Having a birth plan helps both you and your family deal with everything that comes with giving birth. Right from choosing your primary care provider to what types of pain meds you would want during labor, a birth plan is one of the most crucial steps for influential family and pregnancy planning. The goal is a reassurance of what all things will be in place on the day your baby is due, to make the experience as memorable and comfortable as possible.
Here are some of the crucial things that must form part of your pregnancy planning to get you started.
Check with your pregnancy healthcare provider to understand what all is already covered under the policy. This way, you are at liberty to include the essential and compile your list of preferences that will be made available on the day of the labor. List everything from who your wife wants in the labor room to preferences for time and place of breastfeeding, fetal monitoring, the position of giving birth, and more. Plan everything with the doctor who will be delivering the baby.
This is one of the crucial points of family and pregnancy planning, especially when the due date is close. Labor is challenging, and both the body & mind undergo extreme stress right from the first contractions to the crowning of the baby. Pain medications help the body endure most of the strain, and the mother can choose what type of meds are made available before labor. There is no telling how she will feel during labor. That is why keeping her options open for an epidural, breathing exercises, or even a massage to ease labor should be planned far ahead of the due date.
While most women prefer natural childbirth, certain complications may arise during labor, prompting a re-evaluation of the situation, which is one of the main reasons you must also understand other options apart from a vaginal birth, including a C-section or episiotomy. Discussing these options with your primary birth doctor helps instill more confidence in the hospital and staff’s abilities to provide the right treatment. Giving a copy of your birth plan to the hospital is also a good idea for a change in staff if your primary doctor cannot make it on the big day.
Note that family & pregnancy planning starts a long time before you even consider compiling a birth plan. Right from conceiving for the first time to the due date, every day of the following nine months of pregnancy is crucial. You have the absolute right to ask for all the information you need, before, during, and especially after childbirth to ensure both the mother and baby get the best of hospital facilities and amenities.
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4 effective treatments for heel spur relief
Read moreA heel spur is a bone growth that develops on the heel bone, specifically on the underside of the bone. It happens due to calcium deposit that causes a bony protrusion of nearly half-inch to develop on the heel bone. The calcium deposition occurs gradually over months. An extreme, persistent strain on the ligaments and foot muscles, repeated instances of heel bone membrane tearing, and plantar fascia stretching are some of the common causes of heel spur. Also known as help spur syndrome, the condition is detected and diagnosed based on X-ray test results.
Painless, heel spurs are often associated with plantar fasciitis. Heel spur relief treatment options include cortisone injections, anti-inflammatory medications, exercise, customized orthotics and so on. In certain cases, surgery may be required. Here are a few effective treatments for help spur relief:
- Stretching exercises: If the heel pain persists for more than a pain, consult a physiotherapist. The therapist will recommend a set of stretching exercises that will help to provide heel spur relief by alleviating the pain. The goal of such physical therapy is to treat and give relief from plantar fasciitis, which aggravates the symptoms of heel spur.
- Orthotics and shoe recommendations: Orthotic devices are used to correct biomechanical imbalances that cause arch and heel pain. The devices such as heel cushions, heel pads, insoles, shoe inserts, and special orthotic shoes give relief from the excess pressure exerted on heels and the Achilles tendon. Such devices also control additional movements that put a strain on the plantar fasciitis ligament. Special shoes help to alleviate the effects on inflammation on the tendons and muscles of the heel.
- Anti-inflammation medications: Most often heel spur is caused due to plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis occurs due to inflammation of the plantar fascia that is located at the bottom of the foot. Popular over-the-counter medications such as naproxen, acetaminophen, and acetaminophen are often used to get heel spur relief. It is recommended that a doctor is consulted before taking any medications. Doctors may also suggest cortisone injections to alleviate the symptoms of pain.
- Surgery: When none of the non-invasive heel spur treatments work, doctors may recommend surgery. Surgery is done in only 10% of the cases since most people get heel spur relief from conservative treatments. Surgeries are done to release stress from the plantar fascia or to remove the spur. Post surgery, a person may be required to use surgical shoes, crutches, bandages, splints, and so on.
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The basics of the post menopause stage
Read moreMenopause marks the end of a woman’s reproductive life. During the years of transition the woman suffers symptoms like hot flashes, redness of skin, anxiety etc. Most of these symptoms fade off in a year or two. With the topsy-turvy menstrual patterns, it is extremely difficult to ascertain the exact date of ovulation and plan sex. It is easy to conceive in this milieu. This, if not exactly dangerous, is undesired as babies conceived during the transitional period run a very high risk of abnormalities like Down’s syndrome and many physical defects.
With the resetting of hormones at new levels, it is not uncommon to develop lingering chronic conditions. The conditions that linger on into post menopause are vaginal dryness and itching, vaginal discharge, insomnia, weight gain, stress incontinence and urinary infections. One becomes more susceptible to more serious ailments. There is increased chances of some major ailments such as heart diseases and osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis: Estrogen, a female hormone, has a beneficial effect on preserving the bone mass in women. Post menopause, the levels of this hormone come down, which results in loss of bone material. A systematic physical activity, like regular walking etc. helps control the loss of bone mass. A lot of conventional medications are available for treatment in severe cases.
Heart diseases: There is a theory that tendencies for atherosclerosis increases post menopause due the decreased estrogen levels. This is contested. However, there are increased tendencies for other heart diseases like myocardial infarct and other conditions. Conventional management practices like controlling hypertension, cholesterol with statins, lifestyle changes etc. are generally adequate. At one time MHT or menopausal hormone therapy was standard. Later research has revealed serious drawback to it. It is now resorted to only in extreme cases.
Regular exercise, and balanced diet are all that is needed in most cases.One need not develop a notion postmenopausal life is all a misery. There are a lot of positives to take. Set up a regular exercise regime like walking, indulge in a happy social life, eat a balanced diet and visit your healthcare provider regularly. There is enough evidence to support an active sex life is good for health in many ways. One has fulfilled all their responsibilities and no fear of a pregnancy. There are enough and more choices in the market to counter postmenopausal dryness of vagina. There are no reasons for anyone to have restrict their sex life. It is one of the blessings of menopause.