Postpartum Depression..There is Life After....

Are you at Risk for Postpartum mood disorder?

2009-11-14T21:42:00.004-05:00

Are you at risk for postpartum mood disorder?
July 31, 2009
By: Marisa Cohen
When Holly Betten, 28, came home from the hospital after a rough delivery, she had one day to adjust to her new life as a mom before her husband went back to working 12-hour days as a computer-software architect.

Postpartum depression can strike anyone; it has nothing to do with how strong you are or your love for the baby.

Her son, Henry, became severely jaundiced, wouldn't breastfeed, and almost landed back in the hospital for losing too much weight. "All I could think was, 'What did I get myself into? I should never have become a mom,'" recalls Betten, of Grand Rapids, Michigan. "I felt totally overwhelmed and inadequate -- I couldn't even feed my child." Then Henry developed colic and began to wail all the time. Not surprisingly, so did Betten: "I'd be happy one minute, then crying hysterically the next. I just wanted to leave the baby in his room and walk away."
Her husband worried that Betten was becoming depressed, but she insisted that she could soldier on. "I just attributed it to stress and exhaustion, and refused to ask for help," Betten recalls. And she knew that "the baby blues" could make you feel sad, moody, or irritable. In fact, the condition, triggered by hormone shifts, can affect as many as 50 to 80 percent of new moms. Parenting.com: One mom's battle with postpartum depression
Such confusion about what life with a new baby is supposed to be like is a major reason women don't seek help. Another problem: "The shame and embarrassment that surround postpartum mood disorders also keep moms from acknowledging the issue," adds psychiatrist Ariel Dalfen, M.D., Toronto author of "When Baby Brings the Blues." "But without treatment, postpartum depression can linger and become more severe."
Promoting acceptance
Postpartum depression (PPD) can strike anyone, and it has nothing to do with how strong you are or how much you love your baby. When Brooke Shields wrote about her devastating bout with the illness in her memoir, "Down Came the Rain," she helped put a very public face on the issue. "Her book showed that nobody, no matter how rich, famous, or beautiful, is immune to PPD," points out Margaret Howard, Ph.D., director of the Postpartum Depression Day Hospital at Women & Infants Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island.
Even Tom Cruise's diatribe on national television against antidepressants and Shields' use of them wound up doing a lot of good by bringing the postpartum-depression discussion into America's living rooms, says Birdie Gunyon Meyer, R.N., the president of Postpartum Support International (PSI), a nonprofit organization that promotes awareness, prevention, and treatment of mental health issues related to childbirth. In speaking out, Shields joined singer Marie Osmond, who also wrote a book about suffering from PPD, and Mary Jo Codey, wife of the former governor of New Jersey, who not only opened up about her own experiences but also helped New Jersey become the first (and thus far only) state to mandate that all pregnant women be screened for and educated about postpartum depression. Parenting.com: 9 health symptoms you shouldn't ignore
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Soon such help may be available nationwide. A piece of legislation known as the Melanie Blocker Stokes Mothers Act -- named for a young mother who committed suicide after suffering postpartum psychosis, an extreme form of PPD -- would help fund related research and education, provide training to medical professionals about the disorder, and increase treatment options and support services. At press time, the bill had been passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and was headed for the Senate. (To learn more and to sign a petition in support of the act, go to PSI's Web site, http://postpartum.net/.)
Understanding your risk
New moms should expect to feel overwhelmed at times, incompetent now and then, nervous about being left on their own to take care of the baby, and to overreact and tear up over seemingly minor things. What's not normal: a darkening storm of anxiety and panic. "The big difference between baby blues and PPD is duration and intensity," Howard explains. "It is a prolonged sense of sadness lasting for two weeks or more." Parenting.com: How to get over new-mom guilt
There are also different degrees of PPD, notes Dalfen. Women who are not enjoying motherhood but can go through the motions of taking care of the baby and themselves may have mild PPD, but are getting by. Those who feel down all the time, have trouble connecting with their baby, and find it hard to get through every day have a stronger case of the illness. Severe PPD sufferers are extremely depressed and unable to take care of themselves or their babies. All of these women need treatment, Dalfen emphasizes.
Scientists still don't know the exact mechanics of PPD, but they do know it is the brain's complex reaction to several forces beyond a woman's control. "The hormones progesterone and estrogen drop after the baby is born," explains Dalfen. "These hormones interact with brain chemicals such as serotonin, which controls your mood." For some women, PPD symptoms begin during pregnancy. Moms with a personal or family history of depression, or a history of premenstrual syndrome, are at increased risk.
Social factors come into play, too: Women who have a conflicted relationship with the baby's father, have limited finances and health care, have limited social support (friends, a sister, a mom to help with the baby), or who give birth to multiples or a demanding, colicky infant are also at higher risk for depression. Parenting.com: Depression during pregnancy -- why it's often overlooked
Getting the right help
The first step in treating PPD is to see your health-care provider or find a specialist on postpartum.net. Therapy and, in some cases, medication, as prescribed by a doctor, can be essential. Several antidepressants, including Zoloft and Paxil, are effective and safe for breastfeeding women. "The top priority is for the mom to get well so she can care for her baby," notes Dalfen.
Health Library
MayoClinic.com: Postpartum depression
On the home front, new moms need to take care of themselves (get more sleep, eat healthier, take breaks from baby care) and ask for the help that makes that possible. Emotional support is also crucial: A recent study in the British Medical Journal found that simply talking on the phone with other mothers who had recovered from PPD helped at-risk new moms cut their chances of developing depression nearly in half. Find a support group in your area at postpartum.net. Or log on to our community board on babytalk.com.
When Betten's husband finally persuaded her to see her doctor, an antidepressant brought quick relief from her six-month siege. "Within a week it evened out my moods and gave me a lot more patience," she says. "If the baby started screaming, I didn't freak out and start sobbing myself. I thought, 'OK, he can cry for a minute and then I'll pick him up.'" Parenting.com: When postpartum depression lingers
Now expecting her second baby, Betten is prepared to ask for help: "Now I realize that anyone who has ever had a kid understands that you can't do it alone."

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Copyright 2009 The Parenting Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Marisa Cohen is a mom and the author of "Deliver This! Make the Childbirth Choice That's Right for You."

article taken from http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/31/postpartum.mood.disorder/?imw=Y

Does PPD serve some evolutionary purpose?

2009-11-10T12:39:00.002-05:00

So it has been awhile since I have been able to update my blog. On my recent quest to post information I did find this article. After reading it I take offense to a few things said on this view. Even though I suffered from PPD I do not think that my parenting skills were lacking. I took care of my baby each and everyday. He was breastfed, changed, had clean clothes and most of all, he was loved and held all the time. I held myself together for him. I knew that he needed me to be there and to take care of him. Babies cannot take care of themselves, but I do not think that my PPD had anything to do with my wanting help or thinking that I was unable to do it alone.

I would welcome comments on what others think of this theory...

Does postpartum depression serve some evolutionary purpose?—Clint Johnson, Ridgecrest, Calif.
Anthropologist Edward H. Hagen of Washington State University replies:
Postpartum depression (PPD), which afflicts 10 to 15 percent of new mothers, may have evolved as a strategic response to a lack of social support because it helped in passing on genes successfully. Many doctors believe PPD is triggered by the changes in a mother’s hormones after giving birth, yet studies have failed to find much evidence for a link between extreme hormone fluctuations and PPD. The fact that fathers, who do not experience such changes, also suffer from PPD is strong evidence that it is not “just hormones.”
The finding that PPD often plagues people who have marital problems or little outside support led biologists Randy Thornhill and F. Bryant Furlow of the University of New Mexico and me independently to propose that PPD has an evolved function. Many animals improve their chances of passing on their genes if they desert their young when food or parenting help is scarce and invest instead in future offspring that are more likely to survive and reproduce.
This “parental investment theory” should apply especially well to humans. Human children are “expensive” to raise, requiring years of parenting before they can survive on their own. When a mother lacks support from the father or other family members, she may unconsciously conclude she cannot successfully raise her infant. The ensuing emotional pain from PPD operates somewhat like physical pain: stop what you’re doing—it’s harming your reproductive fitness! Studies confirm that mothers with PPD do significantly reduce parenting efforts and often have thoughts of harming their baby.
This “psychic pain hypothesis” cannot explain the whole story, however, because few parents suffering from PPD abandon their newborn. I propose an additional function of PPD that is like a labor strike, in which a mother’s reduced interest in her baby may serve to elicit help from others. Studies do suggest that higher levels of PPD symptoms in mothers motivate more child care by fathers, and increased social support is one of the best predictors for the remission of PPD.
These hypothesized functions for PPD are far from proved. If you or a loved one is suffering from PPD, contact a doctor immediately—treatments, including antidepressants and talk therapy, are available and effective.

taken from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=ask-the-brains-does-postpartum-depression

Top Ten Myths about PPD

2009-10-06T06:58:00.002-04:00

Article taken from http://mededppd.org/mothers/myths.asp

Top 10 Myths About PPD
Myth 1: PPD is normal -- all new mothers feel tired and depressed.

Fact: New mothers often feel tired and overwhelmed. They may be experiencing "baby blues." Women with baby blues may feel tired, weepy, and have no energy. However, the feelings that go with PPD are stronger and longer lasting. A mother with PPD may not want to play with her baby. She may have trouble paying attention to things and may not be able to meet her baby's needs for warmth and affection. She may feel guilty or worthless.

Myth 2: If you don't get PPD right after you give birth, you won't get it at all.

Fact: PPD can happen any time in the first year after a woman gives birth.

Myth 3: PPD will go away on its own without treatment.

Fact: The "baby blues" may last up to 4 weeks but usually goes away on its own. Like many illnesses, PPD almost never goes away without treatment. The good news is that there are available treatments that work.

Myth 4: All women with PPD have thoughts about hurting their children.

Fact: Women with postpartum psychosis, which is a life-threatening disorder separate from PPD, are at risk for hurting their babies or themselves. If you have thoughts about harming yourself or your child you should ask for help right away from your family and your doctor.

Myth 5: Women with PPD look depressed or stop taking care of themselves.

Fact: You can't tell someone has PPD by looking at her. A woman with PPD may look perfectly "normal" to everyone else. She may even try especially hard to look polished or put together – keeping her makeup done, and her hair styled – to turn attention away from the pain she is feeling on the inside.

Myth 6: Women with PPD are bad mothers.

Fact: Having PPD does not make someone a bad mother.

Myth 7: If you have PPD, you must have done something wrong.

Fact: PPD is nobody's fault. There is nothing that a woman with PPD could have done to avoid having this disorder.

Myth 8: You'll get over your PPD if you just get more sleep.

Fact: Although it's important for women with PPD to get enough sleep, sleep by itself will not cure PPD.

Myth 9: Women with PPD can't take antidepressants if they are breastfeeding.

Fact: Studies have shown that there is a very small risk to the baby with the antidepressants most likely to be prescribed for PPD. If it is necessary for a woman with PPD to take an antidepressant, her doctor will carefully choose one that is most likely to help her and least likely to hurt her baby.

Myth 10: Pregnant and postpartum women don't get depressed.

Fact: Being pregnant, or having just given birth, is not a guarantee against getting depression. In other words, pregnancy does not protect a woman from depression, and in fact, studies show that the childbearing years are when a woman is most likely to experience depression in her lifetime.

SSRIs To The Rescue For Postpartum Depression – Part I

2009-10-04T14:39:00.001-04:00

SSRIs To The Rescue For Postpartum Depression – Part I

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National Depression Screening Day

2009-10-03T08:50:00.002-04:00

Upcoming Screening Day:October 08, 2009
http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/events/ndsd/register.aspx

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Find a National Depression Screening Day (NDSD) event in your area or take an anonymous screening online.
Register NOWfor National Depression Screening Day® : online, or download a PDF form.
Check-out the NEW Online Screening Assessments for: Community, College, and Military.
Find a local event offering
free, anonymous screenings.

For 18 years, Screening for Mental Health’s National Depression Screening Day® (NDSD) has offered health care providers evidence-based, affordable and easy-to-use mental health education and screening resources. Reaching community members with undetected and untreated mental disorders has never been more important. Studies show that most Americans wait years before they seek treatment for a mental health disorder, and many never seek treatment at all.
National Depression Screening Day® 2009 registration available now!
Community program: Register online or download the PDF to host an screening event in your community or to purchase the online screening program
College program: Register online or download the PDF to host an event on your campus or to purchase the online screening program
Military program: Register online or download the PDF to host an event at your installation or to receive the online screening program (all materials free of charge for military organizations thanks to funding by the Department of Defense)
We are pleased to presentStop a Suicide Today! as the theme for
National Depression Screening Day® 2007. Stop a Suicide Today! is an
effort to bring suicide prevention to the forefront of our NDSD program. Our
goal is to help you educate the public about the link between suicide and
mental illness.

If you would like more information about NDSD, please email ndsd@mentalhealthscreening.org.

Post Partum Depression: Information for husbands and families

2009-10-01T08:04:00.000-04:00

Great Information taken from www.pregnancy.org for husbands and family members.

by Karen Kleiman
Understanding Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression (PPD) affect 20% of all postpartum women.
PPD is a medical condition that can be treated successfully.
PPD is a clinical depression that can occur any time immediately after birth up to a year postpartum.
If your wife has been diagnosed with PPD, it's very important for you to be informed and part of the treatment.
PPD can strike without warning -- in women with no history of depression or women who have had it before. It can happen to women who are highly successful in their careers or women who stay home with their children. It can strike women in stable marriages and conflictual marriages, as well as single women, and adoptive mothers. It can happen to women who love their baby more than anything in the world. It can happen after the first baby, or after the fourth.
It can happen to women who swore it would never happen to them.
It is not completely understood why PPD affects some women and not others -- why women who have many risk factors may no experience it, and others who have no risk factors may end up with a full blown episode.
Women are twice as likely to experience depression than men.
Women are most at risk to experience emotional illness following the birth of a baby than at any other time.
PPD is a real illness.
She is not making this up.
This did not happen because she's a bad mother, or doesn't love her baby enough.
It did not happen because she's having negative thoughts about herself or about you or about your baby.
It did not happen because she is weak and not working hard enough to get better.
She cannot "snap out of it."
This is not fair. This is not what you expected. But if your wife has been diagnosed with PPD, it will take a while for her to recover. Recovery may take weeks to months.
She will get better. She will return to her "normal" self. She will begin to experience pleasure again. This will not happen overnight.
The more supportive you are of her treatment, the smoother her recovery will be.
PPD is nobody's fault. It is not your wife's fault. It is not your fault.
Try to reassure your wife that there is nothing she has done to make this happen.
Often, when we are struck by something we do not understand, we try to cast blame on someone or something. This will be counterproductive.
Remember that we do not know exactly why this happened. What we do know is what to do to maximize the healing process.
Do not spend excessive energy trying to figure out what went wrong or why this happened. Your search for reason will frustrate you and it will keep your wife spinning along side of you. Save your energy for navigating through this unfamiliar territory.
What to say
Her moods and emotional vulnerability will get in the way of good communication for now. Here's what you're up against:
-If you tell her you love her, she won't believe you.
-If you tell her she's a good mother, she'll think you're just saying that to make her feel better.
-If you tell her she's beautiful, she'll assume you're lying.
-If you tell her not to worry about anything, she'll think you have no idea how bad she feels.
-If you tell her you'll come home early to help her, she'll feel guilty.
-If you tell her you have to work late, she'll think you don't care.
But you can:
Tell her you know she feels terrible.
Tell her she will get better.
Tell her she is doing all the right things to get better (therapy, medication, etc.).
Tell her she can still be a good mother and feel terrible.
Tell her it's okay to make mistakes, she doesn't have to do everything perfectly.
Tell her you know how hard she's working at this right now.
Tell her to let you know what she needs you to do to help.
Tell her you know she's doing the best she can.
Tell her you love her.
Tell her your baby will be fine.
What NOT to say
Do not tell her she should get over this.
Do not tell her you are tired of her feeling this way.
Do not tell her this should be the happiest time of her life.
Do not tell her you liked her better the way she was before.
Do not tell her she'll snap out of this.
Do not tell her she would feel better if only: she were working, she were not working, she got out of the house more, stayed home more, etc.
Do not tell her she should lose weight, color her hair, buy new clothes, etc.
Do not tell her all new mothers feel this way.
Do not tell her this is just a phase.
Do not tell her if she wanted a baby, this is what she has to go through.
Do not tell her you know she's strong enough to get through this on her own and she doesn't need help.
Things you should know about her treatment
Good therapy can be expensive. But expensive therapy isn't always good.
Getting help for your wife has to be the priority here. If you are more worried about how much it costs, she will stay sick longer.
Her illness is real. She needs treatment.
So, how do you know if her therapist or doctor is good? Ask yourself these questions:

Did you feel comfortable with this person? (Yes, you should attend a session).
Does your wife like him/her? (This is more important than you might think. Connecting with this person is half the battle)
How does your wife feel about her sessions?
Does she think it's helping?
Does she feel good about going?
Does she trust this person and feel comfortable talking?
Try to find someone who works short-term and focuses on the here-and-now, rather than issues from the past. These issues are important, but not necessarily productive at the outset, when we want to manage symptoms.
The cost of treatment is a very real concern. But so is her staying sick, isn't it? Please do not let the financial issues get in the way of her getting the help she needs. There are options. Sliding scales. Insurance plans. Payment schedules. Bringing up your worries about the money can actually sabotage her recovery by making her feel guilty. Be careful how you do that.
Encourage your wife to discuss any financial concerns with her therapist. Contact your insurance company. Depending on your particular plan, find out whether you need a referral from your primary and if so, try to find a therapist who is a provider for your network. If not, find out whether or not they reimburse this particular therapist. Most insurance companies will ask you the therapist's credentials to determine reimbursement. If the therapist is not covered at all, find out what arrangement can be made.
Yes, you should go to a session with her. Some women like their husbands to join them for the first one. Others prefer their husbands wait until a relationship has been established with the therapist. Ask your wife if she'd like you to go with her and when. Then do it.
You are going for a few reasons:
To show your support;
To meet her therapist and see who's "taking care" of her;
To ask questions, to get information, to receive support;
To provide information to the therapist about your wife, your relationship, relevant history, etc.
PPD becomes a family issue. Do not let your wife carry the load of this illness alone. Supporting her decision to go to therapy is vital for her recovery. Remember, therapy for PPD should be short-term. In therapy terms, this usually means 3-5 months. But she should receive initial relief right away. Depending on the severity of her illness, she should start feeling somewhat better in the first few weeks.
Emergency situations
If your wife tells you she cannot take this pain anymore, it's a very serious statement that means it's time for an evaluation by someone who specializes in the treatment of depression.
Remember, her thoughts are distorted and it is possible that things feel much worse to her than they appear to you.
It is not up to you to determine whether she's at risk for hurting herself or someone else. A professional should determine it.
Stay with her. Ask her if she feels safe from harm. Help her make an appointment with some she feels can help her. Call her doctor. Do not leave her alone.
The following situations are rare, but warrant immediate intervention. Emergency situations mean you should take her to the closest hospital, call 911. DO NOT LEAVE HER ALONE FOR ANY REASON:
Talk of hurting herself;
Bizarre thinking patterns, hallucinations, delusions;
No sleep in several days. This means NO sleep, usually coupled with manic-like symptoms. Sleep deprivation can worse symptoms;
Noticeable withdrawal from all social contact;
Preoccupation with death, morbid ideas, or religious ideation;
Persistent feelings of despair and hopelessness;
Expressions such as: "My children would be better off without me here."
Karen Kleiman, MSW, Licensed, Clinical Social Worker, co-author of This Isn't What I Expected: Overcoming Postpartum Depression and author of The Postpartum Husband: Practical Solutions for Living with Postpartum Depression, has been working with women and their families for over 20 years. A native of Saint Louis, MO., Karen has lived in the Philadelphia area since 1982 with her two children and her husband. After graduating in 1980 from the University of Illinois at Chicago with her Masters in Social Work, she began her practice as a psychotherapist, specializing in women's issues. In 1988 she founded The Postpartum Stress Center where she provides treatment for prenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety

Postpartum Depression: More Common Than You Know

2009-09-29T08:42:00.001-04:00

Postpartum Depression: More Common Than You Know

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Healing Postpartum Depression

2009-09-20T20:39:00.001-04:00

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5293553n

Dr. Jennifer Ashton sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Fitelson to discuss post-partum depression. Dr. Fitelson's advice for new mothers includes counseling, nutrition and awareness to signs of depression.

Taken from www.cbsnews.com

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Postpartum Depession and Fathers, Study with Colic

2009-09-19T07:56:00.002-04:00

Article taken from NY Times Magazine September 19, 2009
Motherlode, Adventures in Parenting

August 14, 2009
Postpartum Depression and Fathers
By Lisa Belkin
My older son had colic. Every day at about four in the afternoon he would start to scream, and he would not calm down until eight or nine. We checked for every medical cause, tried every folk remedy, and nothing worked. If you treat colic, our pediatrician quipped, it goes away in about twelve weeks. If you don’t, it takes about three months. In other words, there’s very little you can do.
I was already weepy with what I now realize was mild post-partum depression back then, and this was not the news I wanted to hear. The whole nerve-fraying, battle-scarring experience has left me more attuned than average to news about either colic or post-partum depression, though, and earlier this summer an article in the journal Pediatrics wrapped the two topics into one study. Researchers at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, surveyed 4,426 expectant couples when the mothers were 20 weeks pregnant, and found that 12 percent of fathers and 11 percent of mothers showed symptoms of depression at that point.
Then, when the babies were two months of age, the researchers tallied parental reports of “excessive crying.” Twice as many of the depressed fathers (4.1 percent) and mothers (4.8 percent) had infants who cried for three or more hours a day (a definition of colic) than the non-depressed parents (2.2 percent of both non-depressed mothers and fathers.)
The “news” here? That Dad’s mental health can affect a newborn. Previous studies have looked almost entirely at Mom’s mental health. The advice? That parents-to-be of either gender might be well served by addressing signs of depression before a baby is born.
“It is likely that a substantial part of the fathers who were depressed during pregnancy were depressed after childbirth as well. In this respect, one could imagine that fathers with chronic depressive symptoms are less sensitive to their children, make less effort to comfort their children, and could also react with irritability or aggression toward their children,” the authors conclude. “On the other hand, it is plausible that excessive infant crying will put fathers with depressive symptoms during pregnancy at a higher risk to remain or become more depressed after childbirth because of the higher demands of caring for a child who cannot be comforted.”
This comes on the heels of a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in May confirming that men, too, appear to get post-partum depression. The symptoms may differ, with women becoming sad and withdrawn and men becoming irritable, but it can be classified as post-partum depression nonetheless.
The study, by researchers at the Center for Pediatric Research at the Eastern Virginia Medical School, reviewed data on 5,000 couples when their children were nine-months-old. One in ten fathers met the criteria for “moderate to severe postpartum depression,” which is well above the three to five percent of men in the general population who meet those criteria. (In contrast, 14 percent of new mothers have post-partum depression compared with 7 to ten percent of women in the general population.)
But while both men and women who are depressed interacted “significantly” less with their children – less reading and singing and story telling – it was only paternal depression that seems to have a measurable effect on a child’s development later on. Children of fathers with postpartum depression had smaller vocabularies at two years than children of non-depressed fathers or those of depressed mothers.
Does it ring true to you that fathers get depressed in the months after a baby arrives? Or that a depressed father has as at least as much of an effect on their baby’s development as a depressed mother? Have you lived with colic in your newborn? Postpartum depression in your spouse? What got you through?

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Coping with Postpartum Depression-For Dad

2009-09-18T11:51:00.003-04:00

Article taken from http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32403497/ns/today-today_relationships/

Coping with postpartum depression — for dads
It’s not just for moms: Life changes for new fathers can trigger depression

By Ian Kerner, Ph.D.
Sex therapist and relationship counselor
TODAYShow.com contributor
updated 12:23 p.m. ET, Thurs., Aug 13, 2009
Ian Kerner, Ph.D
For new dads, is there a male equivalent of PPD (aka postpartum depression)? There isn’t much research into the subject, but in talking to other counselors and therapists, I would estimate that rates of paternal depression range up to about 25 percent when there isn’t concurrent PPD in the female partner and as high as 50 percent among men whose partners are also experiencing postpartum depression. Rates are even higher in dads who work from home or stay at home, so it looks like there are a lot of sad SAHDs (Stay At Home Dads) out there. While men might not experience the hormonal changes that give rise to PPD, they do experience substantial life changes that can trigger depression.
Dealing with the baby bluesThis is one of those issues I dealt with personally. After the birth of my first son, it didn’t take long for me to feel sleepless, sexless, stressed out and burnt out. And as much as I loved being a father, I also felt worn down by the routine and disconnected from Lisa. I often wondered why I couldn’t be like all the other new fathers in the playground who beamed with happy smiles.
My way of dealing with the baby blues was via alcohol. Not to say there’s anything necessarily wrong with that glass of wine or a cocktail, but when alcohol (or any substance, for that matter) becomes the main way of dealing with the natural disorder of parenthood, then it’s potentially a problem. As an only child, I grew up in a quiet home. Nothing in my past had ever prepared me for the “wall of sound” that I’d encounter coming home to a baby. Walking through the door, my life went from calm to cacophony in an instant.

Sure, nothing beats getting greeted at the door with those jubilant little shouts of “Daddy!”, but after the birth of my second son, Beckett, it didn’t take long for the wall of sound to wear me down. I’d never been a drinker, and in fact I’d always made a point of not imbibing in light of a family history replete with alcohol problems. But I soon found myself savoring the difference between a smoky scotch from the Islay region versus a smoother single malt from the Highlands. I knew things were getting bad when the holiday time came and everyone bought me ... well, take a guess.

Today I know I am not alone. Since dealing with this issue, I’ve become much more attuned to the scores of new parents who find themselves extending the boundaries of cocktail hour and self-medicating their way through parenthood: from guys knocking back a six-pack a night to “Deadwood”-style bourbon drinkers to mommies who like to lunch (and then some) over a bottle of white wine.

So, where am I today? Dealing. I’ve chilled out on the drinking. Not completely, but more than partially. I’ve also started exercising before coming home whenever I can, which is really the dose of self-medication I need: iPod-enhanced, sweaty-palm-inducing, feel-good time on the treadmill. On a good day (which is most days), the wall of sound doesn’t sound nearly so bad.
Diagnosing dad’s depression:All new parents deal with the baby blues, but postpartum depression isn’t just something moms need to worry about. Is dad seriously depressed?
Does depression run in his family?
Has his libido gone down?
Is he having problems sleeping, even though he’s exhausted?
Is he avoiding going out with the baby and generally isolating himself?
Do you feel like he’s trying to put on a “happy front”?
Is he drinking more than usual or self-medicating in other ways?

Not only is it important to support the dad who may be experiencing PPD, it’s also important to think about how to get him professional help — he may just have a case of the baby blues, or it could be something more serious.

Ian Kerner is a sex therapist, relationship counselor and New York Times best-selling author of numerous books, including "She Comes First" and "Love in the Time of Colic." He was born and raised in New York City, where he lives with his wife and two sons. He can be reached at http://www.iankerner.com/.

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Mothers With Postpartum Depression With Suicidal Thoughts And Their Infant Interactions

2009-09-11T09:19:00.001-04:00

Mothers With Postpartum Depression With Suicidal Thoughts And Their Infant Interactions

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Postpartum Depression Effects on the Baby

2009-09-09T09:22:00.001-04:00

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News EditorReviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on August 21, 2009
While it is fairly obvious that postpartum depression can hinder a mother’s ability to take care of her newborn, a new study looks at how the disorder can affect infant development.
Israeli researchers studied three infant outcomes — social engagement, fear regulation, and physiological stress reactivity — in a group of 100 mother-infant pairs at nine months postpartum. These three infant outcomes are considered foundations of social-emotional growth and are associated with the infant’s ability to manage physiological stress and regulate negative emotions.
The researchers found that the babies of depressed mothers scored the poorest on all outcome measures after 9 months. The infants showed the lowest levels of social engagement during interactions with their mothers, were unable to self-regulate during situations that introduced novelty, fussed and cried more often, and their physiological stress response showed both higher baseline levels and a more pronounced stress reactivity.
The researchers collected a large community cohort of 971 mothers who reported symptoms of depression and anxiety at 2 days postpartum and again at 6 months. Of these, a cohort of 100 mothers and infants were observed at 9 months and included three groups: Mothers who were depressed across the first nine months and were diagnosed as suffering a Major Depression Disorder at 9 months, mothers who reported high levels of anxiety across the first 9 months and were diagnosed with an Anxiety Disorder at 9 months, and control mothers who reported low anxiety and depressive symptoms across the first 9 months after childbirth.
To remove the influence of other known risk factors such as teenage pregnancy or premature birth, which could independently contribute to maternal depression, the researchers only recruited women who were in stable relationships, were physically healthy, educated, and those who delivered a healthy full-term infant.
Children of anxious mothers showed lower social engagement than children of control mothers but higher than children of depressed mothers. However, their physiological stress response was similar to children of depressed mothers.
The mother’s sensitive behavior played an important role in shaping infant outcomes. Sensitive mothering was related to the infant’s social engagement and protected against the effects of maternal depression on the development of the child’s social skills.
Maternal sensitivity also had a positive impact on the infant’s physiological stress response and reduced the degree of physiological reactivity as measured by cortisol reactivity to stress.
Sensitive mothering is important in an infant’s ability to develop social competence and further study of the effects of maternal depression on child development within the first year of life is warranted.
Feldman and colleagues stated, “By recruiting a large community sample, separating maternal depression from typically-occurring conditions, comparing cases of major depressive disorder to those of postpartum anxiety disorders, and assessing the chronicity of the mother’s mood from birth, the findings may illuminate specific pathways leading from maternal depression to child outcomes across the first year of life.
“Furthermore, the unique associations found between maternal depression and each outcome underscore the need to consider maternal depression in the context of the child’s global rearing environment and in relation to the attainment of specific developmental goals.”
The study is published in the August 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of ChildAdolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP).
Source: Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

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Poor Sleep Independently linked to Postpartum Depression

2009-08-27T13:25:00.002-04:00

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
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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.

