If I have My Baby By a Surrogate Should I Get The Usual Maternity Leave?

Pattaramon Chanbua and the boy twin

There is a lot of drama going on with twists and turns concerning a certain surrogate mum from Thailand.
Pattaramon Chanbua who had agreed to be a surrogate for an Australian couple, gave birth to a twin boy and girl, but was left with the boy because he had downs syndrome.

Now the biological parents are claiming it's not true the boy was abandoned but that they had to leave urgently with the girl or risk losing her too. They claim they only knew the boy had a congenital heart condition and not downs syndrome (what difference does that really make?)

Now it has been discovered that the father of the twins is a three-time convicted paedophile?
And the surrogate mum wants her daughter back because she carried her in her womb? Oh dear what a mess!
First things first; who actually owns the baby? What was the agreement?

Surrogacy basically has to do with "carrying a pregnancy on behalf of someone else" with slight variations on the terms.

Traditional Surrogate
The woman (surrogate) is artificially inseminated with the father's sperm, carries the pregnancy full term and gives the baby up for the parents to raise. She is actually the biological mother.

Gestational Surrogate
An external fertilization, IVF, takes place using the original parents sperm and egg, then the embryo is implanted into the surrogate to carry the pregnancy full term. This surrogate is not the biological mother and has no genetic ties to the baby.

Commercial Surrogate
A surrogate that is paid to carry a pregnancy to full term and hand the baby over to the parents. (Illegal in Australia which must be why this couple couldn't find one and had to go to Thailand).

Altruistic Surrogate
Surrogate receives no payment other than medical bills and other reasonable expenses. (Legal in Australia).

Couples may choose surrogates from family and friends or even agencies.

Intending surrogates usually undergo complete medical evaluation and medical history to ensure they can carry a healthy and full term pregnancy.

Women who have high risks of complicated pregnancies, heart disease or have had a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus) make up a high percentage of those who opt for a surrogate.

So back to your question...

You should be entitled to a maternity leave to bond with your baby. That's why its called a "maternity" leave and not a "pregnancy" leave. The bottom line is that you've just "had" a baby and you need that bonding time which is beneficial to both you and your new baby.

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Ebola Update: Americans Infected With Ebola Showing Signs Of Improvement After "Secret Serum" Is Administered

According to CNN.com:

A representative from the National Institutes of Health contacted Samaritan's Purse in Liberia and offered the experimental treatment, known as ZMapp, for the two patients, according to the source.

The drug was developed by the biotech firm Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc., which is based in San Diego. The patients were told that this treatment had never been tried before in a human being but had shown promise in small experiments with monkeys.

According to company documents, four monkeys infected with Ebola survived after being given the therapy within 24 hours after infection. Two of four other monkeys that started therapy within 48 hours after infection also survived. One monkey that was not treated died within five days of exposure to the virus.

Brantly and Writebol were aware of the risk of taking a new, little understood treatment and gave informed consent, according to two sources familiar with the care of the missionary workers. In the monkeys, the experimental serum had been given within 48 hours of infection. Brantly didn't receive it until he'd been sick for nine days.

The medicine is a three-mouse monoclonal antibody, meaning that mice were exposed to fragments of the Ebola virus and then the antibodies generated within the mice's blood were harvested to create the medicine. It works by preventing the virus from entering and infecting new cells.

The Ebola virus causes viral hemorrhagic fever, which refers to a group of viruses that affect multiple organ systems in the body and are often accompanied by bleeding.
The ZMapp vials reached the hospital in Liberia where Brantly and Writebol were being treated Thursday morning. Doctors were instructed to allow the serum to thaw naturally without any additional heat. It was expected that it would be eight to 10 hours before the medicine could be given, according to a source familiar with the process.

Brantly asked that Writebol be given the first dose because he was younger and he thought he had a better chance of fighting it, and she agreed. However, as the first vial was still thawing, Brantly's condition took a sudden turn for the worse.
Brantly began to deteriorate and developed labored breathing. He told his doctors he thought he was dying, according to a source with firsthand knowledge of the situation.
Knowing his dose was still frozen, Brantly asked if he could have Writebol's now-thawed medication. It was brought to his room and administered through an IV. Within an hour of receiving the medication, Brantly's condition dramatically improved. He began breathing easier; the rash over his trunk faded away. One of his doctors described the events as "miraculous."
By the next morning, Brantly was able to take a shower on his own before getting on a specially designed Gulfstream air ambulance jet to be evacuated to the United States.

Writebol also received a vial of the medication. Her response was not as remarkable, according to sources familiar with the treatment. However, doctors on Sunday administered Writebol a second dose of the medication, which resulted in significant improvement.
She was stable enough to be evacuated back to the United States and is expected to arrive before noon Tuesday.

