*******************

Nicole Elliott & Daughter

Hello! My name is Nicole Elliott. I am the Social Media Director for Mommy Bag Marketing, Inc. which I love representing because it supports Christian Moms and Christian businesses in a unique and fun way. I’m also a military spouse to my fabulous hubby of 7 years who serves in the Coast Guard. We have two darling children: a 4 year old girl who is the carbon copy of me and a feisty little (almost) 2 year old boy who NEVER stops running (literally!).

In my spare time (if you’re a work from home mom too that phrase is where you start laughing) I blog over at Wyoming Girl *turned* Coastie Wife. While I’m not too busy writing there you can find me across the internet guest blogging and freelance writing and I’m so thrilled to make it to your little corner of the world! With my busy life and constant traveling and moving it seems that I’m always coming up with ideas and thoughts to share, and I look forward to sharing them all with you!

Can you relate to any of these statements? Many women right after giving birth suffer from some level of anxiety or sadness, irritability and mood swings, trouble with sleeping and low appetite and may cry easily. Statistics show as many as 80% of women experience some mood disturbances after pregnancy. It can start as soon as 24 hours after giving birth but is usually three to four days after. This is what many call this the “baby blues.”  You can still be experiencing the baby blues even if this isn’t your first child and you have never had any concerns before.

What causes the baby blues?

Your body is going through so many changes now. Your hormone levels are dropping, your body is making milk for breastfeeding and you are physically (and mentally) trying to adjust to all that a mother of a newborn deals with. It’s no wonder you feel anxious and overwhelmed. The baby blues are perfectly understandable. Moms have to remember it isn’t something they can control and shouldn’t blame themselves. The baby blues are considered by many as a normal part of motherhood. For most, the baby blues last from a few days up to a little more than a week. If these feeling continue, or seem to get worse, it might be more than just the baby blues.

What is postpartum depression?

In the beginning postpartum depression can look like just the baby blues. The length and severity of the symptoms are what separates the two. About 10% of new mothers experience postpartum depression. The exact cause isn’t known, but as with the baby blues, sudden hormonal changes are believed to be part of the cause of postpartum depression. One theory is the levels of estrogen and progesterone that have increased during pregnancy drop suddenly after delivery produce chemical changes in the brain. Researchers think the big change in hormone levels is what may lead to depression in some.

Postpartum depression usually sets in soon after childbirth and develops gradually over a period of several months. It is important to note postpartum depression can come on suddenly months even after delivery and the first signs don’t appear until then. If depressive symptoms appear within six months of having a baby, postpartum depression should be considered. It is important to speak with your doctor if you feel it might be more than just the baby blues.  Postpartum depression needs to be treated and won’t disappear on its own.

What are the signs of postpartum depression?

• Lack of interest in your baby
• Lack of energy and motivation
• Feelings of guilt and worthlessness
• Loss of pleasure in things that use to bring pleasure
• Negative feelings toward your baby
• Worrying about hurting yourself or your baby
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Sleeping more or less than usual
• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide

Whether it is the baby blues or depression, here are a few suggestions that can help:

Exercising – For some people exercise works as well as antidepressants and you will look better, sleep better, and hopefully less depressed. A helpful tip is to exercise with others for support.

Continuing to eat a healthy diet -build around fruits and vegetables, limit unhealthy fat and sugars, flaxseeds, nuts and dark green vegetables for a great foundation

Supplementation -B-12 & omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to ease mood changes and depression symptoms.

Healthy carbohydrates -eaten alone without protein raise the levels of serotonin –good options are baked sweet potatoes, whole wheat pasta and healthy crackers.

Be careful with coffee -caffeine can make you jittery and anxious all by itself so it might be a good time to limit intake.

Get lots of sunshine & fresh air –sunlight has been shown to benefit depression.

Do something that gives you pleasure –take time to do the things you enjoy because you are worth it!

Need to rest and relax your mind –stress and anxiety can make depression symptoms worse so it can be a great time to take that yoga class or good time to learn the art of meditation.

Continue to engage with your social network as much as possible – engage with those around you on a regular basis. You have a new role as mom of a little one but it is important to keep our connections with others strong as well.

Sleep is SO important –I am sure you are asking “what is sleep.” You always hear sleep when your baby sleeps but it is so true. Getting enough rest and establishing good sleeping habits for you (and your baby) will help you feel better both mentally and physically…

Avoid Alcohol & Drugs –they can make depression and anxiety worse and can prevent recovery.