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How to help someone with depression

2009-08-21T09:38:00.003-04:00

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.

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Can stress make you gain weight?

2009-08-20T12:41:00.003-04:00

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.

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Free Weekly Phone Forums for Information and Support

2009-08-17T11:05:00.003-04:00

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.

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Daddy Boot Camp

2009-08-13T08:50:00.002-04:00

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."

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Going Back to Work after Baby

2009-08-12T09:19:00.002-04:00

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."

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Bringing Baby Home....

2009-08-11T08:04:00.003-04:00

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...

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Raising awareness...

2009-08-01T07:42:00.003-04:00

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.

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The Role of Hormones During Pregnancy

2009-07-30T10:33:00.000-04:00

Taken from http://www.expectantmothersguide.com/library/connecticut/ECThormones.htm

A woman's first pregnancy is one of the most exciting and dramatic events of her life. As conception progresses to implantation, and an embryo eventually becomes the fetus that ultimately will be the highly anticipated bundle of joy, numerous changes take place within the woman's body to enable this miraculous process to occur. While a woman's physical changes may be obvious, several other ones may be subtle, including a growing sense of immense emotional attachment and reprioritization. The vast majority of these changes are attributable to the hormones of pregnancy.
The first trimester of pregnancy begins with conception. As egg and sperm unite, and the conceptus implants into the endometrium or uterine lining, a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is produced. HCG has a very predictable rise in the early weeks of pregnancy and peaks around 70 days. HCG is thought to support the pregnancy by ensuring ovarian production of progesterone until the placenta is well formed around the tenth week. HCG is thought to be the hormone responsible for a number of symptoms associated with early pregnancy, namely nausea and resultant vomiting and the sometimes overwhelming fatigue that can plague the very early expectant woman.
Progesterone is one of the major hormones of pregnancy and is primarily produced by the placenta. Levels of progesterone in the body rise as pregnancy progresses. Progesterone functions to inhibit the smooth muscle in the uterus from contracting and decreases prostaglandin formation, both of which allow the fetus to grow with the expanding uterus. As progesterone levels increase, other smooth muscle in the body may also be affected, such as that in the lower esophageal sphincter, which results in increased heartburn and acid reflux, especially in the later stages of pregnancy. Progesterone softens cartilage as well and may be responsible for the commonly occurring hip and pubic bone pain that also occurs. This hormone also can cause tenderness in the breasts early on and the bloated feeling many women experience throughout pregnancy.
Estrogens also increase during pregnancy and are also produced primarily by the placenta. Among other functions, estrogens increase uterine blood flow. Prolactin, the hormone that allows for lactation postpartum, also increases throughout pregnancy, and its production is thought to be stimulated by increasing levels of estrogens.
The rise in estrogen, as well as progesterone and other hormones in pregnancy, is also in part responsible for the magnification of emotions a pregnant woman experiences. Increased circulating levels intensify the myriad of feelings a pregnant woman has. The joy of being pregnant may often move a woman to tears. Anxiety in regard to how a woman may feel about herself and the way her body is changing is normal, and her concerns regarding her own health and the health of the fetus are paramount. Anticipation of the new role of being a mother and the changes a new baby will bring to the family may be overwhelming. The pregnant woman should be encouraged and supported by her spouse, family, and health care providers in all her concerns.
After delivery, hormone levels rapidly decrease, and their fall may contribute to postpartum adjustment issues and postpartum depression. During this time, it is very important that the new mother be aware that being overwhelmed is normal to some extent, but if these feelings are pervasive, she should seek medical attention. Occasionally, very low dose hormone replacement may be of help, as can antidepressants.
A newborn in its mother's arms is the result of an incredible orchestration of numerous events, many of which are primarily the result of the vital role hormones play in pregnancy. Talk to your health care provider about any questions or concerns you may have regarding the role of hormones in pregnancy, and he or she will be happy to elaborate.
Editorial provided by Anandi Subramanian, MD. Dr. Subramanian is a practicing OB-GYN in Norwalk, CT. She is with Women's Health Care of New England and has offices in Norwalk, New Canaan, and Ridgefield, CT.

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Postpartum Depression, great tips.

2009-07-28T08:10:00.001-04:00

This article was taken from www.thediaperlady.com I have also read Elizabeth Pantley’s book, The No-Cry Sleep Solution. I posted this article to again show that PPD shows itself in so many different forms. It is an illness. I have been having so many women write to me and I just again wanted to point out that this is an ILLNESS. Do not be afraid to talk about it, let others know what you are feeling. My PPD got so bad I was afraid to say anything because I thought I would be judged and my baby would be taken away from me. I am not afraid to tell my story now to help others. Please, talk about your feelings, see you doctor! There is so much help out there and you are not alone.
Postpartum Depression
By Elizabeth Pantley, author of Gentle Baby Care and The No-Cry Sleep Solution
QUESTION: I know that it’s normal to have the “baby blues” right after you have a baby, but my son is six weeks old. I thought everything would be wonderful by now and I would be so in love with my baby. I thought mothering would come easily. It’s not that way at all! I can’t sleep, even when he’s sleeping. I feel hollow inside, like the real me is gone. Sometimes I cry for hours; other times, I feel angry enough to explode. Life feels like an endless amusement park ride, and sometimes I just want to get off. Why am I such a terrible mother?
Learn about it
You’re not a terrible mother! You are a mother who is suffering from a condition known as postpartum depression, a condition that is treatable. While as many as 80% of mothers experience a temporary and mild condition referred to as the baby blues, up to 15% of women have the more severe reaction you’re experiencing. Having PPD doesn’t mean that you have done something wrong, or that something is wrong with you; it is an illness and it can be cured. Once you learn more about what’s causing your despondent emotions and take some steps toward treatment, you’ll be on the road to finding yourself again and enjoying your baby.
What is postpartum depression?
PPD is a medical condition - a specific type of depression that occurs within the first few months after childbirth. It is caused by the biochemical and hormonal changes that happen in the body after pregnancy and birth…nothing that is within your control.
What are the symptoms of postpartum depression? While PPD affects all women differently, a few typical symptoms can help your physician make the diagnosis. You probably are not experiencing everything on the following list, and the degree of symptoms may range from mild to severe, but if a number of these apply to you, you may be suffering from PPD.
Symptoms of postpartum depression may include but are not limited to:
Feeling hopeless, worthless or inadequate
Frequent crying or tearfulness
Insomnia or sleepiness
Lack of energy
Loss of pleasure in activities you normally enjoy
Difficulty doing typical daily chores
Loss of appetite
Feelings of sadness and despair
Feelings of guilt, panic or confusion
Feelings of anger or anxiety
Extreme mood swings
Memory loss
Over concern for baby
Fear of “losing control”
Lack of interest in sex
Worrying that you may hurt your baby
A desire to escape from your baby or your family
Withdrawal from social circles and routines
Thoughts about hurting yourself
If you suffer from extreme degrees of any of these symptoms, particularly thoughts about hurting yourself or your baby, or if you have additional physical symptoms such as hallucinations, confusion or paranoia, then please call a doctor today. NOW. Your condition requires immediate medical care. If you can’t make the call, then please talk to your partner, your mother or father, a sibling or close friend and ask them to help you arrange for help. Do this for yourself and for your baby. If you can’t talk about it, rip this page out and hand it to someone close to you. It’s that important. You do not have to feel this way.
What can a doctor do about postpartum depression?
As with any form of depression, help is available and only as far away as your healthcare provider - contact your ob/gyn or midwife to start with, if that’s most comfortable for you. She can help you get the professional care you need from someone who has experience dealing with this condition. In the longer term, it’s important that your therapy take place with a professional who has experience in treating PPD; the malady is different from other forms of depression, and it is very specifically related to your role as a new mother.
PARENT TIP: “In the time it takes you to read this chapter, you could set up an appointment with a doctor. Remember, this is a medical problem and it can be serious; for your sake, for your baby, and for all those who love you, you must make that call. With help, you will regain your life and your perspective." Vanessa, mother of Kimmy (12) Tyler (10) Rachel (5) and Zachary (3)
A visit to a doctor for the symptoms you’re feeling is nothing to fear. Your condition is something your doctor has seen before  so you need not feel at all self-conscious. As for treatment, there are a variety of options, depending on how severe your symptoms are. Your doctor will evaluate your condition and may suggest medication, such as antidepressants. (Make sure that you let him know if you are breastfeeding so that the proper medication can be prescribed.) In addition, he will tell you that therapy and support are critical for recovery.
What can I do about PPD?
The first step you can take is to understand that you have an illness that requires action on your part so you can heal. Forgive me for repeating this, but it is important: Take that first step and call a doctor. In addition, the following things can help you begin to feel better right away:
Talk to someone. Whom do you trust? Whom do you feel comfortable talking to? This might be your spouse or partner, it might be your mother, your sister or brother or a friend. It can really help to share your feelings with someone who cares about you. Even if you feel you can’t talk specifically about PPD, just discuss your feelings and your new role as a mother and its effects on you.
Read books about baby care and parenting. Knowledge is power. Reading may help you feel more confident, which in turn will help you feel more in control of your situation. It will also give you the knowledge you’ll need to ward off the unwanted advice or criticism that can come your way during the early months of parenting, and that can be especially hard to take when you are feeling depressed.
Join a support group. PPD support groups allow mothers who are dealing with depression to talk with others who have similar feelings. A list at the end of this section can help you find a group in your area. You might also call your health care provider, your local hospital, or your church for information. While PPD support groups are an excellent choice, any group for new mothers in which you can share your feelings about motherhood can help you feel better about yourself. Choose your support group with care, as you’ll want to be around people who support your parenting decisions. Being with a group who criticizes or questions your mothering choices will make you feel worse, not better. Conversely, spending your time with like-minded people will boost your self-confidence and help you feel more confident as a mother. This idea shouldn’t be seen s a cure, but rather one part of the process of recovery.
Accept help from others. If anyone offers to help you - whether it is to take your baby for a walk, cook a meal, or drive your older kids to sports practice - accept! Learn to say yes. You don’t have to do everything to be a good mother. It’s natural for human beings to lean on each other, so go ahead and do a little more leaning.
Get some extra sleep. Put your efforts to get your baby to sleep through the night on hold right now; this will come in time. Forget about the clock. Just sleep - both of you - whenever you can. Extra sleep will help you feel better.
Relax your standards. This is not the time to worry about a spotless house, gourmet meals, the corporate ladder, or your manicure. Try to stick to the basics and concentrate on yourself and your baby.
Get some fresh air. When possible, put your baby in the sling or the stroller and take a walk. The exercise and open spaces will help you feel more energized. Try to work a daily stroll into your schedule. If you have older children, walk them to school. If the weather isn’t suitable for outdoor walking, then drive to a shopping mall for an indoor walk.
Feed yourself healthy foods. You can eat properly without much effort. Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, and simple but nutritious meals. And eat frequently. Going long stretches without food wreaks havoc on your system. Simple snacks like an apple with peanut butter, a bagel, or yogurt with cottage cheese are easy to prepare and prevent your blood sugar from dipping and adding to your feelings of depression. Continue to take vitamins, and drink plenty of water.
Love yourself. You are going to be okay. Take it one step at a time…but do take steps (such as those outlined in this section). With help and time, you’ll develop a refreshing and healthy outlook on your new role as a mother.

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Post Adoption Depression

2009-07-27T12:05:00.001-04:00

Article taken from www.adoption.org

Post Adoption Depression Syndromeby June Bondfrom Roots and Wings, Spring 1995
You've been through infertility hell and back again. You ran through the maze of the adoption process and you've finally reached your goal. You have your baby in your arms. You are finally a member of the "parenthood club", complete with stroller, burp pads, car seat, and mini van. The moment they put your baby in your arms, you knew what heaven felt like. As one of my former clients said, "I knew if I died on the way home, I would feel complete. "

Suddenly three or four weeks later, a strange sense of anxiety comes over you. Some clients describe the feeling as panic. Some say it is a gross feeling of inadequacy for the total responsibility for this little person. Others describe it as a "cloudy blue feeling", while others go as far as to call it a depression. What I call it is Post-Adoption Depression Syndrome, (PADS).
The general population recognizes post-partum blues as a natural and expected part of the birth process. Most people identify those feelings of anxiety with "just getting those hormones back into kilter. " But, the truth is that many adoptive parents suffer from the same post placement blues, and feel very confused when they cannot rely on the "hormone theory" to explain their feelings.
There are several other very likely reasons to explain theses common feelings shortly after the placement of the baby. Perhaps one of the most reasonable explanations is the completion of one of life's biggest goals. Parenthood has loomed as an almost unattainable goal for so many adoptive families for such a long time. Reaching that goal has required time, money, effort, emotional strain, and patience.
Suddenly the emotional rush from the attainment of this long desired goal is exhilarating. I sometimes relate the attainment of this goal to the Jewish nation reaching the promised land after forty years of struggle. How can almost anything compare ever again in terms of emotional satisfaction of finally being in the land of milk and honey. . . the land of parenthood? Likewise, how can any of us keep that level of emotional high forever?
Think back to the attainment of other life's goals that you and others around you have reached. . . completing high school, getting your college degree, marriage, getting a long desired position, completion of a major project. . . Do your remember the let down after walking across the stage at graduation and returning from your beach trip? Feelings of being "let down" are very common after reaching major life milestones.
Another reason that PADS can occur is the unique stresses of the adoption process itself. Many adoptive parents feel that they must face and sometimes resolve their feelings about infertility again with the placement of a child. Insensitive questions about your infertility and the reasons that you chose adoption can bring back a whole series of feelings that you thought may have been resolved earlier. Some adoptive families that have a close relationship with the birth mother even seem to suffer some of the grief process with her.
One client mentioned that she could not completely erase the birth mother's feelings of loss and grief with her own feelings of satisfaction and attainment. "It is almost a bitter sweet victory, " stated one recent adoptive mother. The adoption process can also bring with it certain legal uncertainties that can easily cause feelings of anxiety and depression. Unresolved birth father issues and rights are one of the most common points of post adoptive stress. Fears about the unexpected costs and newly disclosed health and background information can also trigger stress and fears.
It is important to recognize that adoptive parents also go through many of the same stress points that birth parents go through as new parents. Stress adjustment scales indicate that factors like the addition of a new family member, added financial responsibility, lack of sleep, increased family responsibilities all contribute to rising stress levels. These stresses are often enhanced with adoptive families. The cost of the adoption is usually more than the cost of a birth. Lack of sleep and increased family responsibilities are compounded with the adoptive family by the limited paid maternity leave that many companies allow for the adoption of a child.
Clearly, PADS is a real feeling for many adoptive couples. What are some suggestions that can help you as a new adoptive parent deal with these feelings?
1. Recognize that Post Adoption Depression Syndrome is common and there are several valid reasons for feeling down after your child is placed with you. This does not mean that you have made a bad decision or are different from many other new parents.
2. In focusing and sharing birth mother grief . . realize that the birth mother made a positive plan for her and her child. You are an integral part of this special plan. If you share in her feelings of loss and grief, then take positive actions to help you both feel good about the plan that has come together for the adoptive triad. Write her a letter, make her an album, make certain that she knows what a great job she has done in giving this precious gift of life to you. Recognize that her grief is a natural part ofthe healing process.
3. Being anxiety ridden about certain legal risks and unresolved/unexpected issues is often a major source of stress. As adoptive parents, we must all accept the fact that with adoption comes certain risks. But, before accepting an adoptive situation make sure that the risks are ones that you can comfortably handle. It is a good plan to keep your head in control when evaluating each potential adoption situation. Once the baby is placed in your arms, the head control is usual replaced by heart control. Ask questions and know in your head the limit that your heart can endure.
4. Go to an infant parenting seminar. These seminars are often a part of child birthing classes at most hospitals. Call your local hospital to see when a class is being offered. Some hospitals will even allow a neonatal nurse to work one on one with you to show you how to care for your new born. Added confidence can relieve some of your feelings of anxiety and inadequacy about properly caring for this little, but very demanding little bundle.
5. Arrange for time to adjust to your new status. Unfortunately, many companies do not allow adoptive parents to take paid time off. With the rising cost of adoption, many families simply cannot afford to take time away from work without pay. Consequently one alternative is to rearrange your work schedule, if possible, to be more flexible for the first six - eight weeks. Another suggestion is to make plans for food and other necessities for the initial weeks in advance. One client I knew has a casserole shower from her local dinner club. Fifteen frozen casseroles came in very handy when the new baby arrived. "I wanted to spend every available minute with the baby. Clearly cooking was a low priority for me. " stated one adoptive mother. Paperplates, utensils, and cups can also cut down on work time and give you more time to relax and adjust.
6. Many adoptive couples feel that they must be super parents. They can pick up a baby on Friday, go back to work on Monday, have a meeting on Wednesday night, keep the church nursery on Wednesday night, have gourmet club at your house for the regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Saturday night, never missing a meeting or activity- all on four hours of sleep a night. Realize that birth parents usually take six weeks off of regularly scheduled activities. This time is not just for the healing of the body, but also for adjustment and bonding to the baby. Allow yourself the same time frame to adjust. Take a sabbatical from other responsibilities for six weeks and learn to love your baby.
7. Join an adoption support group, if you have not done so already. Share your feelings with others. A former client confided that she did not feel comfortable complaining about the baby's colic and her lack of sleep. "I felt like people would say that I asked for him. . . shut up. " Adoptive parents are not superhumans. We are real parents, who get tired, irritable, and have REAL feelings. Share your feelings with another adoptive parent in the support group.
Bringing your baby home is one of the highlights in your life. It is the beginning of a long and wonderful journey called parenthood. As with most journeys, there can be detours and bumpy spots in the road. Learning where the pot holes are makes the journey a little bit smoother.
June Bond is a Certified Adoption Investigator who has published numerous articles on adoption in local, state and national publications. Mother of six chidren, four of whom are adopted, she was recently recognized as South Carolina's Adoption Advocate of the Year for 1995.

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Exercise after baby...

2009-07-25T07:51:00.003-04:00

Believe me I too never knew that I could find time to exercise after my baby was born. I was so tired all the time. Although I did not know that I was suffering from postpartum depression, one thing that my mother kept telling me was, "Get out of the house and start walking." Ok, sounds easy enough, right? Not that easy at first. However, I did find that if I was awake early I did start to go out and take my son, and of course myself, out for a walk around the neighborhood. I spent a lot of time at the mall walking around, and I did try to go to the pool a few times and swim. Even now, three years later, you still never get a full night sleep with a child in the house, but exercise helps with the fatigue. I just started working out again after a year and the fatigue that I was feeling is going away.

So, even if you do not think that you can implement exercise as part of your day, please try. I wish I did it sooner after my son was born. It is hard, but it has its benefits.

Exercise After Baby
July 14th, 2008
Finding time to shower can be a major accomplishment when you have a newborn. But exercise speeds your recovery and helps you shed pregnancy pounds. Here’s how to fit it into your baby’s schedule.
by: Tracey Mallett
Planning Post-Natal Workouts
Post-natal exercise speeds up the recovery process after childbirth and helps give you the energy you need to keep up with the hectic pace of caring for a newborn.
Be patient–once you start exercising it may take a few months, or possibly longer, for you to see the results you want.
To fit in exercise at home, create a library of workout videos that are different lengths so you're equipped when some unexpected time arises.
Use a day planner to loosely plan your workouts around your baby's schedule.
If you start to feel light headed and nauseous, or notice a change in the color of your vaginal discharge, you may be exercising too strenuously.
Related stories
1. Get your Pre-Baby Body Back
2. Should you do Pilates while Pregnant?
3. Benefits of Exercise During Pregnancy
fter childbirth, I was amazed by how much my stomach looked like a deflated balloon. If this is happening to you too, don't panic–your uterus will naturally contract back to its pre-pregnancy shape a few weeks after you give birth. But this alone is not enough to get your pre-pregnancy body back.
Post-natal exercise is the key–it also speeds up the recovery process and offers a whole range of health benefits for new moms. Just be patient because it may take a few months, or possibly longer, depending on how much time you can dedicate to working out. So here's how to find more time to fit exercise into your life with baby.
Benefits of postnatal exercise
Helps reduce post-natal depression.
Is essential for your overall physical health and will help you recover from childbirth and regain your pre-pregnancy body more quickly.
Increases your energy level.
Provides stress release and some time for you to focus on your own needs.
Finding time to exercise
Use a day planner to loosely plan your workouts around your baby's schedule. In the morning after your baby's first feeding, try going for a walk with the baby in the stroller. (Start with flat terrain and progress to different elevations). When your baby goes down for her nap, try taking 15 minutes to do some core conditioning exercises. (Yes, this does require willpower, but when you start seeing results it will keep you inspired to do more.)
Join a "Mommy and Me" exercise class. Check out your local hospital, gym, community centre or pediatrician to find classes. These are a great way to bond with your newborn, meet other new moms and fit in some exercise time for you.
Create a library of exercise videos that are different lengths so you're already equipped for when you find unexpected time.
Perform exercises while you're doing daily activities, such as a couple of yoga poses while you wait for the kettle to boil (downward dog is a great way to relieve an aching back and shoulders). Pelvic floor exercises (Kegels) can be done anywhere and are very valuable for achieving a strong, stable pelvic area, which is usually lax due to pregnancy hormones still present in your body (especially if you're breastfeeding).
Your post-natal exercise regimen
It's important to consult with your doctor before starting an exercise program. What kind of delivery you had will determine how quickly you can resume your exercise routine, but it's generally advised that you wait until your six-week post-natal check up.
Once you get the green light and feel up to a regular exercise routine, I recommend Pilates for core conditioning and weight training and cardio for weight loss. Try to fit in two or three weekly sessions of cardio activity (walking, running and hiking) for 30 to 45 minutes, plus general body conditioning at least three times a week.
Exercise safety tips
Invest in a good support bra. Your breasts are going to be larger than normal from the milk production and will need a lot of extra support.
Be careful of high-impact sports due to lax pelvic ligaments and joints left over from pregnancy. (This is why core abdominal work is key after pregnancy to help prevent lower back and joint injuries).
Make sure you drink lots of water to replenish yourself, especially when breastfeeding.
Listen to your body. If you're feeling tired, go easy on yourself. Try not to push yourself until you feel ready.
If you start to feel light headed and nauseous, or notice a change in the color of your vaginal discharge, consult your doctor. You may be exercising too strenuously.
Enjoy this amazing time with your baby. A little extra weight is a small price to pay for the wonderful new person in your life, so be patient and your body will be back to normal in no time.
Meet our expert:
Tracey Mallett (http://www.traceymallett.com/ is an internationally-recognized certified personal trainer and sports nutritionist. She is the author of "Sexy in 6: Sculpt Your Body with the 6 Minute Quick Blast Workout." Tracey is the creator and star of the "3-In-1 Pregnancy System," for pre- and post-natal mothers. Her newest videos are "Renew You" and "Super Body BootCamp." A proud mother of two, Tracey, lives in Los Angeles.

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What to expect when your baby comes home.

2009-07-23T14:51:00.002-04:00

This was taken from www.webmd.com Great questions for when you first bring your new baby home and what to expect!

10 Questions About Your Newborn Baby's First Week
New parents have plenty of questions about newborn babies. Be prepared by talking to your doctor.

Bringing a new baby home is an exciting -- and overwhelming -- experience. No matter how prepared you are, you're bound to have many questions about your newborn.
It helps if you have some idea of what issues come up and how to deal with them. Before your baby's birth, or before you leave the hospital, go over this list of questions about newborn baby care with your pediatrician.

1. How can I protect my baby from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)?
Experts in newborn care say the best way to protect your baby from SIDS is to always put her down to sleep on her back. The rate of SIDS deaths has fallen significantly since the American Academy of Pediatrics launched its "Back to Sleep" campaign. Ask your doctor about other steps you can take to reduce your baby's risk.
2. Will my baby and I bond right away, and what should I do if we don't?
Many parents worry if they aren't overwhelmed by adoration at the first sight of their newborn baby. Try to be patient when it comes to bonding. These early days aren't easy -- for you or your child -- and it will take a while to get to know each other. Talk to your doctor about what to expect.
3. When will my newborn have her first physical exam after we leave the hospital? What will happen at that first checkup?
Most doctors schedule a first checkup at age 2 weeks, especially for the first baby. Ask about vaccines and early screening tests your newborn will receive. All newborn babies need to be checked and begin routine immunizations by age 2 months.
4. How should I care for my baby's umbilical cord stump and circumcision area?
Your doctor can give you detailed directions for caring for your newborn's umbilical stump and circumcision area. Your doctor can also advise you what to watch for in terms of infection.
5. How much will my baby sleep, and how can I tell if he is sleeping too much?
Newborn babies sleep a lot during their early days. Your doctor will be able to tell you what is normal and whether you should wake your baby to feed.
6. How often should my baby eat, and how should I deal with any feeding problems?
Whether you're breast or bottle-feeding, you're likely to have questions. Ask your doctor or hospital staff for names of lactation consultants, in case you have any breastfeeding problems. A qualified consultant in newborn baby care will help you and your baby get off to a good start. Breast milk is the "perfect food" for newborn babies for at least the first four months of life. It provides benefits, such as protecting against infections through the transfer of maternal antibodies, that no formula can.
7. How often will my newborn go to the bathroom, and how will I know if there are problems?
Elimination is right up there with sleeping and eating on a newborn's list of activities. Your doctor can tell you what problems to watch out for.
8. When and how often should I bathe my newborn?
Ask your doctor when you should give your baby her first bath, and about basic infant hygiene. Don't overdo it: newborn babies don't have an opportunity to get very dirty, and too much bathing can irritate delicate skin.
9. How can I tell if my baby has jaundice? Are there other newborn health conditions I should watch out for?
Many newborn babies have mild jaundice because their livers are not fully developed. Ask your doctor about jaundice and other newborn health conditions.
10. When should I call the doctor?
Find out what symptoms or behaviors warrant a call or a visit to the doctor.

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Governor Quinn Proclaims May 2009 Postpartum Mood Disorders Awareness Month in Illinois

2009-07-22T07:25:00.003-04:00

Article taken from Postpartum International Quarterly Newsletter. Second Quarter, 2009 Volume XX, Issue 2

Governor Quinn Proclaims May 2009 Postpartum Mood Disorders Awareness Month in Illinois

Chicago, Illinois – Illinois GovernorPat Quinn proclaimed May 2009 Postpartum Mood Disorders Awareness Month in order to raise awareness of the common illness experienced by moms and moms-to-be.“I am proud to declare May 2009 as Postpartum Mood Disorders Awareness Month in Illinois. By increasing public awareness of these disorders, we can identify women who will benefit from treatment, saving them from unnecessary distress and suffering,” said Governor Quinn.In Illinois, the Postpartum DepressionIllinois Alliance (PPD IL) works to promote awareness, prevention and treatment of maternal mental health issues throughout the state. PPD IL offers ahelpline (847-205-4455) and website(www.PPDil.org) for women and their families so they can learn more aboutpregnancy & postpartum mood disorders and access local resources such as support groups and trained healthcare providers.“We want women to realize that theyare not alone, they are not to blame andwith help, you can be well again,” said Dr.Sarah Allen, Chair of PPD IL Alliance.

The PPD IL Alliance has chosen May, as it is home to Mother’s Day, to educate women and their families and friends about the nature of this illness. Approximately 15% to 20% of pregnant women and 15%of new mothers experience major or minor depression in the first year after giving birth. Symptoms differ for everyone but may include:• Many worries and panic attacks• Feelings of sadness, fear, anger and guilt• Possible thoughts of harming the babyor oneself• Lack of interest in the baby• Appetite & sleep disturbance• Difficulty concentrating and making decisions.

“In this day and age, I think it’s deplorable that so many women still haveto suffer in shame and silence with a disorder that, when identified and treated early, does not have to be an impediment to a woman and her family’s ability to enjoy the birth of a child,” said U. S. Rep. BobbyL. Rush (D-IL) who recently re-introducedH.R. 20, the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act of2009. “I lend my voice and full support of the work of the PPD IL Alliance and other groups throughout our state and nation who are as committed as I am to working to ensure that all new mothers get the support they need to ensure that this special time of their lives is a safe, healthy and happy one.”

