The Blues, Revisited

For many new moms, postpartum depression (PPD) begins after the medically designated time period. For these women, the onset of late PPD signals a lonely, frightening and misunderstood time. The good news: You are not alone and you can get help.

According to the American Medical Association, postpartum depression can only be classified as such if it occurs between one and 12 months after the delivery of your baby. Okay …well then, what is it called when those feelings rear their nasty little heads at 14 or 15 months postpartum?

It simply doesn’t stand to reason that we make it through that first year relatively unscathed only to be hit hard after our babe’s first piece of birthday cake. But that’s exactly when things can break down for new moms. The panic of year one has waned; everyone has made it through and there are deep breaths all around. Deep breaths that, for mom, can summon months and months of pent-up fear, frustration and anxiety: a sobering recipe for a unique flavor of depression.

Veronica D. knows this confounding tale all too well. Her depression began creeping in at around 10 months after the birth of her son, but it wasn’t full-blown until he was 14 months old. By then, she says, “I didn’t know if I was going just plain crazy or if there was some sort of relationship between my mental state and the birth of my son. So much time had passed that I initially brushed the whole thing off [as] ‘hysteria’ and being just flat-out overwhelmed.”

Like regular postpartum depression (and other mood and anxiety disorders), there are multiple causes for late onset PPD, including hormonal imbalance, family history, poor diet, alteration in brain chemistry, stress and isolation.

Veronica was fortunate to have an OB who could see that bending the 12-month mark for PPD made sense in her case. And she was treated appropriately. She says: “The right meds changed my life! I was also working with an amazing therapist to discuss the issues specific to my experience as a mother that were causing my depression. I was so relieved to be taken seriously.”

Fortunately, a growing circle of mental health service providers are broadening the definition of postpartum depression to include any woman who is pregnant, has miscarried, has had an abortion, has had an interrupted pregnancy or has recently weaned a child from breast-feeding, regardless of how many previously non-complicated pregnancies and/or postpartum adjustments she has had.

With early intervention, good medical/psychiatric intervention and even help from a nutritionist, these illnesses are treatable and the prognosis is excellent. Women should seek help from professionals specializing in these disorders, starting with their trusted OB/GYN. (Healthy Woman patients: You can always call us! Our number is 732.431.1616.)

Researchers have recently begun studying hormones in an attempt to identify the causes of pregnancy and postpartum mood and anxiety disorders. While there is no clinical definition of “late-onset PPD” as of yet, there is a rising tide of its recognition, and suffering moms are beginning to ride the wave to relief.

If you’ve recently or not-so-recently given birth and are experiencing feelings of desperation, hopelessness, anxiety, invasive thoughts, lethargy, generalized sadness or depression or are in crisis, tell a trusted friend or family  member, contact your OB/GYN and/or call your local emergency number or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800.273.8255.

There is help for you.

For more information, go to www.Postpartum.net.

Triple Action

Healthy Woman’s third set of triplets was delivered last night! Third set!

The charmed trio was delivered by Dr. Rebecca Cipriano and Dr. Julie Leizer.

Mom, two girls and a boy are all doing well. Congratulations!

Fun triplet fact: Since 1989, there have been an average of only 1802 sets of triplets born each year in the US—and only 150 of them are identical.

Got multiples? Check out TripletConnection.org for advice, tips and reviews of multiple-friendly baby gear.

 

Signs of the Times: How to Tell If You’re Pregnant

Pregnant or not pregnant: that is the question.

In fact, that is the question you’ve probably wondered at least a few times in your life.

The symptoms of pregnancy are not always so easy to decipher and can often be confused with the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and a host of other conditions.

But, before you panic and worry that you’ll wind up on “I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant,” take comfort in knowing that there are a few tell-tale ways (and one very certain way) to know if you are indeed expecting.

 

Implantation Bleeding

Implantation bleeding (spotting) can be one of the first signs of pregnancy, occurring anywhere from six to 12 days after conception when the embryo implants itself into the uterine wall. Often confused with actual menstruation, especially when it’s accompanied by cramping, implantation bleeding usually only lasts a day or two.

Missed or Delayed Period

There are many potential causes of a missed or delayed menstruation, including excessive weight gain or loss, hormonal imbalances, stress, cessation of the birth control pill and even travel; however, a missed period is the most common pregnancy symptom, especially if you are usually regular.

