tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75614561405938681242024-02-19T09:04:52.622-08:00BERNY BOS' BLOG - Thoughts about pregnancy and birthI worked as a midwife as recently as 2003 and I am a mother of four children. I have over twenty years experience as a film maker focussing almost entirely on pregnancy and birth issues. My Special Babies programmes had an audience of 12 million and Homebirth Diaries brought to television for the first time in depth stories about homebirth from around the UK. I have now launched Mybirth.tv an online video tv channel.
This blog brings some of my thoughts about the current state of maternity careBerny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-71973328218054168982010-11-29T06:39:00.000-08:002010-11-29T06:48:27.913-08:00A seasonal tale of Baring Gifts!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21KaquU9kZN_bvAVbP-4oP6N0cyJRTcyTIZWX4pwcD1iHwZ-GRXgUzx4_Sg0beN2Whi2G1OSIwEqR98jtut_ZAJqVWfRB8BoO7X0V4iTrr_Bvu9FHTwZvNba9NyngxcCtZj1ix00rV70/s1600/Breast+Feeding+1+%25C2%25A3%25C2%25A3%25C2%25A3++.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh21KaquU9kZN_bvAVbP-4oP6N0cyJRTcyTIZWX4pwcD1iHwZ-GRXgUzx4_Sg0beN2Whi2G1OSIwEqR98jtut_ZAJqVWfRB8BoO7X0V4iTrr_Bvu9FHTwZvNba9NyngxcCtZj1ix00rV70/s320/Breast+Feeding+1+%25C2%25A3%25C2%25A3%25C2%25A3++.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544982543287363058" /></a><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />My father- God rest his soul was very old fashioned, indeed I would even say he embodied the Victorian model of the Patriarch presiding over his family, especially his daughters, and he had five of them! He never cooked a meal in his life- boiling an egg was as far as he got to using the cooker, and it wasn’t until he was quite old that I ever saw him using a vacuum cleaner or duster- he definitely was not a New Man, but then again he was born in 1910!<br /><br />But, there was one area that he was very modern about in his outlook, and that was breastfeeding. As each new infant made their entrance into the world he would wonder at the miracle of birth and life, and he took great delight in watching these new babies feeding at the breast, he certainly had no misunderstandings of what breasts were for and felt no embarrassment at seeing them being used for that purpose.<br />My mother had breastfed all her babies and I was fortunate enough to remember her feeding my baby brother Mark and showing me how the milk came out, my older sisters breastfed their babies, and so when it was my turn there was no question about how I was going to feed my infants. By the time I had my first baby I was also a qualified midwife and understood the rudiments of breastfeeding and how to latch a baby on to the breast, although it was still very different doing it yourself to showing someone else how to do it!<br />I know that there are studies to show that women who have observed breast feeding by their mothers, aunts and family friends are far more likely to breastfeed themselves, and it is sad that in this modern age, breasts are still seen as sexual objects to be hidden away or fully exposed on page three- there doesn’t seem to be any middle ground. Breast feeding is the most natural thing in the world to do- I don’t really need to highlight the reasons why it is the best feed you can give your baby- suffice to say it is 100% natural, it has not gone through a mechanised process in its manufacture, it arrives at the correct temperature, at the right time when it is needed, it has an unlimited supply, it gives all the right amount of fats, proteins, antibodies, - the list is endless.<br />So the question is: why if it is so good are there still so few continuing to breastfeed past 6 – 8 weeks post birth? Recent statistics from the Department of Health show that there are huge regional variations; the North East Strategic Health Authority shows that 56.9% of new mothers initiate breast feeding compared to 72.7% in London’s Strategic Health Authority. Some six to eight weeks later the overall figure of mothers continuing to breastfeed has dropped to 46.2%! So what happens to them in those 6-8 weeks?<br />I suppose that many women are under pressure to return to work and it maybe seen as simpler to change over their method of feeding to formula, but I suspect there are also a group of women who have really tried to breastfeed and for whatever reasons can’t manage it for any longer, probably due to lack of support and information, and then I suspect that there are also many women out there who still feel uncomfortable about baring their breasts in public places and they really want to get back into some sort of routine and normality.<br /> There are many fantastic organisations who give one to one support on breastfeeding, and there are others who continue to campaign for better understanding and acceptance of breastfeeding- the list is below, <br /><br />So, in trying to get the message across that breastfeeding is normal, and women can still be attractive (see link below) we are planning on producing a seasonal music video and we’re looking for volunteers- Any offers?<br /><br />http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=110380739031026&id=165351283504143#!/pages/Sexy-Sassy-Breastfeeding-women/165351283504143?v=info<br /><br />www.laleche.org.uk<br /><br />www.babyfriendly.org.uk<br /><br />www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk<br /><br />www.lactivist.co.uk/<br /><br />http://www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com/home<br /><br />http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsStatistics/DH_116060<br /><br />http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=112<br /><br />http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=113<br /><br />http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=114<br /><br />And maybe we could have more of these?<br />http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/news/news/november-2010-press-releases/baby-brasserie.aspxBerny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-3195588416329652602010-11-17T10:40:00.000-08:002010-11-17T10:42:41.598-08:00More Midwives?There has been a lot of back tracking recently; last year the opposition stated that we needed 3000 extra midwives, and this year- now that they are in power, they state that the recent baby boom is over and stabilising, so the extra midwives are no longer needed! Well, what happened to the statements made in 2007 when it was declared that over 5000 extra midwives were needed, or in 2005 when the figure was 10,000? Did an extra 7000 midwives miraculously appear in the following years? I think not.<br /> <br />Figures are massaged and changed like the blowing of the wind, and the people to suffer go on in silence- the midwives who are over worked, stressed and underpaid keep silent, because in these cash strapped times they don’t want to rock the boat and lose their jobs, and the mothers and their partners are silent because they can’t shout any louder as there are so many others clamouring for attention and money.<br /><br />Midwifery schools are reducing their numbers for training, and return to practice midwives are being told that in some regions the health authorities will no longer fund their re-training programme. The result of this will be that many midwives who have taken a career break will not be returning. <br /><br />So, what will happen in our maternity units, birth centres and homes around the country when women go into labour and there aren’t enough midwives to assist them? <br />Answer: There will be more women giving birth alone; there will be more birth injuries, more parents suing for compensation after mismanaged labours and births, more cases of post traumatic stress disorder, more post natal illness, more post natal depression, more suicides. As for midwives more will leave the profession and we will end up needing more midwives<br />This is a foolish short term stance that our government is taking- at some point when the figures for compensation get too great they will have to encourage more people to become midwives.<br /><br />If you feel strongly that something needs to be done please sign the petition:<br />http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ipetitions.com%2Fpetition%2Fukmw%2Fsignatures&h=b67d1Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-45866081339915276232010-10-28T04:02:00.000-07:002010-10-28T04:07:06.587-07:00Watching your own birthing experience and Alfred Hitchcock type appearancesThe legendary feature film director Alfred Hitchcock often made fleeting cameo appearances in his own films; film buffs and critics would watch avidly and study his films carefully to find his Hitchcock moment. When I went to film Amy’s birth http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=276 I hadn’t envisaged a Hitchcock moment, but fate took a hand and I was given, not a fleeting moment but a starring role. <br />Amy had not realised that her labour was so advanced and had delayed calling Virginia her midwife who set off to Amy’s house with green lights flashing, like a scene from a Hollywood action movie. I had arrived first and realised the birth was imminent- I spoke to Virginia on her hands free phone and she said she was only minutes away. I suddenly realised that the baby’s head was almost out, luckily as well as being a film maker I was a midwife with over ten years experience. With just a couple of pushes baby Honey Safia made her entrance into the world caught by me, the film director, just as Virginia rushed into the room.