Pregnancy and Childbirth
Labor and Delivery
After nine months of incredible growth and changes both in the mother and the fetus, labor (contractions of the uterus) may finally start, signaling the pending birth of the baby. Many women fear the prospect of delivering their child. Part of this fear may be attributed to the unknown, especially in first pregnancies. Instead, be proactive and consider discussing the following questions with your physician before labor begins:
- When will labor begin?
- How long will labor last?
- How much pain is involved in delivering a baby?
- Will the birth hurt the baby in any way?
Just as prenatal development occurs in several stages, so does the delivery of a baby. Listed in the directory below, you will not only find information regarding the different stages of labor, but also the importance of providing appropriate postpartum (also called post-delivery) care for the new mother and the newborn, for which we have provided a brief overview.
If you cannot find the information in which you are interested, please visit the Pregnancy & Childbirth Online Resources page in this Web site for an Internet/World Wide Web address that may contain additional information on that topic.
Related Content
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Cassie and Braxton - The Nebraska Medical Center
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- Braxton is Cassie's first child. She had a normal pregnancy to start, but her doctors discovered a birth defect before he was born. After spending months in The Nebraska Medical Center's Newborn Intensive Care Unit, the family has a lot to smile about now. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 1-800-922-0000 or visit http://www.nebraskamed.com
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Special Delivery: EXIT Procedure - The Nebraska Medical Center
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- In July 2010, several dozen doctors, nurses and other medical professionals gathered in two operating rooms at The Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Their mission was to safely deliver Haylee Hanson. During a routine prenatal ultrasound, doctors discovered Haylee had a tumor growing inside her mouth; a tumor that could keep her from breathing when delivered. Her doctors decided they had no other option but an EXIT (ex utero intrapartum treatment) procedure. Maternal - fetal medicine specialists delivered Haylee partially via c-section, and then neonatologists and ENT specialists worked to get a breathing tube down the baby's throat to establish an oxygen path. Doctors involved in this procedure say it went as well as could be expected. The tumor was removed four days after Haylee was born and proved to be benign. Now her family is looking forward to going home from the hospital with their new and healthy baby girl.
For more information about The Nebraska Medical Center, call 1-800-922-0000 or visit http://www.nebraskamed.com.
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Woollen Quadruplets' 1st Birthday - The Nebraska Medical Center
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- Quadruplets born at The Nebraska Medical Center who are believed to be the worlds youngest set of surviving quadruplets, born at 23 weeks gestation, are celebrating a major milestone.
This month, the Woollen quadruplets sons Brett, Kaden and Cooper and daughter Parker are celebrating their first birthday.
It has been the craziest, but also the best year of our lives, said Lee and Rachel Woollen of Holdrege, Neb., the proud parents of the healthy quadruplets who have beat all odds. They were our miracle babies and now theyve made it through their first year of life with few complications.
The quadruplets were born Feb. 11, 2008, about four months prematurely. Each baby spent four months or more in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) at The Nebraska Medical Center before being released from the hospital.
I read stories all the time of babies born prematurely and theyre very sick, said Rachel Woollen. Its amazing that all weve had to deal with since weve taken the babies home from the hospital is a few viral infections and respiratory colds. We feel very blessed.
Ann Anderson-Berry, M.D., neonatologist at The Nebraska Medical Center said the babies have surpassed all expectations. They truly are miracles, she said. Their remarkable outcome is quite an achievement.
Dr. Anderson-Berry credits the parents strength, prenatal caregivers and the excellent NICU staff. The infants were able to take advantage of being born in a NICU with state-of-the-art facilities and the medical centers innovative nutrition program which helped the babies to grow and to develop.
Infants born 17 weeks early have many obstacles to overcome. Some may experience infections, bleeding of the brain, blindness, deafness, bowel inflammation and poor growth. Individually, each of the Woollen babies had a 50 percent chance of survival and only about a 15 percent chance of surviving with good medical outcomes.
According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Neonatal Research Network Extremely Preterm Birth Outcomes Data Calculator, the probability of all four infants surviving is 3.4 percent. Furthermore, the chance of all four infants surviving without moderate or major neurodevelopmental impairment is 0.03 percent.
The Woollen babies had a lot to overcome after such an early birth, said Dr. Anderson-Berry. But they have made amazing strides and have come through their first year with overwhelming success.
We continue to watch their milestones with delight, added Dr. Anderson-Berry. Their medical and developmental achievements this first year of life continues to exceed expectations for infants born at their gestational age.
Each baby weighed just over 1 1/2 pounds at birth. When they went home from the hospital, each weighed between 6 and 8 pounds. Now at a year old, they weigh between 13 and 16 pounds.
Rachel Woollen says each quadruplet has a distinct personality.
Brett, the first born, is still the leader of the pack and on the go all the time. He also loves to laugh and play.
Kaden is a thinker according to his mother. He likes to study everything and will really check people out before smiling at them. He is quiet most of the time, but when he voices his opinion, hes extremely loud about it.
The only girl, Parker, is Daddys little princess. She seems to know shes the only girl and she lets her brothers know whos boss, said Rachel. In fact shes starting to pass up the boys. She has the most teeth, she was the first to sit up and will be the first to crawl.
Cooper struggled the most after birth; he spent more time on the ventilator than his siblings and still uses oxygen at nighttime. He is the smallest, said Rachel, But hes catching up quickly. He loves people and is usually very happy.
Lee and Rachel Woollen share that they are asked all the time how they care for four children. Lee said he often replies, You just do it. You take it day by day. The couple also credits the wonderful help theyve received from family and friends.
The Woollens celebrated the quadruplets first birthday on Feb. 7 with family, a few friends and a lot of cake and ice cream. The quadruplets were also baptized at church that same day.
It was a very special day, said Rachel. We spent the day reflecting on how far the babies have come in the past year. I think of the days we spent in the NICU at The Nebraska Medical Center. The doctors and nurses will always have a special place in our hearts. They played such a big part in getting the babies to this one year milestone and we will always be grateful to them and their excellent care of our four little miracles.
For more information about The Nebraska Medical Center's NICU, visit this link or call 1-800-922-0000.
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