Seeking treatment when needed is very important –depression is a serious illness. Medical treatment and counseling can be a very important component to recovery and a healthy life. Make sure you talk with your doctor to help you get in touch with those in your area who are trained to help.

Call your doctor if:

• You feel so overwhelmed you can’t perform tasks you need to
• Your symptoms of depression seem to get more and more intense
• You are unable to care for yourself or your baby
• You have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

Between 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm I started getting little tightening sensations and just for fun started checking them against the clock and realised that they were coming every 8 minutes. Told Jim (my husband) and didn’t think anything more about it.

05:00 pm felt a bit tired so had a nap.

06:30 pm woke up and had dinner and watched some TV – little tightening sensations continuing but didn’t bother to check how regularly. Rang my mum and said I was getting a little sign that things might start happening soon. She said I sounded incredibly calm and I reminded her that I’d spent many months focusing on a calm and relaxed birth and felt completely confident and in control.

10:30 pm sensations were starting to make me think of period cramping – not uncomfortable just really low in my abdomen. I looked on the internet and found a story of woman saying she’d had these feelings and two days later went into labour so I thought – things will probably get started tomorrow or Tuesday then and Jim and I discussed whether he’d go into work the next day or not and went to bed.

11:30 pm felt restless so got up and lay on couch and listened to a relaxation CD.

Monday, 4^th June

01.11 am woke up and went up to bed. On and off throughout the night tightening sensation kept waking me up and I’d go to the loo, noticed signs of the mucous plug so again thought that things would start happening soon and then go back to sleep. Not thinking to check how regularly it was happening

06:00 am sharp feeling in my back woke me up and I woke Jim telling him to rub the area and felt ok again.

06:20 am went to loo and saw some fresh blood. This made me wonder if something was wrong as I was getting low abdominal cramping and some blood loss. Another part of me thought that of course a blood show can also indicate that the baby could very soon be born but I pushed that thought aside as I really didn’t think I was in labour.

06:30 am told Jim he wouldn’t be going to work and called the hospital. They told me to put a pad between my legs and call back in an hour.

07:30 pm back to only seeing the mucous plug so phoned hospital and said I felt ok about the blood loss but told them how I was feeling because I was getting these fairly regular sensations. They told me to take a couple of paracetamol and have a warm bath. I told them I was practising HypnoBirthing® and didn’t feel happy with that advice so they told me to ring my own midwife if I wanted someone to come out for an assessment.

07:35 am Jim and I decided to assess how regularly I was getting these feelings and they were coming about every three minutes

07:50 am phoned midwife (Viv) and she told me to ring the hospital and ask for a midwife to come out to me as she was working on the antenatal ward and couldn’t come out. I told her what the hospital had said so she said that she would call and arrange for a midwife to come out and would call me back to let me know when they would be coming.

08:05 am I then rested on some cushions and watched Jim hoover the carpet and blow the pool up.

08:10 am Viv phoned back to say a midwife would be with us at around 9 am

08:15 am Chatted with my friend Sarita telling her that I thought things were getting started and taking a moment now and then to breathe.

08:30 am had an overwhelming need to open my bowels. Went to the loo and “pushed out” a poo so dramatically my whole uterus shook. I thought woohoo I’m not going to poo in my pool and then once again started thinking was that a sign that I’m going to give birth soon – it was such a strong urge to push

09:05 am Midwife (Trish) arrived. Jim was still getting the pool ready but Trish told him not to fill it yet as there was still plenty of time and it would get cold. I was upstairs so Trish came up to assess me. She started off my checking Evan’s heartbeat and then my blood pressure. Jim came up and asked her when she was going to see how dilated I was (he was thinking that I was going to be a lot further along than Trish was expecting as this was very common in HypnoBirthing® mums). Trish said that by looking at me she guessed I was about 5cm dilated. When she checked however she said in a very surprised voice “my goodness – you are fully dilated, you are ready”. She hadn’t even got her stuff out of the car and I heard her in the hall way on the phone saying “get another midwife here NOW she is about to have this baby”. Jim was then frantically trying to get the temperature up in the birthing pool so I could give birth in there. But in the meantime Trish started getting every towel we owned and laying them on our bedroom floor and bed. She also said that I could start pushing with the contractions (known as surges in HypnoBirthing®) now that I was fully dilated. I said that we don’t push with HypnoBirthing® but breathe the baby down and she said that’s fine you do your hypno breathing. I then found myself humming each time I had a surge and the urge to push disappeared.

09:40 am The second midwife, Julie, arrived.

