WondrousBirth Hypnobirthing

09/03/2021

Now I have heard it all!!
Apparently declining vaginal exams is a hypnobirthing thing. A nuisance. And not helpful.
Queue my thoughts on 'being a good girl and compliant for the patriarchal easy life'....
If you are low risk and a healthy mum and baby, whether hypnobirthing or not, it is about your welfare and that of your baby. So where is the good evidence that routine vaginal exams to assess progress are beneficial and not doing more harm than good?
There is none.
Does that mean vaginal exams are bad, no. Can they help clarify a situation if there are other signs that intervention might be necessary, yes.
Can they help tell how well you are progressing? No. They can tell how far you have come but are absolutely not a fair indicator of how much longer you have to go.
For low risk women who have no concerns, routinely examining it on the 4 hour clock is arguably a tick box exercise. If you want to know and feel it would help and understand the effect it might have on the physiological progress of your birth, then that is an informed choice and one you should totally go with. You can have one and decline the rest as the clinical picture changes.
Essentially, it IS your choice and one that you can only make if you are actually informed with risks and benefits, saying yes is not a choice, it just means you don't know any different.

04/02/2021

Love what Dr. Sara Wickham and Prof. Amy Brown have to share about drinking coffee in pregnancy.

Essentially healthy lifestyle is more important than just coffee consumption but good to be aware and be well supported than scared into choices by exaggerated headlines.

21/01/2021

This page called 'tellmeagoodbirthstory' is a gem of a resource 😍. Strongly encourage you to follow it and contact Natalie through her page to be put in touch with other strong woman who have positive stories to share. Be they inductions, gestational diabetes, sweeps, home birth, cesareans, big babies, small babies, you name it, she will most likely be able to find you someone to chat to about their experiences.

Story telling is powerful for learning and sharing information so you can question and reflect and also see birth positively, however it happens.

' When Warren got back from the shops I told him that I really needed him to call our doula. Even though it had only been 20 mins or so since we spoken to her, Warren called her back and told her that things had changed (as physically things were ramping up) and more importantly that I felt I really needed her at that moment! It was SO reassuring to know that she was on her way . It enabled my body to relax even more, which of course, in turn, ramped the contractions up even more.

I had been in our bedroom the whole time . It was still set up in the warm cosy environment with candles burning from the massage I’d had. I was resting on the bed with the hot water bottles and breathing through the contractions. Warren spent a few contractions lying behind me with his arms around me and breathing with me and telling me how well I was doing, which was very helpful. By this stage I was definitely voicing my breath out with a long soft aaaaaah sound which really helped to keep my body relaxed.

At some point soon after this, my doula must have arrived. I am not sure that I even registered her coming in to the bedroom. I just have a very strong memory of her sitting on the floor at the end of our bed and crocheting while I was lying on the bed and moaning through the contractions. It was SO reassuring to have her there and she made me camomile tea to sip on and brought different oils – lavender and frankincense, on a cloth to breathe into during the contractions which was incredibly soothing.....'

For Che's story in full, go to BITS, BLOGS AND BIRTH STORIES on the main tell me a good birth story site...

19/01/2021

Shared from Dr. Sara Wickham. It is importnat that thise in charge know this but midwives and birth workers and parents need to know this too so that they can demand change and hold on to what works.

Cochrane reviewers assessed evidence for 61 different strategies for preventing stillbirth during pregnancy, or infant deaths around the time of birth.
🦋
High-level evidence for a reduction in fetal loss or infant death was found for only one of these 61 strategies.
🦋
It was midwife-led models of care.
🦋
Where midwives were the primary healthcare provider, particularly for low‐risk women, loss of the fetus or infant deaths fell by 16%.
🦋
That's pretty remarkable. But it's not often discussed or shared. More often, the focus is placed on technologies, or on strategies that will help powerful groups profit or benefit.
🦋
If those in power were truly committed to reducing stillbirth and neonatal deaths, they would fund, support and promote the one thing that really works: models of midwifery-led care.
🦋
You can read the full review at https://www.cochrane.org/news/what-are-most-effective-interventions-during-pregnancy-preventing-stillbirth
🦋
And there's loads more birth information at www.sarawickham.com and in my books, whose topics include induction of labour, vitamin K, birthing your placenta and group B strep.
🦋