<br />Virginia was relieved that the birth had been straightforward and after a few checks on mother and baby was satisfied that all was well.<br /><br />Last week I took Amy’s birth diary to show her. I always find it a bit daunting when showing women their Birth Diary. Will they like the edited version of their story? Will it be a moving experience for them, and will it give them a different perspective on the labour and birth? Amy was thrilled and I was relieved. It is now up on the site and ready to view and my Hitchcock moment is on the site for all to see.Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-25096258267484476002010-10-22T07:10:00.000-07:002010-10-22T07:13:51.814-07:00Too much alcohol and pregnancy don't mixI have just read in my paper that a neonatologist from our local hospital is applying for a government grant to research the impact of drinking during pregnancy on unborn babies. Those involved in infant and child health are reporting an increased incidence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Government statistics state that over 24% of the population now drink well in excess of the recommended units of alcohol per week. When I qualified as a midwife in the early 1980’s I had never heard of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome; it was something only a paediatrician would come across, and rarely, but today I suspect every paediatrician in the country can cite cases of it. <br />Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is the most common cause of abnormalities in babies and children, it produces a multitude of symptoms and signs from facial abnormalities, organ defects, growth retardation, mental and intellectual disability and behavioural problems to name but a few-It is 100% preventable.<br />Coming from both a television media and midwifery background I can see both cause and effect; I remember from the late 1990’s onwards, broadcasters revelled in programmes which explored the salacious lives of holiday reps and holiday makers, highlighting the antics of those who had drunk too much and seeing this as entertaining television. These types of programmes continue to be made because they are cheap. The problem with this type of programming is that it gives young and impressionable people the idea that they can only have a good time if they get drunk and disorderly, that this is the norm and it is expected of them on a Friday and Saturday night. If they can’t remember what happened the next day, even better. For women and their partners planning a pregnancy this activity is hard to stop and they continue into their pregnancies.<br />The cost of all this drunken activity is to be seen in our A&E, maternity, neonatal and paediatric wards, with adults suffering from the effects of too much alcohol, infants showing signs of withdrawal from alcohol, and young children developing signs of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.<br />The answer is that anyone planning to make a baby should cut right down on their alcohol intake- and that includes their partners too, as alcohol affects sperm quality. Once you know you are pregnant the best advice is to cut out alcohol completely- different paediatricians and neonatologists have different views on this, so the safest option is complete abstinence, fortunately for many women they find they go off alcohol anyway. The most important period for abstinence is in the first three months when the fetus is developing rapidly. <br />So, in the light of the recent government spending review, I do hope that this neonatologist gets his funding, as we are in the middle of an epidemic of alcohol related problems <br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetal_alcohol_syndrome<br />http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/tips-and-tools/drink-diary/?gclid=CJu67-PB5qQCFVH-2Aod81Q20g<br />http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/west/series2/fetal_alcohol_syndrom_fas_pregnancy_drinking_learning_difficulties.shtml<br />http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/8457648.Drink_warning_in_pregnancy/<br />http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=144<br />http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=82Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-70347124517230747472010-10-11T09:11:00.000-07:002010-10-11T09:15:48.530-07:00Causes of rising caearean rates?I read an article on the BBC news site about ‘too posh to push’ being a total myth, and women overall are not demanding elective caesarean sections, but being advised to have a caesarean section when a pregnancy or labour deviates from normal, and yet the caesarean section rate is rising year on year. So, the question is, who decides what is normal and what is not? I think that there is a strong element of ‘if in doubt cut it out’ but women are not being given all the information to make a truly informed choice, and obstetricians are only too aware of litigation should a labour and birth not proceed as planned. <br />There is also the possibility of health professionals affecting how information is given to women during pregnancy and how that information is received- I remember a few years ago reading an article which discussed Queen Charlotte’s Professor Nicholas Fisk’s anonymous survey of 282 male and female obstetricians working in the NHS across London. Some 31 percent of female obstetricians and 8 percent of male obstetricians would request a caesarean section for themselves or their partners in the absence of any medical need. I think this is really sad as it shows that these professionals don’t have confidence in their own bodies to deal with a natural process. Some of their reasons for requesting caesarean section are cited as wishing to prevent perineal injury and stress incontinence, but they don’t consider the injury incurred by a caesarean section cutting through abdominal wall, muscle and uterus as potentially dangerous too. I have met women who still have stress incontinence even though their babies were born by caesarean section, so that argument doesn’t cut the mustard with me. <br />There is also the alarming increase in diabetes and obesity sweeping this country- I remember talking to a midwife who ran a clinic for diabetics- ten years ago she would see one or two clients a week, now she has whole clinics of twenty or more a couple of times a week. The ultimate result in this astronomical rise contributes heavily to the rising caesarean section rate.<br />Then, there is the spectre of thousands of job cuts within the NHS which were predicted earlier this year. The government promises that front line services will not be cut or affected, but, for example if you take away clerical support staff out of a ward, then the only people left to do the paperwork are nurses and midwives, and they are already drowning in a sea of paper and technology. <br />And then, only a few days ago several hospital trusts announced that maternity units were going to close- where will the women go who would have had their babies in these units? The answer is that they will have to go to larger hospitals where the staff are already hard pushed to provide a safe and adequate level of care. <br />There are many situations where, during labour or in the last weeks of pregnancy signs appear that all is not well, and the woman and her unborn baby will need extra monitoring. I suspect that in the light of further cuts to our NHS services, many of these women will be offered a caesarean section rather than the maternity unit facing an investigation into inadequate care after the event. Sadly I believe that our current overall statistic of 24% caesarean section rate will continue to rise, and the unusual birth experience will be that of normality.<br /><br />So, what is the solution to the problem? I believe there is a multi faceted answer- firstly women must take responsibility for themselves, they must become healthier and eat a balanced diet, cut out alcohol and stop smoking all long before they decide to get pregnant, they should ensure that they are well informed about their pregnancy and birth by attending ante natal classes, and finding out as much information as they can through different media including the internet, joining discussion forums will help in broadening their views, and will lead to them being better prepared for labour and parenthood.<br />Our government must stick to its promises and save our NHS from any further cuts- yes there are ways of becoming more efficient but women will still need a good midwife to have a great birth experience.