by: Patty Hone
There are a lot of resources on the internet, in books, and from the medical community on the dangers of drug and alcohol use during pregnancy. However, there is not very much quality information on what you should do if you have a problem with alcohol or drugs and are pregnant. The simple answer is you need to quit. With all the treatment programs availabele; AA, treatment facilities, therapy, self-control, etc., why wouldn't a women be able to get help. Why would anyone use drugs or alcohol while they are pregnant. Most pregnant moms know or have read that using drugs or alcohol can cause numerous problems for their unborn baby. But there are many reasons women avoid treatment.
Some do not believe they are really an addict or alcoholic. They may convince themselves that they don't drink or use very much or that often. The truth, if you are not capable of quitting during a time in your life when it is most essential that you do not drink or use, you are an addict. If you were not addicted quitting during pregnancy would not be difficult.
Many women falsely believe that an occasional drink or drug use is not really harmful. They may minimize their problem and rationalize what they are doing. They may say things like well when my mother was pregnant she drank/smoke and I turned out fine.
Sometimes a woman may convince herself that she is done and it won't happen again. Perhaps she has used during the first month but she will tell herself, I will get help if I do this again. With the next time it happening repeating the same rational in her mind, each time thinking it is the last.
Addiction is a shameful disease. Addicts come in all forms. People with addiction can hide their disease very well. Their friends and family may not even realize that they have a problem. Talking to a health professional about this may be something they are too afraid to do.
They may be afraid to talk to a professional for fear of having an investigation by Child Protective services.
Marijuana supporters put out a lot of false information about the risks to an unborn child. Minimizing the dangers, even going as far as to say babies born to marijuana users are less fussy and more content. They may choose to believe this misinformation in order to avoid facing their addiction.
Risks of using drugs and alcohol during pregnancy
Smoking:
Babies are more likely to be born preterm and with low birth weight.
Alcohol:
Can cause Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Babies born with FAS may have symptoms of alcohol withdrawal shortly after birth. They often have a small head, small eyes, a wide flat nose, and a small jaw. Children with FAS may have growth problems, diminished mental capacity, and emotional problems.
Marijuana:
Can cause preterm birth, low birth weight and some studies say it can cause attention problems in children.
Coccaine:
Babies born to cocaine users often go through withdrawal symptoms after birth. Fetal growth may be retarded, there is a greater risk of premature labor and abruption of the placenta. Babies often have low birth weight, may have feeding problems, and are at greater risk of sids. Children of cocaine addicted mothers may have emotional problems, short attention span, and learning disabilities.
Heroin and other narcotics:
Mother is at a greater risk of having preterm labor and having a baby with low birth weight. Babies of heroin addicted moms may have breathing difficulties, hypoglycemia, and intracranial hemorrhage. They also will go through withdrawal after birth.
If you need help
If you think that you have a problem there are places to get help. Please do not wait.
One of the best places to get help is at
Acoholic Anonymous
www.aa.org
Or you can look in your phone book under alcoholic anonymous. Someone there will gladly help you find meeting locations and someone to talk to.
Resources
NIDA
March of Dimes
American Council for Drug Education
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Fitness While Pregnant - Information You Should Know
by: Tina Titas
Pregnant women can and should exercise in moderation unless there are health factors or risks that prevent them from participating in a fitness program. This should consist of intervals of no more than thirty minutes at a time, several days each week if not every day of the week. Exercising has been proven to help pregnant women feel and look better, and also will help in minimizing the amount of weight gained during pregnancy.
Keep fit during pregnancy can help prevent or avoid problems such as gestational diabetes, a common form of diabetes that sometimes develops during pregnancy. It will also help increase stamina, which will be needed for labor delivery and increase your physical and emotional well being before and after delivery. Staying in shape will also help speed your recovery after the birth of your baby. Always be sure to consult with your physician before beginning any type of fitness program while you are pregnant.
Fitness programs that are appropriate for pregnant women include walking, swimming, low or no-impact aerobics (done at a mild pace), yoga, and Pilates for as long as you are able to complete the required moves. You should always avoid activities that can put you at a high risk for injury. Forms of sports or exercise that may cause you to be hit in the abdomen or are performed lying flat on your back are considered high risk. This is extremely important after the third month. Another sport you will need to avoid during pregnancy is scuba diving. While this may seem completely harmless, especially since being in the water makes you feel lighter and more agile, it can cause dangerous gas bubbles to form in an unborn child's circulatory system.
