2011 January | Parents Helping Parents

Postpartum Depression and Alcohol Abuse

Depression is a common cause of substance abuse, largely because people who are suffering from mental disorders turn to drugs and alcohol to “self medicate” as a way of dealing with their problems. Drinking away your depression is a common behavior, but unfortunately, alcohol is a depressant and only exacerbates the problem rather than improving it. Women who are suffering from postpartum depression following the birth of a child are unfortunately especially susceptible to alcohol abuse issues.

Postpartum depression and alcoholism are often considered to be co-occurring disorders. What this means is that it is especially common for someone with postpartum depression to attempt to deal with the problem with alcohol until the alcohol abuse becomes a problem all of its own, making it even harder for the woman to get the help that she needs. If you know someone or have a loved one who is struggling with a combination of postpartum depression and alcohol addiction, then know that there is help out there for her and you can help her find the support and the care that she needs in order to overcome both problems.

TheCyn.com is a rehab facility that has the tools and support needed to help a woman through her issues with alcoholism and post partum depression. If you know someone who is suffering through these issues and needs help, know that the support and care she needs is available, and you can play a vital role in helping her to admit her problem and get the help that she really and truly needs. Your support can be invaluable in helping a loved one get the detoxification and rehabilitation help that she needs so that she can eliminate both issues from her life simultaneously, which is the best way to ensure that they do not return to haunt her in the future.

Filed Under: Medical Care Tagged With: Depression, DepressionPostpartum, Disorders, Health, Maternity blues, Mental disorder, Mental health, Substance abuse

Payday Loans can Help in a Family Emergency

Does this situation sound familiar: you’ve just paid your bills, your bank account is empty, and payday is still a week away. Suddenly, your child comes down with a fever, and you need to take her to the doctor and get her medicine. What do you do?

This situation, and others like it, is a big concern to parents who live paycheck-to-paycheck. They plan for every bill that must be covered during the month, but don’t have any funds left for emergencies. Then, like Newton’s Law, an emergency pops up with your kids that you need to take care of. You could go to your family or friends, but they’re in the same situation as you, and don’t have the money to loan. You could ask your boss for an advance, but he’s dead set against it. So, what can you do?

One option you have open to you is to get a payday advance loan. There are several companies available that allow you to borrow against your next paycheck for a small fee, allowing you to get the money you need today, and not have to worry about paying it back until your next paycheck comes in. GreatPlainsLending is one such company. GreatPlainsLending offers several types of loans, including home equity, short term personal, and fast cash or payday loans. A fast cash loan, also known as a payday loan, is perfect to help you take care of unexpected expenses.

Payday loans are easy to qualify for at GreatPlainsLending. All you need to apply for one are your previous paycheck stubs. You’ll have up to two weeks to pay the loan back, so you won’t have to worry about coming up with the money to repay the loan before your next paycheck comes in. Most locations charge $30 for every $100 you borrow, which makes calculating your loan fee easy, and repaying it simple.

For a simple, easy-to-pay-back payday loan, visit GreatPlainsLending.

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: Business, Financial Services, Loan, Payday loan

Protecting Your Nipples When Breastfeeding

When your baby is born the first thing you will do if you are breastfeeding is offer the breast to your newborn for his/her first feeding. Typically the first day or two you will only be producing colostrum, which is an essential nutrient for your baby. Your baby needs to receive colostrum as soon as possible after birth and as often as you can get your baby to drink within the first 24 hours following birth. Colostrum is important for boosting your baby’s immune system and jump starting the digestive process.

When your baby first begins to latch on it may be very painful. This is the hardest part for new moms to handle and work through. The nipples may become sore, raw, and may even crack. Some of the things that new moms can do to prevent this and help to alleviate some of the drying and cracking are to cover the nipple with lanolin, vitamin E oil, or express some milk or colostrum and rub over the nipple area. This provides protection to the nipple area with a layer of oil that will help the nipple retain essential moisture to prevent the drying out and cracking that can occur during the initial breastfeeding period while the body is adjusting.

Besides just applying one of the above-mentioned oils to the nipple it is important to keep the nipple from staying wet by using a nursing pad designed to soak up leaking milk and keep it from sitting against the skin and causing irritation. Because of the irritation and pain that can be associated with breastfeeding during the initial first few weeks, there are also now nursing pads designed with a gel-like substance that forms around the breast and nipple area and protects the nipple from rubbing against clothing and further irritating it. Some of these gel-like nursing pads also include lanolin on the surface which gives the added protection to the nipple area to reduce or alleviate nipple cracking and soreness.

Filed Under: Newborn Baby Tagged With: Breastfeed, Nipple

The Terrible Twos

There’s a reason that the term “Terrible Twos” is so familiar to parents. Toddlers in this age group are fussy, opinionated, and energetic. These little ones are really beginning to give shape to their personality, and that means trying to be a bit more independent. This leads to showdowns with mom and dad over any number of minor issues. From refusing to go to bed and being stubborn about food choices to not wanting to share to biting, these children can try even the most patient parents.

