Question:
> > Congrats Shawn! I am new here too. You will find excellent infor from > an excelleent bunch of people right here in this newsgroup! I did. > Western > Thanks on the congrats! So far I’ve found a few websites that have really > been helpfull, and following this newsgroup has helped quite a bit. Thanks > again!
-Shawn Congratulations Shawn! Parenthood is SO incredible! Hard, but incredible!!!!!! :-) Blaze
Response:
www.parentsoup.com has an extensive library of relevent articles about parenting, pregnancy, etc…. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hullo all.. > I’m a daddy-to-be (my little girl is due January 30th, 1998) and I’ve been >searching for discussion groups or web sites to visit for some important >daddy-to-be topics and information 
. Any help that any of you may have >would really be appreciated. Thanks!!! > –Shawn
Response:
Hi everyone! I just wanted to add my two cents to Ed and Angela’s posts about the stressful time after a baby’s birth or homecoming, as I agree with both their awareness and recognition that it happens. I just want to explain that there is a difference between post-partum blues and post-partum depression. Unfortunately, I suffered from both a great deal with my children. The blues with my first-born, and depression with my second. My physician explained the difference between the two as the blues being hormonal and the depression being chemical. Post-partum blues typically happen soon after the birth; immediately or within a few weeks thereof. It is our body’s reaction to the surge of hormones during the birth and time after. The other important thing to note about post-partum blues is that they will pass as our hormones settle back into place, as they will with each individual. Now, post-partum depression is a different condition, as it is a chemical imbalance in our body that can be triggered in our body (brain) by a physically traumatic experience such as labor and delivery. Which is what happened in my case. It is depression that can start anytime after a birth but does not pass, and can become gradually worse. It can require the attention of a physician moreso than the blues. I don’t mean to imply that one is worse than the other, as the mom doesn’t have control over either and they can both be devastating to our expectations of this new and wonderful time and addition to the family. I guess the more educated we are about some things perhaps the easier it can be to deal with them. I hope this is of help to someone! — May He be with us all, Lynn. Mom to Jenna (4-4-94) and Mathew (Aug. 5-95)
Response:
Good advice, and I just want to expand on the "baby blues" … It’s fairly common for the mother to feel depressed (for a day, a few days, maybe a few weeks), and although you know it is probably just hormones, it is still a very real depression for her. It may happen a couple days after the birth (very common) or a few weeks or months later. Try to comfort her, rather than ignoring it. Sometimes just an understanding hug will help, even if it is hard to understand what is actually wrong. She may lash out at you for what you consider to be without reason. It is hard to understand depression if you have never experienced it. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > (snip) Often, the new mother finds herself overwhelmed by the >demands of the new baby, very tired and in need of support. At the same >time, the father may feel totally shut out and neglected. (snip) >But ‘baby blues’ is a >consequence of what I’ve described. Being aware of it can lessen it’s >impact. You can recognize that your feelings are not extraordinary, but >that all this will pass. Perhaps it will help you be more supportive of >your wife just at the time when you’re feeling quite needy yourself. >(snip) >Ed Dickerson
Response:
> Hullo all.. > I’m a daddy-to-be (my little girl is due January 30th, 1998) > and I’ve been > searching for discussion groups or web sites to visit for some > important > daddy-to-be topics and information . Any help that any of you may > have > would really be appreciated. Thanks!!! > –Shawn
parentsplace.com and parentsoup are 2 good parenting sites with lots of information!! Good luck on the upcoming addition!! Cathy
Response:
> Congrats Shawn! I am new here too. You will find excellent infor from > an excelleent bunch of people right here in this newsgroup! I did. > Western
Thanks on the congrats! So far I’ve found a few websites that have really been helpfull, and following this newsgroup has helped quite a bit. Thanks again! –Shawn
Response:
> Hullo all.. > I’m a daddy-to-be (my little girl is due January 30th, 1998) and I’ve been > searching for discussion groups or web sites to visit for some important > daddy-to-be topics and information . Any help that any of you may have > would really be appreciated. Thanks!!! > –Shawn
Congratulations! You are about to embark on the greatest and most challenging task imagineable, that of being a parent. Fortunately, the rewards are commensurate with the challenges. One issue which I observe frequently among new parents but seldom see discussed, is the stress on both parents in the weeks immediately following birth. Often, the new mother finds herself overwhelmed by the demands of the new baby, very tired and in need of support. At the same time, the father may feel totally shut out and neglected. Before the birth they only had each other to think about, now this third party comes in and sucks up all their spare energy and attention. I mention this simply so that, if it happens to you, it won’t be totally without warning. It may happen that you both will be only euphoric for months and months– I hope it may be so. But ‘baby blues’ is a consequence of what I’ve described. Being aware of it can lessen it’s impact. You can recognize that your feelings are not extraordinary, but that all this will pass. Perhaps it will help you be more supportive of your wife just at the time when you’re feeling quite needy yourself. The impact after the second child is usually much less because it’s not so unexpected. Even if it still hits you hard, just keep remembering that it WILL pass, and the great times are just beginning. Everyone says it, but treasure every moment you can. My oldest is nearly 21, and I can’t believe it. We made choices which maximized our opportunities to spend time with our children, but it still seems like we missed so much. Rejoice, enjoy, be happy. These are some of the most precious times. Ed Dickerson
Response:
Hullo all.. I’m a daddy-to-be (my little girl is due January 30th, 1998) and I’ve been searching for discussion groups or web sites to visit for some important daddy-to-be topics and information . Any help that any of you may have would really be appreciated. Thanks!!! –Shawn
Response:
> Hullo all.. > I’m a daddy-to-be (my little girl is due January 30th, 1998) > and I’ve been > searching for discussion groups or web sites to visit for some > important > daddy-to-be topics and information . Any help that any of you may > have > would really be appreciated. Thanks!!! > –Shawn
Congrats Shawn! I am new here too. You will find excellent infor from an excelleent bunch of people right here in this newsgroup! I did. Western
If you like this post and would like to receive updates from this blog, please subscribe our feed.