Reasons for Mother Not to Breastfeed

A few viruses are known to pass through breast milk. HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is one of them. If the mother is HIV positive, she should not breastfeed. If she has HIV and wants to breastfeed, you can get breast milk for your baby from a milk bank. Sometimes babies can be born with a condition called galactosemia, in which they can’t tolerate breast milk. This is because their bodies can’t break down the sugar galactose.

Babies with classic galactosemia may have liver problems, malnutrition, or mental retardation. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, since both human and animal milk contain the sugar lactose that splits into galactose and glucose, babies with classic galactosemia must be fed a special diet that is free of lactose and galactose.

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, mothers who have active, untreated TB (tuberculosis) or who are receiving any type of chemotherapy drugs should not breastfeed.

If your spouse is breastfeeding, she should not take illegal drugs. Some drugs, such as cocaine and PCP, can affect the baby and cause serious side effects. Other drugs, such as heroin and marijuana can cause irritability, poor sleeping patterns, tremors, and vomiting. Babies can become addicted to these drugs. If you smoke tobacco, it is best for the mother and the baby if she tries to quit as soon as possible. If she can’t quit, it is still better to breastfeed. She also should avoid drinking alcohol. An occasional drink is ok, but she should avoid breastfeeding for two hours after the drink.

Sometimes a baby may have a reaction to something the mother has eaten, but this doesn’t mean your baby is allergic to her milk. Usually, if the mother has eaten a food throughout pregnancy, the baby has already become used to the flavor of this food. If your spouse stops eating whatever is bothering the baby, the problem usually goes away on its own. Some women think that when they are sick, they should not breastfeed. But, most common illnesses, such as colds, flu, or diarrhea, can’t be passed through breast milk.

In fact, if your spouse is sick, her breast milk will have antibodies in it. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, these antibodies will help protect your baby from getting the same sickness.

What is the difference between “baby blues”, postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis?

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS), the baby blues can happen in the days right after childbirth and normally go away within a few days to a week.
A new mother can sudden experience mood swings, sadness, crying spells, loss of appetite, sleeping problems, and feel irritable, restless, anxious, and lonely. Symptoms are not severe and treatment isn’t needed. But there are things you can do to help your spouse feel better. Make sure she naps when the baby does Postpartum depression can happen anytime within the first year after childbirth. A woman may have a number of symptoms such as sadness, lack of energy, trouble concentrating, anxiety, and feelings of guilt and worthlessness.
The difference between postpartum depression and the baby blues is that postpartum depression often affects a woman’s well-being and keeps her from functioning well for a longer period of time. Postpartum depression needs to be treated by a doctor. Counseling, support groups, and medicines are things that can help. Postpartum psychosis is known to be rare.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS), it occurs in 1 or 2 out of every 1000 births and usually begins in the first 6 weeks postpartum. Women who have bipolar disorder or another psychiatric problem called schizoaffective disorder are known to have a higher risk for developing postpartum psychosis. Symptoms may include delusions, hallucinations, sleep disturbances, and obsessive thoughts about the baby. A woman may have rapid mood swings, from depression to irritability to euphoria.

Top ways to tell if your wife is pregnant – maybe even before she does

Pregnancy is usually accompanied by a number of telltale signs. If your spouse is pregnant, these pregnancy symptoms will most likely let you know—much before a medical test confirms your happy suspicion. Read on about how to identify signs that could tell you that your spouse is going to become a mother.

• Your spouse may report increased sensitivity in her breasts. While some women experience this only around their nipples, in others, this feeling extends to the entire breasts.
• You may see a cluster of bluish veins appear around the breasts.
• The areola, or the dark circular portion around the nipples, may reveal small, lighter colored bumps.
• Your spouse’s vaginal area may swell. She may also experience vaginal discharge due to the increased blood flow in this region.
• Changes in your spouse’s skin may also be a pregnancy symptom. Acne, rashes, and drying or chapping of the lips is quite common during pregnancy.
• Many pregnant women also experience a dull cramping pain that is similar to what they experience before or during menstruation.
• Heartburn may be another sign that could suggest your spouse is pregnant.
• Morning sickness, characterized by nausea, is a common pregnancy symptom.
• Your spouse may become intolerant to many smells. Even smells she liked earlier may cause her nausea.
• Another sign of pregnancy is if your spouse suddenly starts complaining of increasing fatigue.
• The early stage of pregnancy may also be marked by heightened hunger pangs. At the same time, your spouse may actually develop an aversion for many foods that she relished earlier.
• Heightened emotional sensitivity is one of the other common pregnancy symptoms. Your spouse may display erratic mood changes during this phase in her life.

While these pregnancy symptoms are often reliable pointers, only a medical test will be able to confirm this.

Draw up a Birth Plan

Your spouse will soon be approaching her due date. The actual event of birth can always spring some surprises when you least expect them. Drawing up a birth plan that clearly lists your preferences and expectations will help you handle emergencies better.

