December 2016 – The Neonatal Womb Warriors

Google defines blog as “a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style”. Currently, the purpose of our blog is to share information we gain as we travel globally through and expand our understanding and vision of the preterm birth community at large. We are passionate about sharing information that fluidly connects the Community while recognizing the individuality of our many Partners. We hope to share articles and information we feel may “Light the way, build community, and empower the preterm birth/NICU traveler”. Our journey is enriched through the interesting stories, innovations, experiences and issues you, our Partners, provide. Kat and I are working towards evolving our abilities to share information in a format that better serves the community; thus the hyperlink inclusion! Thank you!

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PTSD and Preemie Parents is a hot topic; one that warrants on-going research and development of diverse prevention and treatment options. This recent article provides an interesting perspective regarding steps a parent can take during the trauma of a preterm birth experience.

Preemie Family Partners-

The Misdiagnosis of PTSD in Preemie Parents; by parijat Deshpande

“Nightmares. Jitteriness. Feeling jumpy. Heart palpitations. Avoiding places that remind you of “that awful time.”

What does that sound like? Without any context, to most, that list sounds like symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is something many women who had traumatic pregnancies, deliveries or babies in the NICU are frequently diagnosed with”.

Despite having the diagnosis, however, not every man or woman with these symptoms actually has PTSD when they’re diagnosed. The article provides ideas for healing trauma that are available to the Traveler engaged in the traumatic event at the time, and includes recommendations readily available to all of us (exercise, mindful breathing, eating, and help).

Enter HERE:http://www.preemiebabies101.com/2016/10/misdiagnosis-ptsd-preemie-parents/

Health Care Partners-

providers

Self-care for Providers – INDIRECT TRAUMA

Kat and I seek to identify potential support resources for our Health Care Partners locally and abroad. The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies may be a resource for our Healthcare Partners to assist themselves and others in efforts to maximize personal and community health and well-being. The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies is dedicated to sharing information about the effects of trauma and the discovery and dissemination of knowledge about policy, program and service initiatives that seek to reduce traumatic stressors and their immediate and long-term consequences. Engaged, Diverse, and Worldwide the organization also shines a light on the identification, symptoms/signs, and treatment options related to the effects of Indirect Trauma. Please note that Families of Preemies may experience indirect trauma and may also benefit from the wisdom shared in this article.

The article addresses the Who, How, Cost, What Contributes to, and What Can Be Done questions you may have regarding Indirect Trauma! The article begins with the following:

“Professionals who work with trauma survivors in an open, engaged, and empathic way and who feel responsible or committed to helping them are likely to experience indirect trauma. That means that they will be transformed by the work. The way helpers understand and experience the world and themselves is changed as they enter into the world of the survivor. While trauma work can be very meaningful and rewarding, it can also be very difficult and painful. The changes helpers experience in their identities, world views, and spirituality affect both the helpers’ professional relationships with clients and colleagues and their personal relationships.

Indirect trauma, also known as vicarious trauma (VT), compassion fatigue (CF), or empathic strain, is an inevitable byproduct of working with trauma survivors. It isn’t the “fault” of survivors, any more than occupational stress in air traffic controllers is the fault of pilots or airline passengers. Indirect trauma is the cumulative response to working with many trauma survivors over time. The signs and symptoms of indirect trauma resemble those of direct trauma. Treaters may experience intrusive imagery and thoughts, physiological arousal, avoidance, or anxiety. Treaters may also experience disruptions in their personal or professional relationships, in managing boundaries, and in regulating their emotions.”

Please Check this out!-https://www.istss.org/treating-trauma/self-care-for-providers.aspx

+ = Innovations-

Prevention of premature birth may be our strongest ally in creating health and wholeness in and beyond our Neonatal Womb community! GAPPS leads us forward in this endeavor.

