Tag Archives: Samantha Kauffman

Spotlight on maternal depression

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Having a ready list of friends and family to help out can make all the difference for new moms on those overwhelming days. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Samantha Kauffman, Spectrum Health Beat


There’s no shortage of official and unofficial celebrations throughout the year, with different days and months designated for this cause or that.


Some days feel like marketing vehicles as much as cultural celebrations, such as national donut day or national taco day.


Other celebrations are rooted in promotions of careers or important social or medical causes, such as national nurse’s week and autism awareness month.


The organization Postpartum Support International has designated the month of May maternal depression awareness month.


In previous posts on this topic, we’ve explored tips for new moms and touched on possible ways family members and friends can help as new moms adjust to life after childbirth.


There’s little doubt that Mother’s Day played some role in choosing May as national maternal depression awareness month.


The campaign encourages people to share stories and seek help when they’re feeling down.


According to Postpartum Support International, untreated depression is the No. 1 complication in pregnancy and about 1 in 7 moms experience postpartum depression, but only about 15% seek treatment. The organization also feels that many new moms aren’t asked about how they are feeling emotionally.


I can say with confidence that at Spectrum Health family birthing centers, moms take a postpartum depression screening before they leave the hospital and often another at their postpartum follow-up visit.


The postpartum period from birth until the baby is about 3 months old is often considered the fourth trimester—essentially still part of the pregnancy period.


In those few short months, a mom’s body is still adjusting from a pregnant state to a non-pregnant state.

Here are some things new moms can do after having a baby:

Lifestyle focus

  • Take time for naps or occasional rest breaks. It’s not always possible to sleep, but if baby is sleeping, take that time to do something for yourself—read a book, watch a movie, take a bath or whatever you enjoy.
  • Don’t set high expectations for yourself for a while. I like to tell patients in class to think of their Top 3 things they need everyday, then pick one and share with their spouse. That one thing is the goal for the first two weeks.
  • Set limits with visitors so they don’t overstay their welcome.
  • Create a list of things that family, friends and others can do to help out.
  • Get outside for a short walk. Just a little basic exercise outside can really help you feel better.
  • Be open about how you feel with your partner.
  • Don’t compare yourself to others—especially on social media.
  • Expect to have some good days and some bad days.

Nutrition goals

  • Eat every few hours. Healthy food choices impact how we feel.
  • During pregnancy, consumption of foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids can help alleviate postpartum depression symptoms.
  • Your body mass index, or BMI, can affect anxiety and depression. One study showed that overweight women were at risk of elevated anxiety and depression at both four months postpartum and 14 months postpartum. (Interestingly, BMI wasn’t noted to affect anxiety levels during pregnancy.)

Seeking help

  • Look for support from family and friends. Avoid anyone who discourages or seems to bring you down.
  • Keep your postpartum appointment with your provider and call with any concerns that arise.
  • See if there is a postpartum depression group or mood disorder support group in your community.
  • Remember that dads can also experience postpartum depression symptoms—so be sure to keep an eye on dad’s mood, too.

Focus on baby

  • Strengthen your bond with your baby with skin-to-skin contact. This benefits both mom and baby—and dad, too.
  • An infant massage is great for bonding. It has been shown to decrease postpartum depression symptoms.
  • Smile, sing and talk to your baby regularly.

If you feel you have postpartum depression, you should call your OB provider.


Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.


Gallstones—the post-pregnancy affliction

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Treatment for gallstones may come in the form of antibiotics or surgery. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Samantha Kauffman, Spectrum Health Beat


I recently heard about two patients who ended up in the hospital with gallstones just a short while after they gave birth to their babies.


They both ended up having their gallbladders removed.


Women who experience gallstones after their child is born will typically experience this within two to four months after delivery.


More than 25 million people suffer from gallstones, but women encounter this at a much greater rate than men—and that’s before pregnancy is factored in.


You are indeed more prone to gallstones when you’re pregnant.


Why? The extra estrogen in your body. Among its various effects, estrogen increases cholesterol.


Progesterone can also lead to gallstones. This hormone relaxes tissue, including within the gallbladder.

Battling blockages

About the size of a pear, the gallbladder is located below the liver.


