What is Post Natal Depression?

PND can be devastating and debilitating illnesses that can persist and affect not just a new mother but everyone around her. It is not a modern condition, but it is recently labelled. A woman with PND can be irritable, volatile, teary and withdrawn, but it is important for loved ones to not to take this personally. Women with PND suffer from tiredness, insomnia and loss of appetite along with negative thoughts and feelings – of worthlessness, incompetence, guilt or even self harm. They simply don’t feel like themselves. At worst, they may not be able to care for their newborn.
The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale is a screening tool designed to detect postpartum depression. Follow the instructions carefully. A score greater than 13 suggests a risk of PND and the need for a more thorough assessment.

The Triggers

Like depression, PND doesn’t have one definite cause – it’s likely to result from a combination of factors.

• A personal or family history of PND, depression or anxiety may increase the risk of PND.
• Women with a history of abuse or difficult close relationships are at risk.
• Pregnancy can be stressful, as can a prolonged labour or delivery complications.
• After the birth, problems with the baby’s health, sleep patterns and/or breastfeeding can upset the balance.
• Continued sleep deprivation can lead to exhaustion and is a trigger for health imbalances as well as depression.
• A lack of support (hands-on, financial and/or emotional) will make life hard for new mothers. Single mothers are especially vulnerable.
• For mothers who have left the workforce, or had very different expectations of motherhood, the adjustment can be quite a shock.

If you have PND

Touch Your Baby
Yes, now is the time for your baby to feel secure and develop a solid emotional foundation, but don’t beat yourself up if you’re taking time to bond, or if breastfeeding isn’t working for you. The best way to make your baby feel secure is to take care of yourself and regain some balance first, so you can get to know each other in your own way.
Get Support
Don’t bottle up your feelings. Develop a support system of empathetic and trusted friends, family and professionals… and accept their help. You can call The National Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Helpline on 1300 726 306 Monday-Friday 10am – 5pm (AEST) to speak to a counsellor. Psychological therapy is proven to be the most effective way of treating PND. For a list of GPs with expertise in treating anxiety and depression visit beyondblue.org.au.
Take Time Out
It is so easy to get swept up looking after others that we can forget to look after ourselves. You don’t have to be a supermum – you are on a steep learning curve, so take things one step at a time. Leave the dishes, accept that offer to babysit, and have some time to yourself. Or restrict visitors (even well meaning mothers) when you’re overwhelmed or not up to it.
Stay Healthy
Make meals a priority. When you’re depressed, nutrition often suffers. If there’s nobody to help you, take a shortcut and buy pre-made meals from the supermarket or get them delivered. Try to get at least seven hours sleep every 24 hours, even if it means you’re sleeping every time your baby sleeps. If you’re anxious, practise deep breathing and meditation techniques – you’ll find helpful videos online. PANDA’s Wellbeing Guide is full of feel-good facts, affirmations, ideas and small things parents can do to take care of themselves.
Spend Time with Your Partner
You’re in this together, and while this may be the biggest change the two of you ever face, the only way you’ll get through it with your relationship intact is communication. Your partner has no idea how you’re feeling and is probably confused and feeling emotional as well. There’s a lot more work to do suddenly, and it all seems overwhelming, but talk through your tasks and make plans on how to tackle them. And make time for quality time, even if it’s sitting on the couch watching a film together.
Don’t Give Up
Remember – you are not alone, you are one of 100,000 Australian parents who struggle with perinatal anxiety or depression each year. Don’t wait, speak up and you will recover from PND.
This article is available for publication.

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The benefits of yoga for bubs

• Helps to settle baby and improve sleep patterns;
• Enhances bonding between Mum and bub;
• Strengthens the body;
• Improves digestion;
• Helps advancement from reflex to voluntary movements;
• Stimulates the senses;
• Balances activity and relaxation;

The benefits for mums

• Contributes to the development of the brain and nervous system.
• Helps to regain and retain healthy posture after birth;
• Releases muscle stiffness and tension;
• Strengthens the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles;
• Familiarises you with your ‘new’ body;
• Bonds you with your baby whilst you nurture yourself;
• Renews energy;
• Relaxes the mind, body and soul.

Exercise 1: Connect

This exercise will enable you to connect with your baby. Deep abdominal breathing is very relaxing, and it works to tone your pelvic floor and abdominals.
1. Sit in a comfortable position with your baby lying in front of you.
2. Place one hand on your own tummy and one hand on your baby’s tummy. As you look into your baby’s eyes, notice how your baby breathes into her/his belly.
3. Mimic your baby’s breathing. As you inhale, breathe into your hand. As you exhale, draw your navel towards your spine and lift your pelvic floor. Repeat for several rounds.

