Research over the last several decades has clearly demonstrated that a variety of behav­iors and body functions, including sexual eroticism, develop during infancy and child­hood. In some ways sexuality is especially important during this period, because many experiences during these formative years have a great effect on the future expression of adult sexuality. In this […]

Sexual Behavior During Infancy and Childhood What common patterns characterize emerging sexuality during childhood? What is the nature and meaning of sex play with friends during childhood? The Physical Changes of Adolescence What major physical changes accompany the onset of puberty in boys and girls? How do the physical changes of adolescence affect sexuality? Adolescent […]

Couples are commonly advised that intercourse can resume after the flow of the red­dish uterine discharge, called lochia (LOH-kee-uh), has stopped and after episiot — omy incisions or vaginal tears have healed, usually in about 3-4 weeks. However, the most important factor to consider is when intercourse is physically comfortable for the woman. This depends […]

After childbirth the mother’s breasts first produce a yellowish liquid, called colos­trum, which contains antibodies and protein. Lactation, or milk production, begins about one to three days after birth. Pituitary hormones stimulate milk production in the breasts in response to the stimulation of the infant suckling the nipples. If a new mother does not begin […]

The first several weeks following birth are referred to as the postpartum period. This is a time of both physical and psychological adjustment for each family member, and it is likely to be a time of intensified emotional highs and lows. The new baby affects the roles and interactions of all family members. The parents […]

A cesarean (sih-ZEHR-ee-un) section, or C-section, in which the baby is removed through an incision made in the abdominal wall and uterus, can be a lifesaving sur­gery for the mother and child (Ananth & Vintzileos, 2011). Cesarean birth is rec­ommended in a variety of situations, including when the fetal head is too large to pass […]

Despite variations in childbirth, there are three generally recognizable stages in the process (see I Figure 11.6). A woman can often tell that labor has begun when regular contractions of the uterus begin. Another indi­cation of beginning first-stage labor, the gradual dilation of the cervix to 10 centimeters, is the "bloody show" (discharge of the […]

Before the 1970s, fathers were not allowed in the delivery room while their babies were being born (Larsen, 2007). Today’s parents-to-be can expect to work as part of a team with their health-care provider in preparing and planning for the physical and emo­tional aspects of childbirth. Obstetricians are medical doctors and midwives are nurses who […]

Although men maintain their fertility much longer than women do, increasing evi­dence is showing that later-in-life fatherhood may carry some increased risk of birth defects for their children. Scientists have found changes in the DNA of older men’s sperm. Some studies suggest that single-gene mutations may be four to five times higher in men age […]

An increasing number of women delay having children until after 35 years of age: Almost twice as many women between the ages of 35 and 44 become pregnant now than was the case in 1980. Women who have their first baby when older appear to have some psychological advantages. They are more resilient, report their […]