At this age, toddlers are becoming more mobile. Most are crawling and are beginning to pull up to a standing position. During this year of life, most toddlers will learn to walk on their own. This creates countless opportunities for toddlers to get into areas of the home that are off limits.

It’s also during this time that toddlers are teething. This painful process can drag on for weeks at a time before a particular tooth breaks through the gums. Teething can interfere with a child’s mood, ability to eat, bedtime, and can even cause children to run a low grade fever. This is just one more reason the twos are terrible.

There are some bright spots for two-year-olds. This is the time when they begin to talk, expanding their vocabulary beyond “mama,” “da-da,” and “no.” Also, their receptive language skills are really in high gear, meaning they understand far more than they can say.

Parents don’t have to deal with the stress of raising a two-year-old alone. There are many online resources including planningfamily.com where parents can seek advice on developmental milestones, handling temper tantrums, potential medical concerns, and strategies to improve your child’s behavior. Learning that your two-year-old isn’t the only toddler who rolls on the floor as she pitches a fit will provide some comfort. Knowing how to deal with your child’s behavior in a positive way is priceless.

Filed Under: Child Development, Family Tagged With: Child, Child development stages, parent, Tantrum, Teething

Family Game Night

Family Game Night is more than just an evening together as a family. It’s more than having fun and connecting with the family as a whole. Family Game Night can easily be one of the strongest bonding and enduring activities you can have with your children for so many reasons. Beyond the obvious skills of learning to get along both in team and individual environments, communicating with other family members and getting along with one another, it is a time that bonds and strengthens the family through shared experiences and laughter. In this day and age, these precious evenings together are becoming both more and more important and necessary.

Considering the modern family’s hectic schedule, it’s important to set aside a specific night, mark it down on all the calendars and make sure you are fully committed to that date. Once it’s set, it will be imperative that work, other opportunities or obligations do not get in the way as that will send an undesirable message to the kids. Also, plan in advance. If you don’t have games on hand, purchase some in advance to make sure you don’t forget at the last minute. Consider looking at garage sales or online forums for slightly used ones to ease the budget, or create game library sharing group with other parents to share games between different families. Be sure to invest in games that will be of interest to the kids to ensure that everyone will want to be involved.

The dining room table can easily double as makeshift poker tables or game tables, or the living room coffee table may suffice as well. Different variations of family night can keep the excitement high by occasionally inviting family friends over to join in the fun, or take the fun and games outside on nice nights for games like badminton or croquet.

Filed Under: Child Development, Family Tagged With: Family, Family Game Night, Games, Toys and Games

Keeping Children Warm Throughout the Year

Anyone who is a parent can agree that it is difficult to get children to keep their warm clothing on, even when the temperature turns chilly. For some reason, many children simply do not like to wear coats, gloves, hats, and other warm essentials. Babies especially will pull a hat or gloves off almost instantly, regardless of how cold it may be. However, purchasing outwear from Rocawear can help, since the clothing line combines style, comfort, and warmth, all rolled into one. Launched by Jay-Z and Damon Dash in 1999, the clothing pieces can complement any style and are designed for all ages and sizes. There are also pieces in the collection that are designed for layering, to make sure children stay warm.

Older children are more likely to wear this clothing because of its appeal from celebrity endorsement. Thousands of celebrities, young and old, have been photographed wearing pieces from the Rocawear collection, and many of the items feature the signature “R” logo somewhere on them. The line offers footwear, outerwear, loungewear, accessories, and everyday items for men, women, girls, and boys, and all of the pieces are more affordable than might be expected with such a high reputation. The clothing line has been featured in fashion and other magazines and offer unique and stylish looks that can be customized to enhance any appearance. Keeping children warm during the cold winter months is very important to keeping them healthy and ready for each new day, and the warmth that comes with a Rocawear jacket or hoodie is sure to help bundle them up to protect against the elements. Keeping children dressed in sturdy and stylish outerwear is the best way for parents to ensure that the children will want to wear the jacket, and thus eliminate the daily fight of trying to get the children to bundle up before heading outside.

Filed Under: Budget, General Tagged With: Clothing, Glove, Rocawear, Wear

Understanding Breastfeeding Before You Begin

Image via Wikipedia

Congratulations on deciding to breastfeed your baby! If you are new to breastfeeding there are several things you will need to know and understand to be successful in this venture. You need to enter into breastfeeding with an understanding that it is not as easy as it looks and that there are many things to consider and remember while you are learning and your body is adjusting. Learning everything you can about breastfeeding beforehand will help you to enter into this new experience with confidence. It will also help you to fully understand and be ready for the challenges that can arise while you and your baby are learning the breastfeeding process.

