Maternity Insurance|Maternity Care|Postpartum Care

My son was born at 29 weeks 4 days after an otherwise perfect pregnancy. I thought I had the flu. My husband wanted me to go to the hospital, and bam! Two hours later my son was here.

I didn't have time to stop and reflect on the seriousness of the situation because it happened so fast and the pain was tremendous (I opted to not have any drugs for pain). But a few hours later, after my body issues were settled and I was put into a quiet postpartum room, it suddenly hit me. I was one of the only women in that ward who didn't have their baby next to my bed. Physically I felt great (I had a natural delivery with no complications with my body), but mentally I quickly became a mess.

I had big plans for my birthing experience. In fact, I was waiting for the Hypnobabies course I had ordered merely days before to arrive so I could start studying how to have a peaceful, pain-free experience. I had already spent good money on a midwife and was contemplating whether or not to purchase a birthing tub for my planned home birth. I had plans to welcome my beautiful baby in my arms while he was still fresh out of the womb and start breastfeeding.

Such big plans. In those two traumatic hours, I would quickly learn that life doesn't necessarily care about plans.

My son spent 53 days in the NICU. I began to grow attached to the hospital in a way a victim might get close to their kidnapper. In those 53 days I had to learn to live with my heart outside of my body. I had to learn to set aside expectations and adapt to a new life. Most of all, I had to learn to be a mother for my son.

As with any struggle in life, I came out of it changed. My priorities were different. My mind was consumed and my heart enlarged with a kind of love you'd never know until you experienced it. But more importantly, I learned a lot about life in those 53 days.

Lesson #1: Roll with the Punches or the Punches Will Roll You

I conceived my son with such set plans (he'd be due in March, and since I'm a teacher I'd get to be with him until the end of summer, etc). Those plans were immediately dashed with his impromptu January arrival. My husband and I had to scramble to figure out my time off and how I'd be able to stay off. You see, maternity leave doesn't wait for the baby to come home. And since preemies don't have physical maturity like full-term babies, you can't exactly leave them at a daycare with other germy kids. As a mother, you can't exactly leave them at all, but with a mortgage and other bills to pay, life may dictate otherwise.

I had planned to have my sweet baby at my breast immediately after birth, not a piece of cold, hard plastic pump.

I planned to be big and pregnant at my baby shower.

I planned to finish the baby's room.

I planned to show my baby off to family and friends, not be housebound and isolated for fear of the flu and RSV.

I planned to leave the hospital with my husband and baby and flowers and balloons, instead I left my baby behind.

I didn't plan on having to answer questions when people recognized me around town and asked where my baby was, or why I wasn't pregnant anymore.

I didn't plan on having to carry my son around attached to an apnea monitor, having it alarm at the most inopportune times (like the middle of the night).

Plans are good, but they are not set in stone. Learn to be flexible when premature delivery becomes your reality.

Even better, plan to have back-up plans to your plans. An "a", "b", and "c" plan never hurt anyone.

Lesson #2: Take Care of Yourself

Mommies of preemies (and daddies too) need to make sure they take good care of themselves and each other. It's so tempting to want to be at the hospital 24/7. The reality is life outside the hospital keeps going, so you need to too. Food needs to be made, homes cleaned, bills paid, sleep, etc. Striking a balance is essential. For me, I found making a schedule worked best. I spent mornings at the hospital, and then I left by 1PM. I was home before my husband was and was able to get a few things done.

The guilt of "I should be there" never goes away. Trust me, you'll always feel guilty about something. I felt guilty going to my own baby shower because I felt like I should have been at the hospital with my son. If I had to do it over again, I would have taken more "me" time. When you bring your baby home, you're most likely going to be housebound. You need to keep your preemie isolated from the masses because of the flu, colds, and other communicable diseases. So, if I had to do it over again, I would have gotten that manicure and pedicure. I would have gotten my teeth cleaned instead of postponing it so I could spend extra time with the baby. I would have had that nice romantic dinner with my husband.

Don't forget your husband. He's going through a lot too, and a lot of new moms put all their focus into their babies (rightfully so), but (wrongfully) forget the hubby. Make time for each other. Use the experience to build a stronger bond. The alternative is to let the experience rip you apart from each other, and that ultimately won't be good for your baby.

Finally, don't beat yourself up. Many moms (me included) blame themselves when a premature delivery happens. More often than not it isn't your fault. They thought mine was from placental abruption only to later find that it was a fluke infection of the amniotic fluid. Once the birth happens you can't focus on the "why" (until you decide to have another baby, that is). Your focus should be on getting that little baby strong enough to go home.

Lesson #3: Optimism

Easier said than done, but staying optimistic is necessary for your sanity. I've seen so many sick babies in the NICU. Some with heart defects, others with genetic diseases. Some with brain damage. Some with their intestines outside of their bodies. And then I looked at my son, who was very tiny but healthy, and I had to be thankful. Things can always be worse. I kept repeating that to myself.

Limit your googling. You'll find information that will scare the heck out of you for no reason. For example, my son was born with a brain bleed. We freaked out. We started asking the doctor's for the "worst case scenario" (which they seem to always give you anyway) and googling our brains out for information. We discovered that if the brain bleed doesn't absorb and disappear on its own, he may need a shunt in his brain. Imagine how you'd feel thinking of something being drilled into your baby's head! The point is that it healed properly and there was no cause for concern, but we got ourselves hysterical for no reason by doing too much research.

Also, those preemie books the hospital gives you are bad too. I recommend burying it somewhere in your house just in case, but don't waste your time reading about all the disabilities your kid might develop or have. This is a waste of emotions and energy.

Lesson #4: Hospital Networking

If you're going to be a NICU regular for a while, you might as well make friends. Get to know the doctors, nurses, secretaries, even the janitors! It will give you comfort during a time when you feel all alone and vulnerable. Many hospitals even let you pick a "primary" nurse for your baby, giving you consistency and familiar face you can depend on. This is a great thing to have and usually not advertised.

If there are lactation nurses, use them. I bugged the three that worked in our NICU every day! They were amazing, and they were more than just lactation nurses. They were familiar faces I could talk to about anything. I would talk to one every night from 9PM-10PM about everything. When I left the hospital with my baby, I was still talking to them. I even went back to see them. These are the kind of relationships that will make this experience easier to handle for you.

Lesson #5: Put Yourself before Family and Friends

I don't know what it is, but it seems in times of crisis you will quickly discover who the keepers are and who should be put at a distance in your circle of family and friends. Who you think will be the most supportive disappear into their own orbits, and people not on your radar will show up as sources of support.

I had a grandma, aunt, and uncle decide to fight with me four weeks postpartum and in the thick of my NICU experience over their gripe with my mother. I was floored at the lack of compassion they showed toward me and my situation. I ended up losing all of them just to preserve my own sanity. You can't spend energy or time on other people's negativity and drama while you're going through the "preemie experience."

A lot of other people's problems seem to stem from a lack of understanding of the difficulty one goes through with their baby in the NICU for a prolonged amount of time. You can't really understand the impact of the situation unless you're in it. So, I forgave people for not understanding, but at the same time I made a pact with myself not to let them bring me further down with their ignorance and lack of empathy.

