Help...I'm In Teething Hell

As I write this my baby is having a hard teething afternoon as her top tooth is coming in. It is really frustrating because she is crying all the time unless in my arms or in a carrier.

To back track a little bit, August has had many sleepless nights because she is teething. We now have 1 tooth in and 2 more that just popped through. Teething is hard work for the whole family. I remember people telling my partner and I that it would get much easier once our baby turned 3-4 months. It was true- she generally slept pretty well and I felt I was coping so well.

But then teething started. Teething has not been a few bad days when they are coming through but a slow and steady process. At six months old, she began to more actively teethe. It’s hard. Serious sleep deprivation returned and it’s really hard to watch your baby be in such pain.

There are things you can do to help your baby through teething. This is what has worked for us:

1. Homeopathy! Yes, it might be surprising to most of you that I am telling you how great Homeopathy is for teething. LOL! The Homeopathic remedy Chamomilla works wonders when Chaya is screaming a lot, I can’t put her down without crying and she wants to be carried all of the time. It is also indicated if your baby has one red cheek and spinach-green stools.
2. Frozen wet cloths for the baby to suck on..
3. Cold watermelon rinds. Obviously only use these if your baby has started solids. My Homeopath recommended them and they are amazing. Also keep an eye on your baby while the suck on these for extra safety.
4. Wear Your Baby: If your baby is irritable and weepy and needs some extra love including to be held more often, try putting them in your favourite baby carrier. They can smell you and feel comforted from being so close to you. The side benefit is that it frees up your hands which allows you to get things done.
5. Take More Naps: If teething disturbs your baby’s sleep, it will cause you to feel as tired as when they were an itty-bitty newborn. Let the chores go and take naps with them as often as possible.
6. Pain Relief: We started using Baby Tempura for the last two teeth that came in at once. All of these other measures helped, but I felt she needed extra pain relief. And it has helped. If you are worried about giving your baby an over-the-counter medication, we give her a half-dose only when it is needed.
7. Stay away from Orajel: You can buy these products at your local drug store. They numb the baby’s gums with benzocaine. There is a danger that your baby will swallow some and it will numb their throat. It is also associated with a rare auto-immune blood disorder. The side effects are so serious that the FDA recently issued a warning.

And don’t forget that Homeopathy can help with teething by reducing pain and irritability, by improving moods, by helping associated changes like diarrhea, green stools and fevers; and it can even help in cases when your baby begins teething very late. And most importantly, it is the gentlest and safest type of natural medicine for your baby.

The Backlash Against Attachment Parenting

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a young child or really are just breathing, you have heard all about Time Magazine's latest provocative article on attachment parenting featuring a young, slim, very attractive white woman breastfeeding her 3-year old.  Beyond the fact that the child looks uncomfortable, I found this very interesting.

Before you step into the place of reaction, we should just acknowledge that this cover was meant to create a controversy.  Let's all breathe.  What I find fascinating is that the American mainstream media is suddenly focussing on attachment parenting as a divisive parenting philosophy and even going to the extent of presenting it as extreme parenting.  In addition, several months ago actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik was on the television show 'the view' to discuss her practice of attachment parenting.  The segment was labelled "controversial" and "extreme".

Pediatrician Dr. Bill Sears did not invent attachment parenting.  He certainly presented the main philosophies to the West.  He basically packaged a set of parenting practices that have been around for a long time all over the world.

What is Attachment Parenting?

Attachment parenting is derived from attachment theory which basically says that the bond between parent(s) and child during the first few years of life go on to impact the rest of that child's life.  The idea is basically by being open to who your baby/child is and how the feel; and responding appropriately, you create an even stronger bond with your baby/child thus making them feel more secure.  At www.askdrsears.com, attachment parenting is described in the following way;

"Attachment means that a mother and baby are in harmony with each other. Being in harmony with your baby is one of the most fulfilling feelings a mother can ever hope to have. Watch a mother and baby who are attached (in harmony) with each other. When the baby gives a cue, such as crying or facial expressions, signifying a need, the mother, because she is open to the baby's cues, responds."