The process by which the medication was made available to Brantly and Writebol is highly unusual. ZMapp has not been approved for human use, and has not even gone through the clinical trial process, which is standard to prove the safety and efficacy of a medication. It may have been given under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "compassionate use" regulation, which allows access to investigational drugs outside clinical trials.

It's quite interesting to note that this "secret formula" was actually administered to these US citizens while they were still in Liberia. Has this same formula been "compassionately used" on any African infected with the ebola virus in Liberia too?

 

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Seven Signs That Show It's Time To Leave Your Job

Many of us just hold on to jobs to the detriment of our mental, emotional and physical health...you just keep holding on to this job till you don't even know what you're holding on to any more.

You are hard working, you've given your best but you dread Mondays and have some how become demotivated.

Check out these seven signs to confirm if you should really quit this job:

1) The job doesn't pay your bills anymore. Hello! There's no need to start feeling overly modest... You got married and now have kids and you've got bills to pay. Face it; if a salary raise isn't coming then you need a better paying job or you'll be signing up for serious mental stress.

2) Your stress level has hit the roof! You feel burnt out like this job has taken everything from you and you have nothing more to give. It has affected your relationships and is beginning to tell on your health. Choose life! Let the job go. If there is no way to balance this job with your life the forget it.

3) Tons of unethical stuff take place in your company. Need I say more? What are you still doing there? Waiting for the cops or lawsuits?

4) Your company's corporate culture clashes with your personal core values; who you are, what you stand for, how you think. Look, two can't work together except they are in agreement. You can't flow with your job if you always choose to always "go the other way".

5) You and your boss are literally like "Tom and Jerry" or is it "Jerry and Tom"? Your both have "irreconcilable differences".

6) Bankruptcy is looming; most customers have left, lots of bad deals and financial loss...not a good sign.

7) You've simply lost your zeal. This job doesn't just interest you anymore. I can't stand being attended to by a Sales or Customer service rep who is obviously fed up with his job. Don' take your boredom out on your colleagues or customers, move on to bigger challenges.

Loose yourself! When you are content and happy you'll always find yourself spreading happiness you don't have to be where you should not be.

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Why Is My Five Year Old Still Bed-wetting?

photo source:qualitybeds.co.uk

Why is my 5 year old daughter still wetting the bed? Why why why especially when the other two stopped at three?

This can be a concern for a parent who has to get up early and go to work but still gets up up to three times every night to take this little one to the toilet.
This is a certified "sleep robber" I tell you. Sometimes you feel defeated when you drag yourself around 11 pm to take your child to the toilet and return around 2 am to see she or he has wet the bed. Aaagh!

The first thing is for us to calm down as parents; children are different and most kids that bed wet also feel embarrassed about it. ( I remind myself regularly when I want to flip!)

Some researchers have said that bed wetting "runs in the family" and that the child will stop the same age you did. How cool is that?
I remember wetting the bed when I was 5/6 but that was occasionally and my mum would give me a good beating in the morning. So maybe my daughter is about to stop eh?
But this wouldn't make any one that stopped wetting the bed at 10/11 feel better so let's come up with better ideas!

Most bed wetting which Doctors refer to as "primary enuresis" happens because certain mechanisms that control the bladder have not yet matured in the child and not due to laziness or sheer mischief. In other words the child's brain hasn't started controlling her bladder.
If your child has been dry for up to a year and starts to wet the bed again then that's "secondary enuresis" which can be caused by stress or trauma so please see your paediatrician.

According to the Journal of Urology, following your paediatrician's advice will help your child achieve dryness quicker than trying any and everything, so maybe you should pop in today?

However, there are gadgets like urinary bed alarms which are worn under the child's pyjamas and go off once moisture is felt. These have been proven to be very effective, many have see great results in just 2 months.

How the sensors work:

The sensor is worn in the child's underwear and if it detects any form of wetness the alarm goes off (there's also the vibrate option in some which is better for older kids and adults).
Of course the child has already wet himself but gradually with time the sensor trains the child's brain to wake earlier and earlier, till your child can wake at the very first drop! Great isn't it? It demands your commitment but at least you are up for the right reasons. 

Please share your progress report if you end up using the sensor, I'm thinking of trying one too.

With all these in mind let's look at three prevention tips we to also help our children minimise bed wetting:

1) Make your child drink all liquids in the day time only. Stop fluid drinking about one and a half hours before bed time.
2) Encourage your child go to the toilet every two hours in the day time (my daughter can hold her bladder for long periods while she's awake sigh!)
3) Encourage him or her empty their bladder twice before bedtime.
Older children will appreciate these tips more I tell you.

