Ways To Overcome Post Natal Depression

Every mother feels the indescribable joy of holding her newborn child in her arms. But amidst all that, she may sometimes have to endure an unbearable animosity towards the child, which can even get the better of her and her relationship with the child.

This is no ordinary problem. It is an illness that not only will affect her, but also, the innocent child. In worst cases, it can lead to death.

We are referring to Post Natal Depression.

Post Natal Depression can be considered a syndrome that attacks some women out there the moment they have given birth.

Yes, life after the birth of your child is not necessarily a fairy tale like what you would see on television dramas or movies. You may not be battling with the physical pain that much, but you would definitely be battling with your emotional roller coasters the most.

Your mentality of everything that surrounds you will change for the worse, in such a way that you would have thoughts of negative happenings that apparently have not taken place at all, and would even go against others around you without any rhyme or reason. Most of all, you would develop negative perceptions and hatred for your own baby.

If you are one of those women who are going through these darkest after-birth moments, you need help!

But do not fret! It may seem like an illness that is beyond control, but it can actually be cured and overcome if you try your best to.

Ladies, let us share with you on what you can do to fight the battle. This information, too, would be useful for any of you whose friends or loved ones are facing Post Natal Depression, because in times like this, you could be the one they need the most.

1. Family support is the key factor that can keep her going despite her post-natal ordeals. Family members should never leave her unattended. You can take turns among yourselves to take care of her. Most importantly, understand that what she is going through will not last forever. Hence, you should be tolerant of her and not be too pushy for that period of time, and always remind her that the illness will gradually fade away.

2. Seek advice from doctors or professionals. They would be able to prescribe the most appropriate medications and provide further therapies that can help improve the situation.

3. Besides doctors, counselors can play a part for you too. Since Post Natal Depression highly involves conflict of emotions and downfall in terms of your self-esteem, counselors would be able to advise you on how such illness can be tackled in a more proper way. Family members can also get help from these professionals on how they can show their support towards the victims of this illness.

4. Instill some self-belief and self-confidence in you. Have faith that the illness will go away as long as you stay unwearied and strong. Yes, it is tough to pull it through, but if you can overcome that unbearable pain of bringing your child to life, why would you not be able to overcome this one?

5. Avoid consuming pills because they will exacerbate the depression in you rather than reducing it. You should especially avoid them during that point in time when you had just given birth to your child. Remember that pills are not the easy way out for you. As mentioned earlier on, seek advice from doctors with regards to the prescription of medications if you really need a form of medication for yourself.

Mothers and mothers-to-be, Post Natal Depression cannot be taken for granted, but it can be remedied. After all, it is only temporary.

To the families and friends of these victims, always shower them with your love and care, and perhaps the illness can fade away sooner than you expect.

Motherhood can be the most unforgettable if you know how to control your emotions and your mind. Think about your child who has got nothing to do with what you have to endure.

And think about those women who have been there done that. If those women could fight and surpass the illness, so could you.

Hope that all of you will be able to enjoy motherhood to the fullest!

How To Avoid Toxins in Skin Care During Pregnancy

The Natural Path To Skin Care During Pregnancy

Expectant mothers are becoming much more aware of the products that the apply to their skin to protect the fetus growing inside of them. During pregnancy a number of changes occur that impact on the emotions and body due to an increase in circulation and hormonal functions designed to assist with the birthing whilst supporting the new baby's growth.

Changes in oestrogen, progesterone and melanin stimulating hormones can lead to skin changes including sensitivity, dryness, stretching, itchiness and darkening in a variety of areas. During pregnancy nails could become more brittle and thinner and sometimes harder. Usually they return to normal within 6 months post birth. This is when a first class luxuriant body lotion and stretch mark oil should be used often.

The ovaries release a large amount of oestrogen throughout pregnancy and to proportion this there is an increase in androgens which affects the hair. Abnormal hair growth on the upper lip, chin and sides of the face can be caused by this. Don't be troubled it only accelerates vellus hair, a fine peach like fuzz, which as a rule disappears after childbirth.

In my experience, once pregnant, expectant mum's should instantly start using luxuriant body lotions or body oils to assure the skin is deeply moisturised to prevent the itching sensation caused by stretching skin as the baby grows. Sudden stretching of the skin can result in scars know as stretch marks due to the underlying connective tissue rupturing.

