Glossary
Plain-English answers to the terms you'll hear.
- APGAR Score
- A quick newborn health assessment scored at 1 and 5 minutes after birth.
- Amniotic Fluid
- The protective liquid surrounding the baby in the amniotic sac.
- Braxton Hicks
- Irregular, usually painless practice contractions that prepare the uterus for labor.
- Cesarean (C-section)
- Surgical delivery of a baby through incisions in the abdomen and uterus.
- Cluster Feeding
- Frequent, back-to-back feedings often in the evening, especially in newborns.
- Colostrum
- The thick, nutrient-rich first milk produced in late pregnancy and the first days after birth.
- Cradle Cap
- Harmless, flaky scalp patches common in newborns.
- Dilation
- The opening of the cervix during labor, measured in centimeters from 0 to 10.
- Effacement
- The thinning and shortening of the cervix in preparation for delivery, measured in percent.
- Epidural
- Regional anesthesia injected near the spinal cord to relieve labor pain.
- Gestational Age
- How far along a pregnancy is, measured in weeks from the last menstrual period.
- Implantation
- When a fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining, sometimes causing light spotting.
- Lanugo
- Fine, soft hair that covers a fetus and usually sheds before or shortly after birth.
- Latching
- How a baby attaches to the breast to feed effectively and comfortably.
- Let-down Reflex
- The release of milk triggered by the baby suckling or even crying.
- Meconium
- A newborn’s first stools — dark, sticky, and made of materials ingested in the womb.
- Placenta
- The organ that delivers oxygen and nutrients to the baby and removes waste.
- Quickening
- The first fluttering fetal movements a pregnant person feels, often around 16–22 weeks.
- Rooting Reflex
- A newborn reflex of turning toward a touch on the cheek to find the breast or bottle.
- Swaddling
- Snugly wrapping a baby in a blanket to provide comfort and support safe sleep.
- Trimester
- One of the three roughly 13-week stages that divide a pregnancy.
- Tummy Time
- Supervised time spent on the stomach while awake to build neck and shoulder strength.
- Vernix
- The waxy, protective coating on a newborn’s skin at birth.
- Witching Hour
- A predictable evening stretch of fussiness common in young babies.