The 10 to 20% who feel depressed for longer can experience the inability to sleep or the desire to sleep much more; recurring thoughts of either something bad happening to their baby or of doing something to hurt the baby themselves; feeling no instinctive need to care for the baby or feeling unable to care; and feeling guilty, mad, unhappy or scared.

We know that massage is beneficial for mothers and for babies; in the instance of postpartum depression, massage benefits both as well as the relationship between the two, allowing them both to experience positive, healing interaction. Mom gets a massage and also learns how to share the experience with her baby.

During those first days after birth and the following first weeks, both baby and Mom will not always sleep well and regularly. Nerves can be on edge and it can seem like all you do as a mother is feed and diaper your baby. A relaxing massage can soothe and calm the mother. If she is also taught how to massage her baby, the shared experience can give them the opportunity to bond. The baby can also find relief from digestive problems and colic, teething, and inability to sleep.

The study ?Massage and mother baby interaction with depressed mothers?, carried out by Fetal and Neonatal Stress Research Group, considered whether mothers suffering from postnatal depression would benefit from attending baby massage classes.

One group went to five massage classes and another similar (control) group went to a support group. At the end of the test period the massage group had significantly less depression and better interaction with their babies than the control group.

Soothing massage music helps us to relax. Research suggests that music stimulates the body?s natural ?feel good? chemicals (opiates and endorphins). This stimulation results in improved blood flow, blood pressure, pulse rate, breathing, and posture changes, many of the same results that we see from massage. So both mother and baby can benefit greatly from massage accompanied by massage music.

For me, pregnancy was something I had looked forward to and planned for. I imagined I would be super-fit, eat all the right foods, and consequently breeze through labour in record time. Well, I suppose it came partly true; I did a bit of exercise, ate some of the right foods (and some that just felt right at the time!), and as for labour? it took a good few hours and wasn?t easy but was wonderfully worth it in the end.

We all know exercise is important, and it?s really personal preference as to which kind you choose. If you read our last entry we?ve got the water covered with a fabulous new swimwear range now available from Queen Bee, and of course we have great yoga-wear and active-wear too. I found that during pregnancy, despite the best of intentions, I really didn?t have the energy for anything too active. I stuck to low intensity exercise, and I found the pilates and yoga I did while pregnant were still a great preparation. Yoga, and in particular the special

The Victorians drank for many reasons other than just to be sociable. Water was unsafe and

Pain is classified as chronic when it has occurred either continually, or intermittently, over a period longer than six months. Conditions of chronic pain can lead to anxiety, fear, depression, lack of activity, and unemployment, not only causing suffering, but also costing the nation billions in lost working hours, medical charges, and workers’ compensation.

The management of this condition, then, is arguably one of the more pressing health issues today throughout Texas and the rest of the United States. Particularly with the proper health insurance coverage, these conditions can be effectively treated, however, and, if not cured, at least managed.

While health institutions do their best to estimate statistics on pain, it’s been difficult to gather accurate data, partially due to hospital policies related to its management.

Until this year, when the Joint Commission began enforcing new regulations, hospitals in Texas and the rest of the country were not required to monitor a patient’s pain levels in the same manner as every other vital sign, which also made it difficult for health insurance policies to cover treatment. As a result, consistent pain data on any one condition, or after any particular procedure, was difficult to attain. Now, hospitals are required to do so, monitoring a patient’s pain levels frequently from check-in to check-out. This change in policy will supply new, enlightening information on the experience and management of painful conditions.

According to Zena Quezado, chief of the Department of Anesthesia and Surgical Services at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, pain levels are associated with several variables, including patient experience, perception of pain, age, gender, and type of pain.

The reasons behind inadequate pain relief, she says, are still unknown, but may be partially attributed to “mind responses.” Indeed, many health professionals agree that the psychological process is an important aspect of perceiving and managing pain. For some, it is a negative cycle of anxiety; worrying about the pain produces tension, which, in turn, tightens muscles and releases stress hormones, thereby increasing pain. For others, it is the perception of the pain that makes it unbearable.