Lesson #6: Accept Help

I've always been the independent type, so accepting help was difficult for me. But the thing is, help won't always be around, so you might as well grab it while you can. One of the best things given to me was home-cooked meals. Some of them were fresh, some were frozen for me. It made it so nice to come home from the hospital and have something warm to eat. It was also great to have pre-made meals when the baby came home and I was adjusting to having a new little one in the house (and the lack of sleep).
Other nice things to have help with: cleaning and grocery shopping.

Lesson #7: Find another Preemie Mom's Shoulder to Lean On

This was one of the best things I did for myself. I sought out other preemie moms to share and compare notes with, helping me navigate my way through my own experience. They're out there; you just need to connect with them. I found the Internet to be a great way to find other moms in a similar situation. You may also know somebody in real life but never really thought twice about their situation until you were in a similar one.

Lesson #8: Pictures and Videos

Take loads of pictures. Take video clips. Share them with family and friends. You can make a blog or a website, or even just post them on Facebook. I found that by posting daily pictures of my son for the rest of the world to see, and seeing their well-wishes and comments about how beautiful he was and how strong they thought I was, it was enough of a pick-me-up to get me through the days. It also makes your baby seem "real", which is a difficult feeling to achieve when they are locked up in the NICU and not allowed any visitors (most only allow parents, grandparents, and siblings during non-flu and cold seasons).

Lesson #9: No Expectations

Toward the end of your stay you're going to start getting estimates from doctors and nurses about your baby's discharge day. While their intentions are good, this can lead to a lot of disappointment on your part. You WILL cry the day they change discharge on you. I remember watching a mom about half-way into our NICU stay. Her baby was ready for discharge- or so they thought. I was there when they told her the baby wouldn't be discharged as expected, and she left the room in a flood of tears. I remember thinking to myself "geez, it's for the baby's own good. I will never allow myself to be over-emotional!" Well, when it was my turn to have that happen, I cried the whole drive home. Just take things as they go and don't get too invested in one reality. Your baby will be home before you know it. It seems like forever as you're going through it, but after it's over you'll wonder where the time went.

Remember, you will get through this. Be strong and keep your head clear. Nobody will fault you for doing the best that you can. Someday you'll have many stories to share with your tough little baby

When becoming a new parent, there are just some things that baby books and family advice cannot prepare you for. Whether it is paying attention to the signs that a newborn's health is failing or learning how to properly clean her ears, there is always something new that draws a question mark and sends parents into a frenzy. While you may receive numerous tips on how to care for your baby, dealing with the emotional and mental stress of being a new mother or father is often overlooked. Below, you will find a few tips regarding both the concern and care for baby and parent:

Take Time For Yourself

When a baby enters your life, chaos may develop because your normal behavior, sleep, and lifestyle patterns are disrupted to adjust for a newborn. If you don't find time for yourself to release built-up tension and stress, then you won't be in any good shape to take care of your little one. Plus, children have a way of sensing when their parents are stressed, which in turn may cause them to react accordingly.

Reduce Stress By Saving Money

For some parents, a new financial strain is created with the addition of a new member to the family. Sometimes any penny saved can go a long way in the future. When you get into the habit of clipping coupons and requesting free samples, you can save money that can go towards other aspects of the household. If you call baby food and other baby product companies, you can ask for coupons and other discounts. Sometimes you can accomplish the same goals by visiting their website.

It's OK To Accept Help

When parents take the attitude that they can do it all (baby, house, and work) on their own without any help from family and friends, burnout is inevitable. The daily tasks that come with changing diapers, warming bottles, and burping baby reach overwhelming proportions in a short amount of time. With new mothers, the risk of postpartum depression will increase. When family, friends, and even neighbors extend a helping hand, it is highly suggested to accept it.

Be On the Lookout For Jaundice

More and more newborns are seen developing jaundice, meaning a yellow pigment appears in the skin of the baby. When certain chemicals build up in the body, the baby's liver has to work overtime to break it down and release it. The condition often goes away on its own, but if not diagnosed in time, brain damage may occur. It is important to know that around 60% of newborns will develop jaundice.

Get Enough Sleep

If you do not get enough sleep, how will you ever be able to keep up with the erratic patterns of a baby, especially if he or she suffers from a medical condition, such as colic? Parents who are deprived of their sleep become exhausted and suffer from lapses in memory, mood, concentration, as well as the ability to deal with the new parent responsibilities.

Less sleep also means the body can break down and illness may settle in. The worst thing to deal with is a cold that threatens the health of your child. Taking turns with another with the baby or dividing your time between shifts is a good way to make sure you get the sleep that you need. Single parents might have to call upon the help of their siblings or parents during the first six weeks, which can be rather difficult without assistance.

Breast milk is the ultimate food source for infant development, and has benefits that will help the mother maintain life-long health. When we consider these benefits, it becomes clear why the World Health Organization and other medical organizations are stressing the importance of breastfeeding. New mothers, who choose to breastfeed, are encouraged to do so through at least the first 12 months of the child's life. During this year, the infant experiences the most growth and development it will experience over the course of its lifetime.

Breastfeeding Boosts Brain Power

The fatty acid DHA is plentiful in breast milk and helps to stimulate healthy brain function. While it is replicated chemically in infant formulas, it not as easily absorbed by the infant's stomach and is therefore less effective. Additionally, studies have shown that the strong bond between mother and baby, formed by breastfeeding, may contribute to increased intelligence. This strong bond encourages the infant to explore the world safely, within the mother's reach and spurs the ability to learn.

Illness Protection

Mothers that breastfeed their children pass important antibodies through their breast milk that help to develop immunities to disease. These antibodies teach the infant's immune system how to fight off the infection and prevent them from getting ill. The suction associated with the infant's latch on the mother's breast can help to keep ear passages clear and can prevent a child from developing ear infections.

Reducing the Risk of Depression

Postpartum depression, ranging from mild to severe, affects 70% of new mothers every year. Its effects can be straining and can put both mother and baby in danger. Breastfeeding releases oxytocin into the mother's blood stream. Oxytocin is the hormone associated with happy emotions, and euphoria. These calming hormones are an effective natural treatment for postpartum depression.

Beat the Odds of Breast Cancer

Studies have shown that women who breastfeed for at least one year have a drastically reduced risk of getting breast cancer. The link may be associated with the reduction of estrogen during the breastfeeding period; high amounts of estrogen in the body have been linked to some cancers in women. Researchers are still studying the potential links between breastfeeding and cancer prevention.

Customized Super Food

Breast milk is amazing, and it is constantly transforming to suit the needs of the infant. The mother's body acts as a sensor for the environment and makes adjustments to the fat content, water content and particular antibodies needed to keep the breastfeeding child as healthy as possible. This is a truly remarkable advantage over infant formulas!

When mothers breastfeed their children, they provide them with the absolute best, and natural, food source possible. Some women are deterred from breastfeeding because of social stigmas or, most commonly, a frustrating experience in the nursing process. It's important to consult a specialist or a volunteer lactation advocate to assist during a difficult situation. Breast milk is proven best, and every attempt should be made to provide this benefit to every child.