Reducing the probability of stretch marks that appear also on the hips, breasts, rear of thighs is to keep the moisture level up by use of oils, plant butters or rich moisturisers. Stretch marks are very common in a broad percentage of women who become pregnant. As elasticity and stretching are a biological matter, using on a daily basis applications can significantly improve the skin's flexibility and suppleness to help decrease chance of stretch marks.

Due to more pollution in the atmosphere, it is important to do what we can to avoid the increasing toxin load in our bodies. A knowledge of the nature of skin and how ingredients in pregnancy skin care products might actually permeate the skin and be delivered into the blood stream, can assist us see why, it is fundamental to avoid synthetic ingredients at all costs.

The skin's responsibility is to permit substances in as well as keeping them out. This function depends on the environment in which the skin finds itself.

Below is more detail on transdermal (across the skin) absorption...

The skin consists of several layers. The epidermis (what we can touch) the dermis (contains most of the blood vessels), the subcutaneous tissue are the basic divisions of the skin. The external layer of the epidermis, is called the stratum corneum, comprises of several layers of keratinised epithelial cells tightly jammed together which aid in keeping the skin hydrated. Keratin contributes to the composition of a semi waterproof barrier.

Substances must have a low molecular weight to permeate the skin. Pure essential oils, are concentrated essences with a small molecular structure that allows them to penetrate the skin easily and work into the body by mixing with the fatty tissue. They are regularly added to high quality skin care products. Because of the small molecular structure of essential oils they have a lower weight to fixed oils. therefore all the excellent beneficial properties associated with essential oils are absorbed into the bloodstream quite quickly. Fixed oils act as a carrier for essential oils and because they have a higher molecular weight they lie on the surface, acting as a lubricant. It is important to note that some essential oils can cause irritation for some skin types so it is worth having an informed discussion with your skin care supplier when buying. A lot of mainstream lotions contain ingredients other than fixed or pure essential oils - namely, synthetic fragrances, and preservatives. Sorry to say, most of these synthetic substances can penetrate the skin and promptly deliver into the bloodstream.

The information about the nature of the skin helps us understand how ingredients in skin care products actually penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream. If we are attempting to maintain a toxin free body, it is obvious that we would select natural organic skin care products.

The real benefits of natural skin care products vs mainstream is that they comprise all natural ingredients free from artificial colouring, preservatives, fragrances and is cruelty free.

Medicinal plant essences and herbs have been valued for thousands of years for their therapeutic giving properties. Modern science now has confirmed the has many varied offerings that can support expectant mothers from childbirth and beyond.

To know they are doing the very best for their unborn baby and their own bodies women find this knowledge comforting.

It goes without saying that to maintain a healthy pregnancy and skin it is vital to have a good whole food diet, plenty of water, exercise, sleep and daily applications of body oils, lotions, and avoidance of any chemical exposure. All this will ensure enormous benefit for the mother and new baby.

Summing up the fundamental difference in terms of natural maternity skin care is sound awareness. It is about being more informed about the products you use on your body, as soon a new baby is coming into the world and what you do before they arrive is just as important as what you do after.

'Love is the sound of a new baby's cry','

Altius Health Plans - Quality Plans, Customer Service, and Provider Choice

Altius Health Plans is one of the most customer-friendly health insurance companies in Utah.

Customer Service

Ever since Altius entered the Utah health insurance market, they have taken pride in their attention to customer service. Many Utah residents that have Altius health insurance through their work, insist on continuing with Altius once they leave their place of employment.

Plans & Maternity

Altius has had and continues to have competitive priced plans that are rich in benefits. Altius won't likely be the right company for you if you plan on having a baby in the near future, as their maternity deductible is one of the highest in Utah.

Stability

However Altius Health Plans boasts a large doctor network and the large independent HCA hospital network. They have done a great job managing health insurance rates and keeping them at a reasonable level. Altius Health Plans has a variety of plans ranging from those that cover office visits and prescriptions before the deductible to major medical plans with high deductible that allow the use of health savings accounts. Altius has excellent financial backing and has shown that they are in Utah to stay.

Value-Added Bonus'

One thing that Altius does that no other Utah insurance company does is they offer a dental discount plan to each one of their members who have a health insurance plan. This allows their members to receive dental services at a reduced price if they use preferred providers. On top of that, each member receives discounts on a variety of other services, such as eye wear and other health-related services.

