This article was taken from www.medscape.com I do not think what I had would be called, "poor sleep." I had down and out insomnia. I did not sleep for days. When I did fall asleep I would wake up with panic attacks and think that I was going to die. Our bodies need sleep, no doubt about that. I could not even lay down to nap when my son napped, I just could never fall asleep. Would my postpartum depression have been so bad if I had gotten more sleep? I would think that sleeping more would have definitely helped!
Poor Sleep Independently Linked to Postpartum Depression
Laurie Barclay, MD
Authors and Disclosures
Print This
July 8, 2009 — Poor sleep is linked to postpartum depression independently of other risk factors, according to the results of a cross-sectional, population-based study reported in the July issue of Sleep.
"It is important to ask a new mother suffering from tiredness about how poor sleep affects her daytime functioning and whether there are other factors in her life that may contribute to her lack of energy," lead author Signe Karen Dørheim, MD, PhD, a psychiatrist at Stavanger University Hospital in Stavanger, Norway, said in a news release. "There are also helpful depression screening questionnaires that can be completed during a consultation. Doctors and other health workers should provide an opportunity for postpartum women to discuss difficult feelings."
The goals of this study were to assess the prevalence of and risk factors for concurrent postpartum maternal sleep problems and depressive symptoms, to identify factors independently associated with either condition, and to examine associations between specific components of postpartum sleep and depression.
From October 2005 to September 2006, a total of 4191 women delivered at Stavanger University Hospital and were mailed a questionnaire 7 weeks after delivery, with a response rate of 68% (n = 2830). Mean maternal age at the time of reply was 30 years.
The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) evaluated sleep characteristics, with sleep problems defined as a PSQI score of more than 5. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) evaluated depressive symptoms, with depression defined as an EPDS score of 10 or higher.
The prevalence of sleep problems was 57.7%, and the prevalence of depression was 16.5%. Self-reported mean nightly sleep duration was 6.5 hours, and sleep efficiency was 73%.
Factors associated with poor postpartum sleep quality were depression, history of sleep problems, primiparity, not exclusively breast-feeding, or having a younger or male infant. After adjustment for other known risk factors for depression, including poor partner relationship, history of depression, depression during pregnancy, and stressful life events, poor sleep remained associated with depression. The aspects of sleep most strongly associated with depression were sleep disturbances and subjective sleep quality.
"Poor sleep was associated with depression independently of other risk factors," the study authors write. "Poor sleep may increase the risk of depression in some women, but as previously known risk factors were also associated, mothers diagnosed with postpartum depression are not merely reporting symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation."
Limitations of this study include cross-sectional design precluding determination of causality and reliance on self-reported symptoms.
"The sleep of women with a history of depression may be more sensitive to the psychobiological (hormonal, immunological, psychological, and social) changes associated with childbirth," the study authors conclude. "Sleep could act as a moderator between these risk factors for depression and the precipitation of depression in women vulnerable to such sleep changes during the postpartum period. Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate whether treatment of maternal sleep problems reduces depression and whether treatment of maternal depression improves sleep quality."
The Western Norway Regional Health Authority funded this study. One of the study authors has disclosed various financial relationships with Lundbeck AS, sanofi-aventis, Pfizer, Wyeth, and NycoMed. The other study authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
follow blog in real time at www.condron.us or www.alphainventions.com
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
How to help someone with depression
http://www.healthyplace.com/depression/living-with-depression/if-you-know-someone-whos-depressed/menu-id-1350/
Looking at my previous blog posts I see that many people are looking for the answers on how to help a loved one, friend, or even family member that is suffering from depression. I decided to post some information on that today. Just remember, do not judge them and please, do try to get them the help that they would need.
I have also in my past known people that have suffered from major depression and have dealt with loved ones and friends committing suicide. Try to get them the help they need before it goes too far. Reach out to therapists and doctors in your area that can also give you information on how to cope and deal with your loved one's depression. This is a major issue that needs to be dealt with.
view blogs in real time at www.condron.us and www.alphainventions.com
Looking at my previous blog posts I see that many people are looking for the answers on how to help a loved one, friend, or even family member that is suffering from depression. I decided to post some information on that today. Just remember, do not judge them and please, do try to get them the help that they would need.
I have also in my past known people that have suffered from major depression and have dealt with loved ones and friends committing suicide. Try to get them the help they need before it goes too far. Reach out to therapists and doctors in your area that can also give you information on how to cope and deal with your loved one's depression. This is a major issue that needs to be dealt with.
view blogs in real time at www.condron.us and www.alphainventions.com
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Can stress make you gain weight?
Can being under stress make you gain weight? I believe that it totally can. I am certainly been under a lot of stress lately which means: I tend not to eat correctly; I am not getting enough sleep nor am I getting enough exercise; and most of all I am not making time for me to get out and have fun. Believe me, that is what I am going to start this month, trying to make more time for me. Get in the work-outs that I miss and start eating right. I think actually that I do not eat enough since I am always on the go, that is not good either since your body then tends to store the fat. So the message of today: Get out and make time for yourself so the stress does not get you down!
