Maternity Insurance|Maternity Care|Postpartum Care

Pregnancy is one of the most exciting things for any woman to experience. But it is also among the toughest challenges that a woman can go through. Most pregnant women go under a lot of stress during their pregnancy.

If left unmanaged, stress may cause different health problems. And, one of these problems is depression. Women may either develop prenatal depression or post partum depression.

Prenatal depression is a type of depression that women develop during their pregnancy, while post partum depression is a type of depression that happens after giving birth to a child. Post and prenatal depression have similar symptoms. These symptoms are classified into two groups that include emotional symptoms and physical symptoms.

Among the emotional symptoms of postnatal and prenatal depression include anxiety, irritation, sadness and hopelessness. A woman suffering from depression may also tend to isolate herself from other people including her newborn baby or husband.

Post partum and prenatal depression also have physical symptoms, which include lack of focus and chronic fatigue. A woman who develops depression during pregnancy and after giving birth may also develop sleeping and eating disorder. When depressed, a woman may either lose her appetite or eat more than she used to. She may also have trouble going to sleep or she may tend to oversleep.

Now, there are a lot of things that you can do to avoid depression during and after pregnancy. First of all, you need to have an ideal diet. This means that you need to have a balanced meal, which also means that you need to eat vegetables, seafood and meat. You must also stay away from coffee while you're pregnant and after giving birth. During your pregnancy, you may drink tea as an alternative to coffee.

Another way to avoid or deal with depression is by exercising. Many studies proved that by exercising, a person's body produces dopamine and serotonin, which can help you feel good. It can also help regulate the flow of blood and oxygen that helps in absorbing and distributing nutrition to the whole body.

Now, there are still other ways to deal with depression and one such way is by learning how to meditate. This activity is very ideal because not only can it regulate your sleeping and eating habits, it can also help you bring harmony and balance to your mind, body and soul.

Is our health care system biased when it comes to women? Some providers of health insurance cover prescribed drugs but rule out contraceptives for female workers. But isn't this norm myopic because pregnancies that are not wanted incur high costs, not only financially but also to the health. The universal health agenda of the United States should take care of this problem, which should also include insurance coverage for contraception. Imagine how Viagra is covered while birth control pills and the like are not, that is enough cause for concern.

The co-president of National Women's Law Center, Marcia Greenberger testified to the senate that accessibility to consistent contraceptives is indispensable to the health of women, that the negligence of insurance providers to cover it has long term consequences, not only to women's health but also to their children's health as well. Contraception is a basic & pressing need for the female employees and should not be neglected.

Pregnancy is a condition exclusive to the female species and contraceptives that require prescriptions are those that are for women's use. Thus, refusing to cover them puts women at a disadvantage translating into the unfair bias of insurance companies against a woman's necessity. Without contraception, women are forced to have an abortion which incurs higher health expenses, not to mention the physical strain that their body is subjected to, as well as the psychological effects it places on the emotions. This emotional anxiety should be comparable to the stress caused by impotence on men. But why is it that insurers cover only the use of Viagra?

If that argument is not enough to convince, then how about finances, contraception should be counted as preventive health care. The expenses involved in using contraceptives are very minimal compared to the price of: pre-natal check ups, ultra sound, vitamins, etc.; labor & delivery in a hospital including a few days stay for recovery, not to mention c-section cases; postnatal care including infant care; and many more health-related expenses associated with pregnancy.

Consequently, it all boils down to the old adage "prevention is better than the cure." A lot of expense can be saved if contraception is included in the coverage of insurance. The new health reform bill should include this issue in its entirety. Not only can we lessen the cost of protecting women's overall health but we can also ensure their reproductive health.

If equity isn't a convincing enough argument, then money should to it. Contraception can be considered preventative care. Dollars spent on contraception are nothing compared to the cost of pre-natal, labor, newborn care, and other pregnancy-related health coverage. Congress could act and demand that all insurance companies cover contraceptives for women, or we could switch to a national health plan that would cover all women. Either way, offering contraception as covered prescriptions results in less money spent and healthier women.

Even new mothers need time for themselves and between trying to get in some postpartum exercises and taking care of your new baby you sometimes forget that you need to nurture yourself as well. You need to relax in addition to getting plenty of rest and exercise, but relaxing doesn't have to mean sitting down all of the time. Relaxing simply means taking a break from the chores of being a mother for just a little while to replenish yourself.

Easier said than done? Sometimes, but there is no rule book or child rearing manual that states you have to be on duty twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, especially the first few months of your babies life when babies are the most demanding. You need a break as well and its all right to ask someone you trust if they would watch the baby for a few hours so you can indulge in a long postpartum relaxation session of your own. Depending on how you gave birth and if you are cleared by your doctor, that relaxation session could be a long soak in the tub, a professional massage, or just a trip to the salon to get your hair and nails done.

Take The Time To Really Think About Your Postpartum Life:

Stop and contemplate on the things you used to love to do before you got pregnant. What made you feel good? What fulfilled your day? What can you work back into your now slightly more hectic schedule of feedings, laundry, and other daily chores that you do? Once you figure that out, find a way to do them again. Start out with one and see how it works out. For example, if you loved to write or journal, spend ten or fifteen minutes of your baby's nap to do that. It may not be as intricate or detailed as what you used to do, but you feel good about yourself when you do it and that is the main focus.

Get The Family Involved In Order To Get Your Postpartum Time In:

Postpartum relaxation could be aided by having someone help out around the house doing some of the things you simply hate, such as the dishes, dusting, cooking and laundry. If you're really lucky, you can get your significant other to do it. Otherwise, look into hiring a maid and or taking up a friend on their offer of 'if there is anything I can do call me'. Go out and have a good time with your significant other and leave the baby with someone you trust. If there is not a significant other call a friend or family member to spend some time with.

The idea behind postpartum relaxation is to have some 'me' time. Don't feel guilty about it. By being able to pamper and indulge yourself, you will become stressed and the smallest thing will make it worse. If you are going to be a working mom, those first few months spending time with your new baby will mean everything to you. Children, even newborns, can pick up on your stress levels. Be stress free for both you and your baby. You'll both be much happier.

Childbirth increases risk of stroke, this is according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) who conducted a study to determine the risk of stroke during pregnancy.

The NINDS study showed that the risk of stroke during pregnancy is highest in the postpartum period or 6 weeks after childbirth, that ischemic stroke is 9 times higher after pregnancy, and that hemorrhagic stroke is 28 times higher for postpartum women.

NINDS also cited in their website that other studies have also demonstrated pregnancy and childbirth as risk factors to stroke for women in as much as 13 times. This actually increases over time, after each childbirth.

"Pregnancy and childbirth cause strokes in approximately eight in 100,000 women. Unfortunately, 25% of strokes during pregnancy end in death, and hemorrhagic strokes, though rare, are still the leading cause of maternal death in the United States," the NINDS website said.

Though the cause of this phenomena is undetermined as of yet, NINDS notes that a possible factor is the hormonal changes occurring during pregnancy and childbirth and at the end of the childbearing years (menopause) that can increase the risk of stroke.

A study conducted by the Medical College of Georgia could also give enlightenment to this issue. The study notes that in every pregnancy, the blood volume increases about 50% to accommodate the increased demands from the placenta and baby alongside with the increase in heart rate to help circulate the extra blood. It is probable that during this time, the sudden pressure in the volume of the blood pushes for the occurrence of hemorrhagic stroke.