Cochrane reviewers assessed evidence for 61 different strategies for preventing stillbirth during pregnancy, or infant deaths around the time of birth.
🦋
High-level evidence for a reduction in fetal loss or infant death was found for only one of these 61 strategies.
🦋
It was midwife-led models of care.
🦋
Where midwives were the primary healthcare provider, particularly for low‐risk women, loss of the fetus or infant deaths fell by 16%.
🦋
That's pretty remarkable. But it's not often discussed or shared. More often, the focus is placed on technologies, or on strategies that will help powerful groups profit or benefit.
🦋
If those in power were truly committed to reducing stillbirth and neonatal deaths, they would fund, support and promote the one thing that really works: models of midwifery-led care.
🦋
You can read the full review at https://www.cochrane.org/news/what-are-most-effective-interventions-during-pregnancy-preventing-stillbirth
🦋
And there's loads more birth information at www.sarawickham.com and in my books, whose topics include induction of labour, vitamin K, birthing your placenta and group B strep.
🦋

15/12/2020

The power of touch in labour. Please check out other articles on the All4Birth resource. It's an excellent place to find information to prepare you for birth.

14/12/2020

Some great tips for a physiological 3rd stage from the Riverside Midwives

Top tips for a physiological birth of the placenta.
•
✔️ Undisturbed skin to skin.
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✔️ Baby initiated breastfeeding.
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✔️Talking in quiet / hushed tones.
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✔️ Dim lighting.
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✔️ Warmth.
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✔️ Patience.
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✔️ Trust.
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✔️ Love and tenderness.
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✔️Leaving the cord intact or waiting for white before cutting.
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✔️ Watchful waiting from midwives.
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❌ No hat on baby so their head can be sniffed, nuzzled and kissed.
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❌ No fussing around the woman / birthing person.
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❌ No strangers in the birth space.
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❤️ Keep that oxytocin flowing ❤️

•••••••••••••••••
This placenta was still attached to its baby when it was birthed into the pool.

Look at that lovely white empty cord!
••••••••••••••••••

Do you have any experiences or tips to share?

11/12/2020

Ever wondered what some of the ingredients are in breastmilk? Here's an easy mnemonic to remember some of them.

BOVINE WHAT?

Vitamins, water, proteins, carbs and fat,
Formula and breastmilk, they both have that.
But let me tell you, that’s not where it ends,
Most importantly ….friends tell friends that….

Breastmilk is unique, tailored and complete,
It is not just there for baby to eat.
The ingredients are actually quite a lot,
It will get you asking, “BOVINE WHAT?”

B - ifidus factors keep the gut acidic,
whilst feeding on
O - ligosaccharides, it’s very specific.
V - iral fragments trigger the immune system when you are ill,
So that
I - mmunoglobulin can destroy antigens with skill.
N - ucleotides are for cell repair,
whilst
E - nzymes aid digestion and help stop bacteria right there.

W - hite cells destroy bacteria when baby is feeling poorly,
H - ormones aid the endocrine system for feeding, happiness, pain relief, it’s quite a story!
A - nti-inflammatory properties reduce gut inflammation and disease,
whilst
T - ransfer factors help with absorption and sets up the immune system with ease.

So don’t be shy, it’s really quite amazing,
Breastmilk is the perfect food for our babies to be grazing.

