Oh my word.  When exactly did this happen?

My son, my tiny, tiny baby boy, is growing up.  Yesterday he chased after Eric, demanding a “big hug!”.  He can put the balls in the ball-run at the soft play centre like nobody’s business.  He plays with other children, and is so gentle and patient with those younger or smaller than him.  He’s taken a few steps, and when he’s got his walker he can run.  Last week we had to buy walking shoes, as his feet were squeezed by his cruisers.  We’re also going to have to buy some more 12-18 month clothes at some point: they seemed impossibly big when he was born.  Now, his newborn clothes reach his knees and his elbows, and he’s into the toddler ranges in most shops.  He’s the most loving, affectionate little boy I’ve ever met.  I love him so deeply it hurts.

This journey, it hasn’t been easy.  My pregnancy was wanted, but so unexpected.  We were fraught with worry all the way through; Joe and I had to learn to be a couple before this ticking time bomb exploded into our lives and made us a family.  There was confusion over my due date, with two and a half weeks between my dates and my midwife’s.  At twelve weeks, when I suffered bleeding, I was convinced we were going to lose him; that feeling stayed with me throughout the pregnancy.  He was born eight days before the midwife’s date, and a month before mine, perfect in every way.

Bonding with David took me a long time; longer, perhaps, than it took Joe.  There was this expectation that I’d be ecstatic to have my new baby, that I’d love every element of motherhood.  Who in their right mind loves cracked and bleeding nipples, sleepless nights, shitty nappies, and not being able to sit down on less than six layers of padding?  I was severely anaemic, and had to take iron tablets.  I was ill, and tired, and I hated breastfeeding with a passion, but I forced myself to continue until David was a month old, the time that I could express milk and introduce bottles.  I was adamant that I would NOT use formula, that I’d be a terrible mother if I did.  I remember sitting up and trying to feed David, and passing out while I was feeding him.  I remember sitting in a clients’ offices when David was ten days old, trying to feed him and failing, and feeling so miserable.

When he was about eight weeks old, I started the Pill.  It made me bleed heavily, and I became very anaemic again.  I couldn’t express nearly as much milk as before, and David would either go hungry, or start having formula.  He started on formula, and I knew that I was supposed to feel like a terrible mother.  In reality, I was relieved.

I’d had some mental health support from a community mental health nurse since David was four weeks old, and when he was about three months I was able to see a psychiatrist.  That psychiatrist prescribed a low dose of Sertraline, an antidepressant that is safe to take whilst breastfeeding.  I wish I could say that it provided an instant fix, because it didn’t.  I stopped feeling suicidal, yes.  In fact, I stopped feeling much at all.  My visits to see him consisted of “Yes, I’ve got side effects, no, I’m not suicidal, yes, therefore things must be much better, see you in six weeks.”  In June, when David was six months old, I could take the side effects no longer, and stopped taking the Sertraline.  I felt better almost as soon as I stopped taking it, well, as soon as the week of withdrawal symptoms had passed.  At the end of August I managed to get myself discharged from community mental health support, too, and I felt free.

We’ve muddled along for the last few months, and things have slowly been improving.  I’m not sure at which point it was that I finally felt better, more at home with myself.  Maybe I’ve just settled into motherhood now, and maybe it’s just because David is just easier to look after, more enjoyable.

Because David is easy, these days.  He’s a toddler, he understands what I’m saying and responds to it.  He stops playing to give me a hug, then goes off and does his own independent little thing.  He’s mimicking what we say all the time (including “crap!” in the car the other day.)  Even his tantrums, although trying, are an interesting side of his personality that has only just started to show.  When I was in the darkness, I never thought I’d feel the kind of joy that I feel watching him grow and change and learn.  Now that I am here, I appreciate him even more.

If you are reading this, and you feel like I did, talk to somebody.  Tell them how you feel, and get some help and support.  It is not your fault, you are not a bad parent, and you will get better.  It’s worth all the hardship just to come through it and feel alive.

From next year the Government has pledged that all women will be offered a choice of where to give birth including at home but so far only half of women are reporting that they were offered a home birth.

A recent survey carried out by www.netmums.com revealed that as many as one-third of all women in NHS hospitals are left alone and worried during, or shortly after childbirth and more than 30 per cent of mums polled received no NHS antenatal classes and 43 per cent did not have access to a midwife on a postnatal ward.

