Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Types of Doulas

As more couples are choosing natural childbirth, the practice of using various types of doulas is becoming popular. The word doula is a Greek word and means to be a woman's servant. A doula is educated and trained to deal with different aspects of pregnancy and childbirth. There are three different types of doulas; antepartum, labor (birth) and postpartum. Each type of doula specializes in a different stage of pregnancy and/or birth.
The role of an antepartum doula is to provide assistance in the months preceding the birth of a child. For mothers-to-be who are put on bed rest or having a high risk pregnancy, an antepartum doula can provide invaluable services. The antepartum doula provides much needed practical help. The antepartum doula can assist with errands, laundry, cooking and everyday chores that the pregnant mother can no longer do. She also provides much needed emotional support. Having been trained in all aspects of pregnancy she can answer questions and calm the fears of an already stressed mother-to-be.
A labor doula's job is to assist once labor begins. She will usually meet with the couple several times prior to labor to discuss what they want during labor and help them create a birth plan. She establishes a relationship with the couple and answers questions during the months prior to giving birth. She does not provide medical care but can be a great source of information. Once contractions begin, the labor doula begins her work in earnest. Once it is established that the mother is in true labor, the labor doula will be her constant companion. The labor doula is trained in relaxation and comfort techniques to assist in both labor and delivery. Her job is to try and ensure that the couple has the best birth experience possible.
The last type of doula is a postpartum doula. A postpartum doula's job is to assist in the weeks following the birth of a baby. Her education and training in breastfeeding and newborn growth and development allows her to expertly assist the new mother. She provides physical help with things such as laundry, cooking and cleaning. She provides emotional support and gives the mother time to rest and relax knowing everything is under control.
If you are considering hiring doula for any aspect of your pregnancy, make sure you find one that you are confident in using. Consult with several if need be to find the one that you feel most comfortable with. Confidence in your doula is highly important so interview as many as you need. Most doulas will not charge for the initial consultation. Hiring one of the three types of doulas is an important decision so take your time and find one that meets your requirements.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Powerful Computer Components and Products From Micro Direct

Online Shopping has attracted many people from across the world. eBay no longer holds the title of being the most-visited website in the cyber world when it comes to online shopping. Online shoppers already found other equally reliable online store that deliver various items and UK boasts one of its own, Micro Direct. This store is a UK-based site and is a very user-friendly and favorable online shop to most online shoppers in UK. With the wide range of products by this online store, it can even compete with Amazon.
Micro Direct and Its Business Partners
This online company has close partnerships with world-renowned names such as HP, Lenovo, IBM, Apple, Asus, Epson, Energizer, and more which allow them to deliver with pride products from these big names. It is an authorized retailer of Microsoft making it the biggest provider of computer components and electronic gadgets for schools, universities, colleges and institutes across UK. And with its being a Microsoft Authorized Education Reseller, educational institutions like Oxford, Cambridge and the Open University patronized their items and services, too. Not only that, It also do business with the corporate sectors and business sector as they offer bulk deals and services all over the UK and even across the continent. Whether you are seeking for computer components, notebooks, electronic gadgets, peripherals, networking components (e.g. switches, routers, firewalls) software, or consumable products, you are in the right site.
Strong Customer Relationship
When it comes to computer components trading, nothing beats this online site as they are dedicated and deeply committed in selling first-class electronic products. Not only is the company gathering praises for their impeccable services, It is also known for the philosophy of consumers always comes first as they successfully cultivated a strong bond with their clientele. Considering their invaluable customer service and wide range of product benefits, there is no doubt that this store also manages to deliver a diverse range of products like electronics and computers with their specifications and other peripherals. Moreover, the pre and post sales support that this online shop provides make them one of the trusted providers of computer components and products online.
Enjoying the Money Off Vouchers for Micro Direct
You can enjoy more benefits by shopping at this online shop. To allow you get more products with the same amount of money, they also provide Micro Direct Offer Code, Money Off Vouchers for Micro Direct, Micro Direct UK Discount Codes that allow buyers to save more while earning more benefits and features with the product they avail from this site. The Money Off Vouchers for Micro Direct allows buyers to enjoy discounts and the money off vouchers for buyers are also a treat for every buyer who are shopping and willing to shed their budgeted money.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

