Life in the TIme of H1N1

A while back, I saw the movie life in the time of Cholera. It was a good enough movie and I watched it until the end. I am now raising an infant in the time of H1N1. No it is not the same as Cholera of course, but if someone you love has fallen victim to it, it is plenty serious to you. You may know that our little precious son was born in June. Healthy and happy with a father and mother that are been devoted to making sure that we all thrive. You included!

So the problem that I am getting to is why don't people understand that they can not touch the baby's hands. In this time of adults dying from swine flu etc. don't they know how fatal it can be if a baby get's this or any other virus for that matter? Gross. When I think of the things that people do with their hands like pick their nose, scratch their private parts and that of their partners, wipe their children's nose's, touch door knob's in public places that all kinds of people touch. I could go on forever. Not only do these people endanger the health and well being of babies, but they freak mothers out. We cringe when they approach the baby and hope, please let them have the common sense not to touch the babies hands. But nooooooooooo! Thats right where they touch. Like a magnet, they are drawn in. Babies are alluring aren't they.

So unfair that you put us mothers in the position to have to tell you as politely as possible to please refrain from touching the baby. What's worse is that sometimes some people get offended! How dare I try to protect my baby from their germs. Why they even tell me that they always wash their hands. As a matter of fact, they just washed them a short while ago. It is their regular practice.

So to all of you well meaning folks that love the sweet, cuteness of all the magnificent babies around you, please don't touch. Even if you think you are healthy, clean etc. You may not know what germs you are carrying and a great way to pass germs is through touching others.

We mothers appreciate your well wishing and your love and support of our children. Keep up the love and stop the touching. PS Don't be mad or offended, be smart and pro-active!

Pregnant Over 35

More and more women seem to be having babies over 35 these days.  A lot of us are motivated by our careers.  We don't want to start too early before we get established in corporate America or Hollywood as it would seem.  Unfortunately sometimes having a few children will hold you back in this man's world.  Not having made that decision myself, I survived in corporate America for 13 years before moving to the good life in Florida.  

But I have now joined the ranks of Halle Berry and Gweneth Paltrow to name two.  We have all had babies over 35 and have therefore been warned of the many things that can go wrong. It is procedure.  Down Syndrome, Birth Defects, Spina Bifida, developmental problems and on and on.  Sarah Palin made it obvious that women over 35 can be challenged with Down Syndrome babies and old female eggs will be blamed for the condition.  Warned that you should have an amniocentesis, to make sure that your baby is healthy, or not so healthy.  

When I was confronted with this, I had to ask myself, what is this test for. So that I can have an abortion if I find out the baby has a birth defect?  By the time they perform this test, 16 weeks, we are already in love with our babies, which makes the choice impossible and not feasible for many of us women. Some, many decide to get the abortion, if they test positive for birth defect. the choice is theirs, I am not arguing Roe vs. Wade here.  So much so that the statistics show that most women that have down syndrome babies are under 30. Yes 30, why? because they don't get tested. So 80 percent of birth defect children have mothers that are 30 and under.  While most of us 35 plus year olds abort our birth defected children, with the guidance of our physicians.  they quote odds and numbers and all of this is decided by a computer system, and not even a doctor.  OK so my odds were 1 out of 240 that my baby will be down syndrome challenged.  While the risk of aborting a healthy baby due to amniocentesis risk, is 1 out of 200.  So the odds are worse for having the amnio than the risk of having the down baby.  And so what if I do find out the baby is down, I wont abort it, so what is the point of getting the test....no point, just to freak me out.  So i spent a few frantic hours and days freaked out about the possibility, until I came up with my own rational for the whole thing.  Don't have the amnio unless you are willing to have an abortion.  If not then there is no sense.  

The amnio is a diagnostic test and you will get a definite yes or no. OR you can do what I did.  I took control of the situation and the doctor for that matter and made him do two high definition ultrasounds and take very detailed measurements of everything that they check for as far as birth defects are concerned.  One done by my OB/GYN, the other done by a high risk OB/GYN ultrasound specialist.  The tests both came back normal.  They checked brain, kidney heart etc, all the places that birth defects are found.  So I consoled myself with that and will have one more ultrasound in 4D and seal the deal and ease any fears that I may still have.  Whew, that was simple...NOT!