Mental Health and our Families!!!

Mental Health is very important and when a woman haves a child she experiences many emotiona and feelings and her body goes through many changes. Its important I feel that the husband and family are aware of these things. I was very happy to find out I was pregnant with all my children, but I realized that situations in your life will have you very emotional and for most woment post pardum depression results. I had that after each of my births. It wanst a good feeling but with my first son I was surrounded by a lot family. My second and third son was born in NY and I had no family there but my husband and he really didnt understand how I was feeling. I realized being around family and people who understand what women go through is important plus you will have the support you need while getting adjusted to a new baby.
I read an article about families in Africa. Most families south of the Sahara were very poor. It was interesting to know that mental health comes last. Most of the African countries have no mental health policies, programs, or action plans.
I must say that I am blessed to be in the United States where we have the programs and the help we need when dealing with mental health. It affects the family as a whole and the child. Mental Health is serious and when we are dealing with these issues we need to seek help.  As an educator if we know mothers, fathers, or families dealing with these issues we need to refer them to the proper help. Most schools have resources to help familes with mental health and other issues. We can definitely help families and educate them with information they need.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

The Birth of My First Son!

 

When I got the news I was pregnant I was scared and happy. I began preparing for this pregnancy by going to all of my appointments and even though it was a high risk pregnancy, everything was going great. The day of delivery came and I was in a lot of pain. I wanted an epidural, at the time the nurse checked me I was dialated 2cm then moments later I was 5 to 6 cm and it was too late for my epidural. My brother was my support there and he was in the delivery room. The doctors had all their equipment on a table and was prepared to deliver. I was in so much pain an I thought I was pushing but I was pulling the baby back in. They were saying push and I was light headed and felt faint. I was finally pushing and my son was born 6lbs 7ozs. I was so happy when I heard him crying I started shedding tears of joy. It was an experience I will never forget.
I know its very important to take care of yourself when you are expecting. You have to attend all doctors visits to make sure that you and your baby is healthy.

I researched births in Brazil and I was surprised to find that they have high cesarean birth rates. Most deliveries are done this way. Its said to be the highest in the world. The women still experience what women in America experience. They know the importance of doctors visits and caring for themselves. In a yahoo news article A Brazilian woman did not want a c-section she wanted a natural birth. So she stopped going to her prenantal dr and decided to go to a local hospital where she had a better chaance of a vagianl delivery.

I was surprised in Brazil that the most common way of childbirth is cesarean births. I feel it should be the choice of the mother unless their is a health risk to the mother and the child.   

http://www.scielosp.org
http://news.yahoo.com/brazilian-woman-rebel-asgainst-cesarean-birth