giving birth

I was obsessed with having the ‘perfect’ birth

So instead of mourning my "flawed" labor and delivery, I shifted my attention.

These viral photos capture the beauty of home birth and the strength of women

"I mustered my strength and listened to everyone cheer me on as I roared that baby out," shares Vanessa DeCosta.

Birth boundaries: Why Meghan Markle’s private birth is a powerful message to fellow mamas

By eschewing the (rather recent) tradition of public postpartum photo-ops in favor of doing what works for her, the Duchess is sending a message to pregnant women all over the world: You're in charge here, mama. You don't owe anyone an invitation to your birth, and you don't owe anyone a performance of postpartum perfection.

I had an unexpected C-section and these pictures tell my story

One mama tells us how she coped when her birth didn’t go as planned.

These vintage hospital birth instructions show just how much has changed for mothers

Micala Gabrielle Henson's grandmother was given these instructions back when her mom was born in 1968 and they are...something else.

This viral video of a soldier surprising his wife after she gave birth is 😭

Grab the Kleenex.

This viral video shows the anatomy of a C-section in such an approachable way

Plus, it reminds us how incredible our bodies really are.

Rebecca on wanting to die and asking to be hospitalized for treatment

After my son was born, all I wanted was sleep. But I was scared of closing my eyes for fear of something happening to him during that time. I couldn’t shut my mind off from all the irrational thoughts running through it.

Giving birth was nothing like what I expected

Like many moms, I had a birth plan, but that plan went flying out the second story hospital window when the maternity unit team informed me that I had an infection commonly contracted by women in labor.

To decrease your partner’s labor pain, hold her hand

Everything you do for your partner while she's in labor makes a difference. Even if all you do is hold her hand.

I planned everything about becoming a mom—and then I actually became one

Just weeks prior, I had everything planned so precisely. Things that pertained not just to the infancy stage I was so freshly experiencing now, but things that I had no right to plan, as I wouldn't truly understand them for months and some even years.

My birth experience was traumatic—but I am slowly starting to heal

You would think almost dying would make me grateful for living—but it left me stunned and incredibly sad.

You no longer have to delay early pushing during labor, says new study

The study of 2,400 first-time mothers found there was no difference in eventual C-section rates between women who pushed early or waited an hour.

Who was in your delivery room? 14 moms share their birth experiences

We asked and you answered.

Getting induced may not increase your risk for C-sections, says study

For some women, getting induced at 39 weeks could be a new option.

Khloe Kardashian says questions about breastfeeding & birth are off-limits for new moms—and we couldn’t agree more

There are some postpartum questions that are just too personal.

Cardi B cancels tour to stay close to baby—and mamas totally understand why

It's a brave decision, and one too many working mothers can't afford to make.

Why Neve Campbell gave her second son a very unique baby name

This theory makes a ton of sense.

Close in age: 13 photos of celebs who had back-to-back babies

Jason and Brittany Aldean just announced they're expecting again—and their first is just 7 months old.

It’s a boy! Ayesha and Steph Curry’s birth announcement features a unique baby name

Their girls have pretty common names, but their new baby boy is definitely distinct.