Category Archives: Informative articles

CINEMATHERAPY

Stories have always inspired and helped people. For many, movies are a way to kill some of our free time. Besides entertainment, cinema therapy is also a supplemental method psychologists use.

More and more psychologists recommend that their clients watch certain films that are related to their problems. Their goal is thus to “lead” their clients to the right way of solving their issues and despairs.

 HOW DOES IT WORK?

Films, like other forms of art, provoke people, make them think about different aspects of their lives. Proponents of cinema therapy claim that it can change our thinking, emotions, and the way we respond to different situations. Therefore, it is even practiced as an educational method .

For a better result, it is advisable to reflect on the characters’ behavior and what it can teach you.

CINEMA THERAPY AND IN VITRO FERTILIZATION

Many couples going through in vitro say that their lives have become a schedule. Frequent examinations, procedures, and waiting can negatively affect even the most patient. However, this does not mean that you shouldn’t try to have  fun. Movies are a great way to transfer to another world, relax and recharge yourself with positive emotions.

If you want to watch something on the topic and you like documentaries, we recommend “My Future Baby” or “40 Weeks”. To have a good laugh, download “Baby Mama”

We should not forget that film therapy is just a supplement to psychotherapy and a means of self-help. Sometimes, however, our problems are more serious and professional help is essential.

PETS AND BABIES

Until recently, it was thought that babies and pets should never live together. Separating with a pet is an extremely difficult decision, which, fortunately you will hardly have to take.

The common belief is that dogs, cats (and all other pets) are a potential source of infections, aggression and allergies, and that they have no place in the baby’s home.

FEWER ALLERGIES

Recently, a totally different statement has gained popularity – that domestic animals, and especially dogs, can reduce the risk of the child developing allergies. The immune system of children who live with a pet is better developed and they get sick less frequently. It is believed that this phenomenon is due to the fact that, thanks to the pet, the child encounters a much wider range of potential allergens.

WHAT’S THE RISK OF DISEASES?

If the pet is dewormed and vaccinated regularly, there is no cause for concern. You need to clean the house a little more often and restrict your pet’s access to the nursery.

If you have a cat – test it for toxoplasmosis. If the result is positive – test yourself, too.

BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS

Animals do not attack without provocation. Aggression towards the youngest is usually caused by jealousy (all attention is directed to the baby) or rough handling. Proper training  can prevent accidents. On one hand, the pet should feel comfortable about running and screaming children. On the other hand, the child should be explained that  animals are not walking toys and that they also need personal space.

When the necessary measures are taken, your pet can only be a benefit to the child. That’s how they learns responsibility, love, and respect for animals. Children often talk to their pets, which makes them much better at communicating with people.

POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION – HOW TO PREVENT IT?

Postpartum depression is a common condition that happens to many women after birth. It is due both to the drop in hormone levels and to the new challenges faced by the mother. Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself from it or at least reduce its effects.

NO SELF-BLAME

Social media only shows the beautiful side of motherhood. This creates a wrong image in the mother’s head, which leads to self-blame. Among the key features of postpartum depression is feeling that the mother does not do her job well enough. If the baby does not want to eat or sleep, she is the guilty one, which is far from the truth.

 Remember that no one knows how to handle parenthood from the beginning, but for your baby you are the best mother in the world!

DO NOT FORGET TO EAT

Plenty of women now follow a special dietary plan while they are pregnant. The baby is born, their eating habits become a chaos.  Lack of any regimen can lead to  fluctuations in blood sugar levels and increase in the feeling of fatigue and helplessness. Eating healthy foods regularly improves the mood, the quality of breastmilk and keeps you in a good shape.

HELP FROM A FRIEND

We support the claim that children should be taken care of by their parents. However, little help from time to time is not superfluous. It is useful for all – the parents are resting, and the child socializes. If you do not feel comfortable leaving your baby with someone , ask your family to help you with housework or shopping – they will surely volunteer !

Postpartum depression does not spare dads. Many men, feeling unprepared for parenthood, feel anxious and depressed after the baby is born. Talk about the subject with your spouse and try to solve the problems together.

If, after trying out our tips, you do not feel better, we recommend that you seek professional help. Consultation with a psychologist does not necessarily mean “there is something wrong with you”, but that  you just need expert advice.