W. Evans

13/11/2020

Really enjoyed today's skills lab!
We took blood pressure, looked at pulses, respiratory rates, unrinalysis, venepuncture and loved seeing the other students in my group. We need a group pic!
I do overthink the idea of blood taking which makes me feel very ill but actually doing it was not bad at all. Actually looking forward to doing it in real life!
Most of these skills are not diagnostic, they are screening tools to help identify areas that might become more concerning at a later date or after further investigation.
Love that informed consent is reiterated in our training again and again and again. 😍

13/11/2020

Such important information in these times, please take time to read if you have any upcoming appointments.

If you've been to any of our Zoom get togethers you may have heard the suggestions of recording scans, consultations or other appointments as being a great idea for you to refer back to or to share with your partner, doula, friends or family that are supporting you. This is especially relevant at the moment when there are often restrictions over who can attend with the expectant/birthing person.

Some members of the IPBB went (virtually of course) to the book launch and workshop for The AIMS Guide to Your Rights in Pregnancy & Birth yesterday. The issue of recording consultations, scan appointments and all appointments was discussed because many people across the UK (probably globally too) are being told they 'are not allowed' to record.

You are, as a service user, legally allowed to record any appointments/scans/consultations that you wish to record. There is no law that says you cannot. This is a great summary from the medical health professional's side perspective too https://www.themdu.com/guidance-and-advice/journals/good-practice-june-2014/patients-recording-consultations

In the event a health care provider says they are not willing to carry out the consultation/scan etc with you recording it, then you may in the first instance, wish to reassure them that it is not against the law. That recording it is for you to be able to listen again to what they are going to tell you and/or to with your birth partner. That not going through with the consultation would be a breach of their duty of care to you. That any issues around data protection (GDPR) relate to your data not theirs.

We're sharing this information about your rights to clarify that you are within your legal rights to record your appointments.

If you need any assistance in asserting or knowing your rights AIMS is a brilliant resource to turn to.

Remember you can always message, post or come to our virtual meet ups (twice a month) for support too.

03/11/2020

Definitely feeling like all I do is eat. Sleep. And study midwifery at the moment 😍
Just had a skills morning learning about moving and handling, using slip sheets and PAT boards.
I am 5ft 10 and really need to be careful about my back... as does everyone. As boring as the topic usualy is, I found it very helpful and definitely want to ensure I work correctly.
Also loved seeing my fellow students again!

31/10/2020

Love this image and the words 'Life doesn't come with a manual, it comes with a mother'🌺
Skin to skin for the first hour after birth is often called the GOLDEN HOUR.
Incredibly, that simple skin to skin connection releases oxytocin in the mother which contracts the uterus to reduce bleeding and warms up the mother's body
(or father if the mum is not able) by 1-2 degrees to regulate the baby's temperature.
The mother's heart and her breathing regulate the baby's breathing and heart rate too!
This contact promotes initiation of the first breastfeed. The baby can smell the breast too as the montgomery glands (little bumps around the ni**le) release a scent that attracts the baby. Skin to skin over the first few weeks of life helps boost breastmilk by releasing prolactin and oxytocin and the benefits don't stop there, holding your baby close has benefits throughout childhood.
Baby's who are well after a cesarean birth can and should have skin to skin as soon as possible too. If the baby is well and dry, the hat can be removed to allow the mother to smell the pheremones released from the baby's head which also help with breastfeeding. That's why baby's smell so good to mothers!
Skin to skin is beneficial no matter how you feed your baby, so remember to hold them skin to skin often to maximise the benefits of bonding and attachment.
Skin to skin just after birth also helps to colonise the baby's skin with good bacteria from your skin which prepares them for life outside the uterus.
The mother has all she needs to nurture her baby, it is really so fascinating!

🤱🏻🤱🏻🤱🏻


• • • • • •
• Life doesn’t come with a manual, it comes with a mother 🌼
by

29/10/2020

First day into the actual uni today to practice some basic life support and neonatal resus skills!
I know I have been quiet on here, been busy soaking up a lot of information on a daily basis. All is well though. Hope you are all well too?
Studying at this time is super weird but it has it's perks too. Really hoping we will start placements in January 🙏🤞🤞🙏