Maternity Insurance|Maternity Care|Postpartum Care

Economic Depression can affect an individual, a family, a community, a nation and even the world.

Effects of Economic Depression -

1. Industries & businesses suffer a great loss during a great depression. To cope with this loss, generally industries reduce their labor force. This minimizes their expenses to a great extent. Economic crisis can lead many businesses even to bankruptcy. In this way, Depression Generates massive unemployment.

2. Economic Recession lasts a very bad impact on a functioning society. Due to high unemployment rates, many people don't get jobs. This increases social degradation like prostitution, crime, robbery, and movement of people from one place to another place.

3. Depression brings degradation in social services also. During normal economic conditions many people rely on different forms of government services. People can rely upon different government schemes until that get another job. Economic Depression makes a large portion of society unemployed. It makes a great pressure on services provided by the government. It becomes very difficult for the government to provide those services for a large number of people. Economic Depression Brings a drop down in tax revenues given by both businesses and government employees.

4. Due to Economic Depression an individual has to deal with great debts and carries a very little saving. Credit cards debt has become very common among American citizens and other countries of the world. Figures show that an average consumer own nine credit cards. Statistics show that 70% of houses are mortgaged & 23% of people have loan on their homes.

I am a grown-up with young children and a business. I can't possibly have time to 'socialise' or network online. So why is it I find myself interacting with people I have never met from all round the world, into the early hours, 'poking' on Facebook and 'nudging' on Twitter? God, I've even started my own blog and am in danger of transforming from a reasonably normal mother of three into a full-on geek!

We have all at least heard of internet dating sites and online chat rooms, and Which? reports tell us that 75% of UK internet shoppers who are women prefer buying online to going to the shops. Many of us use the internet for research and education, and for business networking. But what value can it possibly have for mothers of young children as a way to network socially?

US artist and avid social networker Susan Reynolds likens interacting on sites such as Facebook and Twitter to "an updated way of chatting over the fence while hanging clothes and getting personal insights which are better than search engine research".

In order to research this article, I myself dived into my online social networks and put out a call for information and suggestions. Within hours I had some quality links from @Rosevibe, @Cbensen and @Loudmouthman ('Twitter' names) and, more importantly, a group of peers interested in seeing and enjoying the final result. When you are working from home with young children, finding other people online who share your interests and help you to develop your own ideas and knowledge is a resource that I never dreamed of discovering a year ago.

Sharing knowledge and experience is important for parents who can so often feel isolated. I popped onto EveryClick (it's like Google, only they give money to charity every time you use them as your search engine) and typed in 'Mothers Blogs'. The first two natural listings were motherblogs and bloggingmommies. Both sites are guiding and encouraging mothers to share experiences and advice; but in the UK, Netmums works on a more community level, with 130 local sites and growing. Netmums was started by three mothers and has won a technology award for the most promising voluntary sector internet project. Co-founder Sally Russell says their success is down to a balance between hard facts and being a community of support. Netmums provides not just information, but the opportunity to find local like-minded women and to connect up physically as well as online. The site has been a godsend to some mothers suffering with postnatal depression who needed help and to feel supported.

For the growing number of men who are becoming house-parents, online networking can help them to access and even create their own local support groups. It is this 'community' element that has created my current addiction with online networking and taken me past the 'fear' threshold of working with technology previously unfamiliar to me. To begin your own blog is simple enough to tempt even the most ardent technophobe, and if you go onto Ning, you can create an entire personal social network, with blogs and forums and groups, for free. It's a fantastic way to extend the reach and increase the interactions within parenting support groups or just your own local school or community. No technical expertise required!

One of my Facebook friends, Ann Handley, posted: "The real value of social networking for women is that they can seek and find like-minded individuals at all stages of their lives. When I was a young mother - a breastfeeding, cloth-diaper-using, attachment-parenting mom who was working (freelance writing) from home - I often felt pretty isolated, without a 'network', wondering if I was outright loony some days... I would have loved a blog like dooce.com or a mother's group on Facebook, to connect with other mothers like me."

If I have an idea about something, need feedback, or just want to see what someone else is thinking about, I can go online and, through a selective build-up of Twitter buddies and Facebook friends, I can research information and get moral support from people who do not live in my locality, and I don't need to hire a babysitter first.

Wanting to share my own experiences of becoming involved with social networking and blogging and have some fun at the same time, I recently created Blogging for Blondes; but the key thing about a blog is not just what you write, it is the comments made by your readers which turn a solitary posting into a discussion within a community.

Deborah Fallows (How Women and Men Use the Internet) found that in the US "Men value the internet for the breadth of experience it offers; women value it for enriching their relationships, but are more concerned about its risks." Irrespective of the safety of online banking, online communication on a social level has many checks and measures. If someone wants to be my 'Friend' on Facebook, for example, it is entirely up to me whether I accept that offer, or even let them see my full profile online.

Ann Hadley believes that "women like to connect - not debate. So they may not comment on blogs, but they are nonetheless embracing social networks." However, women are increasingly finding their voice, and expressing it, via social networking online.

The Pew Internet & American Life Project found that blog creators in the US were more likely to be relatively well off financially and well educated, and 43% of all bloggers were women. Advertisers are taking note of the rise in educated and high-income women using social networking to take part in discussions and dialogues. The women's blogging site blogher.com publishes that 70% of the women subscribers are married, and 50% have children still living at home. 53% of BlogHer Parenting Network readers have their own blogs with which to publish and amplify their recommendations and referrals.

Glenda Stone, CEO at Aurora business networking group for women, says that many women entrepreneurs begin as mothers, working from home in a spare room, and the discussion forums on Aurora can provide "value added answers which they can trust - not only a quick answer to a question, but evaluations and recommendations into the bargain".

Access to information is key to advancing in the workplace, and having direct access to that information creates great opportunities for women in large corporations, especially if they are working part time from home or are on maternity leave. Tom Crawford, head of employer brand and diversity at professional services firm Deloitte, encourages the use of Facebook whilst providing advice and guidelines on its use, rather than just banning it from the workplace like many other employers have done.

Using a diverse range of networking resources, Deloitte employees can access mentors and buddies within their online women's, working parents' and carers' networks. It is the women employees who have tapped into this big time, and who have benefited the most from the sharing of information and networking with colleagues online. Why do Deloitte do this? Tom explains that they "want the broadest range of talent to fix the broadest range of client challenges", and to do that, you need to "talk to people in different ways and in different places, using a variety of online and offline tools".

