A recent news story titled "Miracle baby born months early survives against tremendous odds" tells the story of 24-year old mother Tira and her baby (Brianna) who was born at about 24 weeks of pregnancy. When Brianna was born at about 24 weeks of gestation, she weighed 13 ounces. She stayed in the hospital for nearly five months until she weighed about 5.5 pounds.
Tira, the mother, explained "I was having really bad pressure in my chest and pains, and I let it go for about two or three days and then we went to the hospital and they told me that was my liver shutting down, my blood pressure was skyrocket and if I would have waited 12 more hours they would have lost me and her both."
The symptoms of HELLP include:
Headache
Nausea and vomiting that continues to get worse
Upper abdominal pain
Vision problems
For more information on HELLP, click here.
Conditions like this are why your pregnant daughter needs to get prenatal care as early in her pregnancy as possible and to continue with prenatal care throughout her pregnancy. We talk about the importance of prenatal care in the chapters titled "First steps to take" and "The doctor appointment" in our book "How To Survive Your Teen's Pregnancy."
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Back to School
The National Fatherhood Initiative gives a few tips to help your kids do well in school:
- Ask Questions. Find out what classes your pregnant daughter enjoys, what teachers she likes, and what is going on at school.
- Join the PTA. Being involved with your daughter's school in this way can help you understand how the school is functioning.
- Attend Parent-Teacher Conferences. "Ask the teachers how your child is doing and listen. Find out as much as you can about what your child is learning so you can reinforce that at home."
- Have Lunch With Your Kids. Take time out of your schedule to have a quick meal with them at school.
- Praise and Reward. "Kids have a way of reaching the goals and aspirations that we as parents set for them. Stress the importance of a good education. Come up with special treats for a good report card or test grade - it can be as simple as an ice cream cone or a special dinner at home."
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Depression Treatment during Pregnancy
A new report from the American Psychiatric Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists finds that women should talk to their doctors about whether they should continue to take antidepressant medication during pregnancy.
"Pregnant women who experience psychotic episodes, have bipolar disorder, or who are suicidal or have a history of suicide attempts should not be taken off antidepressants, the report concludes."
"Separate studies from Sweden and the U.S. suggested an increased risk for congenital heart defects in babies born to women who took Paxil during pregnancy. But the joint panel found the evidence linking Paxil use during pregnancy to heart problems in newborns to be inconclusive."
Antidepressant "use during pregnancy has also been linked in some studies to an increased risk for miscarriage, low birth weight, and preterm delivery. But once again, the report found no definitive link between the use of the antidepressants and these pregnancy outcomes."
Recommendations in the report include:
"Women who are already pregnant should not attempt antidepressant withdrawal if they have severe depression. Psychiatrically stable women who want to stay on antidepressants during pregnancy should consult with their psychiatrist and ob-gyn about the potential risks and benefits. Women with recurrent depression or those who have symptoms despite drug treatment may benefit from psychotherapy when available."
If your pregnant daughter is taking antidepression medication, talk to her doctor as soon as possible about the risks and benefits of her medication.
"Pregnant women who experience psychotic episodes, have bipolar disorder, or who are suicidal or have a history of suicide attempts should not be taken off antidepressants, the report concludes."
"Separate studies from Sweden and the U.S. suggested an increased risk for congenital heart defects in babies born to women who took Paxil during pregnancy. But the joint panel found the evidence linking Paxil use during pregnancy to heart problems in newborns to be inconclusive."
Antidepressant "use during pregnancy has also been linked in some studies to an increased risk for miscarriage, low birth weight, and preterm delivery. But once again, the report found no definitive link between the use of the antidepressants and these pregnancy outcomes."
Recommendations in the report include:
"Women who are already pregnant should not attempt antidepressant withdrawal if they have severe depression. Psychiatrically stable women who want to stay on antidepressants during pregnancy should consult with their psychiatrist and ob-gyn about the potential risks and benefits. Women with recurrent depression or those who have symptoms despite drug treatment may benefit from psychotherapy when available."
If your pregnant daughter is taking antidepression medication, talk to her doctor as soon as possible about the risks and benefits of her medication.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Top Ten Myths About Abortion
While you are discussing with your pregnant daughter her options for her child, take the time to research all the options.