10:00 am Trish said the pool was warm enough and I virtually ran downstairs between surges as I was determined to have Evan in the pool (not least of all to contain the mess). I left Jim mid-sentence asking if I needed help because for 3 weeks prior to Evan being born I’d needed to go up and down the stairs on all fours as my back and hip were so bad and he didn’t think I’d be able to get downstairs. Apparently my waters broke as I got in the pool but I had no awareness of this. I remember laughing as soon as I got in because Jim had used the thermometer duck for Evan’s bath to check the temperature in the pool and it was still bobbing around. I asked Jim for some water and he jokingly said “pleeeease”. When I got the bottle I squeezed it over him and laughed (the midwives said one of their strongest memories was noticing how much Jim and I were laughing)

Once in the pool I knew it was time to push and that I wanted to be on my knees to give birth. The midwives were wonderful. In HypnoBirthing® classes we teach that a woman left alone will go with her natural instincts and they left me to do just that. They stood watching and I had the reassurance of knowing that they were there but no interference. I pushed with the next surge and felt something. I looked up and told them that I felt something and they said that I could put my hand down and feel her head if I wanted. For some reason I didn’t want to and when they suggested Jim could I said again that I didn’t want him to.

10:20 am The next push and her head came out. Trish asked if her head was out because they couldn’t see. I knew it had but I put hand down anyway and could feel her head. I had read a lot about water births and I knew that Evan would be fine under water as she would not try and take a breath until she was out of the water but it felt like I was never going to have another surge ever again and I found myself asking the midwives would she be ok.

10:22 am Evan was born. Jim said he saw her swim out like a frog. Trish had told me to sit back as Evan was born and that she would place her straight on me. I did just that and without really knowing how there Evan was a new face and yet really familiar. We’d asked for the cord not to be cut until it had stopped pulsating as we were waiting for that Trish and Julie started asking me questions about HypnoBirthing® – they were so amazed. They were also surprised at Evan’s colour – she was so pink. We had asked if Jim could cut the cord but Trish was so excited she completely forgot and she did it. We didn’t really mind as Trish has been such an amazing part of our birth experience – intuitively understanding that this was a different type of birthing and leaving me to trust my own instincts – that it felt right that she had done it.

I had a physiological 3^rd stage whilst still in the pool as Trish (who is very pro physiological 3^rd stages) said that the placenta was more than ready to come out. She got me to cough a few times – not that easy after giving birth – and with the next surge the placenta was out.

What is particularly amusing is that all through my pregnancy I’d been saying that I wanted to realise that I was in labour by about 6am to stop Jim going to work and to have Evan in my pool in the morning looking out over my garden and everything to be all done and dusted in time for me to have my lunch at 12:30pm. You guessed it the midwives were gone, pool cleared away and Jim and I were having lunch with my sister and mum at 12:30pm with Evan being happily passed between us.

Trish came to see me the next day she said that she was still on a high after 24 hours and that she had been a midwife for over 30 years and never seen anything like it (another midwife told us later that Trish had text and phoned many of them to tell them of my Birth and that it had restored her faith in midwifery. Every midwife I’ve seen since has said that Trish had text them all and that everyone had been talking about it. The management of the hospital have also asked if I would do a study day for their midwives on the subject of HypnoBirthing®.

It’s nice for me to say first hand now that HypnoBirthing® really works – although a little frustrating when people, as they have done, have said how lucky I was. I did not need luck as I simply utilised the skills I had learnt.

Fashion and motherhood. An oxymoron if there ever was one, but it need not be so. Sure. Sweatpants and pajamas (and — ugh — Pajama Jeans) are comfortable — especially during pregnancy and soon thereafter — but you don’t have to resign yourself to this fate. There are plenty of options out there that will keep you in style, no matter where you are with your new little one.

L – R: Ella Moss Early & After Fit And Flare Maternity Pants, 7 For All Mankind Secret Fit Belly 5 Pocket Boot Cut Maternity Jeans + AG Jeans Slit Secret Fit Belly Twill Signature Pocket Slim Leg Maternity Pants

Let’s start with the aforementioned sweatpants. Why wear something with the word “Juicy” written across your backside — or any word, for that matter — when you have these options before you? Even 7 For All Mankind has you covered with their line of maternity jeans. Mom jeans, or Mom’s-got-it-going-on jeans? Thought so.

L – R: Sleeveless Wrap Maternity Blouse, ASOS Maternity Top in Cotton Breton Stripe + LOFT Maternity Stripe Button Shoulder Sweater

On to upstairs. As you can see, there are a few zazzy options to consider, from prints to Breton stripes — Breton stripes! Like in France! Paris! Jean-Luc!