My favourite recent example of social networking being used creatively is by the artist Susan Reynolds, who blogged in Case-Notes from the Artsy Asylum about her recent mild stroke. I had 'followed' her messages via Twitter during her hospital stay (at the same time as someone else had a kitten being taken to the vet and another was reporting on his wife being in labour), but Susan actively used her social networking as part of her rehabilitation: "through it all, a stream of social media has kept me connected and now it's helping me not just recover but document and test. Putting myself thorough my own battery of tests, Second Life and Facebook Scrabble have reassured me and helped test spatial, visual and language skills. Twitter, tumblr & Facebook mobile photos have allowed me to document and track activities and developments. Who said Social Media serves no useful purpose? Working for me so far."

Written by Suzy Miller, 1st published in Juno Winter Issue 13 2007

After my second child was born, and at about the time I stopped breast feeding at 5 months, I noticed, or rather my husband noticed that my moods and irritability at things wasn't 'normal'. I had always been a very consistent person. You always knew how I'd react to things within a reasonable parameter, I didn't 'flip out' or go into a rage about anything. I could argue, and disagree, but I was level headed and reasonable. Gradually as my baby became 6 months old and then 8 and 10 I was turning into a monster!

I'm going to share just a few incidents with you to illustrate this, because, what may be OK behaviours in some homes, or unreasonable in another can be very different. I'll let you be the judge of these incidents and if you recognise any of it, then you need to read on.

My husband would come home with his usual smile and cheery disposition after a day's work. I hadn't always managed to do all the housework, the meal was half prepared and I'd tell him I hadn't felt too good during the morning. So and so had called.. and I'd go into some detail as to how this person had made me feel inadequate, had commented on something I hadn't done, and how I now felt horrid and upset. I might even cry as I recounted this story.

This could now go one of two ways. If he said, that perhaps I could do more, and try to go out a bit more, get some exercise etc and maybe this would help me to feel better, I'd fly at him for criticising me, tell him it was clear he agreed with so and so, and rail at him for not hearing me when I said I hadn't been well that morning.

If he said not to worry, that so and so hadn't meant any harm and that maybe I'd misread the conversation, or even that so and so had no right to ring me and says such things, I'd still shout at him and ask what was his 'game', why was he trying to be nice, was it his usual trick of trying to keep me sweet for later when we went to bed!

On one occasion, he wanted to watch a TV programme that he'd highlighted in the TV book ( not just a whim then!). we sat down together, but after 5 minutes or so, I became irritated by the language, the drinking and the sad jokes and such that were not to my taste. I was rude and pushed him aside as I asked if we had to watch this? When he gently said, please could he, I stormed from the room, smacking the door with my hand as I left. He was trying to stay calm so said nothing, but didn't move. Once away from the room I crashed around in the kitchen for a minute or two, oblivious to children sleeping upstairs, but returned to the sitting room to angrily tell him how selfish he was etc. I successfully ruined his evening and mine, but was left just to sob on the bed until I calmed down and finally apologised.

Another occasion saw me slam the bathroom door so hard it cracked the plaster down beside the door frame. I threw that door into the wall so hard I ended up with bruises on my hand where the handle had been and almost a split door. Why had I repeatedly slammed it? Because the noise wasn't loud enough the first time, and also, my husband did not leap to his feet to chase after me and that irritated me as well.

Was I mad? Was this part of my usual personality? How was I when I spoke to people the next day, when someone noticed the bruises?

Well, to that question, evasive, dishonest, uncomfortable and unprepared to allow others to know quite what I was like. Mad? Well there were times when I felt maybe I was. Part of my real true self... absolutely not!

Never, in my life to that point had I experienced behaviour like this. I hadn't even engaged in arguments with raised voices, let alone a kind of violence. My parents had been quiet calm people and my husband had never raised his voice to me in the nine years I'd known him.

So what was going on?

Answer, Post-natal depression... What is it? A deficiency of the hormone progesterone, that has been dispensed after the birth in huge amounts, (with the placenta) causing the baby blues in many women, but in me, the blues and worse. I had never recovered. It wasn't a mental illness. No amount of anti-depressants were going to help. The same would be true if your symptoms occurred regularly on a monthly basis.

So what did? Taking progesterone.

My story and how I made it back to normality can be found on my website. But what you mustn't do, is put up with it and believe that all you need to do is find 'coping' mechanisms.

If you think that you may be suffering from stress, anxiety or depression check out these signs and symptoms and seek some professional help. Even if only one or two of these signs are familiar to you, you should read on and know what to look out for to avoid getting worse. It is a good idea to always surround yourself with friends and family and know how and where you can seek help. So without any further ado, here are some signs of depression that I have learned, from personal experience, to look out for:

Erratic Moods

If you are not properly medicated or otherwise treated for depression, you can become very irritated, moody and frustrated. Your moods may be erratic and it might even take you a few days to realize. it is highly likely that you have also been upsetting the people around you, such as your family and work colleagues, without even realizing it.

Fatigue or Restless Sleep

This is not necessarily a sign of depression, but more a contributing factor or aggravator of it. If your mind will not stop working at one million miles an hour, or your dreams are waking you up in a state of panic, then you should definitely seek some professional medical advice to help you to prevent things from getting worse. The answer may be as simple as changing your diet or getting some exercise so try this first before you outlay a lot of money on expensive medical appointments and medications.

Weight Gain or Weight Loss

Stress, anxiety and depression can affect people in different ways and for different reasons. Similarly, different people will exhibit different signs. In my experience, I notice that I tend to lose my appetite and significantly lose weight in the days leading up to a really depressing mood. And I do not have much weight to lose, so small changes in my weight can be quite significant. This is also despite the side effects of my prescription medication which increases my appetite. On the other hand, other people tend to comfort eat and gain weight before becoming depressed. In either case, changes in your weight, particularly if it is weight gain, can be a cause of stress, anxiety or depression in many people.

Withdrawal

A sudden withdrawal of contact with friends, family and work colleagues is obvious. However, if this occurs gradually over time, it is possible that no-one will notice until it is too late. Remember, it is possible for a person to be physically present in a social setting but emotionally or psychologically distant. Always make sure you are surrounded by people and if you cannot interact, then it is usually a good idea to spend time with your family.

Loss of Interest in Personal Presentation

This is possibly one of the most obvious signs to see when someone is experiencing trouble in their personal life. A person who is preoccupied with their troubling thoughts will often become lazy when it comes to applying make up, re-dying coloured hair or treating acne. In some cases, even failing to bathe can be obvious!

Memory Loss and Operating on Auto Pilot

This is one of the last signs that you might acknowledge, as everyone gets weighed down from time to time with the pressures of life. You should know for yourself once you have reached the point where nothing interests you, and you are simply doing what is required of you by everyone else, and nothing more. If your demeanor is not excitable and your stare is empty, if you have trouble engaging in conversation or making eye contact, then I strongly encourage you to find a family member to just be around. If you think you are becoming forgetful, often your memory is quite fine, it is just the case that you were not listening properly because you were caught up in your own thoughts.