<br /><br />http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8052814/More-than-30-maternity-and-casualty-units-facing-the-axe.html<br /><br />http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2004/may/02/health.politics1<br /><br />http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/apr/21/medicalscience.research<br /><br />http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11485987<br /><br />http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=73 vaginal birth after caesarean<br /><br />http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=146 gestational diabetes videoBerny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-27430650517425295972010-06-22T00:49:00.000-07:002010-06-22T01:45:19.798-07:00Hamburgers or Ice-creams?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1vbiY1jJGcFBzDEFyELeImhps8T4D8qcfLUXlIH01gttvomqqoHQwEUE1KliQ5wo1Ge0t2UNEfHw_u2EFtEI51jQmH1X9juxom6ywIEhW6-QmxUdNgjNV5EC1ISdSX4Q74fYcU53xDA/s1600/libya,berny,lara+176.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485513494417062978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1vbiY1jJGcFBzDEFyELeImhps8T4D8qcfLUXlIH01gttvomqqoHQwEUE1KliQ5wo1Ge0t2UNEfHw_u2EFtEI51jQmH1X9juxom6ywIEhW6-QmxUdNgjNV5EC1ISdSX4Q74fYcU53xDA/s320/libya,berny,lara+176.jpg" /></a><br /><div>We've had some great days down here on the South Coast, the weather at times has been gorgeous, but it has been a long time coming, and those long dark days of winter are now fading into memory, so it may not seem surprising for me to start talking about hamburgers and ice creams. The Barbecue season is upon us and every day I see people cooking on their disposable barbecues down on the beach.<br />The thing is, I'm not talking about food at all- a couple of weeks ago I went to film Lara having a 4D scan- she was 29 weeks pregnant and had booked in to have a private detailed 4D scan of her baby, this is the second time I have filmed one of Lara's pregnancies, see Lara's previous story under GroupB strep<a href="http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=213">http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=213</a> and induction of labour<a href="http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=189">http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=189</a>, and it always makes me happy that parents call me back to film for a second or even third time, and I will be following Lara's birth story for the next few weeks and it will appear on mybirth.tv later in the year. For the scan, Lara brought along her husband Rob and Jake- now 4- doesn't time fly?<br />So where do hamburgers and ice-creams come in to this I hear you say? As the sonographer smeared the gel over Lara's tummy and placed the probe over where the baby lay, one of the images that came into view was a hamburger! Lara chuckled as the scan revealed what she already suspected, "yes, it's definitely a hamburger" cried Lara as the sonographer moved the probe over Lara's bump. I'd never heard this expression before or what it meant. Well, when they scan to see the sex of the baby, if the area looks like a hamburger it's a girl and if it looks like an ice-cream it's a boy- simple really when you understand the terminology! </div><div> </div><div><a href="http://http//www.essexultrasound.co.uk/contact.html">http://http://www.essexultrasound.co.uk/contact.html</a></div>Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-23338607221420525442010-05-25T14:22:00.000-07:002010-05-26T01:05:56.403-07:00PROTECTING BABY FROM THE SUN<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWTKAiim0kniCdNk0aGNYiObY8yUaumW43bif5uVLcPuoIGMrcPK6j29ziSq9SquUbwgBaaGRHqElI8SHxC9J0hWNSU5h3PYN2rBwg7XDztu8dGsXmtXL9QVAJfaLv8YKwnOe_xKhorY/s1600/Berny+Devils+Dyke.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475322348948950418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWTKAiim0kniCdNk0aGNYiObY8yUaumW43bif5uVLcPuoIGMrcPK6j29ziSq9SquUbwgBaaGRHqElI8SHxC9J0hWNSU5h3PYN2rBwg7XDztu8dGsXmtXL9QVAJfaLv8YKwnOe_xKhorY/s320/Berny+Devils+Dyke.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Yes, I know, the British summer is usually disappointing and that's why it always catches us unawares. It feels like only about six weeks ago that we were walking the South Downs (Devils Dyke to be precise) in three feet of snow!</div><br /><div>It's been a perishing spring and suddenly without any warning it's summer and we've all got burnt! On Sunday I spent an hour in the garden (maybe two) and my back is now a deep burnt orange. I forgot to put the suncream on and really, genuinely believed there was no need, so I feel for the mother whose baby was found by community officers on Brighton beach and is now recovering in hospital <a href="http://www.blogger.com/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8703596.stm">news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8703596.stm</a> </div><br /><div>It seems to me that we seem to 'catch'the sun an awful lot quicker than when I was younger and so all parents need to be extra vigilant when it comes to looking after their babies and young children and protecting them from the sun. I remember many years ago when my family were very young and we went on Euro Camp to France <a href="http://www.eurocamp.co.uk/">http://www.eurocamp.co.uk/</a> The sun shone and we had a wonderful time except that my son who is fair skinned got sunburnt- even though I smothered him in sunscreen and covered him up in T- shirt and shorts. That evening he complained of feeling hot and sunburnt and I put caladryl on his back- (not sure why I didn't use Calamine!) The instructions said not to put it on broken skin, which it wasn't, but within seconds he was screaming and we had to run to the communal showers to cool him down. The next day his back had calmed down but he retained a butterfly like mark on his back which scabbed over just like a true burn. I worry to this day about the damage that might have done and pray he never gets melanoma. So, I suppose the moral of this tale is that you have to be extra extra vigilant when taking your babies and young children into the sunshine. Keep them covered with T-shirts, shorts and sun protective swimwear <a href="http://www.sun-togs.co.uk/page.home">http://www.sun-togs.co.uk/page.home</a> . Use at least factor 30 sunscreen and smother your babies and children in it. Keep your babies in the shade and use umbrellas and hats at all times. Remember, their skin is a lot more sensitive than an adult's, but the effects of sunburn can last a lifetime</div><br /><div><a href="http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/type/melanoma/about/preventing-melanoma">http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/type/melanoma/about/preventing-melanoma</a></div>Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-48270754273065472712010-05-09T05:18:00.000-07:002010-05-09T05:45:10.373-07:00A clear view of birthI haven't written my blog for sometime now and thought I ought to get on with it really! Last Monday I visited independent midwife Virginia Howes in order to film her Howes Birth Mirror <a href="http://www.kentmidwiferypractice.co.uk/2006/shop.htm">http://www.kentmidwiferypractice.co.uk/2006/shop.htm</a><br />Virginia is entering a Barclays Bank competition to see if she can win the prize money in order to promote her product further afield. I think the mirror is a great invention as in the past I have filmed many waterbirths <a href="http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=244">http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=244</a> where midwives have used a conventional mirror- the downside of a conventional mirror is that it usually has an edge on it (perfect for bacteria to thrive) and is made of glass- probably something best avoided. Virginia's new mirror is made of polished steel- no sharp edges, unbreakable, and it can be sterilised in an autoclave. to view her product visit this link <a href="https://www.takeonesmallstep.co.uk/Entry/View/3043">https://www.takeonesmallstep.co.uk/Entry/View/3043</a> I for one am backing it, as it is a fantastic, simple product and will be perfect for all those women wishing to get a clear view as their baby is being born.Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-86937891057085714152009-10-08T01:17:00.000-07:002009-10-08T01:20:09.756-07:00Marathons and Mothers<p>Last weekend I had the opportunity to film a man who plans to complete 20 record breaking achievements in twelve months. His first to be recorded for Record Holders Republic is running for 48 hours on a treadmill with a 40lb pack on his back, all of the money he raises will go to Help for Heroes. So, on Saturday morning I arrived in Swindon at the Brunel Shopping Centre to watch Mike Buss as he started on this crazy marathon. On Sunday evening I returned to see how he was doing- and to look at his war torn feet, and then on Monday at midday he finished his record breaking achievement- not only had he achieved a world record for 24 hours non stop, but the 48 hour record too, and he had covered 76.2 miles. As I watched him on the treadmill I pondered the fact that women achieve great marathons every day- when they have long drawn out labours and their strength flags, yet somehow most of these women continue and eventually give birth on their own. In the final hours of a labour they find an inner strength and this was what I saw in Mike on Sunday night and Monday morning.