Article taken from www.uticaod.com
By JIM LaFOUNTAIN
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Jul 23, 2009 @ 12:07 PM
QUESTION: I recently was informed by my girlfriend that my inability to deal with stress is making me fat. How can that be? I just started a new job and do have a lot on my plate (no pun here), but how can it make me fat? I exercise and eat pretty healthy.
ANSWER: Over the course of many thousands of years, our bodies survived because they adapted to various stressors. Whether it was running from a large, swift beast or fighting off a smaller predator, we learned to survive an enormous number of physical stressors. The majority of us, however, do not do such a good job of handling emotional or psychological stress. Our fast-paced world encourages us to work hard and worry even harder.Even those who exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet are falling prey to the ill effects of emotional and psychological stress. Physically fit, “type A” personalities are experiencing the negative effects of their hard-driving lifestyles. Many factors contribute to becoming fat. Overeating and under-exercising obviously are ingredients for an increase in fat storage.
Psychological and emotional stress also can contribute to gains in stored body fat since your body cannot distinguish the difference between physical, emotional or psychological stress. With that said, your brain acts as though you are in physical danger and triggers the production of generous amounts of adrenaline. This encourages your body to release energy in order to fight or flight (run real fast.)
The “fight or flight” mechanism runs amok because a surge of cortisol is released into the system by the adrenal glands. Cortisol causes your body to begin replenishing what is perceived as a large amount of energy your body would have used had you been exposed to physical stress. Psychological or emotional stress, however, does not induce a large caloric void. The bottom line is that in the presence of cortisol, your body attempts to replenish large amounts of calories it has not used and the excess is stored as body fat. Over time, stress causes the body to repeat this process and large amounts of weight can be gained in a few weeks.An added negative to allowing stress into your life is that when adrenal glands are pumping out cortisol, testosterone production slows. A reduction in testosterone causes the body’s lean mass to drop. Less lean mass causes a reduction in both exercising and resting metabolism and subsequent weight gain.
Some methods for dealing with stress include:
Regular exercise.
Resisting the urge to go on a highly restrictive diet.
Limit caffeine intake.
Eat a nutrition-filled breakfast.
Get more sleep.
Discipline your mind to think more positively.
Jim LaFountain is president of All-American Fitness Center in New Hartford. He has a master's degree in exercise science and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist.
Write to him at 1 Campion Road, New Hartford NY 13413.
view blog in real time at www.condron.us or www.alphainventions.com
Article taken from www.uticaod.com
By JIM LaFOUNTAIN
Observer-Dispatch
Posted Jul 23, 2009 @ 12:07 PM
QUESTION: I recently was informed by my girlfriend that my inability to deal with stress is making me fat. How can that be? I just started a new job and do have a lot on my plate (no pun here), but how can it make me fat? I exercise and eat pretty healthy.
ANSWER: Over the course of many thousands of years, our bodies survived because they adapted to various stressors. Whether it was running from a large, swift beast or fighting off a smaller predator, we learned to survive an enormous number of physical stressors. The majority of us, however, do not do such a good job of handling emotional or psychological stress. Our fast-paced world encourages us to work hard and worry even harder.Even those who exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet are falling prey to the ill effects of emotional and psychological stress. Physically fit, “type A” personalities are experiencing the negative effects of their hard-driving lifestyles. Many factors contribute to becoming fat. Overeating and under-exercising obviously are ingredients for an increase in fat storage.
Psychological and emotional stress also can contribute to gains in stored body fat since your body cannot distinguish the difference between physical, emotional or psychological stress. With that said, your brain acts as though you are in physical danger and triggers the production of generous amounts of adrenaline. This encourages your body to release energy in order to fight or flight (run real fast.)
The “fight or flight” mechanism runs amok because a surge of cortisol is released into the system by the adrenal glands. Cortisol causes your body to begin replenishing what is perceived as a large amount of energy your body would have used had you been exposed to physical stress. Psychological or emotional stress, however, does not induce a large caloric void. The bottom line is that in the presence of cortisol, your body attempts to replenish large amounts of calories it has not used and the excess is stored as body fat. Over time, stress causes the body to repeat this process and large amounts of weight can be gained in a few weeks.An added negative to allowing stress into your life is that when adrenal glands are pumping out cortisol, testosterone production slows. A reduction in testosterone causes the body’s lean mass to drop. Less lean mass causes a reduction in both exercising and resting metabolism and subsequent weight gain.
Some methods for dealing with stress include:
Regular exercise.
Resisting the urge to go on a highly restrictive diet.
Limit caffeine intake.
Eat a nutrition-filled breakfast.
Get more sleep.
Discipline your mind to think more positively.
Jim LaFountain is president of All-American Fitness Center in New Hartford. He has a master's degree in exercise science and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist.
Write to him at 1 Campion Road, New Hartford NY 13413.
view blog in real time at www.condron.us or www.alphainventions.com
Monday, August 17, 2009
Free Weekly Phone Forums for Information and Support
Services offered from http://www.postpartum.net/ Postpartum International. Free weekly phone forums for women and men.