Even if you are medicated for stress, anxiety or depression and are under the supervision of a medical professional, if any of these signs are familiar to you, it might be worthwhile requesting a second opinion to ensure that you have been prescribed the right medication for you. If, after reading this article, you have some concerns for someone close to you be careful and tactful in how you raise them. Be prepared to listen patiently, do not push for more information then the person is willing to give you initially, and make sure that they are aware that you are there to help if they need someone. Do not take an accusatory approach or make the person feel cornered or ashamed - they are probably feeling bad enough already.

There's no denying that there are many negative forces at work in today's society. We have battles in court, battles on soil belonging to neighboring countries', gang warfare, crazy people walking into local fast food joints and randomly spraying machine gun fire, police brutality, overpopulation, starving people, AIDS, cancer, pollution, dwindling resources, abusive and neglectful families, so many people caught up in material priorities, drugged from crack to Valium, from Ritalin to Prozac. We have destructive emotions like selfishness, fear, misery, envy, depression, jealousy, distrust, hate, racism, and anger. Just thinking about all the negative influences surrounding us is depressing. Pass the Prozac, please. It's easy to overlook the existence of positive elements in our society. We need to know both extremes in order to have something by which to base our standards. There needs to be a balance. The Yin and the Yang must co-exist. This is not to say that the scales cannot tip toward one side or the other, and in a world where the scales seem to be tipping towards the bad side, who wouldn't want to add a little weight to the good?

There have been and continue to be visionaries among us. The definition of Utopian is "ideal, but impractical". The Utopia in A Brave New World boasted physical comfort and "happiness" ensured by genetic manipulation and postnatal conditioning. The inhabitants of this new world were essentially slaves, bound not by literal chains, but by mental ones.

On the subject of happiness John says to Bernard, " Well, I'd rather be unhappy than have the sort of false, lying happiness you were having here". The happiness of the new world was not true happiness since it was conditioned. Just as one who has been hypnotized to walk around clucking like a chicken may think he is a chicken, he is not actually a chicken. Similarly, a woman regularly abused by her partner, being told that she is "worthless" and "stupid" eventually comes to believe it, whether it's true or not. One who is told he is happy often enough to believe it is not actually happy, he has just been brainwashed into believing so.

Based on his research, Abraham Maslow, a Philosopher of Humanistic Psychology, formed the theory of "self-actualization". He found that in order to obtain happiness, we must first satisfy the "needs" on the lower rungs of the ladder in order to progress up the ladder to the top.

Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs" in ascending order: 1) Physiological needs (hunger, thirst, shelter, rest) 2) Safety needs (protected from illness, elements) 3) Love (receiving and giving love, affection, trust, acceptance, family, friends) 4) Esteem needs (esteem, respect of others and self) 5) Cognitive needs (knowledge, understanding, curiosity) 6) Aesthetic needs (art, nature, balance, order) 7) Self actualizing (successful development and use of personal talents and abilities).

In accordance with Maslow's theory, Brave New Worlder's don't have the potential to be happy. They couldn't progress much past the 2nd rung of the ladder. Love was denied to them due to the "appalling dangers of family life". Their cognitive needs were not fulfilled. They could be brainwashed, but not actually learn anything. The example given was of the little boy who could recall from his sleep teaching the statement about the Nile river being the longest in Africa, but not knowing which river in Africa was the longest. They did not have independent thought. In fact, they did not have most of Maslow's characteristics of psychologically healthy people: "an objective perception of reality, independence, need for privacy, empathy, resistance to conformity, democratic characteristics, or the keenness to be creative".

Today's society is slowly but surely creeping towards being more and more controlled. Big business and Government are two powerful forces united, driven by money and power. We're still giving fingerprints as a form of ID; will DNA be next? Our spending is monitored. We have credit and debit cards; even our paper money contains a metallic strip, for tracking. We are constantly being watched by cameras on every street corner, the highway, the park, work, shopping. Animals' whereabouts are tracked by microchips that have been implanted in their bodies. Are we next? How about cloning?

Like the "orgie porgies", "feelies" and "soma", we're being given distractions to divert our attention from realities such as these. To keep independent thought at bay, Ritalin, Prozac, TV "news", soap operas, talk shows, and the internet are given to us. Advertising is stuffed down our throats. Catchy tunes reminding us how much we need this or that. The power of suggestion is strong. Mass production needs mass consumption. In A Brave New World the statements "Ending is better than mending", "I love new clothes..", "The more stitches, the less riches" were drilled into heads. Another form of distraction in A Brave New World was the constant groups of people, of strangers. This is similar to our city life. Masses of people lose individually, making them easier to lead. Churches have known this throughout history.

In A Brave New World, the Controller spoke to John of their nine year war and of how the masses were "ready to have even their appetites controlled then. Anything for a quiet life". Are we heading toward a new society? A society slowly and methodically being reformed to better serve the needs of someone in a position of power? Will we soon be willing to give up our freedoms in exchange for physical safety as in the Brave New World?

So you're a new mother and suffering from feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and despair? You are most likely a victim of Postnatal Depression/Postpartum Depression (PND and PPD). Postpartum depression is a highly common disease that affects one in every five new mothers. If left untreated the symptoms of postnatal depression can change your personality forever.

When I was dealing with PPD my doctor advised me to jump onto prescription anti-depressants. I was very much against this course of action. I did not know how I would react to these strong medication. They all seemed to have a high risk of dependency. I also did not like the idea of being all looped up on drugs while caring for my first newborn child.

I turned to the internet for help; I found a lot of great information out there in books and journals. I found stories of hundreds of other women who were going through exactly what I was. With the combination of the remedies I found online I was able to completely stop suffering from my postnatal depression symptoms.

The most influential thing I believe to aid in my quest to be happy again was St. Johns Wort. St. Johns Wort is a natural plant related to the mint family. Considered a weed in most of America, for thousands of years people have used to plant to help battle depression. Recently medical studies have shown that it can be as effective as prescription anti-depressants but with less cases of side effects.

So what are the signs and symptoms of Post Natal Depression?

After many years of trying for a baby what a blow it was to find that after the birth of my beautiful daughter I felt utterly useless, had no energy and I was constantly questioning the purpose of life.

I had imagined that this would be the most ecstatic time of my life when everything I had yearned for such a long time (the arrival of my first child) had finally come to pass.

How wrong can you be? Instead I felt desperation and totally unable to cope on my own. My family kept rotas to keep me company and, as they though, sane!

The doctor kept telling me I had post natal depression but I was in denial and insisted something far more serious was wrong with me. For the sake of my family, and my beautiful baby, I eventually entered into a counselling program and started a course of antidepressants. I honestly thought I would never be "normal" again but I'm pleased to say that a full recovery ensued and I also went on to have another gorgeous daughter.