Gotta run now, I have beddings to wash *wink*.

Happy Parenting!        

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Ebola Update: Experimental Vaccine To Be Tested On Humans Next Month

Brief information on what is going on concerning finding a permanent solution to the Ebola Out break:

• The U.S government will begin testing an experimental ebola vaccine on humans as early as next month
• 
  
• The first commerically-available preventative vaccine is likely to take two to six years to be developed; lack of funding is a threat to how fast this vaccine can come out.
• 
  
• There are at least four vaccines that can prevent ebola in primates.

'The hang-up point with these vaccines is the phase I trials in humans. That’s where scientists get frustrated because we know these vaccines protect animals and we don’t quite understand the regulatory process of why things can’t move faster. I can’t give you an answer as to why it’s taking so long.'

         Dr. Thomas Geisbert  (University of Texas)

To whom it may concern, Humans are more important than animals so please release the funds for the scientists to do their job.

REMINDER:


Those at risk during an outbreak include:

• health workers
• family members or others in close contact with infected people
• mourners with direct contact with the bodies of deceased victims
• hunters in contact with dead animals

Typical signs and symptoms?

Sudden onset of fever, intense weakness,  muscle pain, headache and sore throat. That is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function and internal and external bleeding.

The incubation period is between two and 21 days. A person will become contagious once they start to show symptoms.


When should you seek medical care?

If a person is in an area affected by the outbreak, or has been in contact with a person known or suspected to have Ebola, they should seek medical help immediately.


What is the treatment?

Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. They need intravenous fluids to rehydrate them.

But there is currently no specific treatment for the disease. Some patients will recover with the appropriate care.


Can Ebola be prevented?

Currently there is no licensed vaccine for Ebola. Several are being tested but are not available for clinical use.


Is it safe to travel to affected areas?

The World Health Organisation reviews the public health situation regularly, and recommends travel or trade restrictions if necessary. The risk of infection for travellers is very low since person-to-person transmission results from direct contact with bodily fluids of victims.

Source: World Health Organisation

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Excessive Weight Gain In Pregnancy Could Increase The Risk Of Asthma In Children

This is one more reason to watch what you eat while you"re pregnant, especially during your last trimester (last three months).

Scientists think there may be a connection between excessive weight gain and children born with asthma.

To see how a mother's weight might be linked to the development of asthma in her children, Dr. Erick Forno, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and his colleagues reviewed 14 previously published studies that included over 100,000 mother-child pairs.
The risk of a child having asthma was 36 percent higher for mothers who were obese during pregnancy compared to normal-weight expectant mothers. The study authors suggest that, for women who do not have a history of asthma, the effect of obesity during pregnancy may be an even stronger influence on whether or not a child develops asthma.
Although there appeared to be a slight association between an overweight mom-to-be and asthma in her offspring, the association wasn't statistically significant, according to the study.
Dr. David Mendez, a neonatologist at Miami Children's Hospital, said that this study asks a question that only additional research can answer. Such research would need to take into account the mother's history of asthma and the baby's exposure to cigarette smoke, among other factors, he said.

So they are not to clear about the whole issue but this is one more reason to take weight management during pregnancy seriously. Many mums just feel they can "eat what they like" and work on dropping the weight after delivery but its important to be conscious even during pregnancy.

Keep healthy, keep fit, even during pregnancy; your physiotherapist and nutritionist should guide you .

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Workaholic or Hard Worker?

Diane Fassel, PhD, an Organizational Consultant has said,
"A workaholic will die faster than an alcoholic any day ".

Gone are the days when it was honourable to "work your butt off ", now psychologists have raised the red flag on workaholism.

But how do you know if you are a workaholic and not just a hard worker? You see yourself as being passionate about what you do and are always willing to put in your best at all times.
Yes there have been and still are debates on if being a workaholic is a psychiatric disorder, but impressions are gradually changing.

The truth is that the workaholic is actually "out of control " contrary to the impression he actually tries to portray. Workaholism  is a defensive behaviour or cover up for underlying conditions. Anxiety, depression, low self esteem, intimacy issues may not be unconnected with this disorder.

It is an addiction, an obsessive-compulsive disorder and should not be confused with working had or putting in long hours. The adrenaline surge the workaholic feels gives an illusion of a "high level of energy ".

