When I was pregnant the first time around I remember being asked quite early on to write out my birth plan. I recall looking at the midwife and telling her that whatever happens, happens. She replied with that I needed to at least write something down as a guide so I simply put ‘do what is needed‘. Thing is, I’m a realist. I know things in life don’t always go as expected, I know that setting up a huge plan can end in disappoint if something changes and I wanted to keep an open mind about the labour and birth. Continue reading “Why I’ve Never Written A Birth Plan And Never Will”
Tag: birth
Why There Needs to be More Awareness of Group B Strep
Group B Strep.
It’s one of those words I remembered hearing during my first pregnancy but it wasn’t ever something I asked more about and it certainly wasn’t something that was ever explained to me. As that pregnancy was straightforward I had no concerns that the next would be any different… I couldn’t have been more wrong. Continue reading “Why There Needs to be More Awareness of Group B Strep”
Babycare Elle TENS2 Review
Having used a TENS machine during my first labour and getting great results from it, I knew I would need to use one for my second labour, especially as I was adamant that I was going to have a natural birth. So, when Babycare TENS got into contact with me to ask me to try out their new Elle TENS2 machine I jumped at the chance. Continue reading “Babycare Elle TENS2 Review”
Our NICU Journey- Week One
So, you arrived early. I expected it, I just knew my body hadn’t felt right, I’d been saying this since week 24 and after my waters broke early I mentally prepared myself for your premature entrance into the world. We had the tour of Neonatal during my first hospital stay… it took me aback. We were shown the incubators and told that was where you would go straight after birth if you came early, it took all my strength not to cry. As a blogger, I have read many stories from others I follow of their premature babies being in NICU and I have been moved by what has been written but nothing can prepare you for for the reality of it all. To see tiny babies lying inside what is essentially a plastic box, Continue reading “Our NICU Journey- Week One”
An Eventful Birth Story: PPROM, VBAC and Prematurity
If you have been following my blog you will know that I have been openly documenting my pregnancy journey and all topics that come along with it. What I thought was going to be a straight forward time and something lovely to write about suddenly changed at week 24 when I had a bleed. What followed was a second bleed, the loss of my mucus plug, the diagnosis of Group B Strep and then the preterm premature rupturing of membranes (PPROM) at 30 weeks leaving me in hospital to be monitored and the chances of infection being very high; a normal pregnancy had suddenly changed to one that was risky and quite scary. Continue reading “An Eventful Birth Story: PPROM, VBAC and Prematurity”
Packing Your Hospital Bag
Packing your hospital bag is usually something you can end up leaving until the last month or so but in my case, I have just chosen to frantically pack mine now (with what I have to hand) as I have now been told twice this week that my baby seems to be getting himself into position, which with all my issues recently I am not overly surprised. If he doesn’t come naturally I will more than likely be induced a little earlier anyway so now is the time to plan, prepare and get my head around the fact I will probably have a baby this year and not next year! Continue reading “Packing Your Hospital Bag”
My Pregnancy: Birth Reflections Meeting
When I had Jake on Christmas Day 2013 it ended in a very traumatic emergency c-section which affected me for quite a while after. I wasn’t offered any extra help afterwards, any counselling or explanations about what happened. All I had to go on was what I could vaguely remember from my time in the hospital and the bits that my husband relayed back. It was a long, exhausting labour and when you have been pulled and prodded, checked and injected, seen countless faces and gone through an epidural and a spinal block, then surgery everything becomes a blur and the facts and details are lost. Continue reading “My Pregnancy: Birth Reflections Meeting”