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Where Do Babies Come From?

2013-06-18T09:00:17Z

<img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/pregnancy/1/H/4/a/kidmom.jpg" alt="Second Pregnancy" /> Lots of parents worry about trying to talk to older children about where babies come from during a subsequent pregnancy. The good news is that there are a lot of books that are available to help answer even the most difficult of questions. The biggest thing to remember is that you should keep in mind, not only the age of the child, but also what the child is really asking. If you can arm yourself with a few good books and a straight face, you're good to go. What's your funniest story about talking pregnancy and birth with your other kids? Related: <ul> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/pregnancybooksvideos/tp/aa020803a.htm">Pregnancy Books for Kids</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/secondpregnancy/ss/6-Tips-For-Lazy-Second-Time-Moms.htm">6 Tips for Lazy Second Time Moms</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/secondpregnancy/a/babiescomefrom.htm">Where Babies Come From</a></li> </ul> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pinterest.com/robineliseweiss/boards/">PINTEREST</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://twitter.com/About_Pregnancy">TWITTER</a> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://facebook.com/aboutpregnancy">FACEBOOK</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=https://plus.google.com/b/101152721706405948264/">GOOGLE+</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/bio/Robin-Elise-Weiss-LCCE-103.htm">CONNECT</a> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo © PhotoDisc

Where Do Babies Come From? originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Tuesday, June 18th, 2013 at 09:00:17.

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Fear of Childbirth

2013-06-17T00:01:25Z

<img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/pregnancy/1/H/y/t/3/takechargeroutineapril.jpg" alt="Take Charge Routine" /> An interesting <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.bjog.org/details/news/2101819/Women_with_a_fear_of_childbirth_endure_a_longer_labour_finds_new_research.html">study</a> out of Norway caught my eye proclaiming that when women feared childbirth, their labors were about 47 minutes longer than those who did not fear childbirth. My gut reaction was, "Of course it does!" The doula in me has seen this hundreds of times. There were some interesting points in this study. The <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/epidurals/p/epidural.htm">epidural</a> rates in both groups were incredibly low by American standards, 26.8% in the no fear group and only 44.8% in the fear group. They also found that the fear group had a higher rate of use of <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/laborbasics/ss/interventions_7.htm">forceps</a>/<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/forcepsvacuum/f/vacuumextract.htm">vacuum extraction</a>. They postulate that the fear increases catecholamines, stress hormones, and therefore prolongs labor. This is the basic premise that most people who talk about stress in labor point out, though some catecholamines in labor are expected. Communication with the practitioner is something that they bring up saying, "...fear of childbirth may be associated with poor communication." Then they say that not being about to communicate with the care provider may delay obstetric intervention and therefore delay labor. This may be more a product of the Norwegian system, because my take would be that the lack of communication may be part of the source of the fear to begin with, causing unwanted interventions. I was pregnant at the same time that Olympic winning gymnast <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://womenshistory.about.com/od/olympics/p/mary_lou_retton.htm">Mary Lou Retton</a> had her first baby. I still recall watching her complete her routine three weeks after knee surgery, scoring a perfect 10 and thinking how horribly painful this must have been and how she described it as doing what she had to do to complete what she had trained for all those years. So when I listened to her talk about her fear of pain in labor, I was dumbfounded. How could she be afraid of labor after all of the aches and pains of being an Olympic gymnast? After all, her body was built for labor and it certainly was not built to withstand Olympic training. Listening to her made me realize that fear of labor wasn't the right way to look at it for me. So I came into my first birth with a healthy respect for labor, but not fear. How do you manage fear or concerns about labor? That's where a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/library/cbequiz/bl_cbetype_quiz.htm">good childbirth class</a>, <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/prenatalcare/a/10q4doc.htm">talking to your provider</a> and a <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/doulas/a/doulas.htm">doula</a> can all help. These all go to great lengths to address your personal fears about birth and parenting. Try not to feel overwhelmed. Finding the right support, which is sometimes professional, mental health support, can be very beneficial before labor. Where do you fall in the healthy respect versus fear of labor scope? Related: <ul> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/painmedsinlabor/ss/8-Things-That-Hurt-Worse-Than-Childbirth.htm">8 Things That Hurst Worse Than Childbirth</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/childbirthclasse1/a/5-Reason-Not-To-Take-Hospital-Childbirth-Classes.htm">5 Reasons Not to Take a Hospital. Childbirth Class</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/epidurals/a/cbeepi.htm">Should you take a childbirth class if you want an epidural?</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/library/cbequiz/bl_cbetype_quiz.htm">Which Childbirth Class is Right for You?</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/childbirthclasse1/a/mostofclass.htm">How to Get the Most Out of Childbirth Class</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/u/ua/childbirthclasse1/goodchildbirthclass.htm">Readers Share: What makes a good childbirth class?</a> </li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/childbirthclasse1/a/Take-Your-Childbirth-Class-Early.htm">4 Reasons to Take Your Childbirth Class Early</a></li> </ul> Follow me on: <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://facebook.com/aboutpregnancy">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://twitter.com/About_Pregnancy">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=https://plus.google.com/b/101152721706405948264/">Google+</a> & <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pinterest.com/source/pregnancy.about.com/">Pinterest</a>! Source: Adams, S. S., Eberhard-Gran, M., & Eskild, A. (2012). Fear of childbirth and duration of labour: a study of 2206 women with intended vaginal delivery. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, no-no. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2012.03433.x Photo © <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.aprilsgrapevinephotography.com/">April's Grape Vine Photography</a>