L – R: ASOS MATERNITY Spring Floral Chiffon Dress, French Connection Maternity Scoop Back Jersey Dress + Splendid Maternity Modal Maxi Dress

The maxi dress will be your best friend during your pregnancy, after you give birth… anytime, really. The maxi has been seen on the runway for a few seasons now, and with these looks, you cannot go wrong.

L – R: KORS Michael Kors Women’s Erin Ballet Flat, Dansko Women’s Beth Pump + Sperry Top-Sider Women’s Hingham Boot

Finally, footwear. The adage “barefoot and pregnant” has a basis in reality — swollen feet — so comfort is key here more than anywhere else. Still, style need not be sacrificed. From cute ballet flats to chunky high heels and knee-high boots, you’re sure to be strutting your stuff, turning the sidewalk into your own personal catwalk.

And there you have it: Comfort and style without resorting to giving up the latter. Bonne journée and big hugs!

One of the ways to get some of the nutrition needed during pregnancy and beyond is Spinach…

The importance of spinach in a pregnant women’s diet can’t be overstated! We all know how important folic acid is for the developing fetus and spinach is an excellent source of that. Spinach is also rich in beta carotene which is converted by the body for needed for Vitamin A.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for your developing fetus. It is needed for the growth and development of the kidneys, eyes, lungs, heart, bones, the circulatory and respiratory system, and the central nervous system.

Vitamin A is particularly important for women who are close to giving birth; because it can help the body heal with postpartum tissue repair.

Vitamin A is still needed after birth while breastfeeding -Spinach has been found to be an excellent source of nutrition for lactating or nursing mothers and helps in improving the quality of the milk.  It is recommended for pregnant women to increase their intake of Vitamin A by almost half at 40% and a 90% increase for breastfeeding Moms.

Folic Acid

Adequate amounts of folic acid as necessary from the moment you decide you want to get pregnant, all through pregnancy, and right into breastfeeding your baby.  One study found that women who took folic acid for a least a year before getting pregnant cut their chances of delivering early by more than 50% or more. There is also an increase in low birth weight and as well as a increased risk of miscarriage if you don’t get the folic acid your body needs.

Another report found that women who took folic acid during the second trimester had a reduced risk of pregnancy-induced high blood pressure – a serious condition known as preeclampsia.

Folic acid while pregnant can help prevent serious birth defects such as spina bifida, cleft lip, and cleft palate.

Another concern from you not getting enough folic acid is -anemia, megloblastic, insufficient absorption of food by the small intestine, decrease in weight, shortness of breath, and tiredness.

So be sure to make spinach a part of your healthy diet… Your body and your baby will thank you!

Related articles

• The Benefits of Prenatal Vitamin Supplements (webmd.com)
• Pregnancy Nutrition: First Trimester Pointers (enfamil.com)

Gestational diabetes, also known as gestational diabetes mellitus, GDM, or diabetes during pregnancy, is a type of diabetes that affects pregnant women. If a woman gets diabetes when she is pregnant, but never had it before, then she has gestational diabetes.
Normally, your stomach and intestines digest the carbohydrate in your food into a sugar called glucose. Glucose is your body’s main source of energy. After digestion, the glucose moves into your blood to give your body energy.
To get the glucose out of your blood and into the cells of your body, your pancreas makes a hormone called insulin. If you have diabetes, either your body doesn’t make enough insulin, or your cells can’t use it the way they should. Instead, the glucose builds up in your blood, causing diabetes, or high blood sugar.

Gestational diabetes happens in about 5 percent of all pregnancies, or about 200,000 cases a year in the United States.
How do I know if I have gestational diabetes?

Health care providers will test most women who have average risk for gestational diabetes when they are between 25-28 weeks pregnant.

If your risk is higher-than-average, your health care provider may test you earlier, possibly as soon as you know you are pregnant.
There are two approaches to testing for gestational diabetes:

• In the one-step approach, a woman will fast for 4 to 8 hours. Then a health care provider will measure her blood sugar and will do so again 2 hours after she drinks a sugar drink. This type of test is called an oral glucose tolerance test.
• In the two-step approach, a health care provider measures a woman’s blood sugar 1 hour after drinking a sugar drink. Women whose blood sugar is normal after 1 hour probably don’t have gestational diabetes. This is the more common screening that is done.
• Women whose blood sugar is high after 1 hour will then have an oral glucose tolerance test to see if they have gestational diabetes. This is called a 3 hour glucose tolerance test which is a fasting test and is a diagnostic test for gestational diabetes if 2 or more results are abnormal.

