Health Information

Mother's attitude to baby during pregnancy may have implications for child's development.

7 Ways Pregnant Women Affect Babies There are many ways that pregnant women influences the later health of their children. While most moms know to avoid smoking and alcohol, here are several other ways a mom-to-be affects her baby.

Breathing Techniques to Cope With Labor Pain

Water Birth

The use of water in labor (often referred to as "hydrotherapy") is nothing new, but while once only offered in home birth or birth center settings, water birth is something that has slowly been adopted in some hospitals. The use of a bathtub or shower in labor can produce some of the best pain relief available without an epidural. It is a safe, simple, and effective way to cope with labor.

You may need to do some extra preplanning if you want to labor in or give birth in water at a hospital. But you may find that the benefits of water birth are worth the extra effort you must put in to make it happen.