Mothers who cuddle their baby immediately after birth are more likely to breastfeed successfully

Women who already plan to breastfeed before the delivery are even more likely to do so when they have instant skin-to-skin contact with the baby

Experts want midwives and doctors to ensure new mothers get the maximum opportunity to have skin-to-skin contact

This is because breastfeeding is seen as 'one of the easiest things we can do for babies to make sure they're growing up healthy'

Cuddling a baby immediately after birth helps new mothers breastfeed successfully, according to researchers.

A study shows that women who had already planned to breastfeed before the delivery were even more likely to do so when they had instant skin-to-skin contact afterwards.

Experts want midwives and doctors to ensure new mothers get the maximum opportunity to have skin-to-skin contact right from the start.

Women who already planned to breastfeed before the delivery were even more likely to do so when they had instant skin-to-skin contact, says a new study

The study’s author Dr Darshna Bhatt said: ‘Breastfeeding is one of the easiest things we can do for babies to make sure they’re growing up healthy. While skin-to-skin contact is associated positively with exclusive breastfeeding, the statistically significant factor is intention.’

Dr Bhatt, of the Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York, led a research team which studied medical records of premature and healthy babies born in a New York hospital to see if the mother had immediate contact in the delivery room.

 

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They also looked at whether she had expressed an intention to breastfeed and various other details about the delivery, such as her age, if it was a Caesarean section and the gestational age of the child.

Experts want midwives and doctors to ensure new mothers get the maximum opportunity to have skin-to-skin contact

They also noted the number of formula feedings, birth weight, discharge weight and duration of hospital stay.

Of the 150 births examined, 53 per cent of the infants had skin-to-skin contact with their mothers in the birthing room.

Almost three-quarters of the mothers had said prior to the birth they intended to breastfeed exclusively, although only 28 per cent actually did.

The intention to breastfeed and skin-to-skin contact were significantly linked to exclusive breastfeeding, independent of maternal age, mode of delivery and whether the mother had given birth previously.

Dr Bhatt, who released details of the study at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference in Orlando, said this ‘synergistic effect’ between intent and skin-to-skin contact increases the odds that a mother will breastfeed.

She said: ‘We have to create a more interdisciplinary approach to increasing awareness and intention. When mothers declare their intention to breastfeed, there really shouldn’t be a reason why they don’t have skin-to-skin contact with their new infant in the delivery room.’

Britain has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in Europe, with almost one in four new mothers never attempting to breastfeed compared with 2 per cent in Sweden. By four months old, 75 per cent of babies in Britain drink formula rather than breast milk.

Previous studies found babies held tightly against their mother’s skin in a ‘kangaroo mother care’ position bounce back more quickly from medical procedures. Kangaroo mother care involves infants being carried by their mother with skin-to-skin contact and is often used as a method of care for premature babies.

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The secret to healthy sperm? CARROTS: Study finds they boost performance more than any other fruit or veg

Study found many yellow and orange-coloured fruit and vegetables improved men’s fertility, but the carrot produced the best all-round results

The sperm-boosting qualities come from chemicals called carotenoids, which give such foods their familiar colour

Carrots have long been said to be good for your vision. Now, it has emerged, they can also improve the fertility of men.

Researchers investigating the effect of fruit and vegetables on the health of sperm discovered that carrots produced the best all-round results.

They had the greatest effect on ‘motility’ – a term used to describe the ability of sperm to swim towards an egg.

Recipe for super sperm? A new study found many yellow and orange-coloured fruit and vegetables improved men's fertility, but the humble carrot produced the best all-round results

Researchers at Harvard University in the US asked almost 200 young men to follow diets containing a variety of fruit and veg before testing to see what effect it had on sperm.

Yellow and orange foods were found to help make the sperm stronger.

The boost was attributed to pigments called carotenoids because the body converts some of these into health-boosting antioxidants.

These include beta-carotene, which the body can make into the antioxidant vitamin A.

The sperm-boosting qualities come from chemicals called carotenoids, which give such foods their familiar colour

Antioxidants help to neutralise free radicals, destructive groups of atoms that are a by-product of metabolism and can damage cell membranes and DNA. 

