Tag Archives: Health

Doctor or Midwife? Which one is right for you?

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NOTEWORTHY WEDNESDAY!

Midwife or Doctor?

Many pregnant women ask this question and the answer is not an easy one.

Let’s face it, we have all heard the ‘horror story’ labor and delivery tales. They are very frightening to the first time mom-to-be. It is a wonder any woman who has heard one of these stories chooses to get pregnant.

As a former labor and delivery nurse I surely have played a role in someone’s birth story…I hope it was one of the nice ones.

If you are planning to have a baby or are currently pregnant you may be considering going to a midwife for your prenatal care. There are a few things you need to consider;

  • Medical health: how is your general medical health and would you be considered high-risk due some underlying medical condition?
  • Approach: what type of approach do you prefer…are you looking for a practitioner that is more holistic in his/her approach?
  • Personal needs:you will need to know your own individual needs and find a practitioner who is respectful of them.
  • Setting:what kind of setting are you hoping for your labor and delivery…would you consider a birthing center or are you more inclined to want a natural delivery with options, such as epidural anesthesia, that are only available in a hospital?
  • Cost factor: what does your insurance cover … does it cover a birthing center delivery with a nurse mid-wife or a trained mid-wife home delivery.

Practitioner qualifications are sometimes confusing as well:

Obstetricians are generally board certified in obstetrics and gynecology…they are trained to deal with pregnancy, labor and delivery and any complications and emergencies that might occur. Physicians are many times waiting for a disaster to occur which is why they are quick to intervene in many cases. It is simply their focus as physicians and surgeons.

CNMs, (Certified Nurse Midwives) many times work alongside physicians…they tend to take more time with their patients; they are more apt to try measures in labor that will help to avoid use of pain medications and other interventions unless absolutely necessary. That is not to say you cannot find a physician that will do these things also.

Direct-entry midwives..they are not nurses but they are licensed and trained to deliver babies. They do home deliveries as do some CNMs.

Life is full of choices. When you are pregnant choosing the right person to take care of you during your pregnancy is extremely important…you need to feel comfortable, confident and secure in their approach and their qualifications to assist you through a healthy pregnancy and a safe delivery.

 How to find a midwife

  • American College of Nurse-Midwives operates a toll-free hotline (888/MIDWIFE) that lists CNMs in your area. For general information, call 202/728-9860; write to 818 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20006; or check out the group’s website at www.midwife.org.
  • Maternity Center Association publishes a booklet, Journey to Parenthood($6), with information on choosing a maternity-care provider. Call 212/777-5000 or Write to 281 Park Ave. South, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10010. Visit the MCA website at www.maternity.org.
  • Midwives Alliance of North America can refer you to direct-entry midwives and CNMs in your area. Call 888/923-6262 or Visit their website atwww.mana.org.
  • National Association of Childbearing Centers can provide a list of birth centers in your area, as well as information on how to select a birth center. Send a $1 donation to 3123 Gottschall Rd., Perkiomenville, PA 18074.

Should You Use a Midwife? – Parenting.com.

Doctor or midwife: Which is right for you? | BabyCenter.

http://www.acog.org/About_ACOG/News_Room/News_Releases/2011/The_American_College_of_Obstetricians_and_Gynecologists_Issues_Opinion_on_Planned_Home_Births

Preteen Vaccine Week

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California Department of Public Health Celebrates Preteen Vaccination Week!

February 12-18, 2012!

The goal of 2012’s Preteen Vaccine Week campaign is raise awareness about California’s new Tdap requirement for incoming 7thgrade students, immunization recommendations for 11-and 12-year-olds,  and promote the preteen doctor visit through multiple avenues such as schools, providers, and the media.ACIP currently recommends that 11- and 12-year-olds receive these vaccines:Tdap tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough:

For the 2012-13 school year and beyond, all students entering 7th  grade will need proof of a

Tdap booster shot before starting school

Meningococcal

Annual flu vaccine

HPV human papillomavirus 3-shot series

A total of 2 vaccines against chickenpox varicella

via Preteen Vaccine Week.

Vaccinations are a hot topic…many parents are choosing not to vaccinate their children for various concerns that are legitimate at least in their views at the time.

  • Children depend on adults, mostly  their parents, to make decisions for them with regard to their health and well-being.
  • Vaccinations can and do prevent children from contracting many potentially fatal diseases.

