Coping After a Stillbirth

Sometimes a baby is still born. This is not a topic that is talked about too much because it is so tragic. Still if this has happened to you then you will definitely identify with this article. I also wrote this article to help you deal with a friend who may have had this unfortunate experience.
The first thing that happens after a stillbirth is a grieving period. For most women the weeks after it are a blur. Social workers often tell mothers of still born children not to expect much from thief because they don't know what to say. Sometimes other mommies behave like the baby's death is contagious. This is one of the worst things we can do but it is hardwired in our human nature to act like this.
Most women just cannot stop crying after a stillbirth. This is also natural. It is also the kind of anguish that parson cannot handle alone. It is very advisable to get psychological counselling.
Many mothers also blame themselves for the still birth. Many are not fair to themselves. Still births have many different causes. In about twenty percent of the births the cause is unknown.
The main cause is birth defects. About fifty to twenty percent o f stillborn babies have one or more birth defects. Almost all have chromosome abnormalities such as Down's syndrome. The death of baby can also be lined to conditions in the mother such as kidney disease, diabetes or high blood pressure. Death of a child can also be caused by umbilical cord problems such as a knot or blood clot. Another cause is placental abruption in which the placenta partially or totally peels away from the uterine wall before the baby can be delivered. Bacterial or viral infections involving the fetes or placenta (including genital or urinary tract infections) are a factor in about tent twenty five percent of stillbirths.
If you don't want to have a stillbirth you should also try to lose weight. Women who are obese are very much at an increased risk of having a stillborn baby.
It is rarely true that a mother can blame herself totally for a stillbirth unless she smoked, drank alcohol or used street drags during pregnancy. These are behaviours that can be changed by a mother to prevent a still born tragedy.
If you do lose a baby or know someone who does the worst thing you can do is pretend that it did not happen. It is very hurtful to the family when you do not acknowledge it. The baby is never far from our minds so don't be afraid to bring it up out fear of upsetting others. Talking about the dead baby can cause tears but it's good to get this grief out. A good friend is never scared of another friend's tears – especially in this case.

Invitations for Baby Showers

Next spring there is going to be a crop of new human babies so now is the time to start thinking about throwing baby showers. Of course one of the cornerstones of throwing the party is inviting the guests.
Usually it is the person who suggests throwing the baby shower that is responsible for inviting the guests. The mom-to-be and her partner usually suggest the guest list. However, sometimes this job, which involves the mailing of invitations and keeping track of RSVPS, can be delegated to another close friend in your social circle.
It is the responsibility of the person throwing the party to have a conversation with the mother-to-be and decide who is appropriate to invite. Some expectant mothers are a little shy and prefer to be surrounded by a close circle of girlfriends. Other mothers-to-be like a glossy event that almost has a business-like affair.
If the shower is a surprise party then it is perfectly o.k. to phone up her relatives and other close friends and grill them for information about who is on the mother-to-bee's good side and whose faces she would be most pleased to see at the event.
The written invitation sent through the mail, is considered to be the most gracious and respectful way to invite people to a baby shower. Usually the invitation is an expression of the theme of the party. This type of invitation can include a postage-paid envelope with your address on it as well as RSVP card, or simply your phone number or email address written inside the body of the card. Cards of this type are sold at most stationary stores. Popular stationary colors for invitations include pink (for a girl), blue (for a boy), yellow (for sex unknown) and white.
If you send out invitations by mail it is recommended that you do this at least four weeks before the event to give people a chance to respond.
A more casual, but definitely traditional approach is to simply invite individuals by phone. Hostesses on a budget or busy individuals may prefer this more immediate method. Some individuals may prefer to send out e-vitas. In this case, there are many sites on the internet that provide free pre-designed electronic cards that you can send out en masse to your guest list.
If you have glitter, markers and glue, you can create a homemade card. Homemade cards are considered to be especially heart-felt because of the time and effort put into their creation.
If you decide to make a homemade card, a color Xerox machine is your best friend. This way you can replicate a single card many times over. Cards can also be crafted using drawing programs and PhotoShop on a computer and then printed off as needed.
An easy idea for a homemade card is to acquire a picture of the mom-to-be and hand decorate it with gold and silver marker and glitter. Cards and envelopes can also be hinged and fastened with ribbons, yarn, safety pins and clothespins.