38 minute read
MEET THE COVER STAR
Lunathi Qwesha was born on 1 August 2019 in Dobsonville Clinic, to 1694528 parents Mlamli Qwesha and Sindy Radebe. Lunathi has a five-yearold sister named Mbali and they are the best of friends; they can’t be separated from each other. She loves music and dances to any songs she hears. She is shy at first, however quickly warms up to people. She is afraid of food – except for fruit. As long as she has fruit she is good to go. Her full names are Lunathi meaning “God’s love is with us” and Nkazimulo meaning “the glory of God”. Lunathi is more of a Daddy’s girl with a huge personality. She lights up the room with her smile and has a loud voice. She is a true blessing.
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Helping children to manage their back-to-school anxiety
CHANGE CAN CAUSE A GREAT DEAL OF UNCERTAINTY – CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST MICHELLE NORTJE HAS SOME TIPS ON HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILDREN AS THEY GO BACK TO A VERY DIFFERENT SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.
This year 2020 has been full of unexpected changes. During the national lockdown, those children who were able to, had to adjust to learning using online formats. Now, as the lockdown restrictions ease and children are allowed to go back to school, yet another adjustment is required.
Here are a few ways to help ease your child’s transition back to school:
1. Acknowledge the losses Many children will be looking forward to going back to school to be with their friends, catch up and play together. However, it is important to prepare your child realistically that going back to school will not be exactly the same as before.
If a child is not prepared for the differences, they might become more disappointed or upset. For example, children will not be able to hug each other in greeting anymore. The loss of physical ways of showing affection such as hugs can be experienced as a loss of connecting in familiar ways.
2. Age-appropriate information Children need to be aware of and alert to the concerns and health risks inherent in going back to school. This information needs to be shared with children in ageappropriate ways that they can understand. 3. Take control by following the precautions In times of uncertainty it can feel as if we are helpless or have lost a sense of control over what is happening around us. One way to feel empowered is to help children take control of the behaviours that can help to keep them safe.
For younger children it is especially important to model
Visualisation does wonders for anxiety. Walk through a day at school with them. Ask them to share the things that make them nervous. By reframing these, your child will gain more confidence for the day ahead
G u e s t E d ’ s T h o u g h t s
and practise hygiene precautions with them. Wearing their mask, washing their hands regularly, taking their vitamins and coughing into their elbow are a few of the new behaviours that need to be practised at home first.
At first, they might find these strange. So, creating familiarity with them can ease the newness of these protocols. For example, wearing masks can be made playful by allowing them to choose a cool design or to decorate it themselves. This can make the mask feel less scary and medical.
4. Be aware of your child’s unique coping and strengths All children have certain remarkable strengths and skills that can help them cope with difficult experiences or obstacles. Spend some time with your child brainstorming their strengths and ways they have coped in the past. For example, maybe your child tells you their strength is that they love drawing and this makes them feel calmer. This can be used to help them cope by getting them to keep a drawing or art journal where they express all their feelings about school and the effects of the pandemic.
5. Have a debriefing space Another way to manage anxiety is to have a space to talk about what was scary or different, or helpful and manageable in your child’s day. Try to create a space after school where your child can debrief with you. This can help them make sense of their feelings and to feel supported and cared for.
6. Maintain a structure Routine and structure can be a safety net, especially for younger children. The predictability of knowing what to expect each day makes other external uncertainties easier to tolerate and can lessen anxiety. Bedtime routines are one example of creating structure and consistency.
7. Anxiety can affect concentration When children are feeling anxious it can make it difficult for them to concentrate and pay attention for long periods of time. They may easily become distracted by their worries, such as, “what happens if Mom or Dad gets sick?” or “will I ever be able to hug my friend again?”.
It is especially important to model and practise hygiene precautions.
Helping children become aware of and challenge their worries can also help their concentration at school. One way of doing this is to create a ‘worry jar’. Help your child write down their worries each evening, and then slowly go through each one with them and explore whether the worry is real or irrational, and what you can do together to make the worry feel a bit better.
Additional Resources
These are very stressful and uncertain times. Here are some additional resources to explore with yourself or with your children should you be struggling with the current stressors.
