Tag: Mums

PAKMAG

The Best On-Screen Mums

by Anna Booysen

In honour of Mother’s Day this Sunday, we have put together a list of some of the best mums on TV and in Movies. Whether it’s because they’re hilarious, nurturing, give solid advice or are charming and clever, these are the mums that we can’t forget.

Lorelai Gilmore – Gilmore Girls

Lorelai never seems to miss a beat with her wittiness and the friendship she has with her daughter inspires honesty. Running on coffee and fast food, she refuses to let others tell her who she should be.

Donna Sheridan – Mamma Mia

Being a good mum is important to Donna, but so is having a good time. She might be wiser and stronger than she was in the 70’s, but she’s always down to have some fun (and sing her heart out!).

Kitty Forman – That 70’s Show

Kitty is the ultimate mum, constantly caring for everyone – not just her kids. Just make sure to not get her annoyed!

Mrs. Gump – Forest Gump

Despite her son’s troubles and her own, this mum’s unconditional love and support never dwindles, pushing him to do great things.

Claire Dunphy and Gloria Delgado Pritchett – Modern Family

These two mums manage to juggle all of their 21st century household dramas, with a seemingly endless supply of humour and stamina.

Helen Parr – The Incredibles 

Like a true supermum, Helen is intelligent, strong and fights to protect her family at all costs. She encourages her children to be themselves.

Marge Simpson – The Simpsons

Let’s face it, without Marge, the Simpson household would have been triple the chaos it already is. Marge provides the stability they all need.

Leigh Anne Tuohy – The Blind Side

Leigh Anne is a feisty and dedicated yet compassionate woman. She fights for Michael to have a great life and is never afraid to stand up for him.

Maria Portokalos – My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Maria is a proud Greek mother. Even when her and her daughter differ culturally, she supports her decisions and encourages her.

Kath – Kath & Kim

Kath is an Australian icon and has been for years with her “look at moooiiii” phrase. It’s hard to get enough of how funny she is, whether it’s intentional or not!

Jean Milburn – Sex Education

With her power-outfits and endless wisdom on sex and relationships, Jean is always just trying to do her best at parenting whilst maintaining a friendship with her son Otis.

Joyce Byers – Stranger Things

Joyce is another example of a mum who will do anything for her kids. Her loyalty stands strong and she loves fiercely. 

Queen Elinor – Brave

Always there for her family, Elinor handles the task of managing her headstrong daughter while being a fierce source of guidance and love.

Jen Harding – Dead to Me

A hard-working and witty mum, Jen stays strong for her kids no matter what challenges she faces in her life and never lets the situation get in the way of her humour.

Carol Brady – The Brady Bunch

Truly a 70’s icon, Carol Brady plays a strong woman in her role of being a mum of six and pulls it all off with a smile on her face.

Grace Skolka and Lily Tomlin – Grace and Frankie

Grace is a headstrong, capable woman and Frankie is the eccentric, spiritual artist. They discover a new definition of family together and don’t let their differences get in the way of their friendship.

 

 

Tommee Tippee
PAKMAG

Support For New Mums Beginning Their Breastfeeding Journey

by PakMag Contributor

New mums face many kinds of emotional challenges when it comes to feeding a newborn. For many it takes time, patience and practice and with the right tips and tricks, mums can tackle breastfeeding head on.

As with many other stages of pregnancy, birth and motherhood, Dr Nicole Highet from COPE (Centre of Perinatal Excellence), explains why working out the best way to nurse is often such a difficult time for new mums:

“Many people enter parenthood with ideals of what it will be like – often stemming from advertising and social media – and it’s far from their reality. For many, the fact there is limited honest discussion about the challenges of being a new parent, leads to feelings of failure – believing they aren’t a ‘good’ or ‘natural’ mother.”

“…Hope, expectation and pressure from health professionals compound feelings of failure if new mums are unable to breastfeed – whether by choice or circumstance. Every woman is different and we, as a community, need to learn to acknowledge this and respect decisions and circumstances.”