<br /><br />One of the areas that he talked about whilst continually tramping the treadmill was that he feels he needs to research his diet more carefully before he takes on another record attempt. I think, in this respect women should do the same- many midwives give advice on foods that might prove palatable whilst in labour and energy rich snacks which help them through. Mike, like a woman in labour, couldn’t stomach large meals and so small snacks and high energy drinks were the order of the day- he also learnt late into his marathon that pastries from the local café in the shopping centre proved to be a great energy booster. So, for those of you who are about to undertake possibly the biggest marathon of your life here are some ideas for foods that will help you through:<br /><br />Carbohydrates that will provide sustained energy such as bread, cereals, cereal bars, pasta, bananas and yoghurt. Iced freeze pops for rehydrating and cooling, fruit juices and plenty of liquids especially water. Drinks are best served in sports bottles or cups with a straw. Dextrose tablets are useful – especially if you can’t keep food down as they will provide that necessary energy, you can buy them in your local chemist. The other piece of advice is not to eat anything too heavy or bulky- little and often is key. </p><ul><li><a href="http://www.recordholdersrepublic.co.uk/">Record Holders Republic</a></li><li><a href="http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/index.html">Help for Heroes</a></li><li><a href="http://www.thebrunel.co.uk/">The Brunel</a></li><li><a href="http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=69">Eating in Labour</a></li><li><a href="http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=182">Sally’s Birth Diary</a></li></ul>Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-46390352638604032462009-09-17T04:14:00.000-07:002009-09-17T04:29:25.077-07:00When to call the Midwife<p>Last week started with a bang - at 2.30 on Monday afternoon I got a call from the mother of a young woman I was filming who was planning on a homebirth. She told me that Amy’s contractions were coming every 3 to 5 minutes so I dropped everything, jumped in the car and drove like a bat out of hell to get to Ashford in time. </p><p>When I got there all was peaceful and calm, Amy’s Mum opened the door and I went in to find Amy in the pool, everything seemed under control and I set about getting my camera ready. I asked if <a href="http://www.kentmidwiferypractice.co.uk/">Virginia her midwife</a> had been called and they told me that she was at home, so I relaxed as Virginia lives no more than five minutes away. After 15 minutes had passed I felt that Amy was moving on in her labour and suggested that they call Virginia, both Kate (Amy’s Mum ) and Amy seemed surprised that I thought it was time to call a midwife but I felt she was closer to giving birth than they realised. Amy had been practicing her <a href="http://www.hypnobirthing.com/">Hypnobirthing technique </a>and I do believe that it can help in blocking some of those messages of pain. Hypnobirthing and Natal <a href="http://www.natalhypnotherapy.co.uk/">Hypnotherapy practitioners</a> do not talk about pain and contractions, but powerful surges instead, pain, being negative and powerful surge being a positive word, so Amy was dealing very well with her surges. </p><p>Anyway, back to the story; Virginia was surprised to hear that Amy had got in the pool and was having regular contractions, but somewhere in the communications between midwife and mother the wires were crossed and Virginia was not at home but visiting a client for an ante natal appointment, she left her client immediately and set off back to Ashford. </p><p>Virginia called whilst on her way back to Ashford to see if I was already there and so she asked to speak to me, I told her that I thought Amy was close to giving birth and Virginia told me to get her on the floor with her bottom in the air, and for Amy to start panting if she felt like pushing. It was really difficult to get Amy out of the pool as she was comfortable there but I knew I had to do what Virginia asked. At some point Hannah who had covered for me on my trip to Los Angeles had arrived as she had grown close to Amy and didn’t want to miss the birth, so I handed her the camera and I got on with trying to get Amy out of the pool. Another contraction went by and then Amy managed to get out and on to the floor. By this stage it was obvious that the baby wasn’t going to wait and all the will in the world wasn’t going to stop it- about half an hour had passed by since Kate had called Virginia and I asked Hannah to call an ambulance and Virginia too. Hannah called Virginia first and she told us she was only two minutes away, an ambulance would have taken longer than that two minutes so I was glad she was so close. The baby’s head appeared and with the next contraction I caught the baby’s body and put her through Amy’s legs and placed all 8lb 9oz Honey Sofia on Amy’s chest as Virginia rushed through the door.</p><p>It had all happened so quickly that it was only afterwards and now as I write it that the shock of what happened hits me. Virginia was disappointed to miss the birth but I’m just so glad that she got there immediately after. Honey Sofia was in perfect condition, she cried immediately as she was born (<a href="http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=221">Apgar 9</a>) and looked very healthy. </p><p>So the lesson of this tale is, If in doubt call the midwife sooner rather than later, better to waste their time than for them to miss the event. </p><p>Amy’s birth story should be on the <a href="http://www.mybirth.tv/">Mybirth.tv</a> site by the beginning of October. You can view <a href="http://www.mybirth.tv/video-diary.cfm?id=13">Nancy's hypnobirth</a> here.</p>Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-44570678641755000122009-09-03T01:36:00.000-07:002009-09-03T01:43:48.399-07:00I HATE EXERCISE- but it's good for me, and you too.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZM54ejbYinGhpfyEeZsHjk0mq57-lxzg5v4X0pTV-pyEz54-iuYyDwjJOME0of80EAWbCyZ3wtFZvdQXw3ppCOx_xS2ul4vapuxM9cbEsWdqBNGGogFbNqtSCj7PMl88G_DpqZNia6nE/s1600-h/flexible.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377157673603150162" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 241px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 220px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZM54ejbYinGhpfyEeZsHjk0mq57-lxzg5v4X0pTV-pyEz54-iuYyDwjJOME0of80EAWbCyZ3wtFZvdQXw3ppCOx_xS2ul4vapuxM9cbEsWdqBNGGogFbNqtSCj7PMl88G_DpqZNia6nE/s320/flexible.jpg" border="0" /></a> Those of you that know me well, know that I HATE EXERCISE- so it might come as some surprise when I was asked recently if I minded being photographed at my local cardiac fitness class for my instructor’s site! I have always known that I needed to get fitter, especially when I have been up all night filming a birth, and of course I’m not getting any younger. I started these classes last November when my husband had been attending them for several months, I could see the physical difference in him, and I wanted some of the same. So, although I have not had any cardiac surgery I went along to the class and have been enjoying the benefits ever since. In fact I think I’m a bit like a former smoker who has become a zealot, totally convinced that everyone should do this form of exercise, and I preach to any who will listen! I was chuffed yesterday as I am planning a short break to Los Angeles and needed someone to cover filming for me while I’m away, as I have been following someone who is due to have a homebirth this week . I asked Hannah to stand in for me as she is involved in the local <a href="http://www.csip.org.uk/~mslc/forum/forum/it-worked-for-us.html">Maternity Services Liaison Committee (MSLC)</a> and is a former producer director with camera experience. She came along to Amy’s 39 week ante natal check up which was with Independent midwife <a href="http://www.kentmidwiferypractice.co.uk/">Virginia Howes</a>. Halfway through the check up she asked if she could do some filming and I handed over the camera. After twenty minutes or so there was a lull in the filming and she took a break. Her arms were killing her because, although my camera is quite small it still seems to weigh a ton when you’ve been holding it for a while. She looked at me and commented that I had muscles of steel and how did I manage to keep the camera so steady for such a long time? Some of the births that I have been lucky enough to film have been drawn out affairs, as long as 37 hours and the filming has been hard, but I think now with the extra exercise classes I will be able to cope even better with holding that camera for a long time if necessary.