Perineal Massage! I've shortened this video from my IGTV one which is about 5 mins long (to spare you the unnecessary faff!) Perineal massage when done 3x per week from 34 weeks has been shown to reduce the risk of significant perineal trauma via tears or episiotomy. **Don't get this confused with a health professional pulling on the perineum as you are giving birth, that is not massage and is often unproductive and unnecessary** If you struggle to reach with your bump, try doing it with one foot up on a stool or the toilet. Alternatively, ask a partner to do it for you! You can use oils such as olive, almond or gravesend. Avoid mineral oil and only put a small amount on your thumbs. Reduce the risk doesn't mean zero risk, some people may do this and still end up with trauma. That said, many women I've worked with that have done this exactly as suggested, have experienced little to no trauma. I'm also an anecdotal example - 3 x vaginal births and zero grazes/tears. Don't over do the massages as that can cause irritation and discomfort. I recently read that someone had been doing it 4 x per day for 8 weeks and was pretty sore! If you decide to give it a try, during the massage, stop If it becomes uncomfortable, and only put a comfortable amount of pressure on. Do you think it's worth a try?! Let me know your thoughts and experiences with perineal massage. Anyone interested in reading the actual evidence, there was a recent systematic review in 2020 of over 11 studies that included more than 3400 people, link to read is in my bio.
HEART PALPITATIONS IN PREGNANCY Your body is carrying extra blood and this can cause your heart rate to increase about 25% faster than usual. A faster heart rate can result in occasional heart palpitations which feel like your heart is racing, thumping or even skipping a beat (ectopic beats) stress and anxiety can exacerbate the symptoms too. . In the VAST MAJORITY of cases, heart palpitations in pregnancy are no cause for concern but in rare situations, it can be caused by pre-eclampsia, hypertension, underlying heart disorders or thyroid problems. Always mention heart palpitations to your care provider. If you are also experiencing chest pain or shortness of breath seek medical attention straight away. . During the pregnancy of my 5th child, I began getting heart palpitations and ectopic beats from around 10 weeks. It started happening a couple of times per week until it got to a point where it was occuring on and off all day every day. I had a couple of ecg's (electrocardiogram- assessment of the hearts rhythm) and they were normal. I would often feel lightheaded and unable to focus properly with my heart forver thjmping out of my chest. The palpitations got so bad I was convinced there was a problem with my heart and insisted on a referal to a heart specialist. They performed several blood tests and an ultrasound where they sped up my heart rate and examined it thouroughly. No abnormalities were identified and the palpitations literally stopped the day I gave birth. . Did you experience heart palpitations during pregnancy?
What age gap should you have between children? There's no definitive answer really, it's absolutely a personal choice. I've had small and large age gaps and there's pros and cons to both! There was 7 years between my first and my twins, 9 years between my twin and my 4th child, and 2 years between my 4th and my 5th. Having a nine year gap was a little odd as I felt I was going back to the beginning with the whole newborn stage, especially as my older three were at school and I was finally getting on track with my career. I was also an older mum (borderline geriatric according to Obstetrics 🙄), and I wondered if my body would cope. My body coped ok but it was tiring! The good thing about having a big gap was that the older children were independent in terms of dressing, eating and physically needing things from me. They understood that the baby needed more of me at that time and were happy to entertain themselves. I'm not gonna lie, having another baby two years later was a complete shock to the system! It was hard. Probably more difficult than I expected. Dealing with a 2 year old that wanted my sole attention was exhausting. I can honestly say it was tougher that having the twins. Raising babies at different stages of development was definitely harder. Now at 4 & 6 it's still tough at times as they fight like crazy but have an extremely close bond which is wonderful. Some people like to have all their children close together to 'get it all out of the way'. This is good in the sense that they grow up close and you're able to then go on and focus more on your own development when they're older, but be prepared for a tough few years! I wouldn't change how and when I had any of my children but one thing is for sure, I am done. Family complete 😊
Vomiting during labour and birth is extremely common and there are a few reasons why it can happen. Generally the gastrointestinal tract slows down because all of your body's energy is directed to the uterus and the stomach relaxes. This coupled with changes in hormones can make you feel sick and even vomit. It's often see during transition when there is a surge of adrenaline when contractions are at their peak. Vomiting can also be as a result of dehydration so its important to keep hydrated during labour. Certain pain relieving drugs can cause vomiting including epidurals and opioids. Gas & air (entonox) can cause vomiting, more so if its used excessively. Anti vomiting medications (anti-emetics) cana be given if vomiting during labour becomes too much and they often go hand in hand with opioid administration. Luckily for me, I only experienced vomiting in 1 out of 4 births. I was really annoyed as I threw up an apple I had just eaten mid contraction. It was the first thing I had eaten in hours 😠Did you experience vomiting during labour?
