August 5, 2008
New mother study creates concern out of normalcy
By admin
Written by Michael Vass
The question of postpartum depression is a very serious issue. Maternity leave is also an important issue for millions of mothers throughout the United States. But sometimes the reports from various agencies that have a vested interest in these issues seem to be biased to cause a sense of urgency beyond what is in their data.
I realize that I am only a man so I asked a friend, a mother of 3, for her input on my conclusions based on a summary of a report by Childbirth Connection. Let’s see whether you agree.
The report is based on a survey, New Mothers Speak Out Report Paints a Troubling Picture of American Women in Postpartum Period, which had 903 mothers that gave birth to one child in 2005. The mothers lived with their child thru 18 months.
My issues are with the following (and more in the summary):
“Many mothers grappled with ongoing physical and emotional health problems while caring for their baby. The women reported high rates of newly experienced problems in the first two months after birth. At six or more months after birth, substantial proportions of mothers were still feeling stressed (43%), had problems with weight control (40%), experienced sleep loss (34%), lack of sexual desire (26%) and backache (24%). Among those who had a cesarean birth, 31% reported numbness and 18% reported continued pain at the incision site after at least six months. One-third of mothers reported that during the first two months after birth, their postpartum physical health (33%) or emotional health (30%) interfered at least “some” with their ability to care for their baby, with 44% of all mothers reporting that physical and/or emotional health impairment had interfered with the care of their babies. A year after giving birth mothers reported a net weight gain of six pounds from their pre-pregnancy weight.”
Ok the silly point first. 6 pounds of weight is considered a vanity amount. It is not significant nor life threatening. It may not be as flattering as the pre-pregnancy weight but it hardly is a big deal outside of trying to be on a magazine cover.
Now the summary does not mention how many of the mothers in their report that felt stress and had sleep loss were first time mothers, or were under the age of 25. We also don’t know the breakdown of how many mothers held white-collar or blue-collar jobs. We do know that the women were between 18-45 and some held full-time or part-time employment.
But as far as I am familiar, anyone with a new baby experiences sleep loss and stress for months. Depending on the baby and the pattern the child develops, the degree of sleep loss and stress can vary, and greater sleep loss can create stress all by itself.
Lack of sexual desire also is a common result in the early months after a pregnancy and differs in degree with various women. It also has a connection to the father/husband and their acceptance of the new responsibilities and view of their partner.
Backache is also no surprise to me. The effort of picking up a child and carrying them repeatedly for hours and days is easily problematic for some women (and men) that were not in prime physical condition before the pregnancy. There is no indication of how many of the women were obese or severely out of shape before hand.
There is no indication of how many of the women were in lower income brackets. This is important because often those in the lower brackets receive inferior healthcare. This is unfair and important to identify. Yet it was not addressed.
Emotional health falls under stress to me.
So in all, while worded in a manner that might cause anyone to be shocked and worried, reviewing the data summary tells me that these women are all basically average and normal in their experiences. Rather than focusing effort on the normal points of post pregnancy, the report could have revealed some really important information. But as I said I am a man. Here is what my friend thought of the summary, and my initial thoughts.
I have to agree with Mike on the fact that a weight gain of 6 pounds after 18 months of caring for a baby is of no concern. If there was significant weight gain or loss that could point to a real problem healthwise for the mother, she should consult her physician on that. Keeping in a good physical condition after giving birth is a good idea but it is not the end all to end alls. You should expect the backaches, the sore muscles, the bumps and bruise’s you will get from baby’s pinching and the picking up and putting down of the baby on a regular basis. Since the beginning of humanity, women have suffered sleep loss, stress, lack of sexual interest and many other issues. This in no way has affected the human race in an adverse way. But to make a problem out of things that are a normal state of being after giving birth and spending 18 months learning a completely new person that is going to develop their own personalities is something to be expected. As far as the lack of sexual interest is concerned the consideration of working around a baby’s schedule and a parent’s work schedule fall into play here. The exhaustive state of mind that a parent will be in may not be conductive to sex for a while but given time things should go back to normal. In my opinion Mike points out many things that are important and were not hit upon in the report. I feel that women should always talk to experienced mom’s and friends to find out what can be done and where to go for information and help like, the Women and Babies Network, or WIC (Women Infants and Children). These are good places to gather information that will help alleviate worry and stress healthy way.
