Maternity Insurance|Maternity Care|Postpartum Care

When you hear the term "traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)," what comes to mind? For many people, this is an unnerving term because it implies something nontraditional and separate from the modern medicine that most people are so accustomed to working with. Yet, there is a growing following behind traditional Chinese medicine and many of the people who believe in it may surprise you.

TCM is typically lumped into the very vague category of "alternative medicine" by people who are not familiar with it. This is the category where you find some rather questionable practices, but there are also some well respected art forms in this category such as acupuncture. Just as acupuncture is now being used in medical plans along with modern medicine, traditional Chinese medicine is now being used in the same way.

You don't have to think of TCM as just another alternative to standard medical treatment. Most people who give it a chance find that it can work hand in hand with the medical advice they are given by their very modern doctors. There are many medical professionals who actually believe in many of the products and strategies employed by Chinese medicine.

So, who needs TCM? Is this something that you could use to enrich your own life and enhance your own medical care? Let's take a look at a few common uses for traditional Chinese medicine to see how it could benefit you and your family.

Menstrual & Postnatal Comfort

Many women find Bak Foong pills to be essential in controlling hormones and relieving the discomforts often experienced during a menstrual cycle. These pills are also extremely useful for nourishing and reviving the body after having a baby. They are powerful because they can help regulate the hormones and build up the immune system, which helps women on a monthly basis as well as after bringing new life into the world.

The only catch here is these pills should not be taken while a woman is menstruating. It should be taken before and after to help with the discomforts common at particular periods of the menstrual cycle.

Encouraging Health

While many people turn to TCM to heal different diseases or bring relief from constant pain, others embrace this form of medicine as a way to enhance their overall health and well being. Products that use the nest of the swifflet bird are often embraced as a way to encourage a strong immune system and prevent illness.

In traditional times, the most privileged Chinese citizens would consumer the Swifflet bird's nest to protect their bodies, but today most people can find products containing authentic birds nest in pill form.

Making Healthy Changes

Acupuncture is quite popular today and continues to be worked into modern medical plans for pain and other medical issues. Many people also seek out independent traditional Chinese medicine practitioners so they can use acupuncture to help them lose weight, stop smoking, and make other healthy changes in their life.

There are also a variety of pill form products that may help with these healthy lifestyle changes. TCM also makes use of nutritional changes and herbal products which can help make lifestyle changes like these a bit easier to handle.

What should stand out here is the wide variety of uses for traditional Chinese medicine. Practically everyone has a reason to use this valuable form of medicine to enrich their lives.

Having a second child can make you a little nervous just thinking about juggling two kids and taking care of the family. You may also be worried about the increased daily budget allocation you will have to consider once your second baby is born. Although more than the budgetary concerns, most mothers are more concerned about raising two children well and helping them develop physically, mentally and emotionally.

Before you consider having another child, it is advisable that you focus first on your first child and give him a little time to be an only child for a while - at least three years - five is ideal. However, as parents, we know that sometimes we can't wait to have another baby because time is a-ticking or we want our children to have a close age range. Whatever your reason, it is best to be prepared for a second child before he comes.

1. Fix your finances. A second child will mean more expenses on milk, diapers, baby furniture, clothes and trips to the doctor. Although some of the baby stuff can be hand-me-downs from your firstborn such as crib, stroller and some clothes; a second child will still mean more expenses for you so it's best to start saving for his arrival. You will also need to put in more money into your emergency fund for incidentals.

2. Prepare his quarters. Where will your newborn sleep? It might not be advisable to room him in with your first child especially if the older child is still in his toddlers because children are naturally curios beings and he could end up hurting the newborn or hurting himself. He might also be irritated with the constant crying of a newborn and when this happens, you will have to pacify two very irate babies.

3. Talk to your first child about the arrival of his sibling. This is the most important task you will have to do before your second child is born. You will have to explain to your first child what his role is going to be concerning his younger sibling.

He may get jealous because they do not understand why you are not paying as much attention to him since the new baby came. Involve him in the preparation for the new baby and explain the importance of being an older brother. This way, he will not feel excluded.

