Vanessa Aho’s grandmother gave birth at home in a small town in Portugal. Her mother also had experienced a natural birth. When Vanessa became pregnant with her first child, she knew that she wanted to have a similar experience. “It was what my family had done before me,” Vanessa said. “Plus, the more I learned…
If you’re pregnant, you may be weighing the differences of a birth doula versus a midwife. You may think that the roles are interchangeable, but the roles they play in the delivery room are very different. What Is a Midwife? A midwife is a trained medical professional who helps women before, during and after pregnancy….
Pregnant women who use ranitidine — also known by the brand name Zantac — to relieve heartburn and acid reflux should stop taking the medication and consider alternatives, according to obstetricians with Norton Women’s Care. Pregnant women often suffer heartburn, and ranitidine has been a popular remedy. Recent recalls of the over-the-counter medication, however, have…
Getting a flu shot is important for everyone, but it’s even more critical for women who are pregnant. The same is true for the whooping cough vaccine. Why? The vaccines help protect you and help your baby fight off the flu and whooping cough after birth. Both can be deadly for a young infant. Despite…
For Danielle Roberts, her job as a certified nurse midwife (CNM) is “a great marriage of Westernized medicine and holistic care.” “We see patients from their first prenatal appointment all the way through their delivery and postpartum recovery,” Danielle said. “We provide the same evidence-based medical care as an OB/GYN, with an emphasis on personalized…
Women who choose to have a natural birth still face the challenge of how to relieve pain. That’s where some familiar tools, and some unusual ones, can provide alternative pain relief methods during a natural delivery. “The right natural pain relief tools allow the body to work effectively and enhance the labor process,” said Tara…
Emergencies can happen at any hour. That’s why at Norton Hospital and Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital, OB hospitalists are standing by to help women who are pregnant or have just given birth. OB hospitalists are physicians whose primary role is to care for pregnant women while they’re in the hospital and their obstetrician isn’t…
Pregnancy is an exciting time as you await your little one. Your body will go through many changes, and you’ll have a lot of questions. As you near your due date, you should know what symptoms could be signs of serious pregnancy complications. According to Kris Ellen Barnsfather, M.D., OB/GYN with Norton Women’s Care, there are…
Beth, 29, was thrilled to learn she was pregnant with her first child. But her excitement turned to fear when she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Although Beth didn’t have diabetes before, she had developed it during pregnancy. What causes gestational diabetes? Gestational diabetes starts when the body is not able to make and use…
High-risk pregnancies account for about six percent to eight percent of pregnancies. Though the reasons for a pregnancy to be high risk can vary, one constant is that you and your baby will need specialized care. “Women considered high risk may be referred to a maternal and fetal medicine specialist or perinatalogist,” said W. Vance…
When planning for a baby, expectant parents have many things to consider. Choosing a name, finding a car seat and getting on the right daycare waiting list suddenly become priorities. But there are other options to consider leading up to a happy, healthy childbirth. Have you ever considered partnering with a nurse midwife for your…
Do you want to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)? Then breastfeed at least two months. A study by the University of Virginia School of Medicine found that breastfeeding for the first two months of an infant’s life can cut the risk of SIDS in half. We’ve known that breastfeeding has many…
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