If you are reading this article and can relate to my experience please don't delay like I did. Go to your GP who can tell you if you have post natal depression and seek the treatment that is best for you.

If you think you could be suffering from post natal depression your symptoms could be some or all of the following:

Crying - This can be for no reason at all, over silly little things and can even be most of the time.

Low Mood - You find it difficult to show an interest in anything and you take little or no pleasure in your loved ones or surroundings.

Feelings of Guilt - You feel you are a burden on others and feel particularly guilty that you are a bad mother.

Eating - This can be either over-eating or an inability to eat.

Aches and Pains This can be problems with your eye sight, pain in your abdomen, even headaches and in particular worrying that something very serious is wrong with you.

No interest in sex.

These are only a few of many possible symptoms but do remember this can happen to anybody. Even the bubbly and chirpy Stacey Solomon who won our hearts on the X Factor and became "queen of the jungle" became a victim to this very cruel form of depression.

Though most teas are made from only the leaves of herbs, jasmine green tea is different. It is made by adding the jasmine flower to the tea Cultivated widely for its beautiful flowers, jasmine is any of more than 200 species with fragrant white, yellow or red flowers.

The jasmine plant was brought to China from Persia sometime in the third century AD but never became popular there until about 1000 years ago. Yin Hao is considered the finest jasmine tea Other popular versions are Xiang Pian, Dragon Phoenix Pearl, and Mo Li Hua Cha, the latter being possibly the most popular scented tea worldwide.

Jasmine green tea is made by starting with a Chinese green tea for a base. Some will use pouchong/oolong or black tea but green is more common. The tea leaves are plucked and processed in April and May and then kept dry until the jasmine flowers bloom in August and September.

The flowers are gathered when they are fully open, either at midnight or early in the morning. Then they are placed with the tea so that the scent of the flower can be absorbed over the next four hours. The flowers are then removed. This will be repeated from two to seven times over a month's processing before the tea is ready for sale. Grading of the tea is determined by how many scentings the tea has gotten over a month. Low grade is 2-3 scentings. Higher grades will use seven scentings over the month.

Most green teas with jasmine contain a significant amount of polyphenols, plant-based substances that have proven to have anticancer, antiviral, and antioxidant properties. This helps prevent certain cancers and slows aging by eliminating free radicals. Jasmine is good for diabetes prevention and reducing high blood pressure. It is believed to prevent strokes, heart attacks, thrombosis, and arterial sclerosis.

Other jasmine tea health benefits include the ability to reduce the risk of blood clot, prevent allergy and flu, reduce blood sugar, keep fluid balance, boost the immune system and provide oral care and fluoride that helps protect against cavities and prevent tooth decay. One of the jasmine tea health benefits is to improve intestine conditions by blocking development and growth of bad bacteria and strengthening good bacteria.

In addition, jasmine tea fights food poisoning, including cholera, dysentery, and piccoli causing gastric ulcers. Gargling with jasmine green tea is believed to be one of the most effective ways to protect oneself from influenza, as the tea performs anti-viral functions.

Today, jasmine is known in alternative health care as an effective anti-depressant, including post-natal depression, and menopause problems. Along with raspberry leaf tea it has been used to help childbirth and milk production. It can help relieve muscle and joint pain, including chronic back pain and is considered a romantic enhancer.

Recent studies show that drinking jasmine tea may fight fat. People who consumed tea with jasmine tea extract during the period of three months lost more fat than those who consumed regular oolong tea It seems substances found in jasmine tea known as catechins, trigger weight loss by decreasing body fat and stimulating the body to burn calories.

To prepare a cup of tea simply steep about one half teaspoon of tea in water from 170ºF to 190ºF for two minutes. You can repeat the steeping up to two times. You should consume at least four cups a day. This tea is served with strongly flavored foods or served alone. It is good with curries, chicken and fish, and vegetarian dishes. A good quality jasmine green tea will work beautifully with fruit and flower salads, or desserts made with flowers, or soft cheeses with pressed flowers.

Everyone feels low at some time in their lives. It can be caused by a variety of reasons such as an unsolved problem, having a bad day, feeling ill or simply tiredness. Having a spot of the blues is a natural part of our emotional make-up - it is only a problem when it develops into a state of depression and when that happens it is best to seek medical care.

For a simple of case of feeling low, there are lots of methods you can use to start to feel better again. For instance, if you know that you are feeling low due to your health, start to take better care of yourself. Get plenty of sleep and eat healthy foods. A constant diet of junk food or soda will quickly deplete your body of the essential vitamins and minerals it needs to maintain balance and health - and that includes emotional and psychological health. It is also important to get some form of regular exercise every day. This doesn't have to be a burn-out session in the gym - it can be something as simple as a walk or yoga or gardening. Choose an activity that you enjoy so that you are more likely to stick to it.

A low mood is often made worse with alcohol consumption, so it's best to avoid drinking altogether when you feel low. Alcohol is, as most people know, a depressant so if you are feeling low to begin with, alcohol will make your mood even worse.

If a problem is causing your low mood, you need to start to work on solving the problem as soon as possible. That sounds obvious, but it is surprising how many people try to ignore their problems or make no effort to solve them and subsequently wind up depressed. If you have a problem it is important to try to take control. Talk to someone who can offer you advice or assistance. If stress is the cause of your low mood, look into stress management strategies. It is important to take positive action to lift your mood because the longer you remain feeling low the greater the chance that depression can sink in.

It is also very important to stay away from any additional negativity that may be present in your life, whether that is people or situations. Negativity itself can trigger low moods, so it goes without saying that it can make an existing low mood worse. There are certain people who relish others' problems and love to wallow in self-pity. For the sake of your well-being, these people are best avoided. Instead, seek out people who can actively help you and have a positive outlook on life. Don't allow yourself to be dragged by others (or yourself) into a spiral of negative thinking. Negative thought patterns are another fast track to feeling low. Whenever you begin to feel any negativity, start to focus on the good things in your life and be grateful for the many blessings you have. And remember that feeling low is, most of the time, a passing phase that happens to us all.

The emotions play an important part during pregnancy. The changing balance of the hormones upsets the emotional balance, and the expectant mother may find that she swings from feeling excited and happy to being miserable and depressed. Even if she is pleased at the news of her pregnancy she will feel anxious and worried about the prospect of becoming a mother. These fears will soon pass, especially if she receives the support, advice and comfort she requires from her partner, family and doctor. Persistent depression and anxiety may affect her sleep and appetite, which will in turn affect her baby. She must therefore discuss any problems with her doctor or health visitor and try to change her attitude of mind. The old saying that a happy mother will produce a happy baby has got an element of truth in it. Doctors will only supply tranquillisers for extreme cases of depression, because of the need to avoid unnecessary drug-taking during pregnancy.

This is a list of alternatives to drugs, which can help to change the emotional state. Can you add to the list?

