What is a doula?

A doula is a person who is experienced with helping women prepare for and give birth and continues to be supportive after the birth process. The services of a doula are non-medical, but she can be the communicator among the birth team and a type of advocate or coach for the mother.

The birth process is challenging physically, mentally, and emotionally. Having someone experienced by your side offers reassurance to both the mother and father. The father may be the support person, but he is apt to have no experience with the birth process (unless he is a medical professional).

Some things that a doula might do is help with relaxation techniques, massage, pushing, positioning, and visualization. After the birth she may help with getting the baby to breast feed.

For more information about the role of a doula see his article in What to Expect When You're Expecting.

Doulas will sometimes use heating pads or ice packs to help mothers during late stages of pregnancy when hip and lower back pain can be an issue. In a blog post from the same publication above a mother explains how a heating pad helped her deal with a variety of pains during pregnancy.

Dachshund shaped heating pad

Microwave heating pads are portable and safe, can be frozen and used as ice packs, and are available at Maine Warmers. They are washable, portable (no wires), perfume-free, come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and make functional and fun gifts for baby showers. Fathers-to-be use them to help relieve tension and relax stiff muscles. Check out the Cozy Sheep Heating Pad and the Dachshund Neck Wrap -- not just for stiff necks.

How to deal with Popliteal Cysts or Baker's Cysts

There is a condition, called Baker’s Cysts that can cause swelling of the knee and leg.

According to the Mayo Clinic Baker's Cysts are most often caused by a cartilage tear or arthritis. Most people don’t know they have this fluid build up, and often it goes un-diagnosed. The fluid build up in the knee causes swelling and tightness in the back of the knee.

For more information on signs, symptoms, causes, when to seek medical advice, screening, and diagnosis, complications, treatment, and self-care visit the Mayo Clinic Web page on Baker’s cyst. They basically recommend taking anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin, resting, icing, using a compression sleeve, and elevating the leg.

Maine Warmers Knee Pack

Reducing the swelling is one method of dealing with Baker’s cysts. Elevating the leg,  reducing physical activity, and wrapping the knee in an ice pack -- not harsh ice -- will help reduce swelling.

For gentle ice packs that wrap around the knee check out Maine Warmers’ Gentle Ice Packs, especially their knee pack which comes with a bag of whole corn (not popping corn) or it can hold a bag of frozen peas that you buy at the store for colder therapy. Frozen whole corn is not harsh like ice cubes and can be microwaved as well. Neck warmers also wrap around the knee and can be used repeatedly for ice or can be microwaved for soothing heat.

Using gentle ice packs for Plantar fascia pain

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that causes sharp pains in the heel and foot. The Plantar fascia is a band of muscle that runs between the heel and the ball of the foot and helps form the arch of the foot. Over time this muscle loses its elasticity and can be damaged by running or excess walking. The layer of fat that protects it slowly becomes flattened with age and pain develops. For more information about this subject visit the Mayo Clinic Web site for illustrations, risk factors, what to expect when you visit a physician, and more.

Lifestyle recommendations include maintaining a healthy weight, wearing supportive shoes, not wearing worn athletic shoes while exercising, switching to low impact forms of activities, stretching, taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines, and applying ice. Cold therapy helps reduce swelling though most folks don’t want to use ice because it sounds so uncomfortable.

Maine Warmers’ gentle ice packs are soothing and comfortable -- not at all harsh like cubes. Mainely Foot Warmers can be frozen as well as microwaved and used to help reduce swelling and pain. There are a variety of products that can be used for the feet on this web site. All can be microwaved for heat or frozen for gentle cold therapy.

More tips and thoughts on quitting smoking permanently

Anyone who has quit smoking cigarettes understands how challenging it can be -- difficult but not insurmountable. Freeing yourself from nicotine addiction can only be done a step at a time. Check out these top tips on quitting from the site, Action on Smoking and Health (a British anti-smoking campaign).
Top tips on quitting Fact Sheet #24

Moments of extraordinary stress can tempt you to smoke again within the first few weeks of quitting. Keep in mind that cigarettes aren’t going fix your problems or make things better. Only you can take control and find help to solve problems.

