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Chris & Jamie
We are one of the quick ones!!! Our profile was activated in the beginning of August. We didn't have many contacts and were a little disappointed and discouraged since we heard so many people got a ton of contacts right away.
On September 7th, we got an email from a young couple who was due in just 3 weeks! They had been looking for a family for their son for many more ...
Pregnancy and Birth
If this is your first time experiencing pregnancy and birth, you may have little idea what to expect. If you've been around this block once or twice already, you may still be surprised at some of the recent changes.
For one thing, even if this is your first child, you may be older than the average first-time mom of the past. In 2002, the average age of mothers at first birth was 25.1, an all-time high from the nation. There's a wide regional difference as well. Pregnancy and birth tend to come earlier in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Wyoming (23 years). In the northeast, the average first-time mom or 27 or 28. The average woman in the United States will have 2.07 children in her life.
But the changes are in more than numbers. One of the biggest stories in pregnancy and birth these days is the rising popularity of doulas - private labor coaches who assist you in labor and delivery. (There are also postpartum doulas, who come to your home after the birth and help you and baby through the first few days.) Doulas stay with you through your labor, providing one-on-one support that can lead to shorter labor, fewer complications, and healthier babies.
While home births continue to decrease (currently less than 1% of all US births), many facilities now provide more home-like environments. Jacuzzis, microwaves, and relaxed visiting guidelines are becoming more common in both hospitals and free-standing birth centers. Pregnancy and birth have become more consumer-oriented as women begin demanding more choices and to be treated as a woman experiencing a natural process, rather than a medical patient.
The rate of Cesarean births has leveled off, primarily due to increasing numbers of VBACs (vaginal birth after Cesarean). The amount of high-tech involvement in pregnancy and birth continues to grown, with even a routine, uncomplicated pregnancy likely to involve ultrasound, prenatal testing, and external fetal monitoring.
With medical advances and consumer demands bringing constant changes, your pregnancy and birth might bear little resemblance to that of your mother or possibly even your older sister. The one thing that will never change, however, is the overwhelming flood of emotions washing over you when you hold your baby for the first time.
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