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 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

7 tips on what expecting moms should NOT do during labor so you can really avoid some unnecessary labor interventions and outcomes.

Birth Tips

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

The ULTIMATE Hospital Bag Checklist
Birth Tips

100+ Songs to Put on Your Birth Playlist
Birth Tips

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 woman is sitting in a hospital bed holding a newborn baby. She is flanked by two women in medical scrubs, likely professionals involved in her care, highlighting the differences between a doula vs. midwife. The background features medical equipment and supplies.

Doula vs. Midwife: What’s the Difference?
First Trimester
A newborn baby is sleeping peacefully in a hospital bassinet, wrapped snugly in a white blanket. The baby, with a full head of dark hair, epitomizes the promise of a healthier birth. The photograph is captured with a soft lighting effect, highlighting the gentle serenity of this moment.

12 Tips for a Happier and Healthier Birth
Birth Tips
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 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 – Podcast Ep 5
Birth Tips
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
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 – Podcast Ep 1
Birth Tips
A pregnant woman, practicing mindfulness, is wearing a blue and white patterned dress with a gray and white cardigan. She stands in a bedroom, holding a smartphone in one hand while resting her other hand on her belly. The bed in the background has white and blue pillows.

3 Mindfulness Techniques to Prepare for Labor
Birth Tips
A medical professional wearing gloves administers an epidural injection in a patient's back, which is covered with a blue sterile drape with an opening for the procedure. Other individuals in scrubs are visible in the background, suggesting a clinical setting.

What You Need To Know About an Epidural
Medicated
A person wearing a hospital gown lies in a hospital bed, partially covered by a white blanket. The individual is positioned on their side, and medical equipment is visible in the background, suggesting they might be wondering when to go to the hospital for labor.

When to Go to the Hospital When You’re in Labor
Birth Tips
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 person in a white robe holds a clear glass bowl of honey-colored wax. Another hand, holding a wooden spatula with wax dripping from it, is seen above the bowl. The person's leg rests on a flat surface, implying they are waxing before giving birth.

To Wax or Not to Wax Before Giving Birth
Birth Tips
A patient lies in a hospital bed covered with a floral blanket, awaiting labor induction. Medical equipment and monitoring devices surround the bed, with an electrocardiogram (ECG) readout visible in the foreground. The room has cabinetry and medical devices on the wall.

Why You Don’t Want To Schedule an Induction
Unmedicated
A mother, lying in a hospital bed after a successful VBAC, holds and affectionately embraces her newborn baby, who is wrapped in a white cloth. The newborn's eyes are closed, and a medical professional wearing a teal uniform is partially visible in the background.

11 Tips to Have a Successful VBAC
Birth Tips
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 woman is sitting on an exercise ball in a bedroom, wearing a turquoise patterned dress and a gray cardigan. Holding a smartphone and listening to earphones, she smiles and rests her other hand on her belly, feeling at home as she prepares for her hospital birth.
Logo of Kindred Bravely featuring the brand name in uppercase black letters. In the center, the two words are separated by a yellow, circular floral design. The logo's elegance makes you feel home at your hospital birth. The background is transparent.

How to Feel at Home at Your Hospital Birth
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 patient lying on a hospital bed in a medical gown, wearing a hair cover and an oxygen tube under the nose, covered with a blue drape. The patient, looking up and smiling with an open mouth, is hopeful this condition will help lower their chances of having a c-section.

11 Helpful Ways To Avoid a C-Section
Birth Tips
A person with long blonde hair, wearing a blue sweater and ripped jeans, sits on a sofa. They are engrossed in reading "Hypnobabies," a book on birth hypnosis. The background features a grey and cream-colored pillow with an intricate pattern.
Logo of Hypnobabies featuring the brand name in black text with a stylized blue wave above it. The word "Hyp" and "babies" are bolded while "no" is not. A registered trademark symbol is placed near the top right corner of the brand name, representing its focus on birth hypnosis.

Birth Hypnosis – Does it Really Lessen the Pain?
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
Close-up image of a person lying face-up with eyes closed. The face is slightly tilted, showing details like long eyelashes, freckles, and smooth skin. The background is blurred, with focus on the person's serene and relaxed facial expression, hinting at a subtle correlation between tranquility and rest.

What to Know About the Vocal-Vaginal Correlation
Birth Tips
A person is lying down on a bed, gripping the bars of a headboard with both hands. The background is softly lit, and the person's face, caught in a moment of orgasm, is largely out of focus and not clearly visible.

What Orgasm and Birth Have in Common
Birth Tips
Several intravenous (IV) infusion pumps are lined up in a clinical hallway. The devices, mounted on mobile stands, display keypads and screens for monitoring and controlling fluid delivery, critical for managing potential side effects of Epidural treatments. The background reveals a well-lit, modern medical facility.

Side Effects of an Epidural and What You Should Know
Medicated
A woman lies in a hospital bed, holding a newborn baby wrapped in a white blanket against her chest. The woman has an IV in her arm and her eyes are closed, likely reflecting on thoughts during labor. The scene suggests that the woman has just given birth.

10 Surprising Thoughts Women Think During Labor
Birth Tips
A row of four inflatable peanut balls for labor are lined up against a wall. They are arranged in ascending order of size and colored yellow, red, blue, and yellow respectively. The wall behind them is light blue, with a single power outlet visible.

How to Use a Peanut Ball for Labor
Birth Tips
A pregnant woman lies in a hospital bed with a fetal monitor belt strapped to her abdomen. She is wearing a black top and appears to be in a medical setting—an environment where knowing what not to say to a woman in labor becomes critical.

What NOT to Do or Say to a Woman in Labor
Birth Tips
A black and white photo captures a moment of birth photography, showing a pregnant woman in a hospital bed smiling at another person seated beside her. The room is equipped with medical devices and furnishings commonly found in a hospital setting.

The Power of Birth Photography
Birth Tips
A pregnant woman sits on grass in an open field, taking a selfie. She is wearing a blue plaid shirt over a white top and gray pants. The sun is setting behind her, casting a warm light. Trees and a clear sky are visible in the background as she embraces her journey of pregnancy without a partner.

10 Tips for Pregnancy and Birth Without A Partner
Lifestyle
A healthcare professional wearing gloves and a mask performs a medical procedure involving the insertion of a needle into a patient's back, using a syringe and medical tools under a bright light in a clinical setting, highlighting when to get an epidural during labor.

When To Get an Epidural During Labor
Medicated
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