Will gestational diabetes affect the baby?

Most women who have gestational diabetes give birth to healthy babies, especially when they control their blood sugar, eat a healthy diet, exercise, and keep a healthy weight.

In some cases, though, gestational diabetes can affect the pregnancy and baby. Some potential risks include:

• The baby’s body is larger than normal—called macrosomia. A large baby may need to be delivered by a surgical procedure called cesarean section, instead of naturally through the vagina.
• The baby’s blood sugar is too low—called hypoglycemia. Starting to breastfeed right away can help get more glucose to the baby. The baby may also need to get glucose through a tube into his or her blood.
• The baby’s skin turns yellowish and the whites of the eyes may change color—called jaundice. This condition is easily treated and is not serious if treated.
• The baby may have trouble breathing and need oxygen or other help—called Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
• The baby may have low mineral levels in the blood. This problem can causes muscle twitching or cramping, but can be treated by giving the baby extra minerals

How is gestational diabetes treated?

Many women with gestational diabetes have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies because they follow a treatment plan from their health care provider.

Each woman should have a specific plan designed just for her needs, but there are some general ways to stay healthy with gestational diabetes:

• Know your blood sugar and keep it under control – By testing how much sugar is in your blood, it is easier to keep it in a healthy range. Women usually need to test a drop of their blood several times a day to find out their blood sugar level.
• Eat a healthy diet – Your health care provider can make a plan with the best diet for you. Usually controlling carbohydrates is an important part of a healthy diet for women with gestational diabetes because carbohydrates affect blood sugar.
• Get regular, moderate physical activity – Exercise can help control blood sugar levels. Your health care provider can tell you the best activities and right amount for you.
• Keep a healthy weight – The amount of weight gain that is healthy for you will depend on how much you weighed before pregnancy. It is important to track your both your overall weight gain and weekly rate of gain.
• Keep daily records of your diet, physical activity, and glucose level – Women with gestational diabetes should write down their blood sugar numbers, physical activity, and everything they eat and drink in a daily record book. This can help track how well the treatment is working and what, if anything, needs to be changed.

Some women with gestational diabetes will also need to take an oral medication or even insulin to help manage their diabetes. The extra insulin can help lower their blood sugar level. Some women might also have to test their urine to see if they are getting enough glucose.

What happens after the baby is born?

For most women, blood sugar levels go back to normal quickly after the baby is born. Six weeks after the baby is born, you should have a blood test to check your blood sugar levels. The test also checks for your risk of getting diabetes in the future.
If you know you want to get pregnant again, have a blood sugar test up to three months before becoming pregnant to make sure your blood sugar level is normal.

Children whose mothers had gestational diabetes are at higher risk for obesity, abnormal glucose tolerance, and diabetes.
Women who have had gestational diabetes and children whose mothers had gestational diabetes are at higher lifetime risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes. It may be possible to prevent type 2 diabetes through lifestyle changes. Talk to your health care provider about diabetes and increased risk from gestational diabetes.

Info from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 2011

Related articles

• Understanding Gestational Diabetes (everydayhealth.com)
• Screening Tests for Gestational Diabetes (everydayhealth.com)
• Get Prediabetes Under Control Before Pregnancy (everydayhealth.com)
• African-Americans With Diabetes in Pregnancy Have Higher Risk of Future Diabetes (webmd.com)

 Flu is more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant women than in women who are not pregnant. Changes in the immune system, heart, and lungs during pregnancy make pregnant women more prone to severe illness from flu as well as hospitalizations and even death. Pregnant woman with flu also have a greater chance for serious problems for their unborn baby, including premature labor and birth.

The flu vaccine will protect pregnant women, their unborn babies and even protect the baby after birth.

The Flu Vaccine is the Best Protection Against Flu

Getting a flu vaccine is the first and most important step in protecting against flu. The flu vaccine given during pregnancy has been shown to protect both the mother and her baby (up to 6 months old) from flu. (The nasal spray vaccine should not be given to women who are pregnant.)  

The Flu Vaccine is Safe for Pregnant Women

Flu vaccines are a safe way to protect the mother and her unborn child from serious illness and complications of flu. The flu vaccine has been given to millions of pregnant women over many years.  Flu vaccines have not been shown to cause harm to pregnant women or their babies. It is very important for pregnant women to get the flu shot.

