March 2005 Update

Welcome to the eighth quarterly update of the TABS website!

This page briefly describes and provides links to the updates located elsewhere in this site, and replaces the Newsletters we produced until 2003.

In this update . . .

Thank you for your continued interest in our website. As at 6.10 am NZDT on 28 February 2005, our site had received 20,321 visits in the previous twelve months, an additional 7,540 since our last update at 1 December 2004.

Thank you for your continued support and your responses. We are aware that many people who receive our information do not contact us. That is fine, though of course we do like to hear from people - but our main concern is for PTSD sufferers to receive help of whatever kind is appropriate through the information that we are providing.

Thank you again for visiting this site - we hope you will one or more of our updates helpful.

Sue, on behalf of the TABS Committee

New 'TROUBLED BY YOUR BIRTH" brochure!!!!

Yes, these are available, they are a buff in colour, take the shape of a third of a sheet of A4, on landscape. They give a clear description of the symptoms of ptsd, and clearly suggest that professional help is the best way forward for such sufferers. This pamphlet was written with the purpose of making the distrinction between ppd/pnd and ptsd. YOU are welcome to have some.

New Zealand Visitors: Please send a stamped SAE to: Brochures, PO Box 18 002, Glen Innes Auckland. If you are wanting more than 25 for your organization, then please send a pre-paid courier envelope and we will fill it for you.
Overseas Visitors: please email us to work out appropriate method of delivery and defraying associated expenses.

Thank you for Naturopharm for making this possible.

Sponsorship from Naturopharm, TABS, thanks Michol, and team for their generosity towards the work of TABS - thank you for support, encouragement and endorsement of our work and emphasis. Again, please go to this wonderful company's website to learn more ….

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Update on new Study by Professor Cheryl Beck

It has been agreed to broaden the current study to include ALL mothers suffering from the symptoms of ptsd, whether a formal diagnosis has been made or not …… for details on the current study, refer to the notice.

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A New Zealand Study … PTSD following childbirth: Fathers in Stress

Becoming a father is a major life transition for men.

Witnessing a loved one give birth, especially for the first time, is both an anxiety provoking yet exhilarating experience.

For a witness emotionally involved with the process and the outcome of the birth 'normal' birthing events may appear strange and frightening and stressful events may be overwhelming.

Associate Professor Gillian White of Massey University is conducting research to help health professionals understand the needs of fathers when witnessing a birth.

She is looking for fathers who are:

• Over the age of 16 years and willing to tell his story of witnessing his partner give birth in a situation where the event was stressful.
• Participants need to be able to express their feelings in English. It does not matter how long ago the experience was or which of child it involved.

People taking part may choose to write their story down in a letter or email attachment. Alternatively they may wish to record their story on tape or speak to Gill personally.

Listening to and hearing fathers' stories about their experiences is a start to understanding what can trigger a stressful episode when witnessing birth.

Interested ? Then contact Gill directly on .. 04 801 2794 extn 6696 or email G.White@massey.ac.nz.

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PTSD And Breastfeeding - a new article

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder And Childbirth: Influences On Breastfeeding by Bev Pownall, is, to our knowledge, the first article to explore the link between these areas. Recommended reading.

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Counsellors

To meet the demand in New Zealand for counsellors who are skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD, TABS wishes to maintain a list of appropriately skilled and qualified practitioners.

TABS is prepared to list such people in return for a fee - that will go towards the maintenance and updating of this website.

If you would like such a listing, please log your request by completing and forwarding the attached form.

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Another New Zealand Study … The Intensive Care Experience of Maternity Patients

We are healthcare professionals working in the School of Health Science at Massey University in Palmerston North. Claire Minton is a nursing lecturer and a practicing nurse in the intensive care field. Cheryl Benn is Associate Professor of Midwifery and a practicing midwife.

We are conducting a study on the experience of maternity patients being admitted to the intensive care unit as a result of a complication from pregnancy, childbirth or during the postpartum period. This involves an audiotaped private interview.

With this information we can add to nursing and midwifery knowledge to help improve care and services available to this specific group of women.

We are looking for women to participate in this study. If you are a woman who:

• Has been admitted to the intensive care unit
• Within the last 5 years
• Either before or after the birth of your baby, and are interested in this study, we would like you to contact us.