One difference in the early days between the Lap Band system and the Swedish adjustable lap band is that the SAGB didn't have a self-closing mechanism and had to be closed with sutures. An American company, INAMED Health, designed the BioEnterics Lap-Band Adjustable Gastric Banding System, which was introduced in Europe in 1993. The Swedish adjustable gastric band differs from the Lap-Band because it wasn't designed for use with keyhole laparoscopic surgery.

An allergic reaction to materials contained in the band or for people who have exhibited pain intolerance to implanted devices are contraindications for lap band surgery. Failure of dietary or weight-loss drug therapy for more than one year can make one eligible for the adjustable gastric band procedure. In order to be considered one must have the comprehension of the risks and benefits of the gastric band procedure and willingness to comply with the substantial lifelong dietary restrictions required for long term success.

Inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract like ulcers, esophagitis or Crohn's disease don't make one a good candidate for lap band surgery. It's usually contraindicated if the surgery or treatment represents an unreasonable risk to the patient.

As the upper part of the stomach believes it's full the message to the brain is that the stomach is full and this sensation helps the person to eat smaller portions and lose weight over time. The surgeon uses a specialized needle is to avoid damage to the port membrane. When fluid is introduced into the stomach the lap band expands, placing pressure around the outside of the stomach; this decreases the size of the passage in the stomach and restricts the movement of food.

The band is inflated and adjusted by way of a small access port placed just under the skin subcutaneously; then radiopaque isotonic solution or saline is introduced into the band via the port. Lap band or gastric band placement, unlike the traditional malabsorptive weight loss surgery (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, biliopancreatic and duodenal switch) does not cut or remove any part of the digestive system. The adjustable gastric band or Lap Band is an inflatable silicone prosthetic device which is placed around the top portion of the stomach using keyhole laparoscopic surgery.

Post surgery the patient should consider eating less, eating more slowly and chewing food thoroughly. The patient may be prescribed a liquid-only diet, followed by soft foods and then solid foods for a varied length of time; each surgeon and manufacturer will vary. The lap band may remain deflated during pregnancy and once breast feeding or bottle-feeding is completed the band may be gradually re-inflated to help with postpartum weight loss if essential.

The World Health Organization recommendation for monthly weight loss is approximately 1.1 to 2.2 pounds per week and an average gastric banded patient may possibly lose this amount. Weight regain can happen with any surgical weight loss procedure including the more radical procedures that initially result in a rapid weight loss.

Complications of gastric band surgery include: ulceration and irritated stomach tissue. Some mechanical malfunctions that can occur post-surgery are port leakage, cracking of the kink-resistant tubing or disruption of the tubing connection from the port to the band, port site pain and port displacement.

Some of the adjustable gastric band post-surgery digestive complications are nausea, vomiting, gastroesophageal reflux, stoma obstruction, constipation, dysphagia, diarrhea, and abnormal stools. Occasionally, the narrow passage into the lower part of the stomach may become blocked by a large portion of unchewed food.

The amount you pay for your surgery will vary; there is not one set price for lap band surgery. It's important to discuss post-surgical care and diet plans with your weight loss doctor if you are considering adjustable gastric band or lap band surgery. Mexico is one of the top destinations for adjustable gastric band surgery outside of the United States, where the cost for lap band surgery is usually about $8,000 to $10,000.

There is no dearth of men all over the world looking for different methods of contraception. Contraception is mainly used to avoid unwanted pregnancies, although some forms can also help in the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Without the use of an effective form of contraception, there is a high risk of unwanted pregnancies. Here are your options.

Condoms:
Amongst the most commonly used form of contraception in men, condoms work as barrier devices which prevent the semen from entering the vagina. In addition, condoms also provide protection against a range of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as HIV, syphilis, and gonorrhea. There is a wide variety of condoms to choose from in this day and age, and this choice comes in the form of textured and flavored condoms. Using condoms does not provide 100% protection.

The Withdrawal Method:
This method is also commonly referred to as the 'pull out' method, or 'coitus interruptus'. This is where you would withdraw your penis just before you ejaculate, thereby ejaculating outside your partner's body. This method does not offer 100% protection against unwanted pregnancies either.

Vasectomy:
This is looked upon as a permanent male contraception method, as it works in ensuring that no sperms get to the ejaculate. This procedure is generally chosen by men who feel they've had their share of children. The procedure does not take very long, and involves the 'vas deferens' from both testicles being cut, clamped, or sealed in some other manner.

Natural Solutions:
Men in some cultures use solutions derived from nature to serve as contraceptive measures. Extract from 'Neem' (Azadirachta indica) is said to work as an effective contraceptive for men, and its use in Asian cultures is quite common. Lab tests on mice have shown that Neem oil can be used as an alternative to vasectomy. Seeds from the papaya fruit (Carica papaya) have also been used by many Asian cultures as a means to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Lab tests with monkeys have shown that papaya seeds work in eliminating sperms from the ejaculate.

Alternatives Being Developed:
Various male contraception methods continue to be developed, and many of these aim to work along the lines of commonly available contraceptives for women. Men, by the looks of it, will soon have the option to avail of alternatives like pills, gels, patches, and injections. Newer alternatives which are still being tested include the use of calcium channel blockers like nifedipine; adjudin, which is a non-toxic form of ionidamine; as well as phenoxybenzamine.

Realize that what might seem like the best form of male contraception for someone might not necessary find favor with someone else. Besides, the all important factor of whether the solution sought is permanent or temporary will also have a bearing on the method that you choose.

What's important though is that you use some form of contraception whilst engaging in sex. And when this involves an unknown partner, you should take particular care to protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases as well.

Jason reluctantly came to my office for marital therapy. His wife insisted that he attend or she would be calling a divorce lawyer. His ambivalence about being in my office came across loud and clear. Jason did not speak unless directly asked a question. Even then, his answer was as short and staccato as possible. He slumped as far into the arm of the couch as he was able and gave no retort or act of affection in response to his wife's tears or distress.

"He comes home from work--and I know he's tired--but all he wants to do is sit in his recliner and watch hours of television," Jason's wife complained to me through her tears. "He has trouble sleeping and worries constantly about what is going on at work. But work is where all his energy goes. I feel like I don't matter at all to him any more, because he never wants to do anything with me or even hold my hand. I don't even remember the last time we had sex!"

I looked at Jason. No response. When asked to respond, he acknowledged that yes, work does take up all his time and energy, and yes, he is tired every day, but no, it's not that he doesn't care about his wife. No further explanation. Just more slumping and staring off into space.

At first glance, many therapists might take Jason's distancing from his wife as a sign that he is having an affair or wants out of the marriage. At the very least, it appears he resents her insistence that he come to therapy and maybe he is being passive aggressive to punish her or make her change her mind about seeking marital help.

Jason is a busy man, a high-paid executive with a lot of responsibility. He manages teams of people and can handle huge budgets and deadlines. Some therapists might see Jason as arrogant, maybe narcissistic, and that he doesn't want to waste his valuable time in a therapist's office when there are more important things to accomplish with his life.