Women who participated in the poll were also very critical of postnatal care, including support offered for breast-feeding, this is despite the fact that the Government is now putting huge investment into improving breastfeeding rates; some women also mentioned that they felt the lack of care had led to postnatal depression.

Cathy Warwick, General Secretary of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said maternity services in England are at a critical point; she said that progress was being made. but went on to say that the target to give women a choice of where to give birth looked like it would be missed.  Warwick said surveys suggested full choice was only offered in about 50% of cases.  She also said services were also struggling to cope with the rising birth rate  which has jumped by 20% since 2001.

The RCM say that staffing numbers have increased, but by less than 10%, leaving the health service short of 5,000; they also highlighted that student midwives are finding it difficult to gain employment.

Number 95, like many of the hoaxes that will appear on this list, happened on April Fool’s Day.

On April 1, 1997, syndicated comic strip writers conspired to confuse readers by swapping characters. From the Baby Blues Scrapbook:

A couple of years ago, Rick and Jerry had the idea to have the cartoonists in the papers switch with other cartoonists and draw each others strips. Rick sent out letters to find out if any of the cartoonists would be interested. He was surprised at how many thought it would be fun to do!

In order to be as efficient as possible and to save precious time, Rick decided to computerize the responses with some new software he found. Naturally, with such high-tech help, the entire process of matching cartoonists up with one of their top ten choices ended up taking roughly five times longer than it would have if we’d used a handful of index cards and a bulletin board. The matching-up process also would have taken much less time if we had simply let everyone draw their first choice of strips. And, in retrospect, it might have been funnier to open the paper on April 1st and see forty-six different versions of Dilbert.

Anyway, after a few weeks of agony (mostly for Rick since all of this was on his computer), the mishaps were complete and we sent out the assignments with careful instructions for the cartoonists to follow, and much of the next few weeks were taken up with fielding phone calls re-explaining the whole thing to cartoonists who don’t read careful instructions.

After a ton of telephone interviews, (thanks to all the cartoonists who took time out of their schedules to help field some of these), the Switcheroonie went off without a hitcheroonie. The results were funny, readers got an unexpected treat, and the comics got a little publicity for a change. All in all, not a bad outcome.

After many hours of organizing and numerous reminder phone calls, the great 1997 Switcheroonie was printed in newspapers all across the United States on 1997 April Fool’s Day. The responses were varied. Most people thought it was a great gag to do on 1997 April Fool’s Day. No syndicates were harmed by this stunt.

Here are some examples. Enjoy and Happy Friday!

See a list of hoaxes counted down so far after the jump.

100.  Bridezilla Freaks Out About Her Hairdo
99. The Joe Schmo Show
98. The Crying Indian
97. Ivar’s Underwater Billboards
96. Well to Hell
95. Great Comics Switcheroonie

Well, phase 1 of being alone. Mom left today. Of course  I cried when she left. I didn’t say the things I wanted when she left, but… such it is in a vulnerable emotional state.

I’ve decided i’m going to try to blog every day, even if it’s a small post. I need to normalize my feelings. When mom left today, it felt suddenly so real. Kyle and I… we’ve got no idea what we’re doing. We’re learning as we go (as is Nora) So when Mom left, it was suddenly like “OMG everyone who knows what they’re doing has abandoned us!” although I know that’s not true. I still feel incredibly unprepared for all of this…. I’m scared for Monday to come, when Kyle will go back to work, and I’m here all day by myself. (well, actually all week)

Last night we had a bit of a cry melt down on Nora’s part. she just wouldn’t settle down. I got frustrated and luckily my mom was there. Nora just needed to suck, and we introduced the pacifier. It quieted her down immediately, so, I guess I’m ok with. I’m trying to approach parenthood as “doing what works best for us” instead of “doing what people tell you is best” I’m making it work for us.

But, I’m happy to report, that today with the help of a nipple guard (For shape) Nora and I were able to successfully breastfeed for 15 minutes on each side! WE DID IT! I’m so proud. Now, I know we may have some slip ups still, but at least today I feel like I can give it a try….

Well, although the mommy feelings aren’t running full force, I at least feel better putting out my feelings. When preparing for a baby… they don’t tell you how it really is. I mean they talk about postpartum and blah blah blah, but what they don’t tell you is “Hey, you may not like your baby 24hrs a day, and that’s ok” There are times where I’m not sure what the hell is going on (like… RIGHT NOW) but, that’s ok.  She also wants to be snuggled… A LOT. which can be very stressful because sometimes I just want to be alone.