In a similar vein, a study, lead by Dr. Byung-Woo Yoon, investigated the underlying reasons between childbirth and stroke risk over a woman's life. Conducted at the Seoul National University Hospital in Korea, the study showed that multiple births further strain and stress the blood vessel and other body systems causing stroke risk to be higher in women during pregnancy and childbirth.

The study showed hemorrhagic stroke risk increased by 27% with each additional birth over time. It also revealed that women who had four or more childbirths had nearly a threefold higher risk of stroke as compared to women who have not had a child yet or had only one childbirth. Dr. Yoon's study shows hard evidence that childbirth influences the hardening or weakening of blood cells.

Childbirth increases the risk of stroke over time for women. These are some of the consequences that come with the beautiful miracle of childbirth that shows how much a woman sacrifices for the love of her child.

If you don't have a passport, you can appear in person at any of more than 5,000 U.S. courthouses and post offices that are specifically authorized to accept passport applications. If in doubt, call the general access number at the courthouse or post office in question and ask if that location is approved for passport applications. If you need your passport urgently (if you plan to travel abroad within the next two weeks), you can contact any of the thirteen U.S. passport agencies that accept applications by appointment. As of 2005, these offices were located in Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Norwalk, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington DC. You will need to call the passport agency in advance and you may be asked to provide proof of the urgent need for the passport, such as a ticket showing travel within fourteen days.

If you were born in the U.S., you should bring an official certified copy of your birth certificate. If you do not have one, you can request a copy from the agency that records births and vital statistics in your state of birth, usually for a small fee.

If for some reason you cannot obtain a copy of your birth certificate, you will need a letter of no record issued by your state of birth with your name, date of birth and a statement showing the years that were searched for your birth record and the fact that there is no birth certificate on file for you. Along with this, you need to bring as many different proofs of birth as possible, including baptismal services, hospital birth records, census records, early school records, or even your doctor's record of postnatal care. You can also use a notarized affidavit of birth signed by an older blood relative who has personal knowledge of your birth, though this will carry less weight than an official document.

If you were born outside the U.S., you will need a copy of the consular report of birth abroad or certification of birth, your naturalization certificate, or your citizenship certificate as proof of your U.S. citizenship.

You will also need to provide proof of your identity - a valid driver's license, a government or military ID card, or a certificate of naturalization or citizenship. If these are not available, you should bring other signature documents such as a Social Security card or credit card, along with a person who can vouch for you who does have valid ID. Finally, bring two identical 2" x 2" photographs taken within the past six months, color or black and white, front view, full face.

You should plan at least 90 days wait time to receive your passport. State officials say 6 weeks but you should plan longer. Expedited service (two weeks' turnaround) may be available but can cost as much as $60 extra. If you plan to travel abroad a lot, you should request a larger, 48-page passport for no extra charge.

Postpartum hair loss is what is commonly known as post pregnancy hair loss which this can last from six to twelve months after childbirth. There are several things you can do to Stop Hair Loss After Pregnancy.

Have your doctor check you out to ensure that you are no longer experiencing hormonal imbalance. If the hormonal imbalances continues after childbirth, you might be experiencing other types of medical conditions which could have occurred during pregnancy and extend thereafter like thyroid disorder in pregnancy.

If you are given a clean bill of health, you should start on a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables high in antioxidants, helping you to enhance hair growth and strengthening the follicles.

Intake of the right amount of supplements in terms of vitamins and minerals is an important part of the regimen. You may wish to continue taking prenatal vitamins as the chemical components of zinc, vitamin H, silica and calcium can help enhance hair growth. Fish oils containing omega, flaxseed oil, avocados and nuts can also help with the hair growth.

Scalp acupuncture and massage is also effective in stimulating the blood flow through the scalp and hair follicles. You may do the massage yourself or us a bristle brush. Be careful not to rip the remaining amounts of your hair.

Create a soothing, safe, healthy and happy environment at home to avoid emotional trauma and postnatal depression as this will give rise to more stress and hence intensify your postpartum hair loss.

As you trying to coax new hair to grow, never use harsh chemicals on your hair or scalp and this include thick moisturizing creams, harsh shampoos, hair coloring and highlights etc. Avoid using strong hair dryers, heated curlers just in case you might further aggravate hair loss.

While you may not be able to totally stop hair loss after pregnancy, there are some things you can do to camouflage it. Trying different hair styles or going for a shorter crop enables easy hair management and can in fact stimulate hair growth to a certain extent. You might wan to use headbands which can easily cover up certain areas, especially along the hairline or higher.

Always remember, post pregnancy hair loss is temporary and you will have a full-grown head of crowning glory again very soon, especially if you do not fuss over it every moment of the time. Anxiety and stress can affect it growth too.

I love watching parents and babies interact, especially the gazing that goes on between mother infant pairs. It is like a secret, intimate language between lovers as each looks at the other as though they are the most wonderful person in the whole world. And this is exactly how it feels when mother and baby are perfectly attuned to each other.

Sadly though, many parents and particularly mothers, are being given advice that interrupts this exquisite bond. I have had mothers call me knowing intuitively that something is amiss as they say, my baby won't make eye contact. At first I was baffled the baby concerned looked directly at me and smiled (so, thankfully, nothing was intrinsically wrong). I then discovered that the mother had a normal drug-free birth and no separation afterwards, so bonding at birth had been optimal mothers and babies are biologically, hormonally primed to fall in love after a natural birth. Apart from distress about her baby's lack of eye contact, the mum wasn't exhibiting any symptoms of chronic postnatal stress or depression. So what, I wondered, had happened to create a breakdown in the connection between mother and child?

It turned out that this mother and others I have met with a similar reaction from their babies since had been religiously following a very strict sleep training regime that advocated avoiding eye contact with her baby. Although it is wise to keep bedtimes calm and gentle, imagine how you would feel if your partner repeatedly avoided your gaze. How do you feel when people avoid eye contact with you?

Eye contact is an important element of parent child bonding and the development of trust between parent and child: your face is the most potent visual stimulus your baby encounters, and as you and your baby gaze into each other's eyes, endorphin levels rise in your baby's brain, producing feelings of joy. Your own endorphin levels will rise and, in turn, you and your baby become emotionally synchronized.

According to Margot Sunderland, Director of Education and Training for the Centre for Child Mental Health in London and author of The Science of Parenting (Penguin), face to face conversations between you and your baby and the subsequent release of optimal hormonal levels into your child's brain will help develop pathways in your child's higher brain that encourage social intelligence, the ability to form relationships. Ms Sunderland says, the ability to light you up is the very basis of your baby's sense of himself as lovely and lovable.

Fortunately, with a little time teaching these mothers to read and respond to their babies cues and, with interaction such as baby massage and games that involve face to face contact, they and their babies are soon engaging with each other again. So, please be reassured, if you have been trying to follow a rigid baby care plan but feel it is interrupting the bond between you and your child, it is never too late to make changes. Above all, you haven't irreparably damaged your relationship with your child, but please, look into your baby's eyes and say, I love you. And wait for her to meet your gaze.