The VIA strengths survey is a positive psychology tool that highlights an individual’s strengths that can be harnessed to manage stressors and struggles more effectively.
https://www.viacharacter.org/
Mental health of adults and children has been affected by the global pandemic, changes to schooling and lockdown changed. Here is a link to some self-help tools and information to guide you in making sense of a difficult time.
https://www.psychologytools. com/psychological-resources-forcoronavirus-covid-19/
SADAG is an important South African organisation that assists with depression and anxiety. Suicidal ideation can be a very real concern when faced with a loss of control, uncertainty and hopelessness.
www.sadag.org
Adjusting to the uncertainties of lockdown
SINCE MARCH 2020, FAMILIES HAVE BEEN THROWN INTO STRANGE AND UNPREDICTABLE NEW PATTERNS OF INTERACTING AND WORKING. CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST MICHELLE NORTJE HAS SOME SUGGESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO MANAGE THIS CHANGE.
This has been a very difficult and stressful time for parents and children alike. During lockdown, there were many changes that families had to adapt to: working or schooling online, social isolation, and financial uncertainties, to name just a few.
Now that the lockdown is gradually shifting levels, there is the ongoing need to remain vigilant for safety and health precautions while also having to navigate new ways of doing business, parenting, and staying connected with loved ones.
If parents are able to remain thoughtful and aware of these constantly changing factors, they will be better equipped to help their children navigate the changes successfully. A parent who is stressed and overwhelmed, however, may find it increasingly difficult to also contain their children’s anxiety.
Here are a few tips for parents to help them manage their own anxieties about the uncertainty of the future, so that they have more emotional resources available to be there for their children and loved ones.
1. Understand how uncertainty can create anxiety Uncertainty, new routines or information, and multiple changes can create anxiety and worry that may get in the way of feeling healthy and productive. With all the changes happening globally and in South Africa, you may be worrying excessively about the future (thoughts like “what if I lose my job?” or “what if I infect my loved one?).
Don’t let your automatic crisis mode of fight or flight kick in.
These kinds of worst-case scenario worries can leave us feeling helpless, and can also lead to physical symptoms such as fatigue, muscle aches, restlessness or irritability and poor sleep.
As parents we need to be intentional during this time and mindfully create a culture of hope and joy in our homes, fuelled by love and creating special family memories.
G u e s t E d ’ s T h o u g h t s
2. Managing your worry about the future With all these uncertainties and changes happening each day, it is important to stay active mentally and physically. Self-care is a tool that is frequently spoken about as a part of a healthy lifestyle. Self-care activities help you to refuel and reduce anxiety.
Go for a walk, do a chore, set a goal, listen to some music, do someone a favour, write a letter, bake cookies… these are just a few ways to keep balance in your life and keep worries at bay.
3. Practise gratitude Keeping a gratitude journal where you can note down two or three things you feel grateful for each day, can be a helpful tool to shift your focus from the uncertainties and negative news cycles. Positive psychology research highlights that cultivating a sense of gratitude can increase our sense of subjective well-being and coping.
4. Ask questions that may help ease the transition Some of your worries may relate to the safety of going back to school or work. In some instances, it may be helpful to reach out to the school or employer to find out what precautions and safety protocols have been put in place.
Having more information about the areas where you can take back a sense of control, can help ease the tensions created by ‘not knowing’.
5. Relook at your priorities The lockdown time may have offered you a space to reconsider some old habits that may not have been very healthy or productive. On re-entering the world again, you are now perhaps in a position to ask yourself if the things you were doing before lockdown were helpful and satisfying.
If not, are there changes you would like to make? And if you have already made beneficial changes, what are they and how can they be maintained?
For example, perhaps in lockdown you realised your love of cooking is something that helps to ease your tension. Finding ways to continue this post-lockdown may certainly prove beneficial.
6. Be careful about the quality and quantity of news you watch Watching the news for long stretches, especially when much of what is shown includes violent or conflictual themes, can increase feelings of panic and anxiety unnecessarily. It is important to stay alert and aware, but when finding information it is imperative to only use reputable news sources and to actively check you are not being pulled into fake news.
7. Be patient with yourself and ease back in stages There is currently a constant state of flux and adjustment. You might feel like you’ve just found your feet, when another change happens. Be compassionate and kind to yourself as you settle into new routines and adapt to losses and changes. Each person will process these changes at a different pace and in a different way.
Take note of the effects of trauma and fear The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic can be also be long-lasting and serious. This may depend on various factors such as your previous coping or mental health, access to support from family and friends, financial or job security, dealing with the traumatic effects of isolation, feelings of loneliness, and experiencing hopelessness or helplessness.
