Question: I am a 26 year old female and have a 6 month old son. I breastfeed him and have stopped wearing bras for comfort. Lately I feel like my breasts are sagging. Is there any solution for this? A woman (Ahmedabad) Answer : When a woman becomes a mother for the first time, her body undergoes many changes. The shape of women's breasts also changes. New mothers also have to breastfeed, which sometimes makes the breasts feel engorged. The solution to this is simple. You face problems in wearing a bra, but you should choose the right bra. Feeding bras are also available in the market by wearing which you can easily breastfeed and your breasts will also get support. For this you can opt for a lightly padded t-shirt bra. Apart from this, the breasts can be shaped by massaging them. This improves blood circulation. Massaging the breast can help shape it. You can use almond oil or olive oil for this. Exercise can be very helpful in getting the breasts in shape. It also has no side effects. For this you can do push ups, chest press, but only light exercises. However, accept that breasts may become larger after childbirth as a woman's estrogen and progesterone levels drop drastically. The body increases the amount of prolactin which is a special hormone and works to produce milk in the breast. Due to milk entering the breast, its shape changes. However, when the baby stops drinking milk, the breast begins to return to a normal shape. Question: I have become a mother some time ago but for some reason I am not feeling the joy. I feel depressed despite the help of other family members in taking care of the child. What should I do in this situation? A woman (Vadodara) Answer : Many women feel like you. After becoming a mother, it is not uncommon to feel lonely or depressed even with family members around. Caring for a newborn baby is a difficult task and the time after delivery is full of emotional turmoil. This is a time of physical and mental change. Also, lack of sleep, hormonal fluctuations and the new role as a mother can be challenging. There are steps you can take to combat these problems. Tell your family members and close friends how you feel and ask for help. Consult a doctor about your loneliness and any other negative feelings. Learn about postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is prevalent in India and is an important public health concern. In addition to caring for the baby, take time for yourself and connect with other new moms nearby or online who may be feeling the same way you are. Be part of a community where you can understand yourself and feel good. Question: I am a 40 year old woman. Recently I dyed my hair for the first time as my hair has been graying excessively for some time now but after doing it I complained of swelling in the forehead, ears, back of the neck and irritation in the eyes. Will I have any serious physical problems? A woman (Surat) Answer : Some people experience allergic reactions after applying color to their hair. This reaction may be mild or severe. If you feel a slight burning or tingling sensation in the scalp after coloring your hair, it could be the beginning of an allergy. If you complain of swelling of the forehead, ears, back of the neck and irritation of the eyes after coloring, it could be a serious case of allergy. You can avoid hair dye damage by taking some precautions. So, whenever you use a new brand, get to know it well first. Try to use the same good brand consistently. Do a patch test to avoid allergies. A patch test tells you about your skin's sensitivity to a product. Along with this, it also protects you from allergic reactions. So, while preparing the hair color mixture, read the instructions given on the label. The back of the ear is the most sensitive. It immediately shows symptoms of any type of allergic reaction. Dip a cotton swab in the hair dye mixture and apply it behind the ear and then observe the reaction. Try the ammonia free hair color currently available in the market. If you want, you can also use henna mixed with coffee, amla and shikakai as a hair color. Question: My husband often feels extremely tired and weak after intercourse and sometimes his blood pressure also rises. Why would this be happening? They don't have any disease, right? A woman (Rajkot) Answer : Sometimes men feel tired and weak due to overstimulation and their blood pressure also increases. All this excitement and high blood pressure can be dangerous at times. You ask the husband to see a good sexologist and talk to him about fatigue, weakness and high blood pressure after intercourse. A sexologist will examine and tell the reason and what to do for it.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
