Socioeconomic status was a factor in the incidence of postpartum depression. This factor seems to be even more significant than race in raising the risk for postpartum depression. When income was considered, low income women were significantly more likely to experience depression after the birth of a baby.

Of study participants with a household income of less than $20,000, approximately 40 percent suffered from postpartum depression. Only 13 percent of women with a household income above $80,000 per year suffered from clinical depression. Pregnancy.families.com

Many attribute the stress of money, bills and increased baby care costs with the increased risk of postpartum depression. Another possible cause that is rarely considered is the increased birth trauma that African American and low-income (read Medicaid) women often face. African American women have an absolutely appalling rate of cesarean sections and many unscrupulous doctors may take advantage of women who fail to educate themselves on the dangers of childbirth interventions, while simultaneously seeing Medicaid reimbursement as a free for all.

Invasive and dangerous childbirth interventions are damaging to the mother’s physical and psychological state. Many interventions are demeaning and degrading, while others, such as cesareans incapacitate a woman, not only inhibiting her ability to exercise and get fresh air and sunshine postpartum but also to care for and bond with her baby.

In addition, childbirth interventions regularly impede breastfeeding efforts. Breastfeeding releases a number of “feel good” hormones that help a mother bond with her baby and counter PPD.

There are many reasons other than simple money matters that can contribute to postpartum depression. The easiest way to avoid childbirth related depression is to have a gentle, loving lay-midwife assisted or unassisted homebirth. Breastfeed around the clock and wear your baby to facilitate breastfeeding. Cosleeping is also essential during the first few months to ensure successful breastfeeding. Turning lights on in the middle of the night (to go the bathroom or a nursery) is also proven to contribute to PPD. Avoid the lights and cosleep. Lastly, make sure to eat well(avoid soda, sugar and junk food) both during and after pregnancy. Take walks with your baby to get sunshine, fresh air and exercise. PPD is not a sentence that low-income women should simple accept. Take matters into your own hands to not only prevent, but overcome this crippling disorder.

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Isn’t learning that a woman is pregnant with an unborn baby one of life’s most beautiful events? Pregnancy is a time when mom and dad share a marvelous task to bring their child into the world feeling appreciated and wanted. And this miracle starts even before conception begins.

Yes, before conception begins. Prior to the sperm cell and egg cell joining each other for a life long journey that commences in the mom’s womb. An infant’s right to life is born when parents start thinking about having a child.

A famous cellular biologist, Dr. Bruce Lipton, Ph.D, wrote an evolutionary volume, “The Biology of Belief.” In his book, Dr. Lipton contends that the parents’ love and intention before “the twinkle danced in mom’s eye” affect the well being of an unborn infant.

This is how. Researchers discovered a link between a fetus’s health and the support well being, and mood of its parents. After conception, a fetus develops and grows. The degree to which the baby develops is related to the attitudes of the parents. Positive loving attitudes - positive infant growth. Fearful, unhappy attitudes - sickly child.

An unborn baby senses the feelings, thoughts, and actions of its mother. Since a baby’s father can affect the baby’s mother through his actions, feelings and thoughts, the dad also affects how a baby develops. Scientists have shown how a baby absorb steroids like cortisol from its mother, when mom experiences high levels of fear and anxiety.

When stressful times occur, the stress hormones in the mother’s bloodstream pass right through the unborn infant. This has a negative change upon the developing body of the baby. Italian researchers observed a fetus jump inside its mother, when an argument between parents used harsh, loud words.

Every human being grows and develops the same way. An umbilical cord in the mother’s uterus connects the baby to its mom like a lifeline. Oxygen, blood, nutrients, vitamins and everything needed to grow and be healthy flow to the baby through that cord. The umbilical cord consists of three strands - two arteries and a vein, surrounded by Wharton’s jelly. Second by second, every minute, day after day for nine months, the line line of the umbilical cord connects mom and baby with health and life.

A pro life way for moms and dads to bring emotional and spiritual health to their baby is through the three strands of faith, hope and love. These virtues are a lifeline for the unborn baby’s healthy development. The three strands of hope, love and faith help parents relate to each other better.

Faith is the first strand of the spiritual life line. Mom and dad receive the gift of faith from God. Parents unwrap this gift when they believe and trust each other and that God is present to them and their unborn infant.

Dads and moms use the second strand — hope - when they persevere and endure the nine, long months of pregnancy. Parents envision and hope their child as healthy and growing up to contribute positively to life.

The third and most important strand is love. When the parents draw upon God’s love for them, they can love each other and pass their love to their child.

Pregnancy has its difficult moments: body pain, uncertainty, changes in moods and habits. Moms and dads can work through those times by being kind to each other, finding joy in the present moment, witnessing the miracle of new life forming within them and trusting that everything will turn out well.

Moms and dads deliver the three strands of virtue to their unborn baby through a spiritual umbilical cord. The right to life of the unborn infant is healthy in emotion, mind and body. The life line of three strands of faith, hope and love connect parents and child to God and each other.