Attachment parenting also involves several parenting behaviours such as prolonged breastfeeding, co-sleeping and baby-wearing.

As a new mother, I talk to a lot of other parents.  I don't think there is a huge controversy, as the American media would imply, around attachment parenting.  There doesn't seem to be a debate at all.  Most of us are on a continuum with how much and for how long we breastfeed, co-sleep and wear our babies.  Most new mothers especially seem to want to breastfeed for some time and many co-sleep for a time as well.  As new parents, we feel guilty (this seems to be part of being a parent) sometimes that we aren't doing enough for our children.  I certainly can't live up to that image of a skinny, beautiful woman still breastfeeding her child.

I strive every day to make sure the bond between me and my baby is strong.  I believe in breastfeeding, co-sleeping and baby-wearing.  This doesn't mean that I wear my baby all of the time and never put her down.  Nor does it necessarily mean that I will breastfeed her until she is 3 or 4.  I am trying to parent her by intuition- by keeping open to her needs and my needs and coming up with a solution that works for both of us.

I believe every parent wants to do the best for their children.  This means making decisions that are the best for each family.  The most wonderful thing about attachment parenting is that is all about connecting with your baby.  The practices of attachment parenting are simply just ways to promote this.
And many of these philosophies are just practical.  Wearing your baby allows the parent more freedom and the ability to get tasks done around the house or to go out without needing to take a huge stroller all of the time.  Co-sleeping also has benefits for the breastfeeding mother/parent when done safely in that no one has to actually get out of bed for nighttime feedings.  It also minimizes crying in that the breastfeeding parent can usually anticipate when their baby will wake.  This is the glorious sensitivity of the mother to her baby.  It is a beautiful thing.

So, you don't have to be an extreme follower of attachment parenting.  You can pick and choose what works for you and your family.  You can breastfeed for 1 year instead of 3.  You can co-sleep for a few months before moving your baby to a crib.  Most of all, just spend the time to connect to your baby.  After all, aren't our children the most precious thing in our lives?  We should devote the time and care to make them feel as nurtured, supported and secure as we can.

Rebecca Gower is a Homeopath, Reiki Practitioner, new Mom and survivor of infertility.  She specializes in supporting women and couples through infertility and pregnancy. She practices in the Annex in Toronto, Ontario.  She can be reached at 647-688-8290; by e-mail at redpearlhomeopathy@gmail.com; on the web at www.redpearlhomeopathy.com.  You can also follow her on twitter at redpearlhomeo.

Spring is Finally Here!

On May 13th, I feel I can finally say that spring is here.  How do I know this?  Well, thankfully there is no snow on the ground.  It is raining quite a bit more.  And, there have been some lovely days of warmth and sunshine.  But, the real clue is that everywhere I go, I notice more people sneezing, sniffling and dealing with watery eyes.  That's right- spring allergies have begun.

You might be inclined to run to the drug store to get an Over-The-Counter medication. But why not try Homeopathy?  Homeopathy has a long track record successfully treating both chronic allergies as well as acute flare-ups of allergies.

Check out some clinical studies specifically on Homeopathy for seasonal allergies:

Treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis using homeopathic preparation of common allergens in the southwest region of the US: a randomized, controlled clinical trial.

Kim LS, Riedlinger JE, Baldwin CM, Hilli L, Khalsa SV, Messer SA, Waters RF.
Southwest College Research Institute, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences, Tempe, AZ 85282-1751, USA. l.kim@scnm.edu


BACKGROUND: Studies using homeopathy have reported beneficial effects from treating allergy-related conditions. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of a homeopathic drug prepared from common allergens (tree, grass, weed species) specific to the Southwest region of the US. METHODS: A 4-week, double-blind clinical trial comparing homeopathic preparations with placebo was conducted in the Phoenix metropolitan area during the regional allergy season from February to May. Participants included 40 men and women, 26-63 years of age, diagnosed with moderate to severe seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms. Study outcomes included allergy-specific symptoms using the rhinoconjunctivitis quality-of-life questionnaire (RQLQ), functional quality of life using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (MOS SF-36), and the work productivity and activity impairment (WPAI) questionnaire. RESULTS: Scales from the RQLQ, MOS SF-36, and WPAI questionnaire showed significant positive changes from baseline to 4 weeks in the homeopathic group compared with the placebo group (p < 0.05). Subjects reported no adverse effects during the intervention period. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings indicate potential benefits of the homeopathic intervention in reducing symptoms and improving quality of life in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis in the Southwestern US.