But digging a little deeper, I learned more about Jason. A few years back, when he was only in his 40s, Jason had a stroke. It was a long fight back to full health. During his recovery, his son got involved in drugs and was arrested and his father died. Jason, the oldest child in the family, took full responsibility for the funeral arrangements and settling the estate afterward. Jason was successful at his job, but more and more demands were being placed on him in the current tough economy and he was increasingly becoming unhappy at work. However, it would be difficult to walk away from a salary like his, especially since Jason and his wife recently bought their dream house. Jason felt "boxed in."

So, let's look at Jason again. He was feeling overwhelmed and stressed, he wasn't sleeping well, he was withdrawing from others including his wife of 28 years, he had lost interest in sex, he had given up his passion for golf, and he was zoning out in front of the TV every night. Maybe Jason is not narcissistic nor passive aggressive. It is possible that Jason is depressed.

The symptoms of depression are:

• feelings of sadness or emptiness most of the day, nearly every day


• markedly diminished interest in activities once found pleasurable


• significant weight loss or weight gain


• marked increase or decrease in need for sleep


• feeling agitated or irritated


• decreased energy or feeling slowed or weighed down


• feelings of worthlessness, powerlessness, helplessness


• a false sense of guilt


• unexplained aches and pains


• inability to concentrate or focus or make decisions


• recurring thoughts of death or suicide

Depression in men often goes undiagnosed because it can manifest itself differently in men than in women. For example, women will often withdraw into sleep, self-medicate with food, and will cry often, even several times daily. But men, typically still go to work and function pretty well on the job, but doing so saps all their energy. They often experience depression with irritation or agitation, not with tears, because men, in general, are socialized that crying is not "manly" or acceptable, but that anger is. Both depressed men and women might lose interest in sex, but again, our society leads us to believe that men will seek out sex at all costs. Therefore, when men withdraw from their wives sexually, we often think of infidelity, when in actuality, depression may be to blame.

A diagnosis of depression may be harder for men to accept about themselves than for women. It can be more difficult to get a man to talk to his doctor about medication or to seek out therapy. In Jason's case, he is used to being in charge and is highly respected on the job and in his community. He might be worried about the stigma of depression, which unfortunately seems worse for men than for women. He may even be fearful that a diagnosis could wreck his career. Jason, like many men, may think depression only happens to women and therefore, couldn't possibly be what is afflicting him.

But depression is an equal opportunist. It is an brain-chemistry illness that affects both men and women. Likewise, treatment is effective for both genders. Jason may hope that his depression will simply go away if he zones out enough in front of the TV after work, or if his wife would just stop making demands on him and find other people to occupy her time, or if his work load could just get a little lighter. It might be challenging for Jason to accept a diagnosis of depression. I hope not, because help is available for Jason and men like him.

After pregnancy and the excitement of the newest addition to your family, all mothers deal with the reality of the postpartum belly. As one transitions out of pregnancy, the additional weight can be a bit frustrating to deal with. Exercise and healthy eating are important, but with the busy and hectic schedule of having a new baby in the home, this can be difficult. Anything to help the process along and get one back to ones pre-pregnancy shape is amazing, and mothers are constantly on the look-out for tools and tricks that will help them feel and look great. The Belly Bandit, an abdominal compression wrap, is hugely popular with new mothers and has worked wonders for celebrity moms, including the beautiful designs.

The Belly Bandit is an abdominal compression wrap which helps bring you back to your pre-pregnancy body. It has a variety of benefits, the most obvious being that it helps you regain your pre-pregnancy shape. However, it also helps to decrease bloating caused by water retention, give added leg and back support, and reduce the swelling of the uterus. While you are nursing, it has the added benefit of helping you with your posture so that your back pain is reduced. These benefits explain why the Belly Bandit is so popular with moms everywhere.

The Belly Bandit assists you in regaining your pre-pregnancy shape and is incredibly easy to use. This abdominal compression wrap simply wraps around your belly and uses Velcro to fasten itself. It is smooth with no tags so that it is very comfortable to wear. The lightweight and tagless design is made so as not to irritate your skin. As you wear it throughout the day, you will be comfortable and at ease while paying extra attention to your posture. Worn underneath your top, your confidence will be boosted as you subtly regain your pre-pregnancy shape.

The Belly Bandit is being worn by moms everywhere. The limited edition design is a must have for all new mothers, as you will feel stunning and sexy when you wear it! A silky tan fabric lines the inside while a beautiful faux lace design is on the outside. What makes this design extra special is that it is so stylish that it is the first design that can be worn over one's clothing. To help you regain your shape and still feel sexy, try the limited edition Belly Bandit. Its style and results will truly surprise you!

When buying your Belly Bandit, there are a few helpful hints to keep in mind when trying to decide on the correct size. If you are purchasing it early on in your pregnancy, buy one to two sizes up from your pre-pregnancy size. When purchasing towards the end of your pregnancy, measure your belly at about eight months pregnant, as this will generally be your size directly post-partum. If you are purchasing it just prior to pregnancy, subtract three to five inches from your waist for the correct size. Choosing the correct size is important so that it works correctly and is comfortable as you wear it.

The Original Belly Bandit has been hailed by mothers as a must have tool for getting your body back to its pre-pregnancy size, and the limited edition version simply makes a great product even better. The stylish and sexy design leaves you feeling stunning and confident. To regain your pre-pregnancy shape and feel sexy while doing it, try adding the new design to your post-pregnancy wardrobe. You will look and feel great!

As beautiful as the world may be thanks to all the different colors that are on the planet, decorating a nursery using certain colors is simply not advisable. Some colors won't look right; others will actually cause your child to be cranky. Even more, some colors will simply cause an eyebrow raise from family and friends. Also, some strong colors splashed over a large surface are very difficult to work with and choosing complementing crib bedding and accessories will be a real torture. If you are planning on painting your nursery a new color, try to avoid these hues.

• Orange - In small doses, orange isn't that bad a color. If you paint your nursery in a bright orange hue, you will soon find out that it's a very aggressive color. Painting your baby's room orange will quickly overpower any soothing qualities that your room might have had. Some parents have even reported that large amount of the color orange makes their child cry more often than other tints.


• Black - Though it can add a very modern streak to a room, painting your nursery walls black is not advisable. This is for a large number of reasons. First off, black is not a soothing color for moms or children. In fact, if you are a mother who is more likely to have postpartum depression, choosing black as your wall color can be dangerous. Moreover, it's not a typical nursery color to see, which means that if you do decide to paint your nursery walls black, you can also expect a lot of raised eyebrows. Black walls also give people the impression that the room is much smaller than it actually is. Overall, too much black (or for many people, any at all) can be a very poor choice.


• Yellow - Many moms have said that the bright yellow color causes babies to cry more frequently than other colors. However, there hasn't been enough research on the subject to find a real correlation. It's best to treat this as an "approach with caution" color, and to stick to pastels in this tint.