Free Weekly Phone Forums for Information and Support
This weekly forum provides the opportunity for women and men to talk with an expert, ask questions, and get support.
Bringing a baby home can also bring major emotional and physical adjustments. You - and the people who care about you - don’t need to need to face these changes alone.
WEDNESDAY CHATS FOR WOMEN and their HELPERS
“Is it just the baby blues?”
“Am I the only one who feels this way?”
“What can I do to help my daughter?” or - your friend, your sister, or partner.
This is a place where moms, partners, extended family members, support people for moms, and professionals can find some answers and support from an expert - and from other women. You’ll find honest and compassionate talk about the adjustment to parenthood, information about mood changes during or after pregnancy, and some helpful advice.
Chat Facilitators:
Yvonne Moore, MD,MA,FACOG has been an Obstetrician-Gynecologist for more than 25 years. She is a member of the PSI Board of Directors and the coordinator of “Chat with the Experts.”
Ilyene Barsky, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker, PPD survivor, and founder of The Center for Postpartum Adjustment, http://www.postpartumsupport.com/.
Helen Jones, PhD, RN, APN is a former PSI board member, published author, family therapist specializing in perinatal mood disorders, and Professor of Nursing at Raritan Valley Community College in NJ.
Linda Klempner, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist and director of Women’s Health Counseling & Psychotherapy in Teaneck, N.J.
Birdie Meyer, RN, MA, CLC , Board President of PSI, is the coordinator of the Perinatal Mood Disorders Program at Clarian Health in Indianapolis, IN. She is a Childbirth Educator and is certified as a CPR instructor, Lactation Counselor, Spirit of Care giving facilitator, RTS Bereavement Facilitator, Critical Incident response, and Parish Nurse.
Ann Smith, CNM is a nurse-midwife, PPD survivor, lecturer on perinatal mood disorders to health professionals, and coordinator of a postpartum depression support group.
NEW! MONDAY CHATS FOR MEN
“What can I do to support my partner?”
“Is it possible that I’m depressed too?”
“Am I the only guy who’s struggling with becoming a dad?”
This is a place where dads, partners, extended family members or other support people, and professionals can find some answers and support from an expert - and from other men. You’ll find honest and compassionate talk about the adjustment to parenthood, information about how fatherhood can affect you, and some helpful advice.
Chat Facilitators:
Will Courtenay, PhD is an internationally recognized expert in helping men, a psychotherapist, author, researcher, and founder of http://www.postpartummen.com/
David Miller, MD, PhD is an obstetrician-turned-psychiatrist who specializes in women’s mood disorders with particular focus on Perinatal Mood Disorders. He is a founding board member for Postpartum Education and Support, Inc. in North Carolina, and maintains a private practice in Wake Forest, NC
Susan Dowd Stone, MSW, LCSW Chairs PSI’s President’s Advisory Council. She is an author, presenter, advocate, adjunct lecturer at NYU, and is in private practice specializing in women’s reproductive mental health at http://www.perinatalpro.com/
Participation can be anonymous. There is no need to register, the sessions are live and free, and the facilitators are licensed mental health professionals.
Participants must call 1-800-944-8766 five minutes before the call begins.
The facilitator will end the call if there are no participants by 15 minutes after the scheduled start time.
Click here to read detailed instructions
The bridge line will stop accepting callers when the maximum of 15 callers has been reached. Sessions will last approximately one hour. Callers may choose to remain anonymous. These Chats are not meant to take the place of needed visits to healthcare providers and do not provide therapy.
view blog in real time at http://www.condron.us/ and http://www.alphainventions.com/
Free Weekly Phone Forums for Information and Support
This weekly forum provides the opportunity for women and men to talk with an expert, ask questions, and get support.
Bringing a baby home can also bring major emotional and physical adjustments. You - and the people who care about you - don’t need to need to face these changes alone.
WEDNESDAY CHATS FOR WOMEN and their HELPERS
“Is it just the baby blues?”
“Am I the only one who feels this way?”
“What can I do to help my daughter?” or - your friend, your sister, or partner.
This is a place where moms, partners, extended family members, support people for moms, and professionals can find some answers and support from an expert - and from other women. You’ll find honest and compassionate talk about the adjustment to parenthood, information about mood changes during or after pregnancy, and some helpful advice.
Chat Facilitators:
Yvonne Moore, MD,MA,FACOG has been an Obstetrician-Gynecologist for more than 25 years. She is a member of the PSI Board of Directors and the coordinator of “Chat with the Experts.”
Ilyene Barsky, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker, PPD survivor, and founder of The Center for Postpartum Adjustment, http://www.postpartumsupport.com/.
Helen Jones, PhD, RN, APN is a former PSI board member, published author, family therapist specializing in perinatal mood disorders, and Professor of Nursing at Raritan Valley Community College in NJ.
Linda Klempner, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist and director of Women’s Health Counseling & Psychotherapy in Teaneck, N.J.