You can download a free PDF brochure called "The Top Ten Myths About Abortion" and discuss it with your daughter. This brochure addresses the following myths:
You can download a free PDF brochure called "The Top Ten Myths About Abortion" and discuss it with your daughter. This brochure addresses the following myths:
- Myth: Abortion is legal only during the first 3 months of pregnancy.
- Myth: Abortion is legal because the Constitution says so.
- Myth: Most Americans agree with current U.S. abortion law.
- Myth: Abortion is rare in the United States.
- Myth: Most abortions in the Unted States are done for health reasons or because of rape or incest.
- Myth: Abortion is good for women.
- Myth: Abortion is beneficial to modern society.
- Myth: The more that people have access to contraception, the fewer abortions there will be.
- Myth: Abortion, particularly early abortion, does not take the life of a human being.
- Myth: I can be "personally opposed, but pro-choice".
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Parents: You Matter! Webinar
Boys & Girls Clubs of America and The Partnership for a Drug Free America present a webinar on August 25, 2009 titled
Parents: You Matter!
The webinar will present parent-friendly tools and resources that will give attendees information about why kids use drugs and alcohol, and what parents need to know to help and protect their children. Resources will be made available to all attendees, including the presentation, annotated script and other tools. Sign up here.
Parents: You Matter!
The webinar will present parent-friendly tools and resources that will give attendees information about why kids use drugs and alcohol, and what parents need to know to help and protect their children. Resources will be made available to all attendees, including the presentation, annotated script and other tools. Sign up here.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Your Young-Adult Child
The National Fatherhood Initiative gives some pointers that can help you and your pregnant daughter improve her maturity and independance.
1) Legal documents. "Once turned 18, your son/daughter is legally an adult, able to enter into contracts and agreements without your permission." Talk to your daughter about her responsibility to read such documents carefully and to keep her end of the agreement. Offer to review any contracts or agreements for her before she signs them.
2) Making mistakes. Your pregnant daughter needs to move rapidly toward maturity since she is now responsible for her child's life in addition to her own life. She will make mistakes. You need to allow room for some mistakes that will help her learn valuable lessons, and be there to guide her as she picks up the pieces. You should not shield her from consequences..they are valuable to her growth as a person. On the other extreme, you may not need to impose extra consequences either.
3) Keeping records. Help your pregnant daughter set up a filing system to store her important personal documents such as her resume, bank statements, utilities statements, credit card statements, and other documents.
4) Focus on a goal. Talk to your pregnant daughter about her goal for the next 4 years. Does she need to finish high school? Finish college? Get vocational training? Get a job? Help your daughter get career guidance as soon as possible... this may be available at her school, or from a private counselor.
5) Relationships. Talk with your pregnant daughter about the important people in her life. Help her evaluate each relationship because she'll likely become more like the people she spends the most time with. Do her current friends act like the person she wants to be in five years?
6) Banking. If your pregnant daughter doesn't already have a checking account, go with her to the bank. Have her take the lead in setting up an account, but be there with her. Make sure she knows how to balance her account, and how to record transactions. Teach her about shopping for the best deals. Make a budget for her expenses. Go "window" shopping to start calculating how much money she will need to earn to pay for her baby's expenses.
7) Budgeting. Help your daughter write down a budget, even if you are paying all or most of her living expenses. "The important skill to develop here is minding money: how much and where it comes from, as well as where it goes. Encourage them to actively manage their money and find ways to save even a little for the “unexpecteds” that come everyone’s way." The chapter titled "Should she parent alone?" in our book "How To Survive Your Teen's Pregnancy" has a list of items to put into such a budget.
8) Prioritize and plan. "Teens are notorious for putting off the serious “stuff of life,” because to them it gets in the way of life itself." Help your pregnant daughter write down a plan of the next five years of her life. Put dates on events and action items. Be specific in the things she wants to do over that time period.
1) Legal documents. "Once turned 18, your son/daughter is legally an adult, able to enter into contracts and agreements without your permission." Talk to your daughter about her responsibility to read such documents carefully and to keep her end of the agreement. Offer to review any contracts or agreements for her before she signs them.
