Saturday, September 14, 2013

When to Wean Newborn From Bottle


When to wean from bottle is the next stage when your baby gives up breastfeeding. Making your baby to give up breastfeeding was your difficult task and had taught you various techniques to deal with such tasks.

Now the second task is about when to wean from bottle. Here is the list which tells you about when to wean from bottle.

As babies usually inherit the habit of copying parents, so why not give a try the same way by offering a cup, when you are having a cup of tea. This will attract your baby to give up bottle feeding. When to wean from bottle is the time when your baby is capable of holding things and starts interacting in a group.

Do not force your baby in giving up any habits, as they die hard and the more you force your baby to give up bottle, the interest will develop stronger in continuing with the bottle feeding.

Make your baby to understand the idea of giving up bottle feeding, and encourage your baby in doing so. Say that, he can do it. Your baby gets influenced only when you deal the situation with ease. Avoid giving bottle to your baby during night time, especially when he or she is ready to sleep.

Rather keep the cup of water and spoon feed your baby when he or she gets up in the middle. Try to build stories about when to wean from bottle, in a way that baby should get influenced with your story.

Maternity Insurance Plan


A maternity insurance plan is a very important to every woman capable of bearing a child. It would be very helpful to keep a maternity insurance plan such as insurance because if you do not have insurance covering your pregnancy, you will face some difficulties. Your joy with the little child would be because of financial burden. As medical expenses are very high you should consider buying a maternity insurance plan to get a medical coverage.

Medical services are very expensive. When a woman gets pregnant, she has to go to the hospital very often which costs much money. Every single thing like the delivery, medicine, room will cost her. So a good maternity plan insurance is needed otherwise a huge amount of money will be just gone. When you are having a health insurance, you might think that this insurance will cover you during pregnancy. But it is not true because many insurance companies do not give coverage during pregnancy. So when you are buying a health insurance make sure that the policy holder will provide with coverage on maternity services expenses. Most of the policy holders will cover maternity charges, but they keep high premium on this. Find out the most suitable policy for you.

If the normal health insurance does not cover your pregnancy, do not cancel your plan. You can also buy additional coverage along with the earlier insurance which can help you with your maternity plan. Many coverage plans include pregnancy rider which is a maternity insurance. If you need this rider, you should buy it before you get pregnant. You can buy insurance from other providers but keep in mind that you have to buy this insurance about three months to a year before you become pregnant. Otherwise your pregnancy will not be fully covered. You can shop for maternity coverage, by doing online searches. Without this you can also check your local companies that provide medical insurance with maternity coverage. Premiums will be higher than general insurance if the maternity rider is added. But you have to be sure about adding the maternity rider. Many insurance plans do not cover maternity expenses. So the rider is the best solution.

Before covering maternity benefits a general health insurance plan may have a waiting period. Usually the waiting period is of one year before maternity is covered. By this way, you will able to know your options and you can deal with the situation. After taking the rider on your insurance policy you can get pregnant when the coverage is possible.

But if you became pregnant and not qualified for any maternity health insurance, then you can call the hospitals and try to negotiate a cheaper rate than normal maternity expense. You will get a discount if you pay cash in any hospital. But it would be best if you plan early to reduce the cost of maternity expenses.

Have a Beautiful Pregnancy - You Can Look and Feel Great During Pregnancy


Do you want to have a beautiful pregnancy? Of course you do, I mean, what woman does not want to look and feel her best all the time? But it is just so darn hard to feel pretty during pregnancy. Your body is blowing up at an unprecedented rate, your feet are swollen, you have heartburn, the list goes on and on. You are better off just putting on a pair of sweats and lying on the couch all day, right?

No way! Pregnancy is such a wonderful time in your life you should enjoy it and look and feel great during pregnancy. It is possible to have a fit, stylish, and all around pretty pregnancy. You deserve to have a beautiful pregnancy so do what it takes to feel good about your baby bump.

So many pregnant women kind of "let themselves go" during pregnancy. They maybe pamper themselves a little too much, maybe give in to their food cravings too much. They put on a lot more baby weight than necessary and go through pregnancy feeling fat and unhappy with how they look. Even worse they struggle, maybe for years, after pregnancy to lose their baby weight.

Do not let this happen to you! It isn't that hard to take care of yourself when pregnant. By following a few basic guidelines you can look and feel beautiful, and dare I say, even a little sexy while you are pregnant.

Get some some stylish maternity clothes: Why not pamper yourself a little during pregnancy, you deserve it. Get some stylish maternity clothes. When you dress nice you will feel good about yourself and it will lead to you taking better care of yourself. You do not need to spend an arm and a leg. Many of the major department stores offer great looking maternity clothes at reasonable prices.

Do not eat for two: Many women gibe into the "eating for two" excuse during pregnancy and use it as an excuse to over-indulge or give into their food cravings. Yes, you need to provide your growing baby with nourishment but you are not eating for two adults. You only need to take in about 300 extra calories per day to provide the baby with proper nourishment. Eat healthy during pregnancy.

Stay active during pregnancy: Many women think that they need to "take it easy" on themselves during pregnancy. This simply is not true. It is not only safe, but recommended to exercise during pregnancy. Unless you are under special instruction from your doctor to go easy during pregnancy you should be staying active and even following a special exercise program for expecting mothers. Staying fit during pregnancy has many health benefits for both mommy and baby and will help you to get back to pre-pregnancy safe much more quickly after baby comes.

So there you have it. Having a beautiful pregnancy is as easy as one, two, three. Follow these three easy steps and you will find yourself feeling wonderful during pregnancy and lose your baby weight quickly after the delivery.

Identifying Warning Signs of Pregnancy Danger


For many pregnant women and expectant parents, the whole pregnancy phase is fraught with physical and emotional changes. Pregnancy should be the time for women to be vigilant of their health. Pregnancy complications are not uncommon and while most problems may be relatively mild and can be immediately treated, in other cases, warning signs can carry some significant health risks to the child, mother and possibly both.

Although it is generally advised for pregnant women to have frequent doctor visits, it is equally important to be aware of the possible danger signs to look out during pregnancy. These include the following signs:

o Vaginal bleeding
o Sudden weight gain
o Fever
o Chills
o Seeing Spots
o Persistent headache
o Burning sensation when urinating
o Vomiting
o Blurred and/or double vision
o Lower abdominal pain
o Thigh pains
o No baby movements for 12 hours
o Premature cramping
o Persistent lower back aches
o Nausea

Miscarriage
Bleeding during the first trimester can be a sign of possible miscarriage. According to statistics, about 20 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage. These incidents usually occur when a woman is not aware that she is pregnant. Clots, bleeding and cramping are among the most common signs of miscarriage. In Most cases, surgery is required to remove the empty uterus in the body.

Ectopic Pregnancy
There are some cases, the fertilized egg may not reach its correct position in the uterus and the embryo grows on the fallopian tube. Since it grows on the abnormal location, it causes tear in the blood vessels and delicate structures. It is known to display the following symptoms: low back pains, nausea, lower abdominal pain, and cramping. This can require surgery to remove the nonviable embryo.

Premature Labor
One of the most common problems of pregnancy is premature labor and delivery. Babies born prematurely run the high risk of having some respiratory problems and underdeveloped lungs.

Hypertension
Elevated blood pressures are a common complication that occurs in 3 percent of the pregnancies. It can cause some adverse effects on the placenta as well as the fetus. Severe elevation of the blood pressure can cause pain in the abdomen, fluid retention , seeing spots and headaches.

The Natural Health Benefits of Aromatherapy Explained


Aromatherapy actually means treatment by using scents, and did you know that there are about 150 essential oils.

Essential oils are aromatic essences extracted from plants, flowers, trees, fruits, bark, grasses and seeds, with distinctive therapeutic, psychological, and physiological properties, which can improve and prevent illnesses.

The Egyptian Physician Imhotep recommended fragrant oils for bathing, massage, and for embalming their dead well over 6000 years ago.

Imhotep by the way is the Egyptian God of medicine and healing. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used aromatherapy baths and scented massage, and used aromatic fumigations to clear Athens of the plague.

Not many people know that!

The modern era of aromatherapy came about in 1930 when the French chemist Rene Maurice Gattefosse used the term aromatherapy for the therapeutic use of essential oils.He was fascinated by the benefits of lavender oil in healing his burned hand without leaving any scars, and started to investigate the effects that other essential oils had for healing, and for their psycho-therapeutic benefits.

Aromatherapy works best when working on both the mind and body simultaneously, and scientific studies have shown that essential oils contain chemical components that can exert specific effects on both the mind and body.

To get the maximum benefit, they should be made from all natural pure raw materials, synthetic ones do not work. Most aromatherapy oils have antiseptic properties, of which some are antiviral, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, antidepressant and expectorant.

Essential aromatherapy oils are added to the bath or massaged into the skin, inhaled directly, or diffused to scent an entire room. When inhaled they work on the brain and nervous system, through stimulation of the olfactory nerves. Aromatherapy is used for the relief of pain, care of the skin, alleviate tension and fatigue, and invigorates the entire body; other properties of essential oils which are taken advantage of in aromatherapy, are for their stimulation, relaxation, digestive, and diuretic properties.

Aromatherapy is widely used in homes, clinics, and hospitals, for a wide variety of applications, such as pain relief for women in labor, pain relief caused by the side effects of chemotherapy which has been undergone by cancer patients, plus helping the rehabilitation of cardiac patients.

Aromatherapy is particularly useful in treating stress, anxiety, psychosomatic induced problems, muscular and rheumatic pains, and digestive disorders, women's problems such as PMT and menopausal complaints, plus postnatal depression, all with a significant success rate.