Symptoms of depression and anxiety occur in up to 20% of expectant and new moms, making these the most common complication of pregnancy, affecting nearly 1million women every year in the United States alone. Yet despite their prevalence,perinatal mood and anxietydisorders are under-detected by health care professionals and many women go without treatment.

Vanessa, a survivor of PPD describes her experience:“I was diagnosed with postpartum depression 6 weeks after the birth of my son. I was sleep deprived, anxious, short tempered with my family, and plagued by horrible intrusive thoughts of my infant son falling over the balcony, or falling down the stairs. I also couldn’t look at knives and had to hide them away. I was so horrified by the vivid pictures of this in my head. As a result of these thoughts I could barely eat and was always nervous and anxious.“I knew this was not how itwas supposed to be since Ialready had a 5 year old daughter and never suffered from these symptoms after her birth. I was afraid to be with my children alone so decidedto stay with my mom for a few weeks. With medication and talk therapy I began my way to recovery. My saving grace was an online support group. I was able to read the feelings of others suffering and post my own. I felt an instant bond and was so thankful.

I made apromise to myself and God that if I got through this horrible illness, I would help others. I was able to come off my antidepressant medication after 9 months and I became a moderator for PPDsupportpage.com and a telephone helpline volunteer for the PPD IL Alliance. My son is now 4 years old and Ifeel that time in my life was a blur. I make sure I spread the word about PPD and how common it really is. I feel that this illness was dealt to me for a positive reason. I am able to touch others that suffer and tell them that it isn’t a life sentence. PPD can be treated and cured.” PPD IL Alliance is the Illinois subsidiary of Postpartum Support International, the world’sl argest non-profit organization supporting women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
For more informationabout pregnancy &postpartum mood disorders& PPMD Awareness month
Contact: Dr. Sarah Allen,Chair IL PPD Alliance847 791-7722sarahfcallen@comcast.net.
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For moms who want to change the world....

2009-07-21T15:12:00.004-04:00

I just found this website.http://www.momsrising.org/ click the link and sign the petition. They also have lots of information for Moms out there..check it out!

When we read the Wall Street Journal article this week in which the former CEO of GE, Jack Welch, states there's "no such thing as work-life balance," our blood really started boiling.No such thing!? What we want to know is, "Why not already?"We're tired of people bemoaning that work-life balance isn't possible, while there are real-life solutions in the form of family-friendly policies at our disposal--policies which also up the corporate fiscal bottom line by helping to retain and advance women. Yes, it's true: Recent research underscores that having women in leadership is correlated with improving the fiscal bottom line for businesses1.Join us in asking the CEOs of the leading Fortune 500 companies to take action and put policies in place which enable women to advance to the top in their careers and also take care of their families.Click here now to sign the letter: http://momsrising.democracyinaction.org/o/1768/t/1878/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1926
CEOs--and former CEOs who are business thought leaders--aren't innocent bystanders as we all struggle with work-life balance. They have the power to do something about it by making significant changes in the workplaces they oversee.Our economy now depends on the millions of women who work outside the home, and the vast majority of these women are mothers. In fact, women now make up almost half of the workforce and obtain more than 50% of college degrees2. With this information in mind, a big question comes forward: Why have so many workplaces failed to catch up to 21st Century realities when there are win-win solutions available? The answer: Too many employers don't understand the benefits of having family-friendly policies like flexible work options and paid family leave which can simultaneously increase productivity, as well as attract and retain high quality employees.This isn't just rhetoric. Recent studies show that companies with women in leadership are actually doing better fiscally even in this tough economic environment. For example, a Pepperdine University study found that Fortune 500 companies with the best track records for having women in leadership roles fiscally outperformed industry medians as measured by revenue, asset growth, and equity. Other studies found that hedge funds with women in leadership did significantly better over time3.Don't forget to sign on to our open letter to the top CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. We're asking them to take the initiative to implement company policies which address the needs of the modern workforce, of which women - and mothers - can be key contributors to their fiscal success.Sign the letter: http://momsrising.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=VY6%2FkEL4OqkxwfG%2FEc%2F6YNmLDNnrhAQUWe need 10,000 signatures by NEXT Wednesday the 22nd so we can make sure the letter gets in the hands of these CEOs by National Parents' Day (July 26). We can't think of a better way to celebrate that day than by handing over a letter with so many thousands of signatures that it can't be ignored.The more signatures, the more effective we'll be - so tell your friends, tell your family, tell your co-workers. Together we can make work-life balance better for every mom.Onwards!Kristin, Joan, Mary, Katie, Sarah and the rest of the MomsRising TeamP.S. Everyone needs to be able to structure their work lives in a way that allows them to meet both business and personal needs. Fact is, good work/life fit is of value to everyone and as a consequence it is good for business. MomsRising has a growing resource for both businesses and individuals interested in the ever greater opportunities to realize this ideal. Check them out at http://www.momsrising.org/work

[1]http://momsrising.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=RzorURenJVGNmNAJ31gQXdmLDNnrhAQU and http://momsrising.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=NDNkfZoShpk2CuzS%2Fo7nu9mLDNnrhAQU[2]U.S. Department of Labor http://momsrising.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=AvJ4JIIQ8E%2Fu25VC7OumZ9mLDNnrhAQU andU.S. Department of Education, http://momsrising.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=oPGZr9bvQzMEtJcouCVZ49mLDNnrhAQU[3]http://momsrising.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=fwaVKiyZJ408iJTBccyTk9mLDNnrhAQU and http://www.miller-mccune.com/business_economics/profit-thy-name-is-woman-1007

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Sleep Cycles for Mom and Baby

2009-07-20T11:34:00.002-04:00

Good article..I know it is so hard when you are home with a newborn and you are totally sleep deprived. The biggest thing I did when my son was born was to make sure that he got to know the difference between night and day. When he woke up at night I did not turn on any lights. I had night lights in all the rooms. This way he did not think it was time to wake up. I fed him and put him right back down. I did not start playing with him and only changed his diaper if needed.

I have heard stories that mothers did not know why the baby would not sleep during the night. Daddy had night duty and he would turn on all the light and be on the computer. The baby thought it was time to play! Big no, no. Baby needs to know night time is sleep time! Good luck and get some rest.

By Catherine Kedjidjian
In this article:Why No Shut-Eye?The Danger of Sleep Loss Set Your Sleep Clock Back Tips to Get More Rest
Learn how sleep loss in moms, which often starts when one adjusts to her newborn's erratic sleep patterns, can significantly affect a woman's safety, health, and emotional stability.
Do you sleep like a baby? If you are a new mom, the answer is very likely, "Yes." Unfortunately, that's not a good thing. As adorable as sleeping infants look, their sleep patterns are not so sweet for their exhausted mothers. Newborn babies have short sleep cycles, waking every three to four hours to eat, day or night—and, of course, their mothers wake with them. But here's the really bad news: sleeping interruptions continue even after night-time feedings end. When you tuned into your baby's schedule, your sleep clock was reset, your sensitivity heightened. Before you had children, you may have slept through a parade of wailing bagpipes; now a cricket's chirp sends you bolting down the hall to check on your baby—or your toddler or teenager.
Why No Shut-Eye?

Hormones—while necessary for bonding—are a culprit in sleep loss. "Hormones can affect sleep, especially in high doses," says Suzanne Griffin, MD, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Center and a private practice psychiatrist in Chevy Chase, Md. "Vasopressin and oxytocin are present in high levels during the postpartum period in both the mother and in the infant. That's why a new mother's sleep rhythms are in synch with her baby. Hormones facilitate the coupling of mom and baby."
So, when you were nursing and otherwise bonding with your newborn, your body was flowing with hormones that disturb sleep. But when you stopped nursing and your period returned, you regained your monthly hormonal fluctuations that cause bloating, tender breasts, and headaches, which also disturb sleep.
According to the Women and Sleep Poll commissioned by the National Sleep Foundation, 74 percent of women ages 30 to 60 do not sleep eight or more hours per night during the workweek. In fact, the average woman hits the sack for only six hours and 41 minutes during the workweek. According to Dr. Griffin, the healthy range of sleep per night for the average woman is seven to eight hours. Obviously, there's a gap—and it's a chasm that is bigger and can cause more safety and health problems than a pothole on the expressway.
The Danger of Sleep Loss
Your safety, health, and emotional stability depend on your ability to get enough sleep each night. The obvious problem with sleep loss is that a tired woman is not a fully-functional woman. Performing daily tasks in a state of exhaustion is not only difficult, it also can be deadly. How safe are you, your child, and the other children in the car if you are a sleep-deprived car pool driver? The Women and Sleep Poll found that 50 percent of women have driven while drowsy, and 14 percent have dozed off at the wheel.
Studies published in the medical publications Lancet and the Journal of the American Medical Association indicate that sleep deprivation can cause an increase in hunger and a decrease in metabolism. That dangerous one-two punch is not just an annoyance that keeps you from fitting into your pre-pregnancy jeans. It can hinder weight loss or cause weight gain and can lead to high glucose levels, which are precursors to diabetes.
Two thirds of women surveyed by the National Sleep Foundation reported that lack of sleep causes problems in their relationship with their spouse or children. As if you need statistics to back this up: depression and anxiety are associated with sleep deprivation. If you are tired, you are likely to be on edge, less tolerant, and maybe not too nice to those whom you love most.

Set Your Sleep Clock Back
The first few weeks of your newborn's life, your best bet is simply to follow the schedule that your hormones have set for you and your baby: sleep when your baby sleeps, day or night. You won't get a continuous eight hours of sleep, but every little bit helps. "Daytime naps can partially compensate for nighttime sleep loss," assures Dr. Griffin.
Tips to Get More Rest
Throughout the early weeks, try to maintain good sleep habits; that practice will help you get back into a normal sleep pattern later on. Sleep-promoting steps you can take include:
Go to bed at a regular time every night.
Avoid alcohol and anything high in caffeine, sugar, and salt.
Exercise regularly, but don't work out within three hours of bedtime.
Eat a light snack (but not a full meal) before bedtime. If your snack includes dairy products, you'll get a dose of the natural sleep-promoting substance tryptophan.
Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature.
If you have problems falling asleep, get out of bed. Go into another darkened room and pick up a quiet activity – but don't fall asleep in that room. When you feel drowsy, go back to bed. "It should only take 15 minutes or so to fall asleep," says Dr. Griffin. "If it takes longer, it's a signal to go to a physician or seek a sleep specialist."
When your baby begins to sleep for longer stretches at night, you can start to reset your sleeping pattern. Have the baby's dad take over nighttime feeding, or hire a baby nurse for night duty if possible. Cut out daytime naps to build up "sleep pressure" and continue to follow your good bedtime and sleep habits. Then, you'll be able to enjoy the view of your sweet, slumbering child before you head off to bed for a good night's rest.

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Signs and symptoms of Depression

2009-07-18T19:29:00.001-04:00

Article taken from www.helpguide.org

Understanding Depression
Signs, Symptoms, Causes and Help

Feeling down from time to time is a normal part of life. But when emptiness and despair take hold and won't go away, it may be depression. More than just the temporary "blues," the lows of depression make it tough to function and enjoy life like you once did. Hobbies and friends don’t interest you like they used to; you’re exhausted all the time; and just getting through the day can be overwhelming. When you’re depressed, things may feel hopeless, but with help and support you can get better. But first, you need to understand depression. Learning about depression — including its signs, symptoms, causes, and treatment — is the first step to overcoming the problem.
In This Article:
What is depression?
Signs and symptoms
Depression and suicide
The faces of depression
Types of depression
Causes and risk factors
Roads to depression recovery
Related links
Print Authors
Text Size
What is depression?
We all go through ups and downs in our mood. Sadness is a normal reaction to life’s struggles, setbacks, and disappointments. Many people use the word “depression” to explain these kinds of feelings, but clinical depression is much more than just sadness. Some people describe depression as “living in a black hole” or having a feeling of impending doom. However, some depressed people don't feel sad at all — instead, they feel lifeless, empty, and apathetic.
Whatever the symptoms, depression is different from normal sadness in that it engulfs your day-to-day life, interfering with your ability to work, study, eat, sleep, and have fun. The feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and worthlessness are intense and unrelenting, with little, if any, relief.
Are you clinically depressed?
If you identify with several of the following signs and symptoms, and they just won’t go away, you may be suffering from clinical depression.
you can’t sleep or you sleep too much
you can’t concentrate or find that previously easy tasks are now difficult
you feel hopeless and helpless
you can’t control your negative thoughts, no matter how much you try
you have lost your appetite or you can’t stop eating
you are much more irritable and short-tempered than usual
you have thoughts that life is not worth living (Seek help immediately if this is the case)
Signs and symptoms of depression
Depression varies from person to person, but there are some common signs and symptoms. It’s important to remember that these symptoms can be part of life’s normal lows. But the more symptoms you have, the stronger they are, and the longer they’ve lasted — the more likely it is that you’re dealing with depression. When these symptoms are overwhelming and disabling, that's when it's time to seek help.
Common signs and symptoms of depression
Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. A bleak outlook—nothing will ever get better and there’s nothing you can do to improve your situation.
Loss of interest in daily activities. No interest in or ability to enjoy former hobbies, pastimes, social activities, or sex.
Appetite or weight changes. Significant weight loss or weight gain—a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month.
Sleep changes. Either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping (also known as hypersomnia).
Psychomotor agitation or retardation. Either feeling “keyed up” and restless or sluggish and physically slowed down.
Loss of energy. Feeling fatigued and physically drained. Even small tasks are exhausting or take longer.
Self-loathing. Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. Harsh criticism of perceived faults and mistakes.
Concentration problems. Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things.

Depression Signs and Symptoms

Clinical depression is distinguished from situational depression by length and severity

Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness
A bleak outlook—nothing will ever get better
and there’s nothing you can do to improve your situation.

Loss of interest in dailly activities
No interest in or ability to enjoy former
hobbies, pastimes, social activities, or sex.

Appetite or weight changes
Significant weight loss or weight gain—a change
of more than 5% of body weight in a month.

Sleep changes
Either insomnia, especially waking in
the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping (also known as hypersomnia).

Psychomotor agitation or retardation
Either feeling “keyed up” and restless or sluggish
and physically slowed down.

Loss of energy
Feeling fatigued and physically drained.
Even small tasks are exhausting or take longer.

Self-loathing
Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. Harsh
criticism of perceived faults and mistakes.

Concentration problems
Trouble focusing, making decisions, or
remembering things.

-->Depression in men
Depression is a loaded word in our culture. Many associate it, however wrongly, with
a sign of weakness and excessive emotion. This is especially true with men. Depressed
men are less likely than women to acknowledge feelings of self-loathing and hopelessness.
How is depression expressed in men? Frequently, it comes out in more “socially
acceptable” forms. Anger, aggression, reckless behavior and violence, along with
substance abuse, can be signs of an underlying depression. You might hear complaints
about fatigue, irritability, sleep problems, and loss of interest or sudden excessive
interest in work and hobbies. Even though depression rates for women are twice as high
as those in men, men are a higher suicide risk, especially older men.-->
Depression and suicide
Depression is a major risk factor for suicide. The deep despair and hopelessness that goes along with depression can make suicide feel like the only way to escape the pain.
Thoughts of death or suicide: A serious symptom of depression
A suicidal person may not ask for help, but that doesn't mean that help isn't wanted. Most people who are suicidal don't want to die — they just want to stop hurting. Take any suicidal talk or behavior seriously. It's not just a warning sign that the person is thinking about suicide: it's a cry for help.If you think a friend or family member is considering suicide, you might be afraid to bring up the subject. But talking openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can save a life. Speak up if you're concerned and seek professional help immediately! Suicide prevention starts with recognizing the warning signs and taking action.
See Suicide Prevention: Signs of Suicide and How to Help a Suicidal Person.
Thoughts of Death or Suicide
If you are feeling suicidal, know that there are many people who want to support you during this difficult time, even if it doesn’t feel like it. Reach out for help!
If you are considering suicide, read Coping with Suicidal Thoughts and Getting Help or call 1-800-273-TALK now!
The faces of depression
Depression often looks different in men and women, and in young people and older adults. An awareness of these differences helps ensure that the problem is recognized and treated.
Depression in teens
While some depressed teens appear sad, others do not. In fact, irritability—rather than depression—is frequently the predominant symptom in depressed adolescents and teens. A depressed teenager may be hostile, grumpy, or easily lose his or her temper. Unexplained aches and pains are also common symptoms of depression in young people.
To learn more, see Depression in Teens.
Depression in older adults
The difficult changes that many older adults face—such as bereavement, loss of independence, and health problems—can lead to depression, especially in those without a strong support system. However, depression is not a normal part of aging. Older adults tend to complain more about the physical rather than the emotional signs and symptoms of depression, and so the problem often goes unrecognized. Depression in older adults is associated with poor health, a high mortality rate, and an increased risk of suicide, so diagnosis and treatment are extremely important.
To learn more, see Depression in Older Adults.
Depression in men
Depression is a loaded word in our culture. Many associate it, however wrongly, with a sign of weakness and excessive emotion. This is especially true with men. Depressed men are less likely than women to acknowledge feelings of self-loathing and hopelessness. Instead, they tend to complain about fatigue, irritability, sleep problems, and loss of interest in work and hobbies. Other signs and symptoms of depression in men include anger, aggression, violence, reckless behavior, and substance abuse. Even though depression rates for women are twice as high as those in men, men are a higher suicide risk, especially older men.
Depression in women
Rates of depression in women are twice as high as they are in men. This is due in part to hormonal factors, particularly when it comes to premenstrual syndrome (PMS), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), postpartum depression, and perimenopausal depression. As for signs and symptoms, women are more likely than men to experience pronounced feelings of guilt, sleep excessively, overeat, and gain weight. Women are also more likely to suffer from seasonal affective disorder.
To learn more, see Depression in Women.
Many new mothers suffer from some fleeting form of the “baby blues.” Postpartum depression, in contrast, is a longer lasting and more serious depression triggered, in part, by hormonal changes associated with having a baby. Postpartum depression usually develops soon after delivery, but any depression that occurs within six months of childbirth may be postpartum depression.
See Postpartum Depression: Signs, Symptoms, And Help For New Moms
Types of depression
Depression comes in many shapes and forms. The different types of depression have unique symptoms, causes, and effects. Knowing what type of depression you have can help you manage your symptoms and get the most effective treatments.
Major depression
Major depression, or clinical depression, is characterized by the inability to enjoy life and experience pleasure. The symptoms are constant, ranging from moderate to severe. Left untreated, major depression typically lasts for about six months. Some people experience just a single depressive episode in their lifetime, but more commonly, major depression is a recurring disorder. However, there are many things you can do to support your mood and reduce the risk of recurrence.
Atypical Depression
Atypical depression is a common subtype of major depression. It features a specific symptom pattern, including a temporary mood lift in response to positive events. You may feel better after receiving good news or while out with friends. However, this boost in mood is fleeting. Other symptoms of atypical depression include weight gain, increased appetite, sleeping excessively, a heavy feeling in the arms and legs, and sensitivity to rejection. Atypical depression responds better to some therapies and medications than others, so identifying this subtype can be particularly helpful.
Dysthymia (recurrent, mild depression)
Dysthmia is a type of chronic “low-grade” depression. More days than not, you feel mildly or moderately depressed, although you may have brief periods of normal mood. The symptoms of dysthymia are not as strong as the symptoms of major depression, but they last a long time (at least two years). These chronic symptoms make it very difficult to live life to the fullest or to remember better times. Some people also experience major depressive episodes on top of dysthymia, a condition known as “double depression.” If you suffer from dysthymia, you may feel like you’ve always been depressed. Or you may think that your continuous low mood is “just the way you are.” However, dysthymia can be treated, even if your symptoms have gone unrecognized or untreated for years.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
There’s a reason why so many movies and books portray rainy days and stormy weather as gloomy. Some people get depressed in the fall or winter, when overcast days are frequent and sunlight is limited. This type of depression is called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Seasonal affective disorder is more common in northern climates and in younger people. Like depression, seasonal affective disorder is treatable. Light therapy, a treatment that involves exposure to bright artificial light, often helps relieve symptoms.
BIPOLAR DISORDER - When Depression is Just One Side of the Coin
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is characterized by cycling mood changes. Episodes of depression alternate with manic episodes, which can include impulsive behavior, hyperactivity, rapid speech, and little to no sleep. Typically, the switch from one mood extreme to the other is gradual, with each manic or depressive episode lasting for at least several weeks. When depressed, a person with bipolar disorder exhibits the usual symptoms of major depression. However, the treatments for bipolar depression are very different. In fact, antidepressants can make bipolar depression worse.
See Understanding Bipolar Disorder: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment of Manic Depression
Depression causes and risk factors
Some illnesses have a specific medical cause, making treatment straightforward. If you have diabetes, you take insulin. If you have appendicitis, you have surgery. But depression is more complicated. Depression is not just the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain, and is not simply cured with medication. Experts believe that depression is caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. In other words, your lifestyle choices, relationships, and coping skills matter just as much — if not more so — than genetics. However, certain risk factors make you more vulnerable to depression.
Causes and risk factors for depression
Loneliness
Lack of social support
Recent stressful life experiences
Family history of depression
Marital or relationship problems
Financial strain
Early childhood trauma or abuse
Alcohol or drug abuse
Unemployment or underemployment
Health problems or chronic pain
The cause of your depression determines the treatment
Understanding the underlying cause of your depression may help you overcome the problem. For example, if you are depressed because of a dead end job, the best treatment might be finding a more satisfying career, not taking an antidepressant. If you are new to an area and feeling lonely and sad, finding new friends at work or through a hobby will probably give you more of a mood boost than going to therapy. In such cases, the depression is remedied by changing the situation.
The road to depression recovery
Just as the symptoms and causes of depression are different in different people, so are the ways to feel better. What works for one person might not work for another, and no one treatment is appropriate in all cases. If you recognize the signs of depression in yourself or a loved one, take some time to explore the many treatment options. In most cases, the best approach involves a combination of self-help strategies, lifestyle changes, and professional help.
Ask for help and support
If even the thought of tackling your depression seems overwhelming, don’t panic. Feeling helpless and hopeless is a symptom of depression—not the reality of your situation. It does not mean that you’re weak or you can’t change! The key to depression recovery is to start small and ask for help. Having a strong support system in place will speed your recovery. Isolation fuels depression, so reach out to others, even when you feel like being alone. Let your family and friends know what you’re going through and how they can support you.
Make healthy lifestyle changes
Lifestyle changes are not always easy to make, but they can have a big impact on depression. Take a good look at your own lifestyle. What changes could you make to support depression recovery? Self-help strategies that can be very effective include:
Cultivating supportive relationships
Getting regular exercise and sleep
Eating a healthy, mood-boosting diet
Managing stress
Practicing relaxation techniques
Challenging negative thought patterns
For help getting started and following through with positive lifestyle changes, see Dealing with Depression: Self-Help and Coping Tips.
Seek professional help
If positive lifestyle changes and support from family and friends aren’t enough, seek help from a mental health professional. There are many effective treatments for depression, including therapy, medication, and alternative treatments. Learning about your options will help you decide what measures are most likely to work best for your particular situation and needs.
Are antidepressants right for you?
Medication can help relieve the symptoms of depression in some people, but they don’t work for everyone and they come with drawbacks of their own. Learning the facts about antidepressants and weighing the benefits against the risks can help you make an informed and personal decision about whether medication is right for you.
ee Antidepressants: What You Need to Know About Depression Medication
Effective treatment for depression often includes some form of therapy. Therapy gives you tools to treat depression from a variety of angles. What’s more, what you learn in therapy gives you skills and insight to prevent depression from coming back.
Some types of therapy teach you practical techniques on how to reframe negative thinking and employ behavioral skills in combating depression. Therapy can also help you work through the root of your depression, helping you understand why you feel a certain way, what your triggers are for depression, and what you can do to stay healthy.
See Depression Treatment: Therapy, Medication, and Lifestyle Changes That Can Help.

Feeling Suicidal? Coping with Suicidal Thoughts and Getting Help
Helping a Depressed Person Taking Care of Yourself While Supporting a Loved One
More Helpguide articles:
Dealing with Depression: Self-Help and Coping Tips
Depression Treatment: Therapy, Medication, and Lifestyle Changes That Can Help
Antidepressant Medications: What You Need to Know About Depression Medication
Related links for depression
Signs and symptoms of depression
Signs and Symptoms of Mood Disorders – Lists the common signs and symptoms of depression and bipolar disorder. (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance)
Stories of Depression: Does This Sound Like You? - Read personal stories of depression, review the signs and symptoms, and learn how to get help. (National Institute of Mental Health)
What Does Depression Feel Like? – Provides a list of signs and symptoms and ways you might feel if you're depressed. (Wings of Madness)
When Depression Hurts – Article on the painful physical symptoms of depression, including what causes them and how treatment can help. (Psychology Today)
Male Depression: Don't Ignore the Symptoms – Learn about the distinct symptoms of depression in men and the dangers of leaving them untreated. (Mayo Clinic)
Types of depression
The Different Faces of Depression – Discussion of the different subtypes of depression, including atypical depression, melancholic depression, and psychotic depression. (Psychology Today)
Atypical Depression: What's in a Name? - Article on the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of atypical depression. (American Psychiatric Association)
Dysthymia: Psychotherapists and patients confront the high cost of “low-grade” depression – In-depth look at the causes, effects, and treatment of dysthymic disorder. (Harvard Health Publications)
Seasonal Affective Disorder: Winter Depression – Guide to seasonal affective disorder and its symptoms, causes, and treatment. (Northern County Psychiatric Associates)
Depression causes and risk factors
What Causes Depression? - Article describes the many causes of depression and gives advice on taking back control of your life. (Psychology Today)
Co-occurring Disorders and Depression – How medical disorders can affect depression and vice versa (Mental Health America)
Joanna Saisan, MSW, Melinda Smith, M.A., Robert Segal, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., contributed to this article. Last modified in June 2009

Postpartum Depression: Do All Moms Need Screening?

2009-07-17T10:29:00.003-04:00

Postpartum Depression: Do All Moms Need Screening?

July 17, 2009 by bethann17 Edit

Great Article from www.time.com Great debate still on the Melanie Stokes Act. Question: How could a few simple questions hurt any new mother? I personally do not see how taking five minutes for someone to see how you are could hurt you…what are your thoughts?

Clarification Appended: July 12, 2009

A month after Melanie Blocker-Stokes gave birth, she stopped eating and sleeping. She had convinced herself that she was a terrible mother, and she was paranoid that the neighbors thought so too. Over two months, Blocker-Stokes was repeatedly hospitalized for postpartum psychosis; prescribed a cocktail of antipsychotic, antianxiety and antidepressant drugs; and treated with electroconvulsive therapy. Despite her family’s efforts to help, Blocker-Stokes leaped to her death from the 12th story of a Chicago hotel in 2001, when her daughter was 3½ months old.

Now the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act, familiarly known as the Mothers Act, has passed the House and is headed for the Senate. If it becomes law, it will mandate the funding of research, education and public-service announcements about postpartum depression (PPD) along with services for women who have it.

The legislation has sparked surprisingly heated debate, dividing psychologists and spurring a war of petition drives aimed at either bolstering the bill or blocking its passage. “I just can’t understand it,” says Carol Blocker, Blocker-Stokes’ mother. “It breaks my heart that women would be against a bill that would help mothers.”

But not everyone agrees that the Mothers Act is destined to help. At the root of the dissent is the issue of screening: Does PPD screening identify cases of real depression or simply contribute to the potentially dangerous medicalization of motherhood?
Although the current version of the Mothers Act does not specifically include funding for PPD testing, an earlier one did (it was based on a New Jersey law that mandates universal PPD screening), and critics say the new act will naturally lead to greater use of screening if it passes. Opponents of the bill contend that mental-health screens are notoriously prone to giving false positives — research suggests that as few as one-third of women flagged by a PPD screen actually have the condition — and say testing is a gambit by pharmaceutical companies to sell more drugs.

But clinicians and researchers say screening is intended not as a diagnostic tool but as a way to identify patients who need further evaluation. Studies suggest that PPD affects as many as 1 out of 7 mothers and that failing to treat it exposes women and their babies to unwarranted risk. “Postpartum depression is not a benign, uncommon thing. We screen all infants for [the genetic disorder] phenylketonuria, which is extremely rare. Why don’t we screen women for this?” asks University of Pittsburgh Medical Center psychiatrist Katherine Wisner.

Why? Because increased screening could lead to an increase in mothers being prescribed psychiatric medication unnecessarily. That concern lies close to the heart of Amy Philo, 31, of Texas, who has become a leader of the anti–Mothers Act movement. In 2004, shortly after her first son was born, he choked on his vomit and needed emergency treatment. Her son recovered, but after the incident, Philo became preoccupied with his safety and felt severe anxiety about protecting him — a common symptom of PPD. “After a one-minute conversation with my doctor, he gave me Zoloft and said it would make me and my baby happy,” she recalls. But Philo says she started having suicidal and homicidal thoughts, which got stronger when another doctor raised her dosage. Eventually, Philo says, she weaned herself off the drug, and her violent feelings disappeared. (Zoloft, like other antidepressant drugs in its class, carries a black-box warning that it can increase suicidal ideation in patients ages 24 and under but not in adults of Philo’s age.)