Since the 50’s when polio was essentially eradicated with the  then controversial Salk vaccine, parents have been very vocal and anxious about vaccines given to their kids. In recent years, fears of a connection with the development of autism have fueled the vaccination controversy. Now, the news that a vaccine for the sexually transmitted HPV virus is recommended for young teens has stimulated another fear that this vaccination will in fact increase the numbers of teens engaging in sexual intercourse.

What ever side of this controversy you are on when it comes time for your kids to be vaccinated remember, they are innocent and are counting on you to protect them from harm.

If you feel that vaccinations should not be given to your child, for goodness sake, do all your homework and make sure you are totally aware of the consequences of some of the diseases that your child will be at risk for acquiring. Weigh the pros and cons, make sure that the risks are worth taking.

I am not a risk taker and I would not put my child at risk for these preventable childhood diseases…as a medical professional, I would do my homework and probably spread the recommended vaccinations out over a longer period of time. With my current knowledge,  I would choose to have my child immunized.

My personal feeling is this, by not vaccinating my child against potentially fatal childhood diseases I may actually be neglecting my duties as a parent and my child could die because of my neglect…but that is just my opinion.

Natural Birth in the hospital…

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Natural Birth and Hospital...can you ever have these words in the same sentence??? Can a natural birth be accomplished in a hospital setting?

In some cases, yes…but the key to accomplishing this feat is to “do your homework“. It is up to you to enable a ‘natural birth’ for yourself and your baby.

Whether or not you will be successful will be partly due to your preparation and partly due to your particular labor and your body’s and your fetus’ response to it.

It is my belief as a former Labor and Delivery nurse that every woman’s labor is unique as is their response to it. If you remember this, it will make sense for you to do your birth ‘homework’ because no one knows you like you.

You can use other mom’s experiences to help you plan what you would like your own birth experience to be. Always keep in mind that you are unique and things will happen that may throw your plan off kilter.

Homework Hints for Natural Hospital Birth:

  • Choose your obstetrical care very carefully… remember you should be aware of how your caregivers feel about ‘natural birth’. You will also need to know how their partners feel about it also. Remember to ask about what their hospital offers for women in labor. It will not help if your doctor is okay with tubs and showers during labor if they are not available at the hospital where you will be delivering. Put together a  great team…such as doctor, midwife, doula, coach/support person.
  • Take classes to learn all you can about labor and delivery … a one day class is, in my opinion, not enough…you are on overload by the time it is over. If it is the only option then by all means do it. Try to find classes to accommodate your needs…sometimes there are nurses who will do this privately if that is helpful to you. Remember, you have nine months to get ready use your time wisely and try not to procrastinate.
  • Get a good pregnancy book and use it…read it, dog ear it, discuss it with your partner. Stay away from multiple sources of information that will make you confused. Ask questions of your doctor, midwife and doula…trust them and yourself.

I just finished reading  “Natural Hospital Birth: The Best of Both Worlds” and I loved it! It’s written by medical anthropologist and doula, Cynthia Gabriel and it’s solidly helpful for women hoping for this kind of birth.

Home birth is not for everyone for a whole host of reasons, but some women feel they’d like to have something close to it in a hospital setting. And for those women there are strategies. This book is dedicated to that concept.

via 7 Tips for Having a Natural Hospital Birth | Being Pregnant. by Ceridwen

Postpartum depression …you do not need to suffer through it!

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POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION

Postpartum depression is a serious problem that can occur after having a baby…it can occur up to one year after delivery. Sometimes the signs and symptoms can just be an overall sense of anxiety and an inability to enjoy your baby.  As a new mom if you just don’t feel happy you can attribute it to many things especially lack of sleep and the many changes occurring over such a short period of time but you could be suffering from postpartum depression (PPD).

Personally, I did not experience PPD but there were days when I did not feel in control of all the responsibilities of motherhood. It was positively overwhelming. Back in the day…postpartum depression was somewhat overlooked and under treated.  A new mom was made to feel like she  “just had to suck it up” and get it together. Fortunately, since them that attitude has changed and most obstetricians screen for PPD at the time of the postpartum check-up.

I thought that I would post a list of symptoms of postpartum depression.  If you have more than one or two of these symptoms or are feeling generally depressed for more than two weeks you should check in with your doctor.