Sweet potato and melon can enhance the quantity and quality of sperm, but carrots were found to improve sperm performance by between 6.5 and 8 per cent, according to a report in the journal Fertility and Sterility.

Red fruit and veg, particularly tomatoes, which contain the anti-cancer chemical lycopene, were associated with fewer abnormally shaped sperm.

They contributed to between 8 and 10 per cent more ‘normal’ sperm, said the research, which could make a significant difference for couples having problems conceiving.

The report said: ‘In a population of healthy young men, carotenoid intake was associated with higher sperm motility and, in the case of lycopene, better sperm morphology.

‘Our data suggest that dietary carotenoids may have a positive impact on semen quality.’

It comes amid reports that the quantity and quality of male sperm is declining in Western countries, with some studies showing that average sperm counts have fallen by over half.

A previous study from Harvard showed that men eating diets containing most saturated fat had the lowest sperm counts and poorer quality sperm.

However, men who ate more ‘good’ fats – including omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and some plants – had better quality sperm than those eating less.

Carrots have long been prized for their proven ability to help maintain eye health.

They are a prime source of vitamin A, which the retina of the eye needs to function. The vitamin’s antioxidant properties may help prevent cataracts and a deficiency causes night blindness.

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Forget man flu, it's WOMEN who suffer (and complain) the most

Female flu lasts 20% longer than 'man flu' and has worse symptoms

21% of women go to bed on the first day of a cold, 16% of men do

Women more likely to complain but 25% say they do so to get sympathy

Women think runny noses are the worst symptom, men think sore throats are worst

'Wo-man flu' lasts 20 per cent longer and has worse symptoms than 'man flu', with 21 per cent of women going to bed on the first day of a cold, compared to 16 per cent of men

Men have long been figures of fun when it comes to suffering a bout of the flu.

But a new survey has found it's actually women who struggle to deal with their symptoms - and complain the most.

Female flu lasts 20 per cent longer and has worse symptoms than 'man flu', with 21 per cent of women going to bed on the first day of a cold, compared to 16 per cent of men.

The fairer sex are also more likely to complain about their illness - but a quarter admit they do it just to get sympathy, according to new research.

In contrast, 13 per cent of men say they want 'tough love' to help them power through, while 14 per cent say that when they have a cold they want people to make them laugh as that will help them feel better.

Runny noses are the most moaned about symptom for women, while men rate sore throats as the worst symptom.

The research, commissioned by Beechams, also found women are twice as likely to use their symptoms as an excuse to get out of something they do not want to do.

One in five women use their ailment as an excuse to avoid meeting up with someone, one in six avoid chores, and six per cent use it for getting out of something their partner wants to do.

However, neither sex can stand losing their spark when they get a cold, with a third hating their lack of energy and one in three women, and one in five men, listing feeling 'foggy' and unable to concentrate as one of the worst symptoms.

 

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Mothers were found to be twice as likely to take at least four days of work a year with flu when compared with women without children. 

Nine per cent of men, and five per cent of women, claim they never get colds.

Some 13 per cent of men say they want 'tough love' to help them power through, while 14 per cent say that when they have a cold they want people to make them laugh as that will help them feel better

Mona Sheikh, from Beechams, said: 'Everyone’s heard of "man flu" but it’s really interesting to see that our results suggest that "wo-man flu" may actually be worse and even last longer.

'We know that the stages of a cold affect people in different ways, so we conducted this research to better understand how a cold impacts on people’s lives - and how they cope with it.

'The average person gets on average two to four colds per year and we know how it feels - no one likes losing their spark and missing out due to a cold (unless you’re faking it!)

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2481221/Forget-man-flu-WOMEN-suffer-complain-most.html#ixzz2jKDeZ77h 
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Spa claims ‘python massage’ induces fear in order to boost metabolism Chill out with a fang-tastic full-body python massage

How do you feel about snakes, particularly pythons? Would you let several of them slither all over your back? If the thought of that sounds new and exciting, and not entirely terrifying, then you might want to take a trip over to the island of Bali, Indonesia, where the Bali Heritage Reflexology and Spa will allow a number of these snakes to commandeer your back for a very unconventional massage.