Birdie Meyer, RN, MA, CLC , Board President of PSI, is the coordinator of the Perinatal Mood Disorders Program at Clarian Health in Indianapolis, IN. She is a Childbirth Educator and is certified as a CPR instructor, Lactation Counselor, Spirit of Care giving facilitator, RTS Bereavement Facilitator, Critical Incident response, and Parish Nurse.
Ann Smith, CNM is a nurse-midwife, PPD survivor, lecturer on perinatal mood disorders to health professionals, and coordinator of a postpartum depression support group.
NEW! MONDAY CHATS FOR MEN
“What can I do to support my partner?”
“Is it possible that I’m depressed too?”
“Am I the only guy who’s struggling with becoming a dad?”
This is a place where dads, partners, extended family members or other support people, and professionals can find some answers and support from an expert - and from other men. You’ll find honest and compassionate talk about the adjustment to parenthood, information about how fatherhood can affect you, and some helpful advice.
Chat Facilitators:
Will Courtenay, PhD is an internationally recognized expert in helping men, a psychotherapist, author, researcher, and founder of http://www.postpartummen.com/
David Miller, MD, PhD is an obstetrician-turned-psychiatrist who specializes in women’s mood disorders with particular focus on Perinatal Mood Disorders. He is a founding board member for Postpartum Education and Support, Inc. in North Carolina, and maintains a private practice in Wake Forest, NC
Susan Dowd Stone, MSW, LCSW Chairs PSI’s President’s Advisory Council. She is an author, presenter, advocate, adjunct lecturer at NYU, and is in private practice specializing in women’s reproductive mental health at http://www.perinatalpro.com/
Participation can be anonymous. There is no need to register, the sessions are live and free, and the facilitators are licensed mental health professionals.
Participants must call 1-800-944-8766 five minutes before the call begins.
The facilitator will end the call if there are no participants by 15 minutes after the scheduled start time.
Click here to read detailed instructions
The bridge line will stop accepting callers when the maximum of 15 callers has been reached. Sessions will last approximately one hour. Callers may choose to remain anonymous. These Chats are not meant to take the place of needed visits to healthcare providers and do not provide therapy.
view blog in real time at http://www.condron.us/ and http://www.alphainventions.com/
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Daddy Boot Camp
Daddy boot camp...great concept. If this is your first child and you really have no idea how to change a diaper, men why not go and see what it is all about? From what I have researched there are now Daddy Boot Camps all over the country and most likely you can find one near you. So, if you can go and learn a few things and show your wife, girlfriend, or partner that you are getting prepared, I am sure that they would feel a lot more comfortable the first time they leave you alone with "baby." Not only will you learn about baby, but you will also learn about mommy.
Article Taken from www.time.com
Daddy Boot Camp
By Jeninne Lee-St. John/Weymouth Thursday, Jun. 05, 2008
"The societal view of dads is that we're bumbling fools," Steve Dubin tells his all-male audience. It's Saturday morning in Weymouth, Mass., and 14 soon-to-be fathers are paying him to help keep them from fulfilling that stereotype. Dubin, a p.r. executive and Little League coach, pairs three rookies with three dads willing to hand over their babies for training purposes. Support the head, the instruction begins. Act naturally because babies can smell fear. Roll them over and rub their backs if they start to cry. "You'll probably hold the baby differently from your wife. That's O. K.," Dubin says. "But this will be the beginning of, 'Why are you doing it that way?'" he warns. "Tell your wife, 'We're going to do things differently, and you have to allow me to.'"
The marital advice comes as a bonus in the class Dubin and former Air Force special-ops commando Darryl Wooten teach each month called Boot Camp for New Dads. The training program, which is offered in 43 states as well as in Britain and Australia, combines the basics of parenting preparation--what to expect during labor, how to change a diaper--with male-bonding to help ease the often overlooked stresses of fathers-to-be. At a time when enrollment in childbirth classes has fallen from 70% of first timers in 2002 to 56% in 2006--with the drop-off due in part to expectant couples' assuming they can learn just as much from books or online--Boot Camp has continued to expand and this year graduated its 200,000th enlistee.
It's no coincidence that more men are volunteering for three-hour pre-papa classes as marketers ply them with more masculine baby gear. Diaper Dude bags and DadGear diaper vests, which come with pockets for a changing pad and other essentials, are becoming modern-dad must-haves. On June 8, every Babies "R" Us in the U.S. is scheduled to host a Boot Camp session as part of a free event for fathers. And Johnson & Johnson recently signed a partnership with Boot Camp to help get men more involved in child care (and presumably buying more J&J products).
