Thursday, 29 January 2009

Baby Brain and the Dangers of the Bump

Yesterday I swear I went to the Coop and then came out having only bought half of the things I wanted, so I then went to the Spa and I am being served when I suddenly remembered the biscuits.... While we were out on my birthday meal with friends, I mentioned that the previous week I had told The Bull I was off to the Library when in fact I was off to the Forum Shopping Centre. Everyone laughed, but one of my friends then told of how she turned up at the vets for her ante-natal clinic. She walked in and up to the reception before realising she was in the wrong place – and the ante-natal clinic was actually on the other side of town!!

Last week I got a text from The Bulls brother to warn me about the dangers of ironing with a bump as his wife had had a rather nasty accident……When I visited another friend she told me about when she burnt her bump on the oven!! Ouch!

Tuesday, 27 January 2009

More about NOT Being Scared....

After my last couple of posts the latest email from Ingrid Bacci www.ingridbacci.com was a bit of a coincidence. She says:

"Every time we listen to the voice of fear, we damage our lives in the present and limit our potential for the future. If, however, we recognize that fear is our greatest enemy, and we learn to challenge, conquer and transcend it, we become free to genuinely create the lives we want. No matter what specific form it takes, fear is always fear of the unknown. In addition, fear is always fear of something that does not exist at the time we fear it. In the moment that we feel the fear, we are afraid of something that does not exist. It has not happened! But the consequence is that we destroy our peace of mind in the NOW. Even worse, fear increases the likelihood that the event we fear will happen. Worry about our health creates ill health.

People who worry tend to say that reality justifies their worries, and that they are only being realistic. But that is incorrect. Being realistic has nothing to do with being fear-based or worrying. For example, worrying about our health is quite different from being practical and resourceful about maintaining good health. In fact, if I obsess about my health, I am likely to undermine my health no matter how healthily I eat. If, one the other hand, I recognize that I am capable of influencing my health, and I am resourceful and do what is necessary in terms of nutrition, then I will improve my health without undermining it by my negative emotions. The same goes for all aspects of life.

Fear is an addiction. Addictions are habit forming. We act as though we need them, and at the same time they wreak havoc in our lives. Fear does exactly that. And as with all addictions, it takes discipline and perseverance to let go of fear."

Sunday, 25 January 2009

Following on from yesterdays post and the need to feel safe rather than scared.... I recently re-read a book I bought a couple of years ago: Feeling Safe: How to be strong and positive in a changing world by William Bloom, Piatkus 2006. To summarise the relevant points:

The enduring experience of safety is anchored and sustained by the chemistry of well being. To experience safety and security is to feel physical relaxation and well being. Eat well and get enough sleep and exercise to keep your nervous system strong.

Physical movement and other direct forms of physical pleasure (massage, warm bath) can bypass your psychological state and trigger your internal opiates, creating a biological well being that can directly affect your mood in a very positive and beneficial way.

Do not worry and radiate negative energy. It attracts what you do not want.

You must have a pleasurable life in order to feel safe. Connection to the good things of life brings hope and wisdom. Connect back with nature, the universe, with the good things in life. Surround yourself with things that give you pleasure – photos, postcards, images etc.

In a stressful situation, withdraw your attention from external events. This will inhibit the production of adrenalin and cortisol. Breathe softly and very deeply into yourself and allow your chest and stomach to sink. Let your body know that you are still in charge. Watch what is happening to yourself and you will immediately feel things coming back under control. Imagine a protective bubble around yourself.

Saturday, 24 January 2009

The truth about pregnancy.....

Keep getting a bit traumatised about being pregnant and things that could go wrong. Thanks to The Times who published an article in their Body and Soul supplement last week which said:

"In a week of gloom there was one cheerier piece of news: the risk of epidurals, anaesthetic injections into the area around the spine, is lower than that previously stated. In fact, according to research from Bath's Royal United Hospital, it is ten times less. Epidurals are used in surgical procedures but also to kill pain in mothers giving birth, when the risk of permanent harm is less than 1 in 80,000. In the past many mothers may have been put off having this effective form of pain relief because risks have been overstated.

These headlines were particularly welcome because there is practically no other area of health where risk of any sort assumes such significance. Pregnant women are risk magnets, attracting every sort of scare about potential damage to their babies at a time of their lives when they are most fearful, for themselves and for the new life they carry. Not only are food scares (too much liver, too much fish, etc) aimed squarely at mums-to-be, but there are also horror stories about the maternity services. The irony is that the perception of risks may be more harmful than the actual risks.

For example, home birth has regularly been claimed to be too risky, and women who have wanted home births have been generally obstructed, demeaned and made to feel irresponsible by doctors in particular. In reality, for normal pregnancy, home birth appears to be safe, as Charlotte Church demonstrated conclusively this week as she had her second baby at home. And a home environment may even offer a small reduction in risk as far as infection is concerned.