This article will therefore explore some of the psychological aspects of, and treatments for, managing pain. In many instances, health insurance policies will cover treatments, particularly if referred by a qualified physician. Much of the information has been adapted from Prescriptions for Natural Healing by James F. Balch, M.D., and Phyllis A Balch, C.N.C. As always, consult a qualified health practitioner before undergoing any treatment.

(1) Biofeedback

Biofeedback operates on the principle that one can learn to control functions previously thought only involuntary, through the application of relaxation techniques and instant feedback regarding their efficacy. By monitoring responses such as heart rate and blood pressure, the idea is that the patient can modify his or her techniques in order to make them more effective. Biofeedback has proven effective in managing chronic pain situations in numerous experiments.

The method is relatively simple: Electrodes are (painlessly) attached to the skin, and the patient is instructed to practice a relaxation technique he or she is familiar with, such as meditation. The monitors then let the patient know if heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature, pulse, muscle tension, and/or brain activity has decreased (or increased). Those biological responses can then be associated with pain level. It is believed that, over time, one can train himself/herself to make relaxation techniques more effective, use relaxation methods that best suit his or her needs, and train the body to be in that effective state more often on cue.

(2) Counseling

Counseling is an absolutely invaluable resource. Different pain levels experienced by members of different cultures during the same event provide interesting data on the effects of psychology. For instance, women in the United States are usually taught to fear childbirth for its levels of pain, while women in most European cultures are not. Not surprisingly, American women report higher levels of pain during childbirth and receive more anesthetic medications. The lesson: what we tell ourselves over time makes a big difference.

The right therapist will teach skills designed to help a chronic pain patient cope, hopefully assisting the sufferer in physically feeling less pain. Various methods have been employed with success, including cognitive behavioral therapy, stress management skills, deep breathing techniques, and other psychological exercises that, when practiced regularly, can change one’s thought patterns — which, consequently, can change the perception and experience of pain. It is essential for each individual to find the right counselor, and the right method.

(3) Relaxation Techniques

This is a broad term, utilized in Western culture to describe everything from yoga, to deep breathing exercises, to meditation, to guided imagery, though any single one could justify a category in itself. Briefly described below are three proven techniques.

Guided Imagery:

Guided imagery is a technique employing mental pictures to replace negative thoughts and emotions with positive ones. Indeed, negative emotions have been linked with decreased immune response, and positive emotions with increased immune response. This technique has been used effectively, in conjunction with other treatments, for rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and other painful illnesses. It has also been shown to slow heart rate, reduce stress, and stimulate the immune system — any one of which can reduce pain.

Hypnotherapy:

Professional hypnotherapy is designed to “generate a state of deep relaxation in which there is a heightened receptivity to suggestion through the calm repetition of words and statements.” Simple verbal suggestions applied during this time can help the patient block the sensation of pain, anxiety, fear, or other psychological issues that may be increasing, or causing, pain.

During a state of hypnosis, the patient’s mind is fully aware, but the body is curiously relaxed. A deep state of relaxation is induced, pulse rate and breathing slows, and blood pressure drops. Self-hypnosis is also possible with the right training, enabling a chronic pain sufferer to induce the state whenever necessary.

Meditation:

Familiar to most of us, at least in name, meditation is a technique thousands of years old, with innumerable subtypes. The main forms of meditation are grouped under either “mindfulness” or “concentrative” meditation.

Mindfulness meditation makes one aware of various outside stimuli, but trains the mind not to react. In concentrative meditation, the practitioner focuses on a single sound, object, or activity, such as one’s breath. Both bring about a calm, tranquil state when practiced over time, and focus awareness in the present moment — not anxieties or pain associated with the future or past.

When applied with proper technique, meditation has been shown to be an effective management strategy for reducing pain, decreasing anxiety and stress, and controlling conditions such as blood pressure. Classes are recommended to gain the full benefit.

