HOW BIRTH/MOTHERING IS SEEN
At The Farm - a hippy sort of place in Tennesse USA, they make a big thing of birthing - and Ina May Gaskin ('Sptiritual Midwifery') has stats collected - in 30 years, only 1% PND rate. Only 5% transferred to hospital for any intervention. (All birthed easily and happily on site).

What do they do differently there?
They are women centred and look after each other . . .
Why are we struggling in our apparently 'safe' birting practices to have mums and babies happy? Could it have something to do with NOT allowing natural hormones in on the act - through hassling babies and mums to do what 'best hospital practice' deems important?
Why are we struggling in our apparently 'safe' birting practices to have mums and babies happy? Why are we struggling in pur apparently 'safe' birting practices to have mums and babies happy?

NUTRITIONALLY
The importance of Zinc supplementation can not be over looked. (please search on this site for more). As the NZ and Australian soil is deficient in both this and Selenium (both needed to maintain normal thyroid hormones, which when deficient also have depression as a symptom, it has been shown to assist in many naturopathic clinics.

Along with Vit B complex - a little often and a good Magnesium (preferably in liquid form not tablet). A few years ago whilst visiting my dentist, in the chair with my mouth full of implements, the nice fellow asks what to do about PND as his daughter-in-law has a bad case of it. Once I could tell him, the recipe - Vit B, Zinc. Magnesium, and lots of protein and rest was given. Fast forwards a few years - and there I am again - mouth full and same question - she has had another baby - and it worked so well last time - what was it again?

We can easily alter brain chemistry and hence behavioral changes through looking at how we are fueling ourselves. It is a great shame that biomedicine is so behind in this and other 'diseases' given the misery that could be avoided were simple dietary changes suggested in a piece such as this. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs work very very well also.

LIFE SUPPORT
Often it is as simple as having HEAPS of support - and all through the birthing (a doula is perfect here) and afterwards - as no one is designed to be superwoman really.

When we lose blood in birthing and it is not replaced - (I mean here a lot - over 500 ml for some) it has far reaching effects on our ability to be sane, happy, calm, sleep and even whether we can make enough milk to feed baby. Please search on this site for Blood and what it does and how to rescue yourself...

SLEEPING and getting enough 'self' time can make all the difference.
Often what is called PND is imply a lack of time out to be yourself - and how does this happen when there are too many things to do?

Easy - change focus - the most important things in life are in connection to others.
You are growing baby's ability to be a whole, happy person - love her/him and be baby centred in all that you do. Kill off perfectionism and just breathe - feed everyone and then go for a walk - housework will always be there - and if you spend every spare minute enjoying baby and being a mum - it does pass really quickly and you can do spotless later on - for decades when baby is all grown up . ..

Did you see Mary Chiasson's webinar on tcmtv.net yesterday?