Well, *deep breath* we will make it. Before we know it, she’ll be a little person and more than a pooping, eating, cry machine.

Keluarga manapun pasti sangat berbahagia sekaligus berdebar-debar menanti kelahiran sang buah hati. Apalagi bila si jabang bayi ini adalah anak pertama, cucu pertama atau anak yang telah lama dinantikan kehadirannya karena usia perkawinannya sudah cukup jauh jaraknya dengan kehamilan pertama. Berbagai persiapanpun dilakukan, termasuk diantaranya berbelanja keperluan bayi, keperluan ibu selama persalinan dan nifas, mengalokasikan dana untuk biaya persalinan dan masih banyak lagi.

Namun, begitu si kecil sudah keluar dari rahim,  ternyata kebahagiaan sang ibu hanya berlangsung sesaat saja. Selanjutnya yang terjadi adalah berbagai perasaan yang kacau-balau seperti yang dituturkan seseorang  yang baru saja melahirkan kepada saya beberapa waktu yang lalu,”Saat ini saya sedang merasakan kekecewaan dan kesedihan. Saya menyesal kenapa dulu saya mau menikah, ternyata punya suami dan anak itu tidak enak!” Awalnya saya cukup terkejut dengan pernyataannya, mengingat betapa menggebunya dulu ia ingin segera menikah dan betapa mati-matian dia mempertahankan kehamilannya karena mengalami flek di awal kehamilan. Namun akhirnya saya bisa memahami mengapa ia sampai berperasaan seperti itu. Wanita ini sebelumnya telah mengalami berbagai macam pergolakan emosi ketika hendak menikah dan selama menikah. Ketika melahirkan ia menjalani proses yang sangat sulit sehingga akhirnya dokter memutuskan operasi caesar. Sebuah keputusan yag sangat mengejutkan, mengingat tidak ada alokasi dana untuk itu sehingga sang suami harus pontang –panting mencari pinjaman, sedang si istri dihinggapi perasaan bersalah telah merepotkan suaminya. Begitu pulang pasca persalinan, keluarga baru ini begitu repot memenej pengasuhan si kecil karena istri yang masih sakit dan lemah, bayi rewel terus dan sakit, pekerjaan rumah tidak terselesaikan, keluarga besar kurang bisa diandalkan bantuannya, suami juga tidak bisa terus-terusan menggantikan pekerjaan istri. Alhasil sang istri pun merasa ‘capek sendiri’ sehingga lahirlah keluhan-keluhan yang dipendam sendiri dan berujung dengan pernyataan di atas.

Seorang ibu yang lain mengalami kehamilan bermasalah karena ada mioma di ovariumnya. Proses persalinannya juga sulit, dan pasca persalinan dia harus menjalani operasi pengangkatan mioma, disusul kondisi si kecil yang sakit dan masalah-masalah keluarga. Semua itu membelit pikiran dan perasaannya sampai menyebabkan depresi dan ASI-pun tidak keluar. Beruntung si ibu ini segera berkonsultasi dengan psikiater dan mendapatkan solusi dari permasalahannya.

Apa sebenarnya yang dialami dua ibu di atas? Mereka sebenarnya  mengalami DEPRESI PASCA MELAHIRKAN. Istilah kerennya adalah Baby Blues, sedangkan dalam bahasa kedokteran disebut postpartum depression, postpartum syndrom atau postnatal depression. Penelitian membuktikan kecenderungan jumlah wanita Amerika dan Afrika mengalami baby blues adalah 10 – 20 %. Depresi ini biasanya berlangsung sejak 24 jam, atau 4 – 5 hari  usai melahirkan sampai beberapa hari, minggu atau bulan kemudian. Gejala yang umum tampak adalah keluar keringat dingin, sesak napas, sulit tidur, gelisah, tegang, bingung, terasing, sedih, sakit, marah, merasa bersalah, tak berharga, punya pikiran negatif tentang suami. Semuanya berhulu pada 4 faktor pencetus : kondisi psikologis, fisik, kimia dan sosial.

Secara psikologis, saat hamil semua perhatian tertumpah kepada si ibu, termasuk dipenuhinya semua keinginannya yang terkadang aneh. Namun begitu melahirkan, semua perhatian beralih ke si bayi. Sementara si ibu yang lelah dan sakit pasca melahirkan merasa lebih butuh perhatian.