Boot Camp was founded in Irvine, Calif., in 1990 by Greg Bishop after friends kept asking the now 57-year-old father of four, and sibling of 12, for child-rearing advice. His nonprofit program, which can cost nothing or as much as $35 depending on the location, has since been named a best practice by the Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Army, which supports classes on its bases. Bishop's latest book, A Crash Course for New Dads, has a built-in audience. According to a 2007 Spike TV survey of more than 1,000 fathers, 71% of respondents felt they had to figure out on their own how to be a good dad. Tim Frye agrees. A political-science professor and Boot Camp veteran, he brought his 11-week-old son to the Weymouth class to help other men learn how to be a more hands-on parent. "If you come from an Ozzie and Harriet--type family where Dad was working and Mom was home," says Frye, 44, "if that's your model, then you're just making it up as you go along."
Boot Camp is working against the old notion that real men, manly men, skip the dirty work when it comes to child-rearing. "There was a time when men would brag that they never had to change a diaper," Dubin tells the class, "but that's not something to brag about now." Instructors reach their audience using guy talk: first-time expectant dads are "rookies"; "veterans" who have taken the class come back with their "stunt babies" so that students can learn to hold, diaper and "burrito wrap"--er, swaddle--them.
The curriculum, which covers serious subjects like shaken-baby syndrome and postpartum depression, for the most part steers clear of touchy-feely emoting. But to kick off the class, Dubin asks the men to describe the father figure they grew up with and the kind of dad they'd like to be. Some responses are blunt: "My dad was an a__hole, and I'd rather not be one." But nearly all include a desire to attain the virtues of a decidedly modern man: patience, emotional availability, anger-management and communication skills, and open-mindedness.
That may sound like a list of what women want from their mates, but Boot Camp addresses what men want too. Bishop says a major concern for expectant fathers is how their relationship with their wives or girlfriends will change. "New mothers are very focused on that baby," he says, "and dads can get left in the dust." That's not only because of the maternal instinct but also because there are some things men simply can't do. A veteran at the Weymouth class told the rookies that his wife originally had trouble breast-feeding. "The milk wasn't coming in," he said. "The baby's weight was dropping. You feel totally helpless." The coaches stress communicating, but they also get to the more pressing questions about sex: when it's O.K. to do it after childbirth ("Officially, six weeks, but not until she's ready") and why engorged breasts aren't meant to be played with ("They feel like someone kicked you in the nuts 10 times").
Despite the popularity of Boot Camp and other father-oriented programs, there are still some bumps on the path to daddy enlightenment. Although many men sign up for Boot Camp after seeing an ad or getting a recommendation from friends or doctors, about half the participants go because their baby's mama makes them. "On my way here, I talked to three friends. They were all like, 'Why are you going to that?'" says Alex Brookfield, 27, a general contractor in the Weymouth class. "But I figured if I learned just a little bit of anything, it would be better than nothing."
follow blog in real time at www.condron.us and www.alphainventions.com
Article Taken from www.time.com
Daddy Boot Camp
By Jeninne Lee-St. John/Weymouth Thursday, Jun. 05, 2008
"The societal view of dads is that we're bumbling fools," Steve Dubin tells his all-male audience. It's Saturday morning in Weymouth, Mass., and 14 soon-to-be fathers are paying him to help keep them from fulfilling that stereotype. Dubin, a p.r. executive and Little League coach, pairs three rookies with three dads willing to hand over their babies for training purposes. Support the head, the instruction begins. Act naturally because babies can smell fear. Roll them over and rub their backs if they start to cry. "You'll probably hold the baby differently from your wife. That's O. K.," Dubin says. "But this will be the beginning of, 'Why are you doing it that way?'" he warns. "Tell your wife, 'We're going to do things differently, and you have to allow me to.'"
The marital advice comes as a bonus in the class Dubin and former Air Force special-ops commando Darryl Wooten teach each month called Boot Camp for New Dads. The training program, which is offered in 43 states as well as in Britain and Australia, combines the basics of parenting preparation--what to expect during labor, how to change a diaper--with male-bonding to help ease the often overlooked stresses of fathers-to-be. At a time when enrollment in childbirth classes has fallen from 70% of first timers in 2002 to 56% in 2006--with the drop-off due in part to expectant couples' assuming they can learn just as much from books or online--Boot Camp has continued to expand and this year graduated its 200,000th enlistee.
It's no coincidence that more men are volunteering for three-hour pre-papa classes as marketers ply them with more masculine baby gear. Diaper Dude bags and DadGear diaper vests, which come with pockets for a changing pad and other essentials, are becoming modern-dad must-haves. On June 8, every Babies "R" Us in the U.S. is scheduled to host a Boot Camp session as part of a free event for fathers. And Johnson & Johnson recently signed a partnership with Boot Camp to help get men more involved in child care (and presumably buying more J&J products).
Boot Camp was founded in Irvine, Calif., in 1990 by Greg Bishop after friends kept asking the now 57-year-old father of four, and sibling of 12, for child-rearing advice. His nonprofit program, which can cost nothing or as much as $35 depending on the location, has since been named a best practice by the Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Army, which supports classes on its bases. Bishop's latest book, A Crash Course for New Dads, has a built-in audience. According to a 2007 Spike TV survey of more than 1,000 fathers, 71% of respondents felt they had to figure out on their own how to be a good dad. Tim Frye agrees. A political-science professor and Boot Camp veteran, he brought his 11-week-old son to the Weymouth class to help other men learn how to be a more hands-on parent. "If you come from an Ozzie and Harriet--type family where Dad was working and Mom was home," says Frye, 44, "if that's your model, then you're just making it up as you go along."