• A few days away on holiday or visiting relations.

• Going out for the evening to the cinema or a pub, or for a meal.

• Buying a new outfit, or, if the prospective mother enjoys making things, getting some fabric to make a garment.

• Joining an evening or day class and learning a new skill.

• Going along to a local Mother and Baby Group, Young Wives Group, or a branch of the group MAMA (Meet A Mum Association). It is easy to talk over problems with other prospective or new mothers, and encouraging to find that they suffer depression also.

Many new expectant mothers feel guilty because they are depressed; they feel inadequate at the thought of so much responsibility, and they feel insecure at the thought that their husbands may not love them so much as they advance into pregnancy. This is when it is important that the prospective mother realises that these mixed and complicated emotions are all part of her condition and the problems exist only in her own mind.

Everyone likes to feel loved - babies perhaps most of all. Amazingly, scientists believe that even newborns sense when they are loved, and that this is most easily communicated through touch. So what better way to give your baby that lovin' feeling than through massage?

Babies love to feel loved, and what better way to express that love than with a massage?

Studies have shown that baby massage can help babies to relax and sleep better, and perhaps even boost their immune systems. It also can be instrumental in aiding proper digestion by helping to disperse wind and ease colic. A massage through the gums can help babies who are suffering the pain of teething, while a face massage has been shown to help unblock a stuffy nose.

More importantly, baby massage can be key to forming a strong parental bond. Babies who have regular physical contact seem to thrive better overall, and massage is a great way to give new parents confidence and newfound competence in caring for a baby. In fact, baby massage is often prescribed for mothers who suffer from post-natal depression. And scientific research has concluded that premature babies who underwent regular, gentle massage gained more weight and became more alert and active.

Baby Massage Classes

As long as you do it in a safe, loving manner, there is no real right or wrong way to massage a baby. However, many parents feel more comfortable giving a massage - especially to a newborn - if they have been taught by a professional.

Baby massage classes not only provide the basics in giving your baby a massage, but also a great way to meet other parents and participate in an activity that can bring you and your baby closer together. It also is a fantastic way for first-time parents to feel more comfortable when handling their child, and realize that babies don't break as easily as they might think.

Most massage classes last for about an hour, and usually end with a coffee break (for the parents, that is). Adults are taught how to massage their child in detail, and which kind of techniques are best suited to ease specific complaints (some classes are geared toward premature infants, or babies with disabilities). Types of massage oils (see below) are also discussed, and in some classes baby reflexology and baby yoga are also on the menu.

Do-It-Yourself Massage

If you want to give your baby a massage at home, it's easy and virtually free. The key to a happy massage is to follow your little one's lead, and to stop if he or she appears unhappy or unwell. Follow these simple steps to get maximum effect:

Find a time when the baby is happy and relaxed. It's no use planning a massage when your little cherub is hungry, exhausted or screaming his or her head off. It's best when they wake up from a nap or are in a good mood before a feed.

Choose a quiet, warm place - it's recommended that the room is roughly 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Don't schedule a massage in a cold kitchen, or when there are screaming toddlers around. The goal is to make baby feel happy and secure. Get it?

Prepare a massage mat. A blanket or towel will do, but make sure it won't be ruined by the the massage oil you choose - or the baby. You know what they're like once their diapers come off...

Clean and warm your hands. Avoid using a heavily perfumed soap or hand lotion.

Begin the massage. Undress your baby - you can leave their diaper on if desired - and them on their back. Start with small, soft strokes on their head, then move to the chest. Start in the middle with little strokes, moving outward. You can do the tummy, the back, even the hands and feet. You'll quickly learn what the baby likes and dislikes, so let them guide you.

Top Tips

Follow these top tips to make the experience as relaxing as possible - for both of you:

Don't give your baby a massage when he has a full tummy. Some babies also balk at the idea when they need a feed, although some enjoy a massage followed by a breastfeed.

Many people like lying the baby on a mat or blanket on the floor. But if back pain is a consideration, you can put him or her on the floor, a sofa or even a table. Just make sure they don't roll off!

Playing peaceful music in the background, or even calming nursery rhymes, can help the baby to relax, and also be a signal that the massage is about to begin.

Natural oils are best to use with baby massage - so you don't need to buy baby oil. Many parents like plain old olive oil, although vegetable oil with a touch of lemon or other flavors will do. Don't use almond oil unless you are sure your child has no nut allergies, and steer clear of certain essential oils, which aren't good for small babies. And avoid putting oil on the baby's face or neck.

Newborns are often happy with a short massage lasting five minutes or less, while the older the baby gets the longer the massage can be. Follow your baby's lead and stop if they seem bored, disinterested or distressed.

Baby massage not only makes your little one feel happy and loved, it can also be instrumental in helping a mom - or dad - bond with their child. It also gives both adult and child time to relax and take time out from the hassles and cares of everyday life. For parents with older children and little time to spare, it can become a special one-on-one time that can make a real difference in years to come.

For anyone who has had a massage, it's easy to see why a baby would enjoy one as well. But keep in mind that baby massage is as much for the parent as the child. Babies can sense when a parent is unhappy or stressed, and this can have an effect on them. Regular massage, up to three times a week, can help keep those stressful times at bay.

What is a hormone? Our bodies naturally produce lots of different chemical messengers that travel by way of the blood stream to all parts of the body to stimulate either the increase or decrease of some bodily function or to tell other glands to increase or decrease secretion of another hormone. So, hormones are in the business of either up-regulating or down-regulating activity in the body. It doesn't take much hormone to alter cell metabolism. We have two dominant female hormones-estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen ensures the development of female characteristics at puberty. After this, its role is primarily to build the uterine lining each month prior to fertilization as well as to help regulate the menstrual cycle. Progesterone becomes important in maintaining the uterine lining for implantation of a fertilized egg. There is a delicate balancing act between these two hormones.

Since this article is dealing with hot versus cold-we are looking at hot flashes and other menopausal unpleasant sensations as the production of these hormones is decreased. Menopause literally means "last period" and occurs somewhere between the ages of 45 to 52 with the cessation of egg production in the ovaries.

What Is the Real Cause of Hot Flashes and Night Sweats?

These symptoms are very common during menopause but can occur at any age when there is a hormone imbalance. Hormone balance is your body's natural state but when there are too many demands on your body, its ability to balance hormones is overwhelmed. The resulting hormonal imbalance gives rise to hot flashes or night sweats. Basically, the heat-regulatory area of the brain is "tricked" into thinking the body needs to dispel heat, causing it to send out signals for blood vessels to dilate, heart rate to increase, and sweat glands to open. The result is the unpleasant rush of heat, perspiration, dizziness, and pounding heart that characterize hot flashes. This demand creates hormonal imbalance that tends to peak in peri-menopause which is why hot flashes are commonly thought of as a menopausal symptom. But women can experience hormonal imbalance at any stage in their lives.

