Articles

Hyperemisis Gravidarum – What are the effects?

By Roger Marwood Msc FRCOG               We are all relieved to hear that the Duchess of Cambridge is feeling better and able to return to normal activity. For some women Hyperemesis Gravidarum is a serious and disabling condition that can have significant health  problems for the mother to be, her unborn baby, and her family. I have seen many women  for whom this is a lot more than a 3 month problem of morning sickness. Try and imagine the worst hangover that you have ever had and multiply it by a factor of ten […]

Why am I Terrified of Childbirth?

Why am I Terrified of Childbirth? by Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Roger Marwood Msc FRCOG Fear of Childbirth (FOC) or Tokophobia is finally getting some long overdue attention and consideration by doctors and midwives who look after pregnant women . There are various definitions. It is perhaps best described as a significant anxiety disorder or phobia relating to labour and delivery usually associated with a variety of other complaints . These can take the form of  nightmares, sleep disorders, a variety of physical symptoms, difficulties at home and at work, and often result in a request for Caesarean section. Previous studies […]

Morning Sickness – All Day Nausea? What helps?

Saidee Bailey Senior Nutritionist Perfect Start Pregnancy www.perfectstartpregnancy.com There are lots of factors that may contribute to a women feeling nauseas throughout her pregnancy, from plain old nerves or anxiety about becoming a mother to wildly fluctuating hormones, nausea can be the root of considerable discomfort. But before you start existing permanently on dry crackers there are a few other natural ways you can alleviate your nausea. My top tips for tackling nausea. Little girls are said to be made of sugar and spice and all things nice however throughout your pregnancy it may be better to favour the spice part of that rhyme over the sugar. If mums […]

Can I Smoke Weed When I am Pregnant?

Not a good idea . It will double your chances of a premature baby. A recent study in France interviewed over 14,000 women in the first 2-3 days after delivery , and asked them about Cannabis use in their recent pregnancy. Over 13,000 women agreed to answer the questions. They were asked about their age, number of pregnancies, social status , level of education, tobacco and alcohol use . The outcome of their pregnancies were then compared according to their use of Cannabis and other factors. The admitted incidence was 1.2 %,  which was much lower than previous similar studies, […]

Can Breastfeeding Help Prevent Post Natal Depression?

Have you heard the news that successful breastfeeding can help to prevent Post Natal Depression? But didn’t we know that already? Well not exactly. There was always the theory,  that , women who were able to breast feed , were in some way different from those women who did not breast feed their babies. In other words, the breast feeders may themselves be less likely to get depression, or better supported or in some way helped by the hormonal changes associated with lactation. No study had ever really looked at the relationship between breastfeeding and postnatal depression and also taken […]

La Leche League – Sweet Sleep: Nighttime and Naptime Strategies for the Breastfeeding Family

  If you would like a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review- please LIKE our Facebook Page  – SHARE our post and leave a comment – we will pick someone out of a hat on Monday!   Book Description Publication Date: 29 July 2014 Sweet Sleep is the first and most complete book on nights and naps for breastfeeding families. It is a how-to guide for making sane and safe decisions on how and where your family sleeps, including words of wisdom and reassurance from mothers, all backed by the latest research.   It’s 4 A.M. You’ve breastfed […]

Second Babies Can be QUICK!!

If you read the papers yesterday,you may have come across a great story about an actress who delivered on Hollywood Road, on the way to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. What was interesting was that she lived very near the hospital and was less than one minute away when she delivered on her mother’s Burberry coat ! Thankfully all went well , and mother and baby were back home after 10 hours. All that hard labour, uncertainty, false alarms, endless phone calls , and no sleep for three nights, is , more often than not , repaid in a spectacular way […]

Chewing Gum after a Caesarean Section!

Yes it’s true. Chewing gum after your Caesarean section is good for you, and your bowels! It helps you pass wind earlier, open your bowels sooner, and even shortens your stay in hospital. A recently published report from China, published in the reputable British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, has shown significant benefits associated with early gum chewing, in women who had a C section for delivery. The study summarised the results of six studies, performed over the last 5 years, in Egypt, Turkey, The Philippines, Iran, Thailand and China. Compared with controls who had no gum , the gum […]

Pregnancy Myths – BUSTED!

Myths Here we will dispel some of the most common Maternity Myths!   You can tell the sex of the baby from the shape of your bump No, you cannot! Everyone has different figure and slightly different shaped anatomy and the shape of your bump will be determined by this rather than the sex of baby!  You can look at your bump and have a guess, and you have a 50% chance of getting it right! If you have morning sickness/bad skin it means you’re having a boy/girl Morning sickness doesn’t mean anything other than your pregnancy hormones levels are […]

Hospital Bag- What to Pack for the Birth

These lists have been carefully compiled by talking to many women who have given birth recently. Some items you will want to take in to the hospital when you go into labour, and some you can leave in car  or get your husband or partner to bring after birth.  We have placed an Asterisk (*) next to the items we think you should take in when you go into labour.   Essentials For you. Maternity Notes * 2-3 nighties, bearing in mind, you may give birth in one, and you may have some heavy bleeding after the birth.  We recommend […]