It is difficult for a mother to know how much quantity should be required for 1 week old baby feeding pattern. A mother at times get a feeling that the milk intake by one week old baby is not much, as she does not have an experience about 1 week old baby feeding.

The interaction between the mother and a newborn during the first week will not be comfortable, as both should get adjusted with each other.

Mostly, 1 week old infant feeding should be initiated by a mother, as baby at this age would prefer sleeping all the time. The mother should wake up during nights to feed the baby. 1 week old baby feeding would be a tough task for a mother, as baby will not be in a sense to respond to mother.

It is studied that, the one week old newborn sleeps 90% of the time and will be awake only 10 per cent. One week old baby would respond only at the loud noises and look around every corner very quietly. As you cannot measure 1 week old baby feeding, you can ask your doctor for some tips to know how frequently you should breast feed your baby.

It is usually advised to feed the one week old infant for 6-10 times in a day, which comes to 2 to 3 oz approximately. The feeding consistency usually depends upon the size and the activity level of the baby, and the intake gradually increases as the baby grows.

Each year in the US, approximately 1 million new mothers suffer from symptoms of postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is a much more intense condition than having just the "baby blues." A new mom suffering from postpartum depression will suffer from such conditions as: feelings of hopelessness, irritability, mood swings, panic attacks, lack of interest, constant crying, sleep problems, mania, guilt, racing thoughts, delusions, and the inability to care for the baby. Postpartum depression is very serious and a new mom suffering from the condition needs help overcoming this emotionally paralyzing state.

Medical experts believe that postpartum depression results from changes in the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. After childbirth, progesterone levels drop dramatically which may play a major role in major depression. As well, after pregnancy, the levels of endorphins (naturally secreting mood elevating chemicals) drop sharply which adds to the risk of depression. If you are a new mom afflicted with postpartum depression, the good news is it is a condition that can be overcome. The first step to overcoming postpartum depression is to acknowledge your feelings.

The following is a list of 7 keys to finding happiness when suffering from postpartum depression:

1. Accountability Partner(s): Draw a circle of support. It is important not to isolate yourself from others. Surround yourself with positive people that will inspire and encourage you to identify the good things in your life. It is important to have someone that you can share your thoughts and feelings with during your recovery process. It is helpful to have someone that you can "vent' your frustrations.

2. "Me" Time: It is vital that you take time for yourself. Don't be apprehensive about asking others to care for the baby so you can have a break and do something that you enjoy. If you don't have "me" time, you will become more stressed, negative, and emotionally drained. You can begin with an hour a day while leaving your baby with someone you trust. It will give you a chance to relax, clear your mind, and have some fun.

3. Exercise: Exercise is an effective way of getting rid of stress, frustration, and anxiety. Running is a good choice because you will not only run off your negativity and anxiety, but you will also become fit and have more energy. You can also hike, walk, and even join a fitness center.

4. Find a Hobby: Having an extra activity that is separate from the baby and other family responsibilities will allow you to occupy your mind with things that you enjoy and makes you feel good. It is important that you take time for your own needs and wants. For instance, gardening, painting, pottery, taking a course...etc, are all very rewarding and relaxing hobbies. You can be the best mother and also have other meaningful things in your life.

5. Mind Relaxing Techniques: It is important to find ways to relax. Relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation will help focus the mind and also help you look at things with a more rational perspective.

6. Make your Environment Positive: If you isolate yourself and surround yourself with things that make you feel sad, you will have a much more difficult time finding joy in life. You will reflect the sadness around. It is important to surround yourself with bright and happy items such as freshly cut flowers, bright colors, inspiring pictures, bright light, opened curtains...etc.

7. Cognitive therapy and Interpersonal therapy: Psychotherapy is based on the idea that there is a link between your mood disorder and interpersonal relationships, such as those with your spouse or new baby. Cognitive therapy and Interpersonal therapy are two therapy methods that are very helpful in helping women overcome postpartum depression. There are many therapists that specialize in these two therapy techniques. Cognitive therapists work on the principle that negative perceptions can quickly decrease energy and motivation, increase stress levels, and lower self-esteem and self-confidence. Interpersonal therapy is a form of psychotherapy designed to help people cope with immediate problems and difficult transitions.

It is important for a new mother to understand that their postpartum depression is not the result of being a weak or a bad person. It is a real medical condition that can be treated. You deserve to be healthy, and your child needs a healthy and happy mom.

Robert Moment is an inspirational life coach, personal growth strategist, speaker and author of bestselling book titled, The Path to Emotional Healing. Robert specializes in maximizing human potential for happiness, purpose and success. Visit http://www.howtobehappyagain.com and sign-up for the FREE life-changing emotional healing and finding happiness 10 day ecourse titled, Be Happy Now.

Bird allergy is a normal reaction of your body's immune system to the feather dander, or more popularly known as feather dust, and droppings or fecal matter coming out of birds.

People who work closely with birds and those who take care of birds as pets are the most at risk to develop bird allergy. Farm workers, bird fanciers and zookeepers are the most common bird allergy patients in hospitals in the US alone.

However, medical statistics reveal that globally, the ratio of people allergic to birds are far lower compared to those allergic to other animals like dogs and cats.

Be also aware that bird allergy is an allergic reaction that indicates the immune system's efforts to defend you from what it senses or perceives as a health threat. In reality, bird allergy should not be considered as a harmful or deadly disease. Take note that complications to bird allergy kill, not the bird allergy itself.

During the process of an on set of bird allergy, the feather dust becomes an allergen that is not wanted by the body's system. When it manages to make a contact with your body, it will automatically trigger or cause the immune system to retaliate and produce antibodies or counter substances. Hence, you have the symptoms.

Symptoms of bird allergy

People with bird allergies exhibit manifestations or symptoms that are sometimes similar to those for hay fever or allergic rhinitis. It is alarming to know that most of the time, people with this allergy often ignore the onset of the symptoms thinking that these are just petty reaction to some weather or dust elements.

Symptoms for bird allergies can be divided into two groups. One, those symptoms that are considered lesser or less severe. These include watery eyes, sneezing, postnatal drips, sore throat, stuffy nose, coughing, hives itchy eyes and allergic shiners or the presence of black circles in the area below the eyes.

For the more serious form of bird allergies, the symptoms may vary. Take note that suffering from a severe attack of bird allergy can reduce your lung's capacity, that may potentially pose a detriment not just to your health but also to your life.

Such symptoms may appear in a long term like two years of regular or constant exposure to allergy-causing birds like budgies and pigeons. In some cases, bird allergy appears after as long as 10 to 20 years after initial exposure to allergens.

Such cases are determined by finding the following symptoms in a patient: prolonged coughing, breathing difficulties occasions, occasional fever and chills, weight loss and dry cough that lasts for some time.

How is bird allergy treated?

Usually, your doctor will have to delve deeper into your medical records to determine or to make sure the disease is pin pointed at bird allergy.

Take note that most or basic symptoms of bird allergy are minor and therefore needs no further and serious medical treatment. Just like other allergies, bird allergy can disappear on its own without the help of any drug or treatment.

Avoiding or discontinuing exposure to allergens, in this case the birds and their feathers, will surely help cease the bird allergy attack.

Physicians often prescribe antihistamines, decongestants and corticosteroids to relieve the person from a bird allergy attack. Antihistamines block symptoms to allergic reactions, not just to birds, but also to all forms of allergies.