Abdominal Bloating

Another symptom associated with PMS, abdominal bloating is a very common symptom of early pregnancy. Caused by rapid hormonal changes, bloating rarely signals pregnancy to unwitting women who automatically chalk it up to their regular menstrual cycle woes.

Swollen and/or Tender Breasts

Also caused by rising levels of hormones and associated with PMS, a hormonal imbalance and side effects of the birth control pill, swollen, sensitive or sore breasts may be experienced as early as one to two weeks after conception. Breast discomfort usually fades after the first trimester when your body has adjusted to the hormonal changes.

Fatigue

Feeling tired (or exhausted, as many women report) can happen almost immediately after conception. The good news is that the fatigue (usually) subsides by the start of the second trimester when many women report a very welcomed surge in energy.

Frequent Urination

Often occurring six to eight weeks after conception, frequent urination can continue (or intensify) over the course of your pregnancy. Hormonal changes lead to a raise in the rate of blood flow through the kidneys which causes the bladder to fill up faster.

Nausea or Morning Sickness

This oft-mentioned and very common sign of pregnancy usually begins between two to eight weeks after conception. While most women (about half) shake this dreaded symptom by the beginning of their second trimester, it continues a good month or two longer for others and during their entire pregnancy for an unfortunate few. Let it be noted that morning sickness is not just confined to the AM hours; it can last all throughout the day in many cases.

Heightened Sense of Smell

Many newly pregnant women experience an increased sensitivity to odors—and subsequent repulsion to them. Thought to be caused by the rapid increase of estrogen, this sensitivity can create an all-out aversion to certain foods, including former favorites.

A Sustained Spike in Your Basal Body Temperature

If your body temperature stays elevated for 18 days in a row (as compared to previously charted readings), you can almost be positive that you are pregnant.

Aches and Pains

Headaches, backaches and other dull but nagging pains are a common experience during early pregnancy and throughout the full forty weeks.

Want proof positive—or pretty darn positive? A home pregnancy test (the good ones report being 99% accurate) are a near-definitive way to detect pregnancy. Many, however, are not sensitive enough to identify pregnancy until a week (or more) after a missed period, so if you suspect you are pregnant but the results show otherwise, be sure to test again a few days later.

Once that positive result is in hand, be sure to call your OB to schedule an appointment so you can know for certain if baby is going to make three.

 

 

 

 

 

Laborist and Delivery?

What is a laborist?

Well, picture this: Your water breaks, you call your OB, you book it down to the hospital and you’re greeted by (insert pause here for dramatic effect) a doctor you’ve never seen before in your life.

Sure, that doctor might be swell but do you really want to journey through labor and delivery with someone you don’t know and who doesn’t know you—especially after 40 weeks of getting to know, trusting and liking the doctors in your practice?

Laborists are a relatively new trend in birthing. Hospitals staff doctors who can attend births and some practices choose to have these laborists (sometimes referred to as “OB specialists”) to fill in for their own doctors, either routinely or when necessary.

Okay, no judgments here. To each her own.

But, let it be known that at Healthy Woman, we do not use laborists!

You will be delivered by one of our doctors, always!

The concept of laborists just doesn’t jive with our mission to be your partner in good health, mind, body and soul, and support you in your journey from mom-to-be and mom every single step of the way.

We want you to have a great birth—and we want to be a part of it!

Call us today (732.431.1616) to find out more about how we’ll always be here for you—and there for you when the big day finally arrives.

 

The Fertility Five: The Top Things You Can Do Today to Improve Your Chances of Getting Pregnant

If the thought of little feet going pitter-patter makes you all twitterpated, it can be a bitter wait for that darn stick to turn blue. Instead of turning on Teen Mom and bemoaning the fact that children are having children on accident (and raking in some big bucks for it) while you as an adult are trying on purpose without luck, change the channel and change your lifestyle—or at least make it as fertility friendly as you can. Here are five ways to do just that:

1. Get to—or keep yourself at—a healthy weight. While weight doesn’t always hamper conception, carrying extra pounds can lead to hormonal imbalances that affect your ovulation cycles, which can make it more difficult to get pregnant. Additionally, being overweight is linked with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a disorder in which ovulation is infrequent or completely absent. Being underweight, too, can be a problem, if your body fat is so low that your periods aren’t regular.

So what’s the right weight for you? A good guideline to follow is to look at your body mass index (BMI), which you can calculate at www.ABetterYouWeightLoss.com (look for the calculator on the right-hand side of the page). A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is the healthiest range for your weight to fall in—and will give you the greatest chance of getting pregnant. (If you need help getting to a healthy BMI, the medically-supervised weight loss programs at A Better You Weight Loss can help. Call 732.866.THIN/8446 for more information.)