You would think from the headlines that Britain wasn't a very safe place to have a baby. In the past couple of months we have seen stories about negligence payments for maternity claims topping £1 billion and about the chronic shortage of midwives. This in addition to the endless succession of stories on bad births that we are all exposed to - just a couple of weeks ago, for instance, a woman in Edinburgh gave birth in a bathroom by herself.

But the headlines do not reflect reality. Negligence claims, for example, relate to events that occurred a decade ago and involve the few, not the many. Evidence from the confidential inquiry into maternal deaths (and Britain keeps scrupulous records in comparison with some other European countries) make it clear that Britain is one of the safest places to have a baby, with a perinatal mortality rate standing at 7 per 100,000 and falling. Compare that with the US, where the comparable rate is 15 to 20 per 100,000.

And as for the bad-birth stories, let's be honest, the good ones aren't that interesting, are they? The Commission for Healthcare Audit report on maternity services in 2007 recorded that nine out of ten women rated their care in labour and childbirth as good or better. It would be a tragedy if headlines persuaded women otherwise."

Friday, 23 January 2009

Blog Baby 10

Ella Nicole born to Emma and Cousin Anthony. Friday 23rd January - 2 weeks early - 12.05 lunchtime. Weighing 8lb 3ounces.

Got a text at 7pm on the 22nd to say 'Things have started! About 15mins in between contractions at the mo! x' then another at 9.40am this morning saying 'Emma in birthing pool' and then finally 'Ella was born at 12.05 all is amazing x'. The power of the mobile!!

Rang the Bulls brother and his wife to tell them - as they are due only 2 days after Ant and Emma were - but they think it will be another week yet. They asked me about names and what had we thought for a boy (they don't know their sex yet) but I said we didn't really know. We think of a name and then decide against it after a few days. We will start to seriously look at names in a few months I think......

Visit to the Midwife

The day after my birthday I had a visit to the midwife. This was the first time I had met my actual midwife as she had been previously been off sick. She was lovely; really friendly and sociable and put any fears I may have had at ease (in so far as you can with me!). She said to contact her at any time with any worries and she would refer me to the hospital if at any time she felt there was a need. One of the main things she said – which was emphasised by my friends on Saturday night - was NOT to believe everything you read on the Internet. In fact, don’t even go there!!

The Bull came in with me and she asked whether or not I had felt it kick yet. I told her I was unsure of what I should be feeling and had thought I had felt ‘something’ but wasn’t totally sure if this was the baby. She showed us what to do and how hard we need to press down at the moment to be able to feel something. She said not to worry as she could feel him and suggested we tried in the bath as this was when baby would be relaxed in the warm water and more likely to move around. We were then able to listen to his heart beat and so this made my birthday week even better…. Especially when The Bull was able to feel the baby kick on Friday evening – just after I had a panic that my belly had gone ‘hard’ – which was actually the baby moving about as a few minutes later the ‘hardness’ was in a different place!

Sunday, 18 January 2009

Happy Birthday!!

Its been my birthday this week - the big 40 - without alcohol!!

I must thank all my friends and family for all the lovely pressies and for making it such a good few days. Of course a lot of the talk was about babies. On Thursday (my actual birthday) I went out with the family and this included my cousins girlfriend who is due at the beginning of February. I had also invited my dads brother (and my aunt) and my dads sister and it was nice to talk about what my dad would have thought. I never knew that I was born on my dads dads birthday (William). If he had still been alive he would have been 117 years old - which makes my 40 seem rather insignificant!!

Then on Saturday night I went out with friends for a Chinese. I must admit that the date itself doesn't seem to have affected me too badly - you should have seen me on my 21st - its still the pregnancy that is the main focus of my worry.... However, I have had a fantastic few days; lots of cards, pressies, badges and cake!! Its no wonder I am so big!!

Sunday, 11 January 2009

Snoring and Not Sleeping

I don't think I have slept a full night through since becoming pregnant. This is due to a combination of panic / nightmares, needing to go to the loo and more recently; snoring!!

Why have I started to snore? Apparently, as you enter your second trimester you may find yourself snoring for the first time in your life. However, there's a good chance that you'll stop snoring after your baby is born. The cause of your midnight melodies is swollen nasal passages. During pregnancy, an increase in progesterone may cause the soft tissues of the nasal passages to swell and partially block the airways. Another possible explanation is that if your airways are naturally narrow or if you have extra tissue in the back of your throat, any pregnancy-induced swelling or fluid retention can block your airways. According to a sleep survey, about 30 per cent of mums-to-be start to snore during this time.