There is a huge range of essential oils, and aromatherapy products that you can benefit from.

If You Go Overdue What Should You Do? - A HypnoBirthing Approach


If you have gone over 40 weeks in your pregnancy there are a number of things that you can do to help yourself. 40 weeks of pregnancy really is an arbitrary number based on averages and only about five percent of pregnancies actually result in labour by the 40 week. However, if you have gone overdue it is very likely that your care providers, such as your doctor, midwife or obstetrician, will begin to get nervous for every day that you have not gone into labour.

So what can you do about it?

For starters, recognise that you are one of the 95 percent of women who do not begin spontaneous labour on the estimated due date. You are in the majority. 95 percent pregnancies take somewhere between 265 and 300 days from the mother's last menstrual period. This is quite a broad range of days and the estimated due date is based upon a 28 day regular menstrual cycle, which in itself is also unusual, as most women range widely from every 2 weeks to every 6 weeks, to sometimes not even knowing when their next period will come because it is sporadic. You cannot set the due date if you want a natural birth. The best way of looking at your due date is to call it a guess date and give people a month range such as, "the baby will be born somewhere between mid October to mid November".

If your care provider has suggested an intervention to initiate labour, ask him or her if there is any medical necessity which justifies their suggestion for the particular intervention? Such interventions include doing a cervical sweep, rupturing the membranes (the amniotic sac) or applying a gel to the cervix to ripen it. All of these carry risks, so it is a good idea to question the suggestion and at the bottom of this article there is information on a You Tube video which gives a list of questions that you should ask your obstetrician or midwife if they are talking about interventions.

Depending upon your care provider, sometimes they may subscribe to Active Management of Labour (AML) which, as you know from your classes, can result in a surgical birth because of the diagnosis, "failure to progress". It is true that once an AML time limit is placed upon a labouring mother her labour will often falter and she may feel under pressure. This will result in her cervix naturally tightening due to the Fight, Flight or Freeze stress response and this will prompt the caregiver to administer drugs to augment and speed up labour. If the cervix remains tightly closed she will fail to progress and end up with a surgical birth. So it is OK to say no to your care provider once you have asked them these questions, and heard their responses and if you are not totally comfortable with having the intervention. One of the happy compromises that often works between caregivers and overdue mothers is to have an ultrasound to check the placenta and the amniotic fluid to ensure that both are still functioning normally. Usually they will be, in which case you can respectfully decline the offer of jumpstarting labour. Your baby knows when he wants to be born. Let him guide you and your body to initiate labour naturally.

Activities you can do to initiate labour naturally

To get your body and mind and body ready for labour, particularly if you are stressed out about going overdue, you should stop everything and slow down completely. Stop working, stop errands, stop planning, stop cooking, stop cleaning and stop preparing the baby's room. Get someone else to mind your other children. Just stop everything and slow down. Go deep within your body through relaxation. Imagine your body working for you. Imagine powerful, comfortable surges that make labour and birth swift and easy. Talk to your body and baby about how excited you are to start birthing. Relax everything and spend as much time in relaxation as you possibly can. Sometimes labour will not start simply because your head thinks that you are too busy to do it. Stop everything. Tell your head and your body that you are ready. Use imagery extensively in your relaxation and watch your body respond.

Acupuncture and acupressure work brilliantly if you have such practitioners where you live.

Nipple and clitoral stimulation releases oxytocin - the chemical which initiates surges.

Have sex daily and preferably to orgasm. This helps with the secretion of oxytocin and the rhythmic waves of orgasm can initiate labour surges in your uterus.

Eat hot and spicy foods.

Cleanse the bowel with either an enema from the chemist, or castor oil (take 1/2 tablespoon every 1/2 hour for 3 doses, repeat the following day if necessary)

Visualise your surges commencing and your joy that you baby is coming now.

Walk, gently and slowly.

Do a Fear Release relaxation (taught in class). Release the fear of starting labour even if you don't think you are fearful of starting labour. Pretend you are and release that fear.

Drink lots of water to ensure your body knows that it is well hydrated enough to start labour without hindrance.

Talk to a homeopath or naturopath about remedies or herbs to initiate labour gently but only if you already have a relationship with a homeopath or naturopath. Homeopathy will not initiate labour if your body isn't ready for birth - it only works if your body is ready to begin birthing in the first place. Herbs however, are powerful and can have the same effect as artificial induction of labour, causing continuous spasmodic and painful contractions if you take too much. You only want to start labour, not make it labour hard for yourself. Take extreme care with herbs.

Hopefully you will not have pressure from your care providers to initiate labour artificially. Do what you can to get it going naturally. The most important and empowering thing you can do to help yourself is to relax. Your body is a living miracle capable of so much. Birth is just one of the miraculous things it can do! So relax, let go and let it happen...

To access the video "Questions  to ask your midwife/obstetrician", go to YouTube and search for "hypnobirthtrainer".

Happy HypnoBirthing!

Friday, September 13, 2013

Home Sweet Home - Why More and More Women Are Opting For Home Birth


When you hear the phrase "home birth," what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Old fashioned? Unsafe? Crazy? How about all natural, incredible, and safe? Each day, more and more American women are opting to give birth the old fashioned way - right from the comfort of their own homes. And the reasons for doing so are plentiful.

For starters, home birthing moms, midwives, and the like concur that pregnancy is not an illness; and labor is not a medical emergency; and therefore, neither should be treated as such, unless of course there are pre-existing medical problems for the mother and/or unborn fetus, in which case, the pregnancy would be treated as "high risk," and home births would not be recommended.

Home is a comforting place to be, hence the reason why so many women and men feel comfortable having the birth of their child take place there as opposed to the cold, sterile hospital. In addition to home births, there are many people who, through online medical consultation or telehealth services, are being treated for an array of medical conditions from their homes as well. Online doctor consultation services are available from home, or anywhere remotely where Internet access is available, and offer online prescription refills, doctors' excuses for work and school, and more.

Going Au Natural

Giving birth is one of the most natural occurrences in the world - so why are so many pregnant women treated as though pregnancy and labor are medical conditions? With all of the advancements that have come from scientific discoveries and experiments conducted in the past few decades, medical science has still not been able to improve the human body and the way it is designed to work. However, when our bodies are not functioning as nature intended them to, we are more fortunate than generations past in that modern medical science can work wonders.

In the majority of cases, pregnancy and childbirth are normal functions of a healthy body - not a potential life-and-death crisis that requires the assistance of a surgeon. It is for this particular reason that home births, and online doctor consultations, are on the rise.

Only a small percentage of pregnancies bear risks, and ultimately will require the skills of an obstetrician/gynecologist and usage of high-technology equipment (ultrasound, fetal monitors, etc.) in order for the mother and/or the baby to survive childbirth without long-term ill effects.

The U.S. Has One of the Highest Neonatal Mortality Rates in the World

In 1989, the recorded neonatal mortality rate for the United States was slightly more than 10 per 1,000 live births. Ironic, considering that the U.S. has the most highly sophisticated and expensive maternity care systems in the world, yet, in that same year, 20 other countries (with significantly less technology) had more babies survive their first months of life than babies in the U.S.

Why is this? It is likely due to the fact that these 20 countries, which fared far better than the U.S. in terms of neonatal mortality rates, use midwives as the primary caregivers for healthy women during their pregnancies and births.

Considering the statistics before them, the World Health Organization consistently urges the United States to return to a midwife-based system of maternity care in order to reduce high neonatal mortality rates. Physicians, in spite of advanced training and surgical specialties, have never been proven to provide better pregnancy and childbirth care than midwives. Moreover, no research has concluded that hospitals are the safest places in which to give birth for normal, low-risk pregnancies. In fact, respiratory distress among newborns was 17 times higher in the hospital than in the home. Not only that, but the United States has the highest obstetrical intervention rates, as well as an alarming problem with malpractice suits.

Testifying before the U.S. Commission to Prevent Infant Mortality was Marsden Wagner MD, European Director of the World Health Organization, who suggested the need in the United States for a "strong, independent midwifery profession as a counterbalance to the obstetrical profession in preventing excessive interventions in the normal birth process."

Homebirths are Safe

Myth - Hospital births are safer.
There have been numerous studies done that have compared hospital and out-of-hospital births, all of which have indicated fewer deaths, injuries, and infections for homebirths supervised by a trained attendant (such as a midwife) than for hospital births. There have been no studies that conclude hospitals have better outcomes than homebirths.

Standing out among the studies is a six-year one conducted by the Texas Department of Health for the years 1983-1989, which revealed that the infant mortality rate for certified nurse midwives was 1 per 1,000; and non-nurse midwives attending homebirths was 1.9 per 1,000; compared with the doctors' rate of 5.7 per 1,000.

Midwives are Trained Professionals

Myth - A pregnant woman gets more professional attention in a hospital than she does at home.

In addition to being trained pregnancy and childbirth professionals, midwives offer pregnant women more time, care, and attention than the standard medical office or hospital visits. In the hospital, obstetricians rely on machinery and others for information, and appear in the room with the pregnant women for typically only the last part of her visit. Most (and not all - as there are plenty of physicians, such as those offering online medical consultations, who encourage natural birth practices) physicians do not build a relationship founded on support with their patient; nor do they offer much encouragement on giving birth naturally.

On a daily basis, an increasing number of childbearing women are finding solace with the care of midwives, as opposed to the cold, clinical atmosphere of hospital birthing wards. In response, many hospitals are now leaning towards making their sterile environments feel more like "home" for the patient. Most of the hospitals now allow women's partners into labor and delivery rooms, as well as accept the presence of a professional labor coach, or doula.