Childbirth Choices - Be Informed

Giving birth is a common occurrence, but if you are anticipating it for the first time, it feels anything but ordinary. Little in life affects you profoundly as becoming a mother. Although the choices you confront may seem overwhelming, a little education, introspection and planning, can make the road much easier to navigate. Take charge of the trip by considering the following few issues.

Educate yourself on different ways of viewing birth.

Obstetricians are trained to view pregnancy and childbirth as medical conditions requiring treatment and intervention, while midwives tend to see them as natural, healthy and normal occurrences. This philosophical distinction is significant and affects how your pregnancy, labor, and birth are managed, as well as what kind of outcomes you have.

Studies confirm, for example, that many routine obstetrical interventions used during pregnancy and birthing do not improve birth outcomes and undermine a woman’s ability to give birth naturally. And a single intervention such as inducing labor may set into place an entire cascade of interventions, often culminating in a C-sections, half of which are medically unncessarily. C-sections have been skyrocketing in recent years – 32% in 2005. That means your odds are basically one in three! Many refer to this as an “epidemic.”

Obviously there are situations when technology and interventions save lives. But how a health care provider views pregnancy and childbirth – not to mention women - can dramatically impact the kind of experience you have.

Think about what kind of health care provider you want.

Obstetricians are surgical specialists and their expertise is clearly needed in high risk situations. While the majority of women in the U.S. today receive obstetrical care, such expertise is typically not required to manage healthy, normal pregnancies. In fact, outside of the United States and Canada, explains, Marsden Wagner, neonatologist, perinatal epidemiologist, and former director of Maternal and Child Health in the European Regional Office of the World Health Organization, the majority of women receive not obstetrical care, but midwifery care.

Midwives are qualified health care professionals, trained to assist healthy women with normal pregnancies and births. Some are CNMs, (certified nurse-midwives who are registered nurses with additional education in midwifery), and others are independent midwives with differing credentials. Some are CPMs (certified professional midwives) and some are CMs, (certified midwives), but both follow programs leading to national certification. And all are trained to act in emergency situations and recognize problems requiring the consultation or care of a physician.

A third alternative is a family physician. Although fewer family doctors do deliveries than in years past, approximately 25 percent offer obstetrical care for healthy women with low-risk pregnancies. Their approaches vary considerably, as does their reliance on medical and technological intervention.

Regardless of which type of provider you choose, it’s important to find the setting and practitioner with whom you trust and feel comfortable. Explore all your options, sit with the information, and then listen to what your heart tells you.

Explore different birth settings.

The vast majority of U.S. births take place in hospitals. If this is your choice, find out ahead of time what options are available and who can be with you during labor and birth. The Coalition for Maternity Services, a coalition of individuals and national organizations working to promote a wellness model of maternity care, recommends asking what happens during a normal labor and birth and finding out how often various procedures are performed, such as labor inductions, episiotomies and C-sections. A list of ten helpful questions to ask is available at:

[http://motherfriendly.org/Ten_Questions/tenquestions.html].

Hospitals, however, are not the answer for everyone. Birth centers and home births offer women with normal pregnancies the option of more individualized, personal and intimate birth experiences. Many people shy away from home births fearing they are not as safe as birthing in a hospital. Numerous studies in scientific and medical journals, however, conclude that for low-risk women, planned home births are associated with fewer interventions, lower costs and equally safe, if not safer, outcomes than those of physician-attended, hospital births.

For more information on birth centers, visit the National Association of Childbearing Center’s web page at: http://www.birthcenters.org/. For more information on home births, as well as midwives, go to Citizens for Midwifery at http://www.cfmidwifery.org/

Take a childbirth preparation course.

“The difference between taking a class and not taking one can mean the difference between a vaginal birth and a cesarean for something as simple as the positions you choose for your labor,” explains Barbara Hotelling, Past President of Lamaze International, the oldest childbirth education association in the U.S.

But look around. Some classes are designed simply to prepare you for what to expect in the hospital setting, while others aim to empower you to be active participants throughout pregnancy and birthing. Likewise, instructors’ training may differ. Those trained with organizations such as Lamaze, Bradley, Birthing From Within, and Birthworks, understand the distinction between normal birth and medicalized birth. Hotelling recommends speaking with several instructors before making a decision.