These are some typical questions, the answers to which will help you draw up a birth plan. Some concern issues that require both you and your spouse to decide upon jointly. The others may be left for the mother alone to state her preferences—in consultation with her obstetrician if so required. Be ready to offer your suggestions if she asks for them, though.

Questions for mom and dad

* How would you prefer your baby’s heartbeat to be monitored?

* Should you, as the dad, be the one to cut the umbilical cord?

* Will you opt for cord-blood banking for your baby?

* Would you want a pacifier for your baby after birth?

* Do you want your baby, if a boy, to be circumcised?

Questions only for mom

* Should the delivery take place at home, at a birth center, or in a hospital?

* Whom would she prefer to have around her during the delivery?

* Would she prefer to take medication to manage pain? If so, which?

* Should she be given fluids intravenously, or would she prefer to drink them orally?

* Would she prefer to have a mirror, in position before her, to enable her to see the baby being born?

* Would she prefer breastfeeding? If so, would she prefer to nurse immediately after delivery?

* Should your older children, if any, be present in the hospital after the delivery?

* How long would she prefer to stay in the hospital?

Feeling fetal movements

Around this time, your spouse might begin to feel the first movements of your baby developing inside her womb. These fetal movements should be a reassuring sign for both of you that all is well with your baby.

When and how do fetal movements appear?
While there is no fixed period in the pregnancy when fetal movements appear, for most women this is after about 16 weeks. Your spouse may not describe anything very sensational, just a kind of light tapping or fluttering inside the stomach. In fact, if she is a first time mom, it may take her some time to recognize these as the movements of the baby. With time, she will be able to make out the baby’s activity cycle in more detail, and identify causes which trigger maximum activity.

Can only the mom feel fetal movements?
As the pregnancy advances and the movements become stronger, you will be able to feel them by placing your hands on your partner’s abdomen.

What can fetal movements do?
Fetal movements are an important clue to knowing that everything is fine with your baby. A sudden change or drop in the pattern of these movements, for instance, may indicate that something might be wrong inside. Some doctors even suggest a daily ‘fetal kick count.’ One way to do this is for your spouse to set aside a part of the day when she knows, by experience, the baby to be at its most active. She can then time how long it takes to feel ten distinct movements. If she experiences less than ten movements in two hours, this may be a sign you should consult your doctor.

Is Morning Sickness a good thing?

Sure your wife is doubled over and sick as a dog and it’s hard to watch her suffer.  But you often hear that morning sickness is actually a sign that the baby is doing well. Maybe it’s just a way to make mom feel that all the agony serves some real purpose in the grand plan but laymen theories include the baby “telling” mom what not to eat and mom’s reaction to changing hormones.

But is there a silver lining on what has to be the biggest cloud over the early months of pregnancy?    Yes, says a study published in the International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2006.  Among 7000 women studied, those who had morning sickness (nausea and/or vomiting) were far less likely to have a miscarriage.  In another study, this time by the National Institutes of Health, women who were nauseous in the first four months of pregnancy were 30% less likely to have a miscarriage.

Why is this the case?  Higher levels of hormone produced by healthy placental tissue may cause it.   And doctors now do think that it may be nature’s way of helping the mother avoid foods that would be bad for the developing baby.

While this data does indicate some link between morning sickness and miscarriage, there is no data to suggest any link between nausea and other aspects of a healthy pregnancy.

Timing sexual intercourse for conception

Couples who intend to conceive a baby would do well to time their lovemaking. There is an optimum time for enjoying sexual intercourse that increases the chances of conception. But to be able to do this it is important to know when your spouse is ovulating.

Ovulation in your spouse is determined by her menstrual cycle. The popular belief that ovulation occurs mid-cycle is not really true.

• Ovulation generally occurs about 14 days before she get her period.
• Women who have a 28-day cycle will thus ovulate mid-cycle.
• A woman with a 35-day menstrual cycle will, ovulate closer to day 21, and not mid-cycle.

These are some of the signs that your spouse is ovulating:

• Tenderness in her breasts
• An uncomfortable feeling in the abdomen
• Increase in discharge from the vagina
• Increase in body temperature of up to 1 degree Fahrenheit

If you are planning a baby, the ideal time to have sexual intercourse is one or two days before your spouse ovulates and again on the actual day of her ovulation. Having sexual intercourse on other days is fine. However, you need to ensure that you don’t inadvertently leave out the days around her ovulation. This is because:

• The period while sperms remain alive is about two to three days.
• In contrast, the egg remains for only about half to one day.
• Having sex one or two days before and on the day of the ovulation ensures that there is enough healthy sperm in the fallopian tube at ovulation.

Common Labor Inducers

The third trimester of pregnancy culminates in labor, which marks the beginning of the process of childbirth. The onset of labor is signaled by regular uterine contractions. These contractions are accompanied by changes in the cervix that enable the easy passage of the baby out of the womb.

In certain cases, when labor does not start as expected, the obstetrician may decide to induce labor artificially. Although usually safe, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) does not recommend induction of labor before 39 weeks of gestation, except in case of a medical emergency. If, after 42 weeks, labor still has not started, the obstetrician will induce labor to avoid the risk of the placenta deteriorating.