“Quitting smoking is one of the most important things that you will ever do…” from the Tobacco Free Maine Web site. If you want to help a smoker quit, here are some suggestions from the Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Maine.

Does your partner nag you about smoking? A calm conversation about how he or she can best help you may
smooth the road to quitting.

If nicotine withdrawal makes you irritable, frustrated, or you have trouble falling asleep, try relaxing with a Neck Warmer. Avoid caffeine and alcohol as they are both stimulants.

Check out Maine Warmers’ Cozy Critters for more options in neck wraps and back warmers to help you relax.

Five Tips to Help Quit Smoking

The cost of a package of cigarettes is now so high, the medical costs associated with related health issues are exorbitant, and many smokers are deciding to quit. The medical costs generated by lung cancer are out of sight. The second hand smoke can impact others' health as well.

1. Replacing cigarettes with exercise and feeling better may offer the incentive needed to kick the addiction. Exercise can help one relax and take the place of the nicotine narcotic. When a person quits it can feel like being released from a prison of sorts. Focus on how you feel.

2. Keep good company. Surround yourself with people who are supportive. Sometimes all that is needed to quit is a feeling of confidence. Some people think they are too weak to change their behavior and need a little encouragement -- not put-downs or derisive comments.

3. Have a few of your favorite foods instead of a smoke. Unhealthy can also become a bad habit, but if one exercises, then adding a few calories won't hurt, and a few pounds can be shed later. Once a person is over the initial feelings of withdrawal from a substance that became a part of his or her body, then other habits can be dealt with.

4. Cigarettes can be a crutch when the stress levels rise. If you need to relax, try deep breathing exercises instead of lighting up. Also, heat is known to relax tense muscles and a neck warmer microwave heat pack offers a natural way to ease tight necks -- the place where many people hold tension.

Maine Warmers Microwave Neck Warmer

5. Find other distractions or hobbies to help keep your mind off smoking. Escape into the world of a good story, movie, or play. Listen to music, learn to play a musical instrument, take up painting, knitting, or boat building. Have fun and do the things that give you pleasure.

 The Foundation for a Smoke-free America is a great site if you are looking for more tips and information on quitting.

If you know someone who is trying to quit smoking tell them you are proud of them for trying and understand it isn't easy. Kind and gentle support from friends and relatives is important. Let them know they can call you when they are feeling overwhelmed and need to reduce stress.

A heating pad like one of  Maine Warmers' Comforting Creatures may offer a person going through nicotine withdrawal a distraction as well as a way to reduce tension.

Tips on Foot Care for Diabetes

There is a saying that goes something like this, “I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes until I saw a man with no feet.”

One of the major causes of loss of feet via amputation is due to Diabetes. Most physicians will advise you first to prevent Diabetes with a healthy lifestyle, and second, if you do have Diabetes to keep your feet in good condition. Keeping your feet clean and dry and checking them for any cuts or abrasions is critical. Nerve damage causes loss of feeling and an infection can spread if not treated promptly.

Here is an excerpt from the National Institutes for Health with tips on foot care for those with Diabetes.
Take Care of Your Feet for a Lifetime

If you have cold feet you can warm them gently in microwaveable Foot Warmers. Make sure to test the heating pad on your face or have someone else test it to make sure it is not too hot.

For other products to warm hands, necks, backs, etc. go to Maine Warmers.

Tips on when to use heat or ice on an injury

School sports are off and running, so to speak. When you injure a knee or ankle what do you do? Do you use heat or ice? Do you elevate it or keep moving?

Generally, health professionals recommend cold therapy for swelling and heat therapy for stiff muscles.

If the pain is acute, a trip to the doc's office is probably the best course to take. If not, then some home remedies might help, including over-the-counter medications, elevating the injury if it is a leg or foot, and giving it time to rest and heal.

Here’s a great resource for more info at the Lahey Clinic.

If you need to use heat or ice check out Maine Warmers’ microwave heating pads and gentle ice packs.