<br /><br />On the note of exercise I think it’s also very important to keep levels of stamina and fitness up whilst pregnant. There are many types of <a href="http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/labourandbirth/planningyourbabysbirth/antenatalclasses/">ante natal classes </a>available that can give you time to focus on you and the baby- life can be so hectic at times, especially when there are other children to look after and perhaps a job to keep down too, so don’t forget to attend a class when you can. Pregnancy, labour and birth and the weeks and months following can be some of the toughest times in a woman’s life, and taking a fitness, aquanatal or <a href="http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=233">yoga class </a>can be just what is needed to get you through.Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-2858570497401404412009-08-03T02:42:00.000-07:002009-08-03T02:50:10.013-07:00Conflicting Advice - Swine Flu<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUjxZd0dCrzALlFA0zIzqpKud3379LKAdivzDOnC-3Hmqtmf186ZvLspsiglMNne4xxgYXOfwZPunvjr_Pmwd_fhyphenhyphenkL6GwAEtNTBPAXGLC_h29uZp_ap0za6WRHnfW3oAN_I7xnCYP_7A/s1600-h/pandemic.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365672251922638546" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 241px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 220px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUjxZd0dCrzALlFA0zIzqpKud3379LKAdivzDOnC-3Hmqtmf186ZvLspsiglMNne4xxgYXOfwZPunvjr_Pmwd_fhyphenhyphenkL6GwAEtNTBPAXGLC_h29uZp_ap0za6WRHnfW3oAN_I7xnCYP_7A/s320/pandemic.jpg" border="0" /></a> Pregnancy should be a wonderful time in a woman’s life, as she looks forward to a positive birth experience and the excitement of impending motherhood. For many, these emotions are mixed with a sense of fear about the unknown, how will she cope with labour and birth, and how will she cope with a small baby? Even for the low percentage of those with a high risk pregnancy, good ante natal care and monitoring should get them through it unscathed with a healthy baby at the end of their pregnancy, so it is a little unhelpful and frightening that added to these natural worries we are bombarded on a daily basis about the impending flu epidemic, and the conflicting advice given. For example women are told to stay away from crowded areas, avoid public transport and stay at home- how does that work then when they are expected to visit their ante natal clinic, usually in their Dr’s surgery, an area no doubt bombarded on a daily basis with the virus?<br /><br />Then, when they go into labour the advice is<strong> MAYBE</strong> to have a homebirth thus cutting the risk of infection or passing it on to other new mothers, <strong>OR </strong>to have a hospital birth because there won’t be enough midwives (as they will be sick too), and so the few that are left will be expected to care for more women in labour than usual. You can’t have it both ways, but department of health guidelines are written in order to cover all possibilities, they don’t want to be accused of not doing the right thing.<br /><br />The thing is that none of us know how this will pan out, and maybe the DOH should be honest and declare it. So far the death rate of healthy individuals has been mercifully low – on the NHS choices site on the 27th July the statement read : <em><strong>There were an estimated 100,000 new cases of swine flu in the UK in the week ending July 19. Total deaths stand at 31.<br /></strong></em><br />I suspect that the infection rates are much higher than this with many people not visiting their Drs and self treating at home. Statistically the predictions are that as many as a third of the population will get the H1N1 virus over the coming months with a predicted death rate in the region of 0.1 to 0.35%. Sir Liam Donaldson the Chief Medical Officer, announced last week that the death rate could be as high as 65,000 or as low as 3,100, the truth is they don’t know and won’t know until it has run its course, in a normal year there will be as many as 6000 deaths from seasonal flu, so maybe we should calm down . Putting another perspective on this crisis is this: In the UK in 2006 ‘<em><strong>Cancer accounted for 29 per cent of all deaths in males and 25 per cent in females</strong></em>’. That’s 242,200 men and women in one year of mainly preventable deaths, and yet I don’t see the politicians, the newspapers or other media wringing their hands over that statistic.<br /><br />Having said all that, it’s a known fact that pregnant women are more susceptible to infections with a lowered immune system, and so they can try to protect themselves by careful hand washing and so on, but in the crowded cities and towns that we live in I think the chances of not coming into contact with the virus must be pretty slim. Eating a well balanced diet, drinking plenty of fluids and getting enough rest is probably as good a protection as anything else, and for the time being keep to your plans of a home or hospital birth, whichever you prefer.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nct.org.uk/info-centre/information/view-117">NCT Swine Flu Information</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Pandemic-flu/Pages/Adviceforpregnantwomen.aspx">NHS Swine Flue Information</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/Sat/Topics/WizardStepOne.aspx?Host=Nhsd&SyndicationPartnerGuid=d19370ea-a100-407d-9695-b73407f701c7&TopicGuid=8c903315-a302-412a-bfae-9cb576d4b4cd">Swine Flu Symptom Checker</a> swine flu symptom checker<br /><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8159488.stm">Flu statistics on BBC site </a><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=915">Cancer Statistics UK</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/besttreatments/2009/jul/17/just-how-dangerous-is-swine-flu">Just How Dangerous is Swine Flu </a>- Guardian article<br /><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8141123.stm">Harry Potter star talks about his flu experience- video</a> </div>Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-84978726752150103992009-07-03T08:08:00.000-07:002009-07-03T09:06:03.857-07:00Scans, homebirths and mothers<div align="left"><span style="font-size:78%;"> Eli and Dan with their three boys- Toby, Luca and Gabriel and Elis' Mum Vicky</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMVkVv2lbC7KIkmFgkQWFOLUSwkNFcp4D1X6I_epr3Gu0whgLAG6ta8foOUn9smQ-fvW1RUsduZfsTPLN-oGdYIavkI-kCbi7XJ9cVF6YSd0KzCFqWsjFrYm9lgD6Js9NXwMCzW5LOiA/s1600-h/DSC01575.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354254104650696642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMVkVv2lbC7KIkmFgkQWFOLUSwkNFcp4D1X6I_epr3Gu0whgLAG6ta8foOUn9smQ-fvW1RUsduZfsTPLN-oGdYIavkI-kCbi7XJ9cVF6YSd0KzCFqWsjFrYm9lgD6Js9NXwMCzW5LOiA/s320/DSC01575.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:78%;">Katherine, Bryan and Beatrix before the birth of Lucie<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYmdN-9mBfcxkHeNa7ksapWrpLlWSv-rRYEtndJCdoJNzUmNRr3QDMYAceq2iwyQUXWQolvjtAqlLrUdBCVfId5U2x56FmArOhHixnjxquKJW-2TbH7YQm-e09LdHDz_KgtieE2orVv9Y/s1600-h/part+1+all+togather+(2).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354251944058922322" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYmdN-9mBfcxkHeNa7ksapWrpLlWSv-rRYEtndJCdoJNzUmNRr3QDMYAceq2iwyQUXWQolvjtAqlLrUdBCVfId5U2x56FmArOhHixnjxquKJW-2TbH7YQm-e09LdHDz_KgtieE2orVv9Y/s320/part+1+all+togather+(2).jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Whenever I have filmed a birth I ensure that the family sees the finished film before it goes online or is broadcast. Although I love this part I also find it quite daunting; other people are going to look at how I filmed their birth experience and I worry that it won’t meet their expectations.<br />A few weeks ago I went to see Katherine and Bryan to show them the film of the birth of their second baby Lucie. I had already filmed the birth of <a href="http://http//www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=228">Beatrix</a>, so Katherine and Bryan knew what to expect and had not been worried about me filming this second birth. For a mother to watch<br />the birth of their baby it must be quite hard- flashbacks of what they were feeling at the time and emotions that were going through their heads must bring it all flooding back. As Katherine and Bryan watched, they were reminded of the early pregnancy when Katherine had a<a href="http://http//www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=245"> Nuchal fold scan </a>and the baby would not co-operate by showing its fold of fat on the <a href="http://http//www.kentmedicalimaging.co.uk/obs.htm">neck</a>. How small Beatrix seemed at the time, and now, several months later how much she has grown and adopted her role as older sister. The labour was relatively short but sharp, Bryan had been rubbing Katherine's back furiously and her mother had come over to look after Beatrix. Katherine watched in silence with tears running down her face as she saw her baby Lucie being born. I am relieved to say that Katherine and Bryan loved the programme and it's now uploaded to the site.<br /><br />A couple of weeks ago I went to see Eli and Dan with the rough cut film of their third baby’s birth. I filmed it last summer and now eleven months later it is finally ready to go online. Eli, Dan and Eli’s mum Vicky watched as we saw Eli having an <a href="http://http//www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=243">anomaly scan</a> at 21 weeks of pregnancy. Her two older boys Toby and Luca were at the scan too and they waited to hear if the baby was a boy or girl. No mistaking its sex as the grey and black picture focussed on a prominent part between the unborn baby’s legs- ‘Yes, it’s another boy’!