Pregnancy Sex

We are seeing a shift in the mid life crisis today. The New York Magazine has coined the phrase “grups” to describe the current middle aged population that tries to fill the generation gap. There is a sound reason for the generation gap. We probably shouldn’t try to fill it. The term grup is derived from an episode of Star Trek in which Captain Kirk and his crew find themselves on a planet run by kids. There are no adults in sight. (By the way if you know the episode I’m talking about you may be having a mid life crisis yourself). In the episode the kids create the term “grup” to refer to the adult crew visiting their child-filled planet. The word is a clever combination of the term “grown-ups” that seems to be a popular way to help us look at ourselves differently. The individuals entering the mid life crisis age are currently referred to as grups because of their inescapable desire to hold on to technology. Nothing is more aggravating than an adolescent who can show an adult how to run an ipod. (If you are wondering what an ipod is then you may be having a mid life crisis of a different kind). However, the younger generation is basically wired to work these kinds of gadgets. You may know a grup. You may even be a grup without knowing it. I got my wake-up call when I was expecting my daughter. The doctor mentioned something about advanced maternal age and I almost smacked him. How dare he? This is my first pregnancy from my first marriage. Okay, so I married when I was 34 but, still. I didn’t realize that I would be the oldest mom at daycare. I didn’t know that I was supposed to be tending to teens instead of toddlers. I was not aware that I should be in mid life crisis. Maybe this is the problem. Maybe my late start in married life is my mid life crisis. I should be sporting a “soccer mom” necklace but the idea makes me totally gag. For real. I guess that I should be listening to the oldies station but it depresses me. When did Elton John enter the realm of the oldies? Oh well, the mid life crisis has snuck up on me. I probably should forget going to the System of a Down concert I’ve been looking forward to attending. I should also back away from the ipod, too. I don’t know how to work those things anyway.

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Zoloft Side Effects

Don't use Zoloft During Pregnancy! Zoloft, also known as sertraline, is an antidepressant that is in the group of antidepressants known selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs. Zoloft is used to treat a variety of psychological disorders including, major depressive disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and premenstrual disphoric disorder (PMDD). These disorders are caused by chemical imbalances within the brain, and Zoloft as well as other antidepressants in this class work to regulate the imbalance to alleviate symptoms. As with other antidepressants, side effects of Zoloft cannot be ruled out and are different in each individual patient. Patients are encouraged to consult their prescribing physician or psychiatrist if new symptoms appear, if they become worse, or if suicidal thoughts occur at any time during treatment, which occur more often in patients under the age of 18. Since the signs and symptoms of many psychological disorders overlap, patients may be diagnosed with more than one mental illness, therefore the same precautions should be observed whether the patient has major depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, or any other psychological disorder. For most antidepressants in this class, the patient will not start experiencing relief from symptoms until after at least one week of therapy at the earliest. The average length of time varies, but is usually two to three weeks, and in some patients may take longer. Of course, if symptoms do not subside, possibly a dose adjustment may be in order. According to various online references, some patients have experienced various Zoloft side effects during treatment including insomnia, agitation, panic attacks, restlessness, fatigue, impulsivity, and mania. Other symptoms may include dizziness, dry mouth, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or urinary retention. Zoloft should not be taken if alcoholic beverages have been consumed either. The patient should wait and take the next dose the following morning. This medication should always be taken with food or milk as well, not on an empty stomach. Patients should also avoid driving or other activities requiring alertness until they have taken it long enough to know how they react to the drug. Another possible side effect of Zoloft is weight gain, which is common in some patients, as is decreased appetite in others. Zoloft should also not be taken if you are pregnant, lactating, have liver or kidney disease, or have a history of seizures or heart attack. Patients should also not abruptly stop taking this medication without being instructed by their physician or psychiatrist. Debilitating symptoms may return or become worse, which could put the patient back to square one in their treatment.

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Menstrual Cycle

Menstrual Cycle For every woman, the monthly menstrual cycle is a life event that was very much a mystery to us when it began. No matter how much information our mothers gave us, or how many health education class lectures we endured, we still didn’t know. Menstrual cycles are as unique as is every woman. Not every cycle is 28 days; menstruation can start on the 26th or 30th day too. Some women have erratic menstrual cycles and they never know when it will begin. The onset of menarche usually occurs anywhere from age 9 to age 17; all girls are different in heredity, weight, activity, diet, health, etc. and this all has an influence on when menstruation occurs for the first time. It is normal for it to be irregular and not come at a regular interval for the first few months. Flow may be very light and last only a couple of days at first, then three months may go by until another menstrual cycle begins. The cycle should become more regular as the months progress, and of course, a health care provider should be consulted if irregularity continues or heavy bleeding occurs. The menstrual cycle occurs as a result of an egg being released from an ovary once every 28 days or so. As it travels through the Fallopian tubes, it approaches the uterus, which has been building up cushiony lining for the fertilized egg to implant. If a sperm does not penetrate the egg in its travels, then the unfertilized egg continues from the Fallopian tubes on through the uterus and out as the lining of the uterus is shed during the menstrual cycle. If fertilization has occurred, the embryo will implant into the plump lining of the uterus where the cells will continue to divide forming a viable fetus. At this point in time, the menstrual cycle ceases until the pregnancy is brought to term or another event occurs which would cause the pregnancy to be terminated. Many women look forward to this time, because they get a break from having their monthly menstrual cycle and they get to experience pregnancy. If a woman’s menstrual cycle is irregular or there are other issues such as heavy bleeding, cramping, and/or prolonged cycles, options are available to regulate the cycle and control the uncomfortable symptoms that are being experienced. Most of the time, birth control pills are the first treatment option. Birth control pills are available in many different hormone combinations and strengths, and can be prescribed according to what type of menstrual cycle issue the patient is having. These pills are also fairly inexpensive making them accessible to all women. Our menstrual cycles do not have to take control of our lives. There are many options available for every unique woman. It is her choice to decide what is appropriate for her and her menstrual cycle. Ask your health care provider during your regular check ups about any questions or concerns you may have about your menstrual cycle.

