Arming
Shetul Patel, MD yourself with
Shelby Children’s Clinic - the ri ght
questions
at your baby’s newborn
appointments with the
pediatrician is more challenging
than you might think. New-
parent fatigue alone can
interfere with your ability
to think fast during those
all-too-important-first visits.
Lets go straight to the source
for tips on making your
newborn visits count.
' At about the
same time you
begin looking
for reading
glasses to see
the menu at
your favorite restaurant, it occurs
to you that you may be creeping
up on the life stage that used to be
referred to as “middle aged.” If you
prefer to believe 60 is the new 40
— and why shouldn’t you? — then
you're not hung up on the labels of
aging. But the reality for women in
their mid-40s and beyond is this:
there are health and wellness issues
best met eyes wide open. Reading
glasses and all.
Katie Borders, MD
Shelby Women's Care
HEART SMART
While cancer is the leading cause ~~ -
of death for women from 35 to
60, once women reach 65, heart
disease takes over as the lead killer.
Like the other muscles in your
The Kings Mountain Herald | www.kmherald.com
althyLivi
ASK THE DOCTOR
Get the Most from Newborn Visits
WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE THINGS YOU WANT BRAND-NEW PARENTS
TO TAKE AWAY FROM THEIR FIRST FEW VISITS WITH THE PEDIATRICIAN?
€D FEEDINGS
Newborns can take between one
half and two ounces of formula or
pumped breast-milk every two to
three hours. Breast-fed newborns
typically feed for 10 to 30 minutes
per feeding. The amount of weight
gain at follow-up visits will help
determine if the baby is receiving
the appropriate amount.
€ steep
Infants should sleep on their
backs in a crib or bassinet and
never in the bed with you. This
WOMEN'S HEALTH
Managing Your Wellness in Mid-Life
body, working your heart regularly
through exercise is paramount to
keeping it in top form.
JOINT EFFORT
Those faint popping noises you hear as
you hustle up the steps come with the
territory of aging. But, the more active
you are, the less likely those slight pops
and creaks will turn into aches
and pains.
Regular exercise will keep you feeling
good and help you avoid muscle and
joint aches. Exercise has been shown
to increase energy, improve the
quality of sleep and, of course, help
maintain a healthy weight. A good
target is 150 minutes of moderate
aerobic activity a week, like brisk
walking. It is also important to do
strength training exercises at least
twice a week. Consult your doctor
before beginning any new type
of exercise program.
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ng
significantly reduces the incidence
of what is known as Sudden Infant
Death Syndrome (SIDS). Don’t
place heavy blankets, pillows or
stuffed animals in the sleep area.
Infants should be allowed to have
“tummy time” daily, while awake,
to help with head shaping and
developing motor function.
€D FEVER
Fever in an infant less than
two months old is a true
emergency. Rectal temperature
greater than 100.4 Fahrenheit
PELVIC
As women age, there are
conditions that develop that are
frustrating and embarrassing,
for example heavy or irregular
menstrual bleeding or leaking
urine. Sometimes women start
changing their daily routines and
stop activities they enjoy due to
the worry of having an accident.
“It is important to seek care for
these conditions because there are
medications and procedures that
can correct them, which can
lead to a significant improvement
in quality of life,” says
Katie Borders, MD, from
Shelby Women’s Care, part of
Carolinas HealthCare System.
Another problem that may develop
is pelvic organ prolapse. “This is
when one or more of the pelvic
organs falls into or through the
vagina,” says Dr. Borders. These
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
§
Carolinas HealthCare System
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YOUR
HEALTH
at home or
on the go.
One convenient way to
manage your health.
Anytime. Anywhere.
CONNE oa pRB Y 8
I Fal la org
should prompt immediate
evaluationby a physician. Do
not give fever reducers in this
age group unless instructed to
do so by a physician.
To make an appointment with
Dr. Patel or another pediatrician,
call 704-512-5185.
organs include the bladder, uterus
and cervix, small bowel and rectum
as well as the top of the vagina if
someone has had a hysterectomy.
“Sometimes this falling is just an
occasional pressure, however it may
develop into a visible bulge that
has to be pushed back inside,” she
adds. It is not an emergency but
something that can be managed by
a gynecologist with a device called a
pessary or with a surgical procedure.
“While these issues may be
embarrassing to discuss with
friends or family, it is important
to bring them up with your
provider so that he or she can help
you get back to a normal routine,”
says Dr. Borders.