2) Making mistakes. Your pregnant daughter needs to move rapidly toward maturity since she is now responsible for her child's life in addition to her own life. She will make mistakes. You need to allow room for some mistakes that will help her learn valuable lessons, and be there to guide her as she picks up the pieces. You should not shield her from consequences..they are valuable to her growth as a person. On the other extreme, you may not need to impose extra consequences either.
3) Keeping records. Help your pregnant daughter set up a filing system to store her important personal documents such as her resume, bank statements, utilities statements, credit card statements, and other documents.
4) Focus on a goal. Talk to your pregnant daughter about her goal for the next 4 years. Does she need to finish high school? Finish college? Get vocational training? Get a job? Help your daughter get career guidance as soon as possible... this may be available at her school, or from a private counselor.
5) Relationships. Talk with your pregnant daughter about the important people in her life. Help her evaluate each relationship because she'll likely become more like the people she spends the most time with. Do her current friends act like the person she wants to be in five years?
6) Banking. If your pregnant daughter doesn't already have a checking account, go with her to the bank. Have her take the lead in setting up an account, but be there with her. Make sure she knows how to balance her account, and how to record transactions. Teach her about shopping for the best deals. Make a budget for her expenses. Go "window" shopping to start calculating how much money she will need to earn to pay for her baby's expenses.
7) Budgeting. Help your daughter write down a budget, even if you are paying all or most of her living expenses. "The important skill to develop here is minding money: how much and where it comes from, as well as where it goes. Encourage them to actively manage their money and find ways to save even a little for the “unexpecteds” that come everyone’s way." The chapter titled "Should she parent alone?" in our book "How To Survive Your Teen's Pregnancy" has a list of items to put into such a budget.
8) Prioritize and plan. "Teens are notorious for putting off the serious “stuff of life,” because to them it gets in the way of life itself." Help your pregnant daughter write down a plan of the next five years of her life. Put dates on events and action items. Be specific in the things she wants to do over that time period.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Swine Flu Vaccination
The CDC recommends that pregnant women get vaccinated against the Swine Flu (H1N1) as soon as it is available in mid-October.
An article titled "H1N1 flu shots: Pregnant women, health care workers and children first" says:
The first priority group of recipients would be pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months, health care and emergency personnel, people 6 months to 24 years old, and people age 25 to 64 who are at high risk due to chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.
So get your calendar out and write down a reminder to get your pregnant daughter the vaccination in October.
What is Swine Flu? Learn about the myths and facts by reading this article at Fox News.
An article titled "H1N1 flu shots: Pregnant women, health care workers and children first" says:
The first priority group of recipients would be pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months, health care and emergency personnel, people 6 months to 24 years old, and people age 25 to 64 who are at high risk due to chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.
So get your calendar out and write down a reminder to get your pregnant daughter the vaccination in October.
What is Swine Flu? Learn about the myths and facts by reading this article at Fox News.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Postpartum depression
Postpartum depression can affect as many as 50%-80% of new moms, and is more likely in teen moms. After your daughter gives birth, watch her closely for symptoms and get her to a doctor right away if she is having trouble.
CNN copied an article from Parenting.com that has information about postpartum depression (PPD). Here are two paragraphs from that article:
CNN copied an article from Parenting.com that has information about postpartum depression (PPD). Here are two paragraphs from that article:
New moms should expect to feel overwhelmed at times, incompetent now and then, nervous about being left on their own to take care of the baby, and to overreact and tear up over seemingly minor things. What's not normal: a darkening storm of anxiety and panic. "The big difference between baby blues and PPD is duration and intensity," Howard explains. "It is a prolonged sense of sadness lasting for two weeks or more."
There are also different degrees of PPD, notes Dalfen. Women who are not enjoying motherhood but can go through the motions of taking care of the baby and themselves may have mild PPD, but are getting by. Those who feel down all the time, have trouble connecting with their baby, and find it hard to get through every day have a stronger case of the illness. Severe PPD sufferers are extremely depressed and unable to take care of themselves or their babies. All of these women need treatment, Dalfen emphasizes.
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