Birth

Medicated

Giving birth is a profound and transformative moment in a person’s life. We want you to feel ready and knowledgeable for your labor and baby’s debut! Here you can explore expert advice on topics like vaginal unmedicated and medicated births, C-section births, home births, birth center births, and adoption. Read inspiring birth stories, helpful tips, and checklists that can support you through this life-changing journey.

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A close-up view of a person's hand resting on a blanket in a hospital bed. The hand has an IV inserted, secure with tape, highlighting the subtle difference between hep lock vs saline lock. The person is wearing a blue hospital gown, and the scene takes place within a hospital room.

The Difference Between a Hep Lock vs. Saline Lock vs. IV

Learn the difference between a hep lock vs. a saline lock vs an IV, how your doctor uses each and whether you may need any during labor.

Medicated
A pregnant person sits cross-legged on the floor, wearing a light blue tank top and gray leggings. They hold a book and a pen in their hands, one resting on their belly as they start to create a birth plan. The background features a sofa and a carpeted floor.

How To Create YOUR Perfect Birth Plan (Includes Templates!)
Birth Tips
A pregnant person wearing a red top and black pants is sitting on a bed, packing baby clothes into their hospital bag. They are sorting through a stack of small garments and holding a piece of baby clothing in one hand, meticulously following the hospital bag checklist.

The ULTIMATE Hospital Bag Checklist
Birth Tips
A pregnant woman sits cross-legged on a gray couch, smiling as she looks at her smartphone. She is wearing a white top, light gray leggings, and earphones, likely enjoying her birth playlist. In the background, there is a blurred view of a table with a yellow flower vase and other household items.

100+ Songs to Put on Your Birth Playlist
Birth Tips
A black-and-white photo shows a newborn baby lying against a person's chest after pushing during childbirth. The baby's eyes are open and they have a hospital band on their wrist. An adult's hand is gently cradling the baby’s head and back.

Positions and Tips on Pushing During Childbirth
Birth Tips

What to buy

A stack of pregnancy books and parenting guides on a dark wooden table. Titles include "Ina May's Guide to Childbirth," "Birthing from Within," "Pushed," "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth," "Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn," and "Mindful Birthing.

The Best Pregnancy and Birth Books

 Pregnancy Guides
A person in a blue and white striped dress holds their pregnant belly with one hand and a brown checkered handbag, packed with essential hospital bag items, with the other. The background features a walkway and green lawn with columns in view.

8 Must-Have Labor Induction Hospital Bag Items

 Guides
Close-up of a pregnant woman's belly. She is wearing a light blue delivery gown and cradling her belly with both hands. She stands near a sheer curtain, with soft natural light coming through. The setting appears calm and serene.

What To Wear at a Hospital Birth

 Guides
A pregnant woman in a magenta shirt is looking at a catalog labeled "ESSENTIAL SINGLES" on a table. Next to her, there is an aroma diffuser, a box of essential oils for labor, and other booklets. She rests one hand on her belly and holds the catalog with the other.

Top 10 Essential Oils for Labor and Delivery

 Guides
A pregnant person wearing a red top and black pants is sitting on a bed, packing baby clothes into their hospital bag. They are sorting through a stack of small garments and holding a piece of baby clothing in one hand, meticulously following the hospital bag checklist.

The ULTIMATE Hospital Bag Checklist

 Birth Tips
A table displays a stack of books, a hypnobirthing guide, an EPI-NO device, Earth Mama tea, various supplements and bottles, and a package of Dole dates alongside a small, colorful flower arrangement in the background—all essentials to help prepare your body for labor and birth.

Products To Help Prepare Your Body for Labor and Birth

 Guides
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Related Podcast Episodes

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A woman lying in a hospital bed smiles while holding a newborn baby wrapped in a blanket with a foot print pattern. The baby, wearing a tiny hat, rests against the woman's chest as she experiences the joy Henci Goer often describes in her writings on childbirth. Ep 99
Birth Tips

Taking Charge of Your Birth with Henci Goer
A pregnant person in a hospital gown is sitting on a hospital bed in a patient room. They have an IV catheter in their hand and various medical equipment is visible, including an IV drip. The person appears to be in labor, focusing on their breathing, as they await the next stage of their hospital stay. Ep 57
Birth Tips

What to Expect When You Check Into the Hospital in Labor
A woman is lying in bed, smiling down at a newborn baby who is sleeping on her chest. The baby, wrapped in a blanket, appears to be resting comfortably. The background is out of focus, placing emphasis on the woman and the baby. Listening to a VBAC podcast nearby adds to their serene moment. Ep 56
Birth Tips

VBAC: Everything You Need to Know
A woman with long brown hair lies in a hospital bed, wearing a hospital gown and resting with her eyes closed. She has a nasal cannula for oxygen and an IV line attached to her arm, as she undergoes labor induction. The room has medical equipment visible in the background. Ep 20
Birth Tips