Though you can live without it, the gallbladder does have its use.


The liver makes bile, which is stored in the gallbladder. When we eat food—especially high-fat food—bile is released from the gallbladder and sent to the intestines to aid in digestion.


In some cases, the bile crystalizes and forms gallstones. These can be as small as sand or as large as a golf ball.


Gallstones are usually composed of calcium bilirubinate, cholesterol and calcium carbonate.


It’s critical to understand that gallstones can cause a problem when they block ducts. They won’t allow the bile to leave, which can cause inflammation, or cholecystitis.


People may have gallstones and not even know it. Symptoms only tend to arise when the stones block or obstruct the body’s natural processes.


Symptoms include:

  • Upper abdomen pain, which can radiate to right shoulder and back
  • Steady pain after eating fatty meals
  • Abdominal pain lasting longer than five hours after eating
  • Fever or chills
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Yellowing of the eyes
  • Dark urine
  • Clay-colored bowel movements

In the past we’ve looked at a condition called cholestasis of pregnancy, which entails symptoms similar to those experienced by gallstones.


Testing for gallstones can involve an ultrasound, which helps doctors visualize what is happening. A blood test can also reveal signs of infection.


Doctors can use CT and MRI imaging to further uncover problems.


Antibiotics may be used if there are signs of infection, but doctors may turn to surgery to remove the gallstones or the gallbladder.

Promoting prevention

There are some steps you can take to help reduce the chances of developing gallstones.


First and foremost: Eat healthy and keep your weight under control. Yes, if you’re pregnant you will be gaining weight—you are growing a human being inside you. But excess weight isn’t helpful.


Other useful tips:

  • Limit bad fats and make sure you’re getting healthy fats, which are monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Eat a high-fiber diet and whole foods.
  • Eat healthy nuts.
  • Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
  • Keep hydrated.
  • Keep fit with exercise.
  • If you have diabetes, keep watch on your numbers. Having diabetes puts you at a greater risk.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.




Baby blues—or something worse?

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Postpartum depression can affect up to 20 percent of new moms, making it difficult for them to care for their baby. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Samantha Kauffman, Spectrum Health Beat

 

If you’ve experienced depression, it may help to know you aren’t alone.

 

More than 16 million people experience at least one major depressive episode at some point during the year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

 

The positive angle on this: We know of many things that can help fight depression, including therapy, exercise and medication.

 

Sometimes the treatment depends on the circumstances.

 

Depression after having a baby, known as postpartum depression, is more common than people may realize.

 

About 15 to 20 percent of women in the U.S. experience major depression after having a baby. This type of depression is different from the more common baby blues, which about 80 percent of new mothers will experience.

 

Baby blues pertains to hormonal changes from having a baby, as well as lack of sleep with a new baby and a new role that comes with new pressures and other circumstances.

 

Some people are surprised to learn that dads can also get baby blues and depression.

 

Postpartum depression in moms, however, is more extreme and can interfere with a woman’s ability to care for herself and her family. Severe symptoms usually require treatment.

 

Over time, we have come to realize that postpartum depression can happen quite often. Many moms will suffer in silence, however, because they don’t know what signs to look for or they don’t know what to do about it even when they know what’s happening.

 

This is one of the reasons the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is recommending earlier postpartum visits after birth.

 

I should also point out that women can also suffer from depression during pregnancy, not just afterward. An estimated 14 to 23 percent of pregnant women will struggle with depression, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

 

While it may seem reasonable to assume this depression results from a pregnant mom’s changes in hormones, this is only partly true.

 

Depression in pregnancy can also be triggered by an unplanned pregnancy, partner violence, a previous pregnancy loss, relationship issues and more.

 

Some of the symptoms to watch for:

  • Thoughts of death or suicide
  • Sleeping too little or too much
  • Sadness that won’t go away
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Loss of interest in things you once enjoyed
  • Anxiety beyond what might be considered a normal amount
  • Feelings of guilt
  • No desire to eat or eating all the time
  • Extra stress

Some of these symptoms are normal with pregnancy, so it’s important to remember that you need to watch for extremes.

 

Make sure you talk with your OB provider if you’re worried about depression or anxiety during pregnancy.