Exercise 2: Rolling Cat

This exercise releases tightness in your back and neck and provides a gentle massage for your shoulders and tummy. Your baby will love the close proximity to you and the element of surprise. You can even play peek-a-boo.
1. Begin on all fours, with your wrists under your shoulders, and your knees under your hips. Ensure your fingers are spread wide and your weight is evenly distributed through your hands and knees. Lie your baby underneath you, with her head below her face.
2. Start with a neutral spine. Gaze into your baby’s eyes, inhale, and relax your pelvic floor. Exhale, lift your pelvic floor, tuck your tailbone under, round your back and tuck your chin as you gaze toward your navel.
3. Inhale and return to a neutral spine. Repeat several times.
Variation: Begin on all fours. Inhale. Exhale, moving your buttocks towards your heels to stretch your back. Inhale, bend your elbows and scoop forward. Kiss your baby. Exhale, lift your pelvic floor, arch your back, and sit back on your heels. Your baby will love seeing you move from a distance to close up.

Exercise 3: Soothing hold

Being held face down is very relaxing for your baby, and allows her to look around from a different perspective. It puts a comforting pressure on the abdomen, which is very therapeutic, especially for babies with colic or wind.
Practise this hold while you’re seated. Slide your baby’s chest onto your hand and hold her upper arm between your thumb and index finger. Place your other hand between your baby’s legs to support her abdomen. You may then rub your baby’s tummy. When you’re confident with this hold, stand, and walk or rock your baby from side to side.

Exercise 4: Aeroplanes

This exercise massages your lower back and strengthens your deep abdominal muscles.
1. Lie on your back with your knees together and folded into your chest. Draw your navel towards your spine.

2. Fan your fingers around your baby’s rib cage and lay her face down on your shins, with her shoulders in line with your knees. Continue to hold your baby.
3. Try gentle variations, such as bouncing your knees to give your baby a ride; or rocking her from side to side and massaging your lower back.
4. Inhale as you bring your knees closer to your chest, then lift your head to give your baby a kiss. Exhale, draw your knees and baby away as you lower your head to the mat.
5. Your baby will love to hear you sing. Singing releases oxytocin, which promotes bonding.
Melissa was trained in Birthlight yoga by Francoise Freedman. Visit Yoganic.com.au for more.
This article was first published by News Local.

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The power within

The most famous practitioner of inner-smile meditation is Grand Master Mantak Chia, who operates from the Tao Gardens Resort in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
From this idyllic base, Chia teaches the Universal Healing Tao, a self-help system for curing illness and stress and for enhancing all aspects of life. Its key concept is increasing the vital energy known as “chi”, through techniques such as inner-smile meditation and exercises such as tai chi. This life force energy is then circulated through the acupuncture meridians of the body and can help with health, vitality and balancing emotions as well as a range of creative and spiritual expressions.

It’s all in the energy

The inner smile started with the simple theory that, according to the Tao, different organs store different emotions and therefore organs have different energies.
The heart element is fire, which can activate anything. Love has fire energy, which is the most powerful energy. The first step in creating a loving energy involves picturing yourself smiling from the heart and radiating this love all around your body.
Chia says you can go into as much detail as you want or have time for. “Many people say: ‘I don’t have time to practise,’ but if you can improve your mind, body and spiritual level of energy, your mind will be clearer; you will be more physically fit; your work will take less time to accomplish and your emotions will be calmer.”

How to do the Inner-Smile Meditation

For best results, Grand Master Chia recommends you practise this meditation in the morning and at night before bed for improved sleep and mood. As with any new experience, consistent practice is important.
To begin the inner-smile meditation, sit comfortably on the edge of a chair with your palms on your knees. Straighten your spine, lifting it up from the top of your head. Then relax the muscles in your neck and throat.
Close your eyes. If you are tense, gently move your neck from side to side and take one or two deep breaths that fill your abdomen and chest, then slowly exhale.
Next, smile outwardly. It might be helpful to use a positive memory to evoke the feeling of joy. Once you have a grin on your face, it’s time to smile inwardly. Picture a smiley face in your mind. Bring the smile to the space between your eyebrows – your third eye or “yin tang” in Chinese medicine – and allow it to rest there for a few breaths.
Now take the smile and glide it in turn to each part of your body. You can imagine your body as hollow and the smile as a glowing ball of light filling every dark corner. Alternatively, you can picture every organ, tissue and bone smiling. If your smile gets stuck or fades at a tense or painful spot, breathe gently into that part of your body. Imagine inhaled breath moving into that area.
“Try to maintain the sensation of the inner smile throughout the day,” Chia says.
This article first appeared on bodyandsoul.com.au.

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What is your budget?