How Can Essential Oils Help?

Here are some "hormone-like" essential oils: German chamomile and clary sage are both hormone-like and act as a decongestant on your system; cypress and niaouli are both estrogen-like and can help to regulate menses; peppermint is an ovarian stimulant and can be cooling. For hot flashes and sweating-clary sage, cypress, peppermint or pine oils for the excessive perspiration. Some find a combination of clary sage and geranium oils to be a life-saver.

Clary sage is well known for treating hormone imbalances. It contains sclareol, a diterpene alcohol that makes it estrogen-like in its effect on the body. It has a euphoric effect in general, can act as a uterine tonic, help with painful menses, hot flashes, post-natal depression, panic attacks, impotence, and frigidity. It is considered an oil that is a "gift to the female." It can get rid of monthly boat, regulate menses, balance the endocrine system including the pituitary and the pancreas making it helpful for diabetics.

Geranium is much more subtle than clary sage. It is used primarily for breast engorgement, vaginal thrush, painful periods, PMS, and uterine hemorrhage. It has a calming, uplifting and strengthening effect. Some find it especially good for hot flashes and vaginal dryness.

Love-making or sexual union is vital to man-woman relationship. It is elemental and occurs in accordance with the law of nature. Thus one is bound to feel attracted towards opposite sex and desire for a sexual union, for nature has created him or her in that way. Sexual union deepens the emotional bond between man and woman, for a woman usually considers her body as pure as the abode of God, and when she offers that very body to a man, she actually offers him her entire existence. This realization causes her to love her man from the core of her heart, and also causes her man to respond to her love emotionally.

However sexual dysfunction of either man or woman erodes the enjoyment expected out of sex. The enjoyment derived from sexual union touches the zenith when both partners participate in it actively, or else embarrassment and frustration would seep in, making the relationship tumultuous. This is why various pharmaceutical companies have launched in enhancement products to rejuvenate sexual life and help distressed couples.

Drop in libido or desire for sex is a dysfunction which many women experience as they progress in age. Perimenopause, menopausal and post-natal periods are phases when this problem acquires immense dimension. This leads to poor sexual response of woman during sexual encounters. At the root of the problem lies, the declining levels of female sex hormones in her body.

The other causes of poor female libido may be stress and depression, hostile relationship between sexual partners or aversion towards partner, fatigue arising out of child care or management of household chores, trauma related to previous history of sexual abuse, poor body image and lack of sexual confidence, any surgery in or injury to genital tract, fear of painful sex which actually occurs due to vaginal dryness, tightening, infections or atrophy in vulva or vagina, diseases like arthritis, diabetes, neurological disorders, cardiovascular problems, alcohol dependence, drug dependence, smoking, medications like birth control pills, antidepressants, appetite-suppressors, mood stabilizers or tranquilizers etc.

Poor female libido can be managed through lifestyle changes, increased water intake, intake of healthy diet rich in estrogenic elements like soy, potato, wheat, rice, cherries, apple etc, practicing yoga, meditation and other stress relieving methods. Hormone replacement therapy or HRT is another way of tackling poor female libido. Also luckily there are plenty of libido enhancers available in market which a woman can try out. If one opts for herbal female libido enhancers, one can go totally worry-less, because herbal products exclude the adverse side-effects of synthetic drugs.

HerSolution pills are one such purely herbal female libido enhancement pills. The potent natural ingredients of the product increase a female's sexual appetite, improve sexual sensations, and give highly intense orgasms. Intake of the pill would give a massive blow to the woman's fire of passion that had come down to flickers only, and it would definitely burst in to flames once more. The pills enjoy the approval of sex therapist and would have no negative impact on the woman's body. If a woman takes HerSolution pills, her man would discover her anew in bed. Apart from enhancing libido, the pills bring back natural lubrication in vagina, increase the anticipations of sex, quicken sexual arousal, enhance sensitivity in clitoris and bring back intense sensations in genital areas by elevating blood supply to the area. Thus the product retrieves the lost magic in a woman's sexual life. One has to take one pill a day.

The ingredients of the pill include Gingko Biloba, Niacin, Epimedium Sagittatum, Melatonin, Hops extracts, Tribulus Terrestrial, Mucuna Pruriens, Dehydroepiandrosdterone etc. These natural ingredients are in perfect blend and work together to promote female sexual response and revitalize a female's love life.

Joining an activity group is the perfect way to let your baby socialize and find out about the world. And as an added bonus, it could also save your own sanity

For most new parents the first few weeks pass in a whirl of cooing relatives, sleepless nights and mysterious milky mess. But there comes a time for every new mummy and daddy when things finally start to fall into place.

Now you know which way round a sleep suit goes, you can operate the car seat and even have the confidence to drive your precious bundle at more than ten miles an hour, it's time to leave the confines of home.

Luckily there are a multitude of baby groups and activities suitable for little minds keen to learn from all they see and hear.

Not only do they provide babies with an important opportunity to make contact with their tiny colleagues, at a time when rates of postnatal depression are on the rise, these activities can be equally important for new mums who can easily find themselves feeling lonely and isolated.

For the very young, baby massage classes are a great place to start.

Experts say the technique of rubbing your baby's body with natural oils can help you to bond while promoting sleep and helping relieve colic.

Baby Yoga can also help to produce a chilled out cherub and classes give you the chance to interact with your baby through movement, song and relaxation.

With light shows, baby rock and roll, instruments and a large play area, Baby Sensory classes are full of excitement for both parents and tots.

The classes are packed full of ideas of how to stimulate and soothe your baby and there is also a chance to learn baby signing to help with early communication.

Once you've brushed up on your nursery rhymes, there are many opportunities for public performances.

Rhyme Time is a free session for the under twos held twice a month at Salisbury Library.

Parents sing a mixture of old classics and new favourites while the babies bounce along on their laps and play instruments.

Also for the musically minded are Jo Jingles classes which combine music, singing and movement with an array of instruments and exciting paraphernalia like parachutes and bubble machines.

The delightfully named Jolly Babies also provides an early introduction to music and children are encouraged to develop a sense of rhythm as well as have a go at baby signing.

More active babies will enjoy Gym Babes where tots are encouraged to play and crawl together.

As they find their feet they move on to Tumble Tots where they can start to jump, roll and climb on a range of exciting equipment.

And for water babies, Five Rivers Leisure Centre holds daily parent and child swimming lessons where you can splash around together while singing nursery rhymes, playing with toys and developing confidence in the water.

Activities can be equally important for new mums who can easily find themselves feeling lonely and isolated.