<br />Eli is heard to say something about the amount of testosterone that will be flowing around her home in a few years time! We laughed at Eli and Dan’s interview where he only manages to get a word or two in edgeways- and sympathised with my editor who had to view all six hours of Eli’s birth diaries!<br />At this point I looked across to see Vicky wiping tears away; she had already started to cry and I realised that it must be even harder for a mother to watch her daughter going through the birth process.<br />When the programme reached the labour and birth Vicky was in full flow and Eli followed suit, it was a wonderful waterbirth with Gabriel coming up through the water with his eyes already open.<br />I hope that one day when my children decide to have babies of their own that they will allow me to be present at the birth of my grandchildren, although my daughters have already told me in no uncertain terms how they wont want me at the birth of their babies, so it seems amazing that so many women have asked me to be present to film and document their birth experiences, and several have asked me back to film more than once, which I find an honour and a privilege. I do hope that in time my daughters will change their minds, and in return I will promise to be a supportive and sympathetic birth partner, even if I do cry.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/antenatalhealth/scans/secondtrimesterscans/">http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/antenatalhealth/scans/secondtrimesterscans/</a><br /></div>Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-1404894232325142482009-06-23T02:57:00.000-07:002009-06-23T03:08:10.150-07:00Cutting the cord<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYZGoQtQ3Sq5NK1DSvDNty_iBvkNfd9ehFJPcoF-M14f0SLp8Tb-RTUTBguYYMkYpq3vJWvTDyu-xgD3q2pMKxT3at4Y6pcuQTmsQIFyxVTESJKrQSteycJUal2qHEKvELtOkKWBmni0/s1600-h/cord.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350462680469349234" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 232px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 190px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYZGoQtQ3Sq5NK1DSvDNty_iBvkNfd9ehFJPcoF-M14f0SLp8Tb-RTUTBguYYMkYpq3vJWvTDyu-xgD3q2pMKxT3at4Y6pcuQTmsQIFyxVTESJKrQSteycJUal2qHEKvELtOkKWBmni0/s320/cord.gif" border="0" /></a>Eons ago when I was training as a midwife (1979-1980) the whole birth process was over technical. I remember the birth pack which comprised of two layers of paper, gauze swabs, Gallipot, cotton wool swabs, plastic kidney dish, cord clamps, cord scissors and episiotomy scissors – OUCH! (I suspect with the passage of time I have forgotten some elements). These were all placed in a particular order of use to ensure that you made your episiotomy before the baby was born, and you didn’t cut the cord before clamping it!<br /><br />I remember the speed at which you had to deliver the baby, clamp and cut the cord, dry the baby down, wrap it in a towel and hand it to the mother, it was always in a matter of seconds provided there were no problems to deal with like a baby not breathing or a haemorrhaging mother.<br /><br />There was also the element of keeping a sterile field – the mother was discouraged from putting her feet on the paper, as this was where the baby would lie whilst the cord was clamped and cut- I always wondered about this ‘sterile’ field when the mother would regularly open her bowels during the birth process- that definitely wasn’t sterile. Having said that of course, she sometimes would be given suppositories or even an enema prior to the birth or induction of labour. There was also the matter of the ‘Shave’- What indignities. In addition to all of this she would give birth lying down or reclining – in order to give a good view and access for that all important episiotomy!<br /><br />Thankfully, times have changed; no longer are women given suppositories, enemas or shaves, unless of course they request one! They can birth in any number of positions, and the episiotomy scissors are kept well out of sight. At the time of birth some women are asking that the cord be left until it stops pulsating to ensure that the baby receives its full quota of blood and has time to establish a regular breathing pattern. Whilst the cord continues to pulsate the baby is receiving oxygen via the placenta- this could be particularly useful when a birth has been complicated or traumatic and the baby is unable to breathe for itself. I have observed this myself when a baby was born making little or no effort to breathe- the cord was left intact and the baby received life giving oxygen for a matter of minutes whilst the midwives resuscitated the baby, the baby appears to have suffered no ill effects. Had the cord been clamped and cut at the time of birth I have no doubt that this baby would have suffered some degree of brain damage. Fortunately doctors and midwives are recognising the positive effects of late cord clamping and are even introducing this procedure into the operating theatre at caesarean sections.<br /><br />There is still room for improvement on this area though, as <a href="http://www.somatechnology.com/MedicalProducts/Drager-Airshields-Resuscitaire-Infant-Warmer.asp">resuscitaire’s</a> are built with accessibility for the paediatricians and are designed to be chest height- too high for a recently delivered mother to remain attached to her baby by the umbilical cord. Perhaps the manufacturers of such equipment could develop a new, bed height one, which would enable doctors to work on the baby whilst leaving the cord intact to give life saving oxygen to the baby.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=176">Apgar score / resuscitation</a><br /><a href="http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=176">Lotus Birth</a></div>Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-76615049298886477842009-05-05T02:56:00.000-07:002009-05-05T03:41:35.860-07:00Breast Milk - Supply & Demand<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1REiysbx3g9j-3_ZbiTGb1ekDIAtdfGh3O97fHCkDFAeXZ9UYj3ow1mK1NSRxhpzx-Kqg2b-Bbj6sH-ZcpnZTB7LmPmao4YtuNkFF4eCce0hMaKPFEo_nDrOicYUMeJ3OqQmiDKxOFk/s1600-h/dsc01707.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332277955952901922" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1REiysbx3g9j-3_ZbiTGb1ekDIAtdfGh3O97fHCkDFAeXZ9UYj3ow1mK1NSRxhpzx-Kqg2b-Bbj6sH-ZcpnZTB7LmPmao4YtuNkFF4eCce0hMaKPFEo_nDrOicYUMeJ3OqQmiDKxOFk/s200/dsc01707.jpg" border="0" /></a> I recently returned from a fantastic holiday to Argentina and apart from developing a cold on the flight home it was a safe trip, no Swine flu virus, Dengue fever or malaria, thank goodness.<br />As well as some fantastic horse riding across the Pampas with a real Gaucho I also had the opportunity to milk a cow on the <a href="http://www.estancialamargarita.com/">Estancia La Margarita</a> where I stayed for a few days with my husband and two of my daughters. At the time I commented that provided you understand your anatomy you should be able to milk a cow in much the same way as a mother can express her milk, although I believe that human milk expressing is a little gentler and the amounts produced less copious - The cow produced three quarters of a bucket of milk in one go! Having said that I recall how, almost 24 years ago when one of my babies was born prematurely I had to express 3 hourly and deliver the milk to the special care baby unit. At the end of a day I found that I was expressing one and a half litres, and my daughter’s needs were for only an ounce or two! Maybe I’m not so different from that cow after all! Unfortunately at that time <a href="http://www.avert.org/contact.htm">HIV and AIDS</a> was a relatively new virus and little was known about it, the milk banks that had provided a lifeline to so many premature babies were suspended, so my surplus milk went down the drain instead of being given to a needy baby. Today, with new testing and screening techniques milk banks are back and sprouting up all over the country, and premature and sick babies can once more benefit from other mother’s surplus.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQwvd7dGG0IhS4h15-taT8lFoHP3f-EtuxpeQxBOMiSawo3wKwoqED_0Wh5HCmG6QIWgK4wk_I1XQ-ROdBA2D46ShmTSJ2ln3LKNX3RU0WK913ypO4rEoESkLv-Jaa5FVl9YGUc4vdK0/s1600-h/dsc01705.