4. Ask for help! A second child can be very overwhelming especially right after giving birth. You will feel postpartum blues and this may greatly affect your mood and your emotional/mental health. Before you feel that the world is on your shoulders, talk to your family and friends about having to ask for their help once in awhile once the baby is born.

Better still, check out nanny and housekeeping services that you can call every now and then. List down all the numbers of the people you'd want to call for help and post it where you can easily see it. Fix a daily schedule for your firstborn so he will have activities that will occupy him if he is still not going to school.

One of the most bothersome facial pigment problems is called melasma - otherwise known as "pregnancy mask. Melasma is a brownish pigmentation that affects adult women. It often develops during pregnancy - hence the name "pregnancy mask". Some women only have a few small brown spots here and there, but many have big patches of brown pigment that cover entire cheeks or foreheads or around the mouth. It can often be difficult to cover completely with makeup, and many women have spent a fortune on lightening creams and various laser therapies trying to get rid of it. Melasma is exacerbated by sun and UV radiation exposure (including tanning beds), but hormonal factors play a role as well, since it often comes on during pregnancy, while on birth control pills, or while on hormone replacement therapy. Certain unknown genetic factors will also predispose certain women to get it. Melasma can be very difficult but not impossible to control. Here are some tips:

1. Use daily sunscreen. The best method of treatment is prevention. Starting at a young age with daily sun block, avoiding intense sun exposure, and avoiding tanning beds all can help prevent younger women and teenagers from developing this condition in their middle adult years. In women that have melasma already, sun protection can keep it from worsening. This means daily sun block year round.

2. Stop your birth control pills if you no longer need them for birth control. If you are finished having kids, consider your surgical options for birth control. If you are taking birth control for help with menstrual symptoms, consider bioidentical hormone management instead. If you are taking hormone replacement therapy, try to minimize your estrogen (take the smallest amount you need to control your symptoms)

3. Avoid soy. Many people don't know that 20% of the calories in the typical American diet come from soy derivatives. Much of our processed food contains significant amounts of soy. And soy can mimic estrogen in your body and may exacerbate melasma. Read your food labels, and try to cut back on your soy intake.

4. Lightening creams. This is a very popular form of treatment but not effective for many and usually will only lighten the melasma some. Hydroquinone is the most effective topical lightening agent and can be found in low doses over the counter or at higher more effective doses with a prescription. But long term use of hydroquinone can sometimes exacerbate the melasma, especially in Asian and Hispanic skin. Therefore, short-term intermittent use is best. Triluma (which contains hydroquinone), Retin A, and Kojic Acid are other topical lighteners that may help.

5. Chemical Peels. A series of medical grade chemical peels with glycolic acid or TCA can help some people with melasma.

6. Laser therapy can be especially effective at treating melasma, but you need to chose the correct type of laser. Traditional photofacials or micro laser peels typically do not go deep enough to remove melasma pigment in most people. The more aggressive fractionated laser therapy (such as the Active FX laser) offer more consistent melasma-removing results.

The appearance of cellulite during pregnancy is a fairly common occurrence, much to the dismay of many expectant mothers. As if gaining weight, constant cravings, swollen feet and rapidly changing hormones weren't enough, many women also end up battling the unsightly bulges fondly referred to as "cottage cheese". Fortunately, there are ways to reduce and even get rid of this particular side effect of pregnancy, so pregnant women can take heart.

The first step in getting rid of cellulite is understanding what it is. Simply put, cellulite is a build up of fat deposits just under the skin which can cause the skin to bulge, creating the bumpy effect we all know and love. It can happen to anyone, though it is more common among women, and it is a common byproduct of pregnancy, when women tend to gain weight rapidly and become less active.

Though cellulite during pregnancy can be embarrassing and unsightly, the good news is that it usually corrects itself. Once the baby is born, your body will go back to its pre-pregnancy state and cellulite will disappear. For some women this offers little consolation, however, as they are not content to wait for nature to take its course. For these women, there are several tips they can follow to help get rid of cellulite.