Gather support.

The focus in our culture is on the birth of a baby. Little attention is given to the birth of a mother. If at all possible, surround yourself with supportive people and think about who you would like to have with you at the birth. "Birthing women need loving, reverent support, asserts psychologist and doula, Lauren Korfine. “as they do the hard work of surrendering the life they have known and crossing over into motherhood.”

Doulas offer emotional and physical support during labor and childbirth, as well as postpartum support. Studies show that the presence of a birth doula can result in shorter labors, less need for pain medication and intervention, and lower C-section rates. It also increases women’s birth satisfaction. In other words, birthing women without someone whose only job is to support them, are likely to have longer and more difficult births. Doulas of North American (DONA) is a good starting place and has the website has a link on how to find a doula near you. Visit: http://www.dona.org/ or call 1-888-788-DONA.

Read and Learn.

Although the number of pregnancy and childbirth books on the market seems to grow exponentially, here are four excellent choices:

• The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer

• A Good Birth, A Safe Birth by Diana Korte and Roberta Scaer.

• Gentle Birth Choices by Barbara Harper.

• Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin.

Simple Things to Do to Help Yourself Get Pregnant Naturally

When you are trying to get pregnant you may look every where and ask the question "can someone please help me get pregnant naturally". You will drive yourself and no doubt everyone around you bonkers asking for some one somewhere to assist. But before you loose you mind with the "help me get pregnant" drama ask yourself, are you and your male partner doing everything that you can to facilitate the result you want. Drugs can have a varied effect and most women wish to get pregnant naturally, they should start their journey by Asking themselves, "What can I do to help me get pregnant" or "What can he do to help me get pregnant". Women often times make things harder on themselves by panicking when they are not getting pregnant as fast as they think they should. Stress can lead to issues with ovulation and should be avoided.

First find out what your working with by buying a basil thermometer and beginning to record for one month your basil temperature. Make an appointment for your gynecologist and his urologist, and start keeping track of what each of you do daily to increase your chances at success.

Next understand that timing is everything when it comes to increasing your chances of getting pregnant. The best time when a woman will be her most fertile is the five days leading up to her period and the day that she is ovulating. Studies have shown that the period after this time a woman's fertility drops from about 36% to about 10% after her period.

Next go back to your two main questions you asked at the beginning of this article:

"What can I do to help me get pregnant naturally?"

While most problems do lie with the man there a few things which can cause issues on the woman's side of the matter these simple things can help to make you as fertilization ready as possible.

The top thing you can do to help yourself get pregnant is to have a very detailed and intimate understanding of your body and keep records of how and when it does the things that are important to facilitate getting pregnant.

Avoid any supplements or medications which can interfere with your bodies ability to ovulate or to receive a fertilized egg. Simple research can help you to determine what these are. You may also want to consider increasing your chances to get pregnant naturally is by using supplements to make the vaginal chamber and womb more accommodating and sperm friendly. Sperm are very delicate little things and can easily be thrown off if everything inside you is not right. You also want to have your doctor preform a very thorough gynecological exam and exploration procedure on you to make sure your vagina is healthy and that everything is working as it should. A woman can actually tell if she is in the fertile period of the month, simply by monitoring her cervical mucus. This fluid is released from the woman's vagina prior to her period. When the fluid becomes plentiful and thin then a woman is in her ovulation period and this is the best chance to become pregnant.

"What can my male partner do to help me get pregnant naturally?"

Usually the problem with hard fertilization lies with the man. Use these simple methods to assist in making him as fertilization ready as possible.

Get your male partner checked with a urologist to establish his sperm count, if it is low, look into ways of increasing the count. Temperature is vital to healthy sperm, in the natural world a male animals sperm are protected by the constant adjustments made by the scrotum, Human however wear clothes and do other activities which interfere with the bodies natural systems. You can take steps however to make things more beneficial to production with some changes, these may be as simple as changing him from tighty whities to boxer shorts. He should also refrain from taking hot baths or using a steam room or jacuzzi for 6 weeks prior to your attempt to get pregnant. When at home he should remove his pants and be in underwear or other loose fitting shorts as much as possible to help keep temperatures in the favorable range.