If you feel that your mental health has suffered as a result of the lockdown and global pandemic, it is important to reach out for help to friends, family or professionals.
MAGIC MOMENTS “ Cosy winter bumps! ”
Monique Nieuwoudt
Felicia Jagdeo
Gratitude Bashile
Rochelle Lubbe
Hosting the perfect VIRTUAL BABY SHOWER
IN JUST OVER 4 MONTHS, THE COVID PANDEMIC HAS TRANSFORMED THE WAY WE WORK, SHOP AND EVEN THE WAY WE CELEBRATE THE IMPORTANT MOMENTS IN LIFE, SUCH AS BABY SHOWERS. TENNILLE ARON EXPLORES WHAT THE NEW CONCEPT OF A ‘VIRTUAL BABY SHOWER’ ENTAILS, AND HOW TO MAKE IT A MEMORABLE OCCASION FOR EVERYONE.
With the implementation of social distancing practices, the long-standing tradition of showering a mom-to-be with gifts, advice and love at a baby shower has migrated online.
A virtual baby shower – what’s all the fuss?
Since ancient times, women have come together to celebrate expectant mothers before the birth of their babies. This celebration, which usually involves a get-together with mom-to-be’s closest friends and family, provides an opportunity for guests to not only spoil the expectant mommy, but to also show her how much support and love she has around her.
Becoming a mother can be an overwhelming experience, especially in these uncertain times. In a world where
social distancing has become a reality, pregnant women can begin to feel isolated and cut off from the rest of the world. However, having a baby shower, even if it is a virtual one, is a great way to show an expectant mom that she is not alone and that she has plenty of encouragement and support from her friends and family.
It is also a great opportunity to spoil mom-to-be before the arrival of her little
bundle of joy, and make sure that she has everything she needs for her and baby.
Here are a few helpful tips to plan the best virtual baby shower ever.
Location, location, location
As with planning any event, the first thing to consider is where you will be hosting the baby shower. Even when planning a virtual baby shower, there are various digital platforms that you can use to host your event. Zoom and Skype are two very popular digital video conferencing platforms, but you can also use Google Hangout or even Facebook Live to host your baby shower.
When selecting your platform, consider things like how many people you will be hosting and how long your event will be. On their free plan, Zoom allows for up to 100 people in one video call for 40 minutes. Skype allows for 50 people to be on a video call at one time for up to four hours. If you are looking to host 25 people or less, then you could try using Google Hangout.
Regardless of which virtual venue you do decide to use, ensure that that you remember to hit the record button when the party gets started, because this is a memory you definitely want to keep for momto-be, as well as friends and family who couldn’t attend the virtual celebration.
Let’s decorate
The one benefit of planning a digital baby shower is that you don’t have to blow the budget on décor. In fact, if you want to, you can skip buying décor altogether and instead create a unique virtual background to use on mom-to-be’s screen. It is always a fun idea to choose a theme for the event. Here are a few of the more popular themes for baby showers:
Unicorns Hot air balloons Nautical theme Dinosaurs Space Disney Mermaids
If you do decide to add some décor to mom-to-be’s background, there are plenty of online party stores that deliver décor items depending on the theme you choose for the event. Alternatively, you could just buy a couple of items and drop them off at the expectant mom’s home before the baby shower. A mom-to-be sash is a must!
What’s a party without gifts?
A big part of any baby shower is ‘showering’ the expectant mom with presents for her precious new bundle of joy and watching excitedly as she rips apart the wrapping paper to discover what is inside. At many baby showers, this portion of the shower has even become a game where mom-to-be guesses who the gift is from.
Luckily, the only thing that has to change about this part of the baby shower when migrating online, is that instead of the guests bringing their gifts with them to the shower, these presents are delivered to the expectant mom beforehand.
Either arrange for guests to have their presents delivered straight to the mom-to-be’s home, or you can arrange that all guests drop off their gifts at a specific house, and then they are all transported to the expectant mom’s home before the shower.
Creating an online baby registry is a great idea in this scenario, as people can purchase items from the online registry that have been pre-selected by the parents-to-be and have them delivered directly to them.
Game on
The best way to make any baby shower enjoyable for both mom-tobe and her guests, is by preparing a few games to play. The good news is that there are still quite a few entertaining baby shower games that can be enjoyed even if you are not all in the same room. Here are some fun games to play at a virtual baby shower:
Guess the size of my belly
This is a really simple and fun game for everyone attending the digital baby shower. In this game, each guest is asked to write down how big they think mom-to-be’s belly is in terms of centimetres. Then momto-be measures the size of her belly, and the person with the correct answer, or whoever is closest, wins the game.
The price is right
Put together an assortment of pictures of baby products ranging from toiletries to clothes and even equipment. Make sure that you have the correct price for each of the items on the list. Hold up an
item at a time and allow guests to guess what each item costs. You can have them write down the answers on a sheet of paper. At the end of the game, the person with the most correct answers wins.
Baby love songs
Ask guests to write down as many songs with the word ‘baby’ in the title within a specific time limit. The winner is the person with the most correct answers when the time is up.
Sweets in a bottle
Fill a large plastic baby bottle or glass jar with lots and lots of sweets. You can use Jelly Babies, Milk Bottles or even Jelly Beans. Make sure that you keep a count of how many sweets you put into the jar. Guests are asked to guess the number of sweets in the jar. The correct answer, or whoever is closest, wins the game.
Guess the baby
This is a game that requires some prepping beforehand. Ask each guest to send you a baby picture of themselves either through email or via WhatsApp before the baby shower. Number the photographs and make a note of which photo belongs to which guest. At the baby shower, show each picture to the guests and ask them to write down the name of the person they think that picture belongs to. The person with the most correct answers wins the game.
A variation on this game is to find a range of pictures of celebrity babies and their famous parents. Guests can try to match as many celebrity babies to their parents as they can.
Virtual gift cards from some of your favourite stores are great ideas for prizes for the winners of the games as they can be emailed directly to them.
Virtual hugs and kisses!
Unfortunately, having a virtual baby shower means that mom-to-be can’t show her appreciation to her guests attending this important celebration with thank you hugs. A lovely idea to show mom-to-be’s gratitude for her guests’ presence and presents is to make special and unique digital thank you notes for each of the friends and family who attended the online celebration. Canva is a fantastic and easy program to use to create these notes and distribute them digitally.
At the end of the day, a virtual baby shower is all about having fun, celebrating the new life that is about to come into the world and spoiling mom-to-be. And the good news is that this can be achieved just as easily from behind a computer screen.
Just one tip: don’t forget to take some screenshots during the festivities, so that mom-to-be has some great digital memories to look back on.
Things to plan for ahead of time:
There are a few things that you need to remember to plan ahead of time to ensure that the virtual baby shower is smooth.
Get dressed up
Dressing up is half the fun of any event, so choose a theme and get everyone to dress up accordingly by mentioning it in the invitation. Try not to make it too complicated: even just a specific colour for everyone to wear can make the celebration that much more special.
Food and snacks
Although purchasing drinks and snacks is not required for a digital party, it is important to let people know that it is a good idea if they have some snacks and drinks available for themselves during the shower.
There is also plenty of food delivery services that you can use to deliver some food and drinks (non-alcoholic, of course) to the mom-to-be. Having a drink to toast with is a must for all guests for this occasion.
Games
Depending on what games you have planned for the day, you should let your guests know ahead of time to have some paper, pens and any other stationery that they might need, handy.
I remember wanting a home water
ANTENATAL birth. I think it’s so important for
mothers to explore the available
what you need to know
GIVING BIRTH AT HOME WAS THE NORM UNTIL ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE 20TH CENTURY, WHEN HOSPITAL BIRTHS BECAME MORE COMMON. DOULA DONNA BLAND LOOKS AT WHAT THIS CHOICE ENTAILS. Women have many birth choices Others may have had a bad experience are good candidates for homebirth. She available to them today, including previously in a hospital. will recommend gynaecologists who homebirth. Although there are a lot Another drawcard is that labour are willing to act as back-up if the need of questions and controversy around is managed differently in this sort arises. this choice, many women are looking of setting. Intermittent, rather than to give birth in an environment continuous monitoring is favoured in Transfer to where they will receive more holistic, personalised care with a lower rate of a homebirth environment, providing more freedom for moms to move hospital is more intervention. around during labour, creating a common than you In the age of modern medicine, you platform for a more instinctive, empowered birth. may think. might wonder why anyone would choose to give birth at home rather than Primary caregiver The gynaecologist will need to be in hospital. The answer to this question A midwife is the primary caregiver in seen twice during the pregnancy to varies from woman to woman: some a homebirth setting. She takes care of make sure that the mom and baby’s women simply feel more comfortable in mom during her pregnancy, making health are conducive to a birthing at a familiar place, surrounded by family. sure that mom and baby are both home. A midwife will also not attend healthy and thriving. a homebirth alone. She will either be The midwife guides couples accompanied by a fellow midwife or a looking to go this route with doula, making sure that there is always all the necessary information a second pair of professional hands and monitors the progress available to assist when necessary. of the pregnancy to make sure that they Prerequisites Unfortunately, not all women fit the criteria for homebirth. There are certain prerequisites to consider including:
Any significant medical condition, either pre-existing or pregnancy related. Multiple pregnancy e.g., twins. A breech or unfavourable birthing position. Any previous obstetric history e.g., previous caesarean section or
postpartum haemorrhage, etc. Mom’s body mass index exceeding 35kg/m². Significant mental health issues. General health of mom and baby during pregnancy.
Providing an expectant mom and her baby are healthy and the pregnancy has been uncomplicated, she may be eligible to birth at home.
Safety
A common question about homebirth is around safety. Is it safe to give birth at home?
Research has shown that for a firsttime mom, having a homebirth is associated with higher risk than with subsequent pregnancies. This is mainly due to the lack of medical history to compare with from a previous labour, and the uncertainty of how the labour will progress.
Some women simply feel more comfortable in a familiar place.
In the event of a woman choosing a planned homebirth, the midwife will make sure that there are backup plans in place, including having the chosen gynaecologist on call. She will come equipped with all the essential equipment and medication that may be necessary for the birth, including some pain medication and resuscitation equipment for the baby.
One thing to keep in mind is that transfer to hospital is more common with a planned homebirth than you may think, but most hospital transfers are not emergency situations. Most often, women are transferred for reasons such as failure to progress in labour, or the water bag (amniotic sac) has been broken for an extended period.
Pros and cons
For many women, homebirth may provide the following benefits:
The comfort of delivering your baby in a familiar environment.
Less pressure to use medication and for interventions to occur.
More control over the experience.
Lower costs.
Convenience, if previous labours have progressed very quickly.
The downside to birthing at home may include:
Medical aid may not cover all the associated costs.
There is more preparation involved than going to hospital.
Epidurals will not be available at homebirths.
Having to transfer to hospital if the need arises.
Preparation
So, what will you need to prepare if you are interested in having a homebirth?
The first thing I recommend, is to write a birth plan. This will help your midwife and doula understand exactly what you would like from your experience.
From a practical perspective, make sure that the mattress on your bed is protected with plastic sheeting and that you have some spare to protect your floors. Towels are also a necessity when birthing at home. I would suggest using clean, older towels so that your nice towels do not get stained.
Make sure that you have a good supply of snacks and drinks to keep you energised and hydrated, and food to eat once baby is born. You may need to hire a birth pool from your midwife if your bath is not ideally suited to labour and delivery, should you want to use water for pain management or birthing.
Besides that, there isn’t much else to prepare, because you are at home anyway. What I would suggest is having a bag packed for you and baby in case you need to be transferred to hospital.
Dad’s involvement
A wonderful benefit to homebirth is the freedom men have to play a valuable role in the birth team, without the restrictions of hospital protocol. This means that they can be present for all procedures if they so choose.
Even with a doula present, there is so much that dads can do to assist with a homebirth. Some men choose to be involved in the actual labour process and rub their partner’s back or help her to find comfortable positions. They may encourage her with loving words and a gentle touch. Some men even get into the water with their partners to be completely present for their baby’s birth.
Other men enjoy the practicalities that come with a homebirth: making sure that there is always hot water available for the birth pool, fetching snacks and drinks when needed, knowing where everything is and how everything works – this makes dads invaluable during a homebirth.
When men are this involved, they feel empowered and part of this amazing process – something that is not always achieved in a hospital setting.
There is a phrase that says, “When a baby is born, so is a mother.” Regardless of how or where you choose to give birth, research all the options available so that you can make an informed decision, based on the existing information.
A midwife will not attend a homebirth alone.
Birth can be a beautiful, positive, empowering experience, so ensure that you know what is available to you and surround yourself with people who will help you achieve your goals. For every mom, their birth story is different. A home birth offers an amazing platform for you to write your own unique birth story.
Skin-to-skin in a bottle
Skin-to-skin contact is usually referred to as the practice where a baby is dried and laid directly on their mother’s bare chest after birth, both of them covered in a warm blanket and left for at least an hour or until after their first feed.
There is a growing body of evidence that skin-to-skin contact after birth helps babies and their mothers in many ways such enabling colonisation of the baby’s skin with the mother’s friendly bacteria, thus providing protection against infection, and boosting baby’s immunity.
What makes human skin so special? The skin is the most seen and public organ, yet the least understood. We must understand who we are and what our cells are made of, as we recognise ourselves by our skin.
A magnificent array of chemical reactions takes place on a molecular and cellular level within the skin. Human skin is a complex living material, but in biomechanical tests it reveals its homogeneous nature.
Our environment can directly influence who we are. The skin reacts immediately and directly to the outside environment. The skin is the human body’s largest organ and should be looked at as a complex ecosystem. The skin is colonised by a diverse milieu of micro-organisms, most of which are harmless and some very beneficial to their host.
In utero, foetal skin is sterile, but colonisation occurs immediately after birth. Microbial communities of the skin and other sites are established and stabilised during the first years of life, especially with skin-to-skin contact with mommy or daddy as a newborn explores its environment and matures its immune system.
Human skin is a complex living material.
Environmental factors specific to the individual, including occupation, clothing, skincare regime and antibiotic usage may regulate colonisation by the skin microbiota. The effect of antibiotics on the gut microbiota has been examined molecularly with sufficient experimental results and a similar assessment of skin microbiota in healthy individuals needs to be explored to understand skin dynamics fully.
Products that sustain the effect of skin-toskin contact Mommy and baby care, hygiene and skincare products are potential factors contributing to the variation of skin microbiota. For example, the use of products that are not pH balanced will alter the conditions of the skin barrier and may either encourage healthy skin flora growth rates, or cause them to deteriorate.
Can a product optimise your skinto-skin contact with your baby? Biomedical Emporium is a leading biotechnology company that has expertise in dermatology formulation science. A multi-award-winning brand, over time it has changed the way people see skin, as it continuously
formulates an emporium of signature dermatological products that are as unique to the individual as their own fingerprint.
Biomedical Emporium offers a wide range of various skincare solutions for the entire human race, with no exception to mommies-to-be and babies. Its latest formidable skincare series is the Maternology series for pre-conception and pregnancy, and the Biosimilar BioBaby series for baby.
Maternology Range The Maternology range is a skincare range for pre-conception and pregnancy. During the process of trying to fall pregnant, IVF treatments and pregnancy itself, it is important for a woman to change her skincare regime. This range will prepare mothers’ skin for the skin-to-skin contact after baby is born.
Many biochemical changes take place during pregnancy, emotionally, mentally and physically. Pregnancy gives some fortunate woman a beautiful glow due to the elevated hydration and skin moisture retention levels, along with the amplified exposure to vitamins and minerals via placental fluid transport.
Unfortunately, for other expecting mothers, the increased and fluctuating hormonal activity during the first trimester can have the opposite effect, such as an increase in sebum production that may cause acne and the expression of pigmentation.
Skincare during pregnancy should be simple and easy due to the skin being much more sensitive and reactive. There is a long list of ingredients that must be avoided when trying to conceive and while being pregnant.
The Maternology range is simple, easy, and safe to use. The ingredients are rich in vitamins and minerals that treat your skin optimally for pregnancy.
Biobaby range: paediatric dermatology The Biomedical Emporium BioBaby Series was inspired by the twin pregnancy of the award-winning product formulator, Dr Judey. She has developed special care products for babies in the Biomedical Emporium Laboratories that provide the necessary care for sensitive skin, boost immunity and enhance the skin biodiversity.
There are a variety of postpartum skin problems that may occur in babies if they lack the necessary microbiota. One of these problems is seborrheic dermatitis, which is expressed as redness and flaking of the skin. It also causes severe itchiness and makes babies very uncomfortable.
This can be due to a lack of fully developed microbiota on the skin to protect against such an expression. For this reason, The BioBaby Series was scientifically formulated with biosimilar microbiota to restore and balance the biodiversity of sensitive and compromised skin.
The BioBaby Series is free of allergens, irritants, phenoxyethanol, fragrances, dyes and parabens. Products in the BioBaby series offer gentle care for atopic skin.
Dr Judey, product formulator and pregnant with twins
HELLP syndrome & why I am a NICU mom
THE PROSPECT OF HAVING TO SPEND ANY TIME IN THE NICU IS A SCARY ONE. CAREY HAUPT WRITES ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE.