Decongestants relieve swelling of the nasal area and stops secretion of mucus or the stuff that runs through your nose when you have a bad cols. Corticosteroids are drugs that treat inflammation due to allergic and other medical reactions.

Allergy shots, of course, will also greatly help to curtail the onset of bird allergy.

Prevention

The most effective measure to avoid bird allergy, if ever you are allergic to birds, is to avoid getting near these animals. Hygiene is the best combative defense against any form of diseases and will also be effective in fighting attacks of bird allergy.

Although your new baby will undoubtedly provide you with intense and emotional satisfaction, you will probably be physically uncomfortable. After all, your body has gone through significant changes during pregnancy and it will take some time for your body to return to its pre-pregnancy condition. Around six weeks after the birth your medical practitioner should examine you to ensure that everything is okay with your body, this additionally provides you with the opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have and the doctor will also test your blood pressure and take a sample of your urine.

The doctor should examine your abdomen and take your blood pressure also checking that any stitches you may have had are healing correctly. An internal examination to determine the size and position of your uterus may also be conducted and you may also be referred to have cervical smear test if you are due to have one.

When your baby is born in hospital the doctor or midwife will undoubtedly talk to you about contraception before returning home. If you haven't discussed this when at the hospital, you can also discuss it during the six-week check. Don't believe the old wives tale that breastfeeding mothers do not require any contraception - this is not true.

Almost right after birth your breasts start to produce colostrum which is a high protein liquid packed with antibodies. Once your pregnancy hormones begin to decline your main milk supply will come in, normally around the third or fourth day. You will notice at this time your breast beginning to swell, feel hard and possibly painful to the touch. If they are painful bathing them with warm water can help to relieve the pain. Allowing your baby to feed frequently will also help reduce any suffering. If you have elected to bottle feed your baby your breast will remain full for 3 to 5 days following birth until they slowly stop producing milk.

Your breast may never quite be as firm as they were pre-pregnancy and a good support bra and regular exercise will help you get back into shape quickly. Following the delivery of your baby your abdomen will be quite stretched and wrinkled as a consequence of relaxed muscles and stretched skin. Gentle exercising will again help to re-establish the shape of your abdomen and vagina muscles so do remember to try and focus a few minutes every day on exercising.

Almost all mothers undergo vaginal discharge following the birth of their child. This will be akin to a very heavy period which will last couple of days. The discharge will gradually become less until it disappears completely after a couple of weeks. Have a good supply of maternity pants or large sanitary towels available to help contain the discharges.

In most cases, the experience of accompanying and assisting your bitch through pregnancy, labor, whelping, and weaning is a rewarding and joyful experience. Sometimes, however, things do not always go as planned. Post-partum care for your dog is as important for her survival as it is for humans. For this reason, one should have an understanding of what might be expected in the event something goes wrong. Education and quick action could be the difference between life and death.

Perhaps one of the most immediate dangers to your bitch after giving birth is hemorrhaging. Most births will exhibit large amounts of watery fluid that can range in color from clear to green, and pink to black. These are typically normal. However, if your dog shows signs of bleeding- perhaps from a ruptured or prolapsed uterus, then she needs immediate emergency veterinary treatment. X-rays or ultrasounds may be used to determine what the cause of the bleeding is, and in some cases surgery or blood transfusions might be necessary.

Mastitis, an infection of milk-producing tissue, can be easily detected by hand. If the base of one or all of your dog's glands are hot and tender, this may be a sign of mastitis. Often, the bitch may be unwilling or reluctant to allow puppies to nurse- especially on that gland. Grasping the nipple by the base, gently squeeze with your thumb and forefinger. If a thick yellow substance emerges, possibly tinted with blood, then mastitis is likely. As with hemorrhages, mastitis is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment- especially if the bitch is vomiting. Treatment of mastitis is aggressive and needs to be initiated as soon as possible.

Eclampsia is a serious condition caused by the malfunction of the parathyroid gland. This gland regulates blood calcium levels. If your bitch is restless, nervous, distressed, suffers convulsions- especially on her side with intense leg movements, weakness, or coma, your dog may be suffering from eclampsia. This condition can progress over a period of minutes or hours. If left untreated, the bitch will almost certainly die. However, if she has not slipped into a deep coma, this condition can be reversed in just a few minutes with an intravenous calcium infusion. It is a very simple procedure and produces immediate results. It should be noted that some dogs do not respond well to this treatment if they have been suffering it for a prolonged period of time. For this reason, it is important to seek immediate treatment.

Metritis can have a number of causes, not the least of which can be poor whelping practices such as a dirty environment or bedding. It can also result from retained placentas or pups. This infection of the uterus will typically follow a prolonged labor, but not in all cases. Symptoms include a foul smelling discharge from the vulva, fatigue, vomiting, fever, and dehydration. Left untreated, this infection can spread to other areas of the body, causing the dog to become toxic. Veterinary treatment is crucial. Treatment involves surgery in most cases, although there are more conservative, but riskier, alternatives.

You know your dog. If she exhibits behaviors or other signs that are unfamiliar to you, and shows any physical symptoms that cause you concern, do not hesitate to call a veterinarian. You can't prevent all possible problems, but you can prepare for them by being educated, and having the right resources.

Health care practitioners find that few medical conditions are subject to more confusion and contradictory interpretation than postpartum depression (PPD). Lack of clarity about its diagnosis, causation and treatment, however, seriously affects the wellbeing of mothers and babies throughout the world, for postpartum depression is of worldwide concern, affecting about 15% of women having babies. In the United States alone, there are over three and a half million women per year giving birth, and over 400,000 of these women will experience postpartum depression. This article does not aim to summarize the broad array of knowledge and research about PPD, but rather to clarify some of the essential facts and concepts.

What is PPD?

Postpartum depression is one of six major categories of postpartum mood disorders: postpartum depression, postpartum obsessive compulsive disorder (including obsessive thought disorder); postpartum panic disorder, postpartum post traumatic stress disorder, postpartum bipolar disorder and postpartum psychosis. "Baby blues", lasting a transient few days to up to two weeks, is not considered a disorder. Fifty to eighty percent of new mothers report these mild "Blues" symptoms of mood swings, crying, and feeling overwhelmed. Confusing PPD with "Baby blues" may lead to absence of treatment for the mother who is suffering. Confusing "Baby blues" with PPD may result in unnecessary treatment for the mother who is experiencing normal hormonal and life adjustment feelings.

Postpartum depression occurs on a continuum of severity, but for ease of rating or classification it is often referred to as having three levels of severity -- mild, moderate, and severe. Symptoms range from mild sadness in the least severe to a complete inability to care for oneself or the baby in the most severe. The most common symptoms include anxiety, lethargy, insomnia, irritability, confusion, frequent crying, decreased libido, eating disorders, obsessive thoughts, guilt feelings, night sweats, feeling overwhelmed, forgetfulness, and hopelessness.

Onset and duration of symptoms

The onset of symptoms occurs any time up to one year postpartum. The duration of the symptoms can be days, weeks, months, or years, depending upon a number of factors. These factors include the severity of the symptoms, the timeliness of the intervention(s), how the individual's body chemistry reacts to a medication (if used), other life stressors, and the strength of the woman's support system (caring family, friends, professionals).