Some psychologists argue that universal PPD screening misses the point because the greatest risk factor for postpartum depression is not giving birth, in fact, but previous depression. Women develop depression at the same rate whether or not they have given birth, according to Stony Brook University psychology professor Marci Lobel. “Women who have been healthy all their lives, who haven’t suffered lots of anxiety and depressive symptoms, are unlikely to have problems in the postpartum period — not even close to likely,” says Michael O’Hara, a University of Iowa professor of psychology. Further, say experts, while pregnancy hormones may impact a small subgroup of vulnerable women, they have little to do with PPD in most cases. In a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in 2000, researchers used drugs to mimic the postpartum decline of pregnancy hormones in 16 women, eight with histories of PPD and eight without. Five of the eight women who had previously experienced PPD developed mood symptoms. But none of the women who had never been depressed postpartum were affected.(Read “The Risks — and Rewards — of Pills and Pregnancy.”)

Still, there’s no denying that the postpartum period is a difficult one for many women. Some new mothers contend with clinical depression, but many more experience the normal feelings of “baby blues,” the short-lived postpartum sadness that affects at least half of all mothers. “[We] should be addressing the social factors causing women to be upset after they give birth, not locating the problem within the women,” says Paula Caplan, a clinical and research psychologist.
On either side of the screening debate, experts agree that mothers need help, says Ingrid Johnston-Robledo, director of women’s studies at the State University of New York at Fredonia. She adds that opposing arguments over PPD screening need not be mutually exclusive. “The problem with women’s reproductive-health issues is that they tend to be ignored or exaggerated,” she says. “We need to find a way to come down in the middle: acknowledge women’s depression but not assume that all women who struggle with the transition to motherhood are depressed.” Ensuring the proper support of mothers, however — whether that means treating depression or caring for women in their new roles — would require an effort much more ambitious than a single law.

The original version of this article stated that after Amy Philo’s newborn suffered an accidental choking incident, Philo’s preoccupation with his safety included fear of hurting her baby herself. However, Philo says that particular feeling did not intrude until later, after she began taking antidepressant medication.

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Postpartum Depression talk radio show with Hoag Hospital

2009-07-14T16:26:00.002-04:00

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/OC-Family-Radio/2009/01/12/Postpartum-Depression

Great talk radio show from Hoag Hospital in OC County. Please listen, great info on postpartum depression.

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Postpartum Depression - NJN News Healthwatch Report

2009-07-11T08:17:00.001-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w-itz_H89E

Great info from the State of NJ and public service announcement. Do we need mandatory screening for new mothers? Should more questions be asked of us from our doctors? There were times that I wished my doctor or pediatrician asked me questions about me, I would mention I was not sleeping, why did nobody pick up on that? That was the first sign for me, insomnia. Even when I went to talk to my doctor the second time and told him some of my symptoms all he told me was to stop breastfeeding. It kind of made sense at the time, but why did he not see the symptoms that I was explaining to him and say to me, "Look I think you have postpartum depression and this is what we need to do." I will never know why it took a few visits to him and me finally breaking down and saying, "I need help!" We all need to be more educated on this topic, not only the public but the doctors and nurses dealing with new mothers. Again, you are not alone, if you need help please talk to you doctor and do not feel ashamed.

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Real Videos of Women and Postpartum Depression

2009-07-09T08:32:00.003-04:00

http://www.health.com/health/condition-video/0,,20194003,00.html
Heart to heart videos of women and their stories on Postpartum Depression. This one hit home to me because I too at one point could not give my son a bath anymore as I thought I might drown him. Remember, it takes time. Please seek out therapy. Talk to others about your feelings. The more that you keep your feelings inside the worse that they become. Remember that you are not alone. I wrote my story to let others know that you WILL get through this, but it does take time. It does take the help of others, therapy and possibly medication. You are not alone!

This link also has links to other stories as well. Again, speak to your doctor if you have any of the feelings or emotions that you just read about or watched.

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Women and heart disease

2009-07-08T08:51:00.002-04:00

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200011

I know that this goes off the beaten track of my blog about PPD and Depression, but I just found out that I lost an old friend to a heart attack. That has made three friends that I have know since High School that have died in the past year, I am only 42. They were all women. Two that I know were from Heart Attacks and one was from Diabetes. As women we tend to think that heart disease is a "man" problem, but it is the number one killer of women. The link above has some great information. We, as women, tend to put others first, our family, jobs, chores, but we need to take care of ourselves as well. We need to make the time to make sure that we are well, so that we too will be around to tuck our babies in at night and tell them that we love them. My son left for camp before and he said, "Mommy, I need you." All I could think about was, "What if one day I am not here for him?" I have tears in my eyes just thinking about it.

Stacey, rest in peace my friend, I will miss you. Please from today forward, let's take care of not only the others in our lives, but of ourselves also!

Antidepressants and weight gain

2009-07-05T09:44:00.005-04:00

http://www.webmd.com/depression/features/antidepressants-weight-gain

Great article I found on www.webmd.com about the correlation of taking antidepressants and weight gain. Again, if this may be a concern for some of you out there, please talk to you doctor or therapist and see if there is something that may be causing weight gain or trouble with weight and taking prescription medication.

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2009-07-05T09:44:00.001-04:00

PSI Conference

2009-07-02T08:07:00.001-04:00

Reminder: PSI Conference in LA They are also taking donations for this event as well if you would like to donate your product or service.

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Attached please find the conference brochure and registration form for this year's Postpartum Support International's (PSI) annual conference. This year PSI has teamed with the newly formed Los Angeles County Perinatal Mental Health Task Force to address both the clinical and community needs in treatment of perinatal mood disorders. Perinatal mood disorders affect up to 20% of women and therefore will present in all sectors of mental health treatment. As such, the conference is designed to meet the educational needs of the entire field by spanning a broad range of clinical and community topics applicable to all regions; Los Angeles and beyond. Please register online at http://psi.eventbrite.com/, or send registration forms to PAC/LAC, 5530 Corbin Ave. Suite 323 , Tarzana , CA 91356 or by fax at 818.708.2950. We hope to see you there for this informative and inspiring conference. The cut-off date is July 17th for the discounted hotel room rate of $145.00/night. To book online with group discount, please go to: https://reservations.synxis.com/lbe/rez.aspx?hotel=11535&arrive=08%2F03%2F2009&nights=4&adult=1&group=PSIAUG2009&promo=&iata=&step=1

Please forward to anyone and everyone who might be interested in joining us for this great conference in LA in August. See attachment for Silent Auction items donations. Please consider making a donation to our silent auction.

We are looking forward to seeing many of you in LA!!

Postpartum Support International

Stress and Weight Loss

2009-07-01T09:09:00.005-04:00

http://www.womentowomen.com/adrenalfatigue/adrenalglandweightgain.aspx?

Great Article and this is a wonderful website for women to look at for many topics. I have read many articles on "stress" and weight loss. I too have been struggling with weight loss, I eat right, take my supplements, and of course I could exercise more, but I do believe the stresses can effect weight loss and of course, weight gain.

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Postpartum Depression, Real but still stigmatized

2009-06-28T07:54:00.002-04:00

As I read this article it took me back to something my mother and I talked about when I was dealing with postpartum depression. Since I had my baby at 39 years old, and this was my first child, at first did not know what was wrong. My mom had told me a story about her cousin, this is going back 30 or so years ago, and she told me that her cousin had to be put on medication after the birth of her child. However, back then postpartum depression was not really discussed. Plus there was such a stigma of being on medication, her cousin took the medication for a few days and then threw them down the toilet.

My mother had thought that since most women were having babies as young as 19 when I was born that maybe they did not know what they were going through or experiencing since they did not understand their bodies as well at such a young age. My mother seemed to think that since I was older, I was more in tune with my body and knowing that things were not right. It still took four months for my diagnoses, but I fought each day to tell myself I would get through it.

For those reading this and thinking that PPD is not real, let me tell you that it is very real. I believe, that for me, taking medication saved my sanity, my life and got me through what could have been worse. It got so bad for me before the medication, I truly thought I would lose my mind and have to be put in the hospital. That is also why I wrote my story, to let others know this is real, it can happen, and you will get through it with help.

Again, speak to your doctor if things "just do not seem right."

Taken from www.psychcentral.com

Postpartum Depression: Real but still stigmatized

By John M Grohol PsyD April 21, 2009

For decades, thousands of people in dozens of organizations have fought tirelessly to reduce the stigmatization and ignorance associated with mental health issues and mental disorders. Mental illness is not something you can just “get over,” nor is it an invention of the pharmaceutical companies (although I’m sure there are some who believe that).
Even within this dedicated group of people who are all fighting for the same things — recognition that mental illness is just as real as physical illness — they is within-group stigmatization. Some mental disorders get the short shrift, or are thought to be less “real” or serious than other disorders. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), for instance, only lobbies and advocates for what it considers to be biologically-based mental disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. They have historically had far less interest in other disorders, such as anxiety or personality disorders.
This saddens me. And it saddens me even further to see people knock something like postpartum depression, a very real mental disorder that affects thousands of mothers every year who have just given birth to their child, and then feel overwhelmed with depression. They often are unable to do even basic child care for their newborn baby, and feel hopeless, despondent, and listless, without motivation or energy.
Moms are in need of being taken seriously, of having their concerns heard. You’d think nobody would be against mothers seeking to get proper diagnosis, treatment and care for something that is at the very core of having a healthy family.
But you’d be wrong.
Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey introduced the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act in the Senate to try and reduce the stigmatization that goes on around postpartum depression, increasing funding for education and screening programs to catch more mothers in need. But one senator — an obstetrician no less — doesn’t like “disease-specific” legislation, and has used a senatorial hold to stop the legislation from moving forward, according to Katherine Stone’s entry over at Postpartum Progress:
Senator Menendez indicated that much of the strong opposition to this bill continues to come from Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma who refuses to pass any of what he calls “disease-specific” legislation. Here’s the part that absolutely kills me: Dr. Coburn specializes in family medicine and obstetrics. Dr. Coburn has personally delivered more than 4,000 babies, according to his bio.
Thanks Dr. Coburn! What a great way to show your forward-thinking efforts, at the very same time the e-patient movement is gaining steam and people are looking to replace the old paternalistic doctor who “always knows best” with empowered, educated patients who work as true partners with their doctors.
And why is this legislation so controversial? I have no idea. The legislation under consideration would increase federal efforts to combat postpartum depression by:
Encouraging Health and Human Services (HHS) to coordinate and continue research to expand the understanding of the causes of, and find treatments for, postpartum conditions.
Encouraging a National Public Awareness Campaign, to be administered by HHS, to increase awareness and knowledge of postpartum depression and psychosis.
Requiring the Secretary of HHS to conduct a study on the benefits of screening for postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis.
Creating a grant program to public or nonprofit private entities to deliver or enhance outpatient, inpatient and home-based health and support services, including case management and comprehensive treatment services for individuals with or at risk for postpartum conditions. Activities may also include providing education about postpartum conditions to new mothers and their families, including symptoms, methods of coping with the illness, and treatment resources, in order to promote earlier diagnosis and treatment.
It is estimated that postpartum depression (PPD) affects from 10 to 20 percent of new mothers. In the United States, there may be as many as 800,000 new cases of postpartum conditions each year. The cause of PPD isn’t known but changes in hormone levels, a difficult pregnancy or birth, and a family history of depression are considered possible factors.
Sounds good to me. But Philip Dawdy over at Furious Seasons remains skeptical:
Here’s the thing that makes my scratch my head, however: women have given birth for many thousands of years and many have experienced “baby blues,” until recently without mental health screenings or psych meds of any kind and without a bunch of arm waving about post-partum depression (the advocacy on this issue is a phenomenon of the last decade). Broadly speaking, the lack of such supposed benefits does not seem to have harmed society a bit, although there are obviously individual exceptions.
With that same logic, Philip could be scratching his head about a lot of disorders where, prior to their “invention,” people seemed to get along just fine in society — attention deficit disorder (ADHD), PTSD, panic attacks, autism, Asperger’s syndrome, etc. It’s no surprise to anyone who’s studied women’s history to understand how repressed their voices have been in society until the past few decades. So is it any wonder that history isn’t filled with their accounts of grappling with postpartum depression? A woman would be an outcast from their own family for admitting such a thing even 50 years ago. Even possibly disowned or institutionalized. It just wasn’t said or discussed much.
Perhaps the saddest thing of all, though, is that people — in this day and age of instant connectivity and all of the wonders the Internet has brought us — are still against basic, simple things like education and information about these concerns. “What? You want us to spend money educating future moms on postpartum depression!??! Ridiculous!” I just don’t get it.
Postpartum depression is real, it affects thousands of lives every year, and is one of those quiet disorders that have flown under the radar for far too long, while mothers lived in quiet desperation that someone would listen to them and believe them when they said they were depressed after just giving birth. To be listened to, to be understood, to be heard. That’s all these mothers ask.

Generic Drugs vs. Brand name

2009-06-27T09:44:00.003-04:00

http://www.self.com/health/2009/06/dangers-of-generic-drugs

Great article I read in Self Magazine. I have to say that once I read the article it brought up many questions for myself as well. I remember feeling really tired when I was taking generic medications. I too went to several doctors to see what was wrong with me. It never occurred to me that it could be because I was taking a generic form of my anti-depressant for my postpartum depression. No doctors found out that there was anything wrong with me or why I was feeling so tired.

There was a time that I complained about being so tired that I was switched to a different medication. I did start to feel better. Today I still suffer from mild anxiety, which is more towards my menstrual cycle. I did go back on a new medication a few months ago. Again I started feeling really tired. After reading this article I asked my therapist if this could be true.

Not only am I getting a generic brand of my prescription, but when you switch to another pharmacy you are also getting a generic brand from a different manufacturer. I just put the pieces together: Could my lack of energy and fatigue been caused by a generic form of my medication along with the fact that I switched to a new pharmacy and that in turn has another manufacturer?

My therapist's advice is to see what happens in the next month. If I still feel really tired, which I was not feeling before, I should go back to the original pharmacy to get back to the old manufacturer. But does that make the Generic Brand better than if I had the Brand name? I do not know at this point, but it is something that I am going to consider and in the future ask any doctor about the differences, regardless of what it is.

Again, if you have any questions, ask your doctor as they will be able to advise you correctly.

view blogs in real time at www.alphainventions.com and www.condron.us

How to build a social support network

2009-06-26T13:37:00.003-04:00

This article can be found on http://www.postpartum.net/ I know when I first gave birth it was my first child and I sometimes felt so alone and inadequate that I was not sure if I was "doing it right." I tried to get involved with other new moms so that I would be able to make friends and get out of the house. I joined a Gymboree program, as you can join with a newborn, my son was 8 weeks old. We not only were there for our babies, but we were there as moms too. We were able to talk about things and it made things better knowing that we all had some of the same thoughts and concerns. I took my son to Gymboree until at least a year and a half. In that time we went through tummy time, crawling, first time eating, and through it all we were there for one another. I still have some friends today that I made three years ago.

I was nervous at times as I did not know that I was going through postpartum depression. There were times that I was anxious, but through it all I still took him so that I would be part of a group of moms and know that I was not in it alone. I even booked my therapy appointments around the Gymboree time so that I made it a point to go. So if you need to build a support system, here is a great article.

How You Can Build Your Own Social Support Network
by Carolyn White, RN, BSN
Adapted, in part, from Peter Clarke and Susan H. Evans’s Surviving Modern Medicine:How to Get the Best from Doctors,Family, and Friends, 1998,
Chapter 3 “Seeking Social Support”(ordering instructions for their book can befound at the conclusion of this essay)

Please Note: This essay is meant as a preventative strategy for pregnant mothers, or those new mothers who are not depressed. If you are experiencing postpartum depression we urge you to reach out for professional advice and seek a support group in your area. Depressed mothers might find the following advice helpful, but they also might be too stressed to follow the advice offered.
Need Help? Access the PSI Social Support Network
INTRODUCTION
As a new mother, you may find yourself in a situation in which you feel completely unprepared, despite attending baby care classes, regular prenatal appointments and reading all the best books on pregnancy and parenting.
Mothers of newborn children often express sentiments such as these: “I didn’t know motherhood would be like this,” or “Nobody told me I’d feel this way.”
Isolation and performance anxiety (”am I doing this right?”) are common complaints, as well as fatigue, stress and loss of freedom (concerns linked to social support and assistance). Recognizing the need for social support and knowing how to obtain it are key to creating a healthy start for yourself as a new mother and for your family.
SOCIAL SUPPORT AS PROTECTION
Health and life expectancy are somewhat dependent on the quality of social relationships. Scholars at the University of Michigan reviewed a wealth of research on this topic, concluding that there is a link between social support and wellness. The value of emotional sustenance gains credibility, though, from demonstrations of how human warmth, even from strangers, reduces medical complications. In one example, physicians in the United States and Guatemala conducted controlled experiments in hospitals where cramped conditions prevented family from accompanying mothers in labor. In some cases, the mothers received support from a lay woman, in addition to the usual attention from medical staff. The lay woman calmed the mothers by talking with them, rubbing their backs, holding their hands or simply standing by as a friendly companion. Other women were left without such social support, but received the usual medical care from staff.
Mothers who were given unexpected social support, from a stranger, experienced fewer problems than those who received just the routine care.
Among mothers with uncomplicated births, length of labor from admission until delivery was cut in half. Mothers who were provided a companion were most alert after delivery; they stroked, smiled at and talked to their babies more. These results show that even a temporary, fragile social contact can bring positive outcomes for health; in this instance, for mothers and their newborns. Small wonder that the embrace of kith and kin might shield many from illness.
HOW TO BUILD SOCIAL SUPPORT
Considering the postpartum weeks and months as a time of major stress due to the complexity of physical and emotional adjustments, it would seem appropriate to assess one’s network of support and define ways to develop and enhance it for this time period and beyond. But, how does one go about this?
Below are five steps that will aid you in the process of developing a healthier network: taking stock of social support, naming names for social support, asking for help, persevering in support and keeping reciprocity in mind.
STEP 1.TAKING STOCK OF SOCIAL SUPPORT: A SURVEY
Think about these five different dimensions of support: emotional support, social network support, self-esteem support, tangible support and informational support. Below, each type of support is illustrated with sample statements that can help you assess the availability of that aspect of support in your life.
Types of Social Support
A. Emotional Support
I have close relationships that provide me with a sense of emotional security and well-being.I feel a strong emotional bond with at least one other person.
B. Social Network Support
There are people who enjoy the same social activities I do.
I feel part of a group of people who share my attitudes and beliefs.
C. Esteem Support
I have relationships where my competence and skills are recognized.
There are people who admire my talents and abilities.
D. Tangible Support
There are people I can depend on to help me if I really need it.
There are people I can count on in an emergency.
E. Informational Support
There is someone I could talk to about important decisions in my life.
There is a trustworthy person I could turn to for advice if I were having problems.
These types of support rank differently in importance, depending on your life style, existing support system, and perceived level of stress. Lets’ examine some varying points of view:
Say you rely heavily on accomplishments to reinforce your sense of self-worth, esteem support would be especially gratifying and important to you. This type of support can be lacking for a new mother at home, especially if you are used to working outside the home where your daily accomplishments are obvious and rewarded accordingly. Your new role of motherhood, and its accompanying tasks, will probably prevent you from accomplishing much that is recognizable, leaving you vulnerable to feelings of inadequacy or even failure. You may benefit from contact with people who can admire your abilities as a mother.
One aspect of early parenting that receives little recognition is the fact that having a baby changes relationships. New mothers have little time and energy for anyone but baby. If you are used to a certain level of intimacy with your partner prior to the birth, you both may be experiencing the shock of emotional isolation which can be devastating in the early weeks postpartum. The availability of tangible “hands-on” support, i.e. from parents or in-laws, is a priceless gift as it can provide respite for you, as new parents, allowing you time for each other. A supportive partner who will take over infant care periodically, allowing you time away from the baby, to get together with close friends, paves the way for needed emotional support.
Often you may feel daunted by the multiple decisions involved in day-to-day care of your vulnerable offspring, a being who is completely dependent on you for survival. Access to baby care experts, i.e. a lactation specialist or postnatal educator, or an experienced mother who can mentor you along can provide needed informational support. Confidence does grow and is facilitated by having trustworthy people to reach out to or fall back on when you need them.
The types of support you need will depend on your unique situation but remember, as a new mother, even if you are feeling joyous about the new addition to your life, you are experiencing a major life change and it is crucial that you have adequate social support.
EVALUATE YOUR LEVEL OF SUPPORT
Think of your current situation and try responding to the statements in each area of support above, using the answer “agree,” “disagree,” or “not sure.”
The entries can be used to describe the situation you are in, and, importantly, you can also use this exercise in a more diagnostic fashion if you ask yourself: “Do I need more support?” You might discover when examining network support, for example, that you don’t have many ties to other people with babies or young children. Or, perhaps you do have ties, but you are finding that you do not share similar attitudes and beliefs about parenting, so that these links are not feeling supportive. You may feel the need for the companionship and reassurance of other mothers with similar values. On the other hand, you may discover that you have few links with others in terms of hobbies and social activities. This could be an area you wish to develop in order to nurture the aspects of your personality that go beyond mothering.If you have decided you do need more support, then you are ready to identify people who can help.
STEP 2.NAMING NAMES FOR SOCIAL SUPPORT: AN EXERCISE
Most people have potential support systems in families, friends, interest groups, and often coworkers. To figure out the circumstances you face, take a sheet of paper and turn it sideways. Write the five types of support at the top (”emotional,” “network,” “esteem,” etc.). On the left side of the page, list these three regions of life: (1) home and extended family; (2) friendships, acquaintances, your specific interest groups, and other affiliations; and (3) workplace. Draw vertical and horizontal lines to create fifteen boxes, a grid into which you can enter an inventory of your social support network.
Start by putting the names of people into the boxes. Who can you ask for different kinds of help? Who is likely to provide help spontaneously? Think through daily routines and familiar places of visitation. Recall companions from the gym, job site, place of worship, childbirth education classes, etc. Some names will belong in more than one box. Some boxes probably will remain empty.
If you have some blank squares in your grid, consider if they represent areas of need for you and think about possibilities you haven’t considered or people who can help you figure out how to meet that need.
Completing this exercise may call for deep reflection and some detective work. Many writers have observed a loss of community in American society, where a sense of neighborhood has yielded to residential habitats (apartment blocks, condominiums, housing tracts) of mutual strangers who commute to different centers of work, shopping, and recreation. Many locations for informal public life have disappeared. This anonymity can be another source of stress for a new mother at home with her baby. The phrase “everyone is busy with their own lives” is a frequent observation by those in need of, or desiring, social support.
STEP 3.ASKING FOR HELP: ACTION PLAN
Asking for support takes courage on anyone’s part. Your own experiences may have convinced you that support from some people is more potential than real. Do not become disheartened. There are reasons why many mothers are reluctant to ask for support, and why others hold back from giving it. Asking, of course, risks embarrassment; admitting that you need assistance can jeopardize self-esteem. Feelings of shame are especially inhibiting if you are blaming yourself for being in need of support. Asking will come more easily, though, if you concentrate on just one potential helper at first, and a single thing that you want.
Choose someone, if you can, who is unaware of other social supports you may have, who will not retreat behind the “bystander effect”; people are known to be less likely to give help when they see others who might step in. Ask your target for a modest favor - simple advice, a single phone call of encouragement at a critical time, or one errand. By limiting your first step, you practice the foot-in-the-door strategy; gaining a small favor at first nurtures larger commitments when you need them later. Even more important, your success at reaching out in this early trial will embolden you to make other requests.
People may neglect to offer support unless you clearly invite their attention. Equally often, seeing people in distress can leave others feeling helpless; Do I know what to do, or will I only make the situation worse? Would-be helpers are often immobilized by their own lack of confidence or experience. As a new mother, you will benefit by having a ready list of things you need help with for those who volunteer the ambiguous, “let me know if you need anything,” or friends who ask “what can I do?”
It is OK to tell people what you need and how to provide it. Ronnie Kaye, in her book Spinning Straw into Gold, argues that the person in need has permission to be honest and open about feelings and to put his or her needs first without feeling guilty. Though not a new mother when writing her book she offers this guidance for anyone in a compromising situation: “when I thought of the difficult time that lay ahead, I took action immediately. One by one, I called all my relatives, aunts, uncles, cousins, as well as my immediate family. “I’m going through a difficult time,” I said, “and need your help. I am frightened and I feel alone. What I need most of all is a phone call once a week. When you call, I would like you to tell me…” Not a day went by without at least one phone call from someone in my family. Even though the reality of my situation hadn’t changed, those phone calls made me feel much more secure. I had learned that the best way to get what I needed was to ask for it. Once my family knew exactly what I wanted, they were only too happy to oblige.”
Kaye had arranged for emotional support. If you are a new mother who is depressed you may need similar reassurance. Requests might also go out for network support ” I want to continue aerobics with you, sew quilt’s together, start a play group,” or whatever. Securing esteem support often means meeting a co-worker or boss and asking him or her to recognize parts of the job you do especially well and to help you continue that level of performance during a period of diminished energy, as is often the case when a new mother returns to work. Or, meeting with other mothers you respect and asking for their positive input on your parenting choices or coping strategies can help you recognize your effectiveness as a mother.
In quest of a stronger social network, some general rules apply. Naturally, you will prefer contact with others who are supportive, can calm you down, celebrate your minor achievements, participate in diversions, affirm your beliefs regarding parenting choices, or encourage your determination to succeed. Seek companions who show respect for the difficulties you face, who resist labeling these circumstances as a catastrophe or, alternatively, resist minimizing them.
Your urge for ties should also acknowledge the special value of social support from people who are not kin. New mothers benefit greatly from meeting regularly with others whose experiences are similar. For example, a breast feeding mom will enjoy and learn from groups such as Le Leche League. A mother experiencing postpartum emotional adjustment problems will realize she is not alone by attending a local postpartum support group.
STEP 4.PERSERVERING: YOUR SUPPORT ACTION PLAN IS ONGOING
The necessity for support may be long lasting. For example, recovery from birth, especially a c-section, takes longer than commonly appreciated. AND adjusting to motherhood does not happen overnight. Effective social support is not a topical ointment and a Band-Aid, nor is it a quick fix. The goal is to assist you over time. Although the particular social support system you are creating now may not be adequate ten years from now, hopefully your awareness of the necessity for social support and the on-going task of creating it to meet your changing needs, is a skill you will find useful your entire life.
STEP 5.KEEPING RECIPROCITY IN MIND: REASSURANCE
Interpersonal relationships normally involve a “give and take” between people. Everyone understands this principle when the resources are tangible: money, ride-sharing, and the like. Companionship and emotional support are resources too, though imbalances in their exchange sometimes are more difficult to reconcile. Remember, people generally derive satisfaction by delivering acts of kindness and support to others. So don’t overlook the comforts that extending social support can bring. By asking for help, you may be, inadvertantly, helping others in return. On the other hand, once you have been in need you will welcome the chance to pay back favors extended, even if in small ways. Within your support network there will be opportunities for you to help others when you are more able.
Giving and receiving assistance and empathic acceptance helps sustain people’s lives. As we all know, positive and meaningful relationships lead not only to happiness but to optimal physical and mental health.
CONCLUSION
Make time and energy now to reach out to the support system you already have in place or to begin building and enhancing your support network. By taking one small step at a time you can create a little victory for yourself everyday. Getting what you need enhances your ability to give to your baby. You and your whole family will be off to a healthier start.
This essay has been adapted from Chapter 3 of the following book. If you would like to read more or order this book, please click on the title below.
SURVIVING MODERN MEDICINE: HOW TO GET THE BEST FROM DOCTORS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS, by Peter Clarke and Susan Evans, 1998. (Click Here to Read More or Order)
Need Help? Access the PSI Social Support Network

view updated blogs in real time on www.alphainventions.com and www.condron.us

Postpartum Depression..There is life after...

2009-06-25T12:53:00.002-04:00

My first article was published on www.ezinearticles.com Check it out!

http://ezinearticles.com/?id=2491117

Postpartum Depression – There is Life After
By Beth Benoliel

Baby Blues, Postpartum Depression or Postpartum Psychosis?

After my baby was born, whenever I cried or felt sad everyone just kept telling me that I had the baby blues or that it was my hormones still out of sorts. I had insomnia; I couldn’t eat; I was anxious and nervous all the time. I suffered panic attacks, I would cry all the time for no reason. Then eventually I thought I was going to lose my mind and hurt my baby. I was living in fear.
Postpartum Depression is so much more than what people think depression is. This illness takes on many different forms and each woman has different thoughts and feelings associated with their postpartum illness. When you talk to women out there on their experience with PPD some just feel a sense of not wanting to be around their baby and not take care of the child. Other women just note that they could not stop crying. Some felt sad, lonely and had mood swings. Others had thoughts of hurting themselves or their baby. We need to be aware that postpartum depression can have one or many symptoms and any one of them cannot be overlooked.