But, even with this, many women are opting to engage in the natural act of giving birth right in their own home - as they feel childbirth does not belong in a clinical environment when all is well with the pregnancy. Statistics show that home births that are planned with a trained attendant have positive outcomes. Home births with untrained attendants or no attendants at all have less positive outcomes; therefore, those who are planning home births are recommended to have attendants, such as certified nurse midwife, there to assist/deliver the baby.

In addition to childbearing mothers, people of all backgrounds are electing to be treated from home by utilizing online doctor consultation and prescription services - available immediately from their home or remote computer, eliminating the need for in-person doctor visits.

What is Midwifery?

Midwifery consists of a system of wellness and natural care given by professional midwives to women and infants during the childbearing year. In several countries around the world, midwives are the primary care givers in maternity systems with significantly better neonatal mortality rates than that of the U.S.

Midwives are trained to be on alert for deviations from health throughout a woman's pregnancy and labor, and will refer their clients to a physician if necessary. While prenatal visits to an obstetrician's office typically involve long waiting periods before even seeing the doctor or nurse for a brief checkup, visits with midwives are generally relaxed, friendly, and last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. During this time, midwives examine the women by taking the both the mother and baby's heart rates, collect specimens for the laboratory, check high blood pressure rate and weight, as well as teach the benefits of proper nutrition, exercise, hazards to avoid, and how to prepare for a natural birth. Additionally, the midwife watches for any signs of fetal distress, and are equipped with the proper medical equipment for home births such as oxygen equipment.

Consider the Benefits of Home Birthing

There are several benefits to birthing at home, similar to the benefits of receiving online medical consultations right from home. Everyone is made to feel relaxed and comfortable, and women are in an optimal position to carry out the functions of the normal human body without the need for cold, long medical office visits and unnecessary medical intervention.

Benefits of a Prenatal Fish Oil Blend and How to Find the Best Fish Oil Supplement


The benefits of a prenatal fish oil blend to a pregnant woman and her unborn baby cannot be over-emphasized. Fish is the best source of omega 3, which is an essential nutrient our body needs to function properly; hence, medical practitioners now encourage pregnant women to take quality fish oil supplements with their daily multivitamins.

Benefits for mum-to-be

Taking a prenatal fish oil blend helps to prevent the mother from developing preeclampsia, a dangerous disease that could lead to death; this is because omega 3 helps to lower high blood pressure, bad cholesterol and blood sugar. Omega 3 is also proven to help boost the immune system of the mum-to-be so that she would not be susceptible to infections like flu, colds and allergies.

Another benefit of a prenatal fish oil blend to the pregnant woman is that it prevents post natal depression; depression has been linked to deficiency in dha (a major component of omega3). When a woman is pregnant, the developing fetus draws from her dha; hence, she needs to replace the depleted fatty acid by regular consumption of omega 3 supplement.

Benefits for the fetus

Regular intake of a prenatal fish oil blend during pregnancy helps the brain of the fetus to develop properly (the human brain is made up of 60% fat and half of that fat is DHA); thus, it helps to prevent the baby from developing brain conditions like autism, ADD and ADHA. It also enhances the learning ability and IQ of the baby. Research shows that omega 3 helps the retina of the baby to develop well; it also helps to prevent the baby form developing allergies in future.

How to find the best prenatal fish oil blend

The benefits of omega 3 are derived from DHA and EPA, but DHA is the main 'power house'; hence, it is recommended that you buy a brand that contains at least 250mg of dha per 1000mg capsule.

It is also recommended that you buy a well purified brand because most of the supplements on the market contain toxic impurities like mercury, PCBs and other heavy metals. Molecular distillation ensures that the toxins are removed from the oil to make it pure and safe for you and your baby.

Now that you know the benefits of a prenatal fish oil blend for you and your baby, make sure that you choose a brand that is molecularly distilled and rich in DHA. For more information on other health benefits of omega 3, visit my website.

Discover the best prenatal fish oil blend today.

Hiring a Confinement Nanny


When you have a new child, you will often find that the commitment of having one is going to be very time consuming at first. For many parents, this can add an additional level of stress that needs to be dealt with and for that, a confinement nanny can be helpful to many parents.

What you are going to find is that this confinement nanny is someone who is devoted to helping you when you are recuperating from childbirth and adjusting to the new life you are going to have with your child. This individual is devoted to making the most of life for both the new child and the mother as well. They will do this through providing assistance to the mother and teaching her the basics of childbirth as well. This will of course be an essential element to take into consideration in this process.

Because this is going to be a person you may not know, it will be important to look for specific qualities in the confinement nanny that you choose. While some people feel you can simply go online and pick up someone from a help wanted ad, there is going to be a better approach to it.

A good idea will be to sit down with an agency before your child is born and discuss with them some of the possibilities that are available to you. What you are going to find is that they will have a number of different choices available and the background of the women in the agency will already have been verified and that should bring you some peace of mind.

Another option you do have is doing this on your own as well. However, unlike going through an agency, you are going to need to review the background of this individual and determine if their knowledge and understanding of this process is going to work for you. What some people find is that this proves to be a very complex and time consuming experience, especially when exceptional nannies are found through many of the agencies around.

If you are new to the process, take a few moments to contact a couple of the local confinement nanny agencies and start the process of finding a nanny that is going to provide you with a level of comfort in your own home. That may mean you take a little time to go through each of the different options you have, but there is no doubt that with a little effort, you are going to be able to select and work with a professional that is going to help you take care of your new bundle of joy and you get ready to start your life as a new parent. There are a number of great options, so choose the best one around.

Stress Reduction Therapy - A Vital Key to Minimising Harm During Postnatal Depression


Giving birth to a new child is one of the most positive events that should occur during your lifetime. However, Postnatal Depression or the 'Baby Blues' is more common than the general public would believe. Somewhere between ten and fifteen percent of mothers will suffer from this condition in some shape or form. It is not unusual for the drain and strain of giving birth to leave you feeling run down. The more sinister symptoms of Postnatal Depression however that develop normally in the first month after birth can last for months and be severe. An overburden of stress during this time can be hard to deal with and therefore stress reduction and it's management should be taken as a priority.

It is estimated that 1 in 10 women develop Postnatal Depression. Usually the condition develops within four weeks after the birth of the baby. However, it can take up to a year for some women to develop full-blown Postnatal Depression. Without the correct treatment or understanding the condtion is very likely to worsen and potentially impare the bond you create with your new child. So how do you know if you have the condition and how can you cope if you do?

The Signs and Symptoms of Postnatal Depression

The main sign of Postnatal Depression is constantly feeling low. It could become worse at specific times throughout the day but that is not always the case. You will also be extremely irritable. Most women who develop Postnatal Depression will take it out on their partners. This causes a lot of stress and tension within the relationship and it can often lead to feelings of guilt.

Perhaps the most distressing symptom of Postnatal Depression however is a detachment from your child. This is likely due to the worry that you feel over the baby's health. Worrying about every little thing is completely normal in Postnatal Depression and you may find that you are looking for constant reassurance from your partner.

Other common signs of the condition include loss of appetite, feeling constantly tired, losing interest in sex and you may not enjoy anything anymore. It really can be a distressing condition and without treatment, it can potentially last years.

How to Cope If You Develop Postnatal Depression

If you are suffering from Postnatal Depression then the good news is that there is help available. You do not have to suffer in silence. A visit to your physician without doubt should be your first priority. They will be able to fully diagnose the problem and help you to find ways to combat it. It may be suggested in some cases that anti-depressant type medication is the best course of action or counselling sessions may also be recommended.

It would definitely help you to talk to your partner and anybody else who will listen and let them know how you are feeling. Helping you to limit the build up of stress which on a daily basis is a top priority. Many women feel ashamed to admit how they are feeling. The main thing to remember is that Postnatal Depression is actually quite a common condition and it is not your fault if you develop it.

Communicating with those around you is so important, do not attempt everything on your own. Like other forms of depression, a high percentage of women attempt to cope silently with this condition which can make it very tough. Trying to cope on your own and failing to "snap yourself out of it" will only lead to further negative feelings. Always be willing to accept any support offered and whenever possible treat yourself to as much quality rest as you can. New mothers need to try to get as much rest as they when they have a new baby. So sleep as much as possible and that will ensure that you are refreshed and better able to deal with your daily stresses.

Try to get as much exercise as possible. Taking your baby for a walk in the park could be great exercise. If you can get a babysitter, why not take some time out and go for a walk yourself? Getting out of the house on your own will really help you to recharge your batteries.

Finally try not to blame yourself or your partner for the way that you are feeling. Communicating with your partner and family about how you currently feel is important, being affectionate also with your partner and keeping that bond with them intact. Daily hugs for example can be very therapeutic and it can comfort you when you need it the most.

Postnatal Depression can go away by itself but the road to recovery may be extremely stressful and traumatic. Therefore, it is always better to get help and to admit to how you are feeling. The condition can really spoil the experience of being a new mother and it can weaken your relationships with your partner as well as your baby. If your depression is quite severe then you may want to ask your doctor about anti-depressants or indeed he or she may suggest them.

Doing everything that you can to de-stress yourself would be solid advice. As well as the normal stress management practices of eating healthily and living a life with regular exercise you could also take your stress reduction one step further and choose to adopt one of the latest home study stress reduction therapy programs that have been developed with modern lifestyles in mind.

Easy to follow, these systems have been developed to teach you how to best reduce any effects that future encounters with stress may have on you. There are some superb stress reduction therapy programs available now, believe it or not that can be downloaded from the internet! Saving you precious time and causing as little interference with your daily routine as possible.