The symptoms of postpartum depression are the same as the symptoms of depression that occurs at other times in life. Along with a sad or depressed mood, you may have some of the following symptoms:

  • Agitation or irritability
  • Changes in appetite
  • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
  • Feeling withdrawn or unconnected
  • Lack of pleasure or interest in most or all activities
  • Loss of concentration
  • Loss of energy
  • Problems doing tasks at home or work
  • Negative feelings toward the baby
  • Significant anxiety
  • Thoughts of death or suicide
  • Trouble sleeping

A mother with postpartum depression may also:

  • Be unable to care for herself or her baby
  • Be afraid to be alone with her baby
  • Have negative feelings toward the baby or even think about harming the baby Although these feelings are scary, they are almost never acted on. Still you should tell your doctor about them right away.
  • Worry intensely about the baby, or have little interest in the baby

via Postpartum depression – PubMed Health.

Paula Deen is overweight and now diabetic…so what is new?

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http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/46054298#46054298

I don’t watch Paula Deen but I am aware of the food that she promotes on her show and magazine. I have too much respect for my own health to consider her a chef that I would want to emulate.

She can do what she wants with her own health…but I have a problem when a public persona, who profits off of others, promotes an unhealthy lifestyle and tries to justify this by saying that it is a personal preference and choice.

Where is her sense of responsibility to her fans?…

It seems it is tucked away in her pocketbook.

Here is a comment from Dr. Yoni Freedhoff:

Could Paula have taken this opportunity to become a healthy role model for America? Yes. Did she? Clearly not, and while I would have hoped that as a human being she would have seen value in that, her obvious refusal to step up to that plate leaves her playing the same role she always has – a B list celebrity chef whose claim to fame is cooking nutritionally repugnant food.Too bad she didnt trade up and become someone laudable.

via Weighty Matters: Paula Deen has Diabetes and takes Victoza. So What?.

Related:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/46054298#46054298

Mental Health Awareness Week…

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Mental Health Awareness Week
Depression, anxiety and panic attacks are NOT a sign of weakness. They are signs of having tried to remain strong for way too long. Would you post this on your wall, at least for one day? It’s Mental Health Awareness week. Did you know that 1 in each 3 of us will go through this at some point in our lives? Share the support! Let those who struggle know they’re not alone, they… are loved.
As a clinical social worker and registered nurse I consider mental health as part of overall health. Personally, I have had bouts with anxiety and panic attacks as a young adult and anxiety rears its ugly head every now and then. Mindfulness and yoga has been part of my lifestyle for a very long time and has seriously helped me in times of high anxiety.
Anxiety is worry about the future and depression is related usually to past events none of which we have too much control over.
If you are a parent or you have kids that experience depression, anxiety and or panic attacks…know that there is help available. Please find a mental health professional that you like and respect to help you. You can always start with the NASW (National Association of Social Work)…they will help you find professional assistance.
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Home Remedies to Treat a Kid’s Cough and Cold – iVillage

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Coughs, Colds, Croup….

This is the season for colds, croup and coughs.

I have come across a great list of things to do in addition to checking with your child’s pediatrician.

I may even use some of these remedies on myself especially the one to loosen congestion with saline drops, and use Vicks Vapor Rub on the soles of the feet.

Love…love…Vicks.

Ah…back to childhood and my own Nana’s remedies.

Home Remedies to Treat a Kid’s Cough and Cold – iVillage.

Kids and Allergies-“Allergy friendly party: How to host a kids party – latimes.com”

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NOTEWORTHY WEDNESDAY!

Although only a small percentage of children in the U.S. have reported food allergies it can be deadly for that small number.

It is important for those of us who are not affected by this problem to remain empathic for those that do ….

…..it can mean life or death within minutes of exposure.

With that being said, if your child has friends with allergies or your child, herself, has allergies it means that childhood parties and holiday celebrations at school can be problematic.

There are many ways to host an allergy free event…it may not be all that easy but well worth the effort.

I would urge any parent or grandparent to become familiar with common food allergies and the signs of an allergic reaction so that they can respond appropriately if necessary.

When in doubt if it is an allergic reaction….call 911…better to be safe than sorry!

So…I came across this information in the LA Times which might be helpful.

The latest research shows that 8 percent of children in the United States have food allergies, which means that even if your kid can eat her weight in PB&J or egg salad, she’ll probably have a friend who can’t.

Here are some tips from Beasley on how to host an allergy-friendly kids party:

1. On party invitations, mention upfront if there will be a food-centric theme, such as decorating your own pizza or assembling gingerbread houses.

2. If the parent of a food-allergic child contacts you before the party, offer to put out a “safe” dish (prepared by the parent and dropped off with the child) amid buffet items.

3. Choose dishware that comes in a variety of colors instead of a uniform print. This will help an allergic child avoid accidentally using someone else’s tainted cup or fork.