The differences between baby blues, postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis.
Most say that the “baby blues” comes a few days after delivery and is a mild form of anxiety and sadness. It will go away on its own within a few weeks with no treatment necessary. Some symptoms of the baby blues are: irritability sadness and crying loneliness feeling overwhelmed or anxious mood swings lack of energy and fatigue

What is the difference from the baby blues and postpartum depression?
Postpartum depression will not go away by itself. If your baby blues lasts longer than two weeks and you have the the following symptoms (along with the ones listed for the baby blues) you may now have postpartum depression: Thoughts of hurting the baby Thoughts of hurting yourself Not having any interest in the baby Insomnia Hard time eating

Postpartum Psychosis: Seeing things that aren’t there Feeling confused Having rapid mood swings Trying to hurt yourself or your baby Hallucinations

Postpartum Depression only occurs in about 10% of women and it is not really talked about that often. It is hard to recognize at first because most people will tell you that the feelings you are experiencing are normal and you just have “the baby blues.” If your feelings continue to get worse as time goes on and you are not feeling better, you must seek out medical attention and talk to your doctor. Postpartum depression can get worse if it is not dealt with.

Postpartum Psychosis is rarely talked about because women are ashamed of the feelings that they are experiencing. Postpartum psychosis only occurs in 1-3 of every 1000 mothers. If you think that you are experiencing postpartum psychosis, please seek out medical attention immediately. Some tragic stories of postpartum psychosis end in suicide of the mother and possibly the baby. Women were too ashamed of the overall feelings that they were experiencing and did not want to seek out the help that they needed.

There are so many places to turn to if you are experiencing any irrational thoughts or feelings, please reach out. Of the the best places to start is your doctor. You can also seek out help through Postpartum International or any other health facility in your area. Your doctor can surely guide you in the right direction for medications and therapy. This is an illness that will get better with time. You may need to have a combination of medication and therapy, but do not be ashamed to talk about the feelings that you are experiencing. Once you start talking, people will start listening. You will start feeling better!

I recount my various stages of going through and being diagnosed with postpartum depression. PPD shows itself in many different forms. I had insomnia, depression, anxiety, panic attacks and eventually thought that I would lose my mind and hurt my child. I am a survivor and want to spread the word that if you are going through postpartum depression you too can make it through. I went on medication and went to therapy and within a year I was back to myself. There are so many things we deal with as a new parent and being a new mother, but postpartum depression is not on the list of things a woman would expect. Hope this can help anyone who does not know what could be wrong. Talk to you doctor if you think you may be experiencing any symptoms.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beth_Benoliel

Diabetes Doubles the chances for Postpartum Depression

2009-06-25T08:09:00.002-04:00

With all the other research being doing on why women get postpartum depression, this may help determine if you are at risk for getting PPD after your child is born. I think the more we educate ourselves on this topic, the more we can recognize the symptoms to get help quicker. Again talk to your doctor if you have questions or concerns.

Article taken from www.Reuters.com

Diabetes doubles chances of postpartum depression
Tue Feb 24, 2009By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Pregnant women and new moms with diabetes are nearly twice as likely as other women to become depressed, putting both mother and baby at risk, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.
“Postpartum depression is a very serious illness that affects between 10 and 12 percent of mothers every year. It may have long-term negative impacts on the women it affects, but also on their children and families,” said Katy Backes Kozhimannil of Harvard Medical School in Boston, whose study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Other research has shown that people with diabetes have a higher risk of becoming depressed.
“Ours is really the first study that looks at this connection in the context of pregnancy, delivery and motherhood,” Kozhimannil said in a telephone interview.

For the study, the researchers examined medical claims data from more than 11,000 pregnant women enrolled in New Jersey’s Medicaid program from July 2004 to September 2006. The data covered six months before to one year after the women gave birth.
“What our study found is pregnant women and new mothers with diabetes have nearly double the chance of experiencing postpartum depression compared with those without diabetes,” she said.

This link remained consistent across all types of diabetes, including in women with gestational diabetes, which develops during pregnancy.
“I think the most important finding is the revelation of a new risk factor for postpartum depression,” Kozhimannil said.

Knowing this may give doctors a better shot at identifying women at risk for postpartum depression, which often is under-diagnosed and under-treated.
If not addressed, women with postpartum depression can become so despondent they attempt suicide, and some harm or neglect their newborns. Previous bouts of depression, a lack of social support, low self-esteem and a stressful pregnancy all increase the likelihood of postpartum depression.

“It’s important to target support efforts toward women at high risk,” Kozhimannil said. “The good news is both depression and diabetes are treatable illnesses.

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Wade Bowen for PSI

2009-06-24T13:37:00.002-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM_CtGsT2Tg

This is the slide show from Wade Bowen's concert benefitting Postpartum Support International on Nov. 2, 2008 in Waco, TX. "Turn on the Lights."

Love this video. Thanks for all that you do Wade Bowen.

Please help spread the word on postpartum depression

2009-06-22T09:26:00.000-04:00

I received this letter from Jen yesterday about her sister-in-law. This only makes me more determined to help spread the word of postpartum depression so that is does not take any more lives. After my recovery I could go back in time and remember my anguish so vividly, I had to do something. I wrote my story to let women know that they are not alone. Please, please, please talk to your doctor. My symptoms kept getting worse until I knew I could not handle it on my own any longer. Everyone around me, including my husband, told me that I was going to be fine. I fought for 4 months alone, I needed help. Please help spread the word. Postpartum depression can hit anyone at anytime, even if not expected. Thanks Jen for sharing your story with me.
Received June 21, 2009
Hi Beth,
My name is Jen and I am the creator of another postpartum awareness group. Please forgive me if you are already a member or if you have seen this group but I am trying to get the word out there about the group that I am so passionate about.Recently my sister-in-law committed suicide after suffering from postpartum psychosis. She had just have her first child, a daughter Elena. She took her own life exactly 3 week after giving birth. She went to the hospital a week before she took her life and told them that she was suicidal. She did not receive the medical treatment she needed. She never had any history mental illness prior to he postpartum. She convinced everyone she was getting better and that is when it happened.Her name was Jennifer. Me, her sister Heather and one of her best friends Heather are trying to start a non-profit organization to spread awareness and to change the medical system to teach them that postpartum is not to be taken lightly and it is in fact a series condition. If you are will to help us with any information you have or even offer us your support that would be wonderful. We are trying to spread the word and I saw you are writing a book and I think that is fantastic. Our group is going very well so far and perhaps we could join forces. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

First time Dads!

2009-06-21T08:12:00.002-04:00

http://www.first30days.com/being-a-new-dad/articles/youre-the-dad-now.html
For father's day I thought I would post something for the new dads out there. Click the link and you will find useful information for the first 30 days of your baby's life. So whether you are a first time dad this year, you have celebrated Father's Day before, Have a great day with your children!

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Postpartum Depression and Teen Moms

2009-06-20T09:39:00.001-04:00

I found this article on www.nydailynews.com and what I was trying to find was if there was any relationship between teenagers and postpartum depression. Since previous blog posts I have tried to see if PPD effects first time mothers, I wanted to see if there may be a higher risk as a teenage mother. I did not really find any evidence to say that it does hit teenagers more than anyone else. So, whether you are a teenager, a mother for the first time or the third time, posptartum depression can hit. Again, be on the lookout for any symptoms and talk to you doctor. If help is needed, please ask for it so you symptoms do not get worse.

Postpartum depression may be next battle for teen moms
BY KATIE CHARLES
Wednesday, June 25th 2008, 12:58 PM
Braganti for News

Dr. Michael Brodman, head of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive medicine at Mount Sinai, implores doctors to be sensitive to PPD’s symptoms.The specialist: Dr. Michael Brodman on postpartum depression

A gynecologist for 26 years, Brodman provides care to new moms and conducts research on the new subspecialty of urogynecology (female urinary-tract health) as well as the HPV vaccine trials.

The big story: Last week, Britney Spears’ 17-year old sister gave birth to a girl named Maddie, and the country was shocked to learn of an alleged pregnancy pact among girls in a Massachusetts high school. Rearing babies isn’t the only difficulty young mothers face. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teen moms have a higher than usual risk of developing postpartum depression (PPD). Brodman offers advice – for all new moms – on preventing and treating the problem.
Who’s at risk: Postpartum depression is a variety of clinical depression that occurs within six months of giving birth; it is a mood disorder characterized by feelings like sadness, loss, anger and frustration that interfere with the new mother’s everyday life. Between 12% and 20% of mothers experience it to some degree.
Doctors have only recognized PPD as a separate condition requiring careful medical attention in the past 10 years. “The old idea was that some people couldn’t cope,” says Brodman, and that their problems immediately after pregnancy were a sign of “weakness or complaining.” But thanks to research over the past decade, “that old dogma is really out the window,” says Brodman.
Women who suffer from general depression have a higher risk, and women who have already had PPD are more likely to get it after another pregnancy. The problem can appear after any pregnancy, explains Brodman, “on your first or kid no. 3.” A recent study by the CDC suggests that postpartum depression may be more likely to strike teenagers, smokers, women with less than 12 years of schooling, Medicaid patients, the victims of physical abuse and women under financial stress during pregnancy.
Public awareness of PPD has exploded over the past five years. In 2005, Tom Cruise famously criticized Brooke Shields for taking the prescription medication Paxil to combat her depression; his words created a huge backlash. Brodman disagrees with him entirely, but says the media firestorm had a silver lining: “Tom Cruise did us a service in a way: He brought a lot of attention to postpartum.”
Signs and symptoms: The warning signs include exhaustion, irritability, inability to cope, sadness, feelings of hopelessness, lack of pleasure, fear and crying. These symptoms overlap with the signs of nonpregnancy-related depression, but take an especially vicious form in the stress-packed time after giving birth, Brodman explains. “It rolls into a bigger problem because the person can start to take less care of the baby, and even have trouble thinking.”The worst cases of PPD are placed in a different category and called postpartum psychosis. “You can be paranoid or delusional,” says Brodman. “You feel like you are going to harm yourself or the baby.” This condition calls for immediate psychiatric intervention.
Traditional treatment: The first step in diagnosis is for doctors to spend time talking with the patients to figure out exactly what is wrong; they should also look at the new moms’ potential support systems. “Sometimes people need some help at home, sometimes they need to be in therapy to figure out their problems,” says Brodman, and “if it’s bad, they may need antidepressants like Prozac, Lexipro, Zoloft and Paxil.”
PPD can last for a few days or a few months. If patients go on medication, they usually take it for three to six months.
Brodman recommends that patients look at information on the Web from the U.S. Health and Human Services Department (www.womenshealth.gov). It includes a link to the site for Postpartum Support International (www.postpartum.net), an organization dedicated to assisting new moms and their families.
Research breakthroughs:
Doctors are making major advances on two fronts: Understanding PPD and treating it. In one current study, researchers are examining the brain with MrIs.
“If we can identify a region in the brain that lights up during postpartum, that both helps with diagnosis and proves that postpartum is a chemical problem, not a psychological problem,” says Brodman.
In the future, doctors hope to use this research to identify the chemicals or metabolic problems that cause postpartum depression.
Questions for your doctor: “The first thing I always tell patients is that postpartum is not an inadequacy on your part, and it’s not that you aren’t a good mom,” says Brodman. Because one of the keys to working through PPD is removing some of the stresses that are weighing the mother down, ask: “Do you have any resources available for helping me?” It can be expensive to find someone to help out around the house or provide additional child care – and doctors know of groups and government agencies that can help you meet these costs.
“People are paying more attention, and jumping on this problem early,” says Brodman. “and now we’re not seeing as many of the severe cases as we used to.”
What you can do:
Rest. It’s basic advice, but many moms ignore it. There’s no way of getting around it, and Brodman states simply: “You need downtime, when you’re not responsible for child care.”
Get some help around the house. You might not be able to pay someone to help you around the house, but you may find somebody in your life to help you – husband, sister, brother, mother, next-door neighbor. You want to prevent the overwhelmed feeling that has moms saying, “I can’t leave the house.”
Have a go-to person and a backup team. It most cases, the go-to person is the husband or another family member. Brodman recommends that single moms map out a strategy: “You have to create that infrastructure for yourself – if you can, before delivery day.”
Get exercise and eat right. Working out and eating a healthy diet can go a long way. “If somebody’s exercising, they’re doing their bod and their brain some good, because they’re getting a break from the baby,” says Brodman.

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Postpartum International Annual Conference

2009-06-18T19:26:00.001-04:00

I just received this from Postpartum International..

Dear PSI Friends,

You can now register by mail or fax. Attached is the conference brochure and registration form. Please send registration forms to PAC/LAC, 5530 Corbin Ave. Suite 323, Tarzana, CA 91356 or by fax at 818.708.2950. We hope to see you there for this informative and inspiring conference.

August 4-7, 2009
Community Partnerships in Addressing Perinatal Mood Disorders: Clinical and Integrative Perspectives
Postpartum Support International & Perinatal Mental Health Task Force of LA County

Aug 4 and 5: Pre-conference Training, Certificate Course in Perinatal Mood &Anxiety Disorders
Aug 6 and 7: Main Conference Presentations, Panels, and Breakouts
Thursday, Aug 6: Annual Banquet with Silent Auction and Entertainment. Tickets can be purchased separately.

Here is the link for online registration, information, and link to hotel:
http://psi.eventbrite.com/

Who Should Attend
Doctors, Nurses, and other Medical Providers, Social Workers, Mental Health Professionals, Community Service Providers, Childbirth Professionals, Public Health Professionals, Policy Advocates, Government Representatives, and Community Members concerned about increasing education and integrated access to informed resources and support for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

Sponsors
Postpartum Support International (PSI) is the world's largest non-profit organization dedicated to helping women suffering from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, including postpartum depression, the most common complication of childbirth.

The Perinatal Mental Health Task Force of LA County is a network of public and private agencies and organizations, community leaders, consumers, and health care providers dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of pregnant and post-partum women, their children, and their families through the effective prevention and treatment of perinatal mood disorders.

Conference Location: The California Endowment -1000 N. Alameda St - Los Angeles, CA 90012
Hotel Accommodations: The Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles will offer a special rate of $145/night to conference attendees.

If you would like to donate to the silent auction, we are looking for items greater than $100 in value. If you can donate, please write or call Linda Klempner at lklempner@verizon.net or (201) 692-9496 (EDT).

First time moms at risk for postpartum depression?

2009-06-18T18:10:00.002-04:00

I have been wondering if my postpartum depression had anything to do with the fact that I was a first-time mother and had no clue what to expect. Yes, I was so tired from lack of sleep I thought I would fall over any minute, but was it normal to have insomnia and think that I was going to die any second from the way my whole body ached all over? I worried about my baby all the time, but don’t all mothers worry about their babies? Yes, from feedback so far on my blogging women have told me that they have had multiple children and have had postpartum depression with each one. So, my question is: Could there really be a link to postpartum depression and first time mothers? I would love to hear from you all out there. Thanks for the feedback.
This article was taken from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/05/health/webmd/main2232642.shtmlNew

Moms’ Psychiatric Risks
There’s new evidence that giving birth for the first time can lead to psychiatric problems. Dr. Emily Senay explains the findings of a study that took a look at first-time moms and dads.
(WebMD) First-time mothers have a higher risk for postpartum depression than other new moms, and their risk is greatest during their first three months of parenthood, a Danish study shows.

Compared with women who had given birth 11 to 12 months earlier, first-time mothers were found to have seven times the risk of psychiatric-related hospital admissions during the first 10 to 19 days of their baby’s life. The increase in risk remained throughout the first three months after childbirth, regardless of the age of the mother. Postpartum risk appeared to decrease with subsequent pregnancies, researcher Trine Munk-Olsen, MSc, tells WebMD.

Munk-Olsen and colleagues analyzed the medical histories of close to 2.4 million Danish citizens registered in a national health database. Their findings are published in the Dec. 6 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.
“This study confirms that the timing of postpartum risk is very precise,” she says. “The first month after giving birth is definitely the most dangerous time for postpartum mental disorders, but the risk remains for several months after.”

Between 1973 and 2005, just over 630,000 women and 547,000 men in Denmark became parents for the first time. During the same period a total of 1,171 women ad 658 men were admitted to psychiatric hospitals during their first year of parenthood.
Several smaller studies have suggested that postpartum depression occurs among new dads as well as new moms. But the Danish findings do not support this.

Within the first three month after becoming parents, roughly 1 in 1,000 women and 1 in 3,000 men in the Danish population studied experienced severe mental disorders that required hospitalization or outpatient psychiatric treatment.

“Unlike motherhood, fatherhood was not associated with any increased risk of hospital admission or outpatient [psychiatric] contact,” the researchers note.
As many as one in seven new mothers in the U.S. experience some degree of postpartum depression, according to government figures. Though earlier studies also suggested that first-time moms have the highest risk for mental health problems, the Danish population study is by far the largest to examine the issue and the first large-scale postpartum depression trial to be conducted in two decades.

The findings should serve as a wake-up call to public health officials in the U.S. who have largely ignored postpartum depression in the past, says a University of Pittsburgh postpartum researcher who co-wrote an editorial accompanying the study.

“Knowing what we do about the risks of postpartum depression, we must recognize our responsibility to address this illness through improved research and greater access to care and services,” Katherine L. Wisner, M.D., M.S., says in a news release from the University of Pittsburgh.

Wisner and colleagues Dorothy K.Y. Sit, M.D., and Christina Chambers Ph.D., MPH, called for the implementation of universal postpartum mental health screening, to be conducted between two and 12 weeks after childbirth. They also called for the rapid treatment of women with postpartum depression, which can benefit the new mom, her baby, and the entire family.
“Any form of screening program has to be combined with effective treatments,” Sit tells WebMD. “Physicians, providers, and patients need to be informed about the different treatment options and the importance of providing treatment quickly.”

Mothers-to-be should be made aware of the risks and the symptoms of postpartum depression, Sit says. Some symptoms — such as poor concentration, extreme tiredness, sleep disturbances, and changes in appetite — are common among new parents, even if they aren’t depressed.

But other symptoms — such as persistent anxiety or irrational fears, recurrent thoughts of dying or preoccupation with death, and thoughts of harming yourself or your baby — should never be ignored. “Maternal depression exacts a heavy toll on women and the health and well-being of their children,” Sits and colleagues wrote.

SOURCES: Munk-Olsen, T. The Journal of the American Medical Association, Dec. 6, 2006; Vol. 296: pp. 2582-2590. Trine Munk-Olsen, MSc, researcher, National Center for Register-Based Research, University of Aarhus, Denmark. Dorothy K.Y. Sit, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Katherine L. Wisner, M.D., M.S., professor of psychiatry and obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. AHRQ Postpartum Depression Prevalence, Screening Accuracy and Screening Outcomes report, Nov. 9, 2006. News release, University of Pittsburgh.

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Do men suffer from postpartum depression too?

2009-06-18T08:30:00.000-04:00

As I read up on male postpartum depression I wonder too if that is something else I did not know about when I was pregnant. Again, as stated in this article, all the father could find was “how to guides.” That is how I felt as a first time mother as well. All the books I had read told me “what to expect” or “how to” but none of them told me how tired I would feel, possibly overwhelmed, or maybe even suffer from postpartum depression. I had no idea postpartum depression could hit me in the way that it did. So, if as a woman I did not know that postpartum depression could take over my life, just wonder how the men feel when they are hit with it.
With that note, I would love to hear from the men out there and know about your experiences!

Dads Suffer Postpartum Depression, Too
June 10, 2009 06:00 PM
by Cara McDonough

Mothers are often warned about depression following the birth of a new baby, but what about fathers? Is male postpartum depression actually on the rise? Fathers May Have a Hard Time Adjusting to BabyWhen Nick Duerden’s daughter was born, joy wasn’t his first emotion.
Instead, he wandered down the hospital hallway, burst into tears and realized he had “one overriding sensation: that I was entirely unprepared for this, and that I had no idea what would happen next.”
Duerden talks about his experience with “paternal postnatal depression” in the Daily Telegraph, and also in his book, “The Reluctant Fathers’ Club,” but it’s a subject untouched by most men. He writes that when his girlfriend was pregnant, he “scoured” bookshops for memoirs that were “frank about fatherhood.” But all he found were “‘How To…’ guides often filled with jokes about beer and breast milk.”Learn more about depression and anxiety, including risk factors, symptoms and treatment options, with the findingDulcinea Web Guide to Anxiety and Depression.Lately, however, a few good choices have surfaced, writes Duerden, including Ben George’s “The Book of Dads,” and “Tales From the Dad Side: Misadventures in Fatherhood” by Steve Doocy. Duerden believes the books are overdue, and there’s a real need for such information. He cited statistics from Britain’s Parentline Plus, a 24/7 parental help phone line, that just 16 percent of their calls came from men, showing that men usually don’t look for help, but just deal with problems themselves.
But is postpartum depression for men real? Yes, says a study cited by CNN in October 2008. According to the article, every day, 1,000 new dads become depressed in the United States. Some studies say the number could be as high as 3,000.
Will Courtenay, a psychotherapist and founder of PostpartumMen.com (formerly Saddaddy.com), a site for men experiencing postpartum depression, hears from many men experiencing severe signs of depression. “They can’t stand to be around their baby…they can’t stand the smell or the sound of their child screaming,” he said to CNN.
He said shifting male hormones may play a role, and that the signs of full-fledged depression can include a feeling of worthlessness, sadness and a lack of interest in hobbies or sex.
In an April interview with Newsweek, Courtenay said that a big factor in the condition is whether a man’s partner is depressed. “Half of all men whose partners have postpartum depression are depressed themselves,” Courtenay said.

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Vitamin D3 and the benefits.

2009-06-17T09:25:00.000-04:00

My mom called me yesterday and said that her blood work came back that she was really lacking vitamin D. Her doctor is actually calling in a prescription for a supplement at her pharmacy. I have read about Vitamin D3 deficiency and I also worry that I may be lacking as I do avoid the sun, although I live in Florida! I am tired all the time even though I have started on a vitamin regime. I have read many articles about being in the sunlight for 15 minutes a day with NO sunscreen. So, I must now add that to my daily routine, getting out in the sunshine! Vitamin D3 also helps with depression, so as I stated before let’s get out into the sunshine and take a walk to start feeling better!

Practical PractitionerBy: Pamela Egan, FNP-C CDE
With all the medical advances in the 20 th century, Vitamin D3 deficiency is still an epidemic. Fifteen to twenty minutes of sunshine each day, in the nude, helps your body manufacture about 10,000 to 15,000 iu’s of vitamin D3 per day. The problem is that most people avoid the sun these days due to fears of skin cancer. Just think about plants and what happens to them when they avoid the sun. They wither & die.

Did you know that vitamin D3 deficiency can result in Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Depression, Psoriasis, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Kidney Stones, Osteoporosis, & Neuro-degenerative disease including Alzheimer’s Disease. Eventually, Vitamin D deficiency may even lead to Cancer (especially breast, prostate, and colon cancers). Vitamin D3 is believed to play a role in controlling the immune system (possibly reducing one’s risk of cancer and autoimmune diseases), increasing neuro-muscular function and decreasing falls, improving mood, protecting the brain against toxic chemicals, and potentially reducing pain.
Vitamin D3 is both a vitamin and a hormone. It acts as a vitamin when it binds with calcium for proper absorption. Humans cannot digest calcium without adequate amounts of Vitamin D3.
The most common reasons for Vitamin D3 deficiency in the United States relates to lack of exposure to sunlight and infrequent consumption of cold water fish such as wild salmon, mackerel & sardines.

A standard blood chemistry panel will provide your doctor with your levels of vitamin D3. The test is called 25(OH)D. The existing guidelines state that a deficiency is anything below 50nmol/l, but recent studies show that 80 nmol/l is needed to keep healthy bones and enable vitamin D to perform its other roles in the body.

Foods have been supplemented with Vitamin D, but this has not resulted in an overall increase in Vitamin D levels. This is likely because food and supplement manufacturers rely on an inexpensive form of synthetic Vitamin D called “ergocalciferol”- a form of Vitamin D2.
If you have bone loss or osteoporosis, spend 20 minutes daily in the sunshine with 40% of your skin surface exposed. Morning sun is best; Don’t allow your skin to burn. Tanning Beds do not provide Vitamin D3.

Eat foods high in Vitamin D3 including Cod liver oil, fortified milk, salmon, mackerel, & sardines, egg yolks, beef liver. If you take Vitamin D supplements make sure it is Vitamin D3 and not D2. Take Vitamin D3 supplements with food. I usually recommend Vitamin D3 2000iu-5000iu/ day depending on lab levels.

Pamela Egan, MN, FNP-C, CDE is a board certified Adult & Family Nurse Practitioner, Certified Diabetes Educator, & Clinical Specialist in Mental Health. She can be reached at 845-4111 or by email at info@pamelaegan.com.

Postpartum strikes dads too.

2009-06-16T10:27:00.000-04:00

http://www.fox8.com/lifestyle/parenting/sns-health-dads-postpartum-depression,0,82275.story
Dana Scarton
March 16, 2009
The birth of John Hyman's first child didn't fill him with the joy he might have hoped for. Far from treasuring every minute with his son, the Rockville, Md., college writing instructor reacted by teaching more courses just to get himself out of the house."I didn't know what my role was there," recalls Hyman, 52. His wife, by contrast, bonded instantly with their son, Jake, now a teenager. "Betsy fell in love. It was primal," he says. "I didn't have that experience. I thought I was broken."Hyman wasn't broken. He was depressed. Long recognized as a problem afflicting some new mothers, postpartum depression can also grip men -- though mental health professionals acknowledge that until recently they largely overlooked that fact. Male postpartum depression took a step out of obscurity this year when, in May, it was for the first time the subject of a workshop at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.Ten percent of new fathers and 14 percent of new mothers are affected by depression, says psychologist James F. Paulson, assistant professor of pediatrics at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Va. His team arrived at these numbers in 2006 after reviewing data collected from 5,089 two-parent families with babies aged 9 months. Still, most men and their partners fail to recognize postpartum depression when it arises. The symptoms are similar in both sexes, but the causes may be different. Hormonal changes can contribute to a woman's suffering, experts suspect, whereas sudden and unexpected lifestyle changes are thought to trigger a father's depression. "After the baby is born, there's a change in family structure," says Thomas Newmark, chief of psychiatry at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J., and organizer of the APA workshop. "There might be pressure to take care of the child economically. The man may not get the attention from his wife that he was used to. And, of course, his sleep is affected."Depressed new dads, like depressed men in general, are more likely than women to display destructive behaviors, including increased use of alcohol or drugs, shows of anger, engagement in conflicts, and risk-taking such as reckless driving or extramarital sex. Some, like Hyman, elect to work longer hours. Other signs: a depressed or sad mood, loss of interest or pleasure, weight gain or loss, oversleeping or trouble sleeping, restlessness, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, impaired concentration, and thoughts of suicide or death.Postpartum depression can begin within days or weeks of delivery and last for a year or more. In both genders, it can be treated with therapy, medication, or a combination, although women often refuse antidepressants when they are nursing for fear of exposing their child through breast milk.If untreated, a father's postpartum depression can be harmful to the child as well as to both parents. Children born into such families receive less attention from the depressed parent and are at increased risk for developing physical and emotional problems, Paulson says. In an upcoming study in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, he concludes that depressed fathers and depressed mothers read less to their babies and that depression in the dad, but not in the mom, significantly reduces a child's language development by age 2. Depression in the father is also thought to increase the likelihood that his children will act out or behave destructively. (Depression in the mother, by contrast, is associated with decreased overall health in the child, learning problems, and a greater risk for developing depression.)A partner's involvement is usually critical to identifying depression in a new father. "Often times, it will be the wife who is first to notice," says Berkeley, Calif., psychotherapist Will Courtenay, who specializes in men's health. "She'll say, 'He just hasn't been himself lately.'" Vigilance is most called for when one's partner has been previously depressed. Having a history of depression or mental illness puts a father at greater risk of postpartum depression, as does having a spouse with postpartum depression.Hyman, who didn't undergo treatment, experienced a turning point two months after his son's birth, when his wife placed the squirming infant on his chest and father and son fell asleep. "When I came to, I looked down and just collapsed into tears," he says. "I knew then that he was a part of me."(c) 2008 U.S. News & World Report DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
Copyright © 2009, Tribune Media Services

Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder

2009-06-14T09:14:00.005-04:00

I just found out a dear friend of mine suffered her first really bad panic attack. Since she never had one before she did not know what was happening. I am posting this as I know that panic attacks are so hard to understand and we never really know what brings them on.

I remember my first panic attack was when I was in college. I had no idea what was going on. I was in a class and all of a sudden I felt sweaty and cold at the same time, my heart started beating really fast and I felt like I would pass out. I ran out of the class and said I had to go. Obviously I was very embarrassed. Back then panic attacks were not really talked about. They lasted on and off for months. I would start to drive to college and have to turn around because I did not know what was wrong with me. I would be driving home and my hands would go numb and I would run into the house. It was not until years later I realized that was what I was suffering.

When I had postpartum depression I was getting my panic attacks very bad. I tried to understand them, but never knew when they would come. With each one that I had I would tell myself, "this is it! this is not a panic attack today, but today I am having the heart attack!" Well, I went and got physicals, stress tests, sonograms of my heart, I was fine! Panic, that is what I had.

