or acute illness or if you previously had a full-term stillbirth.

Inducing labor means to use medication and other techniques to start or induce contractions. The method in which you will be induced depends on the condition of your cervix at the time. If your cervix hasn’t started to soften, efface (thin out), or dilate (open up), it’s considered “unripe” – or not yet ready for labor.

Methods used to ripen the cervix and induce labor include prostaglandins, Foley catheter, Stripping or sweeping the membranes, Rupturing the membranes and Pitocin.

Prostaglandins are used in situations when you need to be induced but your cervix is not yet dilated or thinned out. Once admitted to the hospital, your healthcare provider will start the induction by inserting medication that contains prostaglandins into your vagina. This medication helps to ripen the cervix and sometimes stimulates enough contractions eliminating the need to use oxytocin.

Foley catheter may be use instead of using medication to ripen your cervix. Your healthcare provider may insert a catheter with a very small uninflated balloon at the end into your cervix. When the balloon is inflated with water, it puts pressure on your cervix, stimulating the release of prostaglandins, which cause the cervix to open and soften. When your cervix begins to dilate, the balloon falls out and the catheter is removed.

Stripping or sweeping the membranes is used if your cervix is already somewhat dilated and there’s no urgent reason to induce. Your health provider will insert her finger through the cervix and manually separate your amniotic sac from the lower part of your uterus. This causes the release of prostaglandins, which may help further ripen your cervix and possibly get contractions going.

This procedure is most commonly done during an office visit. You’ll be sent home to wait for labor to start, usually within the next 48 hours. Many moms-to-be find this procedure uncomfortable or even painful.

Rupturing the membranes is a procedure performed only if you are at least a few centimeters dilated. Your healthcare provider will insert a small, plastic hook tool through the cervix to break your amniotic sac. Once your water has broken, most OBGYNs will want you to deliver within 24 hours because of risk of infection for you and your baby.

oxytocin (Pitocin) is given through an IV pump to start or augment your contractions. Your healthcare provider will adjust the amount you need according to how your labor progresses.

Weather you treat it this way or not, a cesarean section delivery is surgery. Because it is a surgical procedure, it does require a period for both physical and emotional recovery.

With any other surgery, allowing yourself recovery time is logical and usually a relatively easy task. However, other surgeries do not send you home with a child to take care of when you return home.  Having to care for a child while recovering is difficult and it becomes harder to rest and let your body to recuperate. After all, your schedule is now in the hands of a tiny baby with needs he cannot fulfill independently.

What do you do? Ask for help and/or accept any help offered. If you have relatives in town who came especially for the birth or live nearby, take advantage of their presence and let them take some of the weight off your shoulders. You need the help and they will most likely be happy to give a hand.

First, take care of yourself. Drink plenty of water to avoid constipation, which is usually an issue for the first week after delivery. Make sure you get the rest you need, but at the same time make a point to walk around regularly, increasing activity gradually. It will help your healing process and prevent complications such as blood clots.

Secondly, don’t overdo it. Wait until your postpartum checkup (six weeks after delivery) before starting up exercising and/or resume sexual activity. Speak to your OBGYN when you meet about your readiness for these types of activities. Speak to your healthcare provider sooner if you have any questions or concerns.

Finally, cut yourself some slack. Recovery may take longer than you expected, or you may find yourself emotionally recuperated while still physically strained. Try not to let it get to you and certainly don’t be too hard on yourself. You have a newborn to care for, your body is healing, and you may be experiencing the blues – after all your life has changed completely! Keep your chin up and listen to your body. You will be 100% soon!

Through advanced care and research, there are a variety of options on the location and method to giving birth. The most common child birthing experience today involves the hospital, but it is not your only option. If you want to have more freedom and control over the process and procedures during your delivery, take the time to learn about other options available to you. But before you start your research, know that you must be a healthy woman with a healthy, low or no risk pregnancy to consider child birth outside of the hospital.

Birthing Centers offer a home-like environment with the freedom to experience labor in your own way. Birthing centers are run by nurse-midwives, and are fully equipped with a variety of medications, IVs, oxygen, and resuscitation equipment should your baby need it. There are no electronic fetal monitoring equipment, epidurals, labor induction devices, drugs, or cesarean deliveries.

A birthing center offers a natural birthing experience, as close to a home birth as you can find. Something you should know and consider is the fact the women are discharged right after the birth, or no longer than 12 hours thereafter.

Hospital Birthing Centers combine the “homey” ambiance with the security of high-tech birthing options. They are also run by nurse-midwives and are very similar in décor to other birthing centers, but have the advantage of accessing high-tech medical care when needed.

These types of centers are most appropriate for pregnant women who are not sure they can make it through labor without pain medication and those who may need to spend up to 48 hours in the hospital post-birth.

Home Birth allows the mother-to be to experience birthing on her own terms within the comfort and familiarity of her own home. It is suggested that a midwife follow the pregnancy and assist with the birthing process. If you are interested in this experience, take the time to research and interview midwives to find the one who is right for you.

If a certified midwife tells you that a home birth is not in your best interest, listen to her. She has the experience and credibility to provide these suggestions. Best candidates for home births are healthy women with a normal pregnancy and a good after-care support system.

Most importantly, listen to yourself. Whatever decision you make, be sure you feel comfortable about it.

Giving birth at home was the norm around the world for centuries. A woman in labor would have a midwife at her side to help along the process, provide comfort and offer practical aid when and where needed.

In most countries, home birth is still the most common form of birthing. In the US, on the other hand, childbirth has been moved from the home and into the hospital since the 1900’s. Obstetrics has had a tremendous effect on the changes to the birthing experience in the past century. While many have become accustom to delivering in a hospital, there are a growing number of women who are going back to midwifery and choosing home birth over the hospital experience.

