Welcome to Expecting a Baby – a new site, so give me a little time and plenty of your ideas, to get it up and running.
The purpose of this site is to give pregnancy advice to expectant mums (and dads of course!), with access to chat with a qualified midwife online and other mums and dads to be.
We are all very aware that the Midwives working in the UK are understaffed and often unable to give the care and time they would like to their clients. Nobody becomes a midwife to be stressed, exhausted and dash between women and babies – rather, every Midwife I have ever known and worked with, have trained to be carers and make the experience of pregnancy and childbirth as safe and enjoyable a process as is individually possible. However, we soon find that we just have to do our level best with the time and resources we have but that doesnt mean that this is not something we continually try to improve. We need a government who will make it possible to give the care that is constantly promised in their papers and conferences.
That’s my political ramble out of the way. For more information you might like to have a look at the RCM website www.rcm.org.uk a Midwife run Trade Union who undertake to improve the service. Similarly, www.nct.org.uk have great support and advice and will advise of a group in your area, if you wish to use their services.
I will try to keep the site current and post the latest information being given to both Midwives and parents but the general purpose of this blog site will be to give you a chance to air your worries or ask a question and If I cannot answer it myself, then I will pass it to one of my colleagues – a couple of whom I will introduce you to as the blog grows, but all Midwives currently active on the Professional Register.
IMPORTANT: If you have reached a stage in your pregnancy where you are used to feeling good regular movements from your baby and this changes, or you are bleeding or in pain, phone and speak to your own Maternity Unit or GP immediately. They will not mind and, if they feel after individual discussion with you that you need to be medically assessed, will see you. It doesn’t matter if you get sent home with reassurance – it matters if you do have an urgent fixable problem and do not seek help. I know we are not very good generally at making people feel it is ok to seek help when it turns out there is little wrong – but if you are made to feel awkward then please say something – chances are, the staff didnt mean to make you feel like that (they are all quite lovely really).
Sally.
Thanks for looking in.
About Me.
My name is Sally and I am currently active on the UKCCs Professional Midwifery Register.
1989-2009 Dorset, Essex & Channel Islands Staff Midwife and Community Midwife.
Training also includes current Neonatal Advanced Life Support (NALS) and Advance Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO)