First and foremost is the need to eat right. Allowing yourself to slip into poor eating habits during pregnancy is not good for you or your baby and it also leaves the door open for developing excess fat or cellulite. Now more than ever you need to maintain a healthy, balanced diet and be sure to get all the proper nutrients and limit fatty foods.

Along with diet, a second tip for getting rid of cellulite during pregnancy is to stay active. A common misconception is that pregnant women need to stop moving. Quite the opposite is true. There are many forms of exercise, including walking, yoga, and even some weight training, which are very good for pregnant women. By staying fit and active you can improve your own health and reduce fat build up, which will also result in a healthier baby.

If diet and exercise alone don't do the trick, a third tip is to consider pregnancy massage. Massaging the affected area can help to stimulate blood flow and break up fatty deposits, reducing the appearance of cellulite. You can even get your partner involved in this step for a relaxing, romantic moment to help relieve stress for both of you.

There are a number of products available on the market which claim to help rid you of cellulite during pregnancy. Creams, lotions and other "cure alls" may provide some help, but only maintaining a healthy life style, eating right and getting plenty of exercise will really give you long term results.

Nobody likes to deal with the issue of cellulite, whether during pregnancy or at any other time, but remember that it doesn't have to be permanent. You can reduce the appearance of cellulite and, especially during pregnancy, it can clear up on its own. So don't despair, just make sure you're living right and you can make cellulite a thing of the past!

Oral thrush is an infection caused by the yeast fungus known as Candida albicans and is a common illness in newborn babies. The fungus is also referred to as candidosis and moniliasis, but generally these terms describe the appearance of candida albicans in adults. This article will focus on the causes and symptoms of oral thrush in newborns as well as methods of treatment.

It may be helpful to first understand some background information on exactly what oral thrush is. Microorganisms exist everywhere in our environment and usually bacteria, viruses and fungi form a symbiotic relationship with the human body. These microorganisms are beneficial to the health of babies and adults alike and the body allows them to remain present. The fungus that causes oral thrush does not have a symbiotic relationship with the human body. Candida albicans usually works its way into the body when the immune system is in a diseased or weakened state. In their first few days of life, newborn babies are especially at risk from infections such as oral thrush.

Two specific causes of oral thrush are a reaction to antibiotics and transmission from a mother with a yeast infection. The mouth of a postnatal baby undergoes certain changes following a dose of antibiotic medication that create a breeding ground for a fungus to develop. It is also possible for a mother to pass on a yeast infection to her child in the form of candidosis. The transmission occurs from exposure in the birth canal and oftentimes results in infection when the baby is from two to ten weeks old.

Diagnosing babies is usually done using the clinical picture. This means that doctors are generally able to diagnose the infection on sight alone. Oral thrush manifests itself in the form of painful white lesions on the inside of the baby's mouth. These patches appear on the gums, insides of cheeks, palates and tongue. It is also possible for thrush lesions to work their way into the esophagus. Doctors use throat cultures, endoscopic examination and barium swallow to help diagnose an oral thrush infection that has progressed to this degree.

Nipple damage due to breastfeeding can lead to an elevated risk of Candida infection. Although the nipples and areola may not show signs of an infection certain symptoms can help indicate that one is occurring. One or both nipples may be experience stinging pain or itching. Visible signs that a mother has a Candida infection include nipples with white dots, a skin rash with small fluid filled blisters, swelling and cracking of the skin.

If a doctor has reason to believe that an infant has oral thrush, he or she may send a cell sample from the baby's tongue to a lab for analysis and confirmation. The use of a lab sample can help ensure that there are no other illnesses causing complicating a thrush infection.

When oral thrush or a yeast infection has been diagnosed, both the mother and her baby should be treated simultaneously. Coordinating care for both the mother and child helps avoid the risk of the infection being passed back and forth.