Homeopathic and conventional treatment for acute respiratory and ear complaints: A comparative study on outcome in the primary care setting



BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2007, 7:7
The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/7/7


Background
The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of homeopathy compared to conventional treatment in acute respiratory and ear complaints in a primary care setting.


Methods
The study was designed as an international, multi-centre, comparative cohort study of non-randomised design. Patients, presenting themselves with at least one chief complaint: acute (= 7 days) runny nose, sore throat, ear pain, sinus pain or cough, were recruited at 57 primary care practices in Austria (8), Germany (8), the Netherlands (7), Russia (6), Spain (6), Ukraine (4), United Kingdom (10) and the USA (8) and given either homeopathic or conventional treatment. Therapy outcome was measured by using the response rate, defined as the proportion of patients experiencing 'complete recovery' or 'major improvement' in each treatment group. The primary outcome criterion was the response rate after 14 days of therapy.


Results
Data of 1,577 patients were evaluated in the full analysis set of which 857 received homeopathic (H) and 720 conventional (C) treatment. The majority of patients in both groups reported their outcome after 14 days of treatment as complete recovery or major improvement (H: 86.9%; C: 86.0%; p = 0.0003 for non-inferiority testing). In the per-protocol set (H: 576 and C: 540 patients) similar results were obtained (H: 87.7%; C: 86.9%; p = 0.0019). Further subgroup analysis of the full analysis set showed no differences of response rates after 14 days in children (H: 88.5%; C: 84.5%) and adults (H: 85.6%; C: 86.6%). The unadjusted odds ratio (OR) of the primary outcome criterion was 1.40 (0.89–2.22) in children and 0.92 (0.63–1.34) in adults. Adjustments for demographic differences at baseline did not significantly alter the OR. The response rates after 7 and 28 days also showed no significant differences between both treatment groups. However, onset of improvement within the first 7 days after treatment was significantly faster upon homeopathic treatment both in children (p = 0.0488) and adults (p = 0.0001). Adverse drug reactions occurred more frequently in adults of the conventional group than in the homeopathic group (C: 7.6%; H: 3.1%, p = 0.0032), whereas in children the occurrence of adverse drug reactions was not significantly different (H: 2.0%; C: 2.4%, p = 0.7838).


Conclusion
In primary care, homeopathic treatment for acute respiratory and ear complaints was not inferior to conventional treatment.


I am going to repost my article on seasonal allergies from last year.

 http://redpearlhomeopathy.blogspot.com/2010/06/oh-those-springtime-allergies.html

Treating Childhood Ear Infections Naturally...

Complaints of ear infections are very common in children under six years of age.  In fact, it is one of the most common reasons for pediatrician visits in young children.  Similarly, it is also one of the most commonly seen complaints in parents bringing their young children to see a Homeopath outside of eczema.


Otitis Media:


This is more commonly known as a middle ear infection.  If your Pediatrician diagnoses your child with an ear infection, it is usually Otitis Media.  This is diagnosed by using an otoscope so that the middle ear can be thoroughly examined.  Otitis Media can be caused by either a virus or bacteria.  It is most common in children under three years of age.  Many children develop this condition along with a cold or another upper respiratory infection.  Symptoms of a middle ear infection can include;

• ear pain or discomfort often with hearing loss
• fever
• change in mood- increased irritability, crying or screaming
• vomiting or nausea
• diarrhea
• difficulty sleeping

Below are a few pictures of what a middle ear infection can look like;

Otitis Externa:

This is the other most common type of ear condition in younger children.  This time it is the ear canal itself that is impacted.  Sometimes Otitis Externa is also called 'Swimmer's Ear'.  As evidenced by this nickname, it is often bacterial in origin and can be caused by water/ bacteria being trapped in the ear canal after swimming.  Symptoms of Otitis Externa include;

• itching
• pain
• discharge
• redness of the visible part of the ear
• hearing loss due to fluid/discharge in the ear canal

Here is a photo of a case of Otitis Externa.  You will notice the redness of the outer ear. 