Your male partners endowment is also important to the process of getting pregnant, as is his ejacualtory force. The sperm can only travel so far before they start to expire. The closer you can get the sperm to the crevice the better, this being said if your male partner is less than average in endowment or has a weak ejaculatory force then you might want to consider "alternative fertilizing methods" one of the most popular is a phallic shaped device about 8½ inches long, which contains a chamber and plunger mechanism, you male partner loads the chamber with his seaman and after insertion of the device the plunger is presses and squirts the seaman into the cervical area.

Another aspect that falls on him is the amount of seaman he produces and the sperm count of the seaman. When first starting out measure his production by using a set of measuring spoons. The average healthy man between 30-45 should be producing 3-5 tablespoons a day on average. This is optimal to getting a positive implementation. If your male partner is not producing at this level talk to a doctor or herbalist about supplements which can help to increase the volume. He should also try "constant arousal therapy" this is a process of minor masturbation sessions, which he does 4-5 times a day for about 5-7 minutes each time for the two weeks leading up to your ovulation period. He should refrain from any voluntary ejaculations during these sessions in order to increase both volume, force and sperm count of his product.

Breastfeeding and the Law

Earlier this month, which happens to be Breastfeeding Month, the well-known model Gisele Bundchen ignited a firestorm of controversy regarding her opinion that breastfeeding should become a worldwide requirement by law.

Gisele, clearly passionate about being a new mother, may have over-reached a bit, but her heart was in the right place. She retracted her statement a few days later on her own blog, stating that she did not mean to say it should be a law but that she was just being enthusiastic and that the statement was taken out of context by the press and media outlets. I mention this because I think Gisele has advanced an important conversation regarding the workplace and expression of breast milk.

Gisele Bundchen wrote on her blog. "My intention in making a comment about the importance of breastfeeding has nothing to do with the law. It comes from my passion and beliefs about children. Becoming a new mom has brought a lot of questions, I feel like I am in a constant search for answers on what might be the best for my child. It's unfortunate that in an interview sometimes things can seem so black and white. I am sure if I would just be sitting talking about my experiences with other mothers, we would just be sharing opinions. I understand that everyone has their own experience and opinions and I am not here to judge. I believe that bringing a life into this world is the single most important thing a person can undertake and it can also be the most challenging. I think as mothers we are all just trying our best."

Last week I wrote about how to safely store your breast milk while working, or away from your baby, for any reason. This week, my article is about the many challenges women around the world face, both cultural and governmental, when trying to breastfeed their babies.

The month of August is Breast Awareness Month. The United States Department of Health and Human Services is sponsoring a campaign to encourage women to breastfeed. Despite all of the articles and books promoting the importance of optimizing infant health by breastfeeding, 70% of women will start breastfeeding immediately after delivery, and fewer than 20% will still be breastfeeding 6 months later. There still exist numerous cultural and legal barriers that make it very difficult for mothers to exclusively breastfeed. Women often feel nervous and embarrassed when breastfeeding in public and this will often result in abandoning breastfeeding.

A well known legal case in 1981 (Dike v. The School Board) is a perfect example of a discriminating situation that breastfeeding mothers may face.

Case Study

Janice Dike was a grade school teacher in Orange County, florida, who was banned from breastfeeding her child during her free lunch period. She claimed that her breastfeeding did not interfere with her teaching or her other school and work activities. The local court ruled against her, saying that it was illegal to breastfeed at the school. On appeal to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, this decision was reversed. The decision stated that breastfeeding is a Constitutional right that cannot be restricted by the states. However, this ruling was again reversed in the case of Shahar v Bowers (1997) in which the Court stated that the Constitution does not address private conduct but rather that State laws should control a woman's basic right to breast feed her child.

What are the current laws?

There are Federal laws and State laws that protect the rights of breastfeeding mothers and provide a socially supportive environment. Mothers must be aware of the legislation that exists in their particular state to avoid feelings of discrimination and to alleviate any anxiety they may have in public places. States vary in their protection of women.

• Forty-four states (and the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands) have laws specifically allowing women to breastfeed in public and private places.


• Twenty eight states (including the district of Columbia and the Virgin Islands) have specific laws exempting breastfeeding from public indecency laws.


• Twenty four states (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) have laws that protect women when breastfeeding in the workplace.


• Twelve states (including Puerto Rico) exempt breastfeeding women from jury duty.


