What About Antenatal Depression?
Antenatal depression is less widely known and is depression that some women feel while they are pregnant, and it is more common than we think, but not nearly as common as post-partum depression, and generally not as severe. It can appear during any trimester of the pregnancy and can last until after the baby is born. But what causes it?

Any number of things can contribute to a woman being depressed during pregnancy. Hormones can be a factor, and the pregnancy can often leave her feeling overwhelmed, and unable to handle things. A woman’s current life situation and/or stress level might also be a contributing factor to her depression.

What Are Some Signs of Antenatal Depression?
There are many signs of antenatal depression, so always ask your provider for help in dealing with any problems you may feel you re facing. Some women might find it hard to get excited about their pregnancy and their baby. They might feel disconnected or feel like it is someone else who is having the baby, not them. They may not be able to feel a bond with the baby growing inside of them, even as the baby starts to move and kick.These are all feelings that many women experience, and it is always best to talk about how you are feeling with someone you trust.

Some outward signs that family, friends and co-workers might notice are the mother’s stress level going up, and her lack of patience increasing as well. Small things that used to not bother her may now be causing tears, shouting, or temper tantrums. She may pick fights with her family and friends, she may yell more and get frustrated at her previous children, for things that shouldn’t matter, or become frustrated by things that those around her may not even notice.

How Can You Help?
If you are the mother-to-be, and you experience any od these feelings, you should talk to your doctor, explain what is going on, and ask what can be done about it. There are anti-depressant medications that can be taken while pregnant, which may help reduce your feelings of anxiety.

If you are a family member or friend, try to offer patience and support to the mother as she goes through this. If you aren’t sure she realizes it, ask her how she is feeling and suggest she talks to her doctor. If you attend her appointments with her, casually bring it up as a concern when you both talk with her doctor, and see if they have advice on what can be done. Let the doctor help the mother-to-be, as he or she may offer solutions to help the mother-to-be enjoy the experience of her pregnancy.

A person’s name is something they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Selecting a baby’s name is an important, but often difficult decision for many parents. Follow our guide for a simple process in selecting your baby’s name.

Most people have some ideas for good baby names and have thought about it on and off throughout their entire lives. Remember that the other parent and people around you will also have opinions about baby names, so sometimes it is a good idea to consider these opinions. If by some chance you do not have enough ideas for baby names, then search the internet for a baby name directory.

Remember that your new child will be stuck with whatever name you give him or her for the rest of their lives. Common names are “normal” and “safe”, but sometimes easily forgotten, especially when you meet a lot of people all at once. Unusual names are hard to remember at first, but once remembered usually stick to memory much better. You may want to choose a name that is easily pronounced from the spelling. When trying to pick a name, decide whether you want the child to have a common name or an unusual name.

If you want a not too common name that is easy to remember, try to think of names of people that you have never met before. For example, I’ve never personally met anyone named Darien, so perhaps that name is not too common. Although this method is far from scientific, it is a good way to brainstorm.

Want to avoid common names? Check out the following website that allows you the search for the most common names by year: www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/.

Once you have a list of names, you can move onto the second step in the process – picking the best name for the baby. It should be noted that in most cases, the two people who have authority of a new baby’s name are the mother and father. The opinions of friends, family members, and other associates can be taken into account as well, but ultimately the parents should make the final decision. The name should be one that both the mother and father like. Here are some methods for selecting a baby’s name:

1. The most obvious way to select a name is to just have both parents talk about it until they reach a decision. Most parents can come to agreements this way, although others may be more fixated on their own name choices. If selecting a baby name becomes difficult, try the methods below.
2. The father picks a boy name and the mother picks a girl name before the gender of the child is known (or vice versa). If either parent does not like a name, they can veto the name. For example, if the father picks “John” for the boy’s name and the mother does not like it, she can veto. The father then has to pick another name. This process continues until both parents pick names that are mutually acceptable. This method works best for parents that are not too picky about names. Otherwise, the process could last a long time.Â
    
3. If you want to involve friends and family, what you will need to do is make a list of names. Choose the names that you are most passionate about and make the list as concise as possible. Have friends and family rate the names on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being best (or rank them from favorite to least favorite). The parents can easily print out these surveys on paper or send the by email. Total up the scores and see what people around you think.

The reach a decision, parents must agree on a process and then follow it. In summary, following these simple steps can take the stress and difficulty out of selecting a baby’s name.

About the Author:
Criss White is a professional web writer on baby and new mother topics for baby and pregnancy websites. For more personalized gift ideas, go to Personalized Baby Shower Favors and for more candle gift ideas, see Baby Shower Candle Favors.