Causes of chronic pain are challenging to diagnose, and the management of it even more difficult. But studies have proven that much power over this condition is in the patients’ hands — and that the mind has the final say in the level of pain experienced. After all, pain is not actually registered at the site of the injury, but in the brain itself. Through the disciplined application of techniques, and the diligence to find the ones that work best, chronic pain can be managed, and a higher level of functioning attained.

Prenatal yoga has five fundamental tools: yoga exercises, mudras, meditation, breathing exercises, and deep relaxation techniques. These tools when practiced regularly can provide benefits to you and your baby?s health as well as increases your ability to have natural and easy childbirth.

Yoga exercises works efficiently on the organs of the reproductive system as well as on the pelvis to make sure a smooth pregnancy and easy delivery. At the subtle level, the prenatal yoga exercises guarantee a good supply of blood as well as essential nutrients to the developing fetus.

Mudras are one of prenatal yoga tools. Mudras are hand gestures with psychophysical stimulation, which provides powerful effects on your reproductive organs when practiced regularly.

Meditation is a therapeutic tool that helps overcome the feelings of anxiety, depression, worries and clashes that are very common for pregnant woman during pregnancy. Meditation provides an unbelievable awareness that helps you bond with your child in a strange way.

Breathing exercises are powerful techniques and practicing them during pregnancy provides sufficient oxygen supply to you and your growing child. The breathing exercises of prenatal yoga increases your body fitness during and after pregnancy.

Deep relaxation techniques of prenatal yoga are very effective for pregnant woman during pregnancy. These techniques help provide physical and mental relaxation. Yoga Nidra (Yogic sleep) is a deep relaxation technique, which is effective mainly during pregnancy for childbirth preparation.

During prenatal yoga, as a pregnant woman, you may feel more difficult in balancing yoga asanas because of a change in the center of gravity. So, here are the points to keep in mind while practicing prenatal yoga. Never lay down flat on your back once you reach twenty weeks of pregnancy.

Lying on the abdomen is safe in early stages of pregnancy, but it becomes painful in the later stages if you are with breast tenderness.

Forward bending asanas help ease the backache of pregnancy. However practicing these asanas in the later stages of pregnancy causes nausea because of increased abdominal weight. Also, avoid standing asanas for long periods since it leads to dizziness.

Drink plenty of water in the hours before your prenatal yoga class. Always use additional pillows, pads or blankets (if necessary) to increase the support during prenatal yoga.

As a pregnant woman, you get warm easily. So, make use of fans or air conditioners (if necessary) during warm weather.

On the other hand, it is highly recommended not to practice prenatal yoga if you are with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), an incompetent cervix, constant vaginal bleeding, episodes of premature labor, or any serious medical conditions. Also avoid prenatal yoga if you are carrying multiple babies. Visit Pregnancy Zone

You might have imagined sea gulls gently flying past and children building sand castles along the shore. This was the image you might have taken with you as you began your labor for childbirth. It might have been one of a number of relaxation techniques you learned in your childbirth preparation classes.

Or perhaps you envisioned white blood cells swallowing up the cancer cells in your system. You imagined the cancer cells slowly disappearing from view, with healthy cells taking their place in your body. You even imagined your doctor saying,”You’re cancer-free” with a big grin on his face.

Guided imagery is used in a variety of different settings. Its primary purpose is to allow you to imagine relaxing images in order to calm your mind and refresh your body. If you envision a peaceful scene, and couple that vision with controlled breathing, you can achieve deep relaxation. Nearly anyone can learn to exercise his or her imagination this way. It costs nothing, and it can benefit you greatly in terms of lowering your stress level.

One of the most popular relaxation exercises is the peaceful scene. You imagine a place of comfort, the kind of place you would go to if you were in trouble and needed solace.

For many people, this is a beach or a forest. You then imagine what the experience will mean for your senses what you will see, what you will hear, what you will feel, and perhaps what you will smell.

