Childbirth & Newborn
The last weeks bring the most questions: how you will know labour has started, what pain relief you can ask for, and what the first days with a newborn are really like. This section is written to be read before the day, so fewer decisions have to be made in the moment.
What this covers
Preparing for labour and writing a birth plan, the options for pain relief and for delivery, recovery afterwards, and the practical business of feeding and caring for a newborn in the first weeks.
19 guides on childbirth and newborn care
Written and reviewed over four and a half decades. Nothing here is a summary of somewhere else — these are Dr. Layyous’s own articles.
Labour and delivery 7
- Childbirth Explained: Stages of Labour and Pain Relief Options
- Dates in Pregnancy: A Blessed Food That May Support Natural Childbirth
- Epidural Analgesia During Labor: What Every Mother Should Know
- Hospital Bag Checklist for Delivery: A Complete Guide to Prepare for…
- How to Write a Birth Plan: A Friendly Guide for Expectant Mothers
- Pregnancy Video clips
- Signs That Labor Is Near: How to Know It's Almost Time
Recovery after birth 7
- Breast Care After Childbirth: A Gentle Guide to Common Changes
- Episiotomy Care and Recovery: A Gentle Guide for New Mothers
- Exercise After Birth: A Gentle, Safe Guide to Getting Active in Your…
- Postnatal Exercises - Exercises after delivery
- Postpartum Depression: Symptoms, Causes, and Support for New Parents
- Postpartum Hemorrhage: Causes, Prevention, and Treatment
- Postpartum Recovery Guide: Caring for Your Health After Delivery
Your baby 5
- Newborn Characteristics: A Parent's Guide to Your Baby's First Weeks
- 5 Science-Backed Benefits of Breastfeeding Over Formula Feeding
- Newborn Care and Breastfeeding Guide: A Complete Guide for New Parents
- Newborn Feeding Schedule: A Gentle Guide for New Parents
- Stages of Infant Development: A Month-by-Month Baby Milestone Guide
If you read four things
A huge thank you to the wonderful Dr. Najeeb Layyous — the height of ethics and care. The team is refined, respectful, sincere and cheerful, lifting your spirits; the whole staff is more than wonderful and mindful of the patient’s peace of mind, smiling from the moment you walk in. Thanks be to God, and thanks to Dr. Najeeb I was blessed with a beautiful boy — and God willing not the last time with this dear doctor. May God protect him and grant him long life.
Childbirth — common questions
How will I know labour has started?
Regular contractions that grow stronger, longer and closer together, a show, or your waters breaking. Practice contractions are irregular and ease off. If you are unsure, call — nobody minds being asked.
When should I come to hospital?
When contractions are regular and strong, if your waters break, if there is bleeding, or if your baby’s movements change. With a previous fast labour or a caesarean, come earlier rather than later.
Do I have to have an epidural?
No. It is one option among several and can be requested at most points in labour, but plenty of women manage without. Knowing what is available beforehand makes the choice easier in the moment.
Can I have a normal birth after a caesarean?
Often yes, depending on why the caesarean was done, how the scar healed and how this pregnancy is going. It is discussed in detail well before your due date so the plan is agreed in advance.
How long does recovery take?
The first two weeks are the steepest, and six weeks is the usual guide for a vaginal birth. A caesarean takes longer and has lifting restrictions. Bleeding that becomes heavy again, fever or increasing pain should be reported.
What if breastfeeding is difficult?
It very often is at first, and difficulty is not failure. Most problems — latch, pain, supply worries — improve quickly with practical help. Ask early rather than struggling alone.
Have a question about childbirth and newborn care?
Message Dr. Layyous directly. Most questions are quicker to answer than to worry about.