Secara fisik, aktivitas mengasuh bayi sepanjang hari bahkan tak jarang di malam buta, memang menguras tenaga dan perhatian. Padahal sebagai istri dan ibu, banyak sekali yang harus diurusi. Begitu banyak daftar pekerjaan rumah tangga dan urusan lain yang harus diselesaikan dalam waktu yang bersamaan.

Pencetus lain adalah reaksi kimia dalam tubuh. Selama hamil dan melahirkan terjadi perubahan susunan hormon, termasuk pada estrogen yang bertanggung jawab atas suasana hati dan kesadaran. Usai bersalin, jumlah hormon kortisol yang menaikkan kadar gula darah dan menjaga tekanan darah menurun medekati tingkat orang yang sedang terganggu depresi. Pada masa itu juga hormon laktogen dan prolaktin dihasilkan kelenjar bawah otak untuk merangsang payudara menghasilkan susu, yang repotnya, bila bertemu dengan tingkat hormon progesterondan estradiol yang rendah akan menimbulkan keletihan dan bermuara pada depresi.

Namun, pencetus terparah adalah faktor sosial, yakni terlalu banyaknya tuntutan menjadi ibu yang baik dan sempurna. Terutama yang datang dari diri sendiri. Jurang antara harapan dan kenyataan ini dengan mudah memicu rasa putus asa, tak berdaya dan khawatir akan gagal menjadi seorang ibu. Perbedaaan cara mengasuh antara ibu bayi dengan orang tua/mertuanya juga bisa menimbulkan konflik. Bagi ibu yang bekerja, kondisi ini pun mudah terjadi. Bayi yang sakit, rewel sepanjang malam, jadwal lapar dan bangun yang tak teratur memaksa si ibu kurang tidur dan mempengaruhi aktivitas kerjanya di keesokan hari.

APA SAJA YANG BISA  DILAKUKAN?

SEBELUM MASA PERSALINAN:

1. Banyak keluarga disibukkan dengan berbelanja pernak-pernik kebutuhan bayi sehingga melupakan hal yang utama: bagaimana memenej segala sesuatunya pasca persalinan nanti. Buatlah perencanaan (jauh-jauh hari) persalinan dan pasca persalinan yang agak detil, meliputi: biaya-biaya ekstra yang harus dipersiapkan untuk menghadapi kelahiran diluar rencana, dimana akan melahirkan, siapa saja yang akan menemani istri saat melahirkan nanti, siapa yang akan menemani si sulung saat ayah harus menunggui ibu melahirkan, berapa hari cuti kerja yang akan diambil sang suami, menghubungi orang-orang yang akan diharapkan membantu mengasuh bayi atau mengurus rumah  (dari keluarga besar atau mengambil pembantu) terutama selama masa nifas istri atau sampai istri pulih kekuatannya untuk bisa melaksanakan tugas-tugas rumah tangganya atau selamanya akan menggunakan jasa ‘pembantu’.
2. Memperkuat mental dengan semakin memperbanyak ibadah, berdzikir dan doa demi kebaikan masa depan keluarga.
3. Menyadari kodratnya sebagai wanita dan kewajibannya sebagai ibu, menguatkan keyakinan bahwa ada pahala besar dari Sang Maha Kuasa atas berbagai keletihan dan kepayahan mengasuh anak dan mengurus keluarga
   
4. Banyak mencari informasi seputar masa persalinan dan kehidupan keluarga pasca persalinan dari sumber-sumber yang relevan. Hindari informasi-informasi yang meragukan dan bersifat takhayul/mitos-mitos karena ini malah akan mempersulit keadaan.
5. Calon ibu harus cukup istirahat, terjaga emosinya, cukup asupan gizinya.
6. Suami dan keluarga besar hendaknya menjaga supaya tidak sampai timbul masalah yang dapat mempengaruhi kondisi kejiwaan istri.
7. Perhatian suami sangat dibutuhkan di masa menunggu kelahiran buah hati.
8. Tawakkal kepada Allah setelah semua rencana dan usaha dibuat.

PASCA PERSALINAN :

Lagi-lagi dukungan keluarga besar dan terutama suami sangat menentukan besar-kecilnya tingkat depresi istri pasca melahirkan. Kita tidak bisa begitu saja menyalahkan istri dengan mengatakan,”Kenapa sih kok begitu? Emang kalau capek ngurusi bayi harus ngomel-ngomel, marah-marah terus nangis begitu?”..dan sederet pertanyaan dan khotbah yang justru malah membuat istri makin depresi. Yang dibutuhkan istri saat itu adalah perhatian dan bantuan/pelayanan anda sebagai suami!! Biasanya istri yang melayani suami, sekarang saatnya suami melayani istri.