Conventional Medical Treatment:

You may not be aware that over 80% of cases of ear infections resolve themselves on their own.  The typical treatment are mild pain relievers (analgesics) and antibiotics.  Antibiotics are still often prescribed in many cases since they appear to help resolve hearing loss more quickly and many children find relief in 1-2 weeks.  It is interesting to note that pediatric organizations are now recommending physicians proceed with more caution in prescribing antibiotics because of the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria.  

In spite of the conventional medical treatment available, many children develop recurrent ear infections even with antibiotic treatment.  Although the medical profession has asserted that antibiotic treatment for otitis media is effective, recent studies have emerged which contradict those claims.  In one large study of children with acute otitis media, those treated with antibiotics actually recovered at a slightly lower rate than those who were not. (Froom, et al, 1990). Another found that children with chronic otitis on prophylactic (preventative) antibiotics were two to six times more likely to have recurrent acute infections than those on placebos (Catankin, et al, 1991). Recently, John Bailar, M.D., a Harvard professor and editorial board member at the New England Journal of Medicine, comprehensively reviewed the scientific literature on the treatment of otitis with antibiotics. He concluded that the available research, "... seems to demolish the conclusion that antibiotics improve the outcome [in otitis media]" (Bailar, 1995).  (Exerpted from Homeopathic Medicines for Earaches by Dana Ullmann)

Homeopathy:

While it is very important to consult your pediatrician for a diagnosis and to make sure there is no perforated ear drum or anything more serious, your pediatrician may not be aware of how Homeopathic medicine can help your child get over an acute ear infection more quickly as well as to reduce their susceptibility to developing ear infections in the first place.  Homeopathy can be used both acutely and chronically to treat any type of ear infection.  In most acute cases,  you will notice a huge improvement in your child and their symptoms ranging anywhere from a few hours to the next day.  If you have a child that keeps getting an ear infection with each cold, I would recommend chronic treatment.  By choosing the best medicine for your child and their symptoms, Homeopathy is capable of reducing your child's susceptibility to ear infections and other acute ailments.

Homeopathic Remedies:

We have all been influenced by conventional Western medicine's more mechanistic focus on our bodies.  Because of this we all want to know if Homeopathy works for a particular pathology or condition.  Homeopathy is the medicine of individualization.  We are looking for a medicine that is the best match for you and everything that has changed in you since being unwell.  This doesn't mean we don't take a diagnosis into account, it just means that we look at what is unique about you and your experience of illness.  For example, if I treated 5 children with middle ear infections, they would most likely get different medicines.  One child might be weepier and needing to be carried more where as another child develops a sudden fever of the head with discoloration of the outer ears and another child becomes very angry and irritable during the ear infection.  Each of these children would get a different Homeopathic medicine because their experience of a middle ear infection is different.  

This means there are no homeopathic remedies for ear infections but there are remedies for your child with an ear infection.  That is why it is important to consult a well-trained Homeopath for treatment.

For those of you that like to see clinical trials as further evidence of a treatment's efficacy, please see below...

According to a recent study of 75 children with otitis media that was published in Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, parent's diary scores showed a significant decrease in symptoms at 24 and 64 hours after treatment in favor of those given a homeopathic medicine (P<.05). There were also 20% less "treatment failures" in children given a homeopathic medicine as compared with those given a placebo.

[Reference: J Jacobs, DA Springer, D Crothers, Homeopathic Treatment of Acute Otitis Media in Children: A Preliminary Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial, Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 20,2 (February 2001):177-183.]

