childbirth

Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post about what labor really feels like.

One of the most agonizing aspects of being pregnant is wondering what labor will feel like. When I was pregnant with my first child, I'd often lay awake at night, wondering how it was all going down. Would I be able to handle it?

Related: Are pregnant women being bullied into C-sections?

It's one of those life-changing events that you have to experience to understand. I've had six births and no two labors were alike. Our BabyCenter Community is talking about this very same topic, Is it as bad as everyone says? Here are a few opinions from our members:

kirstenk86 said: "It was horrible and I wanted to die." Tell us how you really feel, kirstenk86.
BabyMine1104 said: "It's the hardest work you'll ever do, perhaps the most painful, but 100% worth it!"
abrigham said: "If birth was so traumatizing and near-death horrible we'd all only have one kid and we'd die out as a species…have confidence in yourself and your ability."
LittleLucy2 said: "Labor is hard work. But you can do it."

As a woman about to give birth, encouragement and pats on the back were great, but I wanted to know the truth. Give me the 411. Give me the real deal—the cold hard truth. I wanted to know what this whole thing actually felt like.

Early labor feels a lot like menstrual cramps.
To me, early labor felt like it was that time of the month. Achy legs, achy back and menstrual cramps. Not enough to cry out in pain, but just enough to make me uncomfortable and crabby. I recall being really grouchy in early labor—it was as if I was royally pissed off that a child was making its way down my birth canal.

Keep reading for one mama's thoughts on labor.

Are you pregnant and wondering how to jumpstart your labor? We’ve rounded up various natural and medical methods of inducing labor that Circle of Moms members have tried. Please note that you should always get an induction method approved by your doctor before giving it a go.

Keep reading.

We're excited to bring you a new post from mother and actress Tori Spelling! Every other week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle advice from ediTORIal by Tori Spelling, Tori's daily blog about everything from food and fashion to parenting and relationships. This week, Tori shares her final minutes before giving birth to baby Finn.

From the moment we got to the hospital in preparation of Finn’s big arrival, I was a nervous wreck. We had a scheduled C-section, and even though I'd been through this three times before, I was a mess. Superanxious, totally scared, dreading surgery, and thinking the worst.

Related: Mini McDermott Chefs

Luckily, I had Dean and Mehran (my two husbands) with me, along with my amazing friend and doctor (Dr. J) and my wonderful nurse Mykel (who was also my nurse when I was a resident in the hospital for those long months during the pregnancy) who did a great job of calming this pregger down and assuring me that everything would be OK.

After an hour or so, it was finally time to head into the operating room and welcome Finn into this world. I'm so happy Mehran was there to catch this video message to Liam, Stella, and Hattie as Dean and I headed into surgery where we would finally meet our little man . . .

Keep reading to see Tori's video message to her kids.

We love hearing about children who have overcome medical odds to survive and thrive. Such has been the case for Hayden Hoskins. 

As the Huffington Post reports, Hayden was born with Omphalocele, a birth defect that causes some internal organs to grow externally in a sac protruding from the belly button. In Hayden's case, he was born with his liver and intestine outside his body.

Despite the odds, Hayden survived the birth and is adapting well. Naturally, his parents Andy and Kelsey Hopkings are thrilled. "I think Hayden is going to surprise everybody," Andy wrote on his blog.

Read the full story (Huffington Post)>>

No birth goes completely as planned, but this traumatic birth story of a 20-year-old Canadian mom is certainly one of the most shocking we've heard recently.

Keep reading for the whole story.

Any mother will tell you that giving birth can be a most extreme, animalistic, incredible, painful, and overwhelming experience — but what about when things go wrong?

Keep reading for one mom's advice.

Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post about dads being present at childbirth.

After reading that Wiz Khalifa will be very hands-on during home birth, I was struck by two things.

One, I think it's awesome that home birth is becoming a normalized, viable option for expectant couples of both the celebrity and regular old Joe Shmoe kind. And two, it just makes sense that all dads should be present and "hands-on" during their child's birth.

Related: Has your toddler destroyed your home yet?

Truth be told, I don't think I could've done it — the pregnancy, the early labor, the active labor, the pushing part — without my husband being nearby. We were in this together, as a couple. Sure, I was the one whose feet swelled up like baseball gloves, I was the one who planned on oiling up her taint every night because I was so afraid of having an episiotomy, and, ultimately, I was the one who had to pass a child's head through my nethers, six times.

Me, just me.

All self-deprecating humor aside, it’s true: I needed my husband's presence during the births of our children. It felt good to know my partner was there, helping me, reassuring me, comforting me, coaching me through the hard work of labor. It was very much a team effort. I know women who say that they wanted to club their husbands over the head during childbirth, but that wasn't my experience. My husband was pretty much amazing at keeping me focused, calm, and hopeful. Yes, I know he was probably as scared as I was at times, but I always felt safe when he was beside me.

I wasn't the type who liked having an entourage present during labor. Sisters, friends, mothers, sister-in-law — having them present during your birth is great, and I've certainly had those moments where I wanted them there. Still, I consider childbirth a very intimate moment. Together, we created a baby and together we'll welcome him into the world.

That said, I can't imagine not having my husband be involved in the birth of our children. A father should want to. They need to bond with their child just as much as we do. There shouldn't be any questions or statements — it's a given.

Was the father of your child present and "hands-on" during the birth?

More great reads from BabyCenter:
When should I bring my tot to the dentist?
7 adorable humidifiers for the nursery
This simple organization tip will hep you feel less exhausted
Are paint-fight gender reveals the new pregnancy photo trend?
Crazy legs and other goofy pregnancy symptoms