Well it seems that I am not that far off. The summary of the report does not focus on the reality of postpartum depression, emphasizing and potentially misinforming some women – adding to any stress they might already experience.
Motherhood is something that should be celebrated. I can understand and support maternity leave. But I have an issue with reports that, in total or in part, equate normal experiences after the birth of a child with serious clinical issues. That I don’t believe benefits any person, though I’m sure it can help several organizations and corporations.
Do you agree as well?
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July 13, 2008
Teen pregnancy: the Hollywood connection
By admin
Written by Michael Vass
I recently noticed a couple of things about various celebrities and entertainers that are either giving birth, pregnant, or otherwise in an issue with their children. It’s been hard to not notice this of course, just scanning cable channels will give you all the facts you could care less about (or at least I do) in 15 seconds or less.
But there is a bit of other news that factors directly with that. Far less covered or mentioned is the fact that teen births are up. Not a lot but up all the same.
In the past year we got to hear about Jamie Lynn Spears. Very young, unwed, and now a parent. The fact that she is currently engaged to the father of her child does not change the fact that she was unwed when she got pregnant at 16. The fact she is looking to live in Louissianna to give her child a “normal life” belies the fact that it’s really not possible since she is so young, no matter what money she has made or her celebrity status. In fact, if we look at most young Hollywood entertainers, the money and celebrity status make them even less normal than their peers. Adding a baby just ups the ante on this.
Yet she is being placed on magazine covers like she won an Oscar Award.
Of course there is always the older Britney Spears. Hollywood fame, money, and celebrity status has done wonders for her. I’m sure her children won’t be the least bit screwed up, nor have any affect on their cousins.
Then there are the older celebrities. Matthew McConaughey just received a healthy 7 lb 4 oz son. He is unwedded to the mother. Nicole Kidman just had her 6 lb 8 oz daughter. She is unwedded to the father Keith Urban. Jessica Alba had her daughter recently and is unwedded. Nicole Ritchie and Halle Berry can say the same. And Clay Aiken can’t even say that he has a girlfriend he got pregnant. His friend/producer Jaymes Foster was artificially inseminated and though they are not a couple will share parenting.
Can Hollywood get any more screwed up?
Now I know there are feminists and others that will say this is all positive. That it shows women can raise their kids without help. That each of these couples love each other (with the exception of Aiken I suppose) and that is all that matters.
Bullshit.
I know women can be great mothers and raise children by themselves. I know because my mother is a strong Black woman that raised me and my siblings. Her 4 children have all gone to college, 2 own houses, all are well-employed and successful. And she did this on an income most would be shocked to know of. Suffice to say there were days mom did not eat.
But that is a great success story. And my mother had her first child (me) in a world that was far different than today [and my mother is still 30, don’t you dare question her age]. Then the world was kinder, people cared and helped to a degree. Kids playing on the block had every parent on the street watching out for them. Today you’d be lucky to have someone notice your kid exists (if they aren’t doing something wrong to that person’s property).
And children today are having kids in numbers that are unprecedented. It’s not just a few girls having kids without any fathers. It’s most of them. And they don’t have skills, unless you consider text messaging a skill. And like most of the youth today they are clueless. [Sorry to my young readers, but on average the youth of today have the common sense and abilities of 6th graders back when I was young.]
And their numbers are increasing.
The report describes a long-term increase in the unmarried birth rate between 1960 and 1994, followed by a “relatively stable” unmarried birth rate between the mid-1990s and 2002 and a rapid rise since 2002. A related measure, the proportion of births to unmarried women, also saw an increase; 38 percent of all births were to unmarried women in 2006, up from 37 percent of births in 2005….
The adolescent birth rate (among married and unmarried adolescents) increased from 21 births per 1,000 teenage girls ages 15–17 in 2005 to 22 births per 1,000 girls in 2006. The 2006 increase was the first seen in this measure since the increase between 1990 and 1991…”
Do the numbers sound huge? Well look at in a different way. There are roughly 22,500,000 teenagers in the nation right now (my quick math). If we just look at girls we get about 11,475,000. That means about 546,000 are pregnant right now. That is larger than virtually every city that I have a reader in, across the globe.