The full body massage consists of typical massage techniques administered by two staff members, one of whom places the pythons on the customer a few minutes into the procedure. The snakes’ movement is
ons that a massage therapist’s hands cannot, and being covered by the slithery serpents induces fear in customers, releasing adrenaline into the body — believed to positively affect metabolism, CBS reported (see photos here).

Pythons can vary in length from 23 inches to 33 feet. They are part of a group of snakes known as constrictors, which squeeze their prey until the animal is unable to breathe anymore rather than poisoning their prey with venom, according to the San Diego Zoo. Once the prey is dead, thr python begins to swallow the animal whole, by unlocking its jaws — this allows a python to consume prey up to four or five times bigger than its heads. But there’s no need to worry about any of this during the massage, because they’re fed 30 minutes prior to any therapy, and their jaws are taped shut for its duration.

A massage with a twist: A customer at Bali Heritage Reflexology and Spa in Jakarta lets pythons slither all over his body (Picture: Getty)

Most people go for a massage to relax – not to be scared witless.

But anyone daring to step through the doors of the Bali Heritage Reflexology and Spa in Jakarta will experience just that if they opt for the python massage.

Rather you than me: A masseuse works her magic with the help of a few pythons (Picture: Getty)

The Indonesian snake spa offers a unique massage treatment which involves having several pythons placed on the customer’s body.

The movement of the twisting snakes and the adrenaline triggered by fear is said to have a positive impact on the human metabolism.

Brave clients pay about £30 for the privilege of having the snakes crawl all over their bodies.

Earning his keep: A snake at the Bali Heritage Reflexology and Spa in Indonesia (Picture: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty)

But don’t worry too much – all are the reptiles used are said to be non-venemous.

People are apparently queuing up for the unconventional therapy. But it’s not a patch on Israel’s Barak’s Spa which not only offers snake massages but also places scampering mice and rats on people’s feet to help relieve the stresses of the day.

While there has been some research into the health benefits of getting a massage, the benefits of a python massage have not been explored at all. However, a 2011 study found that increased adrenaline was associated with certain metabolic processes, including lactic acid release from muscle and the breakdown of lipids (lipolysis).

It’s possible that the massages also provide customers with a kind of psychological release, in which their adrenaline builds for the duration of the massage, culminating in a sense of relief after it’s over. There are plenty of people who seek out horrific situations (and many would probably feel that having snakes poured on them would be horrific. These high sensation-seekers purposefully engage themselves in events and activities that provide heightened levels of arousal. They are also more responsive to the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is produced in high-intensity situations — these could range from watching horror films to skydiving to getting a python massage.

Inside the world's busiest maternity ward where women sleep five to a bed and 100 babies are born every day

300 mothers arrive at the Dr Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital each day

The hospital serves a Manila slum named Tondo, built on a rubbish dump

Mothers share a delivery room with at least five other birthing women  

Head midwife Anna Prebus has delivered around 200,000 babies

New babies and their mothers sleep five or more to a bed

Hospital subject of new BBC documentary World's Busiest Maternity Ward

Rosalyn, already a mother of six children, is waiting to give birth. But she will not enjoy the privacy of her own delivery room, her husband Eduardo by her side.

Instead, Rosalyn will be one of the 300 new mothers crammed into the wards at the Dr Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, which sees, on average, 60 new babies come into the world every single day.

Space at the maternity wing is at a premium, so Rosalyn and her new baby will share with other mothers, usually five to a bed but sometimes more, and she will give birth as part of a group of six when the time comes.

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Crammed: The wards at the Dr Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital are packed - with more than five women per bed

Dubbed the 'world's busiest maternity ward', the natal wing at the Dr Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital serves the nearby Tondo slum, a former rubbish dump now home to half a million people.

 

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Here, Rosalyn and her husband Eduardo eke out a living on his daily salary of 380 pesos (£6), augmented by Rosalyn's embroidery work which brings in around 280 pesos (£4) every few days.

'Even if you have no work, you still have to pay the bills,' explains Eduardo. 'I have two jobs for my family's sake.

'I'll do anything to earn more money for my family, odd jobs - even if it's on a Sunday.'