Quite a number of women suffer from postnatal depression a few weeks after they have given birth. According to researchers, approximately 14 percent of women who have given birth will suffer from the depression. Some women who suffer from this form of depression go through a lot of turmoil, sometimes lasting for more than a few years. In this light, it can be helpful for the expecting mother to know if she will develop it. Scientists are experimenting with some methods to determine if a woman can develop the depression. One of these methods involves a simple blood test. Is it possible? Let's take a look.

The symptoms of post birth depression include irritability, anxiety, reduced sexual drive, crying spells, changes in sleeping and eating habits, and sadness. It's important to distinguish it from "baby blues" where the symptoms are temporary and milder. Most women go through a period of "baby blues" because of the demands of motherhood and the changes in their lives. As for women who suffer from this despair, the illness can be quite devastating. If they don't get the necessary professional help, it can spiral into something more serious.

According to a study conducted at the University of Warwick Medical School, the researchers propose that it's possible to predict the likelihood that a woman will suffer from post birth depression. This is done by checking for specific genetic variants, and the researchers are confident that a blood test can be used to make a similar prediction. On May 7, 2012, the University of Warwick's professor of molecular medicine, Dr. Dimitris Grammatopoulos, presented the findings of the study to the European Congress of Endocrinology/International Congress of Endocrinology.

Using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Score, the researchers from the university studied a group of 200 pregnant women. The first time that the women were assessed was the time of their first prenatal visit. After that, the women were assessed for a second time about two to eight weeks after they have given birth. The researchers discovered that the women who suffered from it had a higher probability of possessing specific genetic variants such as the hormone receptor-1 genes that release corticotrophin and the glucocorticoid receptor's rs242939 single nucleotide polymorphisms and bcl1. The hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, an endocrine system, is controlled by these receptors. This system is activated by stress.

Dr. Grammatopoulos explained that the University of Warwick's study was the first to prove that there's a link between postnatal depression and the specific genetic variants of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. Buoyed by the findings from this study, she revealed that the university will be expanding their research with women from other parts of England in a bigger, multi-centre study. The focus will be on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis' other genetic elements.

As you can see from the results of this groundbreaking study at the University of Warwick, it's possible to predict this depression with a blood test. It will be a great help for pregnant women if they know that they are likely to develop post birth depression because they can be better prepared to deal with it.

Postpartum depression affects one in every five new mothers. Many women are unprepared for the reality that they may face when dealing with the symptoms. The most important aspect of dealing with any disease is understanding what is causing these feelings. Postpartum Depression is unique in that there are many factors that can cause it.

After you give birth your body experience a huge drop in estrogen and progesterone. This is thought to be one of the many reasons for postnatal depression. Your thyroid also begins to create less hormones, this can cause feelings of exhaustion, depression, and increased sleep. The hormones produced by your You may also experience changes in your blood pressure, immune system and rate of metabolize.

A new child will also affect you emotionally. The lack of sleep associated with a new born can be overwhelming and when in this state all of your emotions may be accentuated. It is not uncommon for new mothers to feel unattractive, worthless, an anxious. Some new mothers also have feelings that they have lost control of their life.

If you have a history of depression or mental illness you are at a higher risk of developing Postpartum Depression. Older siblings, a fussy baby, trouble with breastfeeding, and issues with your personal finance can cause unwanted stress that can make you suffer worse. It is important to have the support of loved ones around you.

All of these factors have a varying degree of significance in how bad your Postpartum Depression will be.

Learn How To Eat

Healthy eating begins with learning how to eat, which can defend you again heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and depression, and can boost your energy, sharpen your memory and stabilize your mood. You can find people on health related social networking sites discussing a range of healthy food choices and you can learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a satisfying, healthy diet. Such topics discussed include healthy eating tips.

• Eating with others has many social and emotional benefits than eating in front of the TV or computer.


• Take time to chew your food slowly and enjoy mealtimes.


• Ask yourself if you are really hungry or actually really thirsty. Have a glass of water to see whether you are only thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full.


• Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, be sure to eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day.

Drink More Water

People found on health related social networking sites advise others to drink more water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many people go through life dehydrated, causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It's common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated leads to a healthier lifestyle.

What About Exercise?

When it comes to preventing, controlling, or reversing diabetes, consider exercising. Regular exercise maintains your weight and can improve your insulin sensitivity. One of the easiest moderate-intensity activities is walking for 30 minutes five or more times a week, swimming or riding a bike. You can discuss with others on social networking sites your exercise achievements and compare results.

Eat In Moderation

The most common advice seen on social networking sites is not to deprive yourself of the foods you love, but eat them in moderation. Try not to think of certain foods as off-limits. When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. Think smaller portions. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty, or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. You may find that you are craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.

Eat The Rainbow

Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. Colorful and deeply colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and different colors provide different benefits.

• Greens, such as broccoli, and Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options, all packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and K.


• Sweet vegetables, such as corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, yams, onions, and squash


• Fruit such as berries, apples, oranges and mangoes, are satisfying way to fill up on fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Healthy Carb Options

Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel fuller for longer, while keeping your blood sugar and insulin levels stable. Healthy carbs include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables.

Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy. These include white flour, refined sugar, and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber, and nutrients. Blogs found on social networking sites document peoples experience on carb intake.

Eat Healthy Fats

Eating healthy fat nourish your brain, heart, hair, skin, and nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood, and help prevent dementia. Unhealthy fats like saturated fats and trans fats should be reduced or eliminated from your diet. There are various healthy fats to consider and remain in your diet, and these include:

• Monounsaturated fats that are derived from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans, and seeds such as pumpkin, sesame.


• Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies and sardines oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, flaxseed oil, and walnuts.

Guidelines To Protein

Protein aids to the building blocks of our body that provides growth and energy, while maintaining cells, tissues, and organs. A lack of protein can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. The different types of protein include beans such as black beans and lentils, nuts such as almonds and walnuts, and soy products such as tofu and soy milk.

Calcium Equals Healthy Bones

Calcium-rich foods are one of the key nutrients that your body needs in order to stay strong and healthy. The recommended calcium levels are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Good sources of calcium-rich foods include dairy products such as milk and cheese, vegetables such as leafy greens and celery, and beans such as black beans and kidney beans.

