It is common in our system for a doctor or midwife to recommend that a woman's water (amniotic sac) be artificially broken during labor if it hasn't broken on its own. The idea is that it will quicken the labor and cause the baby to be born faster. Often, women will even be erroneously and unethically promised this. This procedure is technically termed an amniotomy. Sometimes it's also referred to as AROM (artificial rupture of membranes), "rupturing her", or "breaking her wa

THE BIRTH OF MY FIRST BABY: My first pregnancy was labeled “high-risk,” and for good medical reason. Around 35 weeks my blood pressure began climbing, and by 37 weeks I had all the classic signs of preeclampsia: severe swelling, rapid weight gain from fluid retention, protein in my urine, and hypertension. At the same time, my husband had just accepted a new job and we were moving three hours away at the last minute - without a new provider or birth plan in place in our new c

As we approached our due date of August 4th, I felt comfortable and calm. My heart was filled with excitement but I felt entirely content...

Pitocin...in some countries named Syntocin...if you've heard modern stories of birth, you may have heard of this oft-used medication. In...