• Five states and Puerto Rico have breastfeeding education campaigns.


• Individual states also have unique laws. Places like New Jersey and Hawaii allow a woman to seek legal recourse if she is unfairly discriminated against for public breastfeeding and states like Missouri allow breastfeeding only in certain locations and times and with appropriate discretion.


• Women are permitted to feed in any federal owned building or property, regardless of state (passed in 1999).


• Only Virginia allows women to breastfeed on any land or property owned by the State.

In my own state, Connecticut, there is a law that protects a woman's right to breastfeed her child in any public place and employers must allow you to breastfeed or express milk at work, even if it is a very small firm. This means that your employer must allow you to breastfeed or express milk during your meal or break period and your employer must make a reasonable effort to provide a room or comfortable location to do this (not a toilet stall).

Federal Laws

In March 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which now requires an employer to provide reasonable break time for an employee to express milk for the purposes of nursing or expressing milk for her child for one year. The employer has no obligation to compensate the employee for this time. The employer must also provide a reasonable space to do this (not a bathroom). An employer of fewer than 50 employees is are not required to do this if it imposes undue hardship. Also, this law is not meant to preempt any state law that provides even greater protection for a nursing employee.

In the past, other bills have been proposed in Congress to try to protect breastfeeding rights that provide for tax incentives for businesses to create lactation lounges for employees, minimum standards for quality control for breast pumps, and tax deductions for breastfeeding equipment and services. However, these proposals have not been passed.

US Policy on Breastfeeding

In the larger arena, in world policy, the United States has not been considered one of the world leaders in policy to promote breastfeeding.

Important international policies in the past included:

• The UN convention in 1989 on the Rights of the Child which was ratified by every country in the world except the United States and Somalia. This convention provided a basis for governments, international agencies and other organizations to formulate programs to provide for supporting, promoting, and protecting breastfeeding.


• In 1989, WHO and UNICEF issued a joint statement entitled Protection, Promotion, and Support of breastfeeding: Ten Steps to successful Breastfeeding that calls on hospitals and health care facilities to adopt practices to encourage and promote breastfeeding.


• 1990, The Innocenti Declaration was created by participants of WHO/UNICEF policy makers meeting on breastfeeding held in Florence Italy that set targets for governments to implement by 1995 for establishing national breastfeeding coordinators and committees and ensuring appropriate maternity services protecting the breastfeeding rights of working women.


• The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) was launched in 1991 by WHO and UNICEF to call for action for all maternity services, freestanding or hospital-based, to become centers for excellence in breastfeeding support. Accreditation is granted when a center doesn't accept free or low cost breast milk substitutes, does not provide feeding bottles or artificial nipples and has implemented the ten step program to support breastfeeding. As of 2007 there were only 56 hospitals and birthing centers in the US holding the BabyFriendly certificate.


• The United States breastfeeding Committee was established in 1998 (USBC) which works on advocacy issues at the Federal level. This is a group of 40 organizations which promote, protect, and support breastfeeding in the United States by focusing on national policy issues. The Committee attempts to promote implementation of the Innocenti goals of 1990 for establishing a national breastfeeding committee.


• In 2001 the United States Surgeon General issued the HHS Blueprint for Action on breastfeeding to encourage, market and support breastfeeding in the community and allow for the health care system of the US to support the training of health care professionals on the basics of lactation counseling and management within hospitals and maternity centers, and to support facilitation of breastfeeding for women who return to the workplace.

For woman facing discrimination, complaints can be filed with the National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy (http://www.naba-breastfeeding.org/).

The LaLeche League International (LLLI) is also a valuable source for breastfeeding legislation. In addition, www.ncsl.org is a good resource for reviewing your particular states legislation on breastfeeding.

Conclusion

Breastfeeding a newborn infant is considered a mother's basic human right, to provide for a child's right to proper nutrition, health and care. The various countries have their own cultural, social, economic, and political norms, but basic protection guaranteed by government is essential to support women's rights in this area. With recent legislation under President Obama, the United States is finally trying to catch up by providing legal and social support to improve national objectives for increasing the percentage of breastfeeding to 75% at birth, 50% at 6 months and 25% at one year of life.

Even in the US, we have such a long way to go in terms of acceptance of this very natural and beautiful practice. Please take the time to learn the facts so you can participate in conversations about breastfeeding law, whether you be at work, in a social situation, or even while helping others learn how to successfully breastfeed. If you are a physician or lactation consultant, please know that this is the most recent research available.

