In order to help health care professionals proide better care to fathers who are with their partners at the time of a traumatic pregnancy and/or childbirth, Cheryl Beck (Professor at the University of Connecticut) and Sue Watson (Chairperson of TABS) are now conducting a research study on this topic. Men who have been present during a traumatic pregnancy and/or childbirth involving their partner are invited to participate in this research study. In order to participate men need to 18 years of age or older and be able to read and write English.

Just like Professor Beck's previous studies on birth trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after childbirth, this study will be conducted over the Internet. Fathers who were with their partners at the time of their traumatic pregnancy and/or childbirth will be asked to describe their experiences.

By Herbert P. Goodheart

Acne affects adolescents at a time when they're developing their personalities and evolving into adulthood. The psychological impact of severe or even mild acne can lead your child to feelings of diminished self-esteem and be a source of anxiety when it comes to dealing with the world. During this time, peer acceptance is very important to them and physical appearance and attractiveness is highly associated with status.

By Stephanie Cowan

New fathers, listen up! This article is about you and your role in protecting your baby from sudden unexpected death. Your baby needs you to be up to date in your knowledge, and strong in your decisions. Every year about sixty New Zealand babies die suddenly and unexpectedly in their sleep. Sadly, most of these deaths are preventable.

Throughout human history, fathers have been the protectors or guardians of their families. This role is a defining one for men, especially in modern times. A father who protects his children ensures their deep-rooted security, confidence and trust. It is no longer hungry lions and tigers that your babies need protecting from. The dangers now are harder to see. The lions and tigers of today lurk in the places where babies grow and the places where they sleep.

Protection as they grow

One in 20 grade-schoolers is taking drugs for Attention Deficit Disorder - or ADD. Now, some of these children may really need medication, but experts recommend that you examine your child's lifestyle before you medicate. Is his diet full of sugar, caffeine and processed food? Is he getting enough exercise? Is he getting too much stimulation from video games and TV?

But, more importantly, does your family life have structure? Is he getting enough attention from you? Often kids will act out to get noticed.

So, why not take a one-on-one weekend trip with him, and use that time to really observe and talk about his behavior. And talk about your relationship. For you may find that this is where the real attention deficit has been.

Here are some tips on parenting an ADD child.

Huddle up and ask your wife tonight: Do you think our child has ADD? Do you think it's a lifestyle or medical issue?

Posted with permission from www.allprodad.com

A couple of weeks ago I had taken Pyper to play group of which it has lots of new and interesting toys and with that comes safety, Pyper was on top of an indoor slide which is about ½ metre off the ground went to pull her feet around and went forward to make a huge thud on the ground and then 1, 2, 3 – S c r e a mmmmm!!!. As the only father at the playgroups I had the “wait till you get home you will be in trouble with your wife” jokes but in the end I was more worried about Pyper then what Renee would say well on the outside anyway!

Meals should provide a variety of foods from each food group so when making lunch for your toddler think something starchy (to provide energy), something with protein (to keep them full) and something vege/fruity (to provide essential vitamins).

Sandwich Ideas: Is your toddler getting bored with marmite and cheese?

Use 2 slices of whole grain bread, a pita pocket or tortilla wrap and choose a tasty filling:

• Grated carrot + crushed pineapple


• Cottage cheese + chopped nuts + pinch curry powder + sprouts


• Grated carrot + crunchy low salt peanut butter


• Creamed corn + chopped celery


• Mashed egg + unsweetened natural yoghurt


• Lite cottage cheese + finely chopped dates


• Mashed banana + squeeze of lemon juice


• Low salt peanut butter + honey


• Sardines + spring onions


• Smoked chicken + lite cream cheese + dried apricots

It happened so quickly, one moment she was on the bed, the next with a thud she wasn't!

One early morning, Ava was playing on top of the bed, Mum had popped out to the kitchen and I was still half asleep under the sheets (it was a weekend)

I turned just briefly when I heard the thud, reflex took over and I was over her in a moment. Ava had fallen of the bed on her face, her legs still in the air. She started crying, first thought was she is ok, so I picked her up to sooth her.

She suffered a scratch and bruising to her head, but was her cherry self soon enough.

Here are some things to check for if your baby/toddler takes a fall.
- Does not Vomit
- Moves neck, arms and legs normally
- Keep an eye on the soft spot as long as it doesn't start protuding your in good shape
- Keep awake for about an hour

Call your doctor if you are still not confident that your child is not well

Pyper got a couple of spots last weekend and then by Monday they were already fully out and ready for action. She looked terrible but seemed ok, we took her to the doctor and they confirmed yes it was chicken pox – well what do you know!!!

So ... lovely red spots all over your child's body, but what do they mean and why do they come along? Chicken Pox is a highly contagious illness caused by primary infection. It generally begins with a skin rash appearing in two or three waves, mainly on the body and head (rather than the hands or legs). The rash generally becomes itchy quickly with raw pockmarks and small open sores developing which heal mostly without scarring.

We were prescribed the following: Lorapaed as a syrup to help with irritation, Calamine lotion to put on the spots and then Pinetarsol to help with itchiness and to put in the bath.

Yes, yes yes ... the rumours are true ... we wrote a book last year and it got published last week. This week it is available at most high street stores in New Zealand and it will hit the shelves in the UK next month. Major online book retailers have also started selling it ... so "the word" is out! Have a look at our dedicated page for "Call Me Dad!" to find out more and check out the official media release.

Meanwhile we had a bit of a reflection on the writing process ... like the high lights and low lights (and everything in-between) of writing a book in this podcast. Despite the struggles and difficulties of pulling it all off in time and to everyone's liking, a sense of achievement remains and everyone at DIYFather.com is really excited about getting the book out. So a big THANK YOU to all the contributors and everyone who helped with the book! A special thanks of course goes to our children, partners and families for being there for us (and sticking with us) throughout the whole process

Thanks everyone reading this for spreading "the word" ... and if you live in Wellington, come along to our LAUNCH PARTY for drinks and nibbles on February 18th, 6pm at Dymocks on Lampton Quay.

Scott, Eric and Stefan

If you have children, and it doesn’t matter how old they are, then chances are you may have thought this at some point. You’re possibly even thinking it right now, and you probably believe yourself too. Sure, kids can make it a bit more difficult to exercise – less time and less money because of children are very good excuses that we often hear. But they are excuses, not reasons. And once you recognise this, you can plan your attack on exercise.
Children can be a great motivator for doing exercise - you are their role model and they will to look up to you and learn from you. Watching you exercise now not only keeps you fit and healthy (and more likely to live longer) but sets them up for a lifetime of good exercise habits, meaning they are less likely to be overweight and unfit as adults. What you are about to read will help you not only get fit, but have a great relationship with your children.