GAPPS (Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Still Birth)-

“Nov. 17, 2016 – In 2011, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation committed $20 million to the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth (GAPPS), an initiative of Seattle Children’s, to fund the Preventing Preterm Birth initiative (PPB).

The PPB is part of the Grand Challenges in Global Health, and seeks to discover biological mechanisms that lead to preterm births and develop novel interventions to prevent them. In the five years since its launch, GAPPS has overseen 13 projects funded through the PPB and tremendous strides have been made in preterm birth research.

More than 15 million babies are born too soon every year, and preterm birth is the leading cause of death in all children under 5 worldwide. Despite this high global burden, few strategies have been found that can identify women at risk or prevent preterm birth.

GAPPS was asked to develop the PPB to evaluate if investment in a consortium of innovative investigators could advance the science of pregnancy and preterm birth and identify novel targets for preterm birth prevention. By bringing together experts from a variety of scientific disciplines and creating a collaborative research program, the PPB has yielded promising discoveries in pregnancy health.

“The strength of the PPB consortium is its ability to bring together a cadre of established investigators, both within and outside the reproductive biology community, who regularly question and critique each other’s work and direct ongoing activities to improve project outcomes,” said Dr. Eve Lackritz, GAPPS Deputy Director. “Collaborations among investigators have continued to expand, and increased communication among researchers has benefitted the program as a whole. We’re proud of the investigators and their innovation and accomplishments, which have more than fulfilled the vision of the PPB.”

For the full article please proceed! –http://gapps.org/resource/press_room/press_releases/preventing-preterm-birth-initiative-yields-promising-research-discoveries

Community–

Wikipedia: Kenya (/ˈkɛnjə/; locally [ˈkɛɲa] ( listen)), officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country in Africa and a founding member of the East African Community (EAC). Its capital and largest city is Nairobi. Kenya covers 581,309 km² (224,445 sq mi), and had a population of approximately 45 million people in July 2014.

A BIG SHOUT OUT to our Friends at WE Charity who founded and support The Baraka Health Clinic situated in the Narok South District of Kenya which serves approximately 30,000 community members. The clinic was established by Free The Children (now WE) to help increase primary health care including mother and child health services for the Maasai, Kipsigis and Kisii communities. The permanent health clinic is an extension to, and works in conjunction with, an earlier established mobile health care unit that serves all of Adopt a Village’s partner communities.

Rise in preterm births threat to child health in Kenya

“Figures released by the Ministry of Health (MOH) indicate that of the 1.5 million live-births in Kenya annually, 188 thousand are of babies born too soon (below 37 weeks).Based on these statistics, one out of every eight children born in the country is premature.

“This is worrying. And it makes Kenya one of the countries with the highest number of pre-term babies,” noted Dr. Nicholas Muraguri, Director of Medical Services, during the commemoration of the World Prematurity Day.”

“Dr Katema Bizuneh, Unicef Kenya’s chief of health noted that close to 80 per cent of these deaths are largely preventable through low cost interventions that have already been scientifically proven to work effectively. An example, he states, is the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) technique where the tiny infant is held skin-to-skin on the mother’s chest. This keeps the baby warm, facilitates breastfeeding and wards off infection. As a result, the baby matures faster and can finally be discharged from the hospital,” said Dr. Bizuneh.”

The article states that The World Health Organization estimates that the use of KMC can prevent close to 450,000 new-born deaths annually, especially among pre-term babies, and that studies have also shown that the mortality rate for babies who benefit from KMC can be the same or higher than that of premature babies in incubators.

The full article is available at: http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Rise-in-preterm-births-threat-to-child-health-in-Kenya/539550-2527814-oxp99c/index.html

paz The publication “All AFRICA” provides us with a current perspective (09/23/16) regarding Kenya’s preterm birth challenges and proposed prevention and treatment solutions. Identification of factors contributing to the causes on neonatal deaths, preterm birth, and a focus on identifying current, cost effective and evidence based solutions are shared by the author, Muthoni Waweru.