• Blood Red - Reds can be a very bright, happy color for any room. However, a bloody hue might be too dark to actually be a good choice in a nursery. If you live in a traditional town, getting a nursery in a blood red color theme will get a lot of awkward comments unless you are a real maverick with colors. It might also be a little too loud to get your child to sleep peacefully. Much like black, dark reds will make a room appear much more cramped than it actually happens to be.

Of course, the above mentioned colors are perfect to use on d矇cor elements and nursery accents in order to break the single-color monotony or to spice up the more traditional and somewhat over used color choices. A black and gray mural will add elegance to a white nursery wall and a toy set of orange jungle animals will deliver whimsy and warmth to otherwise boring nursery. Your nursery color choice depends on your personal taste but welcoming, soothing and uplifting color combination is a winning color combination.

Over the last couple of years hair transplant procedures have produced such dramatic results that people are choosing to do them with greater frequency. Many people feared getting the procedures in the past, because they were not well done. It was not uncommon to see obvious hair plugs on people who had undergone the procedure. Yet, there are still a few things about the process that are not widely known. Hopefully, these the answers to these questions will help you weight the pros and cons of hair transplantation.

How common is Hair Loss? Half of all American men will experience significant hair thinning. Unfortunately, females are not spared. Many women notice significant hair loss as they go through the menopausal change.

Are Hair Transplants Reversable? Some people believe that these surgical procedures are as easily reversed as removing a wig but this is not true. Keep in mind, many surgical procedures are necessary. Your head and hair will never look exactly the same.

How long does it take to recover after the procedure? A typical hair transplant surgery is very easy on the patient. However, this does not mean that you should get right back to your normal routine. Remember the scalp is a sensitive area and great care must be taken to keep it from getting infected.

How long before I'm done with the whole process? It is not uncommon for the whole process to take as long as one to two years. This represents a large investment of time and your should be prepare yourself appropiately. If you want to speed things up you may opt for a mega session. During a mega session thousands of grafts are added in one sitting.

What if I don't have a lot of hair to begin with? Along with hair transplant surgery, you may have to have other treatments so if you do not have enough hair, you cannot undergo the normal treatment. There are other surgeries that can help produce a similar result that can be used in conjunction. Of course, these procedures are usually far more painful.

Ok...How much is this going to cost me? Hair transplant treatments are not cheap. The price depends on the procedures you elect to have and the clinic you choose. It is not uncommon to pay $12,000 for a hair transplant. If this price is too steep you may want to try other methods to grow back your hair first. Stick to hair regrow products that contain ingredients evaluated by the FDA.

When I told a counselor about my eating disorder, he did a terribly unhelpful thing: he scared me. He launched into a story about his anorexic niece who had been unable to conceive a child, even after returning to a healthy body weight. I was nineteen, petrified both of gaining weight and the physical effects of my starvation-binge-purge cycle, and the counselor's story merely terrified me more. If I eventually wanted a child, would I be able to become pregnant or would I forever pay the price of damaging my body? How would I respond to the inevitable pregnancy weight gain? Would the beauty of carrying a child in my womb offset the fear of gaining weight, or make things worse?

Eventually, counseling, supportive friends and family, and lifestyle changes helped me recover from my self-destructive behavior. My weight returned to normal. My fears subsided. My body image improved. Then I got pregnant and the old weight gain fears threatened to return as the number on the scale increased. Thankfully, my mindset had changed enough that I could cope with my gradually increasing weight.

Here are a few things I found helpful during my pregnancy.

Seek professional help. A good counselor won't scold or terrify you with horror stories. There is no shame in going to a counselor or a psychiatrist. Many people need professional help to deal with issues in their lives, so don't feel as if you are the only one who has ever needed assistance. You're not alone.

Let your ob-gyn know about your disorder as soon as possible. Again, a compassionate medical caregiver won't scold you but will encourage you to gain a healthy amount of weight. Since serious health issues can arise from starving, binging, overeating or purging, the caregiver needs to keep an eye out for any problems. It's a safety measure for you and for your unborn baby.

Don't surround yourself with diet-crazed people. Instead, seek out friends who don't talk incessantly about eating, food, weight loss, and dieting. I wish I had done this. Some of my female acquaintances made tacky remarks about the amount of food I ate or how skinny I was for a pregnant woman. There's nothing worse than dealing with an eating disorder and having those around you blabber about their latest fad diet.

Educate yourself on healthy eating habits. Of all the professionals I saw while battling bulimia and anorexia, my nutritionist was the most helpful. He taught me about food groups, making healthy food choices, and dealing with difficult situations such as dining out or people who tried to sabotage my recovery efforts.

An easy-to-moderate exercise program may help calm your fears that your weight gain is out of control. For me, doing the elliptical machine at the gym for a half hour a few days a week helped level out my cranky, hormonal moods, helped me focus on having a healthy body rather than an ideal one, and gave me a social outlet. But if working out becomes an obsession, or if it has been part of your disorder's symptoms, talk to your health care professional about whether this is advisable for you.

Remember that weight gain in pregnancy is vital to your baby's development. Nourish your body with healthy food so your little one can grow. Focus on loving the life developing inside you. He or she is the reason you are pregnant!

Remember that pregnancy doesn't last forever, and neither does the postpartum period.

In the end, I had a beautiful baby, a tiny person who didn't care that her mama's body wasn't the supposedly ideal one. Every body part that I had deemed fat were ones that cared for her. I carried her in my arms, cuddled her against my chest, let her sleep on my stomach, and paced the floor with her at midnight on weary legs and feet. For my child, her mama's body was perfect the way it was. Chances are your baby will feel the same way.

Numerous studies have confirmed a link between nutritional imbalances and serious illnesses. Strokes, heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer have all been partly attributed to poor diets and nutritional deficiencies and/or excesses. Nutritional counseling and education plays a vital role in preventative, as well as proactive, women's nutritional healthcare.

Although both men and women experience health challenges, there are many symptoms and conditions that are more common - or even exclusive - to women. For instance, depression and osteoarthritis are more prevalent in women, while menopausal symptoms only affect women. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the leading death-inducing disease in women is heart disease.

The differences between male and female needs develop, in part, due to hormonal shifts after puberty.

In order to gain knowledge of a woman's individual needs, her personal profile must be assessed: her age, lifestyle, predispositions, and genetic factors. However, the following are general guidelines that can apply to most women:

A Few Health Conditions Particular to Women
Underweight women with lower levels of body fat or estrogen, for instance, are at a risk of developing scoliosis. Taking vitamin B6, vitamin C, and tryptophan supplements can aid in preventing its onset. Premenopausal women may see their symptoms, including hot flashes, alleviated by reducing their consumption of caffeine, hot peppers, and sodium. Sodium also leads to retaining extra fluids and bloating before menstrual cycles, as well as conditions related to high blood pressure.

Knowing how to look for sodium in labels and the exact amount of sodium needed for someone's particular health profile may greatly reduce symptoms. The use of alternative health remedies, herbs, and natural diuretics, such as licorice, can also provide relief.

