If your husband or partner claims that he, too, is experiencing pregnancy cravings or morning sickness, your first instinct may be to roll your eyes at him or suspect that he is in need of some serious attention. After all, you are the one expecting the baby. Surprisingly, he may not be exaggerating. Expectant dads can also experience pregnancy symptoms. Couvade syndrome, also known as "sympathetic pregnancy," affects an estimated 80 to 90 percent of expectant dads.
What is Sympathetic Pregnancy?
The name "Couvade syndrome" is derived from the French word "couver," which means "to hatch." The condition has become more common in the past 30 years as fathers have taken a more prominent role in pregnancy, childbirth and parenting. Fathers who experience sympathetic pregnancy have many of the same physical and emotional symptoms as you are experiencing.
Causes of Sympathetic Pregnancy
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Treatment for Sympathetic Pregnancy
Unfortunately, there is no medication to alleviate the symptoms of a sympathetic pregnancy. Things that can help your husband or partner are many of the things that your doctor has probably recommended for you: eating healthy, getting exercise and practicing stress-relief techniques before going to sleep at night. You can help your husband or partner by trying these activities together. Work together to make a healthy dinner at night or go on evening walks together.
These activities can not only alleviate his symptoms but can help the two of you bond while you prepare to meet your new little one. Bonding can make him feel more secure of his role of husband and his new role as a father. If your husband or partner is experiencing extreme sympathetic pregnancy symptoms, however, it's a good idea for him to talk with a doctor or mental health professional to determine how to best help
They begin to feel ashamed because they wonder why the are not overcome with joy of this new born. Many mothers who have PPD
Postpartum depression is indeed a major psychological disorder that can affect the relationship between mother and baby. At this time, the cause of postpartum depression is unidentified, although several factors experienced during pregnancy can contribute to this disorder. Fluctuating hormone levels have been traditionally blamed for the onset of postpartum depression. Jennifer Marie Camp (2013), a registered nurse with a personal history of postpartum depression, states in the Intentional Journal of Childbirth Education that “current research demonstrates that PPD may be a compilation of numerous stressors encountered by the family, including biochemical, genetic, psychosocial factors and everyday life stress” (Camp, 2013, p. 1). A previous history of depression, depression during pregnancy, financial difficulties, a dif...
Pregnant women can also benefit from chiropractic care. Chiropractic care can help control common pregnancy symptoms, such as nausea. Women who receive chiropractic care while they are pregnant also have healthier pregnancies and shorter labors. Chiropractic care can even help turn a breech baby. Additionally, chiropractic care can reduce the mother's chances of needing a
...e women already are aware that they have this condition before they try to get pregnant. They usually know because they have experienced extremely painful periods, extremely heavy flows, and, in addition to pain during their menstrual cycle…” (Robertson, 2011).
Some things you can do to manage your stress during pregnancy is inhale slowly as you count to 4. Push out your abdomen as you breathe in. you can let your shoulders and neck relax as you slowly exhale while counting to 6. And you can repeat these techniques and often as you need to. A helpful t...
It is common for would-be moms to experience mood swings due to hormonal changes that affect neurotransmitter (chemical messenger in the brain) levels.
Postpartum depression affects 8-15% of mothers within a few days or weeks after giving birth. Some mothers experience a mild form of this disorder, while others experience a more rare and intense version. This intensified postpartum depression is known as postpartum psychosis. According to the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law, Nau, McNiel, and Binder (2012) express “Postpartum psychosis occurs in 1-2 of 1,000 births and frequently requires hospitalization to stabilize symptoms.” These symptoms include: Hallucinations, restlessness, disturbed sleep, insomnia, drastic mood or behavior change, delusional thinking, thoughts of suicide or death, and extreme depression. In The Journal of Women's Health, Sit, Rothschild, and Wisner described postpartum psychosis as “an overt presentation of bipolar disorder that is timed to coincide with tremendous hormonal shifts after delivery”. Approximately 72%-88% of mothers who experience postpartum psychosis (PP) have bipolar illness, schizo-affective disorder or a family history of either which is why PP is classified as a psychotic disorder by the APAA.
For centuries there has been a medical epidemic that has plagued expecting mothers around the world. Considered for so long to be simply a woman’s issue, men remained unconcerned and distant—if they even knew as often they were never told. Most everyone has heard whispers of it, but until recent years the medical and psychological communities did not recognize the lasting implications of this occurrence. Now as couples break historical norms and become more egalitarian-based, this issue is one that not only affects women, but their partners also.
As we all know, the baby blues are what happens just a few days after giving birth. But when they persist for over a week, thats when one should consult with their doctor. Psychotherapist Karen Kleiman, founder and head of The Postpartum Stress Center in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, states that “ Full blown postpartum depression is more serious and persistent. The symptoms include feelings of guilt, fear, loneliness, helplessness, failure; crying jags; insomnia; loss of appetite; withdrawing from friends and family. Some women have panic attacks or suicidal thoughts, or both”. She then goes on to tell the difference from depression to psychosis: “Psychosis, suffered by an estimated 1 in 1,000 new mothers, is more mysterious. The woman may have periods when she acts -- and even feels -- calm and clear-thinking, but then suddenly becomes delusi...
In most cases becoming pregnant brings happiness and excitement to the eager partners. Imagine showing up at a hospital, rushing, with all hopes of bringing another life into this world to only figure out that there was no baby in the first place. How would one feel devastated, hurt, depressed? Some women imagine she is pregnant, but soon finds out that the symptoms are not caused by a fetus but by a disorder called pseudocyesis. Pseudocyesis is a psychological disorder where the mind tricks the body and causes the female body to have symptoms of a pregnant woman. A women with this disorder have similar symptoms to a lady that is carrying a child; meanwhile, others have the exact same symptoms excluding the unborn. Some of the symptoms are swollen belly, enlarged breast, and sensations of fetal movement. One who feels the need to become impregnated, due to infertility, and miscarriages can cause ones body to fabricate indications of a pregnancy. Pseudocyesis can make a woman change mentally and physically; therefore, these changes can cause one to have depression, anxiety, and psychological disorders.
... family members on the dangers of GAS and other microbial infection during and after pregnancy.
Nausea and vomiting are especially common during early pregnancy, particularly within the first trimester. Most women experience nausea and vomiting, commonly referred to as “morning sickness”, which is often attributed to the mother’s reaction to the spike in pregnancy hormones. Although feeling ill is considered normal within the first few months of pregnancy, there are instances of nausea and vomiting that continue on to the second and third trimesters and are then considered more severe. When dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, weight loss, acidosis, or even hepatic and renal damage occur as a result of the hyperemesis, it is then determined to be hyperemesis gravidarum.
• Get proper medical care during pregnancy. Your health care provider may be able to prevent preeclampsia or diagnose and treat it early.
Although childbirth appears to be a calm and unforgettable moment for mothers and family members, there can be severe complications that can affect not only the mother, but also the delivery and the child; on the contrary, the process may also run smoothly without any
After obtaining approval from our Institutional Review Board and written informed consent, 80 parturients with mild preeclampsia between 18-40 years old were included in this randomized, double-blind study. The study was done at Saad Specialist Hospital, Alkhobar, Saudi Arabia between March 2012 and December 2013. Any parturient diagnosed as mild preeclamp...