PPD - A Distinct Illness

It is now generally recognized that PPD is a defined disorder and not the same as other conditions that may give rise to similar psychological symptoms. The prevailing view is that, at its core, PPD reflects the mother's physiological changes, particularly shifts in endocrine balance, during the first few weeks after delivery. Psychological and emotional factors, such as poor partner support or over-optimistic expectations of life after hospital discharge are very significant. They can affect the likelihood of onset of the disorder and its severity. Both the central organic factors and contributing psychological elements have to be understood.

One major distinction that postpartum illness has in comparison with other disorders is that it is highly labile both in the array of symptoms and level of severity, with frequent changes. For instance, with a depressive episode in a man who loses his job, the symptoms of depression are fairly constant. In a postpartum depression, however, the woman's symptoms can range from high anxiety one moment to a mild depression the next, and she could even feel relatively normal during another part of the day.

Complexity of the Disorder

Although PPD may appear to the lay observer as if it were the same in every case, it is not. Two new mothers may live next door to each other, both with PPD, but with entirely different causes and requiring different kinds of treatment. One may have had a previous history of depression reactivated by postpartum factors and the other has chronic sleep deprivation plus a poor support system. For each woman there are different pieces to the puzzle. The growing body of research is making it more possible to distinguish among these different elements, to assess accurately the basis of the problem, and therefore to begin the appropriate course of treatment for each individual woman. That is why, when a woman seeks help, she should get a complete well-rounded assessment, covering all aspects of her current life as well as pertinent past psychological and physiological events.

Giving Information to Postpartum Women

When helping depressed postpartum women, health practitioners should neither minimize nor over-dramatize the condition. The women should expect to be told their diagnosis without ambiguity, have it explained matter-of-factly, and the severity level should be estimated as accurately as possible. They should be told that at least the primary cause of the condition is related to the adjustments of body chemistry after delivery, and the process of readjustment may take a while. Each woman and her family members should also be reassured that, especially when treated early, the eventual outcome is expected to be total recovery. All medical therapeutic actions should be explained as efforts to facilitate the body's return to the equilibrium that existed before pregnancy.

Risk factors

Any new mother may get PPD, after any birth, regardless of how uneventful her mental health history or life stressors have been. No one is immune. We do know, however, that a personal and/or family history of depression or anxiety automatically places the woman at high risk for postpartum depression (This includes experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety during pregnancy). As a result, authorities stress the importance of obtaining a thorough personal and family mental health history while the woman is still pregnant. If she is assessed as being high risk, a plan of action can be devised which could be effective in at least minimizing, if not preventing, a postpartum depression.

There are other accurate predictors of postpartum depression such as sleep deprivation, poor marital relationship, abrupt weaning, isolation, and health problems of the mother or baby. There is misinformation as well about predictors. For instance, the sex of the baby is not a predictor nor is there any evidence that bottle-feeding increases the incidence of PPD. A number of women have reported to me that their various practitioners had told them they were not at high risk of having another PPD after a subsequent delivery. These women were misinformed that it is only after the first child that PPD occurs, since they are new at taking care of babies and adjusting to motherhood. On the contrary, if she has had one postpartum depression the mother is at high risk to have another, since organically she may be "wired" that way. There are health caregivers who may provide incorrectly reassuring information, or who avoid referring to risk factors, on the premise that women may otherwise worry themselves into the disorder. Instead, the failure to deal openly with risk factors is likely to increase the women's susceptibility to severe distress by keeping her unprepared to deal with her situation effectively.

Instruction on these basic points of knowing what information to elicit from their patients and then having a plan of early intervention should be part of the OB/GYN and midwife formal training program. This should include information regarding mental health therapists, medications and herbs which can be used during pregnancy and lactation, other alternative therapies, or at least reference numbers of specialists/agencies who will know.

Terminology Confusion and Its Consequences

Both clinicians and clients can be confused by the official terminology for mood disorders following childbirth. Although postpartum depression is informally referred to frequently as a diagnosis, the term "postpartum depression" is not, regretfully, one of the official diagnostic categories in the DSM IV as of yet. At the end of the section on Mood Disorders there is a Postpartum Onset Specifier (page 386) which unfortunately blends all of the postpartum mood disorders (especially depression, panic, obsessive-compulsive, and psychosis) into one section. The Criteria for Postpartum Onset Specificer (page 387) states that there is no difference in symptomatology between postpartum and nonpostpartum mood disorders. The only difference is that postpartum mood disorders occur "within 4 weeks after delivery of a child". There is not only misinformation in this statement regarding time of onset, but more importantly, the postpartum mood disorders are not considered to warrant their own diagnoses, distinct from nonpostpartum diagnoses, as they should be. The woman who suddenly feels depressed 8 months postpartum is often not diagnosed or misdiagnosed due to this Specifier.

The ambiguities of the Specifier are quite misleading and cause numerous problems. Present terminology confuses not only those responsible for health care, but can enter the criminal justice system and distort the facts. The result is often to sacrifice the rights of women suffering from this condition. A woman, for instance, who has postpartum obsessive thought disorder, might be reported to Child Protective Services if she admits to having thoughts of harming her infant. This agency may remand her to the police if her symptoms are not recognized properly as harmless to her baby. Her baby would then be placed in protective custody. A woman with postpartum psychosis who commits infanticide may find herself in jail rather than in a hospital receiving the medical attention she needs so desperately. The technical terminology used by doctors may also deprive many patients of insurance coverage to which they are entitled.

Additionally, the medical records of women with postpartum depression or other psychiatric illness after childbirth often use different terms to describe and diagnose. The same woman may be described and diagnosed differently numerous times. Psychiatric terminology needs to be established which clearly distinguishes the postpartum women from those with chronic "functional" mental illness. This will let health professionals know that they are dealing with an acute illness which has a particular onset, duration, and termination, and that there are appropriate therapeutic options available. In addition, formally assigning a childbirth-related name to these disorders would have a positive therapeutic effect on the women, since they would understand that their condition is directly related to having had a baby.

Concluding Note

Strengthening the understanding among health care providers of the complex nature of PPD, recognizing that differential diagnosis and various treatment approaches are necessary, and seeking common terminology, will help to minimize, if not eliminate the confusion. Women in individual treatment and their families will benefit, as would the effectiveness of community health education in general.

There is something I've learned as a mom that being a dietitian couldn't teach me....you cannot force a picky eater to eat! Truly, as a nutrition professional, I thought I could get my oldest to eat whatever I wanted her to eat. I would provide her with only the most nutritious foods and make sure that the others (grandparents) abided by my strict rules. As you can guess, life didn't turn out that way. We played all the games in the world and even made her sit at the table until she decided to eat her dinner, but inevitably it lead to meltdowns and headaches. In the end, we found a balance that worked for her and for us and we now have a preschooler whose nutritional habits far outweigh her knowledge of food.

When feeding young children, it's important to realistically think about how much food they should be eating. As babies reach toddlerhood, their nutritional needs slow down dramatically and food becomes less important for a busy, active toddler. A toddler's stomach is about the size of her little fist. And, most little children only need about 1200 calories each day. Like all aspects of nutrition, we have focused on super-sized portions and force these habits on our children. A serving of food for a child in this age group, is 1 tablespoon, per age. So, a three-year old would need 3 tablespoons of vegetables at dinner. By incorporating more realistic visions of how much your child should be eating, this should help to ease frazzled parents.