Fear of Childbirth originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Monday, June 17th, 2013 at 00:01:25.

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Happy Father's Day!

2013-06-16T13:53:34Z

<img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/pregnancy/1/H/h/9/4/daddyclarasleeping.jpg" alt="Dad sleeping with toddler" /> Happy Father's Day! Whether you're expecting a baby in your life soon, waiting to become a dad or just thinking about it, I hope you have a great day. I'm spending the day with my family as we celebrate the dads in our lives. I'll leave you with a collection of articles just for dads about pregnancy. Have a super day! Related: <ul> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/pregnantbody/f/partnerquicken.htm">When will my partner feel the baby move?</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/forfathersonly/a/10-Things-To-Help-Dad-Cope-In-The-Delivery-Room.htm">10 Things to Help Dad Cope in the Delivery Room</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/forfathersonly/ss/Dads-Guide-To-Childbirth-Hospital-Version.htm">Dad's Guide to Childbirth</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/forfathersonly/a/Overzealous-Dads-In-Pregnancy.htm">Overzealous Dads in Pregnancy</a> </li> </ul>

Happy Father's Day! originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Sunday, June 16th, 2013 at 13:53:34.

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When NOT to Exercise in Pregnancy

2013-06-15T10:23:34Z

<img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/pregnancy/1/H/m/z/3/iStock_000011846967XSmall.jpg" alt="Small Crunch on Ball" /> I know that I spend a lot of time talking to you about how to have a healthy pregnancy. This might mean that sometimes you have to back off of something that might be healthy for other individuals. While the many pregnant women don't get enough exercise, there are a number of women who need to avoid some, if not all, forms of exercise in pregnancy. The problem is that many of them may not even know it. One day I had a conversation with a woman who was married to an OB/GYN. She told me that in her second pregnancy, her doctor (not her husband) had told her that she shouldn't "play tag." She told me that she now feels foolish for not understanding that he meant cut the fitness routines out. She thought he meant tag. Her husband took it to mean no sex. What's a mom to do? Ask questions. Talk to your midwife or doctor specifically about exercise. What should you be doing, how often and what signs say you should stop. Did your practitioner bring this up in your prenatal appointments? Related: <ul> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/fitnesspregnancy/a/noexercise.htm">9 Reasons Not to Exercise in Pregnancy</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/postpartumfitness/qt/7-Reasons-You-Should-Not-Exercise-After-Having-A-Baby.htm">7 Reasons Not to Exercise Postpartum</a></li> </ul> Photo © Istockphoto

When NOT to Exercise in Pregnancy originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Saturday, June 15th, 2013 at 10:23:34.

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How to Use Your Birth Ball

2013-06-14T08:31:52Z

<img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/pregnancy/1/H/d/5/4/Fotolia_37324315_XS.jpg" alt="Pregnant Woman on Birth Ball" /> When I first started working with pregnant and laboring women, a birth ball was an oddity. As it's grown in popularity you find them nearly everywhere, even in workout rooms for non-pregnant women. So the word is out - birth balls are great for labor. What I think has been slower in coming has been the use of a birth ball for other uses. That would be things like comfort in pregnancy, exercise while pregnant and even using the ball after the baby is born for comforting the baby or getting back in shape. Here's an <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/productsforlabor/ss/A-Birth-Ball-Offers-Uses-For-Pregnancy-And-Newborn-Days.htm">article that hopefully will encourage you to try a thing or two</a> you hadn't thought about with your birth ball. What do you do with a birth ball? Related: <ul> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/postpartumrecover/a/5postpartum.htm">5 Exercises You Can Do Right After Giving Birth</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/stayinghealthy/a/5exerciseinpg.htm">4 Great Pregnancy Exercises</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/breechbabies/a/turningbreech.htm">How to Turn a Breech Baby</a></li> </ul> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pinterest.com/robineliseweiss/boards/">PINTEREST</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://twitter.com/About_Pregnancy">TWITTER</a> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://facebook.com/aboutpregnancy">FACEBOOK</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=https://plus.google.com/b/101152721706405948264/">GOOGLE+</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/bio/Robin-Elise-Weiss-LCCE-103.htm">CONNECT</a> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo © Fotolia

How to Use Your Birth Ball originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Friday, June 14th, 2013 at 08:31:52.