1. Walau terasa kuno, kebiasaan pulang ke rumah orang tua/mertua, atau ditemani ibu kandung/mertua saat melahirkan dan bersedia tinggal 40 hari setelah kelahiran bisa meminimalkan kemungkinan depresi. Ibu dan ayah baru pun lebih tenang karena merasa ada tangan berpengalaman yang membantu menangani si kecil.
2. Dorong dan bantu istri untuk melakukan perawatan pasca bersalin seperti dengan meminum jamu perawatan, luluran, senam nifas dsb. Dengan demikian rasa percaya diri istri di depan suami akan pulih dan perasaannya pun menjadi relaks.
3. Konsultasi ke dokter bila sang bayi terus menerus rewel dan sangat mengganggu istirahat. Bila perlu memberikan terapi pijat untuk membuat bayi lebih nyaman dan sehat.
4. Bila terlalu repot meyiapkan sarapan, makan siang dan malam sendiri bisa membeli saja atau menggunakan jasa catering.
5. Pada enam minggu pertama tidak ada salahnya merogoh kantung lebih dalam untuk binatu yang akan membereskan cucian.
6. Turunkan standar perawatan rumah untuk sementara waktu. Misalnya, jika biasanya mengepel dan menyapu tiap hari, renggangkan jadi dua atau tiga hari sekali. Sediakan sajian praktis untuk menjamu tamu-tamu yang datang supaya tidak terlalu repot.
7. Jika istri sudah terlanjur depresi, suami harus memberi perhatian yang lebih besar. Bila istri tampak sedih, berempatilah dengan mengelus punggungnya/rambutnya, mengucapkan kata-kata yang menyejukkan, sering menelpon bila sedang jauh dari istri. Ajak istri untuk banyak berdzikir, berdoa, mendengarkan bacaan-bacaan Al-Qur’an dari kaset, mendengarkan ceramah-ceramah agama untuk membangkitkan semangatnya. Sekali waktu, ajaklah istri keluar rumah, sekedar jalan-jalan atau berbelanja supaya tidak terlalu jenuh mengurusi bayi. Titipkan sementara buah hati pada orang tua/mertua atau kerabat atau siapa saja yang memungkinkan dan bersenang-senanglah berdua (sebentar). Menyediakan makanan kesukaannya pun membuat istri bahagia dan merasa diperhatikan.
8. Ada atau tidaknya pembantu, suami sewajarnya mengambil alih beberapa tugas istri pada enam minggu pertama. Itulah kesempatan bagi sang istri untuk memulihkan fisiknya, terutama otot-otot perut apalagi kalau ia melahirkan melalui bedah caesar. Sekali-kali, gantikanlah istri menimang bayi saat rewel di malam hari, ikut mengganti popoknya yang basah atau menuggui sang bayi saat istri memiliki keperluan yang lain atau saat istri mengerjakan pekerjaan yang lain.
9. Yang sangat diidamkan ibu baru adalah tidur dan tidur. Lebih banyak istirahat di minggu-minggu dan bulan-bulan pertama setelah melahirkan bisa mencegah depresi dan memulihkan tenaganya yang terkuras habis. Bahkan, setelah masa nifas berakhir, istri masih kehilangan keinginan untuk berhubungan intim. Kedekatan fisik dengan berbaring diam di dekatnya, memahami keadaannya akan lebih menentramkan sang istri.
10. Segudang perhatian dan kesabaran memang harus dimiliki para suami pasca istrinya melahirkan.

(Digali dari pengalaman pribadi, orang lain  dan  Majalah Intisari Edisi November 2004)

Before we were discharged from the hospital, the nurse gave me a PPD survey. After reading the questions, I was stumped because I did feel sad, scared, anxious, nervous, and etc. I was an emotional wreck and I still feel that way at the moment. But I don’t want to do harm to myself nor my babies. They actually make me feel happy. Its just everything else that has me all whind up. I told the nurse and techs to understand what I went through and keep that in mind when going through my survey.

The biggest thing was my birth story (I will tell you about it soon). To sum it all up, it was horrible. I am so happy that I have my boy and girl because I don’t think I could experience that again. I’m sure it would be different the next time but the first experience just took my heart. Now, every time someone asks me, “So, how was it (the births)?”, I cring and stumble out words like “It was interesting.” Or “…an experience not to be remembered.” I would try to explain it to my family but I’ll just cry hysterically remembering each and every detail, movement and motion. The only good thing in my birth story was that the twins were healthy, beautiful and a great size.