Medications for yeast can be systemic (internal) or topical (external). Often physicians will begin curing a yeast infection with a topical drug, followed by a more powerful systemic if necessary. Fluconazole is antifungal cream used to treat a mother's breasts that have come into contact with a baby experiencing oral thrush. Some examples of commercially available anti-fungal drugs include Nystatin, Lotrimin and Itraconazola. Oral thrush is often treated with Nystatin by application to the inside of the infant's mouth several times daily. For complete treatment information speak with your pediatrician.

By paying close attention to the warning signs and symptoms of an oral thrush infection, mothers can reduce the complications caused by this illness. As with all concerns related to the health of your newborn, always rely on the suggestions and information provided by your pediatrician. With treatment time and concern you and your child can overcome the challenge of an oral thrush infection.

Copyright © Safe-Baby.net 2006.

You should thank your lucky stars that we are not living in the age of 50 years ago when Postnatal Depression was looked down upon. Imagine how hard it would be to reach out for help if the general view was that you were rejecting your baby? Today, there is a lot more help available, whether it is books, counseling or just joining a friendly mother's or parent's group to discuss problems and fears.

When I first discovered that I had Postnatal Depression I was suffering from the same classic symptoms such as feeling out of control, low self esteem, headaches, heart palpitations, panic attacks, being very short tempered and not feeling a great affection for my constantly crying baby. Other symptoms you might feel can include a feeling of loss of self, an inability to get anything done, feeling like a prisoner in your own home, loss of appetite and worst of all thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby.

The causes of Postnatal Depression are varied but the most common ones are:

* A family history of depression

* Having no support either from your partner or family/friends

* Being a highly organized and disciplined person before the birth of your baby may increase your risk, because babies often don't agree to being organized by anyone

* A constantly crying or unsettled baby

* Disappointment due to the birth not going how you planned or being unable to breastfeed.

* Hormone imbalance

* Lack of quality sleep.

It is vital that if you feel you are suffering from any of the above symptoms to get help because I can assure you that ignoring them, will not help you! Find someone that you can talk to in the medical field that you feel comfortable with, be it an Early Childhood Nurse, your family doctor or a counseling service. There are many avenues that you can go down to recovery but the most important first step is reaching out for help.

After you've safely given birth, you heaved a sigh of relief giving thanks for your cute baby's life and the next thing that crossed your mind afterward is losing pregnancy fat. Your thought of this can take some of your attention away from caring for your child properly. You might be tempted to sign up for a weight loss program to help you lose your pregnancy fat. This can be another burden on you.

Fortunately, there are some simple and viable tips that can help you burn the extra fat in your body after delivery, and still have enough time for your little angel.

Change your eating habit. Yes, you need to watch what you put into your mouth and control your cravings if you really want to lose the extra fat after delivery. Cut down the amount of fatty foods you eat. Eat nutritious foods daily and include some snacks, healthy ones of course, between your meals. You'll need them along the way. Include fruits and vegetables in your meals. This is because of their rich contents in vitamins and minerals. Read the labels of food items you buy at the grocery store for their fat content. Avoid excessive intake of fried foods.

Exercise your body. This is another way of losing pregnancy fat fast. You don't have to engage in any strenuous workout. Begin your fitness exercise with brisk walking around the neighborhood. You can even do this with your child by putting him/her in a stroller to catch the feel of the environment. Take advantage of the time your baby usually falls asleep by engaging yourself in aerobic workouts such as swimming, riding on a stationary bike or walking on a treadmill if you have one. The whole idea is to help keep your body active by engaging in small activities that can help burn the extra fat.

Breastfeeding your baby is another way to lose pregnancy fat. Lactation is very important after giving birth not only for your baby but for you as well. You lose about 500-700 calories daily while you properly breastfeed your baby. That's why breastfeeding is one of the good ways to burn pregnancy fat.

Drinking plenty of water daily also helps in losing body fat. 70 percent of your body is made up of water and not fat. To help your body function properly, drink about 7-8 liters of water daily. This will also help prevent your body from dehydration. Water also enhances your metabolism. Metabolism is simply the process through which your body burns calories without any effort on your part. And water is the most important requirement for this to function effectively. You can now imagine the benefits of drinking plenty water.