What You Need to Know about Labor Induction
A person is sitting on a sofa with a notebook and pen in hand, jotting down notes, possibly listening to a birth plan podcast. They appear to be pregnant, with one hand resting on their belly. Next to them are a pair of baby shoes and an ultrasound image. The setting is cozy and relaxed. Ep 11
Birth Tips

How to Write a Birth Plan
A pregnant woman sits cross-legged outdoors in a sunlit field, meditating with eyes closed. She is wearing a white blouse, black pants, and a flower crown, with sunlight streaming through the trees behind her, peacefully listening to a birth podcast to prepare for labor. Ep 9
Birth Tips

How to Prepare Your Mind and Body for Childbirth
A mother lies in a hospital bed, smiling as she holds her newborn baby on her chest. The baby is wrapped in a towel and appears to be sleeping. The mother, wearing a patterned hospital gown, reflects the joy often discussed on the Healthier Birth Podcast. Medical equipment and supplies are seen in the background. Ep 5
Birth Tips

12 Tips for a Happier and Healthier Birth
A pregnant woman lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to monitoring equipment, appears to be thoughtfully looking to her left. She wears a hospital gown with sensors attached to her belly, likely for fetal monitoring. Perhaps she's reflecting on a recent episode of the Go to the Hospital in Labor podcast. Ep 1
Birth Tips

When to Go to the Hospital in Labor as a First Time Mom
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More from Birth

A pregnant woman lies on a hospital bed, covering her face with her hand. A medical professional in a purple uniform examines her abdomen with a device, while another person in white assists. The setting appears to be a labor and delivery room where the labor has stalled out.

Why Is This Taking So Long? When Labor Stalls Out
Birth Tips
A pregnant person sits cross-legged on the floor, wearing a light blue tank top and gray leggings. They hold a book and a pen in their hands, one resting on their belly as they start to create a birth plan. The background features a sofa and a carpeted floor.

How To Create YOUR Perfect Birth Plan (Includes Templates!)
Birth Tips
Two medical professionals wearing gloves are shown performing delayed cord clamping while cutting a newborn's umbilical cord with a clamp and scissors. The newborn, lying on a yellow sheet, is partially covered in blood. The background is blurred but suggests a clinical setting.

Delayed Cord Clamping: What It Is, Benefits, and Risks
Birth Tips
Mother holding a newborn baby close to her chest, both wrapped in the serenity of birth affirmations. The baby is swaddled in a blanket and wearing a small hat, as they rest peacefully in a hospital setting.

25 Birth Affirmations To Help You Through Your Labor
Birth Tips
A pregnant woman lies in a hospital bed with a fetal monitor belt around her abdomen, under observation for potential umbilical cord prolapse. A healthcare worker is seated beside her, carefully monitoring her condition. Medical equipment and monitors are visible in the background.

Umbilical Cord Prolapse: Diagnosis, Causes, and Treatment
C-section
A woman in a hospital bed, wearing a teal hospital gown, appears to be in labor. She is lying on her back, holding her arm, with medical equipment and monitors visible in the background, possibly preparing for a Foley bulb induction procedure.

Foley Bulb Induction for Labor: What To Expect
Medicated
A close-up of a medical instrument, likely a vaginal speculum, resting on a light blue draped surface. The background appears to be a blurred hospital or clinical setting with blue and white tones, hinting at the preparation for procedures like forceps delivery.

Forceps Delivery: What To Know
Medicated
A person is lying on a hospital bed, wearing a patterned gown. They are resting hands on their exposed, pregnant belly, displaying a hospital wristband and a ring. The image in black and white poignantly captures the silent fear of potential complications like placental abruption.

Placental Abruption: What You Need To Know
C-section
A woman in a hospital bed, wearing a purple hospital gown and a wristband, looks to her left while holding the bed's rail. Connected to an IV line in her arm, she is under observation with medical equipment in the background, possibly preparing for labor induction with Cytotec.

Cytotec for Labor Induction: What You Need to Know
Medicated
A newborn baby is seen partially covered in amniotic sac during an en caul birth, with a gloved hand assisting. The baby’s head, covered in blood and fluids, is being gently held. The background includes blue medical fabric and a woman's leg.

What Is An En Caul Birth?
Unmedicated
A newborn baby wrapped in a patterned blanket is lying on the chest of a person resting in a hospital bed after a vacuum birth. The baby wears a hat and an ID band while crying. The person, with long hair, appears to be resting.

Vacuum Birth: What You Need to Know
Medicated
A woman lying in a hospital bed appears to be in pain, with her eyes closed and her face contorted. She is wearing a hospital gown, and her hand is resting on her abdomen, indicating the aftermath of a 3rd degree perineal tear. The background is out of focus, highlighting the woman as the main subject.