What can I do about it? You can help control your snoring by sleeping on your side rather than on your back and by wearing a nasal strip to keep your nostrils wide open (available at most chemists). http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/antenatalhealth/sleep/snoring/

Further searching found information on a recent survey that found a clear link between a pregnant woman's weight and her likelihood of snoring. Additionally the pregnant women who snored had a greater neck circumference than the non-snorers. What was of particular interest to the Edinburgh team was the upper airway narrowing during pregnancy. Douglas explained: "this narrowing is caused by a physical phenomenon connected to increased weight and distention of the abdomen during pregnancy". Fat is deposited in the soft tissue of the neck and around the upper airways, which increases neck size and narrows the airway. In pregnant women blood pressure rises as the airway becomes narrower. This discovery indicates that pregnant snorers have an increased risk of pre-eclampsia.
http://www.britishsnoring.co.uk/snoring/snoring_during_pregnancy.php

Friday, 9 January 2009

23 Weeks Today

How do you feel in month six? by Lucy Dimbylow
http://ukfamily.co.uk/ages-stages/pregnancy-birth/second-trimester/pregnancy-guides/week-22.html
How your baby is growing?
At 22 weeks, your baby now has the proportions of a newborn, although he's still got a lot of weight to gain before the birth. His skin still looks wrinkled because he has only one per cent body fat. His eyes have now formed, too, although the iris isn't coloured yet. His pancreas, which will help regulate his hormones, is under development, too.
Your baby's brain is developing fast, and his brainwave patterns are now similar to a newborn's – he's developing the very beginnings of conscious thought. Scientists believe that at this stage, unborn babies already have a primitive memory, and some even think that they can dream. Certainly, he can already distinguish between your voice and your other half's.
What's happening to you
Physically, you're getting steadily bigger. Your uterus will now measure 22cm from the top of your pubic bone, and you'll probably have gained at least 6kg (a stone). From now on, you can expect to gain around half a pound a week, but try to keep your cravings under control – putting on too much weight at this stage puts you at greater risk of gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.
The second trimester is often described as the honeymoon period, because you should be feeling fit and well.
Wow! Did you know...
At 22 weeks, your baby has hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, but they don't contain any pigment yet – they're pure white.

Tuesday, 6 January 2009

2 Stone Heavier Already...

Weighed myself this morning for the first time post-Christmas and I have already gained 2 stone since becoming pregnant. BabyCentre at: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/tools/weightgain?_requestid=5328117 has a useful tool for calculating how much you should gain. It estimated I should gain 1 Stone 6 pounds in total!! Oh my god - its no wonder I feel so knackered all the time!! Had a bit of a search on the Internet and found this advice:

The expected weight gain in pregnancy is between 10 kg and 12.5 kg, and in most cases the vast proportion of this is gained in the last 20 weeks. This does vary enormously, and many women do find that they eat more than usual in the early months in response to nausea. The fact that you have gained more weight than expected by this stage in pregnancy is not anything to worry about. It would however be sensible to try to avoid excessive weight gain over the coming months. The answer does lie in eating sensibly (regular small meals and plenty of fruit and vegetables) and drinking plenty of water. Try to include small amounts of meat, fish, eggs, and pulses, and avoid high calorie convenience foods. If you need to snack between meals choose fruit or raw vegetables, or if you're really hungry, bread without butter. You do need to ensure that you have enough calcium. Skimmed milk contains more calcium, pint for pint, than full fat milk, and a pint of skimmed milk daily is a good addition to the diet of a pregnant woman. You don't mention whether you are exercising at all. It is certainly wise to try to keep fit in pregnancy. Although it's not a good idea to take up an energetic activity for the first time, even someone who has been relatively inactive would benefit from some swimming and walking on a regular basis. http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ate/weightandnutrition/204703.html
Obvious really I know and I know I need to increase my exercise - no more junk food for me (and baby)!

Sunday, 4 January 2009

Top 10 Names of 2008

GIRLS
1. Olivia
2. Ruby
3. Grace
4. Emily
5. Jessica
6. Sophie
7. Chloe
8. Lily
9. Mia
10. Lucy

BOYS
1. Jack
2. Oliver
3. Harry
4. Charlie
5. Alfie
6. Thomas
7. Joshua
8. Daniel
9. James
10. William

Thursday, 1 January 2009

Happy New Year - Cyst Update

Still full of cold but at least I have been able to go back to work this week which certainly improves my mental state as it gives me something to think about - other than the huge bump that looms out in front of me!!

During the scan they were able to see that my cyst had reduced from 6.5cm (22/10) to 5.7cm (23/12). This means that it looks like I will more than likely have a 'natural' birth. Getting more scared by the day.....

While we are on the subject of my cyst (and my complaint) I don't think I mentioned that I asked for access to my medical records and was told it would cost:

A&E Notes ₤15
Notes from one or more other departments ₤30
All Health Records ₤45
Health Records / Copy X Rays ₤50
Copy X Rays ₤50

At the moment therefore I have decided to leave the complaint. I shall wait and see what happens in the next few months.....