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For more information on shoulder dystocia see my blog post: https://midwifethinking.com/2015/05/13/shoulder-dystocia-the-real-story/You can find my blog, podcast, YouTube, articles, books, courses and collective at www.rachelreed.website or via the link in my bio.I've recorded an audio version of my Big Babies blog post as an experiment for those who like to listen (also on YT). Let me know if you want more audio blog posts. You can find the written version in the usual place: https://midwifethinking.com/2019/09/02/big-babies-the-risk-of-care-provider-fear/We see echoes of this today in midwifery textbooks and knowledge.One of the hardest aspects of being a care provider or educator is managing our egos (I include myself here). We encourage pregnant women to develop self-knowledge, but we also need to develop our own self-knowledge. This is why I include these conversations, reflections and activities in my Reclaiming Childbirth Course.My paper copy arrived today. Another brilliant book by my mate Dr Sara Wickham. I've been waiting eagerly for this one to arrive. It is such an important topic, so many women have their birth experiences de-railed unnecessarily. As per tradition, I attempted to get a pet to participate in a photoshoot. As per tradition, I failed. 🤣 @drsarawickhamTop Posts
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Recent Posts
Tag Archives: baby
Big Babies: the risk of care provider fear
Updated: June 2023 Big babies are normal in well resourced countries. Over 10% of babies born in the UK and Australia weigh 4kg (8lb 13oz) or more. Healthy well nourished women grow healthy well nourished babies. Genetic factors also influence … Continue reading
Posted in birth, intervention, midwifery practice, pregnancy, uncategorized
Tagged baby, caesarean, fear, induction, shoulder dystocia, ultrasound
25 Comments
Pre-labour Rupture of Membranes: impatience and risk
Updated: July 2019 Amniotic sac and fluid play an important role in the labour process and usually remain intact until the end of labour. However, around 10% of women will experience their waters breaking before labour begins. The standard approach to this situation is to induce labour … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, intervention, midwifery practice, pregnancy
Tagged amniotic fluid, amniotic sac, augmentation, baby, birth, contractions, induction, nuchal cord, oxytocin, prelabour rupture of membrances, risk, syntocinon, waterbirth
232 Comments
The Placenta: essential resuscitation equipment
Updated: August 2022 Premature cord clamping/cutting Premature cord clamping (clamping before placental transfusion is complete) has been the norm since ‘active management’ of the placenta became routine. In recent years, research has highlighted the harms caused by cutting the umbilical … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged ARM, baby, birth, heart rate, intervention, nuchal cord, placenta, resuscitation, syntocinon, umbilical cord
117 Comments
Cord Blood Collection: confessions of a vampire-midwife
Updated: February 2022 When I was a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed student midwife, I was awarded with a certificate and a box of chocolates. My achievement was collecting the most ‘cord’ blood in the hospital. At that time, the Local Health … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, intervention, law
Tagged baby, cord blood, ethics, information giving, law, placenta, stem cells
178 Comments
Nuchal Cords: the perfect scapegoat
Updated: April 2022 To get this blog going I decided to write about a slight obsession of mine: The fear of, and routine ‘management’ of nuchal cords at birth (umbilical cord around the neck). I have written and presented about … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged baby, birth, nuchal cord, umbilical cord
337 Comments
The Curse of Meconium Stained Liquor
Updated: July 2023 When meconium is noticed in amniotic fluid during labour it often initiates a cascade of intervention. A CTG machine will often be strapped onto the woman reducing her ability to move and increasing her chance of having … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged amniotic fluid, baby, heart rate, intervention, meconium
205 Comments
Listening to Baby During Labour
Updated: October 2022 Listening to the baby’s heart rate during labour is considered to be an important aspect of routine midwifery care. There are two methods of listening—intermittent auscultation (IA) and continuous electronic monitoring (CEFM) via a cardiotocograph machine (CTG). … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, midwifery practice
Tagged auscultation, baby, birth, doppler, heart rate, pinnard, pushing
33 Comments
Birth from the Baby’s Perspective
Picture this… A mother sits holding her newborn son on a postnatal ward during visiting time. One of her visitors reaches forward, grasps the baby by the head and pulls him out of his mothers arms leaving him dangling by … Continue reading
Posted in baby, birth, intervention, midwifery practice
Tagged baby, birth, intervention, pushing
99 Comments