When you get your flu vaccine our body starts to make antibodies that help protect you against the flu. Antibodies can be passed on to your unborn baby, and help protect the baby for up to 6 months after he or she is born. This is important, because vaccines do not work in babies younger than 6 months. At this age, babies will not develop a sufficient immune response, so they cannot get the flu vaccine until they are 6 months old.  If you breastfeed your infant, antibodies may also be passed through your breast milk.

You can receive the flu vaccine at any time, during any trimester while you are pregnant.  It takes about two weeks to make antibodies after getting flu vaccine.  Talk to your healthcare provider about getting vaccinated as soon as you can.

Other Preventive Actions

In addition to getting the flu vaccine, pregnant women should take additional everyday preventive actions. Early treatment is important for pregnant women. If you get sick with flu-like symptoms, call your healthcare provider right away. If needed, your healthcare provider will prescribe an antiviral medicine that treats the flu.

If you have flu-like symptoms–even if you have already had a flu shot–call your healthcare provider right away. Your healthcare provider can prescribe medicine to treat the flu and lessen the chance of serious illness.  These medicines must be started as soon as possible.  If you have any or all of the following symptoms, contact your healthcare provider immediately:

• Fever
• Cough
• Sore Throat
• Headache
• Body aches
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

Having a fever caused by flu infection or other infections early in pregnancy can lead to birth defects in an unborn child. Pregnant women who get a fever should treat their fever with Tylenol® (or store brand equivalent) and contact their healthcare provider as soon as possible.

When to Seek Emergency Medical Care

If you have any of these signs, call 911 right away:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• High fever that is not responding to Tylenol® (or store brand equivalent)
• Decreased or no movement of your baby

Info provided from the CDC.GOV 2011

Related articles

• It’s Flu Season Again- Recommendations For Pregnancy (9monthsin9monthsout.com)
• Fu vaccine for pregnant women: Good idea or bad science? (marksloanmd.wordpress.com)

In a previous post, I discussed the art of creating a ‘stillness game’ with our young one to help him learn to relax down to sleep. While there are a plethora of CDs, books, and MP3s (I know, I’ve made one too) out there to help you, sometimes, it’s best for your child to hear your voice in helping them to relax down to sleep.

I’ve found that the keys to relaxation with children are voice and music. There are a variety of methods out there from Transcendental Meditation to using mantras to relax. I’ve found the simple methods of focusing on your breathing or following a step-by-step muscle relaxation work the best for the majority of the adults and children I’ve worked with.

Most children find their parent’s voices soothing when we’re trying to help quiet down a pain or discomfort. Sometimes, they fight you on sheer principle. You’ll need to test this process for a few days to see if you’re going to be able to use your own voice, recruit a family member, or find something or someone else out there to help. Please, test it out for at least a week before moving on to another solution. I’d really recommend trying it for a month so they have some consistency and a chance to succeed with it. But, if you’re still feeling frustrated, move on to something else to see if it will help. We want both you and your child to have a relaxing evening.

Our focus here is to teach you how to use your voice to help your child relax down to sleep. (You’ll learn to, this can and will help with temper tantrums and general screaming fits.) With your voice, you need to work on cadence and levels. You need to slow your regular speech pattern down so that almost every word comes across on a single slow and steady breath.

To record yourself, you can use such products as GarageBand on the Mac and Magix for the PC. I switch back and forth between both. Make sure you use a headset to help cancel out any background noise. And, if you or your spouse is a musician, all the better!  As for music, you want to select something with less than 60 beats a minute. Any of the meditation CDs you find at Target or in iTunes will work just fine for your personal recording. I’ve steered away from things such as nature sounds or thunderstorms, as these make our son agitated in his sleep. Instead, I selected a soft ocean theme with some light harp and flute music in the background. Your music selection will depend on your child. I know one who loves bagpipes!

The script below should last at least five minutes. I start with about 20 seconds of music before I start the script below, giving them a little bit to adjust to the fact it’s bedtime. The music lays just below the voice for the first part, the first five minutes. You want the voice to be loud enough for them to focus on it. When I’m done recording the main session (the first five minutes), I add in enough music to last about 25-30 minutes and then layer in the voice recording just below the music 2-3 more times (you don’t want to be able to consciously hear the voice, on mine, I can hear it at certain parts, but my musician husband can’t, go figure) and then let the rest just run as music.

Ok, time to lay back and relax. Find your spot. Get all nice and comfy. Take a deep breath. And a big yawn. (You will actually yawn.) Letting your body relax. Eyes closed now. Feeling your head relax. Getting all nice and comfy.