La grossesse (partie 2 de 2)

Le pourquoi des examens au cours de la grossesse

Une grossesse normale fait l’objet d’un certain nombre d’examens. Certains de ces examens doivent être pratiqués dans des périodes précises du développement de l’embryon. L’objectif de la surveillance régulière est le dépistage précoce de pathologies obstétricales (retard de croissance intra-utérin, hypertension artérielle gravidique, trisomie 21, toxoplasmose, …). Des sérologies sont faites de façon régulière pour dépister certaines maladies infectieuses pouvant entraîner une embryopathie ou une fœtopathie, en particulier chez les femmes non immunisées. Recherche des agglutinines (anticorps) irrégulières tous les mois chez les femmes de rhésus négatif(pour éviter le rejet de l’embryon lorsque celui-ci est rhésus positif). La prévention de certaines anomalies du système nerveux central passe par la prise de vitamines plusieurs semaines avant la fécondation et par une visite périodique chez le chiropraticien.

Les avantages de la chiropratique

Le chiropraticien peut vous conseiller en nutrition (garder une alimentation variée, équilibrée en glucides-protides-lipides et à forte teneur en fruits/légumes) et vous expliquer pourquoi certains aliments sont déconseillés (tabac, alcool, drogues) alors que d’autres sont à préconiser (poissons gras, folate au premier trimestre, fer, calcium). De plus, par sa formation le chiropraticien peut s’assurer que l’enfant est bien positionné dans le ventre de la mère et ainsi éviter des complications à l’accouchement.

Les entrainements chiropratiques Network, au cours de la grossesse, visent une bonne mobilité des os du bassin et du corps, une réduction du stress dans la région du bas de dos (réduisant ainsi les inconforts), une réduction de la fatigabilité physique et psychologique, et une grande satisfaction de soi.

Selon les dernières études, les femmes enceintes recevant régulièrement des soins chiropratiques voient leur temps de travail lors de l’accouchement réduit à 6-8 heures alors que le temps de travail de celles n’étant pas suivie en chiropratique s’échelonnerait de 13 à 24 heures de travail. On observe également, une réduction des complications à la naissance et de l’utilisation d’épidural, de ventouses, de forceps ou de césariennes. De plus, les femmes suivies en chiropratique ont remarqué une réduction des inconforts lombaires, un enfant ayant un sommeil et un tempérament plus calme.

Après l’accouchement

La période du post-partum est comprise entre la délivrance placentaire et  le retour des règles. C’est une période de nouveaux bouleversements à la fois psychiques et familiaux (période clé pour la mise en place de la relation mère-enfant, de la découverte du nouveau-né, de mutations familiales), mais aussi physique avec la perte brutale des repères physiologiques et anatomiques liés à la grossesse. Il s’agit d’une période à risque de complications psychologiques liées aux bouleversements de tous les repères d’une femme, en particulier lorsqu’il s’agit d’un premier enfant. On parle notamment de « baby blues » et de dépression post-natale. Le chiropraticien peut encore vous aider en cette période. L’écoute, les ajustements, les conseils, les recommandations et le support du chiropraticien jouent un rôle clé dans cette période de transition.

Les études démontrent que les soins chiropratiques réduisent les risques de syndrome de mort subite du nouveau-né et stabilisent l’humeur des nouvelles mamans. Étant donné que la naissance représente l’expérience la plus traumatisante et la plus brutale de notre vie, la chiropratique Network aide à libérer ce stress, à réguler la croissance, à calmer l’enfant et ainsi l’aider à faire ses nuits plus rapidement. Ceci au grand plaisir des parents.

Si vous avez des questions, des inquiétudes ou vous planifiez une grossesse, vous pouvez communiquer avec moi et je vous conseillerez au meilleur de mes connaissances.

Le Dr. Julien Lévesque, chiropraticien, pratique à la Clinique MainTenant, au 1477 boul. Saint-Joseph Est, Montréal, Qc, H2J 1 M6. Vous pouvez téléphoner pour réservations au (514) 670-0446 ou au (514) 910-7644 ou par courriel; drjulienlevesque@gmail.com Vous pouvez également visiter le http://www.chiroenergie.ca

I must digress from my journey into madness a little bit as it seems to be stirring up some pretty icky emotions and I don’t like icky emotions. Icky emotions lead to bad thoughts, bad thoughts lead to anxiety, anxiety leads to meltdowns, meltdowns lead to locking myself in the bathroom, and meltdowns lead to an overall shitty day and I don’t like shitty days. I had a very shitty day yesterday so I think that I have had my fill of shit for the week. Wanna know how shitty it was?

