Saffron

Food grade diatomaceous earth. Google or similar for suggested ways to use against moth infestation. xx

Kes Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > So Sorry Saffron and SW - I've got myself all > confused! Serves me right for reading this on my > phone while I was at work! On the Forum at work?!? You should be ashamed!!! Oh wait, I'm on the Forum at work too... (hangs head in shame over lunch at desk.) > > > Saffron - yes it was the timing/scheduling > comment: > > "in a straightforward vaginal birth, you lose the > element of timing, i.e. the birth can't be > scheduled. " > > I misunderstood you, to me it read as - with a > c-section you can choose the most convenient time > to have your baby, - with the implication that > that is the only real benefit to a C/S and it is a > pretty selfish one. I appreciate now that that > isn't what you meant, but as someone who had an > elective CS and has seen that sort of claim in the > media many times, I'm clearly over-sensitive to it > and was concerned that others would read it that > way too. > I don't think that's being oversensitive FWIW. My comment was oblique. The way you read it is what it means to you, and your p.o.v. is as valid anyone's. I think what I was trying to say was that (regarding acknowledging 'loss', as in giving up something in rites of passage) if someone's desire/choice from the outset is for a natural, unfettered birth, then she acknowledges that there's no controlling for timing. She has to accept that the baby comes when it comes, and that's not always in a manner that's timely for the mother or safest (36 hour labours, giving birth at 3am, or while her doula is stuck in traffic, or in a carpark etc). So mitigating risk with regards to timing isn't just about 'convenience'. Actually I think this element of the unknown in timing can be quietly terrifying to many first-time mothers, but it shouldn't stop women from being positive about attempting natural births. But equally, I'm not anti-C-section either. I think there is probably more harm than good done by demonising C-sections and making them seem abhorrent as somehow less of birth than a vaginal birth. While it's true that there are risks and negative consequences associated with C-sections, these are relative to the background in which the pregnancy/labour is considered. For example, in a difficult birth foregoing an early C-section to attempt a vaginal delivery may result in the need of forceps delivery (with its own set of hazards), as once the baby is low in the uterus near delivery a late C-section becomes quite risky. Interestingly, I never noted C-sec and forceps discussed in relation to each other in my antenatal classes or in any of the pregnancy and labour books I read! (And come to think of it, it seems a lot of literature on labour is very pro 'this' or anti 'that' Blimely, where's the middle ground? No wonder it can be a struggle to be both positive AND realistic about labour and beyond!) > I really hope I've stopped being dim for today now > - and sorry again for taking up time on the thread > with a tangent! Lunchbreak over. Nevermind. I love a good tangent as much as the next fellow. I can't make the next meet up at SW's, but may try to go to FH instead. Hope to see you at one of these sometime! xx

Hi Kes- thanks for clarifying! :-)

Kes Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hello, back again and again sorry I can't make the > next meetup as I'll be in work. > > Quick point - and I know you were just using a > quick example SW but I've seen various media > articles that claim women have elective C/S just > so they can schedule the timing of the birth. It > annoys me. Switching to gains rather than losses, > **dependednt on circumstances** the gains for an > elective are likely to be be the reasurrance that > you are doing the safest possible thing for you > and/or your baby, the knowledge that you > definately won't be having an emergency c section > or any other form of intervention etc. Actually, I'd say those are falsely held beliefs. Scheduling a C-section does not guarantee a safe outcome, or negate any other forms of intervention. There are no absolutes either way. > Sadly no > one can choose a straightforward vaginal birth No, BUT, we can make choices that make that more likely. And we can adjust our expectations to help us cope with a variety of outcomes if a straightforward birth is not possible. > so > an elective alows some degree of control over > complications. Yes, that's true, and it's why an elective c-sec may be a very positive choice for some people. I'm not sure I understand your point... you're annoyed that some people use C-sec simply to gain an element of control, because an appropriate C-sec can mitigate risk in some circumstances? You're saying focus the gains, rather than the loss? Did I understand that right? Just to clarify, I was using 'timing/scheduling' in the previous post in relation to mitigating negative outcomes, not as 'convenience'. Hope that makes sense. xx

It's common for GPs to do general blood tests including, for example iron levels, as a first measure when people report feeling unwell. Just as a general example, low iron is quite common following birth, even months afterwards. Iron is used not just by the blood but is also an essential mineral for enzyme reactions supporting memory and emotion. So if your blood work returns any obvious deficiencies or abnormalities, treating these may improve your mood to some extent. In the meantime however, as it sounds like the anxiety may have been going on for a while, it think it would be completely reasonable to seek some further treatment and support for the anxiety. With all do respect, not all GPs always know the best treatments for psychological problems. But any GP should be reasonably amenable to requests for further diagnosis and support. At your local GPs surgery, is there perhaps one GP who specialises in mental health? Otherwise you can make a request to see a specialist on the NHS. If you have private insurance or can afford to pay outright, I can very highly recommend Dr Jeremy Pfeffer (020 7935 3878, 97 Harley St.), who is not only exceedingly knowledgeable but also compassionate. When I was struggling with GPs on the NHS, Dr Pfeffer was able to write a recommendation to my NHS GPs, which helped me get the best treatment. I can also really highly recommend Giles Davies for acupuncture. He practices out of the basement flat at his home at 15 Barry Road (07739 414 210). He and his wife have grown children, so in addition to being a great acupuncturist, he also really understands the ups and downs of parenting. xx

Wow, you've hit on several Family Room themes from the past very accurately: Rubbish healthcare workers, cliquey mum & baby groups, postpartum anxiety!* As the mother of a now 4 year old, I'd say try to go at least once a week to a class/activity that you enjoy with your baby and don't worry too much about trying to make friends. Sometimes new mummy-friendships can take a while to cultivate. Everyone's babies seem to be sleeping at different times, people have work and family commitments etc. I think someone (Forumite Fuschia?) once observed that trying to make new mummy friends can be like dating on shiftwork. Also, you don't mention if you're receiving any treatment for your anxiety (although it sounds like you've not had very supportive healthcare workers, so I'm guessing maybe not)? It's really important to get your anxiety under control, speaking from personal experience with anxiety all my life. Please feel free to PM me about anything. xx *With the obvious and usual disclaimer that not all healthcare workers are rubbish, some mum & baby groups are very nice, and not everyone has postpartum anxiety of course.

Could you have the first lesson as a 'taster', then pay for the course? Or would you have to pay for the whole course upfront? Can you pitch the idea of meeting new friends to your daughter, so she won't be disappointed if there's no one she knows well in the class? Could you help her make friends by trying to arrange a playdate with another mum and child from the class? xx

I don't think there's anything wrong with envisaging an ideal birth scenario, so long as people don't become inextricably tied to it. Interestingly, one of the topics which was highlighted in our last meet up, was the idea of 'loss' in pregnancy and beyond. This was loss in the sense of mindfulness that everything is NOT always going to go exactly to your expectations. Just a couple rough examples... In a scheduled C-section, you lose the natural, unimpeded element of a straightforward vaginal birth. Conversely in a straightforward vaginal birth, you lose the element of timing, i.e. the birth can't be scheduled. So considering the topic for next meet-up, 'birth as a rite of passage', the concepts of loss and mindfulness can be deeply intertwined with rites of passage. The idea of passage itself implies moving through/away from one scenario and into another. However, if we're mindful of how our personal expectations can affects our transition through pregnancy, labour, and beyond, perhaps it's easier to make allowances for things that won't go our way, and not to become fixed to a single ideal of how things