Sunday 9 December 2007


Sunshine and Smiles!

As the weather is being really miserable and dark at present..l am finding mornings very difficult. Get up in the dark and then finish work in the dark! Not fun. As a therapist l see lots of people with SAD....in other words don't like this dark weather syndrome!!!!!!!
So l thought..ok how do we cheer ourselves up and go out and face that awful dark morning folks.?
Then...this weekend l was up in Yorkshire visiting my mother-in-law and saw these wonderful things. Fancy waking up in the morning, cold, dark and feeling miserable and then walking into the kitchen and....WOW...sunlight.
May be we could get these on the NHS...for depressed and sad patients!!! Happy eating.

Monday 3 December 2007

pregnant mums and care

Hi everyone!

I have had a lot of pregnant mums contacting me lately because they are so scared of going through labour with no help...as reported by the national newspapers. People know that l used to be a birth partner and that maybe as a Therapist, as well l could help with hints and tips etc.
So, l decided to do some inquiring and see what was going on. I must admit l didn't like what l found. When l was a Birth Partner over 5 years ago, l was worried because women didn't seem to be getting the care before hand and the birth was very hit and miss. What l have found out since really shocks me. It appears that a lot of women are not able or don't find time to go to Birthing Classes before hand and that many women spend many hours on their own in labour as there are not enough midwives to go round.
Many women l talked to said there either wasn't a Birthing Class in their area, the classes were full or they couldn't get time off work each week to go or they didn't think they would need one! I also found many women not bothering to find out much because it is alright they will have an epidural!! So if for some reason they can't have one or they arrive too late to have it...they don't know how to breathe correctly or how to use the gas and air the right way to benefit them. They don't know what to do, so therefore their partners don't either and every one is stressed and frightened by the situation.
Child Birth is painful but you can be taught to cope with breathing etc. if your partner feels confident, he is happier...therefore a bonding and loving birth can be achieved! No this is not a fairy tale, l have seen and been part of many a happy birth. It all depends on the attitude of Midwives, confidence of couple and atmosphere in the room.

A great deal can also be done to help you be more relaxed before and after the birth by arranging to have a freezer full of cooked food. Enables dad to feel confident about feeding you all and you can relax knowing you don't have to do anything. You can either do this your self in advance or you can be very clever and go to "Cook" find their website address in my resources page on my web site www.elemaitch.co.uk
You can maybe have a Baby Shower were everyone brings you a dish or two to put in your freezer. Another way is to get excited grandparents to full the freezer for you as a baby present. Or you could always do it yourself...this is plug l know for this company but l feel their home cooked food is fab. There baby food is also really handy to have too. End of plug! More tips in a few days.