There are numerous benefits that exercise can bring to a pregnant woman. You will burn calories, which will help prevent any excessive weight gain. If you work out on a regular basis, you will improve the condition of your joints and muscles, which will be very helpful during the birth of your baby. The long-term effects will also continue after giving birth and will also help you lower your risk of heart disease and many other serious illnesses.
Staying in shape will help to relieve any anxiety and stress you may feel. It will also help to prevent the "baby blues" that many new mothers experience after the birth of their child. This is valuable information since so many new mothers worry if postpartum depression will affect their lives and the lives of their family. Participating in fitness programs while pregnant gives many emotional as well as physical benefits.
Once your doctor give you the go ahead to begin a fitness program, decide on a program that fits both your likes and schedule. Keep in mind that it is best if you do not exceed a 30-minute period of time while exercising. If you are finding it difficult to pick a program, try several different types of exercises that are appropriate for pregnant women then decide which you enjoy the most. You may want to incorporate a variety of exercises into your routine to help prevent boredom and discouragement. Exercising while you are pregnant is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your unborn child.
Pregnant women can and should exercise in moderation unless there are health factors or risks that prevent them from participating in a fitness program. This should consist of intervals of no more than thirty minutes at a time, several days each week if not every day of the week. Exercising has been proven to help pregnant women feel and look better, and also will help in minimizing the amount of weight gained during pregnancy.
Keep fit during pregnancy can help prevent or avoid problems such as gestational diabetes, a common form of diabetes that sometimes develops during pregnancy. It will also help increase stamina, which will be needed for labor delivery and increase your physical and emotional well being before and after delivery. Staying in shape will also help speed your recovery after the birth of your baby. Always be sure to consult with your physician before beginning any type of fitness program while you are pregnant.
Fitness programs that are appropriate for pregnant women include walking, swimming, low or no-impact aerobics (done at a mild pace), yoga, and Pilates for as long as you are able to complete the required moves. You should always avoid activities that can put you at a high risk for injury. Forms of sports or exercise that may cause you to be hit in the abdomen or are performed lying flat on your back are considered high risk. This is extremely important after the third month. Another sport you will need to avoid during pregnancy is scuba diving. While this may seem completely harmless, especially since being in the water makes you feel lighter and more agile, it can cause dangerous gas bubbles to form in an unborn child's circulatory system.
There are numerous benefits that exercise can bring to a pregnant woman. You will burn calories, which will help prevent any excessive weight gain. If you work out on a regular basis, you will improve the condition of your joints and muscles, which will be very helpful during the birth of your baby. The long-term effects will also continue after giving birth and will also help you lower your risk of heart disease and many other serious illnesses.
Staying in shape will help to relieve any anxiety and stress you may feel. It will also help to prevent the "baby blues" that many new mothers experience after the birth of their child. This is valuable information since so many new mothers worry if postpartum depression will affect their lives and the lives of their family. Participating in fitness programs while pregnant gives many emotional as well as physical benefits.
Once your doctor give you the go ahead to begin a fitness program, decide on a program that fits both your likes and schedule. Keep in mind that it is best if you do not exceed a 30-minute period of time while exercising. If you are finding it difficult to pick a program, try several different types of exercises that are appropriate for pregnant women then decide which you enjoy the most. You may want to incorporate a variety of exercises into your routine to help prevent boredom and discouragement. Exercising while you are pregnant is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your unborn child.
Friday, December 8, 2006
It’s Not A Sin For Pregnant Women To Have A Massage
by: Sara Jameson
Getting pregnant is really a moment of joy. Don’t get carried away with your morning sickness, or your hormone changing, keep your life going and treat yourself to a happy living. Relax and spoil yourself with a prenatal massage or deluxe pedicure at one of your area’s finer spas.
Don’t feel that you cannot have a good time as you start to get bigger, and your breasts become tender and your ankles are swollen, nothing will sound better to you than a long massage. Just make sure you let your masseuse know you are pregnant, especially if you are not showing, since he/she will need to know in order to serve you best.
While at the spa, it is important that you do not get into any hot tubs or go into any steam rooms, which can unnecessarily elevate your body temperature. Other services, however, are fine. Pedicures will especially be a welcome treat to your tired feet!
Massages will generally run around $80-$100 plus tips and pedicures generally cost around $35-$65. Although it can be expensive, it is still worth it to indulge in a spa treat from time to time. If you cannot afford to spare the time or extra money, however, ask your spouse to give you a nice massage and foot rub. He might even paint your toe nails if you ask nicely!
