What to Expect on MSN

Your Guide to Managing Labor Pain: What’s Available and How It Helps

Everything you need to know about pain management during labor, including medications like an epidural, as well as ...
What to Expect on MSN

Giving Nature a Nudge: Your Guide to Labor Induction and Why You Might Need to Be Induced

Usually your cervix will open up naturally on its own once you’re ready to go into labor. But if your cervix shows no signs of dilating and effacing (softening, opening, thinning) to allow your baby ...
What to Expect on MSN

8 Things Your Labor and Delivery Nurses Want You to Know About Childbirth

Nicci Bryant, a labor and delivery R.N.C.-O.B., B.S.N., wants moms everywhere to know that they are the real ones in charge. A nurse is there to be a guide, a helper, and an advocate, but remember ...
What to Expect on MSN

Here's What Happens During the Placenta Delivery Stage

Your baby has been born, but there’s one final step — delivering the placenta. Here’s what to expect from this last stage of labor.
What to Expect on MSN

This Is What the Cervical Os Does During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, you’ll discover firsthand all the amazing things your body innately knows how to do to get baby-ready. An ...
What to Expect on MSN

Why Pre-Registering for Labor and Delivery Can Make Your Life Easier

Planning on delivering at a hospital or birthing center? You could just show up, but it's better to come prepared — so here’s ...
What to Expect on MSN

Why Attending Childbirth Classes Could Give You Confidence During Labor

Considering a childbirth education class? Here’s why you should take one, the various approaches and how to find the best one for you.
What to Expect on MSN

What Meconium Aspiration Syndrome (MAS) Means for Your Newborn

Sometimes, your baby's first stool can end up in the amniotic fluid and, rarely, in his lungs. Luckily, MAS is very treatable.