You can discover all the latest techniques and methods that you will need. From home and at your own pace, to combat any unnecessary stress that you may be experiencing with the arrival of your new baby. This most crucial self improvement learning, can really help you to be in the best place possible to be able to face and conquer the undue stress caused by Postnatal depression. With quality stress reduction therapy you really can make a difference within a few weeks.

It may take you a little time to research and find the best stress reduction therapy program for your needs. However any time and money spent can only help you not only in your immediate needs during Postnatal Depression but also for the rest of your life. You can learn to live a much happier, healthier and stress free existence which reduces the chances of any long term impacts of too much stress. Stress reduction and it's management really has come of age and should be considered a real priority.

Hospital's Role in Surrogacy


Surrogacy is generally a medical practice, even though some legal squabbles could also turn it into a legal matter. The general bulk of the procedure is purely medical. The role of the intended couple, the surrogate, and the agency has been discussed at length in other articles already. But we often overlook what the role of the hospital is in this whole process especially in the delivery process.

The hospital plays a very major role in every surrogate pregnancy. Although the IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) is done in some clinic, most of the testing and ultrasound scanning would probably occur inside the hospital. This is not the biggest part the hospital plays in a surrogate pregnancy though. That occurs when the surrogate mother is about to deliver the baby.

There should already be word sent ahead of the arrival of the surrogate mother and that this is a surrogate birth. That should already have been handled by the surrogacy agency that handled this woman's pregnancy. The hospital would then seek to inform the intended parents of the impending birth just to make sure that they know. Although, in most cases the surrogacy agency itself is responsible enough to do this on their own and the intended couple also arrives with the surrogate mother. This is because the intended couple would usually want to take part in their baby's birth. Even if it is not the mother herself who is giving birth, the experience can still create a lasting memory and a special bond between mother and child.

The delivery should then be attended to just like any other delivery, with a full team of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to assist in the whole procedure. Once the baby is born it would be the hospital's responsibility to put identifiers to the baby. This is a little bit more complicated than usual births since there are 2 sets of parents; the surrogate mother, and the intended couple. Hospitals have created a method to deal with these new set of challenges. They created a method called double banding. Instead of tying 1 band around the baby's arm, they tie two. One is for the surrogate mother and other for the names that appear in the pre-birth order, which has been secured by the surrogacy agency from the court.

The baby is then taken away into the nursery so that it can undergo the proper tests necessary for a newborn baby. After this, follows a more or less standard procedure with the surrogacy agency taking care of the extra paperwork needed to facilitate the custody of the baby and taking care of the surrogate mother to make sure that all her needs are met.

Having a surrogacy pregnancy can be long and difficult, but everyone has a role to play in this struggle to provide a loving couple the child that they have always wanted. The hospital is just another member of the team that made all this possible.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Get Pregnant Fast - Tips to Increase Fertility


If you have been trying to get pregnant without success, then there are several tips and tricks that you need to know to boost your chances. You see, fertility is not merely determined by chance. The little known fact is that there are numerous fertility enhancing techniques that you can implement today that can greatly increase your chances of having a baby.

Tip #1 - Have Sex Often

Ovulation is the only period in which you can become pregnant, but many women misunderstand this fact to mean that they should only try to conceive during that period. This is a reasonable idea, but the truth is that no woman can precisely predict when she will ovulate. While it is often said that two weeks after your last period is when you will probably ovulate, this is by no means an accurate indicator of your most fertile time of the month. So, in order to cover your bases, attempt to have sex often. If you and your spouse engage in sexual activities around three times per week, then you can significantly boost your chances of getting pregnant.

Tip #2 - Consult Your Doctor

One of the primary causes of fertility problems is an infection of the reproductive system. These infections may persist undetected for months or years, all the while causing significant damage to your reproductive organs. The most frequent types of infection that can prevent conception are in the form of STDs. If you and your spouse have been trying for more than six months and have failed to conceive a baby, definitely make an appointment to see your physician. Many STDs can be cured or treated with modern medicines, which should restore your fertility to a degree required to get pregnant.

Tip #3 - Avoid Tobacco and Alcohol

Occasionally ladies are not cognizant of how their daily routines or habits affect their reproductive health. If you are trying to get pregnant, absolutely avoid smoking or drinking. Not only do these types of activities affect your ability to conceive a child, but they may also be damaging to an unborn child if you do happen to conceive. It usually takes several weeks after getting pregnant for the results to show on a pregnancy test, and you don't want to be subjecting your baby to the damaging effects of alcohol or nicotine during that time.

Tip #4 - Enjoy Your Romantic Encounters

Some specialists argue that a woman's mood plays a significant role in her ability to get pregnant. While this has not been proven, it doesn't hurt to make sex fun for you and your partner. Not only are sexual encounters likely to become more frequent if they are fun, but who knows... you may find yourself more fertile as well!

Tip #5 - Keep At It

Most women are able to conceive within one year of first trying to get pregnant. But if you do not fall into this category, there is no reason to panic. There are numerous effective fertility treatments, and odds are that at least one of those treatments will help you get pregnant. Consult your physician for more information on available medical assistance.

Motherhood: How To Fight Baby Blues?


There are hundreds of thousands women give birth each year. Some of them have tried for a long time before finally conceiving a baby, some got pregnant by accident, some decided to have a baby and got pregnant the same month. Some babies are wanted, some unfortunately not. But as statistics shows, major part of babies are definitely wanted and their parents are ready for them.

Or they think they are?

Most first-time parents-to-be are getting prepared to their baby arrival as soon as they find out that they are expecting one...They read lots of books about pregnancy and babies, they always talk about it between themselves, to their friends, colleagues and relatives. They seem to be over the moon about the fact that soon in their live there will be a little cute creature. And they are getting ready to the big change in their lives.

That's not as easy as it seems to be. After labour and a few days spent in hospital new parents and their little bundle of joy are coming back home. That's the time when reality strikes for them.

There are women who are getting along with a new routine just fine. Unfortunately, not all of us are the same. About 70 percent of all mothers suffer from baby blues. They become very emotional, they start crying a lot over even an insignificant stuff. It can last few hours, but can take a few days, or a week or two.

If you one of the sufferers, then please do not worry, the whole motherhood is not going to be like that, even if you might think this way right now. Baby blues is just a reaction of your body to all the changes happened to it. There is a big change in the level of hormones in your body. Also it is meant to be an emotional roller-coaster. Everything is going to be different from now. You might start feeling a bit anxious or even trapped. But that's definitely not going to last forever.

There are a few things you can do to pass through this period as smoothly as possible.


  • First of all, you do need to take as much rest as possible. You have gone through a major process in your life - you were carrying your baby for nine whooping months, had a few hour(or even days in some cases) labour and gave birth to a beautiful boy, girl or multiples. Labour alone is a massive shock for the body. So you need a rest.

  • Leave all the house work for now. Don't rush to do all the cleaning and cooking. Yes, your beloved husband might not been the tidiest person, while you were in hospital. And yes, he could have cleaned the house better and prepare everything for your arrival. But, all this is very emotional for him as well. Don't forget, he became a parent too. And he was to busy visiting you in hospital. Leave all the house work...it really can wait. And nobody will blame you if there are a few dirty cups in the sink.

  • It is better to limit the amount of visitors. Everyone wants to see your cute baby, but it is wise to limit all the visitors to the closest relatives, such as babies grandparents. Your little angel is here not for a week, but for the rest of your life. So all those visitors can wait a week or so to see this cute angel of yours. And they will understand that you might feel emotionally exhausted.

  • Get someone else's help. Would be great if you could get help from someone experienced in this field. You mother is the best choice. She will show you how everything is done, how to deal with a baby, how to calm your baby down. Remember, she is the one who was doing the same with you. So she knows, what she's doing.

  • Ask help from your partner too. While he is busy with a baby, take a relaxing bath, light some candles...Just relax,there are very busy times ahead. Gets busier when they start crawling and walking. Just enjoy this time!

  • And the last thing: if you feel that you want to cry, just cry. Cry it out, don't keep it in yourself. It is all natural.

Remember, baby blues is not a permanent factor. And most women experience baby blues. You need a time to get used to your new responsible and hard role of being a mother. But if you continue feeling the same after a month time, it's advised to see a doctor,as you might have developed a postnatal depression. They will give you a required advice, treatment and support.

6 Tips to Achieve Beautiful Skin During Pregnancy


Glowing and beautiful skin is the most women expect during pregnant, but not all women lucky. Due to the hormonal changes, different reactions are to be expected. During the first trimester, some women may break out and some women may have acne while pregnant during the whole term.

When pregnancy is over, the skin will glow, though early in their pregnancy they have experienced skin dryness. It is essential that you have a great skin care routine of you are pregnant and want to maintain great throughout your term. To achieve that well-known pregnant glow, these tips will help you.

1. Exchange to moisturizing body washes.

During pregnant, the skin needs extra care, aside from your facial skin. Cause by your increasing bulk, your skin will itch and dry because stretching that can caused trauma and the stress.

To reduce its suppleness, you can choose natural oils soap that can strip your skin off. Beside of to prevent dryness and itching, change to moisturizing body washes can restore the moisturizer on your skin.

2. Change your skin products

Regarding to change of hormonal of pregnancy, your skin has different needs. You may need to adjust since hormonal can change your skin condition to become drier or oiler, so you should change the products you use.

As the research said that some skin care products are not suitable for pregnant women because they may contain some harmful ingredients for pregnant women. You can do some research for safe skin products for pregnant women or consult to dermatologist and doctor.