You can also indulge in a long, relaxing bath soak with some sweet smelling bubble bath, which you can find at any bath specialty or discount store. Lavender is a relaxing scent, and citrus scents have an energizing affect. If you just want to feel girly, though, go for a rose or freesia scent.
What a good idea to relax. You can also avoid pregnancy blahs with above activities. Most pregnant woman experiences the pregnancy blahs
Getting pregnant is really a moment of joy. Don’t get carried away with your morning sickness, or your hormone changing, keep your life going and treat yourself to a happy living. Relax and spoil yourself with a prenatal massage or deluxe pedicure at one of your area’s finer spas.
Don’t feel that you cannot have a good time as you start to get bigger, and your breasts become tender and your ankles are swollen, nothing will sound better to you than a long massage. Just make sure you let your masseuse know you are pregnant, especially if you are not showing, since he/she will need to know in order to serve you best.
While at the spa, it is important that you do not get into any hot tubs or go into any steam rooms, which can unnecessarily elevate your body temperature. Other services, however, are fine. Pedicures will especially be a welcome treat to your tired feet!
Massages will generally run around $80-$100 plus tips and pedicures generally cost around $35-$65. Although it can be expensive, it is still worth it to indulge in a spa treat from time to time. If you cannot afford to spare the time or extra money, however, ask your spouse to give you a nice massage and foot rub. He might even paint your toe nails if you ask nicely!
You can also indulge in a long, relaxing bath soak with some sweet smelling bubble bath, which you can find at any bath specialty or discount store. Lavender is a relaxing scent, and citrus scents have an energizing affect. If you just want to feel girly, though, go for a rose or freesia scent.
What a good idea to relax. You can also avoid pregnancy blahs with above activities. Most pregnant woman experiences the pregnancy blahs
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Start Growing Healthy Children Before Getting Pregnant
by: Margaret Paul, Ph.D.
When I was in my early 20’s, I read Adele Davis’s book, “Let’s Eat Right To Keep fit.” I learned from her that “you are what you eat.” I also learned that our babies are what we eat while we are pregnant, and then are what they eat once they are born. If you nurse your babies, then they continue to be what you eat as long as you are nursing them. My bible during my first pregnancy over 38 years ago was “Let’s Have Healthy Children,” also by Adele Davis. I started to follow her guidelines way before getting pregnant, knowing that my health had a big effect on my baby’s health.
There is much more information about good nutrition available today, and I want to encourage anyone who wants to have healthy children to start early in learning about and implementing a healthy way of eating. Educating yourself regarding good nutrition is a major part of good parenting. However, a good rule of thumb is, if they didn’t eat it 200 years ago, don’t eat it now! This means no fast food, no packaged food - including sodas, cakes and candies - no preservatives, no fruits and vegetables grown with pesticides or artificial fertilizers, or animals grown with hormones and fed food grown with pesticides. It also means no smoking or drinking. It means no caffeine. If you want healthy children, you need to put pure, clean organic food into your body before you get pregnant and continue throughout your pregnancy. Of course, then you want to continue to feed yourself and your family clean food once your children are born.
If you are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, you have a wonderful opportunity to lay a strong foundation of health for your child. Why not start now feeding yourself well and learning all you can about creating healthy children? You are going to be a parent the whole rest of your life. You can do so much to make your parenting experience a joyful one by taking responsibility for your own physical and emotional health before getting pregnant. If you have not been disciplined enough to eat well before getting pregnant, perhaps the idea of eating well for your child will be enough to motivate you.
It’s not as hard as you might think. It really doesn’t take much more time to eat well than to eat junk. And the payoff is huge. Not only were my three babies healthy, they were calm. They slept well and were happy children, who learned easily and did well in school. The only time they were hyperactive – actually bouncing off walls! – was after returning from birthday parties where they had ice cream, cake and sodas.
In my many years of counseling, I’ve often worked with parents who were struggling with their children’s behavior problems. Of course not all behavior problems are nutritional, but you might be surprised how many problems have their cause in poor nutrition. I’ve often wondered why so many people are careful to put the right octane in their gas tank but put the wrong fuel into their bodies – and then wonder why there is so much illness, learning disabilities, and so on.
I want to tell you a little story about the power of food. We had a 6 month old golden retriever puppy who was dying of irritable bowel syndrome. He had constant diarrhea and was getting thinner and thinner by the day. We had been giving him the very best quality kibble and it wasn’t working. Fortunately we learned about raw food for dogs. Within two meals of raw food, he was completely healthy! Here I had been studying nutrition for so many years and it had never occurred to me that a dog’s natural diet is raw food! Wow, what a lesson!
