Pregnancy

Spotting at 6 weeks- so worried.

I had some spotting around 6 weeks and had an early scan which revealed the embryo was fine and had a heartbeat. I a, now 8.5 weeks and for the last two days have had red blood on and off and slight cramps. The nurse in the gynae ward at the hospital said it wasn’t enough to warrant an examination but I can’t help worrying. Can red blood be ok and not a sign of miscarriage? Sorry to hear this- it can be such a worrying time. Here are some links to some information about bleeding and some questions that […]

Is it Safe to take Primrose Oil When Pregnant?

I have just been recommended to take evening primrose oil capsules from 34 weeks to help with skin stretching and labour.  Is it safe to take? It appears to be safe in late pregnancy, but not without side effects and an unpleasant taste Nausea, bloating and digestive problems are common. I feel it is my duty to tell you that there is insufficient evidence that it has any beneficial effect on labour, timing of delivery, preeclampsia, or baby size, and is generally not recommended. I can’t find any evidence about skin stretching. Hope this is helpful.

The Doctor’s TV Debut!

Is it safe to use Dry Shampoo during my Pregnancy?

I was wondering, whether using Batiste, the very popular dry shampoo is safe in pregnancy? I have been using it for the last few years and cannot live without it yet I don’t want to cause any harm to my baby. As far as I can determine Batiste is safe in pregnancy if you follow the instructions The chemicals involved are thought to be safe and most evaporate quickly and are not absorbed Skin sensitivity can be a problem if the product is used at high concentrations for extended periods.

More Information about VBAC

More information about having a VBAC – Vaginal Birth after a Caesarean We have written a lot recently about the pros and cons of trying for a vaginal birth after a previous Caesarean section (VBAC). Generally speaking it’s a safe option , especially if you are hoping for more than two children and if your pregnancy is normal and the baby an average size. The risks of an unexpected bad outcome are very low  (approx 1 in 200), and the secret is to wait for labour to start by itself. However, additional information has emerged that might help some women […]

Limit the amount of Fish you are eating whilst Pregnant!

I am now 34 weeks pregnant and only stumbled across some advice today that said that amongst the types of fish you should limit to eating only twice a week are sea bream and sea bass (I knew that advice applied to salmon but not those other ones).  I don’t eat these types of fish often in general – however, while I was abroad over the summer I ate quite a lot of bream and bass type fish over a 2 week period when I was about 21 weeks pregnant onwards.  Ironically I thought that these fish grilled were one […]

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 […]

Interview with Milli Hill- Founder of The Positive Birth Movement

Milli Hill is the founder of The Positive Birth Movement and a freelance writer.  Her weekly column for BestDaily.co.uk covers birth, breastfeeding and early parenting, and she also writes for The Telegraph, the Huffington Post, and her own blog, The Mule. She has just finished editing Water Birth: Stories to Inspire and Inform to be published by Lonely Scribe later this year, and has contributed a chapter to The Roar Behind the Silence: Why Kindness, Compassion and Respect Matter in Maternity Care, to be published by Pinter and Martin in October 2014.  She lives in Somerset with her partner and three small children.   […]

Can a minor Prolapse be Reversed? Can I have another Baby?

I had a minor prolapse after my first child.  Please can you tell me if this can be reversed and if I will be able to have another baby? Minor prolapse is very common and there  should be no concern about fertility or miscarriage.  Delivery of the second baby is likely to be easy.  For most women it is the first delivery that causes most of the problems and subsequent deliveries rarely cause any further prolapse. It is not what it looks like, but how it works! For more information on Prolapse, please see this link.

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 […]