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When it’s time to give birth, your body generally knows what to do: It’s programmed to release hormones that jump-start contractions and move your labor along. But childbirth doesn’t always go as planned. If your contractions stall or labor is slow to start (and baby really needs to come out), your doctor may recommend a Pitocin induction. You may have heard some things about Pitocin—both positive and negative. The fact is, Pitocin can be incredibly useful to induce or augment labor, but, as with any drug, there are potential side effects and risks....

Stake out any daycare drop-off zone or toddler music class, and the number of dads you see tending to their children’s sticky little hearts illustrates something we’ve known for a while: The rhythms and rituals of parenthood are no longer the preeminent domain of women. But while the number of fathers wanting to be more hands-on in their kids’ daily lives has steadily increased over the years, when it comes to working parents taking time off to bond with their newborns, fathers and other non-birth partners traditionally get the short end of the stick....

Let’s be honest: you probably have a list of reasons why you really don’t want to see your OB. And while non-pregnant women don’t necessarily need to schedule an appointment every year, you’ll be gearing up for an exam at least once a month. Here’s some of the things that make us dread these trips and some tips for making things sail a little more smoothly. You hate: The long wait By the time the nurse calls your name, your butt is numb and you’ve played 16 games of Candy Crush (fun, but not exactly how you wanted to spend your afternoon)....

We all know giving birth isn’t going to be like it is on TV dramas: Your water breaks; you gasp and exclaim, “she’s coming!” Then, lipstick refreshed, you cradle your newborn as your handsome husband looks on. But hopefully it isn’t going to be fodder for reality TV, either, with a swarm of doctors sprinting into the delivery room, shouting, “Get the NICU team, STAT! We’ve got a quadruple nuchal and need a cold-knife section!...

Hair loss It might feel a little bit like you’re in a horror movie the first time you find extra hair in your brush… on the bathroom floor… and in the shower drain. But try not to freak out. “Your hair naturally goes through growth and loss cycles, but when you’re pregnant, you lose fewer hairs,” explains Shelly Holmström, MD, associate professor at the University of South Florida College of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Tampa, Florida....

Has your dinner table become a battlefield? For moms of picky eaters, it can be all-out war trying to get little ones to eat their broccoli or brussels sprouts or … just about anything green, for that matter. That’s why we turned to parent food bloggers to find out what their favorite go-to recipes are for their own kids who are super-picky eaters. From snacks to soups to smoothies, these are their standbys....

You can kiss your perky boobs good-bye if you decide to breastfeed. False. Sort of. While it’s true that your breasts will probably never be the same, you can’t blame all of it on breastfeeding. Their shape will change even if you chose not to breastfeed. In fact, pregnancy alone plays a much bigger role than whether or not you decide to nurse. Drinking alcohol will boost milk production. False. While it might relax you, alcohol will actually make you produce less milk....

Doctors often recommend a cesarean birth, but vaginal birth may be an option if version is successful. When you’re close to your delivery date, you and your doctor will inevitably discuss the risks and benefits of your options. Vaginal birth is pretty tough when baby is breech. (Ok, birth is always pretty tough. With a breech baby, it’s even tougher. Not to scare you.) Since baby’s head is the largest body part at birth, when it comes out first (when baby is in the normal position), it’s relatively easy to guide the rest of the body out after....

I’ve been the friend-to-the-new-mom and the new mom. And I’ve learned that until you are a mother — until you have experienced the pain and emotional heartache that comes with everything postpartum; until you have gone through weeks and months of virtually no sleep; until you have cried while your baby has cried — you will probably never truly understand the impact motherhood has on most women. Looking back, I could have been a much better friend to several new mom’s that I knew and I wish I had read something similar to this beforehand, to have shared some insight as to what my friend(s) might have been experiencing and to how I could have been there for them and their baby....

Just because your child doesn’t speak a word of Chinese doesn’t mean he doesn’t know it. The team of researchers at McGill University’s Department of Psychology and Montreal’s Neurological Institute found that the language an infant hears at birth creates neural patterns that leave their mark on the brain. Even if the child completely stops using the language, the unconscious brain remembers it in some capacity. The babies in question? Those who were adopted and raised in a country with a language different from that of their birth country....