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Will you celebrate Father's Day while pregnant?

2013-06-13T08:12:05Z

<img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/pregnancy/1/H/e/5/4/Fotolia_2525509_XS.jpg" alt="Pregnant Couple" /> It's <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://inventors.about.com/od/Fathers-Day/a/Who-Invented-Fathers-Day.htm">Father's Day</a> in the US this weekend, a day when we celebrate the dads in our lives. I was talking to a couple of moms-to-be the other day about their plans for Father's Day. Oddly enough they were not going to celebrate much if at all. One mom said she planned to give her boyfriend a card, and another said they were going to childbirth class. Other than that, it was going to be a normal day for these families. I asked if they had celebrated Mother's Day and they had. So why the disconnect? These moms said that their partners were not that into the though of celebrating Father's Day. One said her husband felt it wasn't the same for dads as it was for moms; another said that he felt a bit superstitious about it, but wanted to let her celebrate Mother's Day. What's YOUR family planning to do for Father's Day? <script language="javascript" src="http://guidepolls.about.com/pregnancy/1090016776/poll.js?linkback="></script> Related: <ul> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/b/2012/06/15/confession-about-fathers-day.htm">A Confession About Father's Day</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/b/2010/06/18/a-salute-to-dads.htm">5 Quick Ways to Celebrate Father's Day</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/library/weekly/aa061999.htm">A Father's Day</a></li> </ul> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pinterest.com/robineliseweiss/boards/">PINTEREST</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://twitter.com/About_Pregnancy">TWITTER</a> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://facebook.com/aboutpregnancy">FACEBOOK</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=https://plus.google.com/b/101152721706405948264/">GOOGLE+</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/bio/Robin-Elise-Weiss-LCCE-103.htm">CONNECT</a> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo © Fotolia

Will you celebrate Father's Day while pregnant? originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Thursday, June 13th, 2013 at 08:12:05.

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Does Being a Republican or Democrat Shape Your Baby Naming Choices?

2013-06-12T10:42:18Z

<img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/pregnancy/1/H/g/9/4/sb10065659a-001.jpg" alt="Newborn Nursery Full of Babies" /> A recent article in the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/06/04/republicans-and-democrats-cant-even-agree-on-baby-names/">Washington Post's WonkBlog</a> talks about the differences between baby naming styles of Republicans and Democrats. They give some references to who chooses what type of names. (Their article is based on data from research by the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://conference.mpsanet.org/papers/archive.aspx/2011/118864">University of Chicago</a>.) Some of the themes they picked up on related to economics and education. One example was that white mothers with at least some education who lived in Democratic areas were more likely to choose a name that was uncommon. They also said that Republic were also more likely to pick names that "signaled economic capital" - this includes names like Katherine and John. While the exact reason people choose baby names is up in the air for most, this was a really interesting read for people who enjoy baby names and data surrounding baby names. How did you choose your baby's name? Related: <ul> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/babynames/qt/topgirlsnames.htm">Top 100 Baby Girl Names</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/babynames/qt/topboysnames.htm">Top 100 Baby Boy Names</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/topbabynamesbyyear/f/What-Were-Popular-Baby-Names-For-Decades.htm">Top Baby Name by Decade</a></li> </ul> Photo © Howard Berman/Getty Images

Does Being a Republican or Democrat Shape Your Baby Naming Choices? originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Wednesday, June 12th, 2013 at 10:42:18.

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Antihistamines for Morning Sickness Problematic