Having a baby is a fantastic experience for both the mother and father! Even the grandparents actually! However having a baby can change a lot of things for the woman, and it is quite common for women to suffer from depression after childbirth.

This depression after childbirth is commonly known as postpartum or postnatal depression. This is a mixture of emotional, physical and behavior changes that affect the mother after delivering her baby. Depression can also occur during pregnancy, but it is more common after delivery of the baby.

Depression after childbirth occurs because there are hormonal changes in the woman's body. Around 70% of pregnant women experience depression after childbirth, however it does not have to affect the mother immediately. It can take up to a year for postnatal depression to become apparent.

During pregnancy the woman's levels of estrogen and progesterone rise, and 24 hours after giving birth the levels of these hormones drop rapidly to their normal levels. Scientists believe that this sudden change in female hormone levels can trigger depression in some women. This is backed up, because small changes in hormone levels can cause the woman's mood to change.

A lot of things change after delivering the baby, the amount of blood in the body, immune system and the blood pressure all change. These changes can alter how a person feels about themselves, which can result in fatigue and mood swings. The exact cause of childbirth depression is not known, however as not every woman suffers from it, it's likely that lifestyle affects it.

This depression often goes undiagnosed and untreated, because doctors just don't notice these effects as being anything abnormal. Tiredness, sleeping problems, and changes in body weight are all normal changes, that happen to a woman's body during and after pregnancy, however these symptoms can also indicate depression.

Postnatal depression can be caused by:
Substance abuse.
Lack of support.
Previous pregnancy complications.
Young age of mother.
Doubting yourself.

The most common cause of depression after childbirth is drug or substance abuse, lack of support from family members, problems with previous pregnancies, mother's young age, and doubting your own ability to look after your baby. You can see most of the causes of depression are emotional and not physical.

Women need to snap out of the idea of having to be the perfect mum, because this can add to the stress. Also spending less time alone with your husband can cause depression after childbirth.

Baby blues and depression are two different things. Baby blues happen straight after childbirth, and normally disappear in under a week, but postnatal depression can strike any time during the first year and often doesn't go away.

Be very aware if you have symptoms of Postnatal depression, because it is something that must be treated by your doctor.

Here are some of the symptoms of a woman with postnatal depression:

• She may cry frequently or feel tearful-There are some women who may not actually cry. However, women with postnatal depression may weep steadily for an entire day or describe the feeling that they are occasionally on the verge of crying for some.



• She may feel less hungry-A woman who is down with postnatal depression might not feel hungry and might skip a meal or two. Besides, she has a smaller appetite than before. This in turn leads to extreme weight loss in them.



• She may feel more hungry-For some women, eating can comfort them and act as a way of coping with their feelings of depression. However, this may result in an extreme weight gain.



• She is unable to sleep-A person with postnatal depression may have difficulty in sleeping. This could mean not being able to get off to sleep, or waking up very early and not being able to go back to sleep. Therefore, this can be extremely frustrating when have trouble falling asleep even when your child is sleeping soundly.



• She sleeps a lot-Some women describes that they feel sleepy all the time, no matter how much sleep they have had. This may seems to be just due to the sleepless nights that all new parents experience, but in actual fact, only a woman with postnatal depression would show such symptoms.
  



• She feels exhausted most of the time-She may constantly feel tired, lethargic or drained of energy, so much till she is unable to cope with the daily tasks.



• She might not be able to concentrate-Being distracted and confused is common for women with postnatal depression. She might even find it hard to finish the task that she started a while ago.



• She is unable to make simple decisions-Making simple decisions such as what to wear may seem impossible for her.



• She is unable to cope with almost everything-Simple little things, things that she used to do without even thinking about are beyond her. This would therefore lead to her trying so hard to do even the little things to get by. In other words, a woman with postnatal depression may feel inadequate and incapable and start questioning her ability to look after her child completely.



• She has little interest in her looks and surroundings-She might not see the point in washing herself or even getting herself dressed. Besides, she have totally no interest in her home or her everyday life.