You are likely to be a workaholic if most of these signs describe you:

• Do you feel drained of energy and purposeless when not at work?
• Do you dread vacations and find it difficult to go on breaks or dream about work even while on vacation?
• Do you have trouble delegating tasks?
• Do you find it difficult getting along with other colleagues?
• Are you addicted to power and control?
• Are you unable to maintain relationships outside of work (like family and friends )?
• Do you have difficulty loosening up, relaxing or just having fun?

Other physiological or psychological symptoms are :anger, depression, anxiety attacks, stomach and head aches. 

If you clearly see yourself in this picture then you definitely need help.

It's important to note that workaholics gradually become less productive; they take up more than they can handle, won't delegate because they feel no one is good enough and crash out of exhaustion. All they had was an "adrenaline high" and this gradually starts to tell on their bodies.

Family and friends have the responsibility of helping these workaholics seek help as most will rarely admit they have a problem.

If you feel you are a workaholic seek help from a psychotherapist. The workaholics anonymous website is also a good place to start.  

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Can Frequent Breaks Be the Cure For "Job Burnout"?

Picture this scenario: you arrive late for work then days because you hardly get enough sleep. Less sleep means a dull and drowsy wake and all you remember is dragging yourself to work.
Job burnout is what happens when job stress is unattended to.  Everything in you has simply had it when it comes to this job.

It's not just about the physical exhaustion but also the psychological and emotional exhaustion. So apart from dealing with heavy workloads and long hours of work the frustration of not being able to "get a grip” is also an issue. You just feel like a "tool” been used, no one gives you the opportunity to make meaningful contributions or suggestions, you just "do as you are told".

Before we go any further let's do a quick check on the common causes of job burnout. How do you know if your lights are totally off and need a break, new challenge or job?

Causes of Job Burnout

• Overwork
• Little or no control over your job
• Too many constraints on how to do your job
• Compulsory overtime
• Random wage deductions
• Frequent layoffs /job insecurity
• Inadequate breaks
• Long working hours
• Exclusion in decision making
• Dangerous or unpleasant working conditions

So what signs or symptoms should you look out for to know if you or anyone in your workplace is burnt out?

• Fatigue
• Highly irritable
• Frequent anxiety attacks
• Loss of appetite or overeating
• Weight gain
• Teeth clenching /grinding
• Drug/alcohol abuse
• Insomnia 
• Difficulty in concentrating
• Overly emotional
• Head aches
• Low sex drive
• Feelings of emptiness
• Absenteeism

These signs and symptoms are not to be overlooked as anyone manifesting majority of the above may need to see a Mental health professional (psychologist, psychotherapist).

It's important for managers to note that the best staff are mostly the ones that get burnt out and overwork is the main culprit in this case. Human beings can get "overheated "is just like any machine being overused. The "overwork" situation can also be that the worker is unable to "meet up” with the workload and becomes depressed that he's always "falling short ".

What can be done to nip job stress, and eventually burn out, in the bud?

Short breaks from work (vacation) can be beneficial especially in situations where the issue is about being overworked. But if there is an issue with the work situation or working conditions, it would have to be addressed; no amount of breaks would resolve that.

Sometimes taking on something more challenging (mentally) like a professional course will be the therapy.

As a manager, supervisor or business owner don't be too rigid to listen to your employees. There may be better or more flexible ways of carrying out certain tasks.  Give your workers the liberty to suggest methods they think they can incorporate to make their work less stressful. As long as it boosts productivity there's no harm in adopting new methods.

Motivational speaker, Mike Murdock,  has always said, "go where you are celebrated "is so don't be afraid to take a work if you feel you are being underutilized or not appreciated.

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What is Bipolar Disorder?

So for the last 48hrs or so an "elevator video" of Solange Knowles beating her brother in law, Jay Z, while sister, Beyonce kept still has been trending.
Now there are speculations that she is mentally unstable and has 'bipolar disorder'.
Just to make it clear that I don't believe anyone should be stigmatized because of their condition let alone throwing out a diagnosis to explain some random behavior....let's leave that for the doctors.


But what is bipolar disorder?

Formerly called manic depression, bipolar disorder can have it's sufferers go from euphoric highs to drastic lows. The average age for the onset of attacks is 25yrs.
People with this disorder usually have at least one bout mania or "extreme high ". When in this "high" they may experience the following symptoms :

Rapid speech

Difficulty in concentrating

Extreme agitation

They may have this feeling of being invincible and tend to be reckless and aggressive.  They may drive recklessly, pick fights and even commit more serious crimes.

Transiting from this manic state comes with feelings of shame, then swinging into depression he is starts to have feelings of sadness, guilt, hopelessness and fatigue. In this state the person even becomes suicidal.

Some have connected this disorder to chemical imbalances in the brain, but no one knows what causes these imbalances.