3. Treat your abdomen

During the pregnant, throughout the whole term, your abdomen is an experience continues stretching. That situation can give a result of unsightly stretch marks long after you have given birth. Moisturizer cream or gel for pregnancy can be massage regularly can give you some help to prevent stretch marks

4. Avoid the sun protection

During pregnant, your skin is more sensitive than usual. It means it will be easier to get damaged when you are exposed to the sun and also irritated. As part your daily your skin care habit, you can start to apply sunscreen to avoid dryness, discolorations and irritations.

5. Manipulated with makeup

During the pregnant, use makeup should be less is more. By the help of loose powder, concealer, and multipurpose color stick, you use them to polish your face. But always remember to choose hypoallergenic, moisturizer, and non comodogenic cosmetics since during pregnancy skin is become irritation and sensitive.

6. Do not forget to give you breast an attention.

During pregnant, the thing that enlarges is not your tummy only. To prepare for location, in size your breast also increase. Which can lead to dryness and itching, the skin breast and also your nipples will be particularly sensitive.

To reduce the dryness, apply some creams to your nipple and skin breast. For reduce the itching, you can wearing cotton maternity bras.

To achieve great skin follow these tips during pregnant. And also doing regular exercise and balanced diet is most basic things you can do for better skin and surely for a good pregnancy.

What Is Maternity Health Insurance? How It Works


Maternity is that period in a woman's life when she becomes a mother. This process is quite complicated and the slightest can lead to the death of both mother and child. To repeat my words, health insurance can be complicated. The things you have to look for are what's my deductible and what's my copay? These questions are required when you are buying a new policy or going through your policy. Copay or copayment is a payment defined in the insurance policy and paid by the insured person each time a medical service is accessed.

What you need to keep in mind is the fact that most maternity related expenses are not related to the normal benefits of a health insurance policy. The expenses incurred in pre-natal care, delivery, and post-delivery care is not covered expenses under the normal health plan. The next thing you have to remember is that of you are already pregnant and you apply for a health insurance policy, then you won't get maternity insurance as an additional cover. The only option is to try for state assistance.

There is one more thing one needs to keep in mind and that is that this kind of insurance does not come cheap. That's the reason why as you grow older and if you have an incurable illness then you will be charged a higher premium on your insurance policy because the insurance company stands the risk of bankruptcy if they get 100 claims which are similar in nature.

One more thing to remember is that nobody goes for maternity insurance unless that person is planning to get pregnant in the future. That's the second reason why maternity insurance is costly.

Maternity insurance covers the costs of pregnancy and delivery. There are two ways in which maternity insurance works. The first method which is adopted by most insurance companies is subjecting maternity benefits to a maternity deductible separate from the normal medical deductible. Besides that, maternity benefits are pretty normal. If you break your hand, then the claim will apply to your medical deductible. Though the cost of a routine pregnancy is $4000 to $6500, the maternity deductible runs to $10,000. There is a benefit behind having such a high maternity deductible.

In any case, covered expenses get negotiated rates, whereas non covered expenses get the full amount. For example, if you go to the emergency room and don't have health insurance, you will have to pay the full $4000 whereas if you have health insurance, you will get the amount negotiated between the hospital and the insurance company, which could be anywhere between $2400 to $3200. The second way is that which has been used by United Health Care's individual division, the Golden Rule. In this rule, you get first dollar benefits, meaning you don't have to meet a deductible before your insurance starts paying benefits.

Maternity Hospital Bills - Plan Ahead For Help Paying Them Off


Most people find it impossible to predict when and if they will land in the hospital for an illness or injury. And if it does happen, you may find lots of left over medical bills that weren't in your yearly budget. One segment of the population can predict a hospital stay, giving them a great advantage over everybody else: women planning a pregnancy. Most women choose to deliver their baby in a hospital. This translates into two important points: there may be left over medical expenses, but there is also an opportunity to purchase supplemental insurance to offset these expenses and more.

Left Over Hospital Bills

A stay in the hospital can end up costing you more than you ever expected. Many insurance plans now contain deductibles, and/or daily co-payments. The insurance industry likes to call these plans "consumer directed" to put a positive spin on plans that simply keep annual premium increases slightly lower, only to leave those unfortunate enough to get sick or injured with a big unpaid balance at the end of a hospital stay.

And many times these deductibles and co pays are only the tip of the iceberg. Consider the out of network provider dilemma. Many hospitals utilize contractors for anesthesiology. You pick a hospital that is in network for your insurance carrier only to find out after discharge that the anesthesiology group was out of network. A few weeks after discharge you get a bill for the portion above "usual customary and reasonable". These fees are now your responsibility.

And what about those specialists who visit you while in the hospital? Are they in or out of network? The answer can have a huge impact on what you owe. Your health insurance plan negotiates hefty discounts for plan members who stay in network. The difference between what a provider charges, and what your insurance pays can be shocking. Don't be caught by surprise!

Then there are little annoyances like the daily fee for using the TV, parking your car, family travel expenses, and lost income while in the hospital and then recuperating at home.

Women Planning a Hospital Stay

Many women who are planning a pregnancy are planning a hospital stay. Unless you are planning to deliver in a taxi cab or through a midwife, you most likely are planning a hospital stay. With that comes all of the left over bills described above. What if the anesthesiologist administering the epidural is out of network? Can you to make the extra payment when the bill arrives during your maternity leave?

At the same time, you also have the opportunity to purchase supplemental health insurance plans that pay cash benefits directly to you for your hospital admission, and during the time you are unable to work during your maternity leave. While the rest of the world must wonder about purchasing extra coverage just in case they get sick or hurt, women planning a pregnancy are planning a hospital stay, along with missed time from work.

Wouldn't it make sense to purchase coverage before getting pregnant? Once you are already pregnant, it will be too late to apply for coverage.

Excellent Hospitals in Athens, Greece


Greece has hospitals that belong to both the private and the public sector. Athens also has a balance mix of both private and public hospitals that are well equipped to cater to any kind of medical issues. The public hospitals in Greece are managed and controlled by The National Health Service.

The Diagnostic and Therapeutic Centre of Athens, Hygeia has been functional since 1970.It is a private hospital founded by eminent Greek physicians to provide world class and modern care to its patients. The Hygeia Diagnostic and Therapeutic Center provides health and medical services throughout Greece and in some other countries too. There are 22 surgery clinics, 11 pathology clinics, 6 diagnostics centers, 8 rehabilitation centers and10 hospitals abroad.The hospital as an Organ Transplant Unit and an ICU that is equipped to deal with all kind of medical problems. The hospital also has ambulance services and their ICU is equipped with the requisite support and diagnostic facilities to ensure proper treatment to its patients. The hospital has the facility for Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) to help fight blood diseases. It was the first hospital in Greece to introduce the concept of one day surgery.

Kyanous Stavros is a privately owned hospital and diagnostic centre. The centrally located hospital was set up in the year 1963 and is one of the finest hospitals in Athens. The hospital has the latest technology and is in the process of continually modernizing its operations and departments. It is a multidisciplinary hospital that has 24 hours emergency room that caters to the requirements of foreigners and tourists. There are ambulances services available that are equipped to provide safe and quick transportation throughout Greece if required. The hospital has a range of accommodation facilities to suit the requirements and pockets of a variety of patients. The hospital accepts the majority of insurance companies whether private or public. The hospital provides treatment to all the citizens who might approach it regardless of the fact whether they have insurance or not.

One of the prominent hospitals in Athens is the General Hospital of Attica KAT. The hospital with its modern medical and technological equipment and a well trained staff is a reliable health care centre. The hospital address is 2 Nikis street in Kifissia and it is easily accessible through the Electric Railway or the Underground Metro. The hospital has a pathology division, an orthopedics department that caters to all kinds of orthopedic problems, a general surgery division and also specialized surgeries department.

IASO General is a hospital with state of art facilities and services. The hospital has an ICU that is world class and is known to be amongst the best in the country. It has a Coronary Care Unit and was the first in the country to have a dedicated unit for diagnosis and treatment of heart ailments. IASO General is also equipped with an up-to-date accident and emergency department. There are 10 highly sophisticated surgical units and an angina pectoris unit in the hospital. It also has internal medicine, surgery and diagnostic divisions. The surgeries department has facilities for thoracic, plastic, cardiac, orthopedic and general surgeries. The address for the hospital is 264 Mesogeion Ave. 155 62 Holargos and the contact no is 210 650 2000.

Helena Venizelou founded Marika Eliadi Maternity Hospital in 1926. At that time there was an acute shortage for good hospitals and trained staff for maternal care in the city. The hospital was set up with an aim to provide advanced natal care not only to entire Athens but to the entire country. Now the hospital provides specialized maternity care and also other services that cover secondary and tertian health requirements. The hospital also has an internal medicine department, endocrinology department, cardiology department and a hepato-gastroenterology unit.

If you need medical help, the next time you are in Athens. Take a look at these facilities.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Are Maternity Clothes Necessary in Order to Look Good During Pregnancy?


I remember my mother telling me about the times when she was pregnant. She was wearing nothing more than my father's jeans and his working shirts throughout her pregnancy. No maternity clothes for her because she was too poor to buy them at that time. Remember, in her time, which was about 30 years back, maternity clothes used to cost a bomb.

And yet, if you walk along any shopping center these days, you'll notice at least three or four maternity clothes fashion houses catering to the specifically 'large' needs of a pregnant mother. And since the web and the Internet is such a magnanimous thing these days, what about online maternity stores? I'd safely say there are just about half a million legitimate maternity stores right now flailing around the Internet wires for business.