For more information, please visit my website www.redpearlhomeopathy.com.  I am also available to answer your questions via e-mail at redpearlhomeopathy@gmail.com or via telephone.

Scientific Studies Confirm Homeopathy's Efficacy in Treating Fibromyalgia

Dana Ullmann, an American Homeopath, wrote an excellent article looking at fibromyalgia and Homeopathic medicine.  He refers to the scientific studies with results that prove that the results are more than the placebo effect.

http://www.naturalnews.com/031353_fibromyalgia_homeopathy.html

Clinical Trials and Homeopathic Medicine

Check out this recent article by American Homeopath Dana Ullmann.  It discusses the recent article in which Dr. Luc Montagnier provides support for Homeopathy.  Dr. Montagnier was one of the first scientists to discover the Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV.

Here is the link.  http://blog.homeopathic.com/2011/02/nobel-laureate-montagnier-takes.html

I would love to hear your comments about this.

Rebecca Gower  BA, MA, DSHM (hons)
Homeopath
Red Pearl Homeopathy
redpearlhomeopathy@gmail.com
www.redpearlhomeopathy.com

Coping With Life Changes

Recently I have been thrown into the world of change.  My partner and I need to find a new place to live.  For me, the issue of needing a new home brings up lots of issues around safety and security.  The challenge is always for me to honour the feelings change can bring up for me and to focus on why change is good.  I like to think about what the new change will make space for in my life.


How are you with change?  Are you one of those people that runs head first, embracing change?  Or do you do everything possible to prevent change? My advisor would tell me when I was in Graduate School, "You Can Run But You Cannot Hide".  No matter how hard we try to push against change, we cannot stop or avoid change.


The majority of us will have some difficulty with change regardless of your coping style.    It is much easier to cope with change if we are making the choices and are, thus in the driver's seat.  For example, think about the difference of between choosing to quit your job versus being fired.  


There is no question that change can be really difficult.  Since change is the one of the constants in life, it is important that we all have tools to help us to deal with all sorts of changes.  I have found that change that comes from dealing with the death/illness of a loved one, hearing bad news or learning a diagnosis or suffering from an accident are some of the most difficult changes.  Prevailing attitudes in Western culture in which emotions don't seem to be honoured don't help.  I have found that we have to deal with these painful emotions in order for us to be able to move through feelings of sadness, anger and loss that can happen through any change.


Homeopathy can be incredibly useful in dealing with grief, recovering from an accident and anxiety associated with change.  I have used homeopathic remedies personally and professionally to help people cope with life changes.


Dealing with Grief:
There is an excellent remedy that is useful for grief that can come from death or serious illness of your self or a loved one as well as hearing bad news.  Ignatia Amara is especially indicated when you feel like you can't stop crying or you are alternating between crying and laughing.  There also can be uncontrollable sighing, a sensation of a lump in the throat and difficulty sleeping at night (even though you may be sleepy during the day).  


Many people never seem to recover from a life-changing event such as death of a loved one or losing a business.  Homeopathy can be very helpful for this as well.  Since Homeopathy is always individualized to each person, there are no specific remedies for this.  It is important to see a trained Homeopath for a chronic consultation if you are suffering from either acute or chronic grief.


Other Tips:
1) It is important to give yourself space to go through the grieving process or to process feelings associated with change.  Give yourself permission to have your feelings while you are going through change.  If you do need more guidance, please consult a trained counsellor or psychotherapist.


2) Self-Care:  The more you can connect with your own needs, the more able you will be figure out what you need to do to make it through change.


3) Find Support:  This could mean accessing your support network for help or just to listen.  Access body work or other energetic therapies which are not only good for relaxation but can also help you process your feelings.  Some modalities that I like are Reiki and Shiatsu.


4) Keep making sure you are eating well, getting exercise and getting adequate sleep can be so helpful.




If you are struggling with dealing with change, consider coming in for homeopathic treatment to help boost your immune system and to help you to better cope with life transitions.


Rebecca Gower
Red Pearl Homeopathy
647-688-8290
redpearlhomeopathy@gmail.com
www.redpearlhomeopathy.com