EATING YOUR BABY’S PLACENTA: A HOLLYWOOD TREND OR MADNESS

Ever since Kim Kardashian dried up her child’s placenta and ate it in the form of capsules, more and more people started talking about eating the placenta. This is far from new and unusual. Most animals eat the placenta after birth, and in many cultures it is subject to various rituals.

According to ancient Chinese medicine, eating the placenta was the perfect way to celebrate the child’s birth. It was believed that it helps to cope with postpartum depression, fatigue and promotes recovery. Ancient doctors noticed that women lose a lot of blood during childbirth and that this lowered the amount of breast milk. In order to stimulate lactation, it was recommended to eat the placenta. And the most interesting of all is that placenta was also thought to cure infertility.

WHAT IS THE PLACENTA?

The placenta is a temporary organ. It begins to form between the 8th and 13th gestational week. Through it the fetus obtains the necessary nutrients from the mother and disposes of metabolic waste products. All this happens without direct contact between the mother’s and the fetus’s blood. The placenta is responsible for the production of certain hormones. One of these is progesterone, which is extremely important for a normal pregnancy.

SHOULD YOU EAT PLACENTA?

People who believe in eating the placenta support Chinese medicine’s claims on the subject. If you google it, you will even find placenta cookbooks. According to scientists, however, this obsession is just a placebo. Nutrients in the placenta can be obtained through a healthy diet. Opioids found in it, which help with the pain, are sensitive to high temperatures and are easily destroyed. Do not forget that outside of your body, the placenta is the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive in.

CAN I TAKE MY BABY’S PLACENTA HOME?

In Bulgaria the law does not allow it. The placenta is a biomedical waste which is disposed of  in a highly strict manner. What is worth keeping is the baby’s umbilical cord. It is rich in stem cells that can be extracted, frozen and used when needed.

We live in a world where it is important for one to be talked about. That’s why when you read that your favourite celebrity did something odd, consider the possibility of being just a marketing trick.

HOMEOPATHY DURING IVF

When homeopathy is mentioned, the debate is guaranteed. For some people, it is the best treatment option, suitable during in vitro fertilization and pregnancy. For others, it is nothing but a well-advertised placebo. Whose side you’re on, is up to you.

WHAT IS HOMEOPATHY

Homeopathy is a method of alternative medicine, created more than 200 years ago by German physician Samuel Hahnemann. It is based on the principle “similar treats similar”. This means that when a healthy person takes a certain substance, he can get negative symptoms. A sick person suffering from the same symptoms, however, can be cured with a homeopathic medicine prepared from this substance.

Homeopathic medicines are of plant, mineral or animal origin. They are produced by repeated dilution of a substance. Homeopaths support the theory of water memory. This is also the reason homeopathic remedies do not actually contain an active ingredient or it has a very low concentration. According to homeopaths, this renders them absolutely harmless and suitable for many people, including pregnant women and young children.

If you are a supporter of alternative medicine and its methods, we won’t judge you. Many people prefer not to talk about this matter out of concern about how they will be accepted. This is not the most important thing when it comes to your health. Hiding such information from your doctor may only hinder your treatment.

COMPATIBILITY WITH IVF

During an in vitro cycle anything you take can have an impact. This includes dietary supplements, traditional and alternative medications. Your gynecologist will determine how those might affect ovarian hyperstimulation. If anything you use can have a negative impact on it, you’ll probably have to stop or change it.

Although harmless, homeopathic remedies are still medications. Therefore, self-treatment with them is a bad idea. If you wish to take such medications during an IVF cycle, always consult with a homeopath and with your treating physician, of course.

DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP: WHEN DOES ONE CROSS THE LINE?

Openness and trust in communication with your doctor is the key to diagnostic success. Like all other relationships, the one between a physician and a patient requires time to build.

Patients usually build stronger relationships with doctors they have been seeing for a while. For example, if you are getting pregnant through IVF, expect frequent appointments with your obstetrician-gynecologist. This will undoubtedly make you get closer.

WHEN DO YOU CROSS THE LINE?

Every doctor knows how important it is for the patient to be calm and to talk freely about their symptoms. Every patient should feel comfortable asking all sorts of questions about their health. This means that the doctor is doing a good job.

No matter how wonderful your relationship with your doctor is, remember that you should keep it professional. This means that calling your doctor outside of working hours for no good reason is completely unacceptable.