Here are her top five tips for new mums dealing with the challenges of breastfeeding:

  1. You are not alone. Plenty of new mums struggle with breastfeeding, and it absolutely does not make you a failure.
  2. Remember that what you might see in media or advertising is often romanticised and doesn’t always reflect reality.
  3. The most important thing is that your baby is getting nourishment. Whichever route to feeding ends up being best for you is best for your baby too.
  4. Your role as a mother is to look after your baby and looking after yourself is integral to this.
  5. Respect other women’s maternal and feeding decisions, whatever they may be.

Tommee Tippee, a global leader in baby feeding and sleep accessories, also recognizes that no two mums are the same. Vanessa Gonzalez from Tommee Tippee commented, “Becoming a new mum is an amazing time in any woman’s life but it can also be seriously overwhelming. When getting to grips with feeding a newborn it’s so important that mum is able to make her comfort a priority as well as her child’s.”

How the ‘Made for Me’ range can help

‘Made for Me’ has been developed and tested with real women in mind by Tommee Tippee. To provide support when it comes to breastfeeding, there are five different products, including an improved electric pump and a new silicone pump, tailored to support mums in whatever feeding style they choose.

“At a time when all focus is on baby, we wanted to create a range that put mum at the center and encourages a little bit of self-care,” Vanessa says. “Breastfeeding is an extraordinary effort and commitment by mum which should be celebrated. That’s why the ‘Made for Me’ range was developed specifically with mums in mind, because we understand that each one is truly one of a kind.”

Tackling the challenges of being a new mum is hard, so it’s important to get help where you can and from who you trust to make it easier. Remember that everyone is different and thus their breastfeeding journey is going to be different too.

Find out more about The Tommee Tippee ‘Made for Me’ range by visiting www.tommeetippee.com.au

 

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PREGNANCY & BABY

COULD YOU BE STRUGGLING WITH PND?

by PakMag Contributor

Many women report feeling teary or down a few days after the birth of a baby. This is commonly referred to as the “baby blues”. The baby blues occurs between three to ten days after giving birth and is relatively common affecting up to 80% of women. The baby blues

usually disappear within a few days and don’t require any specialist treatment. Being surrounded by understanding family and friends can usually help during this time.

Around one in every six women will continue to feel down for a lot longer and will experience Post Natal Depression (PND). PND is the name given to depression that develops between one month and up to one year after the birth of a baby. Symptoms can begin suddenly or develop gradually. It is a serious condition and it’s important to get support and treatment as early as possible.

Common signs and symptoms of PND:

  • Moodiness that’s out of character
  • Crying frequently & becoming upset easily
  • Feeling unsure about your ability to be a mother
  • Increased irritability and frustration
  • Feeling unable to cope with day to day activities
  • Having negative thoughts about yourself and/or your baby
  • Reduced libido – not having any sex-drive
  • Changes in sleeping and eating patterns
  • Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
  • Feeling anxious and insecure
  • Wondering if you are a bad mother
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After having a baby most women are going to experience some of these feelings some of the time. It’s quite normal to not feel like cleaning up or cooking after having dealt with the demands of a newborn all day, or to not feel like socialising or being intimate with your partner when you feel exhausted or have had a baby being sick on you! For those women who have PND though, they are likely to feel depressed most of the time, even when they have had a good day and their baby is settled.

Recognising the signs and symptoms and acknowledging that there is a problem is often the most important step towards recovery. Talking about your feelings with your partner, family or friends can be very helpful. It is also important to let your doctor or child health nurse know how you are feeling. Your doctor may also suggest that you see a psychologist who can provide you with support, education and therapy to help with your negative thoughts and feelings.

If you are experiencing depression it may also be helpful to exercise in moderation by going out for a walk each day, rest when your baby is asleep, take time out for yourself to do an activity that you used to enjoy and reducing your commitments. The most important ting is to realise you’re not alone and that post natal depression is treatable.

PND Support Services
– Pregnancy, Birth & Baby Helpline – a 24/7 free helpline. Tel. 1800 882 436
– PANDA (Post and Ante Natal Depression Association) – an Australia wide helpline operating Mon- Fri. Tel. 1300 726 306.
– Beyond Blue Info Line – a free helpline providing information to people experiencing depression and anxiety. Tel. 1300 224 636.

Jenny Davis is a psychologist at Colahan Psychology