Wellness Wednesday – Stress Spreads

I was amazed. I was sitting at work at lunchtime listening to a conversation between the Pediatrician in our office and the P.A. he worked with. They were discussing how much acid reflux medicine to give a tiny infant. Really? This baby was not even six months old.  I asked about the circumstances and they just blankly stared at me. “What circumstances?” the P.A. asked me. “The ones that led to this tiny baby taking medicine for acid reflux” I replied. She said, “The baby spits up all the time and it upsets the parents and then everybody is freaking out and nobody gets rest.” She said that a large number of their young patients are on some form of medicine for this. The Pediatrician agreed. He added, “Nobody wants their baby to fuss.” I asked if the baby currently being discussed was still growing and gaining weight. “Yes, but she does spit up a lot.” they answered.   Okay, admittedly I do not know the specifics of this baby’s life but their comment that lots of babies are on medication just got me to thinking. Stress is everywhere. I can’t help but wonder if the parent’s stress wasn’t spilling over onto the baby. I believe it could happen in more ways than one.

Please note, the following thoughts are just that, my thoughts. I do not necessarily have facts to back up everything I’m thinking – then again, it’s just common sense! I was thinking if the mother was a really stressed out nervous person while pregnant chances are good it wore down her immune system and could have allowed for more acid to form in her system and effect the baby inutero.  Secondly, just the atmosphere. If you are stressed out all those around you can feel it. If you are in a confined space with someone who is very nervous it doesn’t take long before those emotions/actions can effect you as well. Children and even animals can sense emotions. Misery likes company you know. Lastly I was thinking about parents of baby’s who spit up alot. This I know about. Our first was a spitter. 🙂 It can be embarrassing. Someone thinks your baby is cute and takes them from you before you get a chance to say anything and before you know it, YUCK right there on the unsuspecting persons shirt. WahLah, more stress!

There is always the diet factor too. What was/is the mother’s diet like while she was pregnant and now if she is nursing? Is it full of processed foods? Caffeine?  We as adults often make choices for our children on what they eat. What kind of choices are we making? “Easy, fast” food or a variety of food types including all of the food groups?

The point is the same, in this nation our stress is making us sick. Just how we get to that point varies from person to person but it is not just adults who suffer from stress. Kids are suffering too. Directly or indirectly it gets to them. Take a minute to think about the last time you were around someone of any age who was obviously “stressed out”, how did it effect those around them? What if anything helped to diffuse the situation?

Check out this link for some thoughts of reducing stress by a time of quiet. A Quiet Place to Rest