If you have a child like my daughter, who is very picky, mealtime can be a stressful situation. The first step to getting a picky preschooler to eat her veggies (or any food for that matter) is to relax! It's important as parents not to make food an issue at any age. If you grew up in a house that had parents who were strong enforcers of the "clean-plate club", than it's time to scrap those games. Studies have shown that when we bribe kids to eat certain foods, they begin to like those foods less and less. We want to raise kids who have zest for trying new foods and experimenting with different tastes and textures. Remind yourself that many of these little ones are just asserting their independence. Most kids will begin to "catch-up" with good eating as they get older. It is also important to be a good role model for your kids during these years. If they see you eating healthful foods, than they too will be more likely to try new things.

Another helpful suggestion is to be mindful of what your child is eating during the day. If she is filling up on fishy crackers and apple juice, that may be the answer to the hunger strikes at mealtime. My kids love to snack and would do so all throughout the day if I let them. It is important for a child to have planned snack times, but limit what is offered and make those snacks count as nutrition power-house foods. Cheese and crackers, peanut butter on apple slices, a pita and turkey wrap are all good choices. And, limit the amount of juice your child is getting to 6-ounces a day. A whole orange or apple has less calories and sugar and has more vitamins and fiber than its juice counterpart. Make healthy snack food accessible. If you have a pantry, place a basket on a low shelf with healthy snacks, and do the same in the refrigerator so little kids can pick and choose healthy options. As always, if you are concerned about your child's nutrition, talk to your pediatrician or a registered dietitian.

It's also important for toddlers and preschooler to have fun with their food and be involved in the process. Take little ones to the grocery store and have them help choose healthy food options. Give your child her own grocery list with pictures of the foods to pick. The grocery store is also a great place to teach children about numbers, colors and shapes. Little kids also love to help in the kitchen, so have your little chef plan and prepare a meal with help from mom or dad. Another fun family activity is to plant a vegetable garden. This is a great way to teach kids how plants evolve into food. The responsibility of a garden is a good way to show children how to reap the benefits of something when you take good care of it. If you don't have a lot of extra space, plant tomato plants in pots on your porch.

Lastly, make food fun for everyone. Give silly names to healthy foods, like apple moons, cheese blocks, avocado boats, and banana wheels. Use skewers for fruit and cheese or turn yogurt and fruit into a cool smoothie. When in doubt, serve it with dips. Children love to dip foods into ranch dressing, salsa, ketchup, or low-fat cream cheese. Instead of sneaky tactics and forceful meals, make food fun for everyone and teach good nutrition during these important years.

Sports and orthopedic specialists have found kids to be the most susceptible to debilitating physical ailments given their underdeveloped musculoskeletal systems. As statistics would reveal, there are about 3 million of them hospitalized yearly for sports-related injuries. As a result, health care professionals strongly advocate the use of stretching exercises prior to engaging in any physical activity so as to minimize the risks of hospitalization. And they emphasize the importance of parents, guardians, coaches and physical education teachers getting involved so that they can be in control of the children's physical fitness as well as mindful of the rigorous demands of sports.

To begin, adults can teach kids on how to do a toe touch stretch as they prepare for a game. This is actually one of the most basic warm up exercises a person can do to relax his joints and muscles and make them ready for use. This type of workout aims to condition the calves and hamstrings and is advisable for activities that involve a lot of running. What you need to do is ask the child to bend over and reach his toes, from a standing position, with his feet positioned together. As an alternative, you could also ask the child to sit with his legs stretched out and then have him bend forward to touch his toes, or as far as he is comfortable. Have him hold the position for 15 seconds before he relaxes. And then get him to repeat it for at least three sets.

Afterwards, you should ask the child to do neck, shoulders and arm circles to loosen up the joints of his upper extremities. These will be necessary for games that entail a lot of throwing, shooting and hitting. Have him look towards the ceiling and then roll his head around in a circle motion, clockwise, for a full rotation. And then, get him to do the same thing towards the other direction. Encourage him to do it slowly so that the neck is not strained. After 16 counts, let the child move on his shoulders and have him rotate them forward-down in a full rotation. Command him to change direction every after six counts and have him do 12 counts. Finally, let him stretch out his arms to the side and then start moving it slowly in a small circular pattern, transitioning to a large pattern after four counts and then back to small again at the end of each 12 count set. After 3 sets each, he should be more than ready to do the child's pose.

This yoga position is a great method for getting a full body stretch. What your kid needs to do is kneel down with his knees apart and his feet touching, and from there, bend down until his forehead reaches the floor. Afterwards, have him place his arms on the side, with palms facing upward and ask him to hold the position for 15 minutes. While doing so, encourage him to take 3 to 5 deep breathes. Afterwards, have him jog in place for 15 minutes before he finally gets into the game.

On top of these, there other warm exercises you can employ to get your child in tip-top shape. But it is important, especially if you have a budding athlete, to keep regular appointments with sports and orthopedic specialists so that you can pre-empt any future casualties.

It is important for women to take care of their health. All too often in their busy schedules they do not think enough about health issues. They can resolve this issue by taking diet pills. Why take supplements and do they really help with women's specific problems. In fact, there are many excellent supplements on the market that will help to keep women fit and healthy.

There are many supplements that can offer an array of benefits, especially to those over 40. The supplements that contain natural ketones extracted from raspberries are an example of this kind. These extracts have polyphenols that will help the immune system to rid the body of harmful toxins. This product will also help to speed up metabolism and burn more excess fat and it will suppress appetite. An appetite suppressant will help you to eat less and will curb cravings.

The natural extracts of chuilli and capsicum are used to make diet pills. These pills are powerful fat burners and they are important for any weight loss plan. Fat burners will help your metabolism speed up and burn those extra calories. As they approach middle age women find that their metabolism slows down, which can lead to weight gain. Cravings can be a big problem when you try to lose weight. These pills can also help to suppress appetite, which will decrease these.

There are many other supplements that will help you to burn fat. They also act as appetite suppressant. This means that these pills will help you to get rid of extra fat deposits with ease. Many pills are appetite suppressant, these products will help you to eat less and take in fewer calories. This combination solves two of the biggest problems in losing and maintaining weight.

These are just three of the best supplements for women on the market. There are also fat binders and carb blockers, which absorb fat and allow it to pass out of your body in your stool. Fat blockers are made with a natural fiber such as Glucomannan in Nuratrim. This dietary fiber will absorb fat and then get excreted from the body. Carb blockers will burn fat and help you to lose extra pounds. This will help to increase the speed of your metabolism.

All these pills are useful to help you maintain your weight. However, you should also take regular exercise and eat a proper balanced diet. These diet pills can help you to burn calories and eat less but you must also not let yourself go. It is important to choose your supplements wisely and understand how each of these products work. The best products are those that are made from natural ingredients and work with your body to help you to lose and maintain your weight.

When people are selecting diet pills for women, they want supplements that will help them to lose weight and not have any side effects. Products made from natural ingredients rarely have side effects unless they are taken without observing the proper dosage.

Throughout the past 30 years in private practice, hundreds of women have told me they felt that their current health problems started soon after the birth of their child. The child may have been her first or fifth, and might now be a teenager or even a grown man or woman, but the mother remembers the postpartum onset of her symptoms as if it were yesterday.

