RESOURCES: How Birth Happens

Babies aren't simply pushed out, they must make several turns to make it through mother's pelvis, called "Cardinal Movements" see more...

Emotional Map of Labor
If any of you have ever read any books on the Bradley Method for childbirth, you may have heard of the emotional signposts that a woman experiences during labor. Unfortunately, this is a concept that is not very widespread, and I think that it should be because it’s extremely valuable! What are the emotional signposts of labor? Read more... 

The Labor Environment
The June 2009 issue of Birth contains the results of a pilot study gauging the effects of modifying the labor room to encourage mobility, reduce stress and anxiety, and discourage routine medical intervention. Investigators randomly allocated 62 healthy women in spontaneous labor to either a modified room or the standard labor room. Read more... 

Pain in Labour: Your Hormones Are Your Helpers
Researchers such as French surgeon and natural birth pioneer Michel Odent believe that if we can be more respectful of our mammalian roots, and the hormones that we share, we can have more chance of a straightforward birth ourselves. Read more...

A note about our "Resources" pages: We offer these resources as one step of your informed decision-making process.  Each mother and each circumstance are unique.  There is no one "right" way.  One article or study does not an informed decision make.  Read more.  Research more.  Talk openly with your carefully chosen care provider and those who will support you.  Then, make the decision that is right for you.

RESOURCES: Comfort Measures for Labor

Creating the Labor & Birth Environment
The June 2009 issue of Birth contains the results of a pilot study gauging the effects of modifying the labor room to encourage mobility, reduce stress and anxiety, and discourage routine medical intervention. Read More...

The Nature and Management of Labor Pain: Part I. Nonpharmacologic Pain Relief
Although management of labor pain plays a relatively minor role in a woman's satisfaction with childbirth compared with the quality of the relationship with her maternity caregiver and the degree of participation she has in decision making, it is an important topic for women and their caregivers. Read More...

Comfort measures are strategies designed to help you cope with the pain of labor. A good childbirth preparation class should teach you an assortment of ways to cope, as will many books.  Read More....

What is the Double Hip Squeeze and How Do I Do It?  Read more...

Guided Imagery and Visualizations for Labor and Childbirth: I’ve collected these visualizations from various people and websites throughout the years Read more...

Imagery and Meditation for Child Birth, Read more...

Epidurals: Dr. Leonard J. Corning, a neurologist in New York, was the first physician to use an epidural. In 1885 he injected cocaine into the back of a patient suffering from spinal weakness and seminal incontinence.
Today, epidurals are by far the most popular method of pain relief during labor in U.S. hospitals. Mead more...

Acupressure Techniques for Use during Childbirth and Pregnancy Read more...

A note about our "Resources" pages: We offer these resources as one step of your informed decision-making process.  Each mother and each circumstance are unique.  There is no one "right" way.  One article or study does not an informed decision make.  Read more.  Research more.  Talk openly with your carefully chosen care provider and those who will support you.  Then, make the decision that is right for you.