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Planning a Baby Shower

My niece is pregnant with her first baby. We have always been close so I let her know that I would help her with any thing she needed help with in getting ready for the baby. There are many things to do in getting ready for a baby. We needed to prepare a room for the baby as well as purchase items that are needed when adding a baby into the home. I told my niece that I wanted to have a shower for her and her husband. I encouraged her to register at a number of local department stores for things that were needed for the baby. Planning a baby shower takes some time. The major time factor was coordinating things with my niece. In planning a baby shower I wanted to make sure that I was including everyone that she wanted to invite. I was taking extra care in this because when my sister had a baby shower for a friend she had invited people that the mother to be did not want at the shower. This made for an uncomfortable time for everyone. The other part of planning a baby shower that is difficult is deciding when the shower is to take place. My niece wanted to wait until after the baby arrived so that the people attending the shower could see the baby. This was fine, except that some of the items on her gift register were for things that are needed as soon as the baby arrives home. My niece mentioned that one of her co-workers was also planning a baby shower for her. I got the name of the co-worker so that we could coordinate the two baby showers to best fit with my niece’s wishes. When I spoke with the co-worker planning a baby shower I found out that she was planning on having the shower the last day my niece was scheduled to work before the beginning of her maternity leave. I explained that I was planning to have a shower after the birth of the baby. We decided that we would tell the guests this so they could pick out their gifts accordingly. I would be including relatives and she would include co-workers, so people would not be invited to two showers. When planning a baby shower you can get cards from the department stores where the mother has registered to place in the shower invitations. Having these cards to insert cuts down on the amount of information you need to write on the invitations. Planning a baby shower should include as much input from the new parents as possible. Try to include the new dad also so he is not feeling left out of the process. The baby shower should concentrate on celebrating the new life of a child.

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California Adoptions

It used to be that orphans or unwanted children had a really very hard time finding a parent to take care of them. They could languish for years and years in the system, going between foster care and foundling homes, without a parent to call them their own. But today, things are so much different than that. If you are pregnant and do not want the child, you should consider adoption in California as a possible alternative. I live here, and I can tell you that there are many many parents who would consider California adoptions as a way to raise one of their own. The reasons vary from person to person, and no two are alike, that is for sure. Some want California adoptions because they are infertile. Others believe that, with all of the unwanted children, there is no reason to bring another one into the world. Still others believe that, because of over population, getting California adoptions is just a much more ethical thing to do than having a new baby and adding one more person to our crowded planet. Whatever the reason, California adoptions are extremely popular. Of course, adoptions in California are not popular for any child. It is easy for anyone to love a pretty little newborn boy or girl, and for these young ones, the wait list for California adoptions is really really big. But with an older child, you have a different situation. Some of these kids have just been tossed around over and over for years upon endless years, from one parent who did not care to them, to the state, back to another parent. It is much harder for these kids to find California adoptions because, as you can imagine, some of them have quite serious problems. They may be disturbed, crazy, or even violent. They have a whole lot of trouble with forming any attachments at all because they are always moved around so much. They might keep you up all night crying. Say all that you want about the healing of love, but many parents are not up for California adoptions of these problem children, and it is a sad case. In California adoptions are not just needed for the healthy little babies with nothing wrong with them at all, but for the problem kids as well. California adoptions for these kids are really most needed, while for the others there is plenty of demand already.

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Early Signs of Menopause

Early Signs of Menopause The early signs of menopause usually begin to occur around the age of forty. Many women report first noticing hot flashes and vaginal dryness; these two symptoms are cardinal early signs of menopause according to Real Age Menopause Center, at www.menopause.realage.com. Other women may notice an increase in irritability or edginess, in addition to emotional swings that come and go as frequently as hot flashes. Other early signs of menopause are monthly cycles becoming irregular or having less flow than usual. Not one woman I know would complain about their period lightening up or stopping completely. That’s one nice thing about being pregnant, you don’t have to deal with it for nine months! A hysterectomy can take care of it too, for good! Women who begin to experience early signs of menopause before the age of forty experience the same symptoms as older women, however, they are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and fractures, and ovarian cancer. These woman may be experiencing early signs of menopause because they underwent chemotherapy or radiation, or had a hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries). The hormones that regulate ovulation and menstruation are no longer stimulated to be produced because of interference by the cancer treatment, or because of physical removal of the ovaries. There are many treatment options available to help alleviate some of the symptoms and early signs of menopause, such as estrogen or hormone replacement therapy, soy consumption, and other herbal supplements and therapies. Strategies proven to help minimize early signs of menopause include a low fat diet, regular aerobic exercise, stress reduction, such as meditation or yoga, and increased consumption of soy based products. Tofu, soy milk and cheese, miso, and meat substitutes all are rich in phytoestrogens which are just as effective as traditional hormone replacement therapies in treating early signs of menopause. Menopause is a time to look forward, to not having to plan around that ‘time of the month’, whether it comes naturally, or it is induced by other means. It is a part of life many women enjoy because they are released in some way, they can be more spontaneous in a sense, and not burdened by always thinking about protection from either getting pregnant or from spotting through on your clothes. I don’t know any women who would miss that either. Check the many online sites that have information readily available on the early signs of menopause, and just about anything else you need to know regarding your reproductive health. Here’s to you!