2013-06-11T11:08:51Z

<img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/pregnancy/1/H/E/b/3/iStock_000003729698XSmall.jpg" alt="Morning Sickness" /> A new study of women suffering from <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/morningsickness/a/aa111499.htm">hyperemesis gravidarum</a>, severe morning sickness that usually requires medical intervention, shows that of the mothers who had a problem like preterm birth or low birth weight, they had more likelihood of having taken antihistamines for their morning sickness. A common substance, an antihistamine is the active ingredient in medications like Benadryl and Unisom. These over-the-counter medications are frequently taken to help women through their morning sickness, though only about 20% of women found them helpful according to lead author Dr. Marlena Fejzo (UCLA), who is also an advisor at the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.helpher.org/about-her-foundation/advisors.php">Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation</a>. The problem is that hyperemesis is a very severe disease that causes many problems in pregnancy. Further research is needed to figure out how to best care for moms who experience this debilitating form of morning sickness. While there are treatments, many are aimed at correcting the problems caused by hyperemesis, like malnutrition and dehydration. Prevention and symptom control are much more difficult. How did you treat your hyperemesis? Related: <ul> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/u/ua/hyperemesis/Did-You-Have-Hyperemesis-In-Pregnancy.htm">Moms Share Hyperemesis Experiences</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/u/ua/hyperemesis/Did-You-Have-Hyperemesis-In-Pregnancy.htm#ua_form">Share YOUR Experiences with Hyperemesis</a></li> </ul> Source: Fejzo, Marlena S., Magtira, Aromalyn, Schoenberg, Frederic Paik, MacGibbon, Kimber, Mullin, Patrick, Romero, Roberto, & Tabsh, Khalil. Antihistamines and other prognostic factors for adverse outcome in hyperemesis gravidarum. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology(0). doi: <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2013.04.017">http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2013.04.017</a> Photo © iStockPhoto

Antihistamines for Morning Sickness Problematic originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Tuesday, June 11th, 2013 at 11:08:51.

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Preparing for Baby Before You Give Birth

2013-06-11T10:04:57Z

<img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/pregnancy/1/H/d/1/4/Fotolia_15255331_XS.jpg" alt="Newborn Baby on Mother's Lap in Hospital" /> We spend a lot of time preparing for labor and childbirth. The problem is, other than the basics, we rarely spend a terrible amount of time thinking about caring for ourselves and our families after the baby arrives. Using a bit of pregnancy to plan ahead can give you a great head start on getting your life back under some modicum of control, or at least bring the level of chaos down to a manageable level. Here is a quick <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/preparingforpostpartum/ss/Prepare-For-Postpartum-While-You-Are-Pregnant.htm">six things you can do before baby</a> to plan ahead. Which have you already done? Related: <ul> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/newbornbabies/ss/bfdiapers.htm">New Baby Diaper Chart</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/newbornbabies/a/Baby-Care-Basics.htm">Baby Care Basics Class</a></li> </ul> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pinterest.com/robineliseweiss/boards/">PINTEREST</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://twitter.com/About_Pregnancy">TWITTER</a> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://facebook.com/aboutpregnancy">FACEBOOK</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=https://plus.google.com/b/101152721706405948264/">GOOGLE+</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/bio/Robin-Elise-Weiss-LCCE-103.htm">CONNECT</a> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo © Iosif Szasz-Fabian - Fotolia.com

Preparing for Baby Before You Give Birth originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Tuesday, June 11th, 2013 at 10:04:57.

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Empowered Birth

2013-06-07T10:09:51Z

<img class="alignnone" src="http://0.tqn.com/h/pregnancy/1/H/G/3/4/44400_456728643071_2416511_n.jpg" alt="Smiling Newborn" /> One of my older children just turned 20. What was so unique about his birth was it was the first birth I'd had that left me feeling amazingly invigorated and empowered. Sure, things didn't go exactly as I had planned, but I felt a part of the decision making process. No one told me what to do, but rather asked me how I felt about certain things. Extreme care was taken to ensure that I was treated as an individual and not just a baby on a processing line. It was completely different than my first birth. Sometimes it's important to remember that how you got there is part of how a woman feels about her birth, even if the process is different to what she had planned. I think we get caught up in <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/birthplans/a/birth-plan.htm">birth plans</a>; arguing whether or not they are needed or help. The point of the birth plan is to have place where people you may not have met before or who may not remember, can look quickly for details on what's your preference. It's not a rigid guideline to be followed at all costs. I'd argue that the experience of an empowered birth comes from being in control of the decisions, not from checking off a bunch of boxes on a birth plan. What makes an empowered birth for you? <ul> <li> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/birthplans/a/7ideasforbirthplans.htm">7 Things to Consider for Your Birth Plan</a> </li> <li> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/birthplans/ss/Cesarean-Section-Birth-Plans.htm">Cesarean Section Birth Plans</a> </li> <li> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/od/birthplans/ss/birthplan.htm">How to Write a Birth Plan</a> </li> </ul> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Join the conversation! <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm">NEWSLETTER</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pinterest.com/robineliseweiss/boards/">PINTEREST</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://twitter.com/About_Pregnancy">TWITTER</a> <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://facebook.com/aboutpregnancy">FACEBOOK</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=https://plus.google.com/b/101152721706405948264/">GOOGLE+</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://pregnancy.about.com/bio/Robin-Elise-Weiss-LCCE-103.htm">CONNECT</a> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo © GrapeVine Photography

Empowered Birth originally appeared on About.com Pregnancy & Childbirth on Friday, June 7th, 2013 at 10:09:51.

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