In the moment they are very frightening, but if we try to understand them, it helps get us through the moment. Hope the information helps.

Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder
Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
Taken from www.helpguide.org

A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming anxiety and fear. Your heart pounds and you can’t breathe. You feel dizzy and sick to your stomach. You may even feel like you’re dying or going crazy. Left untreated, panic attacks can lead to panic disorder and other problems. They may even cause you to withdraw from normal activities. But panic is treatable – and the sooner you seek help, the better. With treatment, you can reduce or eliminate the symptoms of panic and regain control of your life.

In This Article:
Understanding panic attacks
Signs and symptoms of a panic attack
Signs and symptoms of panic disorder
Agoraphobia
Causes of panic disorder
Treatment
Medication
Self-help tips
Related links for panic disorder
Print Authors

Understanding panic attacks
Paula’s story
Paula had her first panic attack 6 months ago. She was in her office preparing for an important work presentation when, suddenly, she felt an intense wave of fear. Then the room started spinning and she felt like she was going to throw up. Her whole body was shaking, she couldn’t catch her breath, and her heart was pounding out of her chest. She gripped her desk until the episode passed, but it left her deeply shaken.
Paula had her next panic attack three weeks later, and since then, they’ve been occurring with increasing frequency. She never knows when or where she’ll suffer an attack, but she’s afraid of having one in public. Consequently, she’s been staying home after work, rather than going out with friends. She also refuses to ride the elevator up to her 12th floor office out of fear of being trapped if she has another panic attack.
In many cases, panic attacks strike out of the blue, without any warning. Often, there is no clear reason for the attack. They may even occur when you’re relaxed or asleep.
A panic attack may be a one-time occurrence, but many people experience repeat episodes. Recurrent panic attacks are often triggered by a specific situation, such as crossing a bridge or speaking in public – especially if that situation has caused a panic attack before. Usually, the panic-inducing situation is one in which you feel endangered and unable to escape.
You may experience one or more panic attacks, yet be otherwise perfectly happy and healthy. Or your panic attacks may occur as part of another disorder, such as panic disorder, social phobia, or depression. Regardless of the cause, panic attacks are treatable. There are many effective treatments and coping strategies you can use to deal with the symptoms.
Signs and symptoms of a panic attack
Panic attacks often strike when you’re away from home, but they can happen anywhere and at any time. You may have one while you’re in a store shopping, walking down the street, driving in your car, or sitting on the couch at home.
The signs and symptoms of a panic attack develop abruptly and usually reach their peak within 10 minutes. Most panic attacks end within 20 to 30 minutes, and they rarely last more than an hour.
A full-blown panic attack includes a combination of the following signs and symptoms:
Shortness of breath or hyperventilation
Heart palpitations or a racing heart
Chest pain or discomfort
Trembling or shaking
Choking feeling
Feeling unreal or detached from your surroundings
Sweating
Nausea or upset stomach
Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or faint
Numbness or tingling sensations
Hot or cold flashes
Fear of dying, losing control, or going crazy
Is it a heart attack or a panic attack?
Most of the symptoms of a panic attack are physical, and many times these symptoms are so severe that people think they’re having a heart attack. In fact, many people suffering from panic attacks make repeated trips to the doctor or the emergency room in an attempt to get treatment for what they believe is a life-threatening medical problem. While it’s important to rule out possible medical causes of symptoms such as chest pain, heart palpitations, or difficulty breathing, it’s often panic that is overlooked as a potential cause – not the other way around.
Signs and symptoms of panic disorder
Many people experience panic attacks without further episodes or complications. There is little reason to worry if you’ve had just one or two panic attacks. However, some people who’ve experienced panic attacks go on to develop panic disorder. Panic disorder is characterized by repeated panic attacks, combined with major changes in behavior or persistent anxiety over having further attacks.
Signs and symptoms of panic disorder
You may be suffering from panic disorder if you:
Experience frequent, unexpected panic attacks that aren’t tied to a specific situation.
Worry a lot about having another panic attack.
Are behaving differently because of the panic attacks, such as avoiding places where you’ve previously panicked.
While a single panic attack may only last a few minutes, the effects of the experience can leave a lasting imprint. If you have panic disorder, the recurrent panic attacks take an emotional toll. The memory of the intense fear and terror that you felt during the attacks can negatively impact your self-confidence and cause serious disruption to your everyday life. Eventually, this leads to the following panic disorder symptoms:
Anticipatory anxiety – Instead of feeling relaxed and like yourself in between panic attacks, you feel anxious and tense. This anxiety stems from a fear of having future panic attacks. This “fear of fear” is present most of the time, and can be extremely disabling.
Phobic avoidance – You begin to avoid certain situations or environments. This avoidance may be based on the belief that the situation you’re avoiding caused a previous panic attack. Or you may avoid places where escape would be difficult or help would be unavailable if you had a panic attack. Taken to its extreme, phobic avoidance becomes agoraphobia.
Panic disorder with agoraphobia
Agoraphobia was traditionally thought to involve a fear of public places and open spaces. However, it is now believed that agoraphobia develops as a complication of panic attacks. With agoraphobia, you’re afraid of having a panic attack in a situation where escape would be difficult or embarrassing. You may also be afraid of having a panic attack where you wouldn’t be able to get help.
Because of these fears, you start avoiding more and more situations. For example, you might begin to avoid crowded places such as shopping malls or sports arenas. You might also avoid cars, airplanes, subways, and other forms of travel. In more severe cases, you might only feel safe at home.
Situations or activities you may avoid if you have agoraphobia:
Being far away from home
Going anywhere without the company of a "safe" person
Physical exertion (because of the belief that it could trigger a panic attack)
Going to places where escape is not readily available (e.g. restaurants, theaters, stores, public transportation)
Driving
Places where it would be embarrassing to have a panic attack, such as a social gathering
Eating or drinking anything that could possibly provoke panic (such as alcohol, caffeine, or certain foods or medications)
Adapted from American Academy of Family Physicians
Although agoraphobia can develop at any point, it usually appears within a year of your first recurrent panic attacks.
Causes of panic attacks and panic disorder
Although the exact causes of panic attacks and panic disorder are unclear, the tendency to have panic attacks runs in families. There also appears to be a connection with major life transitions such as graduating from college and entering the workplace, getting married, and having a baby. Severe stress, such as the death of a loved one, divorce, or job loss can also trigger a panic attack.
Panic attacks can also be caused by medical conditions and other physical causes. If you’re suffering from symptoms of panic, it’s important to see a doctor to rule out the following possibilties:
Mitral valve prolapse, a minor cardiac problem that occurs when one of the heart’s valves doesn't close correctly.
Hyperthyroidism
Hypoglycemia
Stimulant use (amphetamines, cocaine, caffeine)
Medication withdrawal
Treatment for panic attacks and panic disorder
Panic attacks and panic disorder are treatable conditions. generally treated with cognitive behavioral therapy, medication, or a combination of the two.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is generally viewed as the most effective form of treatment for panic attacks, panic disorder, and agoraphobia. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the thinking patterns and behaviors that are sustaining or triggering the panic attacks. It helps you look at your fears in a more realistic light.
For example, if you had a panic attack while driving, what is the worst thing that would really happen? While you might have to pull over to the side of the road, you are not likely to crash your car or have a heart attack. Once your learn that nothing truly disastrous is going to happen, the experience of panic becomes less terrifying.
Exposure therapy for panic attacks and panic disorder
In exposure therapy for panic disorder, you are exposed to the physical sensations of panic in a safe and controlled environment, giving you the opportunity to learn healthier ways of coping. You may be asked to hyperventilate, shake your head from side to side, or hold your breath. These different exercises cause sensations similar to the symptoms of panic. With each exposure, you become less afraid of these internal bodily sensations and feel a greater sense of control over your panic.
If you have agoraphobia, exposure to the situations you fear and avoid is also included in treatment. As in exposure therapy for specific phobias, you face the feared situation until the panic begins to go away. Through this experience, you learn that the situation isn’t harmful and that you have control over your emotions.
Overcoming panic: Exploring effective therapies
If you’re suffering from panic disorder, therapy can teach you how to prevent and cope with panic attacks. Even a short course of treatment can help! Many people experience a drastic reduction in symptoms within 6 to 12 treatment sessions.
To learn more, read Therapy for Anxiety Disorders
Medication treatment for panic attacks and panic disorder
In severe cases, medication can be used to control or reduce some of they symptoms of panic disorder. However, medication should not be the only treatment pursued. Medication is most effective when combined with other treatments, such as therapy and lifestyle changes, that address the underlying causes of panic disorder.
The medications used for panic attacks and panic disorder include:
Antidepressants are sometimes used in the treatment of panic attacks and panic disorder. However, it takes several weeks before they begin to work, so you have to take them continuously – not just during a panic attack.
Benzodiazepines are anti-anxiety drugs that act very quickly (usually within 30 minutes to an hour). Taking them during a panic attack provides rapid relief of symptoms. However, benzodiazepines are highly addictive and have serious withdrawal symptoms, so they should be used with caution.
For an in-depth look at the medications used for panic disorder, and the pros and cons of taking them, read Anxiety Medication: What You Need to Know About Drugs for Anxiety.
Self-help tips for panic attacks and panic disorder
When it comes to panic attacks, professional treatment and therapy can make a big difference. But there are many things you can do to help yourself, too:
Learn about panic. Simply knowing more about panic can go a long way towards relieving your distress. So read up on anxiety, panic disorder, and the fight-or-flight response experienced during a panic attack. You’ll learn that the sensations and feelings you have when you panic are normal and that you aren’t going crazy.
Avoid smoking and caffeine. Smoking and caffeine can provoke panic attacks in people who are susceptible. As a result, it’s wise to avoid cigarettes, coffee, and other caffeinated beverages. Also be careful with medications that contain stimulants, such as diet pills and non-drowsy cold medications.
Learn how to control your breathing. Hyperventilation brings on many sensations (such as lightheadedness and tightness of the chest) that occur during a panic attack. Deep breathing, on the other hand, can relieve the symptoms of panic. By learning to control your breathing, you develop a coping skill that you can use to calm yourself down when you begin to feel anxious. If you know how to control your breathing, you are also less likely to create the very sensations that you are afraid of.
Practice relaxation techniques. When practiced regularly, activities such as yoga, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation strengthen the body’s relaxation response – the opposite of the stress response involved in anxiety and panic. And not only do these relaxation practices promote relaxation, but they also increase feelings of joy and equanimity. So make time for them in your daily routine.

Today I write from the heart....

2009-06-12T07:37:00.002-04:00

Today I am deciding to write from the heart as my son turns 3 years old today. Where has the time gone? I remember when he was born and everyone told me to enjoy him as it would go so fast and I would not remember him being so tiny, I thought that they were crazy to say that. However, it is so true. I look at the hundreds of pictures that I have taken of him and when I see him so tiny I think, "I cannot remember him being so small."

I go back and ask myself was it because of my postpartum depression or is this just normal?

So as I reflect over the last three years I know that I am back to being myself. When he was born I remember being so nervous and anxious. I did not know that I had ppd for four months, I held my son so tight because I knew that he would be there for me, he would help me get through this. We got through! Through all the anxiety, panic attacks, fears, insomnia, etc., we made it. Although I can think back and be in the moment and remember the fears, my son is a healthy, happy and loving child. Do I think he remembers those first few months, no. I think he will always remember a very caring and loving mother. I never let him suffer for one moment. That is why I sought out help. I could never let him be effected by my not being well.

So if you are a new mother and think that you have any signs of postpartum depression, you can make it through. Please talk to others, see your doctor and get the help that you need. You will get through it. I know, I did! I am posting a paragraph from my book and it sums it all up:

"....I still look back at the hundreds of pictures that I have taken over this
year and I know with looking at each one of them if I was either having a good
day or a bad day. Although I remember what was going on in my mind, Bradley
does not. He smiles in each picture and even if I had disturbing thoughts, he
never felt them. His smile says it all. His happiness meant everything to me and
that is why I fought to get back to being the person that I know that I am. The
more recent pictures that I have taken and I look at now, I know that I am truly
happy. My smile says it all."
Quote from Book..My Baby's Smile. My Journey and Recovery Through Postpartum Depression.
http://www.booklocker.com/books/3938.html

Postpartum Depression or Postpartum Thyroiditis

2009-06-11T09:05:00.000-04:00

I never even thought that my thyroid could be effected by giving birth. In fact after I stopped taking medication for my postpartum depression, I was still so tired I still thought that something was really wrong with me. I did actually go seek out testing from an endocronologist. Even though my thyroid was in normal limits, they did find that I did have nodules on my thyroid that were then biopsied. They are now checked once a year. So if you are experiencing some of the symptoms below…seek out medical attention to rule this out.
SYMPTOMS
What is postpartum thyroiditis?Thyroiditis is a general term that refers to “inflammation of the thyroid gland” (see Thyroiditis Brochure); thus, postpartum thyroiditis is thyroiditis that occurs in women after the delivery of a baby. Thyroiditis can cause both thyrotoxicosis (high thyroid hormone levels in the blood) and hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels in the blood). In postpartum thyroiditis, thyrotoxicosis occurs first followed by hypothyroidism.
2CAUSES
What causes postpartum thyroiditis?The exact cause is not known but it is believed to be an autoimmune disease very similar to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. In fact, these two disorders cannot be distinguished from one another on pathology specimens. As in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, postpartum thyroiditis is associated with the development of anti-thyroid (anti-thyroid peroxidase, anti-thyroglobulin) antibodies. Women with positive antithyroid antibodies are at a much higher risk of developing postpartum thyroiditis than women who do not have have positive antibodies. It is believed that women who develop postpartum thyroiditis have an underlying asymptomatic autoimmune thyroiditis that flares in the postpartum period when there are fluctuations in immune function.
How common is postpartum thyroiditis?In the United Status, postpartum thyroiditis occurs in approximately 5- 10% of women. The incidence can be greater in certain high-risk populations (see below).
Who is at risk for developing postpartum thyroiditis? Any woman with:
Autoimmune disorders (such as Type 1, or juvenile onset, Diabetes Mellitus)Positive anti-thyroid antibodies (risk correlates with antibody levels, the higher the antibody the higher the risk)History of previous thyroid dysfunctionHistory of previous postpartum thyroiditis (20% of women will have recurrence of thyroiditis with subsequent pregnancies)Family history of thyroid dysfunction
3DIAGNOSISWhat is the clinical course of postpartum thyroiditis?The classic description of postpartum thyroiditis includes thyrotoxicosis followed by hypothyroidism. Not all women demonstrate evidence of going through both phases; approximately 1/3 of patients will manifest both phases, while 1/3 of patients will have only a thyrotoxic or hypothyroid phase. The thyrotoxic phase occurs 1-4 months after delivery of a child, lasts for 1-3 months and is associated with symptoms including anxiety, insomnia, palpitations (fast heart rate), fatigue, weight loss, and irritability. Since these symptoms are often attributed to being postpartum and the stress of having a new baby, the thyrotoxic phase of post-partum thyroiditis is often missed. It is much more common for women to present in the hypothyroid phase, which typically occurs 4- 8 months after delivery and may last up to 9 –12 months. Typical symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, constipation, dry skin, depression and poor exercise tolerance. Most women will have return of their thyroid function to normal within 12-18 months of the onset of symptoms. However, approximately 20% of those that go into a hypothyroid phase will remain hypothyroid.
4TREATMENTHow is postpartum thyroiditis treated?Treatment depends on the phase of thyroiditis and degree of symptoms that patients exhibit. Women presenting with thyrotoxicosis may be treated with beta blockers to decrease palpitations and reduce shakes and tremors. As symptoms improve, the medication is tapered off since the thyrotoxic phase is transient. Antithyroid medications (see Hyperthyroid brochure) are not used for the thyrotoxic phase since the thyroid is not overactive.
The hypothyroid phase is often treated with thyroid hormone replacement (see Thyroid Hormone Therapy brochure). If the hypothyroidism is mild, and the patient has few, if any, symptoms, no therapy may be necessary. If thyroid hormone therapy is begun, treatment should be continued for approximately 6-12 months and then tapered to see if thyroid hormone is required permanently. It is always important to try to discontinue thyroid hormone after postpartum thyroiditis, since 80% of patients will regain normal thyroid function and not require chronic therapy.
Postpartum Thyroiditis Brochure for Saving and Printing (PDF File, 48KB)http://www.thyroid.org/patients/brochures/Postpartum_Thyroiditis_brochure.pdf

Perinatal anxiety

2009-06-10T07:25:00.002-04:00

This article was taken from www.news-medical.net I too had these fears but I just thought that all new moms and moms-to-be had these thoughts as well. I never asked any other moms if they experienced these types of thoughts because I thought that it was normal. Is it normal? I would love to hear from you and know if, you ever had these thoughts and worries when you were pregnant and then after you had your baby? Thanks for the feedback!

Perinatal anxiety - the hidden disorder25. February 2009 22:16
GA_googleFillSlot("NewsMedicalSquares");
You've probably heard of postpartum depression - a common problem after pregnancy, suffered by about one in seven new mothers.
But did you know there is a much more common form of distress that can also be harmful for pregnant women, parents and newborns?
Perinatal anxiety - unhealthy distress experienced during or soon after pregnancy - is the subject of a major new study being conducted by psychologists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Florida State University.
"We call perinatal anxiety the hidden disorder," said Jonathan Abramowitz, Ph.D., co-principal investigator for the study, associate professor of psychology and director of the Anxiety Disorders Clinic in UNC's College of Arts and Sciences. Abramowitz is also a research associate professor in the UNC School of Medicine's psychiatry department.
"This is not new, but it's not been discussed or studied very much, even though it's a lot more common than postpartum depression," Abramowitz said.
Symptoms of perinatal anxiety may include general uncontrollable worries during pregnancy or the early stages of parenthood. First-time parents encounter many unknowns which can make them fearful, Abramowitz said. "They may think: is the baby going to be healthy? Is the baby normal? Am I going to be a good parent?"
"About 60 to 70 percent of new mothers and fathers have these kinds of thoughts," he said. "It's normal to think these things, dismiss them and move on. But when you can't control your thoughts, or they interfere with your sleep, your health or your ability to care for your baby, then you may need help."
In some cases, such anxiety results in panic attacks. In the most serious cases, parents may become obsessed with senseless, intrusive negative thoughts which they can't seem to control no matter how hard they try, Abramowitz said. "They may begin to worry about all kinds of things: What if the baby dies during sleep? What if I lose control and harm or molest the baby? What if I do something terrible to the baby? Worse, they may feel scared and confused about what these thoughts mean - fearful that they will act on these obsessional thoughts."
Abramowitz, an expert on anxiety disorders, has been studying perinatal anxiety since 2001. First he identified symptoms and explored how to predict if new parents were susceptible to the condition.
Now he and colleagues are trying to determine if first-time parents experiencing significant anxiety can be helped by cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). This form of psychological treatment is effective in treating other forms of anxiety, including panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder.
"Cognitive behavior therapy involves helping patients learn strategies to change maladaptive thinking and acting patterns that contribute to anxiety and obsessions," Abramowitz said.
All participants in the six-week study will receive helpful childbirth counseling as part of free weekly prenatal classes. Half of the participants will receive elements of CBT as well. Those who complete the study will also receive a modest fee at the end.
First-time pregnant women over the age of 18, and their partners, can learn more and complete a screening questionnaire online at www.babyprepstudy.com.
The Anxiety Disorder Clinic is part of UNC's psychology department. In addition to engaging in studies, the department's clinics provide low-cost therapy services to adults and children on a sliding-fee scale. They can be reached at (919) 962-6906.

Important Information from postpartum.net, PSI

2009-06-09T10:06:00.001-04:00

Public Briefing Invitation
The National Research Council and Institute of Medicine of the National Academies are releasing a report at a public briefing on Wednesday, June 10, 2009. The report, Depression in Parents, Parenting, and Children: Opportunities to Improve Identification, Treatment, and Prevention explores the interaction of depressed parents, parenting practices, and its impact on children as well as strategies to promote effective interventions for widespread implementation in different service settings for diverse populations of families. The briefing will include the committee’s recommendations for improving the quality of care for depressed adults and their children. The study was funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, The California Endowment, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, and the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
When: Wednesday, June 10 at 1:00 p.m. EST
Where: The National Press Club
Holeman Lounge
529 14th Street NWWashington, DC 20045
Directions and parking information can be found at http://www.press.org/directions.cfm
**NEW** This briefing will be AUDIOWEBCAST
Those who cannot attend the public briefing are invited to participate by listening to a live audio Webcast of the event and submitting questions using an e-mail form. Both the Webcast link and the form will become available at the time of the event, at http://national-academies.org. The Webcast requires RealPlayer software, available free of charge at http://www.real.com/player–use the “RealPlayer & Basic” link to download the software.
Who: Report committee members participating in the public briefing include:
MARY JANE ENGLAND (report chair), Regis College
WILLIAM R. BEARDSLEE, Children’s Hospital, Boston
MAREASA R. ISAACS, National Alliance of Multi-Ethnic Behavioral Health Associations, Washington , DC
FRANK PUTNAM, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
RSVP: http://www.bocyf.org/parental_depression.html
Please share this invitation widely.
Direct all media/reporter calls about the report to: News Office – National Academies, (202)-334-2138 or onpi@nas.edu.
Leslie J. Sim, Study Director

Fathers and Newborns

2009-06-09T09:02:00.002-04:00

I thought I would just expand on fathers for a few days. Here is an article that says if the mother is not available for skin-to-skin contact the father should be having the skin-to-skin contact with the newborn. I had a very traumatic birth and I actually to this day do not know how long it took for when my baby was born and taken from me to when he was brought into my room where my husband and mother were waiting. I know it took about an hour before I was awake and ready to hold him. Once I was moved to another room, about 4 hours later, that is when I immediately knew he needed skin-to-skin contact and got to it! So think about his, if the mother is not available right away, fathers get ready!

Father's Touch Soothes Newborns
After C-Section Birth, Newborns Find Dad's Skin Soothing When Mom Isn't Available
By Miranda HittiWebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
June 7, 2007 -- After cesarean section (C-section), newborns may cry less and sleep sooner if they rest on dad's chest instead of in a cot, a Swedish study shows.
"This valuable information can be used to encourage fathers to provide skin-to-skin care for their babies," write the researchers.
They add that fathers "should thus be seen as the primary caregiver for the infant during the separation of mother and baby."
The researchers included Kerstin Erlandsson, RNM, MNursSci, a graduate student in the reproductive and perinatal health division of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.
They studied 29 Swedish men whose wives or girlfriends had just given birth by C-section to healthy babies.
Immediately after the babies were born, the infants got five to 10 minutes of skin-to-skin contact with their mothers. Then the babies spent the next two hours with their dads.
Father's Comfort
During those two hours, 14 fathers were asked to care for their babies, skin-to-skin, on their chest. The other 15 fathers were asked to sit in a chair next to a cot where their swaddled baby lay.
The dads sitting next to the cots were free to caress or sing to their baby. But they weren't allowed to pick up their baby.
An observer watched the fathers and children interact. A tape recorder also recorded the interactions.
The observer made notes every 15 minutes. Later, another researcher who didn't know which babies were being held listened to and analyzed the tapes.
The babies cradled on their fathers' chests cried less and fell asleep sooner than the babies in the cots.
Crying babies calmed down within 15 minutes of being held by their dads and became drowsy in an hour.
Babies in cots, on the other hand, took longer to be soothed and became drowsy in an hour and 50 minutes.
Skin-to-skin contact with the father is "optimal for the infant's well-being when the mother and infant are separated after a cesarean birth," the researchers conclude.
Will your partner be a nurturer, a fainter, or maybe just a couch potato during delivery? Talk about it on the Pregnancy: 3rd Trimester message board.

Great article in Newsweek by a Father!

2009-06-08T07:46:00.003-04:00

I read this article and what impressed me most was his honesty on being a father. It is sad to hear that his marriage failed after all that they went through, but parenting and marriage is difficult. Being a mother is the best job that I have ever had, but at the same time, the hardest! I love my son with everything that I am, but what you don’t realize when that precious miracle is growing inside you, that your life will change forever. Like the father wrote in his article…staying up all night in your 20s when you are out is totally different then when you are in your 30s and you have a baby crying all night. It is just not the same “staying up all night.” I give him so much credit for his honesty!

www.newsweek.com/id/192463
Slouching Toward Fatherhood

Maternal depression is associated with significant sleep disturbance in infants

2009-06-07T08:42:00.002-04:00

So again on my quest to education not only myself on what I went through with postpartum depression and to help others, I found this article. Looking back after my son was born, he was a terrible napper. People were always telling me to sleep when the baby slept. Not only could I not sleep because I had insomnia and was up for days, but my baby was not a good napper. He would "catnap" for 15-20 minutes at a time and then be awake. Could my postpartum depression played a part in his poor sleep habits when he was born? It is hard to say now.

I do recall now looking back that once I did start getting help for my postpartum depression I did make more of an effort to get my baby on track with his naps. Maybe because once I felt that I was in control, I could now TAKE control of situations. He was my first born so I did not know what to expect. But with time and a schedule he did become a great napper. He started taking two naps a day, between 1-2 hours each time. He also started to sleep through the night within a few months. I had his schedule and then it worked.

Do I think that today he is effected by poor sleep habits when he was an infant, that is hard to say. He is turning 3 this week and he is stopping his once a day nap. That is not because he needs the sleep, but if he sleeps for the 2 hours during the day then he does not want to go to sleep early at night. I felt that I would rather him give up the nap then for me to fight with him to go to bed. I am now "picking my battles" He is a great sleeper and once asleep for the night will sleep for 12 hours, so as the books all state...he is getting the right amount of sleep for his age. That is all I can hope for. He is happy all day and rested!

Again just an article that may help, but again, each child and infant are different.

Maternal depression is associated with significant sleep disturbance in infantsMay 1st, 2009 -->
In a study in the May 1 issue of the journal SLEEP suggests that babies born to mothers with depression are more likely to suffer from significant sleep disturbances at 2 weeks postpartum that continue until 6 months of age. Findings of the study are of particular importance, as sleep disturbances in infancy may result in increased risk for developing early-onset depression in childhood.

Sleeping Problems - www.SleepMedication.InfoLearn More About Sleep Problems: Signs & Treatment Options

Results indicate that infants born to mothers with depression had significant sleep disturbances compared to low-risk infants; the high-risk group had an hour longer nocturnal sleep latency, shorter sleep episodes and lower sleep efficiency than infants who were born to mothers without depression. Although average sleep time in a 24 hours did not differ by risk group at eight two or four weeks, nocturnal total sleep time was 97 minutes longer in the low-risk group at both recording periods. High-risk infants also had significantly more daytime sleep episodes of a shorter average duration.
Previous studies have found that levels of cortisol, a hormone that is associated with stress, is increased during pregnancy and after delivery in depressed mothers, indicating that the mother's hormone level may affect the infant's sleep.
According to the lead author, Roseanne Armitage, PhD, director of the Sleep and Chronophysiology Laboratory at the University Of Michigan Depression Center, while maternal depression does have a negative effect on infants' sleep, the damage may be reversible.
"We do think that we could develop a behavioral and environmental intervention to improve entrainment of sleep and circadian rhythms in the high risk infants," said Armitage. "However, whether it is maternal hormones that "cause" the sleep problems in infants is not yet known. It could genetic, hormonal, or both. Regardless of the cause, they may still be modifiable since brain regulation is very plastic and responsive in childhood."
The study involved 18 healthy full term infants, half of whom were male. Seven infants were born to women with no personal or family history of depression and 11 were born to women diagnosed with depression or with elevated levels of depression symptoms. Five women were experiencing a Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) episode during the beginning of the study.
Infants who were born to mothers who has past or present MDD according to the DSM-IV or who scored high for postnatal depression were placed in a high-risk group for depression; all other infants were considered to be low-risk. Both the mother and infants' sleep was measured with light and motion sensor actigraphy over the course of seven consecutive days at two-weeks postpartum and monthly thereafter for six months. Mothers were also asked to complete daily sleep/wake diaries. Mothers were recruited during the last trimester of pregnancy through perinatal mood disorders or obstetrics clinics at the University of Michigan.
Authors state that findings of this study claim that future work should attempt to determine if sleep in infancy is modifiable and to define the optimal conditions for entrainment of sleep to the nocturnal period. According to previous studies, untreated infant sleep problems can become chronic, with implications for the mental health and well-being of both the child and the mother. The difficulties of mothers who are already vulnerable to anxiety and depression will be exacerbated if they also are deprived of sleep.
Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine (news : web)

Does postpartum depression go away by itself?

2009-06-06T12:05:00.000-04:00

http://www.empowher.com/media/video/video-does-postpartum-depression-ppd-go-away-itself-dr-bennett
Listen to Dr. Shoshana Bennett (Dr. Shosh) answer the question, “Does Postpartum Depression / PPD Go Away By Itself?” Dr. Bennett is a licensed psychologist who founded Postpartum Assistance for Mothers in 1987 after her second undiagnosed postpartum illness. Dr. Bennett is the Immediate Past President of Postpartum Support International and a past president of California’s state organization Postpartum Health Alliance.
This is part of a series of videos. If you click on the link it also links you to the rest of the series where talks further about PPD. Great answers!