Breastfeeding is the most natural way of nursing an infant. In the early 1900s, the numerous health benefits of human milk were not known; but today we are aware of all its health promoting properties, not just for baby but also for mother.

o Nursing baby requires a lot of energy, especially when baby experiences a growth spurt and demands very frequent feeding. As such, breastfeeding is nature's easiest diet because it uses an extra 500 to 1,000 calories a day. If the mother eats healthily this is the chance to shed those unwanted pounds.

o By feeding baby, the body releases the hormone oxytocin which helps contract the uterus during the first few days after birth. This is extremely helpful as it stops residual bleeding and the uterus regains its former shape much quicker.

o Several studies have shown that breastfeeding is related to developing breast cancer; if a woman has breastfed she is at lower risk for pre-menopausal breast cancer.

o Continuous infant feeding prevents contraception by stopping ovulation. This phenomenon has been called "exogestation" - gestation outside the womb - because the female fertility system is programmed as if it was still pregnant. Baby's suckling sends a message to the body which indicates the baby's developmental stage: the more baby feeds the higher is the contraceptive protection; however, if baby is breastfed less frequently (less than every two hours), contraceptive protection may be much lower.

o The risk of developing ovarian cancer, osteoporosis and hip fractures in later life has also been shown to be significantly lower when breastfeeding.

o Women who have breastfed are less likely to develop heart disease too, as they tend to have higher levels of good cholesterol (HDL) in their blood.

o Mild forms of postnatal depression may be reduced or even prevented because the body's hormones make mothers feel more positive overall.

o Breastfeeding is cheaper: it does not require you to buy a lot of equipment and the savings in formula milk can add up significantly.

Most importantly, nursing mothers all agree that feeding baby is accompanied by an extremely warm, comforting feeling which helps strengthen a deep rooted bond. While baby suckles hormones are released into the mother's body which calm and relax her in order to make it a very positive experience, especially when she feels tired or stressed.

Are you at risk of, or experiencing, postpartum depression? Would you like a more natural alternative to drug therapies? Chances are your diet is lacking in essential fatty acids and eating more fish or taking fish oil supplements could make all the difference.

First, let's clarify what we mean by postpartum depression, or postnatal depression. This is a form of clinical depression, usually lasting for several months. It's characterised by feelings of sadness, anxiety and irritableness, fatigue, insomnia, appetite changes, reduced libido and crying episodes. It shouldn't be confused with maternity blues or 'baby blues', which generally last only a few hours or days.

But whether you're experiencing postpartum depression or a dose of the baby blues, it seems that fish oil could be the key to alleviating both conditions.

It's not the oil itself but the omega 3 fatty acids in oily fish that can help to improve mood and behaviour.

It has been well known for some time that fatty acids are essential for the healthy formation of the brain's nerve cell membranes and membrane fluidity. Because nerve cell function depends on proper membrane functioning and membrane fluidity, any changes can have a negative effect on behavior, mood and mental function.

A 1998 report in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that patients with depression had significantly lower levels of omega 3s in their red blood cell membranes.

It seems that omega 3 makes it easier for serotonin - the chemical that carries messages from one brain cell to another - to pass through cell membranes. Increasing the fatty acid levels has a direct effect on increasing serotonin levels and the more serotonin, the better a person's mood and behaviour.

People with bipolar disorder can also benefit from increased omega 3s as their mood swings can be significantly smoothed out. Anyone taking antidepressants for postpartum depression should also consider boosting their intake, as studies show that the effectiveness of this medication can be improved.

To reinforce the connection between a good intake of omega 3s and reduced postpartum depression, people from cultures that consume a lot of these essential fatty acids have significantly lower rates of depression.

Fish or fish oil supplements?

In recent times, most of us have tried to reduce our consumption of fats in the interests of good heart health and our waistlines. But it seems that we may have gone a little too far.

Grass-fed beef and eggs are both good sources of omega 3 fatty acids but we have turned away from these saturated fat foods in favour of polyunsaturated plant fats, such as corn, soybean and sunflower oils.

Although these plant-based oils can help reduce bad saturated fats in our diet, they are low in omega 3s.

The best source of fatty acids is fish oil. This is because it contains the two main fatty acids, DHA and EPA. You can also get omega 3s from plants such as flaxseeds and walnuts but they don't contain both EPA and DHA. Instead, they contain ALA, another type of fatty acid, which your body can convert to EPA and DHA. Unfortunately, the conversion process isn't very efficient and you need about 11 grams of ALA just to get one gram of DHA.

So oily fish is the best source of omega 3s for postpartum depression.

But there is a downside to consuming more oily fish. Often, these fish are farmed or caught in waters that contain high levels of mercury and other heavy metals, as well as PCBs and dioxins. These substances can seriously damage your health over time and so many people turn to fish oil supplements instead.

A good quality supplement will be molecularly distilled to remove any trace of contaminants. It should also be fresh - check the manufacturer's certificate of analysis (COA) on their website to make sure they test their product's oxidation levels. An oxidised product will be full of free radicals, which damage cells and undo all the benefits of taking the oil.

So there's no need to put up with the symptoms of postpartum depression, or the baby blues, when help could be at hand in the form of simple fish oil supplements. If you would like more information about omega 3 and its many benefits, or about the supplements I use daily myself, please visit my website.

"Babywearing" simply means holding or carrying a baby or young child using a baby carrier. Everyone enjoys holding a baby, it is a natural. But many people are nervous or scared, baby carriers make it easier and more comfortable, allowing parents and caregivers to hold or carry their children while attending to the daily tasks of living. When done properly, carrying a baby in a soft baby carrier can be safer than carrying a baby in your arms. Babywearing using a baby carrier means your muscles won't get tired and the baby is safer in case of a fall or loss of balance.

There are many benefits to babywearing for the caregiver and especially for the baby. Here are a few of my favourite benefits:

• Babywearing allows the caregiver to be more aware of their baby cues and develop a heightened awareness of the baby's needs.
• Babywearing has been proven to calm fussy babies by up to 51%. This leads to a lower risk of postnatal depression and also allows the caregivers to feel more competent in their abilities to nuture. Also helps to ease digestion (Colic) and further reduce fussiness.
• Babies who are carried learn more due to the brain stimulation of the constant changing environment.
• Babywearing promotes an intimate connection between parent and baby. It's proven to be the most important factor in health, physical development, intellectual development and social development.
• Mothers' progesterone (mothering hormone) is increased through physical contact with the infant, leading to a more intimate maternal bond, easier breastfeeding and better care, thus lowering the incidence of postpartum depression and psychosomatic illness
• Babywearing increases cardiac output, improves circulation, promotes respiration and aids in digestion. Skin to skin contact, or Kangaroo Care, has been shown to enhance growth and development of the term and preterm infants.
• Frequently carried babies fall asleep quickly and will learn to sleep for longer periods of time in the comfort of their sling.
• Babywearing enhances motor skills by stimulating the baby's vestibular system (balance organs) by exposing the baby to a variety of sights, sounds and motion.
• Babywearing provides the exact level and kind of stimulation an infant requires, energizing their nervous system and creating a quiet, calm alertness in the infant. Babywearing decreases the levels of stress hormones circulating in a baby's blood stream, resulting in a more relaxed, happy baby.

Babywearing is a skill so good safety practices are of paramount importance. You are responsible for your child's safety as well as your own.

Whatever carrier you choose, learn to use it properly, and always keep safety in mind.