Maternity units are ‘conveyor belts’….

Following on from last month’s report from the Royal College of Midwives, the UK Healthcare Commission say that the experience of childbirth for many women is blighted by a lack of beds, showers and toilets. Staff shortages and poor teamworking is also blamed for poor standards in some trusts, including those that have been investigated for unacceptable rates of deaths among new mothers. The report also claims that mothers are giving birth on Health Service ‘conveyor belts’ with beds being used for more than one birth a day in some maternity units.

The report concludes that it is virtually impossible to give women proper choice over where to give birth – one of the UK Government’s key aims.
Overall, 20% of trusts with mater4nity units were rated as performing poorly, and 33% of trusts didn’t provide personal support from a named midwife.

In January, the government announced an additional £330m funding (none of it ring-fenced) and action to recruit an additional 4,000 midwives by 2012.

But, according to the Royal College of Midwives current final year maternity students are finding it hard to find jobs and more and more midwives are now working part-time. So if the same thing happens with this extra 4,000 midwives, then we will have more midwives, but the total number of hours worked will not have increased in the same proportion, so the maternity service will not have improved by as much as the government would like us to believe.
To coin an old saying, “you can fool some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time”

Can you help labour run more smoothly?

1. Exercise in pregnancy can help your baby cope with the delivery and reduce the length of labour
2. Doing your pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy can help reduce the second stage of your labour.
3. Let gravity help by keeping upright during labour, as standing can reduce the pain and length of labour
4. Relax as much as you can. Ease the pains of labour with massage, breeathing techniques and pain relief.
Were there any particular techniques or tips that helped you through your labour? 13,500 womwn who are giving birth this week in the UK would be very greatful!

5 things you need to know about a breech birth

1. Most babies are born headfirst, but 3-4% are breech (bottom first).
2. Conditions that may make a breech birth more likely include a premature baby or a baby that isn’t your first, womb abnormalities, such as fibroids; multiple pregnancies; and a low-lying placenta.
3. Most hospiltals offer an electrive caesarean for first-time mums whose baby is breech
4. If you opt to have your breach birth vaginally, you’ll be supported in your choice.
5. All breech babies are given a hip X-ray at six weeks as hip displocation is more common in breech babies

More midwives needed

According to figures from the Liberal Democrats, the workloads of some labour staff in the UK are up by 25%.
The number of UK births has risen by 12.5% since 2001, but midwife numbers have gone up by just 5% since 1997.

Things you should and shouldn’t try to get labour started

Things you can try:
1. Have sex – semen contains natural prostaglandins, the hormone used in induction, and stimulating your nipples can kick-start the production of oxytocin, nature’s labour hormone
2. Go for a long walk – stay active, but keep close to home.
3. Pick up a pineapple – it contains an enzyme called bromelain which may soften the cervix and is though to help start labour
4. Sip raspberry leaf tea, which can have a stimulating effect on your uterus (but not before week 32 of your pregnancy)
5. Chew on a chilli – spicy meals are notorious for getting things moving, which may have a knock-on effect on your uterus.

Things to definitely NOT try at home:
1. Don’t have sex once your waters have broken
2. Don’t take castor oil – it is potentially harmful to your baby and can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.
3. Don’t have a bath that is hotter than is comfortable – raising your body temperature unnaturally can be dangerous for your baby

How to cope if you’re overdue

1. Keep busy – plan to do something every day to keep yourself occupied, but stay close to home, this is not the time for a three hour cross country drive.
2. Ask your family and friends not to keep ringing every day for an update – tell them you’ll let them know as soon as somethinghappens
3. Indulge in some last minute treats with your partner, like a nice meal or a joint massage.
4. Rest – put your feet up and close your eyes whenever possible. Not only will it store your energy for labour, it will help you relax as well.
5. Stock up the freezer with some home-made meals, it will certtainly help you when you have your new baby home.

Top Tips for preparing for a home birth

* Talk to your midwife. Get to know her and ger colleagues

* If you can, talk to someone else who has had a home birth

* Check that your GP will cover a home birth. If not, find a doctor who will. This doesn’t mean that the doctor has to be at the birth, but being prepared to come if called by the midwife.

* Encourage your partner to join in with the preparations

* Try and arrange some extra help for a few days after the baby is born

* Make sure the room where your baby will be born is warm

* Try and be reasonably near a bathroom – this makes life much easier.

* Have access to a telephone

* Have some sort of protection for carpets

* Have a table for the midwife to put her equipment on.

* Have lots of nice warm towels – for you and your baby

* Get your beanbag out and your rocking chair and any other “special” extras you think you might want

Not-so-due date

According to visitors to www.practicalparenting.co.uk, only 9% of babies actually arrived on their actual due date

All you need to know about caesareans

Around 20% of women have a caesarean birth, so what’s involved.
*an elective c-section is where the decision to havea caesarean is taken in advance, perhaps becasue the baby is ain a ‘breech’ (feet first) position or another medical condition prevents a normal birth. In about 3% of cases, a woman requests a caesarean.
* an emergency caesarean is performed when there is a problem during labour. Perhaps when labour isn’t progressing, the baby is showing signs of distress or there is a problem with the placenta
* a crash caesarean takes place when there is an urgent problem, such as a placental abruption, a prolapsed cord or the baby is in immediate distress. If you haven’t already had an epidural, you’ll have a general anaesthetic to deliver the baby immediately
* a natural caesarean is a new technique aiming to make the caesarean as natural as possible. his is done by getting the baby’s head out first and allowing him to cry before cutting the cord and handing him to you.

So what actually happens in a caesarean?
Before surgery you will have an anaesthetic (general, spinal or epidural) which will numb the area from your abdomen to below your waist, and a catheter will be inserted. Unless you’re having a general, your partner will usually be able to attend.
A cut is first made in your abdominal wall, amniotic fluid is sucked out and your baby is delivered and then lifted up so that you can meet him. Your placenta will then be delivered and the incision will be closed. The entire procedure takes around 45 minutes, although you baby will delivered during the first 15 minutes.
After surgery you might experience some nausea and trembling, followed by drowsiness, but you’ll be able to breastfeed and bond with your new baby. You’ll be given pain relief, and your catheter will be removed 12 hours after your last epidural top-up, and 3-4 days later you’ll be allowed home.

How your pain relief affects your baby

1. TENS machines and Entonox (gas and air) are safe for your baby, although the entonox may leave you feeling a little light-headed and sick
2. Pethidine – the timing of this drug is significant. If it’s given too close to delivery, it can slow the baby’s breathing and he’s more likely to bne drowsy on arrival. It can take several days for the drug to clear out of his system.
3. Meptid is similar to pethidine, but doesn’t affect your baby’s breathing to the same degree, so it can be given closer to delivery
4. Epidural – your blood pressure can drop, so you and your baby have to be monitored, but other side effects are rare