Back at the hospital, Rosalyn is having her final check up with one of the nurses at the Dr Jose Fabella.

Watched by documentary film maker Anita Rani, Rosalyn discusses the blood donors she will need to bring to the birth with a brisk, efficient nurse.

Queued up: Labouring women have to share the delivery suite with at least five other expectant mothers

Documentary: Film maker Anita Rani surrounded by some of the new mothers at the Manila hospital

 

Meet the Manila midwife who has delivered 200,000 babies

The Philippines is chronically short of blood which makes bagged blood enormously expensive and out of reach for someone like Rosalyn.

But with a seventh baby on the way, haemorrhage is a real risk so she's arranged for a friend to be at the hospital during the delivery along with Eduardo.

'It would be better to have three donors,' chides the midwife. 'Because here in Fabella, three donors is the equivalent of the amount of blood that would be used for you. 

'We prepare for your delivery because we don't know if you will bleed at the time of your delivery. Remember it's your seventh pregnancy.'

Seven children is not unusual in the Philippines. In Tondo, families of 10 or even 12 are common, and as a result, at peak times, midwives at the Dr Jose Fabella can deliver as many as 100 babies within a 24-hour period.

'Sometimes, during high season, 13  to 16 babies are in the delivery room at the same time,' Arlene Matanguihan, a resident doctor, said.

'It's chaotic but an organised chaos. We can still manage – no baby drops out on the floor.'

Privacy: For mothers like Rosalyn, there's no room where they can spend time alone with their newborn

Experienced: Chief midwife Anna Prebus, left, has delivered an estimated 200,000 babies 

Chief midwife Anna Prebus has delivered so many babies, she finds it impossible to remember how many she has brought into the world.

'I'm sorry but I can't remember [how many babies I've delivered],' she tells Rani. 'It's so many! Maybe 200,000. I've been here since 1986, almost 28 years.'

One in five of central Manila's mothers come here to deliver their babies, and midwives work day and night.

As a result, conditions in the hospital are grim, with queues of pregnant women waiting in the reception area and hundreds more squeezed into the tiled wards.

Those on the verge of giving birth are packed into a tiny labour room. 'There are five in a bed, sometimes we have more,' notes Prebus, who points to women being wheeled into the delivery room, at the very last minute, in groups of six or more.

But for Rosalyn, giving birth in front of five others is the least of her worries. Although the Dr Jose Fabella is a public hospital, operations have to be paid for.

As a result, she and Eduardo live in fear of complications and a hugely expensive caesarian section.

Uncomfortable: Post partum mothers are crammed into beds while their babies wait in a nearby nursery

Labour: A group of nurses and midwives cluster around a mother giving birth - there's no privacy at all

'I'm worried because it's her [Rosalyn's] due date,' explains Eduardo as he waits nervously by his wife's side.

'I am also concerned with the child, whether it's going to be a normal delivery or by caesarian. 

'If she doesn't have a normal birth, we will be in financial trouble. The budget is our number one problem.'

'I will force myself to give birth by normal delivery,' adds Rosalyn. 'I just want a normal delivery. I cannot accept a caesarian section.

'I hope to have a problem-free delivery. That's what I pray for - that we will be OK when I give birth.'

Luckily for Rosalyn, her birth is a smooth one.

'There's no screaming, there's no babies crying, everyone is very controlled and composed,' comments a watching Rani.

Newborns: Documentary maker Anita Rani with two of the babies born at the world's busiest maternity ward

Disgusting: Like many on the maternity ward, Rosalyn lives in Tondo - a teeming slum built on a rubbish dump

'I don't know what that says about Filipino women, something about their psyche... Just like that, another baby is born.'

When Rosalyn's baby boy finally makes his appearance, the new mother is relieved, if apprehensive about his future.

'If the child can finish his studies, I hope he won't be like us where you need to work just to be able to eat,' she says.

'There should be a limit on the amount of children you have. That is why I am teaching them not to follow in my footsteps and have lots of babies.'

Wise words, but for Prebus and her busy team of midwives, the 24-hour round of births continues.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2480170/Inside-worlds-busiest-maternity-ward-women-sleep-bed-100-babies-born-day.html#ixzz2jF8S9Uxi 
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