Here are some commonly accepted aids to induce labor; it may be added, however, that none of these are medically accepted as being effective:

• Evening Primrose Oil: Evening Primrose Oil, or EPO, contains certain ingredients that help the body produce prostaglandins—the chemicals that bring about the changes in the cervix for delivery. Some women believe that applying EPO around the cervix in the last weeks of pregnancy helps to keep the cervix in a dilated state. Putting anything in the vagina, however, increases the risk of infections and doctors do not recommend such a practice.
• Blue and Black Cohosh: These two herbs, used together, are believed to help induce labor by increasing the uterine contractions. According to certain studies however, blue cohosh was found to be responsible for causing hemorrhages in the mother. It is also believed to have a damaging effect on the baby’s heart. In any case, it is unwise for your spouse to try any labor inducing techniques without consulting her obstetrician first.
• Aromatherapy: Aromatherapy is another option favored by women who wish to induce labor. It is said that the use of certain oils such as clary sage, added to the bath, may have the desired effect.
• Acupuncture: Stimulating trigger points in the body is supposed to help start labor. It is essential that your spouse discuss her plans with her obstetrician first.
• Massage: Many believe that a good massage can also hasten the onset of labor. Your spouse should hire the services of a qualified masseuse, but only after consulting her obstetrician.

Often however, the reason many women have delayed labor is due to their own anxiety. Helping your spouse relax may often be enough to start the process of labor.

What are the Symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

These are some of the symptoms of PCOS listed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services:

• infrequent menstrual periods, no menstrual periods, and/or irregular bleeding
• infertility or inability to get pregnant because of not ovulating
• increased growth of hair on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes
• acne, oily skin, or dandruff
• pelvic pain
• weight gain or obesity, usually carrying extra weight around the waist
• type 2 diabetes
• high cholesterol
• high blood pressure
• male-pattern baldness or thinning hair
• patches of thickened and dark brown or black skin on the neck, arms, breasts, or thighs
• skin tags, or tiny excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area
• sleep apnea – excessive snoring and breathing stops at times while asleep

PCOS – How is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Treated?

Because there is no cure for PCOS, it needs to be managed to prevent problems. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, treatment is based on the symptoms each patient is having and whether she wants to conceive or needs contraception. Below are descriptions of treatments used for PCOS.

• Birth control pills: For women who don’t want to become pregnant, birth control pills can regulate menstrual cycles, reduce male hormone levels, and help to clear acne. However, the birth control pill does not cure PCOS. The menstrual cycle will become abnormal again if the pill is stopped. Women may also think about taking a pill that only has progesterone, like Provera, to regulate the menstrual cycle and prevent endometrial problems. But according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, progesterone alone does not help reduce acne and hair growth.
• Diabetes Medications: The medicine, Metformin, also called Glucophage, which is used to treat type 2 diabetes, also helps with PCOS symptoms. Metformin affects the way insulin regulates glucose and decreases the testosterone production. Abnormal hair growth will slow down and ovulation may return after a few months of use. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, these medications will not cause a person to become diabetic.
• Fertility Medications: The main fertility problem for women with PCOS is the lack of ovulation. Even so, your sperm count should be checked and your spouse’s tubes checked to make sure they are open before fertility medications are used. Clomiphene (pills) and Gonadotropins (shots) can be used to stimulate the ovary to ovulate. PCOS patients are at increased risk for multiple births when using these medications. In vitro Fertilization (IVF) is sometimes recommended to control the chance of having triplets or more. Metformin can be taken with fertility medications and helps to make PCOS women ovulate on lower doses of medication.
• Medicine for increased hair growth or extra male hormones: If a woman is not trying to get pregnant there are some other medicines that may reduce hair growth. Spironolactone is a blood pressure medicine that has been shown to decrease the male hormone’s effect on hair. Propecia, a medicine taken by men for hair loss, is another medication that blocks this effect. Both of these medicines can affect the development of a male fetus and should not be taken if pregnancy is possible. Other non-medical treatments such as electrolysis or laser hair removal are effective at getting rid of hair. A woman with PCOS can also take hormonal treatment to keep new hair from growing.
• Surgery: Although it does not recommend as the first course of treatment, surgery called ovarian drilling is available to induce ovulation. The doctor makes a very small incision above or below the navel, and inserts a small instrument that acts like a telescope into the abdomen. This is called laparoscopy. The doctor then punctures the ovary with a small needle carrying an electric current to destroy a small portion of the ovary. This procedure carries a risk of developing scar tissue on the ovary. This surgery can lower male hormone levels and help with ovulation. However, these effects may only last a few months. This treatment does not help with increased hair growth and loss of scalp hair.
• A healthy weight: Maintaining a healthy weight is another way women can help manage PCOS. Since obesity is common with PCOS, a healthy diet and physical activity help, maintain a healthy weight, which will help the body lower glucose levels, use insulin more efficiently, and may help restore a normal period. Even loss of 10% of her body weight can help make a woman’s cycle more regular.