If you’re told you need a LEEP (short for “loop electrosurgical excision procedure”) and want to start a family in the near (or distant) future, don’t panic. LEEP isn’t likely to harm your fertility. LEEP procedures are generally done to treat precancerous cervical tissue. Your doctor will use an electrically charged wire loop to remove the affected cells from your cervix. It’s not a major medical procedure; you’ll usually be in and out of the office or hospital on the same day....

Pregnancy is a life-altering experience, so it’s only natural that doctors who go through childbirth themselves emerge with a slightly different perspective—both on life, and on their professional practice. We caught up with a few ob-gyns to learn how their own labor and delivery experience has influenced the way they guide their patients through the very same process. How Their Patient Interactions Have Changed My experiences shape the questions I ask my patients....

Smart move. Performing the same series of activities night after night will signal baby that it’s time for sleep, and should help her go down more easily and sleep more soundly. Start with a bath, regardless of the dirt factor. Warm water is calming and that’s the point — no need for an all-over scrub. Back in the bedroom, turn the lights down a bit and sing or play soft music as you dry her off and put on her PJs....

Just as it should be before and after having a baby, your number-one priority during pregnancy if you’re diabetic should be regulating your blood glucose levels. You’ve probably already gotten this talk from your doctor about how eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and consistently monitoring your blood-glucose levels will help keep you healthy, but once you’re pregnant, you’ll really need to be on top of it. So here’s the rundown on some things to keep in mind: Before you become pregnant, a preconception checkup is a must....

In my practice, thrush is one of the most frustrating issues for new moms to faceprimarily due to the coordination of healthcare practitioners needed to effectivelytreat thrush. Moms can have thrush. Babies can have thrush. Or both momand baby can have thrush. Regardless of the scenario, both moms and babiesshould be treated simultaneously due to the fact that thrush can easily be spreadback and forth between the mom’s nipple and the baby’s mouth....

Measures hormones to track ovulation Identifies up to 6 fertile days Noninvasive Works with regular or irregular cycles Amplifies baby’s heartbeat Tracks heart rate Counts and times fetal movement Operated by pushing a button when baby kicks Stores 10 most recent “sessions” Counts down last 99 days of pregnancy Free Makes contraction counting super-simple Charts duration and frequency Timer for left and right sides Reminder of which breast was last nursed...

The alphabet soup of letters known as GnRH stands for Gonadotropin-releasing hormone. This important hormone tells the pituitary gland how much FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone) it should release, which in turn triggers the development and release of eggs. In short, it helps keep your whole reproductive cycle running smoothly. A GnRH agonist, on the other hand, is an artificial hormone that serves to block that process, effectively putting the brakes on your egg production....

Birds do it, and so do cats, apes and other mammals preparing for birth. Nesting is an instinctual mechanism that prepares your “empty nest” to suddenly become quite full. And trust us: You’ll want to make the most of the impulse before baby arrives and finding a moment to shower will seem like a serious challenge. Nesting is like spring cleaning on steroids—it’s all about organization, cleanliness and preparation. Here’s a bunch of last-minute details that you’ll want to check off your list before going into labor, so you can put your mind and ease and relax before the big day:...

Need a quick energy boost?This short circuit of five exercises is a great way to rev up your metabolism and get a full body workout in a few minutes (because, let’s face it, all you really have most days is just that: five minutes). The low-impact version of each exercise is appropriate for beginners and prenatal moms. If you’re pregnant, the low-impact variation provides a great workout while still being bump-friendly and if you’re a new mom start with the low-impact version and work your way up to the more difficult series....

Folate is important in pregnancy, especially early in pregnancy, since getting plenty of it can reduce baby’s risk of birth defects. What’s not to love about that? Make sure you’re getting enough folic acid (the synthetic form of folate) in your prenatal vitamin—at least 400 micrograms daily. You’ll also want to eat plenty of these foods that are naturally high in folate: • Lentils. A half-cup serving packs 180 micrograms of folate....