A–Z Glossary

Trauma-informed obstetric planning

Trauma-informed birth planning adapts labor care to reduce distress, support consent, and respect a person's trauma history.

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Mental preparation for possible complications

Mental preparation for possible complications

Preparing without expecting the worst Mental preparation for possible complications begins with a balanced frame: complications are possible, but preparation is not the same as prediction. The goal is to reduce avoidable uncertainty, not to rehearse disaster. Many people find that naming a few realistic possibilities, such as unplanned operative birth, postpartum bleeding, significant pain, […]

Mental preparation and staying calm during induction

Mental preparation and staying calm during induction

Understand what induction can feel like Induction of labor is not one single event. It is usually a sequence of assessments and interventions designed to soften, open, or stimulate the cervix and uterus. Depending on your situation, this may include cervical ripening with medication or a balloon catheter, artificial rupture of membranes, oxytocin infusion, fetal […]

How to mentally prepare for natural birth

How to mentally prepare for natural birth

Start with a realistic definition of natural birth Mentally preparing for natural birth begins with defining the goal in a way that supports safety rather than perfection. Many families use the term to mean an unmedicated vaginal birth, while others mean physiologic birth with limited intervention unless there is a clear medical reason. Either definition […]

Mind-body techniques and staying calm during labor

Mind-body techniques and staying calm during labor

Calm as a physiologic skill Labor pain is generated by several mechanisms, including uterine contractions, cervical dilation, pelvic pressure, tissue stretch, and, later, pressure from fetal descent. The brain does not receive these signals passively. Pain perception is shaped by fear, fatigue, prior trauma, expectations, the clinical environment, and the sense of being supported or […]

Preparing for birth in third trimester

Preparing for birth in third trimester

Understanding the third trimester: what your body is preparing to do The third trimester begins around week 28 and continues until birth, which commonly occurs near 40 weeks but can vary. During this period, fetal weight gain accelerates, the uterus expands upward and outward, and the placenta continues to support oxygen and nutrient exchange. Many […]