 

A study published earlier this year in JAMA Pediatrics found evidence suggesting that depression during pregnancy could result in poorer emotional and behavioral outcomes in children.

 

Of 101 pregnant moms surveyed for the study, 42 met the criteria for mild depression. Researchers then took MRIs of each baby’s brain at 1 month of age.

 

“Our study suggests that moderate levels of maternal depression and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy were associated with variations in the brain’s white matter microstructure or ‘wiring’ at one month of age,” said lead author Douglas Dean III, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

 

Up to 1 in 5 pregnant women experience depression and anxiety, according to the report, adding: “Mounting evidence links these conditions with poorer emotional and behavioral outcomes in children.”

 

Other studies, meanwhile, have found that untreated depression during pregnancy is linked to lower baby weight at birth.

 

Bottom line: If you are pregnant and feeling symptoms of depression or anxiety, please talk to your OB provider.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Man’s best friend, meet mom’s new baby

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A dog with proper training and a good disposition will react well to the inevitable surprises a baby can bring. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Samantha Kauffman, Spectrum Health Beat

 

In one of our recent childbirth classes, a mom-to-be asked me for some advice on the best ways to bring her new baby into the home, since they have two dogs.

 

Now, my family doesn’t have inside animals at home, so I don’t have any personal experience.

 

But this struck me as a great question, and it led me to ask around and search online for some helpful tips. I found plenty of great information.

 

To start, you should assess your dogs—or even your cat, if that’s the case—to get a handle on their experiences and disposition around small children.

 

Has your pet ever been around small children before? How did the pet do?

 

One site I looked at recommended preparing your dog at least four months in advance for the arrival of the baby. You can do this by showing the pet the baby areas for play and sleep, the baby’s clothes, and so on.

 

When you’re one to two months from the delivery date, adjust the dog’s normal routine. You’ll have to do this anyway if you plan to have the dog sleep somewhere else, or if the dog’s access to certain areas will be limited because there’s a new baby in the house. It’s best to ready the dog in advance.

 

If you have time—and if your dog doesn’t already know these—teach the dog some basic commands like come, go, sit, stay and drop it. (That last one comes in handy with baby items.) It’s very important to teach the dog not to jump.

Prep your pup

One great way to prepare you dog for the arrival of a new baby in the home is to mimic—appropriately and respectfully—the potential behaviors of your baby. This can be done before your baby comes home, but also after.

 

Babies don’t know what they’re doing. If they see a dog, it’s inevitable they will pull its ears, fur, paws and nose.

 

The recommendation is to gently interact in a similar way with your dog—gently pull on the fur, for example—and give the dog a treat for behaving properly. Then, say something to your dog that you would have said if baby had been pulling on the dog’s fur.

 

For example: Give the dog’s paw a gentle tug, and then in a kind voice say, “What was that? Just baby!”

 

Continue this, appropriately, so your dog learns not to react. Your dog can learn how to properly respond to baby’s poking and prodding. Also, remember you’ll be teaching your baby what is OK and not OK with your pet.

 

Also, teach your dog that the nursery is off limits. (Remember, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends your baby sleep in a crib or bassinet in your room for the first year if possible, or the first six months at a minimum.)

 

At the end of the day, your baby’s safety is more important than all else. If you suspect your pet can’t behave or can’t be properly trained to accommodate a new baby, you should find the pet a new great home.

 

Some other tips I found in online research:

  • When you’re still at the hospital with your new baby, give a family member something that has your new baby’s scent on it, such as a burp cloth or a blanket. Have the family member take that item back to the house so that your dog can smell it. This can acclimate the dog to the new baby’s scent.
  • Once you’ve left the hospital and you arrive home with your baby, try to enter the home first. You or a family member can hold the baby at a safe distance, possibly in another room or a quieter part of the house. Let your dog get used to your return and work through its excitement. Just keep your baby a safe distance from the dog until the animal settles down.
  • Have someone distract the dog with treats until everything settles down.
  • When you eventually do allow the dog to come over and see the baby, be relaxed. Allow the dog to smell baby’s feet first. Praise your dog for being gentle and have treats available.
  • Never leave your baby alone on the floor with your dog.
Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.