About the author:
Married for more than 24 years, Dave Pipitone advocates the use of encouragement, kindness and love in lasting and meaningful relationships. To learn more about how to care for an unborn baby’s welfare, visit www.my3strands.com.

Sheryl’s comment:
I am spiritual but not religious so I do not necessarily agree with the God aspect of this article, but I could replace the word God with Mother Earth or higher power and it would provide the original impact without offending.

Needless to say, this article hit home for me because I was in a physically violent marriage when I became pregnant. My husband pretty much fell off the deep end when I became pregnant and while I am not psychic, lets just say that I would not be surprised at all if I had become another Lacy Peterson if I had stayed with him. Staying with him was not an option.

I now know that pregnancy is oddly enough an incentive for murder. Murder is the leading cause of death for pregnant women. Laci was not an anomaly. She just made the news. I just cant wrap my brain around what makes a man want to murder his own offspring and mate, but apparently it is part and parcel of an abusive, sociopathic personality.

Leaving my husband was, hands down, the most difficult thing I had ever done in my life. It is still difficult, years later. As dysfunctional as it sounds, I believed that loved him with my whole heart and like many battered women had lost everything to his manipulative tactics. My self esteem was in the toilet and I finally left him when I was three months pregnant from a city I adored, to hostile family members (not all of them) and had to move, penniless to the middle American suburbs that I had hoped I left forever.

Needless to say, I knew - almost instinctively - the importance of having a calm, peaceful, loving pregnancy. While growing inside me, my daughter had no clue that I was destitute or heartbroken. I tried to replace my heartache and stress with thoughts of love for her.

I just can’t imagine how different she would be today if she had been subjected to nine months of sleepless nights, screaming fights and physical abuse, not to mention how different her life would have been after she was born. Leaving that jackass was not only the best thing I have done for myself but the greatest gift I could have ever given my beautiful, innocent girl.

Domestic Violence Links and Resources - Where to seek help
National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
www.866uswomen.org is the wonderful organization that saved me and my daughter from my husband

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A miscarriage is the natural end of pregnancy when the developing embryo or fetus is less than 20 weeks old and incapable of surviving outside the womb. Miscarriages that occur less than six weeks after your last menstrual period are referred to as an ‘early pregnancy loss’, whereas miscarriages that occur after this point are termed ‘clinical spontaneous abortion’. If you are less than six weeks pregnant, you may not even realize you have been so, and may mistake the miscarriage for a heavy menstrual bleed.

More than three-quarters of all miscarriages occur in the first twelve weeks (also known as the first trimester) of your pregnancy. The causes of miscarriage in this first trimester are mostly because of chromosomal abnormalities. As expectant parents, you need to understand that such abnormalities occur at random and are unlikely to occur in future pregnancies. Sometimes a miscarriage in the first trimester can be due to a deficiency of the hormone progesterone. In future pregnancies, your doctor will prescribe a progesterone supplement to ensure your pregnancy proceeds as normal.

Miscarriages in the second trimester are generally related to problems with your uterus, placenta or cervix. Malformations in the umbilical cord can also cause a clinical spontaneous abortion.

While the large proportion of miscarriages are beyond your control, there are several risk factors for miscarriage. Among them are:

1. If you are pregnant with twins, there is a greater chance of early pregnancy loss.
2. If you are a diabetic who does not control your diabetes, there is a considerably heightened risk of miscarriage.
3. Cigarette smoking, whether by you or your partner, increases the chance that your baby may not make it to term.
4. Physical trauma, such as falls or blows, especially to your abdomen may also result in a miscarriage.
5. Excessive caffeine or alcohol intake, obesity and exposure to certain chemicals will also enhance the likelihood of miscarriage.

The most obvious sign of miscarriage is bleeding. If you notice unusual bleeding during your pregnancy, you will need to talk to your doctor, who may perform an ultrasound scan to visualize your developing baby. In many cases, when a miscarriage occurs, your doctor may wish to undertake a procedure known as a curette. A curette ensures that all the baby’s tissue is removed from your uterus, thereby preventing infection and scarring. After a miscarriage, your doctor will want to investigate why the miscarriage occurred and may recommend that you wait several menstrual cycles before attempting to become pregnant again.

Although the physical effects are usually mild, the emotional pain that you and your partner may experience can be quite severe. There is a natural tendency to blame yourself for somehow causing the miscarriage, although in many cases you will have had no control over or effect upon the health of your developing baby.

Your feelings of grief and loss may be very strong, so do not be afraid to seek counseling to help you and your partner through this difficult time. In many instances, there will be no reason for you not to become pregnant in the future, and every likelihood that the pregnancy will proceed smoothly.

About the author:
Juzaily Ramli and his wife are the owners of Pregnancy Website. Find out why miscarriage is a living nightmare amongst the expecting parents at miscarriage website.

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