Boot Camp is working against the old notion that real men, manly men, skip the dirty work when it comes to child-rearing. "There was a time when men would brag that they never had to change a diaper," Dubin tells the class, "but that's not something to brag about now." Instructors reach their audience using guy talk: first-time expectant dads are "rookies"; "veterans" who have taken the class come back with their "stunt babies" so that students can learn to hold, diaper and "burrito wrap"--er, swaddle--them.
The curriculum, which covers serious subjects like shaken-baby syndrome and postpartum depression, for the most part steers clear of touchy-feely emoting. But to kick off the class, Dubin asks the men to describe the father figure they grew up with and the kind of dad they'd like to be. Some responses are blunt: "My dad was an a__hole, and I'd rather not be one." But nearly all include a desire to attain the virtues of a decidedly modern man: patience, emotional availability, anger-management and communication skills, and open-mindedness.
That may sound like a list of what women want from their mates, but Boot Camp addresses what men want too. Bishop says a major concern for expectant fathers is how their relationship with their wives or girlfriends will change. "New mothers are very focused on that baby," he says, "and dads can get left in the dust." That's not only because of the maternal instinct but also because there are some things men simply can't do. A veteran at the Weymouth class told the rookies that his wife originally had trouble breast-feeding. "The milk wasn't coming in," he said. "The baby's weight was dropping. You feel totally helpless." The coaches stress communicating, but they also get to the more pressing questions about sex: when it's O.K. to do it after childbirth ("Officially, six weeks, but not until she's ready") and why engorged breasts aren't meant to be played with ("They feel like someone kicked you in the nuts 10 times").
Despite the popularity of Boot Camp and other father-oriented programs, there are still some bumps on the path to daddy enlightenment. Although many men sign up for Boot Camp after seeing an ad or getting a recommendation from friends or doctors, about half the participants go because their baby's mama makes them. "On my way here, I talked to three friends. They were all like, 'Why are you going to that?'" says Alex Brookfield, 27, a general contractor in the Weymouth class. "But I figured if I learned just a little bit of anything, it would be better than nothing."
follow blog in real time at www.condron.us and www.alphainventions.com
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Going Back to Work after Baby
Today in my search I was trying to locate articles on women going back to work after having their baby. Whether they had maternity leave and it was over and had to return to work or were they just going back to the workforce. I really could not find anything relevant for what I wanted to post. So I am just going to turn to my own situation and let you know my experience.
I went on maternity leave about 3 weeks before I was due. I was in property management, living in Florida, and just could not take walking up three flights of steps numerous times throughout the day showing apartments. I was done! Needless to say my son was then 9 days late. So, of course, I did not get my full 3 months of maternity leave with my son. When they called me to see if I was coming back to work I honestly did not think that I could do it. At that time I did not know that I was suffering with postpartum depression. I was not sleeping, could not eat, was anxious all the time, and did not think that I could leave me baby.
Of course my immediate thought was, "What is wrong with me? Women go back to work all the time after their maternity leave, why can't I?" There was something wrong with me and I did not know it yet. I had an illness called postpartum depression. I had to call my regional manager and let her know that I just could not return to work full time, but I would call them when I was ready to return. Did I ever go back to that job? No, I did not. I went back to a part-time job a few months later working nights at a restaurant. Was that easy? No, it was not.
By the time I went back to work part time, 3 nights a week, I had just been diagnosed with ppd and put on medication. I did not even start therapy yet. All I remember is I had a huge knot in my stomach for three days before my return and I kept thinking, "How am I going to do this?" On the drive there I kept looking back to my son's carseat and thinking, "I will be Okay." I was so nervous and anxious, but I have to admit once I got there some of my fears did go away. After 3 hours of working I thought to myself, "This is good for me. I have not thought that I would hurt my baby in 3 hours." I got home that night and felt good.
I still had a long road ahead of me, but I knew that it would get better. Have I been working since, yes. I have also in the 3 years since my son was born written a book on my experience with Postpartum Depression and started my own business working from home. Did I get through my PPD, yes. If you are suffering just remember you will too.
I guess the point of me writing today is to let you know that each woman experiences their own fears and worries about going back to work. I have had women write to me saying that they have to go back to work, suffering with PPD, but that they have no choice. Yes, in these economic times we do need to make money and if we have to work, we have to work. Just please do not compare yourself to other women. I did that and I think it made me feel worse. I felt like a failure because all the other women in my company had their babies, returned to work, and seemed fine. I just should not have compared my situation to anybody elses and you should not either.
Just remember, if you have to go back to work, get your priorities in order. Find child care you trust; make sure your hours and days fit your family schedule, and if you are suffering with anxiety, depression, or PPD, talk to your doctor and loved ones and let them know your fears. The more support you have around you, the better the transition will be.
