Home > Birth > Medicated

Birth

Medicated

Prepare for labor and birth with guidance on vaginal births, C-sections, home births, and birth center births. Explore birth plans, labor tips, pain management options, birth stories, and practical resources to help you understand your choices and prepare for delivery.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Choose a topic

Popular

Pregnant woman writing a birth plan in a notebook while sitting cross-legged on the floor

How to Create a Birth Plan Plus Free Template and Checklist

Learn how to create a birth plan with this simple guide, plus a free template and checklist to help you feel prepared and confident.

A newborn baby wrapped in a white towel lies on a bed with light blue sheets. The baby's eyes are closed, its tiny hands near its face. With dark hair and a calm expression, this serene moment reminds us of the things not to do during labor—such as forgetting to prepare for post-birth tranquility.

7 Things Not to Do During Labor

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.

Hep Lock vs. Saline Lock vs. IV: What’s the Difference?

Pregnant woman packing hospital bag for labor and delivery

The Ultimate Hospital Bag Checklist for Mom, Baby, and Partner

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.

How to Push During Childbirth: Positions and Tips That Help

A newborn baby wrapped in a white towel lies on a bed with light blue sheets. The baby's eyes are closed, its tiny hands near its face. With dark hair and a calm expression, this serene moment reminds us of the things not to do during labor—such as forgetting to prepare for post-birth tranquility.

7 Things Not to Do During Labor

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.

Hep Lock vs. Saline Lock vs. IV: What’s the Difference?

Pregnant woman packing hospital bag for labor and delivery

The Ultimate Hospital Bag Checklist for Mom, Baby, and Partner

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.

How to Push During Childbirth: Positions and Tips That Help

SOAR BIRTH COURSE

Know What to Do When Labor Starts

Step-by-step guidance for handling contractions, decisions, and support in the moment.

Start Your Birth Prep

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.

Best Pregnancy & Birth Books: Top Picks for Expecting Moms

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.

Labor Induction Hospital Bag Guide: 10 Must-Have 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 During Labor and Delivery

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

Pregnant woman packing hospital bag for labor and delivery

The Ultimate Hospital Bag Checklist for Mom, Baby, and Partner

Birth Tips

A pregnant woman sits on a black exercise ball, arms stretched overhead, as she prepares her body for labor and birth. She wears a white top and gray sweatpants. The room features a gray sofa, a plant, and soft lighting.

10 Products To Help Prepare for Labor and Birth

Guides

Podcast Episodes

View more

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Pregnant woman writing a birth plan in a notebook while sitting cross-legged on the floor

How to Create a Birth Plan Plus Free Template and Checklist

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 To Know

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? Meaning, How It Happens, and Risks

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

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

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

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

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

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!)

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 Common Epidural Myths and Facts Explained

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

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.

Hep Lock vs. Saline Lock vs. IV: What’s the Difference?

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

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.

Erythromycin Eye Ointment for Newborns: Benefits and Risks

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

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.

Vitamin K Shot for Newborns: Benefits, Risks, & What To Know

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

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

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

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

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

1 2 … 4

you’re not alone

Know What to Do When Labor Starts

Step-by-step guidance to help you feel prepared, supported, and clear on what to do when it matters most.

Start Your Birth Prep

Baby Chick App

Get Our Free Mom Newsletter