You become a part of the scene, drinking in the tranquility. Whenever you’re stressed out, you can return to this scene and a feeling of relaxation should occur.

Another well-known imagery exercise is the feather. Imagine a feather drifting along a mountain by a river and over a field. Picture yourself as that feather. Notice how light and airy you feel as a feather.

Imagine that you don’t have a care in the world, you have nowhere you have to be, no appointments to make. You’re just a feather enjoying your place in the sun.

Or picture yourself as a drop of water in the ocean. Gently sway back and forth as the water moves peacefully along the shore. Let nothing worry you. Your only goal in life is to be happy.

But what if you try imagery and it doesn’t seem to work? The trick may be practice. The more you imagine your quiet place, the easier it should be to get there. You may have to try it for a week before you can determine if it is actually impossible for you. Also, it is vitally important that you maintain deep breathing throughout the exercise. It is no surprise that pregnant women often practice relaxation exercises every week.

Where should you practice this imagery? The good news is, you can do it practically anywhere. However, you should choose a place where your comfortable, such as your bed, an easy chair, or a chaise lounge.

At times, it may be easier to do the exercise if you’re outside rather than inside, although it would also be appropriate by the fireplace. Try engaging in imagery for five minutes before you go to sleep or five minutes after you wake up. Imagery is a skill like any other; you must do it consistently in order for it to be effective.

Initially, you might be skeptical about imagery. You might have a difficult time with your imagination and you might be uncomfortable at first. In order to be successful with imagery you need to be committed.

Continue your imagery, even when you feel like quitting. In this way, you should be able to get past any trepidation you might have. In time, the imagery will become entirely natural to you.

Whenever you encounter a stressful situation, you can simply move back to your peaceful place imagine yourself as a wave of the ocean or picture yourself as a feather. While it may seem corny, it is a highly effective method for reducing your stress level.

But I’m not a big fan of it for those people I see who are running on the sidewalk and look like they despise every single minute they are doing it.

That is probably a greater percentage of the people who do it when they are looking to lose weight. There are a lot of research studies to say that aerobics and cardio aren’t the greatest way to lose weight. And I’m not a fan of having somebody do stuff they don’t like to achieve a goal when there are other ways to do it.

I’m not a big fan of certain machines in the gym for cardio. It may not be the machine itself, but it may be the excuses. Its human nature that some of these machines allow us to slide by and do stuff that we think is helping us, but subconsciously we’re taking the easy way out.

I have what I call the human nature test; because I always make fun of elliptical machines and I really think that they are not again what people make them out to be.

Let’s say you take 100 people. You go to a mega gym – you’ve got 100 treadmills and 100 elliptical machines – you take 100 people into that room and you say, “Okay, you have to work out for 30 minutes at a pretty good pace. You choose your machine.”

You know darn well that 70-80 of those people are going to be on the elliptical machines rather than the treadmill. To me, that says something. I just think that we’re wired to take the easy way out.

You can extend it even further and say, “Okay, you’ve got 100 people; you’ve got 100 treadmills and a track. Go do your training. You can either do the treadmill or the track.” You know 80% of those people are probably going to use the treadmill.

Humans take the easy way out when given hard choices. The other thing that I’m against in terms of cardio is – I refer to it as one of the dark sides of cardio – is that people can get injured doing a high volume of cardio work.

Of course, to be fair, you can get injured doing a high volume of body building work. When I was young and reading the magazines, I was doing too much upper body work and had a little bit of shoulder problems; not anything I haven’t been able to get over.

So injury risk is often proportional to the volume of exercise you do. Too much volume in lifting, too much volume in cardio, or even too much volume in crunches and you’re going to end up in the doctor’s office or the physiotherapy office.

Ironically, many trainers and physiotherapists are the worst offenders of over-use injuries. There is one physio that I worked in a gym where she worked, and she literally could not walk properly because she did so many spinning classes.

