All Natural Mommies

Archive for the ‘Health and Safety’ Category

There have been too many terrible tragedies involving babies in the past couple of weeks.  Innocent babies are dieing at the hands of their own mothers. 
Postpartum depression is real and can turn deadly very quickly.  Sleep deprivation combined with hormonal changes can effect the mother’s emotions towards her new baby.  According to the MayoClinic, an estimated 10% of new moms experience postpartum depression.  Though rare, an extreme form of postpartum depression, knows as postpartum psychosis can also develop. 

Not sure if it’s Postpartum depression or just the “Baby Blues?”  Check out this symptom guide from the MayoClinic staff:

Baby Blues – these symptoms usually fade away a few days or weeks after giving birth.

Mood swings
Anxiety
Sadness
Irritability
Crying
Decreased concentration
Trouble sleeping

Postpartum Depression – resembles Baby Blues but symptoms become more intense and lingering.  May effect mother’s feelings towards and care of the baby and interfere with daily activities.
Loss of appetite
Insomnia
Intense irritability and anger
Overwhelming fatigue
Loss of interest in sex
Lack of joy in life
Feelings of shame, guilt or inadequacy
Severe mood swings
Difficulty bonding with the baby
Withdrawal from family and friends
Thoughts of harming yourself or the baby

Postpartum Psychosis – typically develops withing first two weeks after birth.  symptoms are very severe.
Confusion and disorientation
Hallucinations and delusions
Paranoia
Attempts to harm yourself or the baby

If you’re experiencing the above symptoms, seek help immediately!  You may feel embarassed to admit you’re depressed.  There is an unrealistic expectation for mothers to handle everything with style and grace.  But, even the best mothers sometimes need help.  Don’t let embarassement stop you from getting the assistance you need.

If you suspect Baby Blues, talk with your spouse, family, friends, or neighbors.  Sometimes, just talking to someone about what you’re feeling can help.  Ask for help with the baby.  Hire a postpartum doula or infant nurse to give you some support.  Or ask family members to help with the baby so you can take a relaxing bath or a nap.  If you’re feeling overwhelmed, get help!

If you suspect Postpartum Depression and the symptoms don’t go away after a few weeks or you find your feelings are interrupting daily activities, call your doctor.  It is not shameful to get medical help, if needed. 

If you suspect you’re developing Postpartum Psychosis, seek immediate medical attention!  Behaviours associated with postpartum psychosis can pose a danger to yourself and your baby.  Don’t try to “wait it out.”  Get help now!

Postpartum depression is a reality for a large number of women.  But, if you’re honest with yourself about what you’re feeling, you can get help and feel better.  Your baby is too precious for you to be too proud to seek help.

(Symptom list from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/postpartum-depression/DS00546 )

There is no doubt that we need healthcare reform in America.  Every family has a story about healthcare costs, loss of coverage, or refused coverage.  If you don’t, you’re one of the lucky few with great insurance. 

President Obama has been committed to reforming healthcare.  This Monday, he’ll be addressing the American Medical Association’s House of Delegates as part of the administrations efforts to legislate healthcare.   The AMA has pledged to decrease the annual healthcare spending growth rate by 1.5 percentage points, or about $2 trillion dollars over the next decade.

Part of this commitment, is to work to curb “overuse” of some services, including caesarean sections.  That is exciting news.  Parents who’ve strived for a natural birth, have often run into a cascade of interventions heading full-force towards a caesarean birth.  These mamas often have to cajole and argue to get the birth they want.  If these doctors are truly committed to reducing the use of caesareans, they’ll need to move towards supporting more natural labor/birth practices!  At least, that’s my hope. 

The healthcare system needs to provide more information on caesareans and their risks.  More and more women with little or no risk-factors have been choosing scheduled c-sections for convenience, fear of pain(?), bodily changes, and other reasons.  I’m almost certain that they have received very little information from their OB about the risk and consequences of having major abdominal surgery, not to mention the effects on the infant. 

This is not to say that all caesareans are bad.  Of course, there are valid medical reasons and the health of the mother and baby should always be the first priority.   But if it’s possible for doctors to reduce the instance of surgery, I’m all for it.

Here’s hoping President Obama will make a difference in the minds of these doctors.

The full story is here at the Chicago Tribune.

http://natural-news.all-natural-mommies.com/wp-login.php

The Calgary Herald recently reported on a study, funded by the Environment and Plastics Industry Council, which concluded that reusable grocery bags are a public health risk.  Several used bags, 23 in fact, and two bags that were 2 and 3 years old, tested positive for such things as bacteria, yeast, and mold.  Of course, the single use plastic bags tested showed no signs of contaminates.  Nor did the new, unused reusable bags. 

So, what should we take away from this?  The plastic industry does not want consumers to turn away from plastic bags!  Many stores are encouraging the use of reusable bags.  Some municipalities are even banning the use of plastic bags.  The plastic industry stands to lose quite a lot if there is a widespread ban of their bags. 

This study plays on the fears of our germaphobic society.  Don’t stop using your reusable bags because of this.  But do revisit your cleaning process. 

Are your bags washed regularly?  I’ve looked through all of my reusable bags.  None contain washing instructions, except the insulated ones.  Still, I think it’s only common sense that since these bags come into close contact with yor family’s food, they should be washed regularly.  I machine wash and hang dry my bags once a month.  If food spills in one or it gets yucky somehow, it goes right into the laundry basket. 

 What about meats?   I usually have my meats wrapped in a regular plastic bag before being placed into my insulated reusable bag.  In this case, I think it’s more important to avoid contamination than to save that one plastic bag from use.  I package meats seperately from all other groceries.  And wipe out the insulated bags after each use. 

Reusable bags do not need to be a health hazard.  With a little bit of common sense, reusable bags can last a long time and provide your family with a healthy alternative to plastic bags.