Entries by Rachel Mata

Your First Postpartum Period: What to Expect

There are many things to love about pregnancy. Another is that you’ll have at least nine months of freedom from your period. But after you deliver, you’re probably curious about what will happen with your menstrual cycle. After its months-long hiatus, your postpartum period might return with a vengeance—or a whisper—and stay that way for […]

Baby Kicks in the Womb

One of the most exciting moments in your pregnancy is when you feel those first little flutters of your baby kicking. These tiny movements reassure you that your baby is developing and help you feel closer to the little life inside of you. Though the womb is a tight space in which to exercise, it […]

Mood Swings During Pregnancy and How to Cope

Pregnancy is a life-changing event full of physical and emotional changes. Understanding these changes will help you have a positive experience. Mood swings during pregnancy are common. You may be excited about being pregnant, but you can also be stressed or overwhelmed. You may have constant worries that contribute to your mood swings. Mood swings […]

The Risks of Inducing Labor

Labor induction also is known as inducing labor is the stimulation of uterine contractions during pregnancy before labor begins on its own to achieve a vaginal birth. There are a number of reasons your obstetrician might want to induce labor before your due date or before they naturally start on their own. It may be […]

Labor and Delivery Recovery (Postpartum Recovery)

You’ve finally put 40 (or so) weeks of pregnancy and long hours of childbirth behind you, and you’re officially a mother. Congratulations! Now comes the transition from pregnancy to postpartum, which brings with it a variety of new symptoms and questions. Your delivery may have been complicated or easy. You may have had a cesarean […]

The ULTIMATE Hospital Bag Checklist

Have everything ready to go when you’re 8 months pregnant, since you could go into labor at any time in the weeks before your due date. You may want to pack two small bags for the hospital or birth center: one for the items you’ll need during labor, and another for items that you won’t […]

10 Common Pregnancy Myths & Facts

It goes without saying that pregnancy is an exciting and equally confusing time. With just about everyone you know introducing you to new supposed truths about pregnancy, it is common for you to get lost and not know what to believe. While most myths about pregnancy cannot be backed up with facts, a few of […]

What is HELLP Syndrome?

HELLP syndrome is a rare but serious condition that can happen when you’re pregnant  or right after you have your baby. There are still many questions about the serious condition of HELLP syndrome. The cause is still unclear to many doctors and often HELLP syndrome is misdiagnosed. It is named for 3 features of the […]

Preeclampsia: Prevention, Management, and Risks

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy disorder that involves high blood pressure rises higher than 140/90 mm Hg after week 20 of your pregnancy along with other symptoms,You also may be tested for protein in your urine because of stress on your kidneys. Other names for preeclampsia include toxemia, pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), and gestosis. Preeclampsia is one […]

Gestational Diabetes and Pregnancy: What you need to know

Gestational diabetes mellitus or GDM is one of the most common diet-related complications during pregnancy. It only happens during pregnancy. It means you have high blood sugar levels, but those levels were normal before you were pregnant. In gestation, the placenta produces hormones that help the baby to grow and develop. These hormones also block […]