And the amazing thing is that...YES, they make money! And why, I was wondering.

Because of one simple thing....even though my mother (like your mother) and my grandmother (and your grandmother) didn't need maternity clothes when they were pregnant, the modern generation of pregnant women really, truly DO need maternity clothes. We're living in an era that is completely different from their time and we cannot compare our pregnancy needs with their needs. The same rules no longer apply.

If you're pregnant right now and am sitting around here wondering if you should get yourself a whole new wardrobe of maternity clothes, you're in luck. I have some tips about buying maternity clothes for you.

Buy good-looking maternity clothes that can last at least 3 pregnancies

Like I said, maternity clothes are not cheap these days and maternity clothes are only wearable for the nine months that you're pregnant and maybe another month or two after that. And when you get back in shape, you're going to have to shelve those expensive maternity clothes or put the maternity clothes in sad boxes with the edges stuck together with cellophane tape.

So, buy only maternity clothes that are classy and of exceptional quality. You wear maternity clothes only when you plan to go out. For casual outings and at home, stick to your extra large clothes or perhaps, you can buy some large sweaters, t-shirts, overalls, or raglan to wear when you're not required to look all-that-presentable. It works!

You won't need CASUAL maternity clothes. In my books, that's an oxymoron.

Maternity clothes that can double up as breastfeeding clothes later on would be good too

If you intend to breastfeed your baby after the whole pregnancy is over, you would have to think about buying MORE clothes...breastfeeding/nursing clothes. Now, as with maternity clothes, nursing clothes don't come cheap either. And do we NEED nursing clothes as much as we need maternity clothes? Yes, sometimes we do. I have quite a few fashionable looking nursing clothes that I wear whenever I go out shopping or meeting up with friends. Other times, I wear my t-shirts with holes cut out for easy access to the breast! Yeah, it's funny, but at home, who's going to care?

And if you can get your hands on some good maternity clothes that can double up as nursing clothes later on, GO FOR IT! You will get your money's worth that way.

Style of maternity clothes

Many maternity clothes designers are asleep when they're designing maternity clothes - the selection is bad. Most of them are nothing but flower after flower, spiral after spiral, safety pins or perhaps some form of teddy bear or another. Forget about them! If you were to buy maternity clothes, invest one that makes you look good. If the maternity clothes are plain, that's fine, it's better than making you look like Bozo - most of them do, by the way.

The point is that you want to look CLASSY and DIGNIFIED even though you're sort of....BIG. and wearing maternity clothes with large orange and yellow flower prints is NOT going to help you do that!

That's just my opinion, of course, and you're entitled to have your own opinion about maternity clothes that looks good.

Good luck!

Reprint Notice

Copyright 2005 Marsha Maung

Please feel free to reprint this article in your newsletter, website, magazine or other forms of publication freely. The only requirement is that the following biodata is included and the links remains intact. Apart from editorial or grammatical editing, other form of editing that may impair, change, or alter the context of the article is NOT permitted. If so, please contact the writer for written consent.

Must Read If You Have a Colic Baby - How To Handle The Stress Of Colic


This is not about your baby, this is about You. How you will "survive" the colic period. I am sure that you are exhausted, frustrated and sad to say but a lot of parents feel guilty for their colicky baby. So how do you deal with all that, all the stress.

First of all there is no need to feel guilty; your baby`s colic is NOT your fault. I will say it again it is not your fault. I know that colic and your baby`s crying can be very hard to handle for you and your family. If your baby cries for hours, I know you love your baby but that is frustrating. Colic can also make you feel depressed, stressed and give you low self-esteem. There for it is very important to take care of yourself during this period, so you have the strength to deal with your colicky baby.

So if you are tired and frustrated, you need a break. You need somebody else to watch your baby for you. Take turns with your partner, ask family and friends for help. If you feel like you are the only one that can comfort your baby and can not get any rest when you hear the baby. You need to get out of your house, go to your parent`s house or to a friend`s house and take a nap. Rent a hotel room. Go see a movie. Do not feel guilty, I guarantee that you will feel much better and be more patient after a break. If it is 1 hour or 1 night, that is up to you, but you will feel better getting that break.

See if there is a Colic Support Group where you live. If not there are support groups online. Just to vent and here other parents in the same situation can really help.

So remember take care of yourself - it is not your fault, take a break and find a support group.

The Truth Behind the Facade - Men's Postpartum Depression


New evidence suggests that postpartum depression is no longer just a condition experienced by new mothers. It may also affect new fathers in much the same way. Postpartum depression in new fathers is a relatively new concept, perhaps coming to light thanks to a growing acceptance of the full range of emotional experience that men are capable of.

Society as a whole has traditionally embraced the idea of the strong male figure with a narrow emotional range. Men now have increasing freedom to admit their feelings on a wide range of issues, including those that our own fathers and grandfathers wouldn't have dared discuss with others, including men's postpartum depression.

Paternal postnatal depression in not a new phenomenon, although awareness of it is. More light has been shed on this in recent times thanks to increasing social acceptance of men's emotions. Similar to the feelings that new mothers so often go experience following birth, men's postpartum depression can strongly affect the entire family. In a recent interview on "The Mommy-Muse Is In: Empowering Your Journey into Motherhood," men's health specialist Dr. Will Courtney shared this: "So often, mothers and fathers expect this experience of "baby bliss" that everyone suggests parenting is going to be like. Then, suddenly, this screaming, helpless infant is in their laps and they don't know what to do to calm this baby or soothe it. Suddenly, things start feeling a lot more difficult than they ever expected."

Parenthood is a profound event - whether experienced from the male or female point of view. The transition from being a couple to being a family can be an enormous challenge. Although the majority of men report a deep satisfaction with being a father, they do report that the transition from being "just a man" to being a dad is a frustrating, scary, daunting experience that requires massive adjustment. Men's postpartum depression can become quite severe, requiring mental health counseling from a qualified practitioner who understands the trials of new fatherhood and knows how to help.

Men typically are well-skilled at concealing their postpartum depression. They may, or may not, show any of the traditional signs that a new mother does, such as loss of interest, crying, and general sadness. Although a new father may attempt to "keep up appearances," the best clue that he might have an underlying problem is found by being alert to things that appear to be "just not right" in regards to his normal behaviors.

According to Dr. Courtney, men may try to avoid parenting and new fatherhood altogether, a sort of "out of sight out of mind" mentality. "I'm hearing a lot from new dads about the experience of not being able to tolerate being around the baby. They can't stand the baby's cries, the screaming; they say it makes them crazy. Or, they can't stand to smell the baby, or to even see it or hold it. Typically, men feel horribly guilty about feeling that way, and also very confused because this is not what they were told to expect with the birth of their child. All they really know to do is to try to get away from the thing that is kind of making them feel all of these things. They end up spending as much time as they can at the office."

New parents can take steps before the birth of their new baby (or even after the birth if they sense a problem) to better cope with postpartum depression. Here are some steps that you can take: Accept that postpartum depression is real in both men and women. If a man has a history of depression, beginning mental health counseling before the baby's birth is a great preventive measure. For couples with poor communication or strife in the relationship, couples counseling during and after the pregnancy can help offset depression by opening up the lines of communication between both partners. Economic problems should be faced head-on with the creation of a livable budget to alleviate the financial stress on the couple. Social support for both mom and dad is important. Decide who you can rely on if you need a sitter, etc.

New mothers and fathers must understand that postpartum depression is a completely natural condition that should be treated, not hidden. There is no shame in being depressed after the birth of a baby, especially considering that millions of parents experience some type of postpartum mood disorder each year. Seeking out treatment for the condition is an admission of being a parent who is willing to do whatever it takes to be the best parent and partner possible.

Child Development - Infant Stage


Child development psychology classifies child development in the infancy stage into three sub stages. From birth to fifteen to twenty seconds it's the pertinent period. Until the time the baby emerges from its mother's womb separated by cutting and tying of the umbilical cord, the child is a parasite and makes no adjustments to the postnatal environment. From thirty minutes to the end of two weeks the infant is now separate, independent and individual-no longer a parasite.

Physical development:

The physical growth development is fast with a faster rate in function of nervous system.

Child development behaviors:

All child development theories hint out that infancy stage of child development is the shortest of all developmental periods. Infancy begins with birth and ends when it is two weeks old. It is the time that the fetus must adjust to life outside the uterine walls of the mother after approximately nine months.

i) It requires approximately two weeks to adjusting to the new environment.

ii) Infancy is a plateau in development. The rapid growth and development which took place during the prenatal period suddenly comes to stop with birth. There is a slight regression such as loss of weight, less strong and healthy than it was at the time of birth. This characteristic of plateau is due to the necessity for radical adjustments to the postnatal environment. Once the adjustments are made the infant resumes its growth and development, so no fear is needed about this characteristic.

iii) Infancy is a preview of the later growth development. It is not possible to predict exactly what the future development of the individual ll be on the basis of the development at birth. We notice only a clue of what to expect later on.

iv) The child development period in infancy stage is hazardous both physically and psychologically. Physically the infant finds it difficult in making adjustments to the new environment. Psychologically the infant suffers a little when the attitudes of significant people towards the infant radically changes.

Environment of adjustments:

The infant begins to gain child development skills and make adjustments to the new environment after birth.

i) Change in temperature requires adjustment. There is a constant temperature of 100*F in the uterine sac and it is 60 to 70*F in the hospital or at home ii) Breathing by own starts. When the umbilical cord is cut the infant must begin to breathe on its own.

iii) Sucking and swallowing is a self learning development. When the umbilical cord is cut off, the child gets nourishment by the reflexes of sucking and swallowing instead of receiving it from the mother through umbilical cord.

iv) Elimination of waste products begins. Letting out urine and stools is not a matter of adjustment

v) But some infants are seen to have trouble shooting with elimination matters.