If you feel you, a colleague at work  or someone close to you may have this condition contact a mental health professional immediately  (psychologist, psychiatrist, psychotherapist ).

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Simple Back Care

Back care is clearly a case of "prevention is better than cure". It's always better to prevent back injury than to treat it.

So what are the culprits of back pain? What would cause great discomfort and injury to your back? This is what should be at the top of your mind so be careful to avoid or control the following:

Common Causes of Back Pain

1.Weak muscles: not enough physical activity. Yeah yeah, you can't just sit behind your desk all day and think your back should understand.

2. Muscle Strain caused by too much or physical activities carried out with harmful techniques.

3. Poor/Bad postural habits.

So what should you do to protect your back muscles?

Practice good lifting techniques. 

• Always be conscious about what and how you should lift an object. Does it look too heavy? Would you be needing help? 
• Lift objects close to your body rather than with your arms outstretched.
• Stand with one foot slightly in front of the other for balance.
• Slowly bend your knees and NOT your back, so your legs do the lifting.
• Lift the object while straightening your legs till you are standing straight.
• Take care to also bend your knees while putting the object down.

Watch your weight

Extra weight places extra stress on your back muscles. You don't need the "pot belly".

Adopt Good Posture at all Times

• Whatever the position you find yourself; sitting , standing, sleeping there are the "good, bad and ugly" for your back.
• Always sit with a back support. Yes you should use one in the office if your seat doesn't give adequate support to your lower back.
• Avoid sitting for long periods; take stretching and walking breaks.
• Drive with your back straight against the seat and close enough to the steering. Your bent knees should be at a slightly higher level than your hips.u to stand for long periods.
• Don't stand for long periods; take stretching and walking breaks if your job requires you standing for long periods.
• Better to lie on your back or side than on your tummy. Use adequate pillow support for your head/neck, back and between your legs if you are on your side. 
• Lie on a firm mattress. 

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Sexual Harassment In The Workplace

Sexual harassment is one incident in the office that can affect the social,emotional, psychological health and eventually the performance of an employee. It should not be taken lightly and proper structures should be put in place to aid free flow of complaints and handling of this issue.


Sexual harassment simply doesn't go away on its own. It may begin as something small, but it is an issue that rapidly develops into a large problem. For example, imagine one day your boss makes an inappropriate comment to you one, and you simply ignore it. By ignoring it, your boss may think that it doesn't bother you, so she/he will continue it. Since she/he already has boundary issues, she/he may then take it to the next step, touching you in subtle ways, such as standing closer than you're comfortable, rubbing your back, or brushing his or her hand across a part of your body. Without doing something to put a stop to this behavior, it will only continue to get worse because the harasser will believe that you don't have a problem with it. 


The longer it happens, the greater the risk of moving from sexual harassment to sexual assault or rape. This example clearly shows how vital it is to stop sexual harassment before it gets out of control.


If an employee feels sexually harassed there are some things that can be done to make the situation better:
Keep a journal:Begin writing the events down as soon as they begin happening.
Talk about it :Let people you trust know what has happened to you. 
Confront the harasser


Every employee should be aware of what sexual harassment is, and should be alert to its presence in the workplace, trusting their feelings about the issue, and not being afraid to take action to resolve it if it is present.




source

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Three Minutes of Exercise A Week Could Prevent Diabetes!

Just one minute of exercise a day could prevent diabetes, researchers claimed yesterday.

Performing short cycle sprints three times a week could be enough to prevent and possibly treat type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when blood sugar levels build up to dangerously high levels due to reduced insulin function, often caused by a sedentary lifestyle.

Dr Niels Vollaard, who is leading the study at the University of Bath, says:

 “Our muscles have sugar stores, called glycogen, for use during exercise. To restock these after exercise, the muscle needs to take up sugar from the blood. In inactive people there is less need for the muscles to do this, which can lead to poor sensitivity to insulin, high blood sugar levels, and eventually type 2 diabetes. We already knew that very intense sprint training can improve insulin sensitivity but we wanted to see if the exercise sessions could be made easier and shorter.”

Dr Vollaard, who is also part of the team said: 

“We know of no quicker and easier way of getting the muscles to use glycogen than with the short sprints we used in our study. These sprints break down as much glycogen in 20 seconds as moderate endurance exercise would in an hour. This is completely new. No one has ever found a programme this easy and short to provide health benefits. At the moment it has only been done in lab conditions but it would be easy to create a bike that does this in a gym setting.

It could even be done in the workplace.”

So if you spend all your day at the office seated behind a PC with practically no activity, you should consider getting a stationary bike where you could break down glycogen from your muscles and mop up excess blood sugar!

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