Spinning classes are another thing I’m not a huge fan of. On one side, there’s great benefit to your fat loss program because of the group mentality because social support is huge. Working out in that group encourages you to come back. And a lot of people have fun with it. Plus, its interval training in nature. So lots of good things about spinning.

But I figure, why do something for 45 minutes when you can get the same results in 20 minutes? Also, I’m not a big fan of the high RPM spinning because I think that’s where a lot of hip problems have been developed in people that I’ve trained personally and also in some of the classes I’ve watched.

I just don’t think that it’s great for your hips, especially in women who have hip problems already from childbirth, to be going at 140-160 RPM or whatever they are doing and you just watch their bodies flopping around without the right torso strength and endurance and stability there, they are going to end up with problems.

One last thing I’ll say on this is that an aerobic training program is probably one of the worst places to start a 300 pound person out on a fat loss program because their muscles are not prepared for this and neither are their joints. Quite frankly, I wouldn’t want to run with an extra 120 pounds on my back, or even walk quickly. We need to re-examine where we start people out.

So if you are not getting the results you want but you are doing a lot of cardio, spinning, or aerobics classes, decrease the volume, try some interval training, and focus on quality workouts for fat burning.

During childbirth, women are likely to experience a range of emotions, which may include:

? Guilt

? Anxiety and fear that can manifest as intense flashbacks and nightmares

? Helplessness or a feeling of loss of control or feeling incomplete

? Severe depression

? Anger, irritability

? Obsessive talking about their traumatic experiences

? Ambivalent feelings toward the baby

? Hyper-vigilance and hyper-sensitivity to any perceived injustice

? Other symptoms such as drug and alcohol abuse, phobias, fainting spells, eating disorders, suicidal tendencies

? It should be noted that such responses are natural reactions to a scary event, and are not signs of weakness. However, husbands can provide the necessary support to enable their spouses to cope with birth trauma.

During and before childbirth

? Medical care ? Ensure that your spouse gets all the medical care she requires. Inform her about the available choices. Involve her in the decision-making process.

? Pain relief ? Women experience intense physical and mental pain during childbirth. Use tried and tested techniques that aim to reduce this pain. For example, massages, baths, relaxation techniques may help.

? Emotional support ? Often, women complain that people around them dismiss their problems. Sometimes, simply listening to your spouse may act as a solution. Remember that your spouse requires all the emotional support you can give her.

? Additional support ? Counseling, antenatal classes, support organizations for birth trauma, etc. can really help.

After childbirth

? Providing care ? After childbirth, adequate nutrition, exercise are necessary to ensure that your spouse is healthy.

? Sharing responsibility ? Taking care of the newborn can be a difficult and tiring task. For some women, the child can be a reminder of their traumatic experiences. Your spouse needs some time away from her baby. Ensure that you or responsible family members are available to take care of the baby for at least some time.

? Counseling ? Contact a health professional immediately if your spouse develops symptoms of a traumatic birth.

Pregnancy can be a challenging phase for your spouse. Maintaining a healthy posture will help her keep many problems away. Sometimes being a dad takes a little wise perspective?… You can exchange advice, tricks, tips, and solutions to common dad problems here.

The basics of yoga were defined by a yogi called Patanjali who lived about 300BC. He was a very well respected teacher and commanded great influence at that time and his classification is one that is used now. He established the fact of yoga being separated into eight different parts. The first two concern a person’s lifestyle, which should be serene with the days spent in contemplation, study, maintaining cleanliness and living very simply and at peace with others. Anything that involves avarice or greed or is harmful to others has to be avoided. The third and fourth parts are concerned with physical matters and list a number of exercises that are designed to promote peace and infuse energy into both the mind and the body. The remaining four sections are concerned with the advancement of a person’s soul or spirit and mental faculties by being able to isolate himself or herself from outside worries and normal life, contemplation and broadening mental faculties with the ultimate knowledge known as somadhi. Mentally, this is a complete change that gives final realisation of existence. Much more recently, yoga became available in India to everyone, in complete contrast to centuries ago.

