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It is the day after Father’s Day; did you visit, send a card, call on the phone or stop in your tracks to remember your Dad? Life goes by fast, don’t waste a moment, tell the ones you love how you feel, show affection every chance you get, as often as possible-not just because Hallmark declared it to be the day we should honor our father’s…
The afternoon news today made reference to a new pill intended to increase a woman’s libido, is now under investigation. While I realize that we are the “get it faster, easier, more often society” I do think that there is something to be said for the basics that might include:
• Set the stage: bubble bath, sexy dress, glass of champagne
• Light her fire: handwritten invitation to dinner, love note under her pillow
• Flowers sent to her office-the world see’s you adore her
• Borrow from Stevie Wonder: “You look beautiful tonight…”
Just see if the pharmaceutical companies can compete with old fashioned romance!
In the News: The baby crib became a death trap for 6-month-old Bobby Cirigliano. The side rail on his drop-side crib slid off the tracks and trapped his head; his face pressed against the mattress, the boy suffocated. Bobby was one of at least 32 infants and toddlers since 2000 who suffocated or were strangled in a drop-side crib. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has pledged to ban the manufacture and sale of drop-side cribs by the end of the year with a new performance standard that would make fixed-side cribs mandatory. For more information please visiit: www.cpsc.gov/info/cribs/recalls.html
So, how is swimming from Alcatraz like giving birth you might ask? It’s facing a physical and emotional challenge that you’ve never done before. Preparation, maintaining flexibility (some things are out of our control!) and support are all key as we anticipate the unknown. When I swam 1.5 miles across the Bay, I had an accomplished triathlete beside me- it made a huge difference in building my confidence that I could DO this! Likewise, a woman in labor must know that there will be an unconditional source of support for her to rely on as she faces the unknown-providing her with reassurance and encouragement that she CAN do this!
This year the technique of chest compressions combined with assisted respirations celebrates its 50 year anniversary. CPR is the way individual citizens can help keep someone alive until the experts arrive on scene to take over. In McMoyler Method classes (www.mcmoylermethod.com) we teach Infant CPR and have received wonderful stories from graduates who used the skills they learned and saved lives- both cardiac and choking emergencies. Take a look at www.chaseforlife.com to read the story from a family who learned CPR prenatally and saved their toddlers life; the impact was so profound that they went on to form this non-profit organization… EVERYONE needs to learn these life saving skills!
Happened to catch the Biggest Loser Finale last night (as an athlete, I am interested in the history of these weight loss success stories.) The fact that many women may never lose their “baby fat” can impact their self esteem, their relationship and the rest of their lives. Most people overeat due to emotional hunger not physical-her life has changed forever: baby needs, household needs, job pressure, maintaining a relationship…food provides instant gratification to her very busy life…and the pounds just keep on comin’. She needs to be supported to take care of herself, so that she can take care of those she cares most about…
My face is sore from smiling the entire time I watched this sweet feature film. Just seeing the trailer months ago- I knew I’d love it. Then heard a movie critic on the radio give it rave reviews: “if you don’t see another movie this year-don’t miss this one!”
It is a documentary following 4 babies from 4 continents: Japan, Mongolia, Africa and San Francisco. Starts off with round pregnant bellies, then to shiny wet newborns, to their homes/huts or yurts on the plains…it is both charming and eye opening to see these 4 babies as they are nurtured in the hot dust of Africa, the high tech of downtown Tokyo and the mommy yoga in the Bay Area…whether you are a parent now or ever- you will LOVE this movie!
Junior Leagues of California are celebrating the fact that May will be permanently designated “Perinatal Depression Awareness Month” in California. It was because of their hard work, led by the State Public Affairs Committee (SPAC) of the Junior Leagues of California, and that of California Assembly Member Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara), that ACR105 was passed with unanimous bipartisan support in both the Assembly and Senate.
SPAC will kick off the month with a Perinatal Depression awareness campaign entitled “Speak Up When You’re Down”, California’s pregnant and new mothers can only benefit from the increased attention on this common illness.
Additionally, an article in the Nursing for Women’s Health Journal listed several important points:
• One of the most devastating effects of Perinatal depression is that it occurs at a time when most women feel they should be experiencing joy
• Mothers experiencing depression need to know that what they are feeling has a name and that symptoms can be treated
• A health marketing campaign to improve screening used the tag line- ‘You can’t tell by looking’ and listed the following criteria: If you are worried, sad, nervous, irritable, or not sure, tell your provider about how you’re feeling. A healthy pregnancy and postpartum period include mental health.
The government has recalled thousands of Simplicity and Graco cribs, warning that babies could suffocate or strangle in them.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said the Simplicity recall was linked to at least one death and involved possibly hundreds of thousands of cribs, though many had previously been recalled for other defects. The agency said about 217,000 Graco dropside cribs made by LaJobi were also being recalled.
The problem with both types of cribs stems from hardware failures.
In the case of the Graco-branded wood cribs, the dropside — can break or detach, creating a dangerous gap between the crib mattress and dropped side. A baby can become trapped and suffocate or strangle. CPSC and LaJobi have received 99 complaints of dropside problems with the cribs. None involved serious injuries.
The Simplicity recall is for all full-sized cribs with tubular metal mattress-support frames. Those frames can bend or detach, causing the mattress to collapse and creating a space that a baby can roll into, become trapped in and suffocate.
A one-year-old boy in North Attleboro, Mass., became trapped in his Simplicity crib and suffocated in 2008, according to the commission.
“CPSC urges all parents and caregivers to not attempt to resell any Simplicity crib to a thrift store, at a yard sale or online,” said agency spokesman Scott Wolfson. “These recalled cribs have killed far too many babies and need to be kept out of homes and daycare centers.”
Simplicity has been the subject of almost a dozen recalls since 2005 and its cribs have been linked to 13 deaths.