Calcium
During menopause, the decrease in estrogen levels often requires more calcium to offset loss of bone density. According to a report by The Institute for Medicine of the National Academies, postmenopausal women experience a decline of calcium absorption by an average rate of 0.21 percent/year.
The risk of developing osteoporosis is also significantly more prevalent in women than men. Calcium is essential to building bone density, which takes place until women's mid-20s. However, consuming high doses of vitamin C may negatively affect your health.

Studies have shown a link between taking high doses of vitamin C supplements and developing age-related cataracts, for example. The link is not associated with consumption of fruits and vegetables; rather, it is found to pertain to supplements alone, states the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The recommended daily intake for women under 50 is 1,000 milligrams and 1,500 milligrams for those 51 and older.

Folic Acid
The Public Health Service recommends consumption of folic acid to childbearing women to help reduce the occurrence of neural tube defects (NTDs). Adequate intake of folic acid can reduce the risk by as much as 50%-70%. Folic acid promotes heart health and offers protection from color cancer. The Institute of Medicine recommends daily folic acid intake of 400 milligrams daily for childbearing women who are not pregnant and 500 to 600 milligram doses for pregnant and breastfeeding women, respectively.

Iron
Iron is indispensable to women, more so than to men. Blood lost through menstruation can often lead to iron deficiency, which can lead to all sorts of antagonistic health-related symptoms: skin pallor, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and extreme fatigue, just to name a few. The Institute for Medicine of the National Academies recommends that the average woman of childbearing age consume 18 milligrams of iron a day - and even more if she is pregnant. (Men can get by with just 8 milligrams a day.)

Men usually get all the iron they need through food alone. But that's not so easy for women, whom statistically take in fewer calories and need more iron in the first place. A diet rich in meat, fish, and poultry can help provide iron. Other foods that are high in iron include beans, chard, spinach, and lentils. Vitamin C obtained from orange juice and broccoli can also increase absorption.

Vegetarian diets may need professional nutritional counseling to ensure proper amounts of iron and other vitamins are consumed.

Last Tip:
Women's health issues are, today, requiring increasing amounts of specialized attention and care. As advances in modern science continue, it is only fitting that we, the general public, become increasingly more aware of the changing nutritional needs of women. Yet, despite the accessibility of nutritional information today, one thing remains consistent: Many physical conditions have a direct correlation with dietary imbalances. Therefore, nutritional counseling is always instrumental in analyzing the nutritional requirements of women - now, and at every stage of life.

Bach Flower Therapy is a wonderful way to treat temper tantrums in children. Bach Flower remedies are very effective is supporting a child feels frustrated and irritable. Babies and children develop mentally before they develop physically. This leads to annoyance and irritation because the child wants to do something he is not mature enough to accomplish it.

Bach Flower Therapy is a branch of Homeopathic Medicine that uses highly diluted natural substances to stimulate the body to health itself. It offers a way to assist the body to gain balance and achieve optimal state of health at the mental and emotional level. Bach Flower Essences are remedies made using edible flowers and thus are non toxic and suitable for children of all ages.

When treating temper tantrums with Bach Flower Therapy, the most specific remedy or remedies should be selected according to the child's individual needs. In order for Bach Flower Therapy to be effective, it should be continued for a period of four to six weeks or even months depending on how deep the imbalance is. The recommended dosage for a Bach Flower Therapy course of treatment is from drops taken under the tongue four times a day away from meals.

The following are instructions on how to prepare a treatment bottle for Bach Flower Therapy.

You will need the following:
1. Bach Flower Remedies.
2. One amber empty amber bottle with eye dropper of 30 ml (treatment bottle).
3. Brandy, glycerine, or vinegar as preservative (optional).
4. Spring water.

Select the appropriate Bach Remedy and add two drops of each onto the treatment bottle.

1. Select the Bach Remedy Impatiens for the child that gets restless and has no patience. The child needing this remedy wants things to happen quickly and get into a temper tantrum when things do not happen fast enough for him.

2. Select the Bach Remedy Vervain if the child is over-excited and cannot calm himself down. This remedy helps those children that are eager to learn and become very enthusiastic about everything are always on the go and never sit still. When he cannot achieve what they want, they lose their temper. They also tend to keep ongoing when very tired and find ways to self simulate themselves. In the end they become so tired that putting out a temper tantrum is another way to keep themselves going.

3. Select the Bach Remedy Beech if the child becomes very intolerant of his own clumsiness and lack of skill. He gets upset if you try to comfort him or if you try to show them how to do it.

4. Select the Bach Remedy Vine if the child is strong-minded and likes to dominate others and gets into a temper tantrum when cannot get his way.

5. Select the Bach Remedy Chicory for the child that becomes very annoying and need constant attention.

6. Select the Bach Remedy Holly if the child manifests temper tantrums as a result of anger toward a sibling or a parent.

7. Select the Bach Remedy Cherry Plum when the child is really out of control.

Once you have added two drops of each selected remedy, add 1 ml of Brandy, glycerine, or vinegar to preserve the combination of Bach Flower Essences in the treatment bottle. This step is optional. If you prefer you can keep the treatment bottle in the fridge. A treatment bottle will last 3-4 weeks.

Make sure to keep it in a dark, dry, place at room temperature. also avoid keeping your treatment bottle near a computer, TV, cell phone, microwave oven, etc.

If in doubt consult a Homeopath, a Naturopath or a Bach Flower Therapy practitioner near you. Please understand that Bach Flower Therapy is not meant to substitute the advice of a medical practitioner but to work in a complementary fashion.

Heading to the hospital to have your baby is a time of excitement mixed with a dose of anxiety. You don't want to forget anything, but there are so many things to think about and remember. The reality is that you don't have to have everything at the hospital. There are a few things that you will need in addition to clothes for baby and mom and any items mom needs to make the birth extra special. Knowing who will provide medical care for your son or daughter after he or she is discharged home is one of the things that makes transitioning home easier. Your OB or the hospital may provide recommendations or offer Newborn Services on site if you have not identified a doctor at discharge.

Selecting the Pediatrician that is right for you is one thing that can be done before the baby is born. The selection of a Pediatrician is often not on the top of the pregnancy to do list, but doing the investigative work ahead of time, makes life easier when you are busy with your new baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that healthy newborns discharged from the hospital have their first pediatric visit within 48 hours or sooner under certain circumstances. Your baby will have checkup appointments initially every 2 months for the first 6 months then every three months until the first birthday. It is important that you build a relationship with the doctor and that you and the doctor have similar philosophies. Doing some homework now will pay off in the long run.

5 Time Saving Tips to Selecting Your Baby's Doctor

1. Where is the Pediatric office located? Is the office close to home, transportation, and is parking available? Remember you will be traveling with your baby, your diaper bag, and siblings, if any, to the appointment. You may also be traveling in varied weather conditions so you want the office to be easily accessible to you. If both parents are unable to make the appointment, bring someone to help with you.

2. Is the Pediatrician in your medical insurance network? You may receive a bill for the services if they are not a participating provider. You can contact your medical insurance provider for their panel of Pediatricians.

3. Are the office hours flexible and will they work for you? Will the hours work for you when you return to work or will someone else be available to take your baby to his or her appointments?