The symptoms that usually start within the first to twelfth postpartum months vary widely among mothers. A few of the most common are depression, chronic fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, lack of confidence, loss of sex drive and passion, muscle and joint pains, unhealthy skin and hair, digestive disturbances, bladder problems, heart disease, asthma, and a host of troubling emotions and moods swings. A woman can be puzzled, frustrated, even embarrassed when she reveals symptoms that have plagued her for years. She may have shared these self-observations with doctors only to find that they were not worthy of an acknowledgement or comforting comment from her physician. Any attempt on her part to connect the birth of one of her children with those symptoms may have been met with skepticism or passed over. Yet, she can't shake the feeling that something about that particular birth began her health decline.

Her observations do have validity and merit. What most mainstream medical practitioners don't fully take into consideration is that a baby's body is formed and made entirely of nutrients donated by the mother's body. Her child's brain, eyes, muscles, bones, organs, glands, nerves, skin, tissues and fluids are completely comprised of the nutrients taken from its mother's bloodstream via the placenta.

If there is a lack of vital nutrients, the mother's body is the first one that is deprived because her developing baby is Mother Nature's priority. All mothers need to consciously replenish their lost nutritional and energetic reserves during the postpartum period. If this isn't done, they might end up spending the rest of their lives wondering why they "just haven't felt the same since the baby was born."

The energy demands of caring for a newborn can further drain and deplete the mother's nutrient reserves, especially if she is breastfeeding and sleep-deprived. If a woman has lost a great deal of blood while birthing her baby, the need for replenishing the nutritional components of blood is even more critical. Women who undergo Cesarean section also need to restore nutrient reserves; not only have they become mothers, they have had to have major surgery in the process. Women who lose a good deal of blood during the birth process and who don't replenish key nutrients might experience light-headedness and throbbing headaches, along with extreme fatigue, sleeplessness, anxiety, and depression.

A new mother is also faced with the stress of integrating the intense needs of a new baby into her lifestyle while tending to her mate and perhaps other children and returning to work. All of these responsibilities that women - and those who are cared for by them - have taken for granted for millennia demand high-quality nutrients. Our food supply presently contains only half the nutrients that food contained in the 1940s due to the nutrient depletions in our soil. This fact makes it very difficult, if not impossible, for a mother to fully replenish the nutrient reserves her body donated to make her baby's body solely from the food she eats. Eating highly refined and processed "junk" foods further depletes vital nutrients, which deepens the need to replenish postnatal nutrients even more.

Every physiologic process in the human body depends upon nutrients. The most important time to consciously replenish postpartum nutrient reserves begins immediately after giving birth and extends to 24 months postpartum. The failure to do this often sets the stage for chronic health problems that may last for decades.

There was a time that women throughout the globe would be given their placenta in some edible form to consume directly postpartum, much like dogs and cats do instinctively. The placenta contains highly concentrated amounts of the nutrients and hormones that the mother has lost through giving birth. The fact that eating one's placenta is now culturally distasteful further supports the need to make a concerted effort to consume the appropriate nutrients and nourishing foods necessary for rebuilding and replenishing the new mother's donated nutrient reserves. A high potency postnatal nutrient program is now essential to help a postpartum woman replenish her nutrient reserves.

Presently, about 30 million Americans take anti-depressant drugs. The majority of these are postpartum women! Many doctors prescribe Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, and a host of other anti-depressant drugs before considering whether the mother's depression, fatigue, or lethargy might be caused by postpartum nutrient depletion. The neurotransmitters serotonin, GABA, epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, acetylcholine and all others are made in the body from nutrients. Postpartum nutritional depletion can cause a physiological depression that is far too often misdiagnosed as a mental/emotional depression. This is a medical short-sightedness that needs to change so that postpartum women will receive better care. A postnatal nutrient recovery program should be the very first thing a doctor thinks of and prescribes for postpartum women presenting these symptoms; especially with women who have no history of depression, anxiety, or fatigue prior to giving birth.

Even if one does truly need the assistance of antidepressant drugs, these drugs contain no nutrients, so the need to replenish nutrient reserves still exists and should be addressed to prevent other health problems. It is fine to take AfterBaby Boost postnatal nutritional program and an antidepressant medication simultaneously. The need for high potency postnatal nutrients is greater now than ever before because the pace of life keeps getting faster, more complex and stressful.

Omega-3 oils are robbed from the mother's body at a very high rate via the placenta to help form her baby's brain, eyes, nerves, and cellular membranes. Breast feeding robs even more Omega 3 oils from a postpartum woman's body because it is removed from her body to form the milk her body is producing. Many studies show the importance of Omega 3 oils to relieve depression, dry skin, thin hair and nails, fatigue and prevent heart disease in postpartum women. Omega 3 oils are an essential ingredient in a good postnatal nutrient program to assist a mother to replenish her nutrient reserves.

All the major nutrients are taken from mother's body to help form baby's body. Alpha Lipoic Acid and coenzyme Q10 are essential for the body to make energy. Without enough of these two essential nutrients the energy producing mitochondria in our cells will often make only 2 units of ATP (cellular energy) instead of 39 units of ATP per cycle. These two deficiencies are major causes of postpartum fatigue and mood swings. These two nutrients along with B vitamins, minerals including calcium and magnesium are also essential nutrients to help a mother replenish her postpartum nutrient reserves and should be included in a good postnatal nutrient formula. The postnatal nutrient program offered contains these essential nutrients in very high quality form.
Postpartum mothers require a nutritious diet, adequate sleep, moderate exercise and a high quality postnatal nutrient program. Prenatal vitamins do not adequately supply all of the nutrients that new mothers require after bringing new life into this world. A high quality postnatal nutrient program should be an integral part of the pregnancy recovery program required for all postpartum women to replenish their nutrient reserves. This can assist new mothers to not only regain their health and prevent later health problems, but also to allow her the best chance of happily raising her family and having other healthy pregnancies and healthy children if desired.

Postpartum depression disorder (also known as postnatal depression) is severe depression that occurs in women after they give child birth. There've been numerous studies on the subject, and the postpartum depression statistics tell us that it occurs in 5-25% of women (although most studies are much more likely to result in the 10-15% figure). This disease can also affect the father. It usually affects men if they just can't afford to support the child...or in a few rare circumstances, when they find out that the child is not theirs. However women are the most at risk, and almost all postpartum depression books and postpartum depression articles focus on the mother.

It is important to note that this disease does not have to occur right after childbirth. Delayed postpartum depression, can occur even a year after birth after the full effects of child birth impact the mother. The most telling postpartum depression symptom usually involves crying(especially if its for no apparent reason). So if you notice that, you need to be aware that the person may very well commit suicide/infanticide in the near future.

Postnatal depression can lead to suicide because the woman suffers from hopelessness and depression. This is especially prevalent if the family has a low income level. If you know someone who you suspect has postpartum depression(fathers too), it's important to learn suicide warning signs, so that you can prevent a suicide attempt by someone you love.

A small portion of those with postpartum depression(men too) will also develop postpartum psychosis. This is the more severe form of the disease. This group is a much higher risk. 5% of all patients with postpartum psychosis commit suicide and 4% will end up killing their infants. Postpartum psychosis can even develop into a full blown bipolar disorder, which will place the patient at high risk of suicide for the rest of their life.