When I was in my early 20’s, I read Adele Davis’s book, “Let’s Eat Right To Keep fit.” I learned from her that “you are what you eat.” I also learned that our babies are what we eat while we are pregnant, and then are what they eat once they are born. If you nurse your babies, then they continue to be what you eat as long as you are nursing them. My bible during my first pregnancy over 38 years ago was “Let’s Have Healthy Children,” also by Adele Davis. I started to follow her guidelines way before getting pregnant, knowing that my health had a big effect on my baby’s health.
There is much more information about good nutrition available today, and I want to encourage anyone who wants to have healthy children to start early in learning about and implementing a healthy way of eating. Educating yourself regarding good nutrition is a major part of good parenting. However, a good rule of thumb is, if they didn’t eat it 200 years ago, don’t eat it now! This means no fast food, no packaged food - including sodas, cakes and candies - no preservatives, no fruits and vegetables grown with pesticides or artificial fertilizers, or animals grown with hormones and fed food grown with pesticides. It also means no smoking or drinking. It means no caffeine. If you want healthy children, you need to put pure, clean organic food into your body before you get pregnant and continue throughout your pregnancy. Of course, then you want to continue to feed yourself and your family clean food once your children are born.
If you are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, you have a wonderful opportunity to lay a strong foundation of health for your child. Why not start now feeding yourself well and learning all you can about creating healthy children? You are going to be a parent the whole rest of your life. You can do so much to make your parenting experience a joyful one by taking responsibility for your own physical and emotional health before getting pregnant. If you have not been disciplined enough to eat well before getting pregnant, perhaps the idea of eating well for your child will be enough to motivate you.
It’s not as hard as you might think. It really doesn’t take much more time to eat well than to eat junk. And the payoff is huge. Not only were my three babies healthy, they were calm. They slept well and were happy children, who learned easily and did well in school. The only time they were hyperactive – actually bouncing off walls! – was after returning from birthday parties where they had ice cream, cake and sodas.
In my many years of counseling, I’ve often worked with parents who were struggling with their children’s behavior problems. Of course not all behavior problems are nutritional, but you might be surprised how many problems have their cause in poor nutrition. I’ve often wondered why so many people are careful to put the right octane in their gas tank but put the wrong fuel into their bodies – and then wonder why there is so much illness, learning disabilities, and so on.
I want to tell you a little story about the power of food. We had a 6 month old golden retriever puppy who was dying of irritable bowel syndrome. He had constant diarrhea and was getting thinner and thinner by the day. We had been giving him the very best quality kibble and it wasn’t working. Fortunately we learned about raw food for dogs. Within two meals of raw food, he was completely healthy! Here I had been studying nutrition for so many years and it had never occurred to me that a dog’s natural diet is raw food! Wow, what a lesson!
Friday, December 1, 2006
Being Pregnant Is Not A Hurdle To Enjoy A Little Romance
by: Sara Jameson
Most of the time pregnant women are afraid to have a little romance. Probably they are afraid something could happen to their baby. Well, that’s wrong. It is important that you do not ignore your own needs or those of your spouse’s during pregnancy. Unless your doctor has warned you otherwise, it is generally safe to have intercourse while pregnant. You will not hurt the baby, nor will your hubby crush it by lying atop you.
You probably have a big belly, and difficult to move your body, but being loved is something that will not go away from you. You still want to taste the love from your husband. You can still initiate a sexy cuddle or some fooling around with your spouse/partner. Remember, after the baby comes, you will both be exhausted from 3 a.m. feedings and long days, filled with diaper changes.
Why do you need to continue having a little romance although you’re pregnant? You may not feel like being sexual, but it is at least important to cuddle or fool around with your husband, so that he still knows he matters to you. You probably will not have sex as much
Most of the time pregnant women are afraid to have a little romance. Probably they are afraid something could happen to their baby. Well, that’s wrong. It is important that you do not ignore your own needs or those of your spouse’s during pregnancy. Unless your doctor has warned you otherwise, it is generally safe to have intercourse while pregnant. You will not hurt the baby, nor will your hubby crush it by lying atop you.
You probably have a big belly, and difficult to move your body, but being loved is something that will not go away from you. You still want to taste the love from your husband. You can still initiate a sexy cuddle or some fooling around with your spouse/partner. Remember, after the baby comes, you will both be exhausted from 3 a.m. feedings and long days, filled with diaper changes.
Why do you need to continue having a little romance although you’re pregnant? You may not feel like being sexual, but it is at least important to cuddle or fool around with your husband, so that he still knows he matters to you. You probably will not have sex as much
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