If you would like information about the study or are interested in being a participant please contact either Claire or Cheryl.

This project has been reviewed and approved by the Massey University Human Ethics Committee, PN Application 04/152. If you have any concerns about the conduct of this research, please contact Professor Sylvia V Rumball, Chair, Massey University Campus Human Ethics Committee: Palmerston North, telephone 06 350 5249, email humanethicspn@massey.ac.nz.

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New Page - Buy Here And Support TABS

Introducing a new page that will point you to resources that are helpful in understanding PTSD and making life easier in practical, achievable and measurable ways.

We are delighted to notify you of the updates to our website listed below. We make contact with a wide range of groups to promote our message about PTSD being a valid and viable explanation for some maternal mental and emotional health issues. We are very grateful when they mention us on their websites, and we pay them the same courtesy as far as our focus allows us. Many of our links arise from contacts such as these, as well as from other groups who discover and approach us independently.

Links

• New Zealand

• www.babywebnz.org …… is the brainchild of a Mother, Midwife and Childbirth Educator. “My mission is to maintain an up to date resource for all NZ parents allowing them easy access to web sites related to pregnancy, childbirth and parenting.”

• Australia

• Joyous Birth
  Welcome to Joyous Birth and Accessing Artemis.
  Have you birthed at home? Are you considering a homebirth?
  We seek to encourage community among homebirthers, midwives, birth attendants and doulas, past, present and future across Melbourne and beyond. Come along to socialise, feel supported and strengthened, share knowledge and experience and enjoy the company of others who believe in gentle birth.
  
  Accessing Artemis - share your story.
  The other aspect to Joyous Birth is supporting women following birth. Come here to tell us your story. Was your birth all you hoped for? Did you experience a caesarean and feel ripped off? Are you sad if you didn't spend the first few hours with your baby? Have you experienced a traumatic birth? Did you feel violated and devastated by the experience? Also share with us at Joyous Birth as we build a supportive community to help women recovering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder caused by birth trauma. Many of us are choosing home birth for our next pregnancy as a result of increased awareness following a traumatic experience and the trend in increasing interventions in the hospital/birth centre system. For further information please refer to the Joyous Birth web site.

• United States

• Childbirth International … … are proud to launch their new website! “After many months of work we have listened to all your feedback and redesigned our website - to be more fun, easier to navigate and packed full of information. Check out our new website today.”


• United Brachial Plexus Network (non profit): “The mission of the United Brachial Plexus Network is to inform, unite and support families and those concerned with brachial plexus injuries and their prevention worldwide. Our shared vision is to:
  • Increase AWARENESS of and work towards the PREVENTION of brachial plexus injuries
  • Provide SUPPORT for the families and individuals affected by brachial plexus injuries
  • EDUCATE medical and legal professionals, politicians and the general public on the issues surrounding this disability
  • Create and maintain a NETWORK of information and support that will UNITE all those concerned with this injury worldwide.
  Several brachial plexus entities already existed but were hindered by the lack of a united cohesive vision. We visualized ourselves as an umbrella organization, that collectively could have a greater impact than smaller local groups. In a very short time we experienced great success in the initial stages of our development in meeting the needs of our community via our interactive website.”

Articles

• Naturo Pharm have contributed a further article, dealing with topics such as . . . How stress affects your wellbeing . . . How can homoeopathy help with stress? . . . How do I choose the right homoeopathic remedy for me?
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder And Childbirth: Influences On Breastfeeding - Bev Pownall
  This article, recently printed in Issues, is reproduced here.
• Acute and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder After Spontaneous Abortion by Stephen V. Bowles, MAJ, MS, USA
  http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000315/1689.html

Upcoming New Zealand events

• NUMB (Neonatal Unity for Mothers and Babies)
  A Public Discussion for Community groups, Health professionals, Mothers who have had a premature or sick baby, and anyone interested or concerned about this issue. More details. Friday 8th April, 2005 - 7pm to 9.30pm
  St Andrews Presbyterian Church Hall, Aroha Street, Hamilton
  www.numb.net.nz
• Maggie Banks is presenting in a series of seminars around New Zealand. The seminar is a ‘hearts and minds on’ programme on evidence-informed practice - irrespective of the midwife’s practice environment or employment status. More details

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Select here a previous update (items added to other pages now removed from “Update” pages):