Emotional development:

Specific and identifiable emotional changes cannot be seen at birth. Anyhow some reactions may be there as facial expressions of pleasantness and unpleasantness. These are characterized by the relaxing and tensing of the body. Whatever may be the stimulus the resultant emotion is intense and instant.

Social development:

There is nothing to tell about this behavior as it's just the starting point.

It's best suggested that the mother maintains a child development chart of everything about the infant child and for achieving the child developmental milestones.

What Should You Ask Your Outsourced Provider?


Starting your own business can be a very exciting and stressful time in any ones life. If you have been in employment you know that you have a skill that is of value to you. After all, that skill has provided you with an income for many years. Whether you are a Plumber, Web Designer or a Financial Advisor you have an hourly rate that is worth something to your current employer.

If you decide to start your own business, you will be forced to learn a number of new skills. Running a business is not about installing a boiler, designing a website or advising someone about a pension; this is your trade. Running your own business is so much more.

One of the first outsourcing companies you may need to employ will be that of an Accountant. You are going to need to ensure that your 'books' have been completed correctly. That you are claiming the right allowances and that you comply with the rules and regulations set down by government.

When designing contracts with your prospective clients, you may well employ a solicitor to ensure that you are covered should anything untoward happen to you, your employees or possible any subcontractors. You may need to rely on your terms and conditions should you find that a client has become unreasonable towards you.

You may use an insurance broker to make sure all of your insurances are correct and you and your family are protected from any eventuality. You may use a Bookkeeper, an IT Professional or a PR & Marketing company to ensure your business message is being heard and understood. All of these functions are a form outsourcing.

I would therefore like to suggest another form of outsourcing that you may not have heard of, that of a Virtual Assistant or Virtual PA. A Virtual Assistant or Virtual PA will help you and your business get organised, ensure that you are following the best practice in your daily administration and help you create that important work life balance we all need in our lives.

When you choose to outsource any of your business functions ensure that you ask the following questions:


  1. How long have you been a Virtual Assistant/Bookkeeper/Accountant?

  2. How many clients do you currently have?

  3. How much do you charge?

  4. What are your current working hours?

  5. What is not covered in your fees?

  6. What is your background?

  7. What skills do you have?

  8. What sort of work do you do for your current clients?

  9. Where do you work from?

  10. Will you sign a Non Disclosure Agreement?

It is important that you trust your virtual employee; after all they represent you and your business when you are not available.

How to Have a Good Birth


smooth, easy birth is the best birth for your baby - and most women today want to have a good birth. Many magazines and pregnancy books make it seem like smooth childbirth is just luck (and some women aren't made to be lucky). Is that really true? Or can you take steps during pregnancy to have a good birth?

You'll be relieved to know that you can make a difference in your own birth. In fact, it's not hard to have a good birth. There are a few things that make a big difference, though. First, you need to choose the right team to be at your birth. Secondly, you need to take good care of yourself. And finally and most importantly, you need to prepare yourself for your baby's birthday.

Choosing the right team to be with you at your baby's birth can make a massive difference - it can mean the difference between an easy birth and major abdominal surgery (that's what a cesarean section is...). Notice I didn't say "choose the right doctor." This choice isn't just about one person - you can choose a doctor or a midwife. And you can also choose who else will be at your birth. Will you have a doula? Who will be your birth partner? When you're choosing your care provider look for someone with a track record for good births. High c-section rates or high transfer rates for a birth center or home birth midwife are warning flags for trouble.

A doula is scientifically proven to shorten your labor and make birth go more smoothly for both you and your baby. If you want to have a birth partner with you outside of a doula, make sure your partner is well prepared and ready to advocate for you - and do what you need during labor. Don't get somebody who is more concerned about their own comfort levels. Choose someone who is going to stand by what you want, no matter how hard it is for them to see you laboring. A fearful or panicked person can really undermine your labor.

Take great care of yourself during pregnancy. This starts with you eating for two. That's right. Ignore the information that says you need to "just eat a few extra calories." You are growing a second human being and he or she needs additional nutrition. This doesn't necessarily mean you need to eat a whole lot more food - but it does mean that you need to eat smart. Fact: your baby's brain is built on fat. Fiction: a low-fat diet is a good idea in pregnancy. Fact: junk food is bad during pregnancy. Fiction: eating plenty of healthy foods is still "eating too much."

What you eat makes a difference. Eat red meat or fish to give your baby a great start. Eat plenty of protein - it has been proven to help combat morning sickness, preeclampsia, and other pregnancy complications. You need at least 80 grams of protein daily. Go over 100 grams if you're battling morning sickness. You need fat, too. If you don't get enough fat, your body will begin to burn protein for energy. Your baby's brain is built from mostly fats. A "low-fat" pregnancy diet starves you and your baby. Eat good fats - coconut oil, butter, olive oil, bacon drippings, and the fat that comes with grass-fed meats. Avoid bad fats - vegetable oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, etc.

Eating well will prevent most pregnancy complications - and give you the energy you need for labor and birth.

What else can you do to have a good birth?

Make sure that you and your birth partner are prepared. You need to understand not just what happens during childbirth, but how you can help your body open up and your baby come down. Don't sign up for a childbirth education class that teaches you the stages of labor, how to ask for an epidural, and what to do during your emergency c-section. You're cheating yourself and your baby if you do. Use a childbirth course that really teaches what to do during labor so you open up and your baby is born smoothly and easily.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

How to Get Pregnant - How Yoga Poses Will Help You Get Pregnant


Now a day's many couples are doing some efforts to get pregnant. These day's natural ways and natural methods are very popular for the cure of diseases. Yoga is popular from the ancient times to reduce stress. It is also very helpful in keeping you fit and healthy. Yoga is an old form of relaxation and meditation. It was first introduced in India and now it's very popular all over the world. Now yoga is most popular in North America. They use several yoga poses to improve their health and overall physical and mental condition. Now it is said that yoga is helpful even for those women, who are getting problems in conceiving.

How yoga poses help you get pregnant?

Yoga can greatly increase the chances of getting pregnant. It helps you in getting pregnant because it gives you relaxation, sense of peace, well-being and blood flow to reproductive organs such as improving the quality of eggs and sperms. Yoga postures, which are used for conceiving are known as fertility yoga. This type of yoga is made to help couples in getting pregnant. Fertility yoga is helpful for both men and women and it helps to minimize their infertility, reduces stress, improves mental health and increases the chances of getting pregnant.

Types of fertility yoga

There are many types of fertility yoga but some most important yoga poses which are helpful in getting pregnant are given below.

• Hatha yoga- This hatha yoga is slow in movement and methodical postures. It helps you in improving your focus power and relaxation techniques of breathing and nature by meditative.

• Kripalu yoga- This is a simple postures of deep breathing. It helps you improve the connection between mind and body.

• Couples yoga- This is a most important form of fertility yoga. This posture is incomplete without the help of partner. These yoga poses are specially designed for couples to help in getting pregnant. This posture helps to improve intimacy and communication between couples.

If you will try these poses it doesn't mean that you have 100% chances to get pregnant but it will help you in increasing the chances of getting pregnant. These yoga poses work on the hormonal and physical system of your body in that direction which are related to conception. Trying for long time without success creates stress and hopelessness. These factors play a key role in making you infertile. These yoga postures help you to stay away from stress, be relaxed and be positive.

Newborn PKU Test, Less Stress for Mother and Baby


Many first time parents do not realize that their new baby will have to undergo a test for Phenylketonuria (PKU) shortly after birth and again at two weeks of age. Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare condition in which an infant is born without the ability to properly break down an amino acid called phenylalanine. Testing involves sticking your newborn's heel and milking out enough blood to fill the circles on the test form. The first test will be performed in the newborn nursery before you leave the hospital.

You will need to take your baby to the lab, usually at the hospital where they were born, for the second mandatory testing. The heel stick is painful and will most likely make your newborn cry. This can be very hard on a new mom and may cause her to cry as well. Happily there are several things you can do to make this necessary procedure less stressful for both mom and baby. Prior to the PKU test be sure to give baby a good feeding before leaving home. Be sure to burp baby well to prevent a tummy ache and put on a clean, dry diaper. It can greatly reduce the stress of a new mother to take a trusted friend, family member or postpartum doula with you for the procedure. Allow this person to hold the baby during the procedure. Many new mother's will become very stressed if they try to hold their baby during the heel stick.

Infants are quick to pick up on mom's stress and this can make them cry even more. Have your support person hold the baby on their shoulder as though they were going to burp the baby. Cover with a warm blanket so that they do not feel exposed. Hold their body close and allow baby to suck a pacifier or your finger throughout the procedure. Sucking is a very important self-soothing method for newborns. If the baby is crying, loudly shush in their ear. Your shushing should be continuous and as loud as the baby is crying. This loud shushing provides a white noise similar to what was heard inside the mother's womb. This white noise will help to calm your babies cries.

The majority of babies will quickly stop crying once the procedure is finished. If your baby has a hard time calming down after the procedure find a quiet place to nurse or give a bottle. Rest assured your sweet baby will forget the pain of the heel stick much more quickly than mom and dad. Congratulations you have just successfully navigated a stressful, new parent hurdle.