Where the magic happens! I finally have a space where I can work on antenatal education, up and coming speaking engagements, and film content for social media. As well as seeing pregnant and postnatal clients needing support that are able to travel here. It's nice to be out of the house to work, away from the hustle and bustle of life with small children (and not distracted by washing that needs to be done!) Anyone wanting to book a consultation with me either in person or virtually, can do so via my website midwifemarley.com, or via email [email protected]
Apologies if you thought I'd be offering some creative hack for tying laces in the 3rd trimester, I don't really have any. My only advice would be to either A. Cross your leg over your knee so your ankle is resting on your thigh to tie them. This can be uncomfortable if you have pelvic Girdle pain. Or B. Don't wear shoes with laces. If you're anything like me, your feet may be too swollen to wear anything other than flip flops or sliders when in the late stages of pregnancy. Any tips or hacks you may have are welcomed! #pregnancyproblems #thirdtrimester #pregnant #pregnancy #midwifemarley
Diastasis Recti is a common tummy muscle separation, or tummy gap, which involves the widening and thinning of a small connective tissue which runs down the midline of the abdomen, dividing the six pack muscle into two halves. It commonly happens after pregnancy but usually repairs itself over time, aided by exercise. Occasionally, it doesn't repair itself and can leave the abdominal area weakened with a bulge like appearance. If you have diastasis, you may notice a doming or bulging of the tummy muscles at the midline, especially when performing movements that create pressure within the belly, such as a sit up, lifting a heavy object, straining on the toilet, or when doing strenuous exercise. You may also notice a gap when pressing down into the middle of the abdomen whilst lying flat. The severity of the diastasis may affect how it is to be resolved. Some people are able to fix it with simple exercises given after a consultation with a physiotherapist, and some may need to have surgery if exercise isn't effective. There is a non invasive treatment that may help improve a diastasis called EMS (Electrical Miscle Stimulation). This involves 30 minute sessions with pads placed on the abdomen to stimulate the muscles, helping them to strengthen. I now offer EMS to my postnatal clients in my Surrey clinic that are suffering with diastasis recti. This treatment can be done alongside abdominal strengthening exercises. To find out more, or for a consultation, send me an email [email protected]
Birth isn't text book! Many people assume that the membranes rupture before labour starts or that if they haven't had a 'show' that labour is a long way off. Dilation isn't textbook either. Some will have labours that stop and start over several days as the uterus works out how to contract in harmony with your baby and their position. This can mean that the cervix takes a fair bit of time to dilate. Sometimes it can mean that dilation is stuck at a certain point for many hours. Others will have speedy labours, dilating and contracting very quickly. Everyone is different, so is every baby. How you birth will be unique to you. Did your birth look similar to any of the slides? The list is not exhaustive! #childbirtheducation #birth #midwife #midwifemarley
How to get baby into an optimal position for labour and birth. Long labour? Breech? Sunnyside up? Head not aligned in the pelvis? These can help adjust things. You can do these exercises in pregnancy and /or during labour if it's taking a long time to get going. It's also beneficial for labour that seems to progress well and then stalls. Often, the position of the baby is to blame for a long labour. It could be that the baby is sunny side up (back to back/OP) or maybe their head is tilted to the side or deflexed in the pelvis, making it difficult to rotate and bring their chin to their chest. The forward leaning inversion technique is also good for turning breech babies and helping the head to engage if its high at full term, but don't try without speaking to your care provider. This move isn't advised if you have high blood pressure, polyhydramnios or glaucoma. The position should only be held for 30 seconds or so to prevent dizziness. In pregnancy you can do this 2-3 times per day. In labour, only do this if you feel comfortable. If you have a long prodromal labour, trying the sidelying position helps you to get some rest, as well as creating more space in the pelvis. The open knee chest can be done as an alternative to the forward leaning inversion. Practising this once or twice a day in pregnancy and early labour can be beneficial. Walking up the stairs sideways is not only a good way to keep fit, but another way to create more pelvic space! If you're expecting a baby, save this video for future reference, you never know, it might just come in handy!
Live Q&A with midwife Amina @nowbabyliveuk Anyone who had questions that we were unable to answer, please pop them in the comments below!
***TRANSITION IN LABOUR*** Many people can remember the point at which they were in the transition stage. It often comes in the form of: "I can't do it anymore, cut this baby out of me now!" Or "I know I said I didn't want an epidural but I need it!" Transition is the term used to mark the point at which the first stage of labour ends and the second stage begins. You can see I've illustrated the intensity of the contractions at this point in orange. The second stage starts when you are fully dilated approx 10cm and ends with the birth of the baby. During transition your body releases small amounts of adrenaline to keep you alert, but not so much that it hinders the birth- this is why a calm environment is so important. As the adrenaline increases, you become more aware of the intensity of the contractions as the baby starts to descend down the birth canal. For others though, transition is actually unremarkable, especially if they have remained focused and calm throughout their labour. In straight forward labours where there are no complications and both mother and baby are in an optimal position, transition can last up to an hour before the uncontrollable urge to push takes over. Fully dilated doesn't always mean let's get pushing straight away. In low risk labours where there are no complications, problems with the baby's heart rate or epidurals, it's best to wait until that urge is felt before pushing. More often than not, your body takes over and knows exactly what to do. It pushes involuntarily. If you are coached into pushing before there is an urge and don't have an epidural in, it might take a lot longer to birth the baby as the head is probably still too high in the pelvis, or not putting enough pressure on the cervix and pelvic floor for the expulsion reflex to fully kick in. #pregnancy #birth #midwifrmarley
Just me sharing another primate showing how close they are to us! This monkey is performing what looks like the heimlich manoeuvre on their baby. Learning first aid is essential. Particularly if you are a parent as children are more likely to choke than adults. In fact, choking is the fourth leading cause of unintentional death in children under 5. Remember to cut food up into small pieces. For a baby under 12 months, food pieces should be no more than 1/4 inch. For babies 1-2 years, around 1/2 inch. Ensure they are seating whilst eating and that food is not too hard or tough to chew. If you want to sign up to an online infant first aid course with @nowbabyliveuk , simply click the link in my bio to find out more Video found on: @allanimals.ma