Feeling your face relax. Warm, soft, secure. Letting your neck and shoulders get nice and warm. Soft and relaxed. Letting your chest relax. Warm and comfy. All safe and secure.

Eyes still closed, baby. Nice and relaxed. Imagining all the good things you got to do today. All the fun stuff.

Letting your arms get nice and heavy. Quiet and relaxed. Tummy relaxing.

Another deep breath in. And a big yawn. That’s right, nice and relaxed. Winding down now.

Letting your legs get nice and heavy. Feeling warm, safe and secure. All nice and cozy.

Hmm, that’s good. Finding your spot. Letting your body unwind. Let go. That’s it. Safe and secure. Nice and relaxed. Knowing that mommy and daddy love you very much. And that you’re safe, secure, and relaxed here. Nice and warm. Happy. Secure.

Just letting go now. All warm and loved. Knowing that you’re very good and we love you very much. That’s right. Safe and secure.

If you would like to hear a short sample, click here.

Your important items in the script are (and ones you should make sure show up in your own version):

1)   getting your child to find their spot

2)   repetition

Working with them on “finding their spot” allows them to choose where they’re going to relax and gives them a verbal cue to do so. You are giving them a choice, giving them the power rather than initiating a power struggle. And, if you think about it, don’t you fall asleep in the same position night after night? I know I do.  I curl up on my stomach, tuck the pillow under my head and sling my arm over another pillow. I’m out. I watch our son, he curls up on his side, throws an arm over a stuffed animal and once he gets still (i.e., stops kicking his feet) he’s out. As for repetition, this is key in relaxation or guided meditation. Using the same words over and over again helps the brain naturally slow down and focus. Use whatever words you normally use when trying to calm them down, and no, not the ones you use when frustrated, the soft soothing ones.

Practice the script a few times without them around. Find your natural rhythm with it. Use it as a guide to write down your own, adding in your own phrases and terminology. I kept the body parts generic so that even very young children can respond to the process. I’ve seen success with kids as young as two.

A couple of great resources I’ve found and actually used in our efforts, because sometimes, he’s just tired of hearing mommy’s voice, are:

• Bubble Riding: A Relaxation Story, Designed to Help Children Increase Creativity While Lowering Stress and Anxiety Levels. (Book) (Indigo Ocean Dreams) – beautifully illustrated, slightly too repetitive and can cause a school aged child to ask you if it’s “going to keep doing that”, but it does help them relax down. He still asks for it sometimes before bed.
• Turtle Island: A Bedtime Story (CD) by Monroe Products – you’re supposed to use it with a special device, but it works just as well for them on your standard iPod. He doesn’t ask for this one as much. He prefers the next one.
• Softly to Sleep (MP3) by myself – the one I recorded that seems to work the best for our son using the exact methods as I have written about here. I can play it on a road trip, and he’s out. We always take our iPods and a player on vacation, and it seems to help being in a new environment.

Whatever method you choose to use, the books, your own recording, or someone else’s recorded voice, know that you can get them to stop the battles and really give you back your evening sanity. It just takes a little ingenuity and some soft, quiet guidance, and you’ll have your little one sleeping softly through the night.

Mastitis occurs when bacteria enter your breast through a break or crack in the skin of your nipple or through the opening  to the milk ducts in your nipple. Bacteria from your skin’s surface and baby’s mouth enter the milk duct and can multiply — leading to pain, redness and swelling of the breast as infection progresses.

Mastitis is often caused by Staphylococcus areus and Escherichia coli bacteria.  It is an unwelcome guest, especially to first time moms who have a difficult enough time trying to establish a breastfeeding routine with their baby.  It is also unwelcome to those of you who have already experienced cracked nipples, have thin or sensitive skin, engorgement or a weakened immune system.  Mastitis is often preceded by engorgement, plugged milk ducts or cracked and bleeding nipples.

Mastitis needs to be differentiated from a plugged or blocked duct, because the plugged or blocked duct does not need treatment with antibiotics, whereas mastitis often, but not always, does require treatment with antibiotics.  A blocked or plugged duct presents as a painful, swollen, firm mass in the breast. The skin overlying the blocked duct is often red, similar to what happens during mastitis, but less intense. Mastitis is usually associated with fever and more intense pain as well. However, it is not always easy to distinguish between a mild mastitis and a severe blocked duct. A blocked duct, can progress to mastitis.

