According to William Sears, M.D., and Martha Sears, R.N., authors of “The Pregnancy Book,” a woman’s heart rate increases during pregnancy by 20 percent. Even without planned exercise, she is already performing a low level of aerobic exercise daily. Whether you are a seasoned expert or just beginning an exercise program, exercising during pregnancy is beneficial for both mother and baby.

During pregnancy, your baby is active. There are no positions your baby cannot wiggle into, and most positions are temporary. While fetal positioning does not matter much during pregnancy, it becomes important when you go into labor. Delivering a baby who is head down is the preferred position by most health care providers. You should talk with your provider about what positions of delivery he is comfortable with before you go into labor.

You have likely heard many horror stories about the process of labor and birth. People are quick to tell you how long it lasted and how painful it was. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be extremely painful or last forever. There are many things you can and should do to make labor as quick and painless as possible. And, it just might be easier than you think.

During your ninth month, you are eager to hold your baby. Every time you feel the slightest twinge, you may think, “this is it,” but the feeling goes away and you realize you have longer to wait. Some mothers start labor suddenly with painful contractions, yet others begin with progressive signs, such as a backache and contractions that last for days. While each labor is different, there are typical stages that each woman goes through when her birth time is near.