Week 12: Time to think about where you're going to have your baby.
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The top of your uterus is starting to rise above your pelvis. Your waist is beginning to thicken.
Visible Human Embryo
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Begin practicing Kegel exercises to tighten your pelvic floor which will support your growing uterus and prevent incontinence as your pregnancy continues.
Mayo Clinic
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Take care of yourself during pregnancy so you begin labor in the best possible health. Exercise in moderation and eat well. Seek prenatal care to help you detect and manage any health problems that may arise. You are worth the time and energy it takes to practice good self-care.
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Choose a birthplace that has a low rate of cesarean birth and minimal routine interventions. If your pregnancy is low-risk and you prefer minimal routine interventions, consider birthing at a birth center or at home. Several studies show that women having low-risk pregnancies undergo fewer interventions in an out-of-hospital birth setting and the birth outcomes are just as good as those of women birthing in hospitals.
The Birth Survey
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Find a maternity caregiver who has low intervention rates and encourages the use of self-help techniques in labor. If your pregnancy is low-risk, consider using a midwife. Midwives typically use fewer medical interventions than physicians do. If intensive medical care becomes necessary during pregnancy, a midwife will refer to an obstetrician.
The Birth Survey
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Educate yourself and prepare a birth plan. Take childbirth education classes that emphasize informed decision-making and self-help methods to relieve pain and aid progress.
Lamaze International
BirthWatch Recommends:
Pregnancy, Childirth and the Newborn: The Complete Guide
The definitive guide on pregnancy, childbirth and the newborn. No really, if you have to buy one book, this is the one to own. It is complete, it is not at all fluffy but it is friendly. It presumes you are smart enough to make your own choices given the facts. You will gain confidence in your abilities to sustain a healthy pregnancy, birth your baby, and competently care for your newborn.