4. How does the office handle after hour questions, illness, and emergencies? Does the Pediatric group have someone on call week nights and weekends for urgent phone consultations or will you have to go to the Emergency Room?

5. What is the pediatrician's experience with caring for ex-premature babies? If your baby has a prolonged NICU course due to extreme prematurity, have a conversation with your pediatrician to ensure that they can provide you with the services your baby needs and has a network of referral specialty doctors. Inquire about which hospitals they admit their patients.

Although it is impossible to predict your baby's every medical need, use the above tips to start the conversation as you find the right doctor for you, your baby, your family. There are really great Pediatricians who care about you and your family.

"Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact." - William James

Fear dominates. It stops you in your tracks. It will rob your joy if you let it.

The NICU experience begins with fear. From the moment you are informed that something is not proceeding as planned fear creeps in. The doctor may tell you that you will deliver prematurely or that something is wrong with your baby. In a split second your pregnancy shifts from a place of hopes and dreams to a place of stress, worry, and overwhelm. It is completely natural and probably even healthy to surrender to the fear. Embrace it. Embracing these feelings without judgment is part of the process. But it is a process, meaning that you spend some time in this place, build up your strength, and prepare to move on to the next phase, living.

As you move from embracing to acceptance fear tags along. It becomes a buddy, a pal, and for some, a comforting companion that keeps you stuck. The key is to manage the fear. You don't have to fight it or make it go away. That is wasted energy. Instead, recognize that this friend's purpose is to protect you. You can then decide whether or not you need this protection. You get to decide if it is really a help or a hindrance and a crutch to keep you from taking the next steps in your life. Do you need more time to process or are you ready to partner with fear and take action?

With acceptance you are ready for action.

You are ready to claim your role as mom or dad and decide what that looks like for you. Fear is there, but you can give it another role. Make it work in your favor, cheer you on and champion you. Or make it your competitor and bet on yourself to win. Your discomfort does not completely go away; it simply lessens so that you can be the parent you are meant to be. Each step of the way, you call on your inner strength to accomplish what you once thought was impossible. This is the courage that is available to you each time you sense fear.

Steps to Managing Fear:

1. Recognize it for what it is: a protective mechanism.

2. Be gentle with yourself. Avoid judging yourself when in fear. Avoid making decisions when in fear.

3. Connect to your strengths. Recall previous fears that you overcame. Call on those strengths and skills now. Your inner voice knows the truth and will guide you.

4. Acknowledge when you need help and support. Reach out and get it.

5. Celebrate each step you make in spite of fear.

Every culture has interpreted mother's day differently. In the English culture, this tradition started on the fourth Lent Sunday and all the laborers were allowed to go and visit their mothers. They used to bring presents and since then, this day was reserved for this purpose only.

In America, mother's day was celebrated on the second Sunday of May. This tradition started on the will of Anna Jarvis who wanted this particular day to show gratitude to mothers after her mother died. Also, people believe that the initiation of the concept of mother's day started when Mother Mary got the honor and recognition she deserved. On the other hand, Greeks and Romans had their very own concept of Mother's Day. They used to celebrate the existence of the Mother of Gods who they used to believe in.

Mother's day gained much more popularity when the president of the United States declared the day as a national holiday in 1914. This particular decision made the day not only popular in the USA, but also popular worldwide. Today, nearly every country celebrates mother's day in accordance with the world wide celebrations. Some nations however celebrate the day on different occasions but the meaning everywhere is the same.

The idea of mother's day is a beautiful and deep one; to celebrate the existence of mothers and whatever they do for their kids in upbringing them. The compromises and sacrifices mothers make in bringing up their children in the best possible manner are appreciable and are shown and recognized on this particular day. On the other side, even the business world has taken much advantage from this day. Mother's day is now second to the most celebrated occasion worldwide, while the first is Christmas. It has also become one of the most commercialized events worldwide.

Apart from the celebration and the formality of the day itself, if we consider what mothers are doing for us, then we would realize that setting aside one day to show her appreciation is near to letting her services down. Hence, mothers should not only be honored on this day, but we should spend each day of our lives thanking them for giving us birth and then upbringing us in the best possible manner she could. Our mothers care for us, feed us, take our pains and are always there for us in times of difficulties, and this is something we should appreciate everyday and make her feel special.

If we look at the fact that we actually honor our mothers on Mother's day, then we would realize that mothers deserve a lot more than this. However it is their greatness that they don't even expect anything in return when they care for us nearly their entire lives. Therefore, it shouldn't just be Mother's day but we should make every day of their lives great by making her proud of ourselves. We should show her appreciation every day for whatever she has done for us and whatever she is doing for us.

Everyone wants to have beautiful, resilient, soft, and supple skin. Unfortunately, when many of us look in the mirror, we are quite dismayed to see that our skin is actually rather dry, grayish and pale. Some of us are even suffering from severe skin conditions like eczema, flaky, itchy skin, or rosacea, which make our skin feel and look even worse. Skin that is healthy usually functions properly, which means that it feels moist, resilient, soft, and supple. However, our health is also reflected by our skin, and if we are not healthy, it becomes apparent by the feel and look of our skin. Our skin even shows when we are not eating properly, are feeling under the weather or are stressed. We can actually improve both our emotional state and our overall healthy by ensuring that our skin is in the best possible condition and healthy. By following the 3 steps mentioned below, we can improve both our general health and our physical appearance, and get baby soft skin effortlessly.

Step 1: Eating moisturizing foods

Fats are capable of moisturizing our skin from the inside out, and that is why it is necessary for us to include fats in our diet if we want to have glowing and supple, baby soft skin. While there are both good and bad fats, but if you want to improve the health of your skin, you should focus on eating good fats. These fats belong to a subcategory of polyunsaturated fats and are known as EFAs or Essential-Fatty Acids. Flax seeds, freshwater fish, green vegetables, nuts, and oily fish are rich in Omega 3, which especially ideal for healthy skin. An oil blend containing Omega 3s like linseed/flax seed or fish oils are also good if you are suffering from skin disorders or if your skin is dry. You can also improve the condition of skin, nails and hair by consuming Omega-6 fatty acids because they are impressive acid neutralizers. They improve skin moisture and decrease inflammations. Fish, flax seeds, nuts like walnuts and leafy greens are rich in Omega 6s.

Step 2: Keeping your body hydrated

If you want to become healthy and stay that way for the rest of your life, then you must drink plenty of water every day. One of the key things to have a healthy, moist and soft skin is to keep the body hydrated properly. If you drink far too less water every day, then your body and skin will get easily dehydrated. Once your body gets dehydrated, you will start noticing that your skin will become dry, flaky and itchy. You are generally recommended to drink at least 2 to 4 liters of water every day. In fact, you should be drinking pure, alkaline water with a pH level of about 9.5 if your skin to be healthy and baby soft. You can add "pH alkalizing drops" to the water you drink to achieve this easily. "pH alkalizing drops" make the water more alkaline by restructuring it and drinking it will hydrate your skin quite effectively. Acids will be gently removed from your body if drink moderate amounts of alkaline water along with a proper diet.