Tokyo Hospitals and Medical Care


Japan is one of the most well developed countries of the world and is considered a foremost leader in technology and closely related fields. Tokyo is the capital of Japan and is also the center of educational, industrial, cultural and financial activities in Japan. The city is provided with many outstanding hospitals staffed by eminent doctors, containing ultra modern technologies and medical equipment, and the latest treatments and services. Since the medical costs are a bit high in Japan, tourists are well advised to take out travel health insurance. Most of the residents are part of the national health insurance scheme in the government sector. Others avail themselves of private health insurance.

Now I would like to give a brief description of some of the better hospitals in Tokyo.

St. Luke's International Hospital is regarded as one of the best hospitals in Japan maintaining true international standards. Most of the medical staff are fluent in English. Being a service oriented firm, they are taking maximum care to give the patients the accurate and efficient treatments with warm hospitality in a cost effective manner.Tel: 03 3541 5151

Seibo International Catholic Hospital located at 2-5-1 Nakaochiai, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo is another well known hospital for its excellent maternity unit. They also provide excellent treatment and services in all departments. Tel: 03 3951-1111

Keio University Hospital is one of the famous hospitals in Tokyo and is located at the Shinanomachi campus. Their Tel: 03 3353 1211. This is a leading institute offering world class education, research and treatment in the medical and health field. All major medical specialties operate here.

The Tokyo British Clinic is another world class hospital which follows the British General Practice guidelines. This hospital was established in 1992 and providing medical services of highest standards to foreign residents and visitors. They have established full fledged departments in all branches of medicine and are providing facilities like services of native English-speaking doctors.

Osaki clinic for women is well known for treating patients with gynecological disorders and urinary tract diseases. The hospital is provided with most modern equipments to diagnose and treat various gynecological disorders. They offer medical checkups for women at affordable rates.

ThinkPark Tower International Medical Clinic is located near the south exit of the Osaki Station in Tokyo. Their English speaking doctors provide world-class medical care in family practice, gastroenterology, internal medicine and rheumatology. They also offer general medical services like annual checkups, travel medicine, anti-aging medicine, etc.

Aiiku Hospital is one another trusted hospital in Tokyo located at Minato-ku, Tokyo. They specialize in prenatal care for high-risk pregnancies. They offer health check ups and treatment of international standards. However their website is not available in English. Tel: 03-3473-8321,

Blue Shield Health Insurance


Blue Shield provides you with access to quality healthcare at affordable prices. With the cost of healthcare always increasing, you can't afford not to have insurance. A serious car accident could cost $140,185 in doctor, hospital, and medical equipment bills. But with a health insurance plan, the bills would only total $8,178. Blue Shield helps you stay healthy and saves you money. How? Blue Shield of California has put together a network of healthcare providers throughout California. These providers are all highly qualified professionals who've agreed to partner with Blue Shield. Members of these HMO health insurance plans can choose from over 25,000 doctors and 280 hospitals in California. Members of the PPO health insurance plans can take advantage of a network of more than 45,000 doctors and 350 hospitals.

By negotiating with the doctors and hospitals, Blue Shield is able to keep costs for its members low. The plans feature; co payments as low as $20 when you visit your doctor, co payments as low as $35 when you visit a medical specialist, Flexible deductibles and some plans have no deductible, and some plans are compatible with Health Savings Accounts.These plans keep you healthy by stressing preventive care. With visits to the doctor made affordable, you'll be able to get care early and often. This prevents illnesses and injuries from becoming serious (and expensive) problems.

What exactly is preventive care? It includes basic healthcare services like routine physicals, immunizations, OB/GYN exams, and baby care. And in many Blue Shield plans, these services are covered before you have to meet the deductible. Blue Shield understands everyone has different healthcare needs. That's why they've put together a variety of plans so everyone can get healthcare that meets their medical and financial requirements.

Blue Shield has many different plans. Some of the most popular include:

Active Start
An affordable plan for individuals, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Active Start plan has no deductible and co payments as low as $25. With this plan, you can get generic drugs for only $10 a prescription. To save you money, this plan does not cover maternity care ý making it ideal for individuals who aren't planning on starting a family soon.

Essential Plan
The Blue Shield Essential Plan is a convenient, all-in-one healthcare plan. You get medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage in one easy package. Low premiums and 100% coverage after the deductible is met make this plan a smart and affordable investment. This plan also doesn't include maternity coverage.

Shield Spectrum
The Shield Spectrum PPO plans offer flexible coverage for individuals and families. Most Shield Spectrum plans feature extensive medical coverage, including maternity benefits, making it a good choice for people thinking of starting a family. Shield Spectrum Savings plans are compatible with Health Savings Accounts, offering tax advantages and making care more affordable.

Access+ HMO
A good choice for families and people who visit their doctor often, Blue Shield HMO Access+ plans offer predictable out-of-pocket expenses and low copayments. Many of the healthcare services offered under the Access+ HMO program are covered before you have to meet the deductible.

With all the plans available, it can be hard to decide which one is the best plan for you. Fortunately, Blue Shield can help you make sense of your medical needs and find you a plan that will keep you covered without putting a huge dent in your wallet.

Postpartum Blues - When a Mother Wants to Kill Her Own Baby


Generally, a mother has a great and unlimited love to be given to her baby. But this condition could be changed if the mother has Postpartum Blues disorder. This disorder leads a mother to have an idea to kill her own baby. How come?

Postpartum Blues disorder is a psychological problem after delivery process such as anxiety, unstable emotion, and depression. Therefore, this disorder belongs to depression category. The symptoms might occur in four week or even a year after the baby born because of the changes of the hormone as well as the changes in the life of the mother.

Some researches show that 50-70% numbers of mothers are estimated to have the initial symptoms of this depression. However, these symptoms could be coped with right support of the family member and also right adaptation process. There are several causes why a mother is having this disorder. They are:

1. Depression or anxiety disorder before the pregnancy.
2. There are some stressful-events happened to the mother during her pregnancy, such as losing her husband.
3. The baby born in an unexpected condition, such as having disease or having physical defect.
4. The delivery process happens in young mother, especially less than 20 years old.
5. The mother is an alcohol or drugs addict.
6. The mother gets less support of the family, husband or friends, or sometimes bad communication with them.
7. Economical problem related to the baby care.
8. The mother got less nurture of her parent in her childhood.
9. The mother has an idea to commit suicide during the pregnancy.

Up to this day, Postpartum Blues disorder is diagnosed only based on the occurred symptoms. The psychiatrists or doctors are often concluded that a mother might have this certain depression when several criteria of the symptoms have showed.

Then what are the general symptoms of this disorder? It is rather similar with the symptoms of depression. They are:

1. The mother has negative feeling to her baby, including has an idea to kill it.
2. Difficulty in sleeping.
3. Extreme changes in the weight of the mother.
4. The mother is often in fatigue and weak condition.
5. Guilty feeling, useless feeling, or sometimes hatred feeling to herself.
6. She could not have any concentration even to small stuffs.
7. She stays away from the social life or even loses interest to have social relationship.
8. Has a pessimistic feeling as well as planning or trying to commit suicide.

Definitely, you do not want any member of your family to have this disorder, right? For this reason, it is very important to give supports and care to your wife, your mother, your sister, or even your friends when they are pregnant. By you support and care, both of the mother and the baby will be having a very good life.

How to Choose Between Implants Vs Fat Injections For Buttock Enhancement Surgery


Enlargement of the buttocks or buttock enhancement is a plastic surgery procedure that has become more commonly requested and performed in the past several years than ever before. Ten years ago, this was a procedure that was unheard of and rarely done. Due to cultural influences and a changing population mix, the shape and size of the buttocks has become an aesthetic issue of importance.

The buttocks is a three-dimensional structure of which its size and shape are both important. For some patients, their buttocks is too flat and lacks any definition, for other patients it is an issue of size more than shape. As a result, when it comes to buttock recontouring, one has to consider what procedures can increase size as well as shape. It often takes a combination of procedures to create the best buttock result.

When it comes to increasing buttock size, it is a choice between natural fat injections or the use of synthetic implant. Both work and are capable of adding volume to the buttocks, but they are different in the results achieved and their associated potential risks and complications.

Buttock implants remain the gold standard for buttock enlargement. They have a long-standing history of success and their primary advantage is that the volume they add to the buttocks is both stable and permanent. The implants will not change in size over time as the material of which it is made (silicone rubber) does not degrade in the body. While implants do have traditional risks of malpositioning, infection, and seroma (fluid) development, improved surgical techniques with intramuscular placement has gone a long way in decreasing these issues. Nonetheless, these potential risks still exist and a patient must be willing to accept that a small percentage of buttock implants will develop these problems.

Fat injections, using the patients own fat, is a 'newer' buttock implant approach that has only become popular in the past few years. Its recent popularity is linked to the emergence of fat grafting in plastic surgery in general and as an easier alternative than traditional implant placement. Fat injections into the buttocks is less invasive and has a quicker recovery than an implant. It also uses the patient's own fat which, if one is having liposuction anyway uses the discard, or if done by itself offers an aesthetic contouring benefit from the donor site. The primary disadvantage to fat injections is their unpredictability and that only a modest gain in buttock size can be achieved with one surgical treatment. It is far to say that fat injections can not create the same volume size that an implant can......in one surgical session. Multiple fat injections sessions, however, can create the same volume but at the disadvantage of considerable more expense and effort.

Which is better for any buttock enlargement patient....fat injections vs implant? If one is opposed to the thought and risks of an implant, then fat injections are the way to go with the understanding of the limitations in size that can be obtained. Or if one is having liposuction anyway, then fat injections are worth trying since enlargement of the buttocks may not be the sole objective of the surgery. But if considerable buttock size is wanted and one wants the most predictable result, buttock implants are the best choice.....if one can accept their risks.