UK Government Cutbacks Will Widen the North-South Divide

News of job losses continues unabated. Not so much for those employed by the house builders or major financial institutions, but further down the economic food chain. Those companies such as fashion house Ethel Austin with 300 stores predominantly in the North of England. They called in the receiver in February 2010 and have since set about closing 120 stores and issuing 1800 redundancy notices. They, like many others shedding labour, held on waiting for an upturn in the economy that never came soon enough to save them. Faced with still hesitant consumer spending, their loses continued and creditors ran out of patience. However, for the North, it is about to get a lot worse.
The UK's fairy tale economy saw a mushrooming of Public Sector jobs over the last 10 years. The broad industrial group 'public administration, education and health' covered 7.16 million jobs in 2007, 26.9 percent of total employment (Source: ABI statistics). Since then the Public Sector has grown whereas the Private Sector has been battered by the recession. In 2007 there were substantially less than one million unemployed, in February 2010 this figure had grown to 2.5 million (Source: office of National Statistics) and almost all of these job losses were in the Private Sector. Post election slashing of Government budgets is unavoidable and contraction of Public Sector jobs is now widely forecast. The only question is where the axe will fall.
The North South divide is about to get a lot wider as the cut backs in pubic expenditure will be felt most acutely in the North. Because of their national pay scales, the wages of Public Sector employees have always gone much further in the North. They offer the opportunity to spend significantly more in the local economy than their colleagues in the South, saddled for years with high mortgage costs and rents. This has benefited the money in circulation in the North and the boom in restaurants, bars and countless other businesses blossomed up and down the land. Just how much this was dependent upon salaries paid out of the public purse is about to become far more apparent.
Things have now changed and 'its grim' is about to return 'up North' because cut backs will be felt disproportionately by the major northern conurbations. Perversely, past efforts of Governments to create jobs in northern Britain are about to make matters worse. The Lyons Review from 2004 had a target to move over 24,000 jobs out of London by this year. However Lyons followed years of relocation of Government functions to the regions that started in the 1970's. As a consequence, by 2009 in the North West 3.4% of total employment was in the Civil Service. This compares to a more typical 1.3% in Eastern England and just 2.1% in London despite being the heart of Government. (Source: ONS, Civil Service Statistics, 2009).
Politicians pledging to preserve front line services in Health and Education will only mean even more pressure is applied elsewhere. Once again it is the North, specifically core cities that are likely to bear the brunt. Local Government statistics show they employ just over 40 people per 1000 residents in cities across the UK as a whole. However, in Manchester this is nearer 45 and in Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds and Newcastle there are over 55 per capita. Clearly these cities offer greater scope for large scale cut backs than elsewhere in the country.
Whether the Public Sector 'efficiency savings' manifest themselves in redundancies or just a recruitment freeze, the North's disproportionate dependency on the public purse will weigh heavily for several years to come. Money will melt from local economies and it follows that particularly smaller or regional businesses will suffer as a consequence.
State benefits paid when out of work are pitifully inadequate to meet the outgoings of the average household. Therefore, should anyone not have savings to get them and their families through six months to a year of unemployment, they should consider Income Protection Insurance. This can be bought for much less than insuring a car. On-line there are Income Protection Insurance providers offering typical policy benefits of up to £1500 per month. This will pay to up to a year and is enough to meet mortgage and other big bills. Dennis Haggerty of income protection specialist iprotect insurance commented "The most popular benefit level chosen by our customers is £1,000 per month, the average monthly premium for this insurance is under £30."
Income Protection Insurance is only available to people who are in work and have no immediate prospect of being selected for redundancy. So the time is running out for Civil Servants and other people in the Public Sector to secure this cover before the budget cuts for their particular area are announced.
Insurance companies are there to spread the risk of lost earnings. However they will not sell this type of cover to someone who is very likely to be made redundant, just like they decline fire insurance for a house that is already smouldering. With Public Sector jobs looking vulnerable, there has never been a more urgent time for anyone ultimately paid by the taxpayer to consider how they would meet their financial commitments if they were out of work. With a large section of the local workforce suddenly cutting back their spending because they are worried about their jobs, people employed in the Private Sector 'up North' should also be thinking how this could affect them and taking steps to protect themselves and their families.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Rewarding Careers in Public Speaking

There are some brave souls out there that have a natural or developed charisma for speaking in public. These public speakers are rare, because if you survey people in general about speaking in public they'll readily admit that it's one of the most feared things they have in their lives. There are some great rewarding careers in public speaking, and there are some key elements that make this type of career the right one for those that can muster up courage to publicly speak on a professional level.
First and foremost is should be noted that it requires no degree or higher education to be a good public speaker. While it's important to get an education for various reasons, some naturally gifted public orators can really showcase a credibility and sincerity in public speaking that transcends collegiate studies.
Motivational speakers are a great example of rewarding careers in public speaking. They provide a crucial element for people that are looking to change their lives path. By throwing a convincing argument of overcoming the obstacles in life, these career minded individuals have helped millions across the world achieve their dreams.
Rewarding careers in public speaking come with a benefit that most people do not have. They come equipped with the fact that you do not have to sit in an office somewhere, or have to wake up early to punch in the clock. There is a high demand for good public speakers, and if you can develop your natural talents to showcase speaking in public, you're going to find that it's one of the best decisions in life. Public speaking is not easy, that's why if you or someone you know is good at it, it's important to consider a career doing just that.