• She cares too much about her appearance and surroundings-Alternatively, an obvious symptom of postnatal depression is her being obsessively tidy and trying to maintain impossibly high standards in her home.

Pregnant women now have a wide range of options sure to satisfy their clothing needs throughout the first trimester pregnancy, second trimester pregnancy and third trimester pregnancy. With so many maternity merchandise choices to select from it can be overwhelming. There have never been more maternity merchandise and trendy maternity clothing including cheap clothes maternity, maternity plus size, maternity suit swim, maternity jeans, designer maternity clothes than there are today with styles, fabrics, colors and designs to suit every size and shape of expecting mother.

Maternity Clothes

Gone are the days when maternity merchandise choices were limited now there are clothing maternity and cheap clothes maternity fashions to satisfy every lifestyle and need. Some of the maternity merchandise available online and in maternity clothing stores can include; maternity jeans, maternity pantsuits, clothes designer maternity, maternity suit swim, maternity accessories (hairpieces and scarves), maternity wedding dresses, maternity jackets, maternity tops and pants, maternity shirts, clothes maternity plus size, maternity pajamas and intimate apparel, maternity lingerie, maternity dresses and skirts, maternity hosiery, bra maternity and maternity lounge wear to name a few.

Maternity Merchandise and Accessories

Along with all the wonderful maternity merchandise, there are maternity accessories that help new moms throughout the first trimester pregnancy, second trimester pregnancy and third trimesters of pregnancy. Some of the maternity merchandise and accessories can include; maternity skin care, maternity belts that helps to relieve backache experienced during pregnancy, nursing pillows (for after baby is born), diaper bags, maternity tights and hosiery, maternity underwear and maternity bras.

For expecting mothers the maternity merchandise and clothing can be endless so it helps to compare shop at different online sites and maternity shops to find the best prices in maternity merchandise.It also helps to purchase maternity fashions in basic colored items that allow for mixing and matching with items such as skirts, pants, tops and shirts. Elastic waists and maternity bras in cotton/spandex blends that allow for room to grow can be helpful. Maternity clothing and maternity accessories should be comfortable, stylish and easy to wear to support mom's ever growing belly.

Maternity merchandise, clothing maternity and cheap clothes maternity fashions have never been so funky and hip as they are today. There is sure to be maternity clothes to complement any lifestyle and event with maternity clothing to include; jeans, tops, skirts, dresses, pants, evening wear, swim suits, lingerie and bra maternity in a wide variety of lovely fabrics, designs and colors. A woman doesn't have to sacrifice her original style when pregnant there is without a doubt fashions maternity to suit every woman's personal tastes.

The maternity merchandise a woman owns will go along way in making her feel better throughout the first trimester pregnancy, second trimester pregnancy and third trimester pregnancy. The maternity merchandise, clothing maternity, cheap clothes maternity and clothes designer maternity choices have never been greater with plenty to choose from online and at shopping centers across America. There are several popular designers who now design maternity fashions in fabrics, styles and colors appealing to women of all shapes and sizes. Designer jeans maternity are available from many designers along with maternity wedding dresses, maternity jackets and tops, maternity pants, maternity dresses and skirts and maternity lounge wear to name a few.

One of the most popular pieces of maternity merchandise, clothing maternity and cheap clothes maternity is that of the jeans. Maternity jeans can be found with elastic waists allowing room to grow for expecting mothers. Button and zipper up jeans maternity are also available in a variety of designs to include; ink finish maternity jeans, rock finish maternity jeans, light and dark wash maternity jeans, low cut and boot leg maternity jeans, maternity denim capri's, cropped jean maternity and various colored maternity jeans. Maternity jeans are such a great option for women while being pregnant as they can be worn casually or dressed up with a nice maternity blouse or shirt.

The choices in maternity merchandise, clothing and maternity bras give pregnant women lots of clothing options throughout their first trimester pregnancy, second trimester pregnancy and third trimester pregnancy. There is no shortage of maternity clothing designs for women whether they are attending a wedding (with maternity wedding dresses available), event or at home or the office.