Pregnancy and Lower Back Pain, What Every Pregnant Woman Should Know

Back pain and pregnancy, tips on what you can do to make your pregnancy and lower back pain a little easier to deal with.

Normal weight gain in pregnancy is about 35 pounds, but lots of women I have met over my twenty-year midwifery career gained 35 pounds to 70 pounds during pregnancy. The stress of sudden weight gain during the short cycle of pregnancy can cause back pain and pregnancy misery.

Pregnancy posture change:

Pregnancy and lower back pain happens because of pregnancy weight gain and the automatic adjustments your body makes in posture to accommodate the growing womb. This change in posture is called pregnancy lordosis. Upper and lower back pain and pregnancy lordosis go hand in hand because your spine becomes super curved, elongated, and your breast and buttocks stick out pulling and stretching your back muscles.

Pregnancy hormones:

On top of this, back pain and pregnancy go hand in hand because of the higher levels of pregnancy hormones you produce. Pregnancy hormones have a relaxing effect on many of the muscles in your body to accommodate the muscle stretching that is required during pregnancy. Relaxed muscles are not as supportive to the spine and abdominal muscles, therefore many women complain of back pain and pregnancy shoulder stress.

Pregnancy pelvic changes:

The female pelvis is made up of many different bones. When you get towards the end of your pregnancy, a baby cannot fit to a normal-sized woman's pelvis without the pelvis opening and expanding. The pelvis has two major joints; one towards the right and one towards the left of your lower back along with a hinge joint at the very tail end of your spine.

Back pain and pregnancy ligament pulling and stretching is a direct result of your pelvis opening, which will allow your baby's head to engage or enter into the cavity of your pelvis. Pregnancy and lower back pain is also caused by the excess pressure felt deep within your pelvis as your baby sits and waits for labor to commence.

All of these factors taken together, it is not unusual for pregnant women to get backache. So if you get a backache straight away start doing things to prevent your backache from getting worse or getting out of control.

How to help minimize symptoms associated with pregnancy and lower back pain:

I definitely recommend having nice warm bath soaks, putting nice warm compresses on your back, or even better still having back massages to help with your pregnancy and lower back pain.

I would absolutely recommend that every pregnant woman go to see a chiropractor during pregnancy. A lot of traditional obstetrician, gynecologist and midwives are a little afraid of sending the women to a chiropractor because they are just not informed as to what chiropractors actually do. A chiropractor can help your spine accommodate easier to all the posture changes that happens during your pregnancy and relieve pain associated to pulled and stressed muscles associated to pregnancy and lower back pain

Apart from that, let us look at what things can you do to your own body to help minimize back pain and pregnancy. Wearing a good supporting bra during your pregnancy will support the increased breast weight and uplift your breasts so they do not feel so heavy. This will alleviate a lot of the upper back stress associated with pregnancy and lower back pain.

There are also a lot of pregnancy stomach binders that have been created to help support the weight of your growing womb which can help relieve back pain and pregnancy ligament discomfort.

Many women are focused on fashionable shoes and wear ridiculous footwear during pregnancies that do not support their posture and feet. I cannot believe how many pregnant women out there are wearing ridiculously high shoes or low shoes. Remember, as you become more and more pregnant all the bones and muscles within your feet are stressed.

Take a good look at the shoes you are wearing during your pregnancy and ask yourself these questions to evaluate the importance of your feet:

Do your shoes have a good supportive arch in them?

Are your shoes nice and wide to accommodate the increasing growth and widening of my foot associated to extra blood volume and swelling that occurs during pregnancy?

Can your foot easily slip out of your shoe? If so you could trip and fall and injure yourself or your baby.

The more informed you are about pregnancy the better choices you will make. Better choices mean a happier healthier mom and baby. Pregnancy can be an extraordinary experience for a woman. It is far more than growing a baby and understanding pregnancy and lower back pain.

Pregnancy has a huge emotional, mental, spiritual, and energetic side to it. The more you understand these aspects, the easier and less symptomatic your pregnancy will be. Learning how to connect with the emotions of your unborn child will allow you to enhance your pregnancy experience and surrender to its normal physiological process of pregnancy and lower back pain.