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332277857785304098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQwvd7dGG0IhS4h15-taT8lFoHP3f-EtuxpeQxBOMiSawo3wKwoqED_0Wh5HCmG6QIWgK4wk_I1XQ-ROdBA2D46ShmTSJ2ln3LKNX3RU0WK913ypO4rEoESkLv-Jaa5FVl9YGUc4vdK0/s200/dsc01705.jpg" border="0" /></a>The cow on the Estancia had a calf which had been kept at a distance all afternoon which was then brought into the coral and allowed to feed for a short time to ensure a good ‘<a href="http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/breastfeeding/problemsandsolutions/breastpain/">let down</a>‘ . The calf was then tethered nearby and the process of milking begun. Once the bucket was nearly full the calf was released and the cow fed her youngster. You see its all to do with supply and demand, the more you milk, the more you produce, and so the same goes for mothers. Providing human milk for premature and sick babies can be a wonderful gift; many mothers are too sick themselves to ensure an adequate supply and in addition if they have had a difficult or traumatic birth experience it may take them sometime to establish their own milk source for their babies. Donating a surplus is easy and costs next to nothing, so for women who are interested in donating their milk they can contact the United Kingdom Association for <a href="http://www.ukamb.org/">Milk Banking</a>. If you’re in the USA then the link is <a href="http://www.hmbana.org/">http://www.hmbana.org/</a> All that is required is a blood test and a short questionnaire to ensure that you are not on any drugs, or have an infection that could be passed on to a premature or sick baby. Milk can be frozen and kept for several days before being delivered to a milk bank and some milk banks will collect as well.<br /><br />Use the links on the right to view all MyBirth video's relating to breastfeeding or <a href="http://www.mybirth.tv/">click here</a>.Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-20558968812485944992009-03-05T03:25:00.000-08:002009-03-06T02:25:21.159-08:00Group B Strep<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3cNaS5qlYk3uLY8hNr3dac8n_mi86fNSdhT33oz0G0b3qyzFkS83wX-8USUwwJx0zKqm4RT-xK6ewexJj-D8hmI51Pyo32OKhGJ8pN0N5NgbtscLiAlwbyqhS1T_PjpVqp2eVfcWYBE/s1600-h/mybirth-groupbstrep.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309663580360131714" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 165px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ3cNaS5qlYk3uLY8hNr3dac8n_mi86fNSdhT33oz0G0b3qyzFkS83wX-8USUwwJx0zKqm4RT-xK6ewexJj-D8hmI51Pyo32OKhGJ8pN0N5NgbtscLiAlwbyqhS1T_PjpVqp2eVfcWYBE/s200/mybirth-groupbstrep.jpg" border="0" /></a>Today I am writing about a subject that I feel is really important and needs to be investigated and understood further, it’s one that seems to be worrying a great deal of parents to be - Group B Strep<br /><br />Almost every week Mybirth.tv receives enquiries about Group B strep and the advice we give tends to run on the same principles. Having watched the video on the mybirth site we then tell the enquirer to contact the Group B Strep organization, which gives fantastic support and in depth information. They should also speak to their midwife or consultant obstetrician who will have up to date information. So, what is Group B strep?<br />It‘s a bacteria commonly found in a third of all male and female intestines. A quarter of women of childbearing age will carry the bacteria in their vagina at any given time. This bacterium is totally harmless in healthy individuals and is only of concern to a newborn infants and very young babies. As many as 700 babies per year are infected with this bug in the UK, and up to 75 die from further complications, the affects of this bacteria can run from septicaemia and pneumonia to meningitis. Keeping in mind that there are almost 700,000 babies born every year in this country, with approximately 175,000 pregnant carriers, the risks of infection are still very low, but to those infected by it the results are very real and can be disastrous. For in-depth information about Group B strep and the possible risks to babies visit <a href="http://www.gbss.org.uk/">http://www.gbss.org.uk/</a><br /><br />Although this bacterium was identified as far back as the 1960’s it didn’t gain an awful lot of attention until much more recently, and I don’t recall when training as a midwife in the early 1980’s any mention of it either. Today, most hospitals in the UK will have a protocol for dealing with Group B strep infection; the recommendations may vary from hospital to hospital, but in general the offered course of treatment is intravenous antibiotics for women who are in labour and are known to be G B Strep positive. If there is no opportunity for IV antibiotics in labour the baby may be given them post birth. The whole point about antibiotics is to ensure that the baby is treated either prior to birth or immediately after, thus eliminating the risks of G B Strep infection. This scenario brings up many issues; many mothers would prefer that their babies were not subjected to antibiotics at such a tender age, other women do not want to have IV antibiotics in labour, and for many women if they want a homebirth most hospital trusts would rather they came into the maternity unit for the antibiotics, so the women’s choices are limited, there is also the question about the twenty five percent of pregnant women who are carriers, the majority of whom will not pass on the infection to their baby and will be unaware that there maybe an element of risk.<br /><br />My third child was born almost 24 years ago at 31 weeks of pregnancy. She developed pneumonia almost immediately and for several days her life hung in the balance whilst the doctors fought to save her life. She was pumped full of drugs, antibiotics and intravenous infusions and blood transfusions and she finally pulled through,<br />There was mention of infection and I don’t remember its name but it could well have been Group B strep. As a mother I felt guilty that I had infected my child with this bacteria, and today I am glad that no one should be made to feel guilty with such a common infection, but from my perspective I think it would have been great if I had known about this bacteria and the risks it posed to my unborn baby. For women today the information is out there but is not discussed regularly in ante natal clinics for fear of alarming many mothers to be, but if you knew there was a potential risk you could then make the informed choice of whether to be tested or not.<br /><br />Many mothers are asking why there isn’t a routine screening programme in the UK like there are elsewhere and the simple answer is that the government believes that a routine screening programme is not cost effective; some women maybe screened one day and be found to be positive for the bacteria and yet a few weeks later the same woman with no treatment in the interim will test negative. Therefore many women and their babies maybe subjected to antibiotics that they no longer need. Testing late in pregnancy could help to eliminate some of those who are no longer testing positive.<br /><br />There is a <a href="http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/GroupB/">petition being sent to the Prime Minister</a> asking for routine screening in the UK which closes on the 11th March so if this is something you feel strongly about click on the link.<br /><br /><br />At the moment <a href="http://www.tdlpathology.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=73">there are tests that women can obtain privately</a> which screen for the bacteria; swabs are taken from the rectum and vagina (the mother can do this herself) and then sent off for analysis, details are on the <a href="http://www.gbss.org.uk/">gbss.org.uk</a> site. My belief is that women should ensure that they are well informed about all aspects of their pregnancy, whether its making the choice to have a hospital or homebirth, screening for fetal abnormalities or the risk of passing on a very treatable bacteria.<br /><br />If you have any comments or would like to contribute to the debate please do so, the more people who discuss the issues the better.<br /><ul><br /><li><a href="http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2037.aspx?CategoryID=54&SubCategoryID=137">Pregnancy and group B streptococcus</a> – NHS</li><br /><li><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/medical_notes/5306662.stm">Group B streptococcus infection</a> - BBC</li><br /><li><a href="http://www.aims.org.uk/Journal/Vol12No3/gbs.htm">Group B Strep and Pregnancy</a> – AIMS.org.uk</li><br /><li><a href="http://www.homebirth.org.uk/gbs.htm">Group B Strep and Home Birth</a> – Homebirth Reference Site</li></ul><br /><div></div>Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-60258347460186482382009-02-09T01:13:00.000-08:002009-02-09T01:24:43.832-08:00Maternity Units ‘Shut to Mothers’<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4d434csMLr42rMZyH01uixT_ZX8V_7LJ7CvYfXWdrIRqkP8ALyRToBU2hRb71qbOpwsY6P6t2V9L6Iu4cpQ4A8JriYVmBXjwTKPVbk2NifqpKW9LZI9RqIct8of4cZYgb_zAdfpoiKc/s1600-h/prh.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300725792824986002" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4d434csMLr42rMZyH01uixT_ZX8V_7LJ7CvYfXWdrIRqkP8ALyRToBU2hRb71qbOpwsY6P6t2V9L6Iu4cpQ4A8JriYVmBXjwTKPVbk2NifqpKW9LZI9RqIct8of4cZYgb_zAdfpoiKc/s200/prh.jpg" border="0" /></a>Okay, I just opened up my home page which is always set to the BBC news; I tend to watch very little news on TV these days and tend to find my information on the net. A headline caught my eye in the Health section: <strong><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7875090.stm">Maternity Units 'Shut to Mothers'</a>. </strong>A précis of the article states that nearly half of 104 trusts responding to a recent survey by the Conservative party said that in the last year they shut their maternity units at least once and diverted women to other hospitals. The total of closures for 2008 was 553 compared to 402 in 2007. It didn't say if any women who were affected by these closures had untoward experiences or complications in their labours and births associated with these closures. I hope not but I suspect otherwise.