4. If traditional cake is being served, don’t make a big production out of cutting and handing a slice to each guest. If ice cream is being served, have a nondairy fruit sorbet on hand that can be substituted without drawing attention to the milk-allergic child.

5. If crafts will be a focal point, beware of common allergens that might be ingredients in art supplies, such as glue (milk), modeling clay (wheat) and tempera paints (egg).

6. Giving out goody bags? Be sure any food you include is thoroughly wrapped. Crumbs from a cookie or chocolate’s oils can contaminate the toys bundled beside it. Or leave out food altogether.

Andrea Pyros writes for the coupon site RetailMeNot.com.

Distributed by MCT Information Services

via Allergy friendly party: How to host a kids party – latimes.com.

Gummy Bears…new way for teens to consume Alcohol…

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Underage drinking…I have written about this in the past and just saw this new way for teens to get drunk with Gummy Bears and Gummy Worms…

Just in time for Halloween…

I hope this helps to open up a conversation between you and your children about alcohol use and responsible drinking.

“Hard” Gummy Bears are not for kids…

One of the scariest things about raising teens is the possibility that they might be influenced to drink. You can warn them of the dangers and consequences until you’re blue in the face, but sometimes, peer pressure gets the best of them. The American Academy of Pediatrics found that more than four million adolescents drink alcohol in any month

via Underage Alcohol Usage: Soaking Gummy Bears In Alcohol Is Newest Trend For Teens.

KELOLAND.com Video.

Related Posts:

http://parentingintheloop.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/teenagers-and-alcohol/

http://parentingintheloop.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/other-teens-drink-and-use-marijuana-but-my-kids-dont-do-you-say-this/

http://parentingintheloop.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/alcohol-awareness-month/

9/11…10 Years Later…Lessons Learned

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NOTEWORTHY WEDNESDAY  THURSDAY!

This past Sunday was the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

The horror of 9/11 will remain.

This year the surviving  families, children and spouses showed us all how life goes on and how they have managed to remember and honor their loved ones who perished on 9/11.

The surviving children that honored their parents at the memorial were inspirational…some knew their parent others did not  as they had not even born yet.

Children are remarkable and in their own way resilient.

Resilience is a word that is used often, but in my opinion it is a characteristic that is not well understood.

Each of us has the capacity for resilient behavior but it has to be nurtured in us.

Resiliency is the ability to spring back from and successfully adapt to adversity. An increasing body of research from the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and sociology is showing that most people–including young people–can bounce back from risks, stress, crises, and trauma and experience life success.

via Resiliency In Action.

It seems that some children function well after traumatic events and this is related to the way their parents’ have reacted to such events and the way they have been brought up to use adaptive coping responses.

It has been found:

When families and mothers ‘did well,’ so did their children. Conversely, families and mothers who showed negative posttraumatic reactions had children who showed similar negative outcomes.

An array of protective characteristics or factors has been identified in resilient children. They are present at the individual, family, and community level and contribute, together, to adaptation following trauma during childhood:

(1) trauma characteristics;

(2) the child’s own resources;

(3) the child’s family characteristics;

(4) the community support (i.e. from teachers, peers, friends, mentors); and

(5) developmental path.

via Children’s Resilience in the Face of Trauma | Education.com.

So the remarkable children and spouses, we witnessed on the anniversary of 9/11 speaking of their lives now, are reflections of their surviving parents and those who perished in the attacks that day in 2001.

Let us all try to foster resilience in our children in this age of uncertainty so that they can call upon it when and if they need to do so.

References

1. Masten, AS (1994) Resilience in individual development: Successful adaptation despite risk and adversity. In MC Wang & EW Gordon (Eds.) Inner City Educational Resilience

2. Masten, AS, Best, KM & Garmezy,N. (1991) Resilience and development: contributions from the study of children who overcome adversity. Development and Psychopathology, 2, 425-444

3. Scheering, MS & Zeanah, CH (2001) A relational perspective on PTSD in early childhood. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 14 (4) 799-815

4. Hoven, CW, Duarte, CS, Lucas, CP et al (2002) Effects of the World Trade Center attack on NYC Public School Students: Initial Report of the New York City Board of Education. New York: Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Applied Research and Consulting, LLC

5. Ibid, p. 24

6. Terr, LC, Block, DA, Beat, MA et al (1997) Children’s thinking in the wake of Challenger. The American Journal of

Psychiatry, 154 (6)744-751

via Children’s Resilience in the Face of Trauma | Education.com.