Nowadays, the practice of yoga is not restricted to India alone, with millions of people worldwide being followers. There are five different types of yoga: raja, jnana, karma, bakti and hatha. It is this last system that is known in the west and it involves the use of exercises and positions. The other methods concentrate on matters, such as control over the mind, appreciation and intelligence or a morally correct way of life. These other methods are regarded as being of equal importance by the person completely committed to yoga as a way of life. Although people may have little or no spiritual feeling, the basic belief of yoga is the importance of mental attitudes in establishing the physical from exercise.

In yoga it is believed that the body’s essence of life (prana), is contained in the breath. Through a change in the way of breathing there can be a beneficial effect on the general health. If a person is in a heightened, emotional condition, or similar state, this will have an effect on the breathing. Therefore, if the breathing is controlled or altered, this should promote joint feelings of peace or calm, both mentally and emotionally. There is a variety of exercises and each promotes different types of breathing, such as the rib cage, shoulder and diaphragm. Some of the movements and stances in use were originally devised from the observations of animals, since they appeared to be adept at relaxation and moved with minimum effort. These stances which are maintained for one two minutes, aim to increase freedom of movement and make the person aware of the various parts of the body and any stress that may be present. It is not intended that they be physically tiring or that the person should ’show off’ in front of others. The aim is to concentrate on self knowledge.

It is recommended to follow some simple rules when practising yoga. First use a fully qualified therapist and practise daily if at all possible. It is always best that yoga is undertaken before mealtimes but if this is not possible then three hours must elapse after a large meal or one hour after a light meal. Comfortable clothes are essential and a folded blanket or thick rug should be placed on the ground as the base. Before commencing yoga have a bath or shower and repeat this afterwards to gain the maximum benefit. It is not advisable to do yoga if either the bowels or bladder are full. Should the person have been outside on a hot or sunny day it is not recommended that yoga is practised straight afterwards, as feelings of sickness or dizziness may occur.

Yoga is believed to be of benefit to anyone, providing that they possess determination and patience. If a person has certain physical limitations then these must be taken into account with regard to their expectation but there is no age barrier. If you suffer from stress or disorder in your lives, teachers believe that you are in greater need of harmony and peace. Yoga was used in the main to encourage health in the physical and mental states and thereby act as a preventative therapy. Tension or stress was one of the main disorders for which it was used but nowadays it has been used for differing disorders hypertension, bronchitis, back pain, headaches, asthma, heart disorders, premenstrual tension and an acid stomach. Trials have also been conducted to assess its potential in treating some illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis and depression experienced after childbirth. Since the effects of tension are often shown by the tightening and contraction of muscles, the stretching exercises that are performed in yoga are able to release it. Also, being aware of each muscle as it is stretched encourages the person to mentally lose any stress or problems with which they have been beset. Suppleness is developed by the exercises through the use of the bending and twisting actions. This will help to maintain healthy joints, particularly for those people who lead inactive lives.

There should be no strain felt and after practise some or all of them can be done in order. As mentioned previously, it is best to check with a qualified therapist if the person is an expectant mother, suffers from hypertension, is overweight or is having their monthly period.

I have already mentioned that yoga has been used to treat some illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis and if a person has such a severe disorder, then a highly skilled and experienced therapist is essential. Since this form of yoga, known as therapeutic yoga, is new there is a limited number of suitably experienced therapists available. For those who wish to use yoga to maintain mental and physical health, joining a class with an instructor is perhaps the best way to proceed, so the exercises are performed correctly and any lapses in concentration can be corrected. These classes last usually in the region of an hour and are separated into sessions for beginners and those who are more proficient. Proficiency and progress are achieved by frequent practice, which can be done at home between lessons.

The majority of doctors regard yoga as a type of exercise that is beneficial, although some do recommend patients to refer to yoga practitioners. However, if a specific disorder is to be treated, it is very important that the ailment should first be seen by a doctor.