Set a budget – state-of-the-art prams are around the $1000 mark. Buying a new pram in-store means you benefit from the advice of the experts, and may often have a few extra goodies thrown in – like extra storage, a sun cover, a parent safety strap, shopping basket or a tyre pump.
You might be able to snag yourself a hand-me-down deal. Just make sure a pre-loved pram has washable fabrics, and cross check that all parts are present and in working order. Manufacturer product descriptions are available online.
Shop for what you need rather than keeping up with the Joneses. There are some less expensive prams out there that are just as capable as the big brands of meeting your every need.

What is your lifestyle?

Think about your typical Mummy day – do you live in a hilly or flat area, are you urban or beachy, will you be strolling to the park and shops or driving? Will you be hopping on and off public transport? Do you have to carry your pram up stairs or travel a lot?
These are all questions you need to answer before you make your purchase.

Key pram features

Once you’ve considered your lifestyle requirements, you just need to look at each pram’s key features to decide which type of pram will suit you most.

• A 4 wheeler is a full size pram with all the bells and whistles: cupholders, extra storage, lots of padding and, importantly, a fully reclining seat for newborns. These prams are suitable for most lifestyles – they’re great for shopping and getting around the neighbourhood with kids – but they are not the best option for getting off the beaten track or for moving fast.
• Three wheel prams are either built for rugged all-terrain use or for jogging once your baby is older.
• A Travel System is a pram with a removable capsule seat that doubles as a car seat. This is handy if you need to drive around a lot – especially if you take a lot of short trips – as it is less disruptive than having to take a sleeping baby out of the car seat and into the pram.
• Reversible Seating – the seat unit faces either forward or rearwards, allowing eye-to-eye contact with your newborn. It’s also handy when you’re taking walks outdoors as, depending on which way the sun in shining, you can reverse the seat to avoid the sunlight shining in your baby’s eyes.
• Double Strollers come in a few varieties:
• In tandem strollers children sit one behind the other. Tandems fit easily through doors and supermarket aisles.
• Side-by-side double strollers seat children next to each other and are easier to manoeuver over curbs and terrain.
• The toddler option is an attachable bench or seat for an older child to sit or stand on.
• Bassinet Option – a bassinet attaches to the pram, allowing your baby to lie completely flat and snug while sleeping. This is great for newborns.
• Adjustable handlebars cater for the taller parent. Try before you buy to make sure they’re long enough.

Pram safety

Most prams and strollers sold in Australia are certified to meet the full Australian standard (AS/NZS 2088:2013). Nevertheless, when shopping for your stroller you should do your own safety check.

1. Test the stability of the pram. A wide-wheel base prevents tipping and allows for a smooth ride.
2. Test that the wheel brakes lock well.
3. Check the safety harness has shoulder straps as well as waist and leg belts (especially on jogging prams). Make sure the harness straps are adjustable and sit correctly without risk of being too tight.
4. Check that once your child has been securely restrained there are no gaps it can slip through. Make sure your baby won’t be able to undo the buckle.
5. Check that the pram folding mechanisms are safe and lockable with no sharp, pointy bits or pinchy corners.

Ease of use checklist

Your pram might look fancy, but it also has to be easy – you’ll be spending a heck of a lot of time using it. While in the store, remember to:

• Adjust anything adjustable, such as reclining functions and the safety harness.
• Practise loading and unloading the basket.
• Test the brakes – wheel and lever – by pushing the pram as hard as you can.
• Fold and unfold it a couple of times.
• Try pushing it – through a doorway, up and downstairs, over grass or sand.
• Make sure you can easily lift it.
•  Make sure it easily fits into the boot of your car.

TIP: Avoid hooking heavy bags over pram handles – a common cause of tipping!
TIP: Always seek advice from mummy friends on which pram they liked best – or pose the question in our blog.
This article first appeared on woolworthsbabyandtoddlerclub.com.au

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How much thought went into choosing your baby’s name?

a) Do you mean his first name, or second, third or fourth name?
b) I chose a name to commemorate a special person.
c) It went in so many different directions – I chose two in the end.
d) It took me a while to come up with something classic, with a twist.

How many kids do you plan to have?

a) Things come in threes, right?
b) I’m still young – no need to decide right now.
c) I can’t wait to add to my brood. There’ll definitely be more than one!
d) Biological or adopted?

What’s your parenting style?

a) I have a house full of really active kids – our focus is on making sure we don’t break anything!
b) Organic. Natural. Attachment parenting.
c) I am a strict mama!
d) Shared – thank god for my partner.

What are the sleeping arrangements at your house?

a) I like night-time snuggles with Baby.
b) Attached.
c) No kids in our beds! Ever.
d) We had our bed especially made to fit us all in.

What would be your dream holiday destination with the kids?

a) A farm in Europe.
b) Anywhere beachy, as long as we’re together.
c) Somewhere with lots of brandname shopping.
d) Somewhere the kids can appreciate just how good they have it back home.

Your idea of time away from the kids involves …

a) Time out’s not really possible right now with a breastfeeding bubba.
b) A sailing trip on a yacht, please.
c) An international holiday to somewhere posh.
d) Charity work.

