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Caring for a Family Member After Surgery

If have a family member or loved one who will be having surgery soon, my heart goes out to you. It can be a stressful time. One of the things that can help is to be prepared at home for the care that your family member will need when he or she is home from the hospital. Here are some practical steps that you can take right now to make it much easier later. Prepared Meals Having prepared meals on hand when caring for a family member after surgery is essential. Please don’t be afraid to relay on other people. … Continue reading →

Preparing Your Health History

One of the major components of your first prenatal check up is the health history interview. It should feel somewhat familiar, since many doctors do this on your first visit, but the prenatal version is a little more detailed. To prepare, it may help to look over some of these questions beforehand in case you need to make a few phone calls to your mom or relatives. What is your history with pregnancy? Have you been pregnant before? Have you ever had a miscarriage? Have you ever had an abortion? If you have had a baby before, how did you … Continue reading →

When Your Child Needs an X-Ray

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One of the many joys of parenting a child with special health needs is seeing them through their treatments. And yes, that is sarcasm. Watching your child go through procedures and tests is torture. The worst for me was Maggie’s last chest x-ray. She gets one each year to check her lungs for inflammation. This time, though, I was pregnant and couldn’t be in the room with her. However, I was close enough to the room to hear her screaming. My mother was with her, but it didn’t matter. Maggie wanted nothing to do with the process at all and … Continue reading →

How to Prepare Your Child for Surgery

Children can need surgery for a variety of reasons. Whether routine or life saving, surgery is a scary topic for even the bravest of adults, never mind a small child. If your child will be having surgery in the near future, or faces a multitude of surgeries, here are some ideas on getting them prepared. 1 First of all, prepare yourself. Ask questions and understand why surgery is the best or only option for your child. Make sure you are calm and comfortable with the decision to have surgery before attempting to ease your child’s fears. If you are telling … Continue reading →

10 Ways to Prepare Your Child for a Hospital Stay

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Whether your child has a chronic condition or needs minor surgery, a stay in the hospital can be scary. There are different noises, strange people, other sick kids, and the food isn’t always as good as mom’s. So how do you prepare your child for her stay at the hospital, whether it’s overnight or for two weeks? Here are some ideas: 1 Talk about the hospital in the weeks or days leading up to the visit. Tell your child why it is important and necessary that she goes. 2 Visit the hospital and take a tour of the area where … Continue reading →

Preparing for Surgery

Going under the knife (or just going under, as many surgical procedures don’t involve much knifing anymore!) can be a daunting prospect. Here are some tips to help you prepare mentally and physically if you or someone in your family is preparing to undergo surgery. Be as informed as possible. Talk to your doctor about what to expect before, during, and after the surgery. Don’t be afraid to ask questions! You may want to know about anesthesia, recovery time, hospital stay, pain management, and follow-up procedures. Be as honest as possible. Talk to your doctor about your health — especially … Continue reading →

Preparing a Young Child for the Hospital

Whether it is tubes in the ear for frequent ear infections or something more serious, having a young child stay in the hospital, especially when it involves surgery, can be a nerve-filled experience for both you and your child. Parents Magazine recently published an article all about preparing children when they have to go to the hospital. There is some good advice here, especially as it relates to babies and the youngest children. I’ve adapted some of the advice given as a result of my own experiences with children and hospitals. Inform yourself I always became less anxious whenever I … Continue reading →

Win a FREE eDiets Weight Loss Solutions and Daily Progress Journal for Your Input!

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Dear Readers, I’d really love your input so that I can make this blog more informative and provide the kind of information you really want to read. (After all, it does me no good to write if I don’t know what you’re hoping to find!) Following are a few questions that I have for you so I hope you’ll consider answering some or all of them in the form of an email to LisaP@Families.com or by private message here at Families.com to me at “cocotbo”. All readers who respond by September 30, 2007, will be entered in a drawing to … Continue reading →

When Your Newborn Has Special Needs

The days surrounding your baby’s birth should be full of joy and excitement. Yet when your newborn has a medical problem, or is at risk for developing a disease or disorder, those joyous feelings are often replaced with fear, sorrow, and even disappointment. You might learn that your baby will not be able to come home from the hospital as soon as you hoped. Your newborn might be covered with tubes and probes, instead of being the healthy cherubic infant you imagined. He or she might be kept under special care in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) or face … Continue reading →

The Pregnancy Blog Week in Review for June 4-12

Pregnancy is a busy time. The days pass quickly as you prepare your home for the arrival of your new baby. The pregnancy blog week in review is a great way to catch up on your reading all in one place. Read the synopsis and click on the articles that are relevant or interesting to you. Feel free to leave a comment or suggest topics for future blogs. I’m always open to suggestions. Many couples choose a permanent method of birth control when they feel they are finished having children. For most couples, the decision is a good one and … Continue reading →