A home birth can be an option for you if you are a healthy expectant mother, have a high predictability of a normal pregnancy, and have no medical or obstetrical risk factors. Giving birth at home provides you with the comfort of familiar surroundings and gives you the liberty to choose as many participants to assist you. Mothers who have experienced home births claim that they encountered a more controlled birthing experience, a quality that is not necessarily guaranteed at a hospital.

Choosing to have a home birth is a decision you should feel strongly about. The successful homebirther is one who is dedicated to finding the right birth practitioner for care throughout the duration of pregnancy and the person who can provide assistance and comfort during the delivery.

Research is essential in learning about your childbirth options, and knowledge is key to making the most appropriate decision for yourself and your baby. Take the time to learn about the different birthing options, and try to stay open to unexpected changes (that can occur if baby needs immediate medical interference, etc.).

Postpartum depression is a serious illness, that can last for months after childbirth, miscarriage and stillbirth. Symptoms of postpartum depression include deep sadness, feelings of hopelessness, loss of appetite, sleep problems, extreme fatigue, difficulty to concentrate and even fatal thoughts. You may also find yourself unable to care for your newborn.

Unlike baby blues, which many women experience in the first couple of weeks after childbirth, postpartum depression can last for months. With baby blues, you may have trouble sleeping and feel moody, teary, and overwhelmed, but you will likely have these feelings along with being happy about your baby.

In rare cases, a severe form of depression called postpartum psychosis may develop after childbirth. Symptoms of postpartum psychosis may include strange behavior and hearing things that are not there. A women suffering postpartum psychosis may harm herself or her baby or others and needs immediate treatment.

It’s very important to get treatment for depression. The sooner you get treated, the sooner you’ll feel better and enjoy your baby.

“Some emotional roller coasters are natural and expected after childbirth, even if your baby sleeps like an angel and you truly love your visiting in-laws.”

About 70% of new mothers experience some form or another of baby blues. These feelings are caused by the sudden change in hormonal balance after childbirth. Other factors that may trigger this phenomenon include feeling of anxiety stemming from the sudden responsibility and tremendous task of caring for a newborn, fatigue and lack of sleep every new parent experiences, even frustration over breastfeeding difficulties or problems.

Baby blues symptoms may include weepiness, mood swings, irritability, anxiety, loneliness, restlessness and / or impatience. While emotional turmoil is normal, you want to make sure it is under control to avoid more serious forms of depression, such as the postpartum depression or postpartum psychosis.  In rare instances, mothers who suffer from postpartum psychosis commonly do not know they are experiencing depression and are putting themselves and their child at risk. If you feel you are under more emotional pressure than you can deal with or would like to know more information about baby blues, speak with your health care provider.

Don’t keep your partner in the dark. If you feel that you have the baby blues, let him know what you are experiencing and find ways for him to help you in any way you may need.  You don’t have to deal with the baby blues alone. Together you can devise a plan to help you get some rest and share the responsibilities of parenthood.  Through cooperation and open communication, you can hurdle over the baby blues and enjoy raising the newest member of the family together.

This mild form of depression can start a few days to a week after giving birth, and usually lasts for about two weeks. If you continue feeling “blue” or notice the symptoms mentioned above lasting for over two weeks, talk with your physician about how to recognize and treat postpartum depression. There is no shame in admitting you are experiencing the baby blues. The sooner you talk about it and get the assistance you need, the sooner you will feel yourself again!

Not too long ago, men used to sit at home or the hospital’s waiting area while their life partner was pushing and sweating with only the medical staff at her side for the delivery of their baby. Today, men are not only in the delivery room with the mother to be, but they can even choose to cut the umbilical cord if they so wish.

Things have certainly changed quit a bit over time, but there are still couples who choose not to include the dad in the delivery room. The fact that men are now allowed in the delivery room, does not mean they have to attend. This is a decision made between the couple. When you prepare your birth plan think of what you want and need, and decide who should be present during the delivery.

Regardless of which way you voted, dad’s role will start with the first contraction, while you are still at home (or elsewhere…). This is the time for dad to be a distraction from the contractions and get you two organized for the hospital.

A father to be’s role in the delivery room these days can take on different forms depending on what the mother to be wants and needs. If you have gone to a birth preparation class together, dad can help with breathing techniques and count, massage, hold mom’s hand, and provide encouragement and support.

“Having a baby together is an intense, life-changing experience that most couples want to experience together. The father can be an immensely reassuring presence for the mother” says Patrick O’Brien, a consultant from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

If you choose this as your route, the best thing you can do is take a class together, talk to each other about your expectations and/or speak to friends or family who have experienced a delivery with dad present in the delivery room about their experience. This can be a very special experience, and talking about what you want, need or even expect of each other before hand, can be a tremendous help in putting both mom and dad at ease.

A full term pregnancy lasts anywhere between 37 and 42 weeks (counted from the first day of the last menstrual period). Contractions starting on or after the 37^th week of a healthy pregnancy are normal and expected and will lead you to the delivery room.  It is contraction or dilation (opening of the cervix) before the 37^th week that may lead to preterm labor and/or premature birth.

The danger in premature birth is that the baby may not be fully developed to live outside the womb. Premature babies (also called preemies) are at high risk to develop complications, which in some cases can result in death. The risk of complications increases the earlier the baby is born. After a preterm birth, the preemies are cared for in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) until they are of full term, have reached the minimum weight and are out of harm’s way.

It is hard to predict preterm labor or birth, especially with first pregnancy. There is a range of factors that can affect preterm labor, including certain genital tract infections, placenta issues, excessively large uterus, too much amniotic fluid and certain chronic maternal illnesses. Speak to your doctor about preterm labor or birth if you experience any of the above issues or are concerned about it and want to know more.