Do you think that you may have postpartum depression?

2009-06-05T08:55:00.001-04:00

http://pediatrics.about.com/library/quiz/blquiz_ppd_scng.htm
Take the quiz at the above link. If you think that you are suffering postpartum depression please see your doctor immediately. You do not want the symptoms to continue and possibly get worse. I know that is what I did. I kept telling myself that I would be fine, I would be ok and I am strong. Sometimes you just need a little help!

Postpartum Depression and the effects on your marriage

2009-06-02T08:23:00.001-04:00

When I was writing my book on my experience on suffering postpartum depression it was a very fine line to determine what was my PPD and what were my marriage issues. When the book was finished I have to admit that my husband was not happy about some of the content in the book. Obviously the things that I wrote about him. For months we battled and I stood firm. What happened is what happened. We cannot go back and change the timing or sequence of events. Once the book was going to be published he was still trying to get me to delay the publishing because he wanted me to edit the things about him
Again, I stood firm in my belief that our experiences could hopefully help someone else. We still have a long road ahead of us in our marriage and there are days that I am not sure we will be together. We did not have another child. Last year I even went to my husband and said, “I am ready. I think that I am strong and I can do this. I will be prepared and I would like to have another child.” He did not seemed so enthused. I still think that the year in the life when I was suffering may have changed us forever.
I see my husband in a whole different light. He was not the support that I needed; he did not seek out help for me; he did not even want me to take medication. When I did start medication and therapy I could not even get him to go with me. Is my husband uncaring? To this day I try and make sense of what has happened between us. Can we make it back to who we were before. Do I feel he supports me emotionally, no. That is the biggest issue in our marriage. Has the postpartum depression that I suffered showed me things in my marriage that I do not want from my partner? That is a question that I ask myself each day. He tells me to forget and move on, but I do not think that I can.
I would love to hear from anyone else out there who has suffered from PPD or a husband and get a perspective on your journey through this and the effect on your marriage. Thanks.

Post Partum Depression: Information for husbands and families

2009-05-31T09:06:00.000-04:00

http://www.pregnancy.org/article/post-partum-depression-information-husbands-and-families
Great article for Husbands and Families. Again I wish my husband knew about all of this when I was suffering PPD. He thought that I was nuts and that nothing was wrong with me. He would leave me at home crying. It was a very rough 6-8 months. He did not go to therapy with me. This article is so important because it discusses what you can DO to help the new mommy. Again, that is why I wrote my book, “My Baby’s Smile. My Journey and Recovery Through Postpartum Depression.” http://www.booklocker.com/books/3938.html I think that my husband and family did not understand what was going on and could not help me with the help that I needed. Again, great article from www.pregnancy.org

Vitamin and Depression

2009-05-29T21:08:00.001-04:00

http://www.womentowomen.com/healthynutrition/vitamind.aspx
As a comment to my earlier post I was informed that vitamin D could also be linked to depression. I know that I knew it could help with fatigue, but this article from www.womentowomen.com touched on all the basis. I actually subsribe to their e-mails and they are very informative. Blog info can also be found on www.condron.us

Brides against Breast Cancer

2009-05-28T18:11:00.000-04:00

http://bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/#donategownGreat organization if you have a bridal gown, tiara, mother of the bride dress, etc to donate to this wonderful cause.

Diet and Depression

2009-05-27T20:58:00.001-04:00

http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/diet-recovery
Found this on www.webmd.com this also ties back to the things that I talked about regarding vitamins. Again, “we are what we eat” as the old saying goes. Someone once told me that you should not think of going on a diet, but you should eat like you would feed your child. That is so correct. I know that I watch everything that my 3 year old eats. He does not get candy (unless a special occassion), no soda, no cookies, only part juice in his cup with water, and among other things I also watch his carbs and bread intake. In fact his teacher remarks that on the days I send him to school with a sandwich he takes everything out of the bread and leaves it. I try to think about that when I am reaching for the cookie and thinking that I would not let my child eat it as it would be too much sugar and that would then effect his mood.
I must now try and put this into effect. I am taking the vitamins each day now, almost two weeks. I am getting my energy back, now I must start the “diet” and the exercise. Good Luck!

Postpartum Depression and another child?

2009-05-27T11:22:00.000-04:00

Today I am just throwing a topic out there: If you suffered from postpartum depression did that effect your decision to have another child? After what I went through I swore that I would never have another child. Even before I was diagnosed with PPD of course the first thing that pops out of people’s mouths is ” so are you ready to have another one?” What ? I just had the first one. My first response was, ‘No.” I had a very traumatic birthing experience followed by insomnia, panic attacks, crying, etc. I had such an array of postpartum depression symptoms that I did not know what was wrong with me.

Even after going through therapy and taking medication I still feared that I would never be able to have another child. Even the thought of facing another c-section made me go into a panic. I thought that if I had to go through what I went through in my first delivery that I would certainly end up dying in the process. I think I even had someone say it was like I had post traumatic stress syndrome. Whatever the case may be I swore that I would never think of having another child. I had a perfect son and that would make me happy.

Only about 8 months ago, when my son was 2 1/2, I did start to think that maybe I would be able to have another child and get through it. Although at my age, now going to be 42, I am not sure if that would be possible. But I do think in the back of my mind that I would be able to handle it. I would notice the symptoms right off the bat if I feared something was wrong and like my therapist even stated, I could start medication right after the birth if I needed to.
So that is my question: How many of you out there that have suffered from PPD have had another child? If you did have another child, did you again suffer from postpartum depression? I would love to hear your stories on this as I could not find enough data in my search.

Postpartum Dads

2009-05-26T17:57:00.000-04:00

Great link to click on for Dads! Once you click this link it will navigate you to several others and a variety of topics! Very useful information. I wish my husband new about all of the resources out there when I was suffering from PPD. Again, if you see any signs in your wife or significant other, please get them help and do not leave them feeling more alone.
https://home.comcast.net/~ddklinker/mysite2/Welcome_page.htm

Postpartum.net brochure

2009-05-25T21:54:00.001-04:00

http://postpartum.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/psi-brochure-2008-engforweb1.pdf

Book now at Barnes and Noble

2009-05-24T08:01:00.000-04:00

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/My-babys-Smile/Beth-Ann-Benoliel/e/9781601457790/?itm=1

Book also available at Barnes and Noble.

Postpartum wake-up call

2009-05-23T22:13:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7VSk0Z6a8Y
Great video from www.postpartum.net

The importance of Exercise and Postpartum Depression

2009-05-23T08:56:00.002-04:00

I know that when I was suffering from PPD and still did not know what was going on, my mother told me that I needed to get out of the house and start to walk. At first I thought she was crazy, I was suffering from really bad insomnia and thought to myself, how would I have the energy. However, once I started it felt nice to get out of the house. If I was up at 6 in the morning I took the baby and went walking. I starting going to nearby nature preserves and walked there. I would then ask my Mom to meet me there so that I would have someone to talk to on my walks. I know when you are suffering you are tired of the advice and just want to feel better, but looking back I now know all of the advice I was given was because it came from other women that had the experience and already went through if not PPD, but childbirth. That is my intent of writing each day. To let you know my experience and let you know that you can get through. Enjoy your day and get out and take a walk if you can!

Postpartum depression: can exercise help?
by Karen Nordahl, MD
As printed in the Winter 2005-06 issue of Urbanbaby & Toddler magazine
You may have noticed that the subject of postpartum depression has made its way into the mainstream media.
Brooke Shields has written a book (which brought several of my own patients into the office), Oprah has discussed the issue, and although I do not agree with his comments, Tom Cruise did help publicize the condition.
But what does this all mean? How can you tell if you are depressed when you have little time for anything except for the care of your baby? You are not sleeping as well, not eating properly and at times overwhelmed by the new arrival. When does it get serious?
The 'baby blues' usually occur about the third day after delivery, and can last until the 10th day. The condition is characterized by tearfulness, anxiety, irritability, mood lability, increased sensitivity and fatigue. For most women the blues are short-lived, and usually resolve.
Some of the blues can be attributed to the isolation women experience during the early newborn period. It is important to ask for help when you need it, and do not try to be Supermom, at least not right away!
A group exercise program where you can be with other moms has been found to be effective in reducing some of the symptoms of the baby blues. If there are no group classes in your area, you can try to create one with family, friends or prenatal class participants who may be interested.
Postpartum depression is a different matter entirely. Part of the difficulty in making the diagnosis is that so many of the symptoms of postpartum depression can be confused with the normal emotions surrounding birth. The symptoms of fatigue, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbance, and depressed mood often accompany the birth of a newborn. It is important as physicians to determine what is normal and what is not in the postpartum period. For example, a woman who worries excessively about her infant's weight gain two weeks after birth is normal. Worrying excessively about the same when your child is four months old and thriving is not.
If a diagnosis of postpartum depression has been confirmed, the standard treatment consists of medication and psychotherapy. Some early results from a study in Australia have suggested that a stroller walking program has helped alleviate the symptoms of postpartum depression when combined with medical and psychotherapy.
So what does this all mean? If you are feeling sad and depressed for a prolonged period after birth (after the first two weeks) talk to your doctor or midwife. You may not have postpartum depression at this stage, but you may be at risk for the condition. Your doctor will likely advise you to increase your support network (if possible), start some type of exercise program (this can be a simple walk outside with the stroller for ten minutes per day) and recheck with her in a few weeks.
If you or your family members are concerned about the possibility of postpartum depression, check with your doctor. Remember, is it sometimes very hard to sort out what is normal and what is not, so do not be afraid to task for help. Medication and/or psychotherapy are the mainstays of treatment, but an exercise program may help reduce the duration of your symptoms.
The workout below gives you an example of what may help.
Walking Program
Start walking 10 minutes per day with your baby in a stroller, watch your posture, and remember to do your Kegel and core exercises.
Increase by one minute per day until you reach 40 to 60 minutes.
Take one day off per week, and add some variety by pool walking or using a treadmill or exercise bike.
Dress yourself (and your baby) warmly for the elements.
Vary your walking route to avoid boredom, choose smooth, well-lit, open areas.
Wear comfortable walking shoes or running shoes with good shock absorption.
Web resource: www.wellmother.com: An excellent website developed by Vancouver's own postpartum depression expert, Dr. Shaila Misri.

Iron and Depression

2009-05-19T07:43:00.003-04:00

In my journey to post information on vitamins. I was on http://anemia.org/They have a three part series of articles following women through menstrual bleeding. pregnancy, childbirth and then ending the series on postpartum depression.

I was screened for anemia when I was pregnant, just like every other woman, I was very anemic. Not only was I still taking my prenatal vitamin, but I was also put on a prescription iron supplement. I again have started on my vitamin regime, including iron, I will update you all in a few weeks to let you know if I start feeling better. I know eating well has a lot to do with it as well, but not being a meat eater, I know that does not help.

Overcoming Depression and Vitamin C

2009-05-17T08:51:00.002-04:00

Again in my quest to update on all the ways vitamins can help in depression, here is one on vitamin C. I again have started on my vitamin regime again and hope to regain energy and of course, stop getting sick all the time.

Overcoming Depression
by Hugh D. Riordan, M.D.
Depression affects about 17 to 19 million American adults each year. We take a somewhat different approach to depression at The Center.
It is possible to become depressed because of the lack of a sufficient amount of a single trace element.
Did you know every medical text book, at least up until a few years ago, indicated that one of the most common effects of inadequate vitamin C is depression? We very seldom go to a psychiatrist who measures our vitamin C level.
Many years ago, I had a lady who was a teacher and she was profoundly depressed. She had three years of psychotherapy prior to coming to The Center. She had profound fatigue and was barely able to function at all. Our testing revealed she had no detectable vitamin C, so we gave her 500 milligrams of vitamin C a day-not very much by our standards.
In a couple of weeks, she thought a miracle had occurred. No miracle had occurred. She was low on vitamin C and depression is the natural consequence of that. She had very good insurance. A psychotherapist could have seen her every week for two years and the i nsurance company would have paid the entire bill. Our bill was for two office calls and three vitamin C levels. The company would not pay because vitamin C had nothing to do with depression, according to their payment schedule. If you are depressed, vitamin C is worth considering.
In studies at two area health care centers, 30% of new admissions with a diagnosis of depression had low plasma vitamin C levels. Actually, we did this study a number of years ago and found that if you took a hundred people who are depressed without checking their level and gave them all vitamin C, 30% would get better. Statistically that would be below the placebo level. That is why it is important to separate out the 30% from the large group, so the people who are low in vitamin C will obviously respond more to the vitamin C than the people who are not.
Of course, man and woman does not live by vitamin C alone. It is possible to become depressed because of the lack of a sufficient amount of a single trace element. The following is from an audio tape of a person who had this problem:
"I was getting more depressed. I had two grand babies coming at the end of July and I didn't want to see them. That's rather odd for a grandmother. I knew I wasn't up to helping my children with their children. I knew I had to teach. We needed the income. I never got any sleep and I wasn't worrying about my students. I teach learning disabled students. I love my job. I just didn't feel up to it and I knew something was wrong.
"I tried hypnosis to no avail. I tried several psychiatrists. I responded completely opposite of what the medication I took was supposed to do. One psychiatrist knew enough to send me to The Center.
'This wasn't just a light depression. It was an inability to cope with life, inability to enjoy my family. We couldn't go out to dinner because I was allergic to so many foods.
The thing that changed my life was calling back The Center and letting them know that I wasn't feeling any better. They decided to give me double the amount of liquid zinc. Dr. Riordan told me how to take it. Instead of having it in a whole lot of water, I just had a smidgen of water. In two day's time when I had double the zinc, my husband said he had a new wife and he wasn't sure he could cope with me.
"We even brought my daughter here who is severely depressed and we know she will get help. She has some of the same nutrient needs that I have but not the need for zinc. But we are all happy about the two new grand babies. I have even been able to do better with my students."
There were several important points mentioned in that little piece. One point is to measure what's going on. If you gave zinc to 100 people who are depressed, 99 are not going to do much with that. In her case, zinc seemed to be her particular thing. It is very important to look at the individual biochemistry to see what is missing and what needs to be improved. Then you can do a great deal. She also indicated that she wasn't doing very well initially and that's why we have follow-up to seewhat'sgoingon.Herinitial zincwe knew was low and the initial amount we gave her was not sufficient to raise it to the level that she needed. Increasing her zinc was what eliminated her continued on page 3
Keep in mind that zinc is involved in at least 100 enzyme systems in the brain alone. So, it's a very important trace mineral. Certainly not the only one, but one that is worthy of consideration when brain tissue function is not optimum.
Serotonin tends to improve mood and promote relaxation. If you're going to do a study on serotonin, you need to collect the urine for 24 hours. The lab will inform you that avocados, pineapple, eggplant, plums, walnuts, and pregnancy are going to affect the serotonin level.
According to a study done in Great Britain, 80% of people with mood disorders noticed that food choices affected how they felt. The food you choose ‹ avocados, bananas, and some walnuts, should pick up your serotonin level and, thus, enhance how youfeel if you are depressed.
Sugar and alcohol are considered 'Tood stressors," according to a British study. In the same study, water, vegetables, fruit, and fish were considered "tood supporters." Actually, the researchers said water was number one for subjects wanting to improve how they felt. As we get older, one of the major problems is dehydration. When we were young, the ratio of water inside the cell to outside the cell is 1.2 to 1. There is more water inside the cell than there is outside. By the time we are 60, the ratio is 0.8 to 1. Even if you are drinking enough water, you are dehydrating all the time. So the goal is to drink sufficient water.
The incidence of depressive disorders varies throughout the world. Japan has the lowest incidence of depression as does Korea-2%. Taiwan has 3%. The USA has 7%, New Zealand has 11%, and France has 16%. It would appear that the dietary choices people make have somethingtodowithwhether or not they are depressed. Japanese and Koreans eat fish. The omega-3 fat in most fish manipulates brain chemicals in ways that boost mood. You can, of course, measure fatty acids to see what levels you have. If the brain is not working well, feed it what it needs!
Most people don't appreciate that food has something to do with how they feel. In addition to general responses to various food, adverse reactions to specific foods can lead to depression. The Center uses the cytotoxic test to detect adverse food reactions. This test is useful for people who have problems with brain fog or are not thinking well. The test is done by separating out the white cells and then mixing them with various food antigens. If the white blood cells are happy and healthy, that food is fine. If there's a kill off of white blood cells, then you have a positive cytotoxic test. Limiting cytotoxic foods can improve brain function.
Neurotransmitters are derived from amino acids, which can be measured in blood and urine. Abnormal amino acids can be corrected nutritionally which should improve neurotrans-mitter and brain function. Adequate amounts of fatty acids, which are in every cell membrane, can have a stabilizing effect on mood. The cells talk to each other through fatty acids in the membrane.
Inadequate thyroid function can lead to depression. One can measure a standard thyroid test, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), or thyroxine (T4). We measure triiodothyronine (T3), which is the active hormone that gets into the cell.
Hormonal changes, such as low testosterone, have been shown to affect depression. The same thing is true with female hormonal imbalances.
Short term depression in response to unpleasant life events is normal and does not necessarily need an anti depressant. In our culture right now there is the notion that one should never feel depressed about anything. When certain things happen, you ought to feel depressed. If it is a short term thing, it usually doesn't need treatment.
People who are depressed have been shown to breathe less deeply than people who are not depressed. You can de-stress by deep breathing. Take five deep breaths and hold each for six seconds. Do this four times a day. This decreases tension. You have two sides of the nervous system, the central nervous system and the autonomic nervous system. All day long we are tensing up with whatever is going on and the autonomic nervous system tenses, too. It is like tightening a ratchet. When you take five deep breaths, it is like releasing the ratchet.
Exercise had been shown to be useful in eliminating depression. There are studies at the University of Wisconsin that show that getting people who are depressed to run in groups reduces the depression in about 85% of the people.
A psychologist said that we are all hit by the same hammer, so he made an interesting observation: "A person made three dolls‹one of porcelain, one of plastic, one of steel. If you hit all three with a hammer, the porcelain would smash into pieces, the plastic one would be dented, and the steel doll would give off a musical note." So, it is not the hammer but how you are made that makes a difference.
Eat well, drink water, and check your nutrient levels and you will be like the doll made of steel.

Need Help in Palm Beach County FL

2009-05-16T13:30:00.001-04:00

http://211palmbeach.org/

You can also dial 211 for help from your phone.

Here is the link for the Help numbers in Palm Beach County FL as well.

Need Help in Broward County, FL

2009-05-16T09:03:00.000-04:00

If you live in Broward County, Fl here are some important numbers you may need:
Call First Call for Help at 211 or (954) 537-0211
Kids Phone a Friend 954-390-0486
Behavorial Health 954-396-4636
Rape Crisie Line 954-761-RAPE
Women in Distress 954-761-1133
Depression after Delivery 1-800-944-4PPD
Domestic Violence Hotline 1-80-500-1119
Family Health line of Florida 1-800-451-BABY
Healthy Baby Information 1-800-451-BABY
Poison Control Information 1-800-222-1222
Broward Generel Lactation Center 954-468-5276
Broward Healthy Start Coalition 954-563-7583
La Leche League 954-574-6600
WIC/Nutrition Breastfeeding Helpline 954-467-4511
Center for Postpartum Adjustment 954-752-0460
Jewish Family Services 954-370-2140
Parent Help Line 800-FLA-LOVE
These are just a few numbers that I got from Broward Healthy Start Coalition. Please contact them if you need further assistance in Broward County.

The Importance of Calcium

2009-05-15T08:33:00.001-04:00

http://health.discovery.com/centers/womens/calcium/calcium.html

As I have been stating in the previous days, vitamins play a very important role not only physically, but also for our emotional health. Yesterday I went back to Whole Foods again to start my vitamin regime. As I stated previously, when I was diagnosed with PPD not only was I taking medication, but my therapist also prescribed a vitamin regime for me as well. I was a loyal follower and took all my vitamins daily. However in the last year I have become lax. In paying the price for that I have been sick on a monthly basis and still have some anxiety. Today I put all of my new vitamins together and will start to take them all again: B complex, calcium, Omega 3, Iron, acidophilus, Vitamin C, and a Multi. I am actually trying a new multi, if it works better than most I will share!
Anyway, take your vitamins. I will get information on all hopefully within the week!

How B Vitamins Work

2009-05-14T14:23:00.000-04:00

I am going to try in the next few days to update my blog on vitamins. I have to say that I have stopped taking my vitamins on a regular basis in the last few months and I have been sick every month. Not only are vitamins good for you physically, but they are also good for your mental health. This article is too long for me to copy and paste, so here is the link:

http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/vitamin-b.htm

Omega 3 and depression

2009-05-13T16:33:00.001-04:00

As a follow up to yesterday, I did want to post some more information on vitamins. Today I picked Omega 3. This article was taken from ezinearticles.com Again, I think if we research certain vitamins and supplements we can see how they interact with different organs in our body and how we can help ourselves with some natural methods even if we are on a prescription medication for depression as well. I will try to find information on different vitamins and how they can help in depression.
Did you know that omega 3 helps depression? Whether the cause is from chronic pain or simply from chemical imbalances and emotional strain, this amazing fatty acid can do wonders for treating this encumbering mental disorder.
How does omega 3 help depression?
Omega 3 fatty acids benefit mental health in general. This is because, out of the 60% of fatty acids that make up brain matter, omega 3 acids take up 40% of those acids. This typically results in your brain working faster and more efficiently than it would were it to lack omega 3 fats.
These fatty acids also result in stronger, healthier brain cells as these acids work to strengthen cell membranes. They also improve nerve response, resulting in better communication between the central nervous system and your brain.
Having a diet rich in omega 3 results in a lower risk of chemical imbalances in the brain, which can help significantly when it comes to treating depression, anxiety disorder, and other illnesses.
Sometimes depression is triggered from those who suffer from chronic pain or debilitating diseases such as ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, or strokes. In this case, omega 3 fats help in two ways: by battling the depression and easing the pain.
How is this possible?
What many don’t know is that omega 3 fats are also potent natural painkillers. Combined with a nutritious diet and physical therapy, they can be an enormous help when it comes to dealing with pain.
These fatty acids also give your immune system a natural boost, which is especially important if you’re suffering from depression. Studies show that patients suffering from depression tend to become sick easier and take much longer to recover.
In contrast, those who take omega 3 acids tend to be at lower risk for catching illnesses.
With this in mind, it’s easy to see how omega 3 help depression. However, it’s crucial that you choose the right source of this fatty acid to ensure that you’re getting the best possible product available.
Scientists agree that you can find the best source of omega 3 fats in fish oil capsules. However, not all fish oil is the best for the job.
For example, omega 3 fats have two important acids in them: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). They are both essential fatty acids, which means that your body cannot manufacture them on its own.
However, out of these two, DHA is the most important. This is because DHA can actually convert into EPA if your body is lacking in it. DHA also has a higher impact on the body than EPA.
By making sure your fish oil capsules are rich in DHA, you will enjoy the benefits of the most potent, fast acting source available. Also make sure that your fish oil has been decontaminated through molecular distillation and produced in ester form to ensure maximum absorbability.
The important thing is to act immediately. Don’t let yourself suffer any more. Try omega 3 capsules today.
Jane L. Lawson is a long time user and passionate advocate of natural Omega 3 esters Visit her site now to discover cutting edge, pure fish oil products that she recommends after extensive research: http://www.omega3-health-guide.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jane_L._Lawson

Different ways to lessen depression...

2009-05-12T19:31:00.001-04:00

http://www.northscottsdalewellness.com/doctor/chiropractor/10151S/scottsdale-chiropractor/sad.htm
After reading this article I have to agree on diet, vitamins and depression. The first thing that my therapist said to me on my first visit was, “You also need to take supplements.” When I was first diagnosed with PPD and I had my first therapy session, my therapist gave me a list of supplements to take. I immediately went to Whole Foods on my way home and bought what she told me I should be taking. I took the vitamins along with my medication.
I did take Omega-3, Vitamin B complex, calcium, Vitamin C and a multi vitamin. I think there were some more in there, but as of today I cannot remember all of them. I think that they helped due to the fact that if you learn how the vitamins work with your body you can get the whole picture of why you need them.
I also do believe in Chiropractic. If you are in the Scottsdale area, please look up Dr. Siegel and see how he can help you. If you also look at his website he also has other women related articles that you may find helpful.
Remember to get better you also must learn how to take care of yourself. I tend to forget that myself these days and as I put up these articles for everyone I realize I must start to again take care of myself like I did a few years ago. Not only is this good for you, but it also makes you a better Mommy!

Be on the lookout for Postpartum Depression

2009-05-11T21:30:00.003-04:00

http://www.obgmanagement.com/pdf/2103/2103OBGM_WEBinterview.pdf

Q&A on PPD with Susan Hatters Friedman, MD, and Janelle Yates, OBG Management Senior Editor

I find this article interesting as it was posted on http://www.obgmanagement.com/. I do not know about any other women out there, but I know my doctor never asked me any questions at my check ups after my baby was born. I actually remember making comments to my ob/gyn and to my son's pediatrician that when they asked if the baby was sleeping I would comment back, "yes, he is sleeping, but it would be great if I can." Nobody ever picked up on any signs that I may have PPD.

The first time I went to my doctor not knowing what was wrong he wanted to give me medication, but he never said, "Hey you may have this and you may need help." I declined the medication because I did not think of myself as "depressed." He never explained any of the other signs or even asked me if I was experiencing them.

Even when I finally went back to him and I was an hysterical mess and I decided I needed the medication or I would lose my mind, he still never told me to seek therapy. I went on the internet the next day and went on http://www.postpartum.net/ and found help. I knew that I could not be on medication and not talk to anyone. Please know you also need to talk to someone.

This is why I wrote my book to help educate other women even if the doctors are not telling us the other signs of PPD. It is not just "depression." I hope it helps.

Invite! Book Reading...

2009-05-11T07:18:00.001-04:00

Please join us in this event! I am so excited to be sharing my book with you all.

Pampered Pregger and Beyond
Providing online education to the perinatal mama and professional

Tiffani Lawton
Tiffani Lawton has invited you to the event 'Ginger Tea with Tiffani: Author's Tea with Beth Benoliel' on Pampered Pregger and Beyond!
Check out "Ginger Tea with Tiffani: Author's Tea with Beth Benoliel" on Pampered Pregger and BeyondTiffani Lawton

Time: October 15, 2009 from 10am to 10:30amLocation: Your Telephone!Organized By: Tiffani Lawton
Event Description:Beth is a full time mother of a 3 year old boy who runs her own business from her home in South Florida.Beth is the author of "My Baby's Smile. My Journey and Recovery Through Postpartum Depression"The book chronicles Beth's journey through PPD. It took four months before she was finally diagnosed, all the while suffering anxiety, depression, insomnia, nervousness, panic attacks and anorexia. With the support of a therapist and medication, Beth is a survivor.Beth will share excerpts from the chapter, Time to Face Facts.ESTCall 1-712-421-7475Conference Passcode: 241404
See more details and RSVP on Pampered Pregger and Beyond:http://www.pamperedpreggerandbeyond.com/events/event/show?id=2124691%3AEvent%3A10302&xgi=cTdFKz3

Pampered Pregger and Beyond

2009-05-10T08:48:00.001-04:00

Beth Benoliel's Page - Pampered Pregger and Beyond

Great site..I have also been following through my blog! Check it out.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-09T22:38:00.001-04:00

Today I decided I am going to take a day off of researching and just rejoice! To be happy that I am a mother and have a beautiful boy who will be turning 3 in just about 4 weeks. I waited my whole life for him and he has been the best miracle that could have ever been placed upon me. I waited 39 long years before I had him and it was worth the wait.

As any mother knows, that first time your baby looks at you you melt. I remember when my son was just weeks old I remember him looking up at me and just putting his little hand up on my chin, it made me melt. Each and everyday he just amazes me. The other day he just walked up to me and said, “Mommy, I love you!” I could not believe it. I picked him up and just hugged and kissed him. Each day is filled with a miracle. We need to stop and treasure each moment that we have with our children because the older they get we cannot get back those little precious moments.

I dread the day when he gets older and will not want to grab my face and say, “Mommy, can I have a kiss?” One day he will be turning to me and saying, “Mom, do not kiss me in public.” I truly dread that day.
So no matter what the age of your child..remember you are the mommy and forever will be the first love of their life. Someone sent me this e-mail today, I do not know where it came from or who wrote it, but I thought that I would post it and share it with you all.

“Your Mother is always with you. She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she’s the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore. She’s the cool hand on your brow when you’re not feeling well, she’s your breath in the air on a cold winter’s day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep . . . the colors of the rainbow . . . she is Christmas morning.
Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she’s crystallized in every tear drop. A mother shows every emotion: happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow . . . and all the while, hopes and prays you will only know the good feelings in life. She’s the place you came from, your first home, and she’s the map you follow with every step you take. She’s your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space . . . not even death!” ~Unknown

Happy Mother’s Day! Have a great day all you mommies out there or all the mommies to be!

