Articles

Delayed Cord Clamping

Until recently, standard practice in most labour wards was to clamp and cut the umbilical cord immediately after birth.  However, more recently, evidence has emerged to support the idea that delaying the clamping of the cord could have beneficial effects for the baby. At birth, the flow of blood through the umbilical cord usually continues for a few minutes. The additional blood transferred to the infant during this time is known as placental transfusion. For a full-term infant, placental transfusion gives the infant an additional 80–100 ml of blood. Very quickly, the additional plasma from the placental transfusion is broken […]

Pregnancy- Is it possible not to know?

Taken from BBC Online A British servicewoman who gave birth to a baby boy in Afghanistan on Tuesday is understood to have been “astonished” to discover she was pregnant. The woman, who had been stationed at Camp Bastion in Helmand province since March, only learned she was going to give birth when she complained of stomach pains to military doctors. Most women will find it incredible that a pregnancy would go unnoticed for several months or more, since there are numerous of signs of pregnancy. A woman’s periods stop, morning sickness often occurs in the early stages and women feel […]

If you dont want to wet yourself in late pregnancy- DO YOUR PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES!

This Article is taken from Reuters Pregnant women who exercise and strengthen their pelvic muscles are less likely to have problems with urine leakage in their third trimester, a new clinical trials finds. Experts have long recommended that pregnant women do so-called Kegel exercises to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, including the muscles that help control urine flow. The exercises may help manage urinary incontinence – a common problem in pregnancy – or help prevent it from arising after childbirth. Still, there have been questions about just how effective Kegel exercises are in preventing incontinence – particularly the […]

What does the Shape of your Bump Really Mean?

Mother and Baby Magazine offers some insights into the shape of your bump! DOES A HIGH BUMP MEAN IT’S A GIRL? No! The tighter your abdominal muscles (affected by you age and fitness level) , the higher your bump! DOES A LOW BUMP MEAN IT’S A BOY? No! Carrying low is a sign that your stomach muscles are not as strong as they once were.  This is normal. DOES A BIG ROUND TUMMY MEAN IT’S A GIRL? No! A short torso means you have less room for your uterus to grow up, so your bump will get wider.  Or your […]

Your Baby’s Movements – Guidelines

This is a copy of an article published by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.  It can be viewed in a PDF format here. RCOG pdf   About this information This information is for you if you would like to know about your baby’s movements during pregnancy. It may also be helpful if you are concerned that your baby has not been moving as much as usual or if you feel that your baby’s movements have changed. It tells you about: what are normal movements for an unborn baby what affects how much you feel your baby move what […]

Midwives and Doctors advised to delay clamping cord.

Midwives and doctors are advised to delay clamping the cord after birth.  Read about this on the BBC’s website

How to react if your baby chokes. Guest Blog by Resuscitation Officer at Top London Hospital.

Facing the unthinkable.. can I do it?  YES you can and there are simple ways to become empowered to do so! You are in the front room with your child and they begin to cough, your attention is instantly peaked. The cough seems louder than normal, different and you feel a sense of panic and dread come over you.. they are choking on something.  The child has a panicked look on them; they have gone red and now are starting to go blue at the lips… what would you do?  Could you do anything?  The simple answer is YES. Choking […]

Folic Acid to Reduce Risk of Cleft Palate

Taken from the NHS News Service, Ref BMJ and BJGP According to the results of a population-based cohort study published in the British Journal of General Practice, the risk of having a cleft lip or palate seems to be more than four times higher if mothers do not take folic acid in the first three months of pregnancy. The authors note that a cleft lip and palate occurs in approximately one in 700 live births, with prevalence varying according to geography and ethnicity.  The cause is complex but involves both genetic and environmental factors; for the latter, factors implicated include […]

Link between fear of childbirth and longer duration of labour?

Taken from the RCOG Website. Women with a fear of childbirth endure a longer labour finds new research   Women who have a fear of childbirth spend longer in labour than women who have no such fear, suggests new research published today in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Between 5 and 20% of pregnant women have a fear of childbirth.  Various factors have been associated with increased prevalence of fear of childbirth, including young maternal age, being a first-time mother, pre-existing psychological problems, lack of social support and a history of abuse or adverse obstetric events. This […]

RCOG advises pregnant women to avoid alcohol despite new research

Taken from  RCOG (Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecology) Website RCOG statement on new BJOG research looking at alcohol consumption in early pregnancy and its effects on children Five Danish research papers are published today in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology focussing on alcohol levels and its effect on neurodevelopment of children aged five years. 1,628 women recruited from the Danish National Birth Cohort at their first antenatal visit took part in the studies. The researchers have looked at low, moderate, high and binge drinking and found that overall low to moderate weekly drinking in early pregnancy […]