Contrary to  popular belief, doctors do not live in their office. They, like everyone else, have family, children and need adequate rest time. High demands and stress at the workplace cause many young doctors to be diagnosed with severe illnesses. According to many studies, medical professionals are among the most commonly diagnosed with depression.

EMERGENCY OR NOT REALLY?

Many late night calls to the doctor can be avoided by teaching patients which situations are truly urgent.

Emergency cases require immediate intervention. For example, a pregnant woman suddenly gets severe abdominal pain and a vaginal bleeding. If the situation is not immediately taken under control, there is a risk for both the mother and the fetus.

Nonemergency means that the solution to your problem can be delayed. Typically, such problems do not appear overnight, or at least the doctor’s appointment can wait until the next day- for example, joint pain or a cough.

Panic can easily cloud one’s judgment. If you are unable to tell if your case is an emergency or not, it is always better to call your doctor.

WHAT IS A BABY SHOWER AND WHAT ARE ITS BENEFITS

Celebrations in honor of the baby and the future mother have been known to the world for centuries. The latest trend is from the US – the so-called baby shower, which is gaining popularity in Bulgaria.

HOW IS A BABY SHOW ORGANIZED

Most often the organization is done by a close friend of the pregnant woman – future mother deserves some rest after all. In the US, the party takes place several weeks before the baby is born.  Bulgarians, however, are painfully superstitious about celebrating an event that hasn’t yet taken place. If this is your case you can combine trend and tradition. Just do the baby shower on the 40th day after birth, as the custom says.

Usually only women are invited. Food includes mostly desserts and soft drinks as the celebration is often held at daytime. Many bakeries offer specially decorated biscuits and cakes. Of course, you do not have to stick to these “rules” and you can make your celebration as unique as yourself!

WHAT TO EXPECT

Although most of us associate baby showers with lots of gifts, they are not just for that. Their idea is to create a cozy atmosphere where the pregnant woman can get valuable advice on the baby’s birth and motherhood by more the experienced than her.

Of course, gifts are the other key element of the celebration. We all know how expensive a child is to take care of. To avoid duplication, you can make a list of what you need. For convenience, you can use online shopping sites’ wishlists.

Many future mothers also include various games in the program. Some guess who the baby will look like, others compete who will put a diaper on a doll the fastest – having fun is important especially during the worrisome weeks before delivery.

GIFTS IDEAS

A practical gift or a nice memory? The most important thing is to have a high quality. It is popular in Bulgaria to buy the newborn gold jewelry –  a good investment and always in fashion. You do not have to do it, especially if your budget doesn’t allow it or the family has more urgent needs. If you are not sure what to buy, a gift card, money or just asking is your safest choice. ORIGINAL GIFTS FOR NEWBORNS

READING MEDICINE ONLINE

All of us have googled their symptoms in search of quick answers. The Internet says we’re dying, while the doctor says it’s just a cold. Who is right? Reading medicine today is more accessible than ever. And whether it is dangerous or rather useful depends on the attitude of the reader.

Curious patients are a blessing. It is extremely enjoyable to work with a person who is interested in their health and wants to learn more. This helps with patient understanding and their active involvement in the therapy. We have several tips that will make your reading more successful:

1. EVERYONE CAN WRITE AN ARTICLE

Internet is accessible to all. You cannot know who is hiding behind a nickname or what their knowledge or intentions are. Be extremely cautious while reading and take everything with a grain of salt. This applies mostly to non-professional groups, forums and blogs.

Most health and care establishments have an official website with reliable and accessible information. We advise you to stick to them. Our articles are written by people who work in the medical field and are always double checked by a medical doctor. If you notice any inaccuracies, however, we kindly ask you to let us know.

2. LOST IN TRANSLATION

There are people who translate scientific papers with the best of intentions. The problem is that medical texts are challenging even for an experienced translator. It is very easy to make a mistake which completely changes the meaning of the text. If you speak a foreign language, we advise you to read the original text.

3. INTERNET WON’T REPLACE YOUR DOCTOR

Reading medicine online should not give you the confidence to self-treat, however easier it may be. If it was that simple, doctors would not study literally their whole lives. Each patient has individual needs and the choice of the most appropriate therapy is an art that is mastered by years of experience.

If you are interested in reproductive medicine, do not be afraid to ask us questions. We are also open to new ideas for articles that will be useful to you. You can always share your suggestions by sending us a Facebook message.