Is this all the fault of Hollywood? Of course not. But when children are making pacts because they want attention and think being pregnant is cool, and Jamie Lynn Spears is on the cover of magazines I see a correlation.
50 years ago there was a shame to being an unwed mother. That was wrong. But Hollywood supported that image. Today Hollywood supports the thought that being a teenager and pregnant is the new James Dean. That is equally wrong.
Maybe it won’t sell as many magazines, or get people to watch the latest celebrity news show, but how about we admonish this reckless action in Hollywood. Just a little. Or do we have to wait for the unwed daughters of the Hollywood moguls and Congress to get pregnant (or god forbid infected with an STD like AIDS – another factor that is connected) before anything is said??
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July 2, 2008
Mothers-to-be be cautious
By admin
Written by Michael Vass
Many mothers-to-be today look at more options to bring their children into the world now than ever before. The options go beyond natural childbirth to include mid-wives, birth in hospitals, epidurals, underwater childbirth, c-sections, and several more. Each option has its own benefit and risk associated with it. But the risks of childbirth should never have to include the incompetence of any medical personnel.
When I say that, I am specifically referring to the recent spat of deaths of newborns that have occurred in New Zealand. Capital and Coast District Health Board (DHB) has come under fire with at least 2 recent deaths of newborns being blamed in part on the facility and the mid-wife in place at the time. Part of the issue is the fact that the mid-wives have not been part of DHB and each has been newly trained.
Now while this issue has been a New Zealand problem it brings up a good point for mothers-to-be. Check out the credentials of any mid-wives you may use if you chose a natural childbirth. Even if you are in a hospital setting. You should also check out and be aware of all the medical personnel that may be involved in the birthing process you will go through no matter what birthing choice you make.
Younger, inexperience professionals are not a bad thing (we all need to start somewhere), but they might not make the best choice for first-time mothers and/or those that believe they could have complications with the birth. Knowing the abilities of those around you can inspire confidence and comfort which help in the overall process.
New Zealand is a long way from America, and various standards are different. But I believe that there is no one in the world that would want to harm a child as they are being born; and anything that can be done to help create the most positive and beneficial environment is good. Do your part in learning about the people around you early, and when the time comes they’ll do their job and ensure your child has a great start to a long life.
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June 20, 2008
President to Veto New Parental Maternity Law
By admin
These days, there aren’t a lot of bipartisan votes in the House but in an overwhelming show of support, the House voted 278-146 to pass H.R. 5781 which would provide 4 weeks of paid leave for parents for the birth or adoption of a child. The proposed law would also allow parents to use accrued sick leave for an additional 8 weeks of leave.
That’s the good news. In a show of his never-ending support for the little guy, the White House issued a statement on Monday that indicated that H.R. 5781 would be vetoed by the President.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), a co-sponsor of the bill said, “If President Bush supports family values, he will reevaluate his misguided veto threat of this important legislation.”
We agree.
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June 6, 2008
Lack of Protection Under the U.S. Family and Medical Leave Act
By admin
Recently, I read some articles on the United States Family and Medical Leave Act which made me question exactly how much protection does the federal laws afford to new moms and dads. Federal laws allow new moms and dads 12 weeks of unpaid time off. However, only 40 percent of non-government employees are granted protection under the act.
As the law is currently written, an organization must have 50 employees and the employees must have worked 1250 hours in a year to qualify. It’s time to change the laws.
With all the temporary employment agencies in the United States, it seems to me that employers can find someone to fill your job position for 12 weeks. This should be the case for middle or lower income employment positions. People at the management and executive level typically don’t take off for 12 weeks for fear that their absence will affect the company.
More workers should receive protection under the law. What do you think? Any small business owners out there?
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April 23, 2008
Women Work Late into their Pregnancy
By admin
According to 2003 Census data that has just been released, 80% of all women until 4 weeks before their due date and many are now working right up to the due date. This is compared to 35% or all women in 1965. Who says quality of life is better?
The simple fact is that most need the money and prefer to use any allotted maternity leave time for after the pregnancy.
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