At Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children and Madison Hospital, laboring moms are welcome to have a doula with them to provide comfort, support, information and encouragement. We spoke to three North Alabama doulas to give you a better understanding of the role of a doula during childbirth. Tracy...

Your baby has arrived. Now what?! Let’s walk through the first few hours and days of your baby’s life at Madison Hospital or Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children. The first hour of life following delivery is known as “the Golden Hour.” Your baby is going through changes to prepare for life...

We get a lot of questions from expectant moms about the COVID-19 vaccine. Is it safe to be vaccinated while pregnant? Should I wait until after baby is born? Do I even need to be vaccinated? For answers, we turned to three of our most trusted physician experts: Dr. Robin Cardwell, who practices at...

Pregnancy can be an exciting time for the whole family! An expectant mom may find herself with offers of support from her spouse, parents, extended family and friends. It’s important that she identify her biggest supporter and make sure they’re on-call and ready when delivery day arrives. Because...

Let’s talk about the difference between “baby blues,” perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), and postpartum psychosis. Baby blues are very common. About 80 percent of mothers experience mood swings and weepiness during the first two to three weeks after baby arrives. This is totally normal...

Most births happen without incident, but sometimes excessive bleeding and high blood pressure can occur. These are the two leading preventable causes of childbirth harm to moms. Make sure to pay attention to your blood pressure readings leading up to your due date. The changes that happen to a woman’s...

Before coming to the hospital to deliver your baby, you should always discuss your birth expectations with your OB provider.  They will let you know what is realistic for your situation. Also, don’t forget that you can take a virtual hospital tour by clicking one of the links below: Huntsville Hospital...

Your bag is packed, you’ve lined up a pediatrician and finished decorating the nursery. But do you know what to expect when you arrive at the hospital to deliver your baby? At Huntsville for Women & Children and Madison Hospital, our goal is to make the entire childbirth process – from check-in...

You may have heard that Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children has a Level III Neonatal ICU and that Madison Hospital has a Level II Special Care Nursery. But what does that mean? Neonatal refers to the first 28 days of life. Some babies require more advanced care during these first days because...

Your pregnancy brings with it many choices. You pick a physician, a hospital, baby names, paint colors and the list of decisions doesn’t stop there. Making an informed choice about pain management during labor and childbirth should be at the top of your decisions list. Some of the pain management...