One of the most frustrating situations for new mothers which leaves them feeling totally helpless and inadequate is when the newborn baby won’t stop crying. In extreme cases when a baby cries too long, too often, the care giver shakes the baby which can cause irrepairable damage and even death.

Why do babies cry? The obvious answers are hunger, tiredness, wet, sick, in pain, or wanting attention.

When the crying goes on and on, even the calmest rational adult can be brought to tears of frustration, possibly aided by sleep deprivation, and is at a loss what to do. No matter how stressed you are, NEVER SHAKE A BABY – ever. Shaking causes brain damage, epilepsy, spasticity, blindness and terror.

What to do? If you’ve tried everything:

• wrap baby in a soft blanket and place in the cot
• leave the room
• call a friend for moral support, make a cup of tea, have a good cry with your friend or partner
• after a few minutes, check on your baby again
• perhaps baby needs to hear a heartbeat – put on a baby sling which keeps the little possum close to your heart, or an Old Wives’ Tale is to wrap a ticking clock in warm material and place in the cot
• ask a friend to come over to watch baby while you have a hot shower without worrying
• put a warm baby “hottie” in with baby (like a hot water bottle, but filled with millet which you can heat up in a microwave)
• do not feel abandoned, alone, unable to cope – pick up the phone and call for help – many mothers and care givers go through this exact same feeling of helplessness; you are NOT alone …

In Australia, call one of these numbers for moral support and help, as well as your family Doctor and Early Childhood Health Centre.

Australian Children’s Hospitals

Sydney - Sydney Children’s Hospital
Sydney - The Children’s Hospital at Westmead
Melbourne - Royal Children’s Hospital
Brisbane - Mater Children’s Hospital
Perth - Princess Margaret Hospital for Children
Adelaide - Women’s and Children’s Hospital

Contact:
Denise Love, LifeOptions – Centre for Lifelong Learning
Doula Express 02 9399 5854 (int’l +61-2-9399-5854)
www.e-lifeoptions.com

Do it yourself Fertility Guide 

Herbalism

 

 

Many couples find that when they’re ready to start a family it just doesn’t happen the way they thought. Whether due to health reasons for either partner, or the method of contraception which has been used for years, it doesn’t alleviate the worry the couple will go through. Many endure tests and eventually try fertility clinics, and some even adopt when all else fails.

In Australia, Ruth and Dennis Sharkey can offer help and hope of enhancing conception naturally – for information on how herbalism can help you conceive, please go to their websiteor call their Healing Centre on (07) 5527-2248 (within Australia) or +61-7-5527-2248 (if dialling from outside Australia).

Things which men and women should consider which may boost fertility:

• men should avoid hot spas, tight underwear and tight pants and trousers
• testosterone-boosting exercise affects fertility – refrain from over-exercising and weight lifting
• give us smoking
• stop taking the Pill 3 months before trying to conceive
• avoid coffee, chips, cola and soft drinks, anything food or drink laced with chemicals

The Sharkeys success rate is quite high with their patients, with most falling pregnant within three to four months.

(see article on p.42 of the Australian New Idea Magazine, Oct 7,2002)

Chinese Medicine

The Chinese Herbal Gynaecology Clinic in Melbourne believes both partners need to take up gentle exercise (including Tai chi or Yoga), stop eating junk food, eat plenty of fruit, vegetables and fresh food, to enhance their chances of conceiving. For more information, please phone (03) 9654-7181 in Australia or +61-3-9654-7181 outside Australia.

Water Safety

The Royal Life Saving Society Australia and Pfizer have created the Keep Watch Parent Water Safety cassette, to educate parents and carers of young children, available FREE from RLSSA.

Australian Multiple Birth Association (AMBA)

South Australian Government Health Unit

www.americanbaby.com

Heart Foundation

Psychologist Lauren Slated suffered mental illness at 14, but with Prozac managed to find balance in her life … until she becaome pregnant. Should she take the drugs and risk her unborn baby’s life? Should she stay off the drugs to have a healthy baby, but lose herself to darknes and despair in the process? Lauren has written a remarkable book about her journey called Love Works Like This, which was featured in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Weekend on March 22, 2003.