Degrees of Perineal Tearing in Childbirth
Birth Tips
Three healthcare workers in scrubs, masks, and hair covers are attending to a patient lying in a hospital bed. One worker appears to be comforting the patient, perhaps managing an instance of shoulder dystocia, while the other two look on. The room contains medical equipment and a window with blinds.

Shoulder Dystocia: What It Is and What You Can Do
Birth Tips
A close-up image of a pregnant woman laying on her back with her midsection exposed. Two hands, likely belonging to another person, are placed gently on her belly, one above the belly button and one below, perhaps feeling for a breech baby. The woman is covered with a white towel from the waist down.

Guide to Breech Baby Delivery Options
Birth Tips
A pregnant woman lies in a hospital bed, wearing a hospital gown. A fetal monitoring belt is wrapped around her abdomen, and an IV is inserted into her arm. Her left hand rests on her belly as she awaits treatment for chorioamnionitis. The background shows part of the hospital bed and bedding.

Chorioamnionitis: What Pregnant People Need to Know
Birth Tips
A close-up of a pregnant person's belly with medical monitoring belts attached, tracking early fetal heart rate decelerations. A hand with a hospital wristband is resting on the belly. The person is lying on a hospital bed, wearing a light blue hospital gown.

What Is Early Fetal Heart Rate Deceleration? (And Why It’s a Good Thing!)
Medicated
A person receiving an epidural injection in their back. The healthcare professional administering the injection is wearing blue gloves. Medical supplies and equipment are visible on a blue disposable sheet in the background, debunking common epidural myths with proper medical practice.

10 Epidural Myths and Facts: What You Should Know
Medicated
A close-up shows a pregnant person lying down with their hand resting on their belly. Medical monitoring equipment, including a fetal heart rate monitor, is strapped around their abdomen. The individual is wearing a hospital gown as they prepare for labor induction, and a bed is partially visible.

9 Reasons Why You Might Need a Labor Induction
Birth Tips
A close-up view of a person's hand resting on a blanket in a hospital bed. The hand has an IV inserted, secure with tape, highlighting the subtle difference between hep lock vs saline lock. The person is wearing a blue hospital gown, and the scene takes place within a hospital room.

The Difference Between a Hep Lock vs. Saline Lock vs. IV
Medicated
A woman is lying in a hospital bed wearing a hospital gown. She appears to be in labor, her legs bent and partially covered by a white sheet. Medical equipment and monitors are visible beside the bed, dispelling any myths about labor and birth through the vigilance of modern healthcare.

10 Myths About Labor and Birth
Birth Tips
A newborn baby, with closed eyes and an open mouth, is crying while being held close to a person's chest. The baby, possibly having just received erythromycin eye ointment, is wearing a white cap and partially wrapped in a patterned blanket. A hand gently supports the baby's head.

All About Erythromycin Eye Ointment Given to Babies at Birth
Birth Tips
A woman lying in a hospital bed smiles while holding a newborn baby wrapped in a blanket with a foot print pattern. The baby, wearing a tiny hat, rests against the woman's chest as she experiences the joy Henci Goer often describes in her writings on childbirth.

Taking Charge of Your Birth with Henci Goer – Podcast Ep 99
Birth Tips
A newborn baby is lying on a hospital bed, crying as a medical professional wearing gloves prepares to administer a vitamin K shot at birth. The baby, donning a diaper and hospital identification wristband, is in a typical medical facility setting.

All About Giving Newborns the Vitamin K Shot at Birth
Birth Tips
A pregnant woman is sitting on a couch and writing in a notebook, creating a birth plan. She is holding a pen in her right hand and resting the notebook on her lap. She is wearing a gray shirt, beige shorts, a bracelet, and a watch. The setting appears to be a home living room.

10 Reasons to Create a Birth Plan
Birth Tips
A pregnant woman lies in a hospital bed, wearing a blue hospital gown. Medical monitors and equipment are visible beside her as she rests her hands on her belly, with a fetal monitor attached. The room, which appears to be a maternity ward, is prepared for potential labor induction methods.

The Different Labor Induction Methods
Medicated
A pregnant woman in a hospital gown sits on the edge of a bed in a labor and delivery room. She holds her belly with one hand and rests her other hand on the bed railing. Medical equipment and monitors are visible in the background.

8 Hacks to Know Before Going Into Labor and Delivery
Birth Tips
An expectant mother lies on a hospital bed, wearing a gown with blue polka dots, enduring labor pain. Two healthcare professionals in blue uniforms assist nearby, while another person holds her hand for support. The scene captures a raw moment in the delivery room.

11 Things That Make Labor Pain Worse
Birth Tips
A black and white image of a woman in a birthing pool, gripping the edge and leaning forward. A man sits beside her, his forehead against hers in support. In the home setting, you can see the subtle presence of nitrous oxide equipment nearby, hinting at its use for pain relief.

Nitrous Oxide for Pain Relief in Labor
Medicated
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