Well…. It all started with my ambition to get the house clean in order to divert my attention away from the icky feelings. Oh, I had the drive to do it all yesterday. I was going to tackle the laundry, sweep and vacuum every trace of dog hair that is forever falling out of my dog, wash the floors, clean the bathroom, head to Bed Bath and Beyond…who knew..the possibilities were endless yesterday because I had the ambition. First on my list, the laundry. Mountains of it. I figured that if I stuffed a little bit extra, like a few more socks or undies in each load, that I would get it done a lot faster. Ok, it was more like a few sweaters and a pair of jeans. It was a brilliant idea. Right?! RIGHT?! Well, it was brilliant until the first load made the washer come alive as it bounced its way across my laundry room. Oh, but the best part was when the hose thingy that drains the water from the washer disconnected, and much like the exorcist, spewed a sudsy watery mess all over the laundry room floor. As I slipped and slopped my way to the off button, the damage was already done. My laundry room was flooded.

Good Mom Thoughts: It’s ok, it’s ok. I’ll clean this up and it’ll be ok.

Bad Mom Thoughts: Dude this is an effin mess. It’s going to take forever to clean this up.

 And it did take forever. Then Chase woke up and brilliant idea #2 was born.

Instead of putting Chase in his highchair for lunch, I decided that he could drink his bottle on the laundry room floor while I folded some clothes. Afterall, the floor was now impeccably clean enough to literally eat off of…not that I would ever allow my toddler to eat off the floor. Who does that? I digress…back to killing 2 birds with one stone… I was almost finished folding one load of clothes when all of a sudden I hear *SMASH* followed by “Oooohhhh, Mama.” Chase had smashed his glass bottle on the ceramic tile. SMASHED. There was glass and milk everywhere. All over my clean floor. At that very second, my tension level skyrocketed to a 9.

Good Mom Thoughts: It’s ok, it’s ok. He didn’t mean it. Clean this up. Get him a new bottle. No problem, I can get to the laundry later.

Bad Mom Thoughts: First of all, you shouldn’t be giving him any glass bottles because A) He throws things B) You know that he throws things and C) yo mama told you that glass bottle are dangerous…You should be watching him carefully anyways. Such a bad Momma.

 Wait it gets better… So it’s like almost 1:00 and I am still in my PJ’s and I’m pretty sure that my teeth weren’t brushed yet (hawt…I know) Chase was screaming because I had to wash his face after he smashed a plate of sweet potatoes in it and I was ready to break down in tears when Shawn casually strolls in for lunch. He assessed the situation and then uttered 3 ugly words…”How’s your day?”

*SNAP*

 I don’t really recall what was said in the 20 minutes that he was home, but I’m pretty certain that I made it clear that my bad day was all his fault. Then I can remember the door slam. After he so rudely exited the house, I took Chase to his room and put him safely in his crib and walked myself to the bathroom and cried.

Good Mom Thoughts: Compose yourself. The day is not wasted. You can get some things done. Something is better than nothing. It’s ok. Don’t worry about it.

Bad Mom Thoughts: Your day is shot. Your house is a mess. You pissed off your husband. You locked yourself in the bathroom because you can’t handle anything. You suck. And for God’s sake, will you brush your teeth.

And that’s what I did, brushed my teeth and composed myself then got Chase and brought him into the kitchen. I figured that if I was going to accomplish anything today, it would be an apology to Shawn in the form of a really nice dinner. Thus, brilliant idea #3. I began peeling some veggies when I heard Chase say “Ohhhh, whassss sis?” I looked over and my dog was heaving chunks right into the air vent. Seriously?! Of all the places he could have puked, he did it right on and into the air vent. And, as if that wasn’t gross enough, he ate it…again, while Chase and I looked in pure disgust.

Good Mom Thoughts: It’s ok. R-E-L-A-X. BREATHE.

Bad Mom Thoughts: That is really nasty. You’re never going to get anything done now. You are such a disappointment.

While feeling completely defeated, I cleaned the mess. When Chase pooped, I cleaned that too. When everyone was clean I was ready to start dinner…again. The dinner assembly was moving along smoothly and my mind briefly delved to a happy place that involved singing some off- key Raffi (because Chase loves himself some Raffi). He danced and attempted to sing the songs along with me and when I got to the second verse of “bumping up in down in my little red wagon” I realized I was singing all by myself. The kitchen was quiet. Where did Chase go?