<br /><p>Now, I have been filming pregnancy and birth matters for many years and this particular scenario does seem to be happening with increasing regularity. A woman I spoke to only a couple of weeks ago said that she had been booked to have her baby at her local maternity unit in Brighton, the unit was closed to labouring women so she was asked to call the next maternity unit in Haywards Heath which was also closed, she eventually found a maternity unit to take her in Eastbourne. Fortunately she gave birth in the maternity unit and not in a car on the way there, which has happened to so many women over the last few years. This is not a local problem to Brighton, it is country wide as the Tories report shows and the main cause is increased birth rate coupled with decreased midwives and facilities. So, I then remembered an article that I had seen only a couple of days ago dated 6 th Feb: <strong><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7872501.stm">NHS facing £700 million negligence bill</a>,</strong> The shocking fact is that more than half of the payouts are for maternity related cases Now,it doesn't take a genius to work out that maybe one is linked to the other? This figure is for 2010 alone. Surely it must be obvious that when you have shortages of midwives and maternity unit closures due to lack of funding the outcome is going to mean more mistakes being made by overstretched staff leading to more litigation? </p><p>So, more than £350 million has been set aside for next year's litigation budget for maternity services. Can you imagine what our consultant led maternity units, midwifery led units and homebirth midwives could do with that money? </p><p>If for example £100 million was put in to training and employing more midwives in the most overstretched units, how much could be saved from this horrendous litigation budget? </p><p>The Kings Fund has launched the <a href="http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/">Safer Births Initiative</a> to improve safety in maternity services, it will be launched in October 2009 and I hope that when they have completed their research their recommendations will be implemented.<br /></p><ul><li><a href="http://www.npsa.nhs.uk/nrls/reporting/">National Patient Safety Agency</a></li><br /><li><a href="http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Baby-Born-On-Tube-Polish-Woman-Gives-Birth-At-Jubilee-Line-Kingsland-Undergound-Station/Article/200901115196716">Baby born on tube- link </a></li><br /></ul>Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7561456140593868124.post-20876483820493596782009-02-05T02:40:00.000-08:002009-02-05T02:49:07.599-08:00Filming a beautiful homebirth<div>Okay I was in the middle of writing a piece for my blog about <a href="http://www.gbss.org.uk/">Group B Strep</a> as we’ve had so many queries on the Mybirth.tv website, when events took over. I shall do a blog on Group B strep next time, but I thought I’d write about this instead as it is fresh in my mind and I have lots to say.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mybirth.tv/video-diary.cfm?id=22"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299263305660152930" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 86px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 65px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixKEXh-xz4PtU0zOrdJQD2n9nk5by2MWsDVxc6YSdO-Fj69y2q2cmtu9JEpJEM4IgeKz-_MhMoONtIfDz_wxc9GWZ24bjLC8PZwMUUlqwHiHhPxYD5A5WLyVIEYLlV3gsR9PW2bCjMNE/s200/Kath_part_three.jpg" border="0" /></a>Yesterday evening Katherine texted me to say that she'd been having period like pains all afternoon and she thought 'tonight could be the night' I texted back and said 'bring it on'. Last time I filmed Katherine she went 26 days past her due date (Birth Diaries - <a href="http://www.mybirth.tv/video-diary.cfm?id=22">Katherine and Brian's story</a> - on mybirth.tv ) and I had half expected her to do the same this time, so with that in mind I had already booked the dog into <a href="http://www.royvon.co.uk/">kennels</a> for the end of the month for a weekend away, as being on call 24/7 can be a bit tiring, I don’t know how the independent midwives cope with it all year round!<br /><br />Anyway, back to Katherine. At 6 O'clock she called me to say that she was definitely in labour and finding it hard to talk through a contraction (a good sign), so I grabbed a sandwich, packed the camera and set off for Kent. On Monday we had had the heaviest snowfall in the South for 18 years so I was a little worried about the roads, but other than her road where she lives, the Highways Agency had done a good job on gritting. At 7.15 Brian called me on the mobile to tell me that her waters had just broken, luckily I was only ten minutes away by that time.<br />When I arrived, Katherine was leaning over the sofa with her Mum Pam rubbing her back furiously, little Beatrix was running around the room totally oblivious to her mother’s labours and Brian was there making a cup of tea. The <a href="http://www.birthpoolinabox.co.uk/">pool </a>was nowhere to be seen, as the labour had started up so quickly Brian hadn’t had a chance to inflate it. Katherine’s contractions were coming thick and fast and between her Mum and Brian her back was looking sore with all the rubbing, but that is what she wanted. I got on with the filming and when <a href="http://www.kentmidwiferypractice.co.uk/">Kay her midwife</a> arrived a short while later, there was nothing to hold Katherine back. The labour stepped up a pace, Kay checked the position of the baby, its heartbeat and Katherine’s blood pressure, everything was perfectly normal. Katherine also hadn’t had a chance to put on her <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcutaneous_Electrical_Nerve_Stimulator">TENS machine</a>, but to be honest I don’t think at this stage it would have been of much use. Kay had brought in her infant resuscitation kit and also the entonox for pain relief, none of which were needed I am pleased to say. Katherine was experiencing some very strong contractions and couldn’t get comfortable, it was obvious she was close to giving birth, and Kay observed patiently beside her. Brian continued to rub her back and Pam took Beatrix up for a bath. It seemed like no time at all before Katherine was pushing with her contractions and at 9.19 she gave birth to a lovely baby girl, Beatrix had just fallen asleep and missed the whole thing, Katherine lifted her up and they sat on the floor recovering from the surprise and shock of it all, Kay waited for the umbilical cord to stop pulsating before Pam clamped and cut it, a short time later the placenta was delivered and Katherine went for a bath while her Mum dressed the baby. Half an hour later Katherine came back downstairs, by which time Kay had cleared away her things, the towels were already in the washing machine and Pam had brought in dinner and pudding from the car which she had prepared earlier.<br /><br />By midnight everything in the house was as it had been at 5 .00 that evening, except that Katherine and Brian’s baby was here, delivered safely in her own home without a fuss and leaving very little mess except for a damp patch on the carpet where her waters broke.<br />I have filmed many homebirths over the last five years and it never fails to amaze me at how natural it all seems. That is not to say that I have always witnessed straightforward births; some have been complicated and a few have transferred to hospital for an instrumental delivery, and for these few women the maternity unit was the right place to be, but for the remainder a homebirth was wonderful. I practiced as a midwife in the 1980’s and returned for a short spell in 2003. My observations are that there is such a strong contrast between a hospital birth and a homebirth, and I feel saddened that more women don’t experience homebirth and all that it brings. I have to put my hand up here and say that my own four children were all born in a maternity unit; the care I received was second to none and definitely with my third child (born at 31 weeks) I know that she would not have survived had it not been for the technology and medical care that she received at that time. For me, having a baby in a maternity unit was not scary- I knew the environment intimately and the machines that go Ping held no fear, but for many women these contraptions take away the natural instincts of a woman to birth her child, and it is no surprise that our induction, instrumental and caesarean section rates are increasing exponentially. Perhaps it is time to have a very grown up discussion about maternity services in our country and forge a new way forward?</div>Berny Boshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17534981678640284663noreply@blogger.com5