Blog Page: Page 3

Why I did not (could not) breastfeed my babies

It goes without saying that every mother wants the best for her baby.  It also goes without saying that most educated women know that breastmilk is indeed the best form of nourishment you can give your child.  But time and time again we hear health workers, politicians and journalists commentating on the unsatisfactorily low breastfeeding rates in this country. The pros of breastfeeding are obvious.  It is free, (compared with £10 a week on formula for 12 months – £500), natural (there are stories of crushed fish bones in formula, incidents of glass shavings in the powder, the possibility of […]

Mixing bottle and breast – it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

  by Charlotte Young IBCLC, founder www.milkmatters.org.uk & www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk Also by Charlotte Young “How to Prevent and Treat Sore Nipples”   Several mums I’ve spoken to recently have mentioned it’s hard to find good information about mix-feeding.  Often breastfeeding websites don’t discuss it as they promote exclusive breastfeeding and the reasons for doing so.  Similarly some mums are nervous about asking too many breastmilk questions on bottle-feeding forums, for fear it may upset those not breastfeeding at all.  Mix feeding, combination feeding – whatever you prefer to call it, almost seems to fall into a no mans land. What concerns me about this is hearing […]

My Birth Story

In the Birthing Pool My latent labour started on the 14th of April at about 3am when I woke with mild contractions at home in bed.  I went back to sleep and woke intermittently for the next few hours until I got up.  I spent a relatively nice/strange/surreal/calm day at home with my husband just having what felt like bad period pains and Braxton Hicks together.  I ate and drank normally and had a 45 minute nap.  After lunch we strapped the TENS machine on and went for a 2 hour walk in the park, went to Sainsburys and was even […]

Is my baby getting enough milk?

Is my baby getting enough milk?  By Louisa van den Bergh, Founder of Lulubaby & their breastfeeding consultant Anyone who has breastfed a baby will most likely have, at some point, questioned how much milk they are producing.  In today’s world where we are used to being in control, it can be incredibly disconcerting to be unable to quantify exactly how much milk your baby is drinking. Surely knowing the precise amount your baby is imbibing is essential knowledge? Arguably no… Instead of trying to ascertain a figure in ml or oz, your time could be better spent observing your […]

‘Flat Head Syndrome’ (Plagiocephaly)- An Osteopathic View – Mermaid Maternity’s Fiona Greer

‘Flat Head Syndrome’ (Plagiocephaly)- An Osteopathic View What is Plagiocephaly (Flat Head Syndrome)? Plagiocephaly is the term used when the head becomes flattened on one side, causing the head to look asymmetrical and distorted, often with flattening or bulging on one or both sides.  When the whole of the head becomes flattened at the back this causes a widening of the head, this is known as a Brachycephaly. What causes it? An asymmetrical head shape is usually due to external pressure on the skull such as; Compression in the womb, perhaps due to Uterine fibroids or with twin and multiple […]

All About Doulas: We’re Doctor’s Daughters Too!

By Rebecca Schiller, Doula UK Spokeswoman, Co-Chair Birthrights, blogs at hackneydoula.co.uk   I have a confession to make. I am also a doctor’s daughter. My father even won the gold medal in Obstetrics whilst at university, though claims he never actually delivered a baby and the prize was won solely on his ability to write poetry. Suffice to say he is now a Cardiologist not an Obstetrician. But, just like the doctor’s daughter who runs this brilliant website, I have become increasingly interested in all things pregnancy, birth and baby related through my own experiences of motherhood. Despite a few […]

Is there anything I can do to speed up healing after giving birth?

I gave birth to my son 9 weeks ago, I’m still feeling pressure and tightness down below. Is there anything I can do to speed up the healing? There is not a lot that you can do to speed up the process, it could take up to 6 months to heal completely but you should see and feel improvements all the time, please be patient. If you are breastfeeding then the vagina may not completely return to normal in terms of the way it feels until you stop. If you are unsure about the way in which you are healing […]

How to Prevent & Treat Sore Nipples – by Charlotte Young IBCLC

Charlotte Young IBCLC, founder www.milkmatters.org.uk & www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk   Also by Charlotte Young “Mixing Bottle and Breast, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing”  During both antenatal and postnatal consultations, it never fails to amaze me how many mothers expect breastfeeding to hurt. If I visit antenatally, I hear all the awful experiences people have relayed to the mum-to-be. If I visit at 6 weeks plus and ask what the early days were like, I often get told they experienced “the usual cracking and damage you normally get in the first few weeks”. We hear it said that nipples need […]

What People Are Saying

PippaVosper@BAZAAR ‏@pippavosper @dranddaughter Absolutely LOVE this new site! Informative, unique, very sleek indeed… http://www.doctoranddaughter.co.uk  Thank you Roger & Rebecca! x Carrie Prideaux ‏@sportycarrie @dranddaughter thank you! Henners has emailed me the link too, will check it out! Doctor and Daughter ‏@dranddaughter @sarah_cawood Great and very honest article on breastfeeding. It can be very difficult for some women. Thank you for sharing.  Sarah Cawood ‏@sarah_cawood @dranddaughter thank YOU for positive feedback:) Helen Gordon ‏@MrsHGordon “@dranddaughter: @RCObsGyn Roger Marwood FRCOG and his daughter very excited to launch new site http://doctoranddaughter.co.uk/  . Nice site Roger! RoyalCollegeObsGyn ‏@RCObsGyn @dranddaughter You’re welcome. All the best […]

Cot Death or SIDS

Although Cot Death or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is very rare these days, sadly there are around 300 recorded each year in the UK. About 90 % of cot deaths happen in the first 6 months of a baby’s life.  Noone knows exactly why these deaths occur, but there are some simple rules that you can follow to reduce the risk of your baby being affected. Put your baby on its back in its cot or moses basket. Keep the baby in your room for the first 6 months. Do not smoke during pregnancy. Do not smoke near the […]