My Baby's Smile. My Journey and Recovery Through Postpartum Depression.

2009-05-09T07:38:00.000-04:00

Book is also now listed on www.Ebay.com If ordered on Ebay it will be mailed out signed and with any other inscription that you may request. Again, I will be donated a portion of the proceeds of book sales to www.postpartum.net

Link on Ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170329781457&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2F170329781457%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp2773.m38.l1313%26_nkw%3D170329781457%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_naf%3D1%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1

After a c-section

2009-05-08T15:02:00.000-04:00

http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/cesareansection/a/aftercsec.htm

Great article if you had or are having a c-section. I did have to have an emergency c-section and I was totally not prepared. I was not told to get up or walk around and I think that is why my recovery took so long. I think it took me about 6-8 weeks before I could actually walk at a normal rate. It has been almost three years and my scar still feels numb.

I was however able to keep my baby in my bed with me and breastfeed. The nurses did help me prop up pillows on my bed so that he could lie next to me. The funny thing is that I did get my husband to change all the diapers in the hospital since I did not get out of bed. Sorry that I missed all the good stuff in the first few days! (lol) Just more FYI that I wish I would not have known before.

Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale

2009-05-07T22:18:00.000-04:00

https://www.premera.com/stellent/groups/public/documents/pdfs/dynwat%3B20729_199058960_3472.pdf

Book Available Through Amazon.com

2009-05-07T07:34:00.001-04:00

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=my+baby%27s+smile+my+journey+and+recovery+through+postpartum+depression

My Baby's Smile. My Journey and Recovery Through Postpartum Depression.

Postpartum Depression. Frequently asked questions.

2009-05-06T14:53:00.001-04:00

Great article from the State of NJ Department of Health and Senior Services. It asks and answers many questions concerning Postpartum Depression. Please take a look at it if you have questions that you are afraid to ask. Again, please consult your doctor if you feel you may be suffering from more than just ordinary "baby blues."

http://www.state.nj.us/health/fhs/postpartumdepression/healthcare-faq.shtml#q18

Postpartum Depression and Your Baby

2009-05-05T11:58:00.000-04:00

In my quest to understand PPD a little bit more since I suffered with the illness when my son was born and as I update my blog each day, I try to find new articles that cannot only help me to understand PPD, but to help others. I still am amazed when I read articles like the one posted that often refers to the biggest sign of PPD as not “bonding’ with your baby. Since PPD has so many different forms I think most people stereotype PPD as this being one of the biggest factors. Even though I was not diagnosed with PPD until my son was 4 months old, I never had the feeling of not wanting to be around him.

I did breastfeed him until he was four months old, I took him everywhere with me and I played with him all day long. Even though I was not myself and did not feel right, I never let it effect him in anyway. I knew I was his mother and it was my job to take care of him, love him, and make sure nothing would ever happen to him. I know that a lot of mother’s experience PPD and that they do not want to take care of their baby or be around them, I just wanted to share my experience and show that there are so many different signs of PPD that you may have one or many different ones.

That was the point of writing my book and telling my story. I always thought PPD was “depression.” I thought it was associated with hurting your child (due to news coverage) and again, not wanting to take care of your baby. However, PPD has many differents signs and forms. If you do not feel like yourself and it lasts longer that a few days, please contact your doctor for help, before it does effect you and your baby more than it has to.

Again, other signs to be aware of: depression, anxiety, insomnia, not being able to eat, crying, and being unhappy among a few more.

Postpartum depression and your baby

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/conditions-and-treatments/postpartum-depression/what-will-happen/postpartum-depression-and-your-baby.htm

Having postpartum depression is not your fault. But if you have it, it’s important to get help, both for your own sake and you baby’s. That’s because this illness can stop you from bonding properly with your baby and may affect your baby’s development. But the faster you get better, the less likely your baby is to have problems.
Research has shown that babies of mothers with postpartum depression may: 1 2

Source:Murray L, Cooper PJ.The impact of postpartum depression on child development.International Review of Psychiatry. 1996; 8: 55-63.
Not bond as closely with their mothers as the babies of mothers who don’t have postpartum depression
Have behavior problems, including crying a lot, being withdrawn or being demanding.
We can’t say that postpartum depression causes these problems. It is just that researchers see these problems more in babies whose mothers have postpartum depression. But if depression makes it hard for a woman to interact with her baby, doctors think it could affect how the child develops. 2
Researchers have also found that if you are depressed, you are less likely to: 3
Keep breastfeeding your baby
Show books to your baby
Play with or talk to your baby
Follow routines.
How long your depression lasts seems to matter. Women who recover from their depression by the time their baby is 6 months old relate better to their baby than women whose depression lasts longer.
Source:Campbell SB, Cohn JF, Meyers T.Depression in first-time mothers: mother-infant interaction and depression chronicity.Developmental Psychology. 1995; 31: 349-357.
And there is some evidence that later problems in children are most likely when their mother has depression that lasts a long time or depression that comes back, rather than postpartum depression alone. 5
4
Treatment can help improve your relationship with your baby. And it may help with your baby’s development. 6
Sources for the information on this page:
Martins C, Gaffan EA.Effects of early maternal depression on patterns of infant-mother attachment: a meta-analytic investigation.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and allied disciplines. 2000; 41: 737-746.
Murray L, Cooper PJ.The impact of postpartum depression on child development.International Review of Psychiatry. 1996; 8: 55-63.
McLearn KT, Minkovitz CS, Strobino DM, et al.Maternal Depressive Symptoms at 2 to 4 Months Post Partum and Early Parenting Practices.Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. 2006; 160: 279-284.
Campbell SB, Cohn JF, Meyers T.Depression in first-time mothers: mother-infant interaction and depression chronicity.Developmental Psychology. 1995; 31: 349-357.
Goodman JH.Postpartum depression beyond the early postpartum period.Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing. 2004; 33: 410-429.
Poobalan AS.Effects of treating postnatal depression on mother-infant interaction and child development: Systematic review.British Journal of Psychiatry. 2007; 191: 378-386.
This information was last updated on Mar 06, 2009
Source:Poobalan AS.Effects of treating postnatal depression on mother-infant interaction and child development: Systematic review.British Journal of Psychiatry. 2007; 191: 378-386.
Source:Goodman JH.Postpartum depression beyond the early postpartum period.Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic and Neonatal Nursing. 2004; 33: 410-429.
Source:McLearn KT, Minkovitz CS, Strobino DM, et al.Maternal Depressive Symptoms at 2 to 4 Months Post Partum and Early Parenting Practices.Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. 2006; 160: 279-284.
Source:Murray L, Cooper PJ.The impact of postpartum depression on child development.International Review of Psychiatry. 1996; 8: 55-63.
Source:Martins C, Gaffan EA.Effects of early maternal depression on patterns of infant-mother attachment: a meta-analytic investigation.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and allied disciplines. 2000; 41: 737-746

Free Book Excerpt--My Baby's Smile.....

2009-05-04T16:02:00.001-04:00

http://www.freebookexcerpts.com/2009/04/15/my-babys-smile-my-journey-and-recovery-through-postpartum-depression-by-beth-ann-benoliel/

Postpartum Depression-Help in South Florida

2009-05-04T14:03:00.001-04:00

http://www.postpartumsupport.com/director.htm

I found this wonderful support center on www.postpartum.net I have written about my experience with my counselor in my book. They really helped me in my time of need. If anyone needs help in South Florida, please contact them.

Again, a portion of the proceeds of my book will be donated to www.Postpartum.net as they helped me so much and they have such great information on the website. Please read my story and give to a great cause. I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have. I just want women to know that they are not alone and others are out there that understand what you are going through. There is also free excerpt of the book online if you click on the book cover listed in yesterday’s post.

My Baby's Smile. My Journey and Recovery Through Postpartum Depression.

2009-05-03T09:39:00.005-04:00

A portion of the proceeds of my book will be donated to http://www.postpartum.net/ They are the ones that I turned to in my time of need. I found a great counseling center in Coral Springs, FL and found a wonderful therapist.

Thanks for letting me share my story with you all. I hope to help.

http://www.booklocker.com/books/3938.html

Hormone Level During Pregnancy May Link to Postpartum Depression

2009-05-02T16:56:00.001-04:00

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090202174820.htm

I just saw this article and thought it was interesting. We just have to wonder if doctors would do the blood work to screening.

Insomnia-one aspect of Postpartum Depression

2009-05-02T08:44:00.001-04:00

Since there are many different signs of postpartum depression, when I had insomnia I still had no idea what was wrong with me. There were days that I would go without sleeping. All the books say, “Nap when the baby naps.” I however could not nap as well. I would lie awake in bed at night for hours while the baby slept next to me. At the time it never even occurred to me to look up insomnia to find out any of the causes or how to help myself. All I know is that with my anxiety and my insomnia I was feeling like I could fall over at any minute and die.

So I have decided to post some things on insomnia.
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/insomnia/page8_em.htm

This is a great article on insomnia. It gives many different tips on how to help.

Also if you are looking for a natural cure I am posting a link to a chiropractor in Scottsdale, AZ. He has a link on his website on Insomnia and the natural ways in which to cure it. Look him up if you are in the area as I am sure he can help you.
http://www.northscottsdalewellness.com/doctor/chiropractor/389S/chiropractic-Scottsdale/sleep.htm

Again, see your doctor if any of your signs of postpartum depression do not improve. Sleep is so important and I did not realize it at the time. I think if I would have been able to sleep, my body would have also been able to heal faster from my c-section.

C-Section Recovery

2009-05-01T18:52:00.001-04:00

http://www.csectionrecovery.com/faq.html

Since I did not know that I would be getting a c-section, it was an emergency, I was not prepared. I had read about c-sections in my baby books and knew what to expect for the procedure, but obviously I had no idea about the recovery. I do not want to go into the details of my c-section to scare anyone, as I have talked about it in my book, but the nurses never made me get out of bed and walk the halls. I was told after that it would have helped me in my recovery. I just thought that this would be good to post for anyone who may be getting a c-section and needs some tips on being prepared.
I also want to add that steps are a big problem and I did set up a place in my living room so that once I was downstairs I was down for the day! It helps-a lot!

The Postpartum Resource Center of NY, Inc.

2009-04-30T15:39:00.001-04:00

http://www.postpartumny.org/

Great organization that is having their second annual 5k run on May 9, 2009 at Jones Beach State Park at 9:30 (rain or shine) If you live in the area and want to take part please go to the site and register. Plus any donations would be appreciated as proceeds contributed to the Sounds of Silence, Friends of Postpartum Resource Center of New York, Inc. will benefit The Postpartum Resource Center of New York, Inc.
Please also visit the site if you live in NY and need any help.

The Postpartum Resource Center of New York, Inc. is a self-help organization established to provide emotional support, educational information and healthcare and support group referrals to mothers suffering from prenatal and postpartum depression (PPD).
Our mission is to serve New York state women and their families at risk for and experiencing prenatal and postpartum depression/psychosis
increase prevention, screening, awareness and treatment
provide support programs and services
train healthcare providers and consumers
build community partnerships
PRC of NY — Finding the help you need. PPD Moms need to know…You are not alone. You are not to blame. You will feel better and get well. Up to 50,000 women in New York State will experience depression/anxiety related to childbearing each year. PPD is a treatable illness.
If you believe you or someone you know is experiencing depression/anxiety during pregnancy or the birth of a child, help is available. We provide emotional support, educational information and healthcare and support group referrals.

Another great article on SSRIs

2009-04-30T13:53:00.000-04:00

I found this article on http://www.nwmhp.nhs.uk/pharmacy/ssris.htm I liked it because it had many links that you could click on to see the different reasons why you are being treated with an SSRI and also because it answers many questions that you may want to ask while taking it. Again, consult your doctor if you have any questions on any medications that you are taking and do not stop any medications without a doctors advice.

TREATMENTS FOR DEPRESSION
Drugs known as antidepressants
CLASS:- "SPECIFIC SEROTONIN RE-UPTAKE INHIBITORS"(SSRIs or sometimes the "5-HT RE-UPTAKE BLOCKERS")
Drugs available
Brand name(s)
Forms available
Tablets
Capsules
Liquid
Injection
Citalopram
Cipramil (Seropram in France)

Escitalopram (2)
Cipralex

Fluoxetine
Prozac

Fluvoxamine
Faverin

Paroxetine
Seroxat (Deroxat in France)

Sertraline
Lustral

Related drugs*;-

Nefazodone (1)
Dutonin, now discontinued

Trazodone (1)
Molipaxin
(sugar-free)

(1) These two drugs are included here for convenience (see below)
(2) Escitalopram is a cleaner version of citalopram. Citalopram is a mixture of two molecules, which are identical except that they are mirror images of each other. Escitalopram is the molecule that actually has the antidepressant action and is now available in UK without the other molecule, which had no action. The result is the same, but escitalopram may have slightly fewer side effects and may even be slightly more effective.
For some of the advantages and advantages of different forms of medicines e.g. tablets, capsules, syrups, injections and patches, click here.
What are the SSRIs used for ?
SSRIs are antidepressants which are used to help to improve mood in people who are feeling low or depressed. Fluoxetine ("Prozac") may also be used to help treat the eating disorder "Bulimia nervosa". In addition to this, the SSRIs are now widely used to help a variety of other symptoms. These include anxiety (where a lower starting dose often helps), social phobia and social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic, pre-menstrual syndrome and agoraphobia. Some drugs are "licensed" (ie officially approved) for some of these conditions (e.g. paroxetine for social phobia) but this does not necessarily mean the others do not help, just one manufacturer can prove it and has applied for a licence.
Trazodone ("Molipaxin") and nefazodone ("Dutonin") are not strictly pure "SSRIs" but have many of the same effects and so are included in this group for convenience.
The SSRIs are now one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants but there are many other similar drugs. All these antidepressants seem to be equally effective at the proper dose but have different side effects to each other. Apart from nausea, the SSRIs generally have less side effects than the older drugs. If one drug does not suit you, it may be possible to try another. Starting with a lower dose for a week or so may also help the drugs to be more tolerable or have less side effects.
How do the SSRIs work ?
The brains has many naturally occurring chemical messengers. One of these are called serotonin (sometimes called 5-HT) and is important in the areas of the brain that control mood and thinking. It is known that this serotonin is not as effective or active as normal in the brain when someone is feeling depressed. The SSRI antidepressants increase the amount of this serotonin chemical messenger in the brain. This can help correct the lack of action of serotonin and help to improve mood. For a more detailed explanation, click here.

How should I take them ?
Tablets and capsules:
Tablets and capsules should be swallowed with at least half a glass of water whilst sitting or standing. This is to make sure that they reach the stomach and do not stick in your throat.
Trazodone modified release tablets ("Molipaxin CR") should be swallowed whole and not chewed. This is because they are made so that they release the drug over a longer period of time. This can help to reduce side-effects or reduce the number of times a day you need to take your medicine. Crushing or chewing these will cause the drug to be released too quickly.
Liquids:
Your pharmacist should give you a medicine spoon or oral syringe. Use it carefully to make sure you measure the correct amount. Ask your pharmacist for a medicine spoon if you do not have one.
What are the alternatives to medicines ?
This will depend on why you are taking the medication. Click the links below for the appropriate answer if you are taking an SSRI for:
Anxiety
Bipolar disorder or manic-depression
Bipolar mania
Bipolar depression
Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
Depression
Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Panic disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Psychosis and schizophrenia
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Social anxiety or social phobia
When should I take the SSRI ?
Take your medication as directed on the medicine label. Try to take it at regular times each day. If you are told to take your dose once a day this will usually be best in the morning, except with fluvoxamine, which is probably best in the evening. If you feel sick when you first start taking your SSRI, this should only last for a few days, but this can be helped by taking your medicine with or after food. Also, taking them at mealtimes may make it easier to remember as there is no problem about taking any of these drugs with or after food. They are not sleeping tablets.
How long will the SSRI take to work ?
It may take as long as two weeks or more before the SSRIs start to have any effect on your mood, and a further three or four weeks for this effect to be reaching its maximum. Unfortunately in some people the effect may take even longer to occur e.g. several months, especially if you are older.
If the SSRI isn’t working, how long will it be before a change is considered ?
This will depend on why you are taking the medication. Click the links below for the appropriate answer if you are taking an SSRI for:
Anxiety
Bipolar disorder or manic-depression
Bipolar mania
Bipolar depression
Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
Depression
Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Panic disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Psychosis and schizophrenia
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Social anxiety or social phobia
How long will I need to keep taking them for ?
This will depend on why you are taking the medication. Click the links below for the appropriate answer if you are taking an SSRI for:
Anxiety
Bipolar disorder or manic-depression
Bipolar mania
Bipolar depression
Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
Depression
Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Panic disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Psychosis and schizophrenia
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Social anxiety or social phobia
Are the SSRIs addictive ?
They are not addictive, but if you have taken them for eight weeks or more you may experience some mild "discontinuation" effects if you stop them suddenly. These do not mean that the antidepressant is addictive. For a drug to be addictive or produce dependence, then it must have a number of characteristics:
should produce craving for the drug when the last dose "wears off"
should produce tolerance ie you need more drug to get the same effect
there should be an inability to cut down or control use
should produce withdrawal symptoms
there should be continued use of the drug despite knowing of harmful consequences
Thus antidepressants, if stopped suddenly, may produce some "discontinuation" symptoms but these are more of an "adjustment" reaction from sudden removal of a drug rather than withdrawal. For further discussion, click here.
Can I stop taking the SSRI suddenly ?
It is unwise to stop taking them suddenly, even if you feel better. Two things could happen. Firstly, your depression can return if treatment is stopped too early (see "How long will I need to keep taking them for?"). Secondly, you might also experience some mild "discontinuation" symptoms (see also above). At worst, these could include dizziness, vertigo/light-headedness, nausea fatigue, headache, "electric shocks in the head", insomnia, abdominal cramps, chills increased dreaming, agitation and anxiety. They can start shortly after stopping or reducing doses, are usually short lived, will go if the antidepressant is started again and can even occur with missed doses. These effects have been reported for all the SSRIs, but it seems that they occur more often with paroxetine than the others. If you get these discontinuation symptoms, you have a number of options:
If they are not severe, you can wait for the symptoms to go - they usually only last for a few days or weeks
Ask for something to help your symptoms in the short-term e.g. a sedative or sleeping tablet
Start the medication again (the symptoms should go) and then try reducing the dose more slowly over a longer time e.g. reduce the dose by about a quarter (25%) every 4-6 weeks. Another system that works for some people is to use the syrup; everytime you take a dose, add some diluent (e.g. syrup or water) and then the syrup gradually (rather than suddenly) gets more and more dilute.
Switch to another antidepressant - this sometimes helps e.g. fluoxetine has a long "half-life" and is easier to stop than is e.g. paroxetine
When the time comes your doctor should withdraw the drug slowly e.g. by reducing the dose gradually every few weeks. You should discuss this with your doctor.
What should I do if I forget to take a dose ?
Start again as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for your next dose, then go on as before. Do not try to catch up by taking two or more doses at once as you may get more side-effects. You should tell your doctor about this next time you meet.
If you have problems remembering your doses (as very many people do) ask you pharmacist, doctor or nurse about this. There are some special packs, boxes and devices which can be used to help you remember.
What sort of side-effects might occur ?
Side effect
What happens
What to do about it
COMMON
Nausea and vomiting
Feeling sick and being sick.
Take your medicine after food. If you are sick for more than a day, contact your doctor. This tends to wear off after a few days or a week or so.
Insomnia
Not being able to get to sleep at night.
Discuss with your doctor. He or she may change the time of your dose, or reduce the dose a little to start with.
Sexual dysfunction
Finding it hard to have an orgasm. No desire for sex.
Discuss with your doctor. See also a separate question in this section.
LESS COMMON
Drowsiness
Feeling sleepy or sluggish. It can last for a few hours after taking your dose.
Don't drive or use machinery. Ask your doctor if you can take your SSRI at a different time of day.
Headache
Your head is pounding and painful.
Try aspirin or paracetamol. Your pharmacist will be able to advise if these are safe to take with any other drugs you may be taking.
Loss of appetite
Not feeling hungry. You may lose weight.
If this is a problem, contact your doctor or chemist for advice.
Diarrhoea
Going to the toilet more than usual and passing loose, watery stools.
Drink plenty of water. Get advice from your pharmacist. If it lasts for more than a day, contact your doctor.
UNCOMMON
Restlessness or anxiety
Being more on edge. You may sweat a lot more.
Try and relax by taking deep breaths. Wear loose fitting clothes. This often happens early on in treatment and should gradually ease off over several weeks. A lower starting dose may help sometimes.
RARE
Rashes and pruritis
Rashes anywhere on the skin. These may be itchy.
Stop taking and contact your doctor now.
Dry mouth
Not much saliva or spit.
Suck sugar-free boiled sweets. If it is bad, your doctor may be able to give you a mouth spray.
Skin rashes
Blotches seen anywhere.
Stop taking and contact your doctor now. This is a particular problem with fluoxetine (Prozac)
Tremors and dystonias
Feeling shaky. You may get a twitch or feel stiff.
It is not dangerous. If it troubles you, contact your doctor.
Table adapted from UK Psychiatric Pharmacy Group leaflets, with kind permission (www.ukppg.org.uk )
Do not be worried by this list of side effects. You may get none at all. There are other rare side-effects. If you develop any unusual symptoms ask your doctor about them next time you meet.
There has been much in the newspapers and magazines about people who are supposed to have become more aggressive or suicidal whilst taking fluoxetine (‘Prozac’). There has also been much which implies that ‘Prozac’ is somehow a "wonder drug". It might be worth noting that;-
All antidepressants can cause a very few people to become more aggressive or suicidal. There is now plenty of evidence to show that fluoxetine (‘Prozac’) is the same as (and certainly no worse than) any other antidepressant in this respect.
There is no particular evidence that fluoxetine or any other drug in this group is a wonder drug. It is just that they generally have less side effects than the older antidepressants and are much less toxic than the older antidepressants.
Will the SSRI cause me to put on weight ?
Fluoxetine ("Prozac") may cause you to lose weight. You tend to lose more the heavier you are so this "side effect" is not usually one which people complain about! The other drugs in this group tend to have less of an effect on body weight. If, however, you do start to have problems with your weight tell your doctor next time you meet as he or she can arrange for you to see a dietician for advice. It may be that in the long term (ie several years), there may be tendency to gain a little weight.
Will it affect my sex life?
Drugs can affect desire (libido), arousal (erection) and orgasmic ability. The SSRIs are know to affect all three stages in some people. Delayed orgasm is known to occur in many people. Indeed some of these drugs are now widely used to help treat premature ejaculation. If this does seem to have happened, you should discuss this with your doctor, as a change in dose, when you take the dose or drug may help reduce any problem.
With trazodone, a serious condition known as priapism has been reported very rarely. Priapism occurs in men and is defined as a persistent painful erection without sexual stimulation. It is no joke and should be treated as an emergency, as it can cause permanent damage. If this should happen, you should go to a hospital accident and emergency department as soon as possible, and certainly within a couple of hours.
Will the SSRI make me drowsy ?
These drugs may make you feel drowsy, although this effect is less than with other antidepressants. You should not drive (see below) or operate machinery until you know how they affect you. You should be careful as they may affect your reaction times or reflexes. They are not, however, sleeping tablets, although if you take them at night they may help you get to sleep.
Can I drink alcohol while I am taking the SSRI ?
You should avoid alcohol except in moderation while taking these drugs as they may make you feel more sleepy. This is particularly important if you need to drive or operate machinery and you must seek advice on this. Also, the effects of alcohol can be increased if it is taken while you are taking fluvoxamine ("Faverin").
Are there any foods or drinks that I should avoid ?
You should have no problems with any food or drink other than alcohol (see above).
Will the SSRI affect my other medication ?
If you are taking "Faverin" (fluvoxamine) tablets do not take indigestion remedies at the same time of day. This is because these tablets are 'enteric coated'. Indigestion remedies contain alkalis, substances which can break down the coating of the tablet before it reaches the stomach. You might then get more side effects. If you need to take something for indigestion wait for at least 2 hours after taking your "Faverin" tablets.
You should have no problems if you take any other medications although a few problems can occur. The SSRIs can "interact" with "MAOI's", lithium, tricyclic antidepressants (e.g. amitriptyline, clomipramine, dothiepin etc.) and anticoagulants e.g. warfarin, although your doctor should know about these. This also does not necessarily mean the drugs can not be used together, just that you may need to follow your doctors instructions very carefully. Make sure your doctor knows about all the medicines you are taking. Some other medicines e.g. some of the antihistamines used for hay fever can make you drowsy. Combined with your SSRI this could make you even drowsier. There has been much concern about the safety of St. John's wort with antidepressants. Until more information is available, you should avoid taking St. John's wort along with any other antidepressant. You should tell your doctor before starting or stopping these or any other drugs.
If I am taking a contraceptive pill, will this be affected ?
It is not thought that the contraceptive pill is affected by any of these drugs, although if you suffered diarrhoea and vomiting this might reduce the effectiveness of the oral contraceptive.
What if I want to start a family or discover I'm pregnant?
It is important to consider that there will be a risk to you and your child from taking a medicine during pregnancy but also a possible risk from stopping the medicine e.g. getting ill again. Unfortunately, no decision is risk-free. It will be for you to decide which is the least risk. All we can do here is to help you understand some of the issues, so you can make an informed decision. For your information, major malformations occur "spontaneously" in about 2-4% of all pregnancies, even if no drugs are taken. The main problem with medicines is termed "teratogenicity" i.e. a medicine causing a malformation in the unborn child. A medicine causing teratogenicity is called a "teratogen". Since a baby has completed it's main development between days 17 and 60 of the pregnancy (the so-called "first trimester") these first 2-16 weeks are the main concern. After that, there may be other problems e.g. some medicines may cause slower growth. The infant may also be affected after birth e.g. withdrawal effects are possible with some drugs. If possible, the best option is to plan in advance. If you think you could become pregnant, discuss this with your doctor and it may be possible to switch to medicines thought to carry least risk, and take other risk-reducing steps e.g. adjusting doses, taking vitamin supplements etc. If you have just discovered you are pregnant, don't panic, but seek advice from your GP within the next few days if possible. He or she may also want to refer you on to someone with more specialist knowledge of your medicine. Very few medicines have been shown to be completely safe in pregnancy and so no manufacturer or advisor can ever say any medicine is safe. They will usually advise not to take a medicine during pregnancy, unless the benefit is much greater than the risk. In the UK, there is the NTIS (National Teratology Information Service) who offer individual risk assessments. However, their advice should always be used to help you and your doctor decide what is the risk to you and your baby. There is a risk from taking the medicine and a risk should you stop a medicine e.g. you might become ill again and need to go back on the medication again. The advice offered here is just that i.e. advice, but may give you some idea about the possible risks and what (at the time of writing) is known through the medical press.It may be helpful to know that in the USA, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) classifies medicines in pregnancy in five groups:
A = Studies show no risk, so harm to the unborn child appears only a remote possibility B = Animal and human studies indicate a lack of risk but are not fully conclusive C = Animal studies indicate a risk but there is no safety data in humans D = a definite risk exists but the benefit may outweigh the risk in some people X = the risk outweighs any possible benefit
The SSRIs are classified as "B" or "C" (fluoxetine, paroxetine and sertraline are "B", citalopram and fluvoxamine are "C"). The SSRIs are not teratogenic in animals, and most human data is for fluoxetine. No major abnormalities have been reported to date with paroxetine, but some "discontinuation" effects (such as increased breathing rate and jitteriness) have been seen in a few infants for a couple of days after birth, so it may be wise to reduce the dose a little before your due date. Fluoxetine is the most widely studied SSRI in pregnancy. Information on over 2000 pregnancies indicates that the risk of "spontaneous abortion" may be slightly higher than normal but that the number of abnormalities is the same as the general population and so fluoxetine did not appear to be a major risk. A recent study has shown no evidence of any short or long-term effects on intelligence and language development, although there was a slight reduction in the length of pregnancy (by about 6 days). You should, however, still seek personal advice from your GP, who may then if necessary seek further specialist advice. Trazodone and nefazodone are both classified as "C". There is no evidence of a teratogenic effects, and animal tests show a low risk of danger but you should seek personal advice from your GP, who may then if necessary seek further specialist advice.
Will I need a blood test ?
You will not need a blood test to check on your SSRI.
Can I drive while I am taking the SSRI ?
You may feel drowsy at first when taking any of these drugs. Until this wears off or you know how your drug affects you do not drive or operate machinery. You should be careful as they may affect your reaction times.
It is against the law to drive, attempt to drive or be in charge of a vehicle when unfit, either through illness or from the side effects of medication. Under UK law, it is the drivers responsibility to let the DVLA and insurance company know if you may be "unfit" to drive. If you do not, and you have an accident, it could effect your insurance cover. Your doctor will be able to advise you, and may wish to access the UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) guidelines website, which has the current DVLA guidelines on anxiety/depression, psychotic disorders, mania and other conditions. If your doctor advises you not to drive, and you continue to do so, the doctor can inform the DVLA directly, as he or she would be lawfully responsible were you to have an accident. Once told, the DVLA may wish to carry out an enquiry, but you are entitled to drive until a decision is made.

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