I would love to hear about anyone else's experience about returning to work after "baby."
view blog in real time at www.condron.us and www.alphainventions.com
I went on maternity leave about 3 weeks before I was due. I was in property management, living in Florida, and just could not take walking up three flights of steps numerous times throughout the day showing apartments. I was done! Needless to say my son was then 9 days late. So, of course, I did not get my full 3 months of maternity leave with my son. When they called me to see if I was coming back to work I honestly did not think that I could do it. At that time I did not know that I was suffering with postpartum depression. I was not sleeping, could not eat, was anxious all the time, and did not think that I could leave me baby.
Of course my immediate thought was, "What is wrong with me? Women go back to work all the time after their maternity leave, why can't I?" There was something wrong with me and I did not know it yet. I had an illness called postpartum depression. I had to call my regional manager and let her know that I just could not return to work full time, but I would call them when I was ready to return. Did I ever go back to that job? No, I did not. I went back to a part-time job a few months later working nights at a restaurant. Was that easy? No, it was not.
By the time I went back to work part time, 3 nights a week, I had just been diagnosed with ppd and put on medication. I did not even start therapy yet. All I remember is I had a huge knot in my stomach for three days before my return and I kept thinking, "How am I going to do this?" On the drive there I kept looking back to my son's carseat and thinking, "I will be Okay." I was so nervous and anxious, but I have to admit once I got there some of my fears did go away. After 3 hours of working I thought to myself, "This is good for me. I have not thought that I would hurt my baby in 3 hours." I got home that night and felt good.
I still had a long road ahead of me, but I knew that it would get better. Have I been working since, yes. I have also in the 3 years since my son was born written a book on my experience with Postpartum Depression and started my own business working from home. Did I get through my PPD, yes. If you are suffering just remember you will too.
I guess the point of me writing today is to let you know that each woman experiences their own fears and worries about going back to work. I have had women write to me saying that they have to go back to work, suffering with PPD, but that they have no choice. Yes, in these economic times we do need to make money and if we have to work, we have to work. Just please do not compare yourself to other women. I did that and I think it made me feel worse. I felt like a failure because all the other women in my company had their babies, returned to work, and seemed fine. I just should not have compared my situation to anybody elses and you should not either.
Just remember, if you have to go back to work, get your priorities in order. Find child care you trust; make sure your hours and days fit your family schedule, and if you are suffering with anxiety, depression, or PPD, talk to your doctor and loved ones and let them know your fears. The more support you have around you, the better the transition will be.
I would love to hear about anyone else's experience about returning to work after "baby."
view blog in real time at www.condron.us and www.alphainventions.com
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Bringing Baby Home....
http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_newborn/home/bringing_baby_home.html
This is a great article on brining baby home. I know for myself I tried to get everything ready about 4 weeks before my due date. I had the car seat ready; the cradle set up; clothes washed and placed neatly on the shelves. I also had to do research on getting my dog ready for my son to arrive. For anyone out there who has pets, if this is your first baby please remember that your beloved pet thinks that they are the only baby in the house.
Some tips for getting your pet ready for your baby to arrive that I did with my "baby" was to carry around a doll in a blanket. The first time I put the doll in the blanket my dog wanted to jump up and see it. I kept telling her to sit and relax. After a few more times she was calm and did not want to jump up on me. I would lower the doll to her level so that she could see what I was holding and I let her sniff the blanket. Second, when my son was born I had my mother take one of his shirts and blankets to the house to let my doggie sniff his scent. This way she was not shocked by him when he did arrive home. Then on the day we did arrive home, I walked in first and pet her then showed her the car seat. At first she wanted to jump and see, but little by little she sniffed him. When I would feed my son, I would give my dog a bone so that she would see she was appreciated to.
Believe me I did worry somewhat, but my son is now 3 and the dog and him love each other so much. Maggie is a 6 year old "puppy" that is a dalmation mix, so she thinks it is all about playing. My son is 3 and he thinks it is all about playing. Perfect match.
Of course even though I thought I was so prepared for my son's arrival, I do remember thinking when we were leaving the hospital, "What do I do with him now?" Just remember--Love, Love,Love....it all works out...
view blog in real time at www.condron.us and www.alphainventions.com
This is a great article on brining baby home. I know for myself I tried to get everything ready about 4 weeks before my due date. I had the car seat ready; the cradle set up; clothes washed and placed neatly on the shelves. I also had to do research on getting my dog ready for my son to arrive. For anyone out there who has pets, if this is your first baby please remember that your beloved pet thinks that they are the only baby in the house.
Some tips for getting your pet ready for your baby to arrive that I did with my "baby" was to carry around a doll in a blanket. The first time I put the doll in the blanket my dog wanted to jump up and see it. I kept telling her to sit and relax. After a few more times she was calm and did not want to jump up on me. I would lower the doll to her level so that she could see what I was holding and I let her sniff the blanket. Second, when my son was born I had my mother take one of his shirts and blankets to the house to let my doggie sniff his scent. This way she was not shocked by him when he did arrive home. Then on the day we did arrive home, I walked in first and pet her then showed her the car seat. At first she wanted to jump and see, but little by little she sniffed him. When I would feed my son, I would give my dog a bone so that she would see she was appreciated to.