Symptoms of mastitis include:

•                  A red, sore spot or “hot spot” on your breast

•                  Breast tenderness or warmth to the touch

•                  Swelling of the breast

•                  General malaise  or  feeling ill

•                  Overall, flu-like symptoms

•                  Fever of 101 degrees F or 38.3 C or greater

•                  Red lines following the troubled milk duct’s path

Because many healthcare providers will prescribe antibiotics, it is up to the mother to find, in addition to the antibiotics, other remedies and comfort measures to help shorten the episode of mastitis, ease the pain and help to continue to breastfeed your baby.

Self-care remedies. Resting, continuing breast-feeding and drinking extra fluids can help your body overcome the breast infection.  If you are prescribed an antibiotic, the course of therapy will usually be ten to fourteen days of antibiotics. Even though you may feel better after 48 to 72 hours of taking the antibiotics, be sure to finish the antibiotic regimen to ensure your breast infection is resolved.

To relieve your pain and discomfort:

•Be sure to maintain your breastfeeding routine-Yes; you can still breastfeed your baby with a breast infection. It is safe for you and for your baby. It is also recommended by the La Leche League to continue breastfeeding on the affected breast through mastitis to help shorten the episode of the infection and avoid abscesses. Mastitis need never be the reason to discontinue breastfeeding your baby.

• Avoid prolonged engorgement before breastfeeding your baby. You  need to reduce the fullness as much as possible at each feeding to ease the inflammation and expel any milk plugs that may be present. Some babies may be reluctant to breastfeed on the infected breast because of elevated sodium content in the milk. If your  baby cannot be persuaded to nurse, you need to express milk to keep her breast soft.

•                  Use different positions to breastfeed your baby; sometimes the same position causes pressure points on a certain area of the breast, thus causing a plugged duct which can lead to mastitis. Be sure you are in a good and comfortable position before your baby latches on!

•                  Drink plenty of fluids! Did I mention this before? This is important enough to repeat!

•                  If it is too painful to breastfeed on the affected breast and/or your breast is too sore to have babe latch on, you can pump and hand expressing your milk

•                  If you have difficulty emptying a portion of your breast, apply warm compresses to your breasts, take a warm shower, or kneel in your tub filled with warm water and submerge your breasts before breastfeeding your baby or pumping

•                  Wear a good supportive bra

•                  While waiting for the antibiotics to take effect, take a mild pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, others)

Prevention: reduce your chances of getting mastitis by fully draining the milk from your breast while breastfeeding. Allow your baby to completely empty one breast before switching to the other breast during feeding. If your baby nurses only a few minutes on the second breast, or not at all, start breastfeeding on that breast at your next feeding.

Alternate the breast you offer first at each feeding, and change the position you use to breastfeed from one feeding to the next. Make sure your babe latches on properly before each feeding. If your baby is not latched on properly, break the suction with your finger. If baby fusses a few seconds, that is okay. This is better than you developing cracked nipples that can lead to mastitis.

Finally, do not let your baby use you as a pacifier. Babies enjoy sucking and often find comfort in suckling at the breast even when they are not hungry.

Breastfeeding your baby is the most fulfilling action in the mother-infant bonding process.  It should be pain free and fulfilling.

Angel J. Miller, MSN, CNM

Related articles

• Oversupply of Breast Milk-What to Do (9monthsin9monthsout.com)

Author Dr. Stacia D. Kelly with Dr. Ladd McNamara

I spent a wonderful evening learning all about Cellular Nutrition last Saturday night. Dr. Ladd McNamara gave an engaging and informative lecture/workshop about various medical conditions and how to help the body to start helping heal itself.

Ladd McNamara, M.D. is an author and international speaker on the subject of health and wellness, specifically, in the areas of nutritional supplementation, anti-aging, and optimal health. Dr. McNamara practiced as a board certified ob/gyn and gynecological surgeon, with an expertise in bio-identical hormones and anti-aging.  He incorporated high quality nutritional supplements into his medical practice, and witnessed amazing results among his patients who were struggling with significant health challenges.

We discussed the RDA and how they were appropriately set for things like scurvy and rickets. And how they hadn’t been updated for modern concerns until recently with Vitamin D. We delved into the topic if pregnancy and optimal nutrition for mother’s and babies, which was great for me since he authored the forward to our book, “9 Months In ~ 9 Months Out” about that very topic.

(We sold more signed copies of the book than I have at any previous events. People are loving the fact they can get them signed.) And, as a plus, I helped sell all of his audio CDs on “Cellular Nutrition”. I learned more in his workshop than I have in a while and can’t wait to share more on the topic.