2. Take a vacation. Stress and fertility aren’t friends. Leave some of your worries behind by escaping with your love on a trip with dual purposes: to relax and to make a baby. Call it a procreation vacation, a conceptionmoon or just a plain old getaway—whatever the term, it can work, according to a survey from BabyCenter.com. Of more than 1,000 surveyed, 40 percent who went on a trip with the intent to conceive succeeded. The top destinations in the survey were Florida, Hawaii and Las Vegas.

3. Improve your diet. Mom always told you to eat your veggies—if you want to be a mom for the first, second or 20th time (in case Michelle Duggar is reading this), nagging your own child-to-be down the line about eating vegetables, you should eat a balanced diet. Just what does that include? Fruits, vegetables, grains like whole-wheat bread, and high-in-calcium foods like yogurt and orange juice. A healthy diet helps keep you ovulating on a regular schedule and prepares your body for the major task of carrying a child.

4. Determine when you’re ovulating. If you want to put yourself on the fast track to baby bliss, pinpointing your ovulation schedule is the most targeted approach. Whether you count days, take your temperature or use an ovulation predictor kit, you should be able to get a good idea of when your egg is likely to be released and plan some strategic baby-making romps around it. But remember, even though this is business, the more fun you have with it, the more relaxed you’ll be—stressing over conception could mess with your ovulation schedule, so don’t handicap yourself with excessive worry.

5. Move it, move it. If you’re not regularly exercising, now is the time to start. On the other hand, if you’re a workout fanatic, keep the gym sessions at a moderate level while trying to conceive. A little cardio (like walking and cycling), a little strength training (like lifting weights and doing planks) and a little flexibility (like yoga and stretching) will set you up with not only a fab bod but a fab temporary home for a growing baby.

 

And Now Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Program

How important are regular check-ups with your gynecologist?

They’re vital, according to our very own Julie Leizer, M.D.

In an interview recently published in CentraState’s bi-monthly magazine Healthy Directions, Dr. Julie speaks frankly on the importance of staying current with your personal health check-ups.

Says Dr. Julie in the piece: “Many conditions that affect the reproductive health of women can be treated effectively when caught early on, but present serious risks when left unmanaged …. It goes without saying that women should schedule regular, yearly appointments with their OB/GYN.”

To read what else Dr. Julie has to say, download here and make sure you don’t miss her Q & A in the Meet the Doctor section on the same page.

To schedule your next appointment, call 732.431.1616.

 

Zapped!: Where’d My Libido Go?

If getting bedroom eyes from your significant other is more aggravating than titillating, you may be suffering from a low sex drive. Wondering how this can be? Your desire for sex is tied into several factors—physical health, emotional state, beliefs, feelings about your partner, hormones and more—and if one of those factors is out of whack, it isn’t unusual to lose a little libido.

Here are some of the top causes of low sex drive in women:

Stress and fatigue: Particularly common in new parents, fatigue can interfere with your desire to do much of anything, let alone have sex. And stress from any source can easily seep into your love life, making sex low on the priority list.

Medications: Feeling less than amorous is a common side effect of some medications, particularly antidepressants, birth control pills, antihistamines, blood pressure medicines and chemo drugs.

Negative body image: If you don’t feel good about your body, you might be reluctant to let anyone else see it, leading to a low sex drive.

Pain during sex: Known as dyspareunia, pain during sex is a surefire way to keep you shying away from slipping between the sheets for anything more than sleep.

Fights with your partner: When you aren’t getting along with your partner, it isn’t uncommon to lose that lovin’ feeling.

Alcohol: Although widely thought of as a libido booster, alcohol can also zap your drive if you consume too much of it.

Pregnancy: A changing body and changing hormone levels offer up two major potential inhibitors to sexual desire.

Menopause: As the estrogen levels in your body drop, you may be faced with less interest in sex and drier vaginal tissue, which could make sex uncomfortable.

These are just a handful of reasons for diminished sex drive, a fairly common condition—in fact, a study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology found that about 43 percent of women experience some sexual problem, so if you’re one of them, you’re not alone. It’s also important to remember that your libido will naturally rise and fall during your lifetime. If sex drive issues are negatively affecting you and you can’t figure out why, consult with your doctor about finding ways to bring sexy back.

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