Believe me I did worry somewhat, but my son is now 3 and the dog and him love each other so much. Maggie is a 6 year old "puppy" that is a dalmation mix, so she thinks it is all about playing. My son is 3 and he thinks it is all about playing. Perfect match.
Of course even though I thought I was so prepared for my son's arrival, I do remember thinking when we were leaving the hospital, "What do I do with him now?" Just remember--Love, Love,Love....it all works out...
view blog in real time at www.condron.us and www.alphainventions.com
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Raising awareness...
This has some great information from www.fitpregnancy.com not only does it talk about the mother's act, but it gives you some great links to find out more information from other sources. I can see both sides of the mother's act debate. I tend to agree that some medications are given out to freely to some people and that is what causes to many tragedies to so many people out there. However, as a woman who has suffered from PPD, I wish someone had taken the time to talk to me and ask me some questions! Whenever I went for an 0b-gyn check up or to the pediatrician with my son, I would mention, "Yes my baby sleeps, but I can't." Nobody ever then turned to me and asked me anything. My insomnia was so bad I did not sleep for days. My symptoms got worse as time went on. Do I think asking women questions after having a baby can hurt, no. But it can help the women out there who may need some additional help. I support the mother's act.
07.23.09
Proposed legislation fuels debate over universal screening for postpartum depression
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a very serious health condition with a serious debate swirling around it. A bill is currently making its way through Congress that would mandate funding for research, services and public education about PPD, which has ignited a dispute over whether all women should be screened for the condition, Time magazine reports. (The House version here; the Senate's here.)According to the magazine, whether PPD screening identifies actual cases "or simply contributes to the potentially dangerous medicalization of motherhood" is the issue at the center of this controversy. Both critics and advocates of the bill, known as the Mothers Act, agree about increased support for new moms. However, opponents say that such screenings are known for giving false positives, plus argue that more testing is a push from pharmaceutical companies to sell more medication to women who don't need it.On the flip side, proponents say PPD screening is not supposed to be used as a diagnostic tool but as a way to identify which patients require more evaluation. Experts hope that both sides can find a compromise while acknowledging women's depression but not assuming that all women who struggle with motherhood are depressed.Most women do experience feelings of sadness and loss after childbirth, known as the "baby blues." Even new dads can feel blue after a new baby is born. But if these feelings intensify and persist, you could be suffering from something more serious, so talk to your doctor. PPD is common, affecting 1 in 7 new moms. And it's very treatable! Check out our When Mama Gets Blue feature to read up on the different aspects of postpartum depression.And remember, you're not alone and you're not the first mom to feel this way! Take a peek at the real-life admissions in True Mom Confessions—you're not the only one who needs to vent. We know that the focus shifts entirely to a newborn when he or she arrives, but remember that you can be a better mother in those early months if you take a little time out to attend to your own needs, too. All the experts agree: Having a happy and healthy baby means babying yourself at times.
Maria Vega is Fit Pregnancy magazine's copy editor.
view blog in real time at www.condron.us and www.alphainventions.com
07.23.09
Proposed legislation fuels debate over universal screening for postpartum depression
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a very serious health condition with a serious debate swirling around it. A bill is currently making its way through Congress that would mandate funding for research, services and public education about PPD, which has ignited a dispute over whether all women should be screened for the condition, Time magazine reports. (The House version here; the Senate's here.)According to the magazine, whether PPD screening identifies actual cases "or simply contributes to the potentially dangerous medicalization of motherhood" is the issue at the center of this controversy. Both critics and advocates of the bill, known as the Mothers Act, agree about increased support for new moms. However, opponents say that such screenings are known for giving false positives, plus argue that more testing is a push from pharmaceutical companies to sell more medication to women who don't need it.On the flip side, proponents say PPD screening is not supposed to be used as a diagnostic tool but as a way to identify which patients require more evaluation. Experts hope that both sides can find a compromise while acknowledging women's depression but not assuming that all women who struggle with motherhood are depressed.Most women do experience feelings of sadness and loss after childbirth, known as the "baby blues." Even new dads can feel blue after a new baby is born. But if these feelings intensify and persist, you could be suffering from something more serious, so talk to your doctor. PPD is common, affecting 1 in 7 new moms. And it's very treatable! Check out our When Mama Gets Blue feature to read up on the different aspects of postpartum depression.And remember, you're not alone and you're not the first mom to feel this way! Take a peek at the real-life admissions in True Mom Confessions—you're not the only one who needs to vent. We know that the focus shifts entirely to a newborn when he or she arrives, but remember that you can be a better mother in those early months if you take a little time out to attend to your own needs, too. All the experts agree: Having a happy and healthy baby means babying yourself at times.
Maria Vega is Fit Pregnancy magazine's copy editor.
view blog in real time at www.condron.us and www.alphainventions.com
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