First and foremost you need to remember that everyone is unique and different. No two bodies are exactly the same. Some women have milk come in right away where others may take several days before their milk comes in. Some women have an overabundance of milk and others may struggle with having enough. Each baby is different as well. One newborn may understand the whole process right away and latch on immediately when put up to the breast. However, another baby may not have a strong suck reflex and/or may just not be able to quite grasp what they are supposed to do with that nipple that is being introduced to them. While some babies will latch on tight and suck hard others may take time to latch on, may suck light and be on and off the nipple throughout the feeding.

Understanding this, listening to your own body, and learning your baby’s individual eating style are all essential to helping you through the first few weeks. It is difficult to not get discouraged or feel that you just can’t get it right, but with time and patience you and your baby will get this figured out. Remember women have been breastfeeding their babies and surviving it for thousands of years!

Filed Under: Newborn Baby Tagged With: Breastfeed, Infant

Is Your Child Ready for a Pet?

Owning a pet is a huge responsibility, and no matter how much you might try and convince a child of that, it is hard for them to truly understand. Still, that doesn’t deter a child from wanting a pet.

In most cases it is not the pet that gives the parents pause, it’s the idea of having to take care of the pet themselves that puts them off. Sure, they are assured their child would love the pet and treat it in the best way they know how, but then seeing their child dressing up the neighbor’s dog in pet costumes and parading it around the neighborhood makes them wonder.

So how does a parent determine if their child is ready for the responsibilities of owning a pet? The easiest and most immediate way is to look at their child’s track record of responsibility as it stands now. Parents should ask themselves if their child is able to do the things they are asked to do, if they clean their room when they are told, and if are they a good student who is well behaved in class and knows that homework comes before play. If a child appears absentminded already, it’s tough to think they are going to get a pet and gain a sense of responsibility that they don’t already have. Then again, having a pet can also teach a child responsibility if the importance of caring for their pet is explained in full.

If a child seems serious about being a pet owner it is worth giving it a try. Setting up a list of daily chores that are similar to the chores needed to care for a pet can help. Of course, if they get a pet it is important for the parent to set ground rules; there must be certain things in place so that if a child doesn’t do their job, they don’t get to keep the pet.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: Animal, Child, Dog, Moral responsibility, Ownership, parent, Pet, Recreation

Learning CPR And First Aid

: Image via Wikipedia

You may think that paramedics and others in the rescue or health care profession are the only ones who need to know CPR and first aid, but the truth is, everyone should have CPR training and at least a rudimentary knowledge of first aid. Knowing these two things can mean the difference between life and death in accidents.

This can be especially true because of Canada’s rather harsh winters. For some people, simply being exposed to the cold weather, however briefly, can bring on a heart attack. Others can suffer heart attacks while trying to shovel snow or remove ice, or trying to negotiate through deep snow. For these people, CPR can mean they will live to fight another day. The cold weather can also bring opportunities for slips and falls, although these can occur during the warmer months also. First aid training can ensure that an injury does not become worse.

CPR and first aid are really not something that can be learned online. You must be able to do some “hands-on” practice, especially where CPR is concerned. However, using Canada 411 to find CPR and first aid classes will assure you of finding those places that offer the training you need.

Knowing CPR and first aid can be a tremendous benefit to you and your family. Not only will you be able to take care of your immediate family members, you may also be able to provide aid to neighbors or friends. Using Canada 411 can help you find classes that all family members, including children (although there may be an age limit) can attend.

If you are worried about having the time to attend CPR and first aid classes, check Canada 411 resources for places that hold evening classes or provide access to classes being held on the weekends. This way, you can fit acquiring these important skills into your schedule.

Filed Under: Breastfeeding, Medical Care Tagged With: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR, First aid, Myocardial infarction

Understanding Jaundice in Your Newborn

Most babies born today have at least a minor issue with jaundice for the first week of life. There are many myths about jaundice and why some babies have it worse than others. There is also a lot of fear for first-time parents when they are dealing with jaundice in their newborn baby.

Jaundice is actually caused by a high level of bilirubin in the blood which in turn causes the skin and the whites of the eyes to have a yellow appearance. Normally the liver processes bilirubin in the blood so it can then be removed from the body during a bowel movement. Before birth it is the job of the placenta to remove the bilirubin from the baby’s body so that it can be processed through the mother’s liver. Once the baby is born and the connection to the placenta is severed the baby’s own liver then takes over the job of ridding the body of bilirubin. This can take a little bit of time as the liver begins working and trying to process things, therefore, higher than normal bilirubin levels are normal in newborn babies.

For the most part jaundice is not a worrisome condition in newborn babies and is a normal part of the process converting from womb to the outside world. However, because an increasing bilirubin level can be the indication of a more serious problem it is watched closely at birth until the levels drop. If the bilirubin levels do not drop on their own within the first couple of days or when the levels are very high, further testing will most likely be pursued to determine if there is some other underlying cause for the high levels.

Although some babies do need to have a little additional help with reducing their bilirubin levels such as being placed under a special heat lamp or being required to sleep with a Biliblanket, most infants are able to process the bilirubin on their own quickly and without any further complications.

Filed Under: Newborn Baby Tagged With: Infant, Jaundice