How do you describe parenthood?

a) “I’m thrilled to be having another boy.”
b) “I’m a protective mother and I want to make sure his needs are met.”
c) “I’m really fun and playful, but I’m really strict on nap time.”
d) “Parenting is exhausting … but I’m grateful.”

What do your kids like to eat?

a) Sushi is always a winner.
b) Cold-pressed, organic green smoothies.
c) When she’s at her auntie’s house, it’s all about organic food …
d) Crickets – yes, as in the insects.

What’s the volume of your home like?

a) Loud and chaotic.
b) It’s quite peaceful, actually.
c) During compulsory nap time?
d) Pardon? I didn’t quite hear that!

What does a play date usually involve?

a) Fun in the sun with a favourite mum-friend and all the kids.
b) Playing in the park with mama.
c) Hanging with the other trendy tots at Gymboree.
d) I have so many kids, playdates aren’t really necessary.

Mostly As?

You’re Gwen Stefani
Your life is busy with three young, active children, but it’s also sweet. Not happy with choosing just one name, your little ones have multiple monikers – Stefani is mum to Kingston James McGregor Rossdale, Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale and Apollo Bowie Flynn Rossdale. Home life is hectic and some may describe your kids as ‘spirited’ but there’s a definite soft side to your world: extended breastfeeding, baby-carrying and night-time snuggles are all part of your family’s package.

Mostly Bs?

You’re Miranda Kerr
You aim to live as wholesomely as possible and you try not to let anything that’s not organic pass your lips, let alone those of your child! A natural birth was part of your plan, as is extended breastfeeding and ‘attachment’ parenting. You love spending time with your baby and like to get out in nature with bubs as much as possible. You and your baby live in your own bubble of love and you’re not going to burst that anytime soon.

Mostly Cs?

You’re Kim Kardashian
You love your baby and you are confident you know what’s right for her. Your choice of name may have caused waves but you didn’t care because that’s no-one’s business apart from yours and your partner’s. You believe in routines and would never let your little one sleep anywhere other than her cot. You love dressing your baby up in the latest fashions and can’t wait to add to your brood with more stylish bubs…

Mostly Ds?

You’re Angelina Jolie
You have a really big family – or are at least planning on having a big family, but no matter what the brood’s current size, you see your role as a mother as one of the most important things you do and are grateful for the privilege. You love travelling with your kids and exposing them to different cultures and levels of wealth. Parenting is a real partnership in your family and you expect your partner to pull his weight. Luckily for you, this happens… most of the time!
This article first appeared on woolworthsbabyandtoddlerclub.com.au

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1. Be a good role model. “There is a lot of research that shows girls are mostly influenced by their mothers,” Miller says. “Teen girls say to me: ‘I’ve never known my mum not to be on a diet.’ Girls get a very mixed message when Mum says, ‘Darling you’re gorgeous. If I looked like you I’d be happy.’ What we have to do for our daughters is to show them that we love ourselves. This is important business. It’s not just about healing us; it’s about healing our daughters.”
2. Miller suggests broadening what you daughter values within herself by telling her you love her for who she is, not just how she looks. For example, tell them they’re beautiful and smart, funny, kind-hearted, passionate, strong, brave and so on.
3. If your daughter is overweight, don’t focus the conversation on changing her body shape or parts of her body, focus on encouraging a healthy diet, fitness and involvement in sport.
4. Empathise. Don’t trivialise her concerns about the way she looks, as they are very real to her. Be kind and encourage her to be kind to others.
5. Watch for early warning signs of a serious body image crisis, including dramatic weight loss, constant dieting, excessive exercising, social withdrawal, a fixation with food, change in appetite (refusing or bingeing) and insomnia.
6. Help you daughter navigate the media. The media plays a key role in the objectification of women. Pay attention to what your daughter reads, watches and listens to. There are some recommended resources in The Butterfly Effect.
7. Encourage your daughter to appreciate her body. Women’s bodies are amazing. Instead of critiquing yourself, focus on the positive aspects and give them a new emphasis.
8. Start a detox diary together (contrary to popular belief the body is not toxic, but the mind may be) where you both can celebrate what you like about your bodies with quotes, photos, affirmations and cut-outs of positive role models. “Girls love that,” Miller says.
9. Remind your daughter to see herself as a whole person. “We are more than just our breasts, our butts and our thighs. When we see ourselves as just bodies we forget that we are somebodies.”
10. Ask your daughter to use affirmations and repeat them every day, such as, “I am more than my body. I am my heart, soul and mind. My body is strong, unique and beautiful.”

For more solutions, grab a copy of The Butterfly Effect by Danielle Miller, or visit enlighteneducation.com to learn about Miller’s life changing workshops for young girls.

This article first appeared on aww.com.au.

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