So you first find out that you are pregnant with a longed-for baby (or babies), you go along to the GP and say, “I’m pregnant!” fully expecting a full drum roll and fanfare of trumpets. Because you obviously are the first woman in the world ever to be pregnant, aren’t you? At least, that’s what … [Read more...]
The Waiting Game…some thoughts on induction of labour
Up to a quarter of births in the West are induced by one means or another. Only half of those inductions take place because of a medical or obstetric reason. The rest take place because of the woman's dates. The date on the calendar is not the best way of indicating that a baby should be born right … [Read more...]
Chocolate IS good for you in pregnancy!
At last! The research study we have all been waiting for. This is the abstract of a study I've just read about thanks to MIDIRS and the NCT library service: I reproduce it here without further comment.... Potential effects of chocolate on human pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. di Renzo … [Read more...]
Final days of pregnancy
"As the birth approaches you’re a bag of nerves, so you need to know your partner is ready to swing into action whenever he gets that call." That's what a big pregnancy and baby advice website is saying today in its advice for the final days of pregnancy. So you're a "bag of nerves", are you? I … [Read more...]
Childbirth as horror: Ten Twilight-Related Facts About Childbirth
I doubt I will be seeing the final film in the "Twilight" trilogy unless by accident. I didn't see the other two. The relative hotness of R-Patz and Taylor Lautner does not fire me (though as the mother of two pallid West London schoolboys I feel a slight patriotic pride to see girls swooning over a … [Read more...]
Pre-eclampsia: has this study found a simple, low cost dietary answer to protecting women?
This is a really interesting study. Did you realise that pre-eclampsia might be linked to dietary factors?The BMJ has published a study done in Mexico involving women at high risk of pre-eclampsia. The women given food bars with high supplements of L-arginine (an amino-acid) and anti-oxidant … [Read more...]
Euphemisms and birthing language
The language around birth is very important. With HypnoBirthing it is all-important since hypnotherapy is an entirely language-based therapy.in this month's "Practising Midwife", the distinguished midwife Sara Wickham discusses euphemisms such as "pop" - "often preceded by the word just"..."an … [Read more...]