I’ll tell you where he went. Hiding slyly behind the counter just out of eyesight right next to my favorite houseplant that I have been nurturing for almost 6 years. 6. YEARS. What I witnessed was a plant massacre. The little stinker had pulled almost every single leaf off.

 Me: “Oh NOOOOOOOOOO. Not Mamma’s plant!!”

Chase *while handing me a leaf*: “Whaaa sis?”

I remember flopping myself down on the floor next to him and just allowing the bad mom thoughts to take over.

Bad Mom Thoughts: You should’ve been paying more attention to the baby. This would’ve never of happened if you were watching him. You’re a horrible Mom. Other Mom’s can multi-task but you CAN’T HANDLE IT. You are not doing a good job.

And then I cried.

I decided that at that point I needed some back-up so I called my mom. When I told her what just transpired she said “Don’t you feel like you could throw him out the window? I wanted to throw you out the window many times. It’s what babies do dear. They push your buttons. You’re going to have bad days with the baby. It’s ok. We’ve all been through it…but you’re really having a shitty day aren’t you?” then she laughed and laughed and laughed. In fact, she laughed so much that it made me laugh. When I hung up the phone, Chase, who was still sitting amongst my plants leaves, leaned over and planted the most sweetest kiss on my cheek. “Muuuuwwwwahhhh.” I swear, that child knows how to make everything all better….

The point in all of this is that shitty days will happen whether you have PPD or not. You might find it very hard to believe that other Mom’s experience bad days but I promise you that EVERY MOM HAS BAD DAYS. It’s fact, it’s just that PPD makes it harder for us to distinguish when those “normal” bad days occur. When we have bad days, we blame ourselves for not being better, for being less than the “Superior Good Mom” that we envisioned we should be. You know the Superior Good Mom’s who’s homes are remarkably dust, lint and hairball free and always have the time to make dessert at the end of the day? News flash, they don’t exist. No Mom is perfect and ever will be. Write that down.

It is hard, to convince yourself to be positive when everything feels like it’s fallng apart. I know because I still struggle with it at times. Just know that you will get better and those bad days will one day be outnumbered by the good ones… and after you’ve cleaned up  the flooded laundry room, broken glass, chunky dog vomit, and the leaves, you’ll look back and laugh and think, “Yea, that was a pretty shitty day.”

PS –  hugs and kisses do make everything all better.

    The placenta is an amazing organ that is treated with reverence among many cultures around the world. In Chinese medicine, placenta medicine is called Zi He Che. Full of Qi (life force), the placenta aids in the recovery from childbirth, restoring lost hormones, preventing mood jags, and ultimately helping mothers in this vital time of bonding and nurturance. 
    Taking the placenta as a powder is an ancient custom. Remedies of placenta powder have been well-known for centuries. As a source of rich nutrients, the placenta was considered a gift from the baby by many cultures. Across the globe, the placenta has been used medicinally throughout history – from hormone replacement to the treatment of skin conditions.
    ”Baby blues” is a common occurrence – 80% of mothers experience it in the first days and weeks after giving birth. Because it is so common, nothing is typically done about it until it worsens into a diagnosis of postpartum depression, at which time anti-depressants may be prescribed. Anti-depressants, like almost all drugs, are passed to the baby through breastmilk, and mothers who don’t want to expose their babies to these medications are often faced with the decision to either stop breastfeeding or struggle with depression. Women suffer through the baby blues almost as a rite of passage to motherhood – but it doesn’t have to be this way.
    Placentophagy, or consumption of the placenta, has been reported for decades to help stop the baby blues and diminish postpartum fatigue. Some women have cooked the placenta in a stew, mixed it into a smoothie, or even taken it raw to tap into its powerful effects. For many who feel squeamish about this or want to reap the benefits of placenta for more than just a day or two, there is another option: encapsulation.  In the postpartum period, placenta capsules can be used to
-balance your hormones
-enhance your milk supply
-increase your energy
    Although current research on human placentophagy does not exist, what we do know is that women who take placenta capsules report fewer emotional issues, have more energy and tend to enjoy a faster, more pleasant postpartum recovery.  Placentas are rare and powerful – make the best use of the ONE available. Encapsulation is by far the optimum choice for ingestion and preservation.
Here are a few photos of our encapsulation process: