Childbirth is freaking painful. All those watermelon/donut hole analogies exist for a reason. But is having a baby actually traumatizing in the way that terrorist attacks and car accidents are traumatizing?
A Tel Aviv University researcher named Rael Strous thinks so. According to the study published in the Israel Medical Association Journal, as many as one third of all new moms showed some symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), with a smaller percentage developing "full-blown PTSD" in the days after giving birth.
Interestingly, the majority of those women experiencing PTSD symptoms had opted for natural childbirth without pain relief.
Ok, so it may not be as spontaneous as a terrorist attack or car accident, but as Strous and his colleagues discovered, childbirth is no less horrific and still poses "a very real and justified fear of danger, as expectant mothers worry for not just their own safety but also for the health and well-being of their babies."
PTSD symptoms include flashbacks of labour, refusal to discuss the birth or even the prospect of having another child, as well as physical reactions, including heart palpitations.
Surprisingly, female support during labour—be it from a midwife or doula— -- had virtually no impact on diminishing the trauma.
And for many women, a contributing factor in PTSD had to do with being exposed for a long period of time.
"Dignity is a factor that should be taken into account," said Strous. "It's an issue of ethics and professionalism, and now we can see that it does have physical and psychological ramifications."
As someone who had an all-natural water birth, I certainly felt proud of what my body had achieved. It was a gruelling and primal marathon, and luckily I was running on such adrenaline that I didn't register the extent of the trauma until I "came down" much later.
Did you find childbirth traumatic? Why/why not?
It’s a big week for anyone suffering from food allergies. Health Canada has finally implemented new labelling regulations announced in February 2011, which require manufacturers to clearly indicate allergens in ingredient lists.
It is no longer enough to state something like "hydrolyzed casein," a blanket statement that could easily confuse those allergic to dairy products. Packaged food manufacturers now have the option to list the ingredient or to add a line "contains [food allergen]."
Under the new regulations, even ingredients in smaller quantities must be listed. Previously, “spices” could appear on a label without requiring further description. Not very reassuring for those with the potential for anaphylaxis—a life-threatening reaction to certain foods which causes the sufferer’s blood pressure to drop and airways to narrow.
After her daughter died from a food reaction at age 15, Marilyn Allen relentlessly pushed for change. As the founder of the advocacy group Anaphylaxis Canada, she was a driving force in the new legislation.
Although Allen is celebrating the changes, she notes there are still gaps and exemptions, such as deli, bakery, beer and bulk foods. She also warns against cross-contamination in factories that may not detect trace amounts of potential allergens.
While using plain language in labeling is a definite victory, allergic customers should continue to monitor the new labels and report potential problems to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Personally I always found it idiotic to state on a package of peanuts “may contain nuts.” Still, better safe than sorry. In cases of dairy and gluten, past labeling has proved less than straightforward.
Like you needed an excuse. But now you have one. Seems that glass or two of pinot makes your bones stronger, and wards off the risk of osteoporosis in aging women.
So say the good people at the International Scientific Forum on Alcohol Research who analysed a University of Oregon study. In fact, Health Care Today reported that a couple glasses of wine were found to be just “as helpful as drugs” in preventing thinning bones in healthy, postmenopausal women aged around 56.
Interestingly, two small glasses of wine a day boosted bone density, but bone loss in subsequently increased when the same women abstained.
“Moderate amounts of alcohol might be beneficial for bones,” said Sarah Leyland from the National Osteoporosis Society, “but excessive alcohol increases the risk of fractures, as well as increasing the risk of falls." Ah, there’s always one killjoy.
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