As a first-time mom, I had never heard about HELLP Syndrome, and I had no idea that it would make such a profound impact on my life. So, if you are like I was, HELLP syndrome is a rare, but serious condition. It can happen during pregnancy or shortly thereafter.
HELLP is an acronym that stands for the different conditions that can occur: Haemolysis: This is the breakdown of red blood cells. This impacts your body’s ability to carry oxygen from your lungs to your body. Elevated Liver Enzymes: When your liver enzymes are high, it could mean there’s a problem with your liver. Low Platelet Count: Platelets help your blood clot.
Any of these can be serious but with HELLP you can have a combination of them all.
My story started while I was on holiday. We decided that we would have a special holiday before our baby was born. I was 32 weeks and feeling good.
Towards the middle of the holiday I started to retain a lot of water, which I thought was normal, but then my urine changed colour and I was not feeling so well anymore. We decided to come home a day early, and little did I know that decision saved my life.
I was not myself: I slept the entire trip and I felt like there was something wrong. I was not overly concerned at the time, because I had been checked the day before we left by my gynae and everything looked good. However, now something told me I should just check, I felt an urgency.
I asked my mom to take me to the hospital while my hubby unpacked the car. I just wanted to make sure, still not believing fully that something was wrong.
The nursing staff at the maternity ward were not happy to see me, and did not really want to do a urine test, but something in me insisted. Out of protest they phoned my doctor to let him know that he had a “difficult” patient. He asked them to do a full blood count because I had been near the Kruger Park and he was worried that I might have picked up malaria. I remember waiting for my results in the coffee shop and saying to my mom: “I really hope that something is wrong with me, otherwise it was all in my head.”
As it turned out, I was extremely sick. In fact, I needed to deliver my baby ASAP, not due to malaria, but because I had developed HELLP syndrome. I had no idea what it was, only that my gynae had come to the coffee shop to fetch me with a bed, and said that my husband had 20 minutes to get to the hospital.
Fast forward to two hours later, and I was in the recovery room, totally confused, not remembering what had happened. I was not well enough to be awake while giving birth, so I had to have a Caesar and be put under for the birth.
I didn’t see my son being born, which is something I had to come to terms with, as the birth was nowhere near what I wanted. I was suddenly a mom of
a 33 week, 1.78kg little boy. It was too soon.
My husband was ecstatic, and I was numb. I was so worried for my son, who I had not seen yet, and the pain was unbearable. My emotions and understanding of what had happened were not at all computing.
I was kept in ICU for two exceptionally long days and nights. I looked as if I had been beaten: my back was black and blue. This was due to my low platelet levels and internal haemorrhaging. The doctors were amazed at how quickly I recovered and by day three, I was discharged to maternity.
I focused on expressing my breast milk and sending it to my son. It was exceedingly difficult to connect with him because I was not able to see him until I was well enough to leave ICU. He was only in NICU for three weeks, but they were the longest three weeks I had lived though.
I am incredibly lucky that my gynae acted so quickly and that I did not have any of the more serious complications that can occur with HELLP syndrome, including seizure, stroke, liver rupture or placental abruption.
There may be a link between HELLP syndrome, and pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is when a pregnant woman has high blood pressure and damage to other organs such as her liver and kidneys. It usually starts after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Eclampsia is a more severe form of pre-eclampsia that includes seizures.
I looked as if I had been beaten.
Most women tend to have higher blood pressure before developing HELLP syndrome, but a few, like me, can develop it with normal blood pressure. The symptoms can occur very quickly and include fatigue, blurred vision, sudden weight gain, swelling, especially in the face and hands, headache, nausea or vomiting, seizures, pain in the upper right part of your belly and nosebleed or bleeding that doesn’t stop as quickly as usual.
The main treatment for HELLP syndrome is to give birth as soon as possible, which normally means having a baby born prematurely. Sometimes your doctor can monitor you, which will give you and your baby more time. They are likely to give you corticosteroids to help your baby’s lungs develop.
This is not a birth that any parent would choose for themselves, but from this experience I have learnt how strong my body really is, how quickly I recovered and how wonderful it was to be a mom. I also learnt about the inside of a NICU and all the hard work that goes into being a NICU parent.
My son’s birth ultimately made me realise how much support mothers need, and is the reason I became a lactation consultant and started importing breast pumps.