If you know someone who just gave birth, it's important to brush up on suicide warning signs, so that you'll know when the person is at risk for suicide/killing the infant, so you can help save their life. If you yourself just gave birth...make sure to give a suicide warning signs guide to someone who you see daily, so that they can interfere and stop you from killing yourself or your infant.

The accumulation of everyday stress

Working long hours at the computer can result in stress, muscle tension, injury or pain which can drain you physically, mentally or emotionally. This can impact negatively on your social life as well as on your work. As the most important benefit of massage is the reduction of stress, general health can be improved and maintained by massage therapy and the negative effects of stress can be alleviated or prevented. On an ongoing basis it can reduce pain, prevent injuries and maintain health. It is an important part of staying healthy physically and mentally as it relieves stress which is responsible for 90% of illness and pain.

Due to reflex effects through the autonomic nervous system, massage affects internal organs and areas removed from the area being treated. It promotes relaxation, reduces pain, boosts mood and mental clarity. Massage can be used for relaxation or stimulation and may be applied to rehabilitation after surgery, injury or poor health. It improves blood and lymph circulation, increases natural killer cells and lymphocytes which destroy cancer cells, boosts mood by increasing serotonin and dopamine and relieves pain by increasing pain killing endorphins. Massage can relax the body, decrease blood pressure and heart rate and reduce stress and depression. It may also provide symptomatic relief for acute and chronic conditions such as headache, facial pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis. It realigns and rejuvenates, restoring balance to body and being, so you can take in your stride whatever life throws your way. It promotes digestion, joint mobility, muscle relaxation, relief of spasms and cramps.

Bodywork as a medical treatment

Massage therapy is becoming increasingly sophisticated and effective as it moves into new areas such as medical massage which is the fastest growing modality of massage today. Training in massage therapy was an integral part of medical massage and nursing care up to the mid 1950s when it dropped to almost nothing due to the rapid development and almost exclusive use of technology in the twentieth century. Manual therapy was no longer seen as necessary for standard hospital care. Today, however, it is realized that massage in the hospital is necessary to provide a sense of wholeness and care which is absent in the increasing fragmentation of hospitalization due to the growing emphasis on specialization. Medical massage uses the traditional strokes of massage which are then specifically adapted to treat, for instance, cancer patients, hospital patients and pregnant women. Medical massage may be given in the hospital setting, an outpatient clinic or as a mobile therapy where the therapist travels to the patient's home to give the patient a personally tailored treatment protocol.

In massage therapy for the cancer patient, the therapist pays close attention to the side effects of the curative medical treatment to devise an appropriate protocol. Here the therapy is designed around the particular side effects the patient is experiencing such as pain, lymph-oedema, scarring, nausea, stress, tension, insomnia, fatigue, anger, depression and anxiety.

Thus cancer massage is a uniquely designed therapy which complements the curative medical treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Hence, it requires more extensive knowledge of medical procedures, pathology and side effects than ordinary therapy. Failure to understand this will result in harm to the patient as the therapist will not be able to adapt the therapy to design a competent treatment protocol.

In pregnancy massage the therapist must take into account mainly musculoskeletal issues caused by the weight of the growing uterus altering the centre of gravity of the woman's body. Treatment in this case will focus especially on upper and lower back pain, sacroiliac dysfunction as well as pubic symphysis and lower abdominal pain. The therapist must also be alert to and able to detect acute medical problems such as deep vein thrombosis and preeclampsia which are both potentially fatal if not medically treated.

Bodywork has a broad therapeutic application

The greatest benefit of massage is the reduction of stress and tension. Since a wide range of physical and psychological conditions stem from stress, massage can help alleviate these conditions and therefore has a broad therapeutic application. The most prominent benefit and use of massage is the alleviation of stress which then relieves muscular tension, promotes relaxation and treats lower back, neck and shoulder pain, pregnancy, bedsores, severe burns, iliotibial band syndrome and spinal cord injury as well as ameliorating systemic conditions such as cystic fibrosis, attention deficit disorder (ADD), fibromyalgia, asthma, autism, diabetes, bulimia, eczema, HIV, lymphoedema, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Sleep disorders, cancer-related fatigue, diabetes, high blood pressure, spinal cord injury, low back pain, lowered immunity, post-operative surgery, infertility, autism, eating disorders, age-related disorders and smoking cessation can all be treated by massage.

Bodywork, such as shiatsu and massage, offers a drug-free, non-invasive and person centred approach based on the body's natural ability to heal itself.

Bodywork in Pregnancy

The great physical, mental and emotional changes of pregnancy affect your lifestyle, your job and your relationships with friends and family. Massage helps you integrate these changes successfully. Massage therapy during pregnancy improves overall health, decreases stress and relieves muscles aches and pains. It addresses the many discomforts associated with the skeletal, muscular and circulation changes brought on by hormone shifts during pregnancy.

Massage alleviates low back, hip and leg pain, oedema, nausea, heartburn and constipation. Regular massage decreases anxiety and lowers stress hormones during pregnancy. Labour is shorter and easier while babies are healthier. There are fewer obstetric and postnatal complications, such as premature birth and low birth weight.

Bodywork for Cancer Patients

Massage for cancer patients is a safe, non-pharmacological treatment without any side effects. It helps reduce anxiety, fatigue, depression, stress, tension, anger, insomnia and improve self-image and quality of life. Massage may reduce pain, muscle tension, nausea, constipation, lymphoedema and scarring.

Massage as a supportive care intervention for children with cancer helps reduce pain, anxiety, depression, constipation and high blood pressure. Massage also strengthens the function of the immune system and reduces nausea and depression during periods of immune suppression following chemotherapy.

Tips for parents about the use of Kangaroo Mother Care in warding off PND are helpful in helping to ease a Mother and her newborn through their beginning life together. When a woman is pregnant, her body releases a variety of hormones. These hormones help to improve nutritional digestion, redirect energy toward cell development, and of course trigger labor and delivery. With the birth of her baby there is a change in hormonal balance and life's priorities, which can result in PND, or post natal depression.

Since the body has already been naturally carrying a baby in a kangaroo-like state it is normal for a Mothers body to adjust and provide KMC outside of the womb, having that similar closeness. It's extremely healthy for a newborn baby to transition into the world in this way. After all, the baby has been inside the Mother's womb being carried in a very similar fashion to the kangaroo caring.

A tip for parents about the use of Kangaroo Mother Care to reduce the onset of Postnatal Depression is to be aware that helps to increase the release of happy hormones that promote feelings of love. It's great for a Mom to use Kangaroo Mother Care in nurturing her baby and at the same time look after the way she is feeling as well.

There are different tips for parents using KMC when it comes to sleeping. Advocates of KMC encourage sleeping with a baby in this position. The Kangaroo Mother Care position requires the mother to sleep in a prone position that actually makes it very difficult to potentially do any harm to her newborn. Some experts even recommend that Mothers sleep sitting up. Every parent has to determine for themselves what is best for them and their baby.

As for tips for parents about the use of KMC as therapeutic in warding of PND, it is a very beneficial method of preventing postnatal depression. Kangaroo Mother Care has untold benefits and it is important for every parent to work out what works best for them and their baby in preventing the onset of postnatal depression.