Step 3: Alkalizing and shower baths

Alkalizing baths: An alkalizing bath will prove to be quite rewarding for you and your skin, and is especially ideal if you do not have the money or time to spend an entire day at the spa. Your skin's natural oils will be stimulated, and your skin will be cleansed by the alkaline concentrated bath, and your skin will become baby soft. You should take an alkaline bath for at least 20 minutes.

Shower baths: Taking shower baths will fantastically revitalize your body, softening your skin and making it firmer. Taking a warm shower first thing in the morning can is excellent for the skin. Take a shower in cold water at the end. Wrap yourself in a towel and rest for about 10 minutes. Your immune system will become awakened and strengthened by such a shower bath.

If you consistently follow these steps for a few months, you start to notice that your skin is becoming softer, until it becomes perfectly baby soft. There are other ways you can get baby soft skin effortlessly, such as removing excess hair, exfoliating, applying oil and lotion regularly.

Are you losing more than 20-100 strands of hairs a day? If your answer is yes; you are part of 50 percent of the population experiencing hair loss, but before you get alarmed there are some changes in your body either conscious or unconscious that maybe causing your hair to shed. Did you make a change in your diet, Are you eating enough proteins and amino acids, Is your body going trough a hormonal change (postpartum, thyroid), Anemia, stress, medications etc.? It is advisable to consult a dermatologist for anyone experiencing extreme hair loss. A professional will evaluate all the possibilities and right treatment for those with a more serious problem.

Here are some recipes that will act on the scalp by tightening it and helping to avoid hair loss and promote hair growth.

Caution: Make sure recipes are not to hot before applying to hair or scalp.

1.Apply 2 tablespoons of warm olive oil to scalp, leave on for 10-30 minutes before washing hair.

2.Boil 2 cinnamon sticks in one cup of water apply to hair and live on for at least 5 minutes then rinse off.( it will sting a little).

3.Apply & massage vitamin E oil to scalp at least once a week. It's also helpful for dull hair lacking shine.

4.Increase your protein intake by taking multivitamins. Eat high protein foods like meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dried beans, grains etc.

5.Massage your hair with warm Castor and Almond oil once a week.

Are you a doula? If so, you recognize the importance of getting clients. Would you like to get more clients, faster than ever before... and have more satisfied clients at the same time? It's not hard, if you know a few secrets.

The most important secret to getting more clients for your doula practice is to use your website effectively. You should realize that people are using the web more and more to get the information they need. That means that when your prospects go looking for doula services, they fire up their favorite search engine and see what they can find. The question is: will they find you?

Its easier than ever to be found in the search engines. You merely have to apply a few proven principles and a basic knowledge of keyword research and search engine optimization.

One common mistake is gearing the website to the doula or child birth professional, perhaps without realizing it. Understand that your average prospect is not going to have anywhere near the level of knowledge that you do on the subject of pregnancy and child birth. Therefore, resist the temptation to "show off" your knowledge and instead, speak to the specific cares and concerns of the expectant parents.

When designing your website, invest a little time in studying the most popular and effective websites, and model them. These tend to be simple, cleanly designed, with white backgrounds. Make it easy to find what the prospects want to learn from your website.

First we saw Madonna... Then came Cindy Crawford, followed by Heidi Klum, Britney Spears, Denise Richards and Angelina Jolie... The list goes on as it seems that every day a new mom pops into the scene... Halle Berry, Salma Hayek, Nicole Richie, Christina Aguilera...

Let's face it - being a mommy is hot!

Yes... There is a Baby Boom happening throughout Hollywood's celebrity scene, and without a doubt, that means each day we see more and more celebrity mommies flaunting their beautifully pregnant bellies, followed by then revealing their sexy, flawless post-baby figure... And then, in no time at all... They fully go back to work on their extremely successful careers.

Times have changed... Moms have changed... it's an outright Hot Mommy revolution!

Unlike women from two or more decades ago, today's mommies view pregnancy and motherhood as one more wonderful stage in their lives for which to show pride and confidence. Gone are the days in which pregnant women tried every single trick to "hide" their bellies, as if a pregnant woman's changing body was a reason of shame - a way of declaring to the rest of the world that her life was officially "over."

Perhaps it was Demi Moore's Vanity Fair cover in August 1991 what triggered the beginning of this change in the perception of pregnancy and motherhood. Before then, no Hollywood celebrity or beauty icon would even dream of displaying to the public a less-than-perfect waistline, much less a protruding 8-month pregnant belly.

It took many decades, one controversial magazine cover and an endless number of declarations by many, now proud mommies, celebrity beauty icons, to finally make us realize that pregnancy is not a condition to be ashamed of, to hide and, much less, to mark the end of a woman's beauty and professional career.

Today's moms feel the need to show to the world that they are still beautiful and that their personal and professional lives are far from over. They take care of their health and their physical appearance, at the same time that they balance their work and family lives. Modern moms are not only strong and practical, they are also fun, beautiful, sensual and intelligent. Today's mommies celebrate not only their personal and professional accomplishments - they also celebrate the miracle of life and the process that it implicates.

Today's moms deserve to be acknowledged as Hot Mommies, and this is simply a true revolution, a moment in history in which society's way of thinking is changing... For the better!

Medical professional have made the use of statistics to establish a trend in the occurrence of various disease symptoms among the distributed sections of the population. This helps them to pin point the degree of occurrence of a disease, prevailing in the different categories according to age, gender, and so on. This analysis is also helpful in providing the foresight to the applicability of a treatment for the larger section of a population. It has been discovered that females in the age group between 25 and 40 are susceptible to a wide range of diseases, which we may have a look at.

Stress, which is building up in the society has also taken its toll on the women under this age group. This is by far the most influencing factor when it comes to the mental and physical well-being of a woman. There are many different ways in which a woman might encounter stress in her everyday life. This is mainly related to the pressures associated with lifestyle in general. Pressures associated with family responsibilities, social burdens and taking care of children can affect the individuals I a deep way, so as to influence the mind and body.

The choice between family and career, managing one or both of these can be demanding at times. The expectations levied on them by the society and culture causes them to get into more things than they are able to handle comfortably. This stress manifests itself in the form of depression and mood swings. Although, this is not believed to be confined to females, as would be in the case of postpartum depression.

The corporate females witness a great diversion in the course of their careers from the general behavior acceptable of women. Tears and emotions are seen as a sign of weakness in the male-dominated industries. So, as the women who try to make their mark in the power-driven society, they could give up some of these very natural and personal reactions. It has been upheld since the beginning of history that women need to express their emotions in order to let out their stress. Holding them inside can only complicate their problems.

There are many other concerns which influence the woman of this age group to a great level. Skin care can be one very important issue. It is known that the skin at this age begins to lose its previous healthiness, and hence becomes prone to the external factors. Teenage skin is comparatively less prone to changes in the external environment. The time to be spent on skin care also poses challenge for the women, which is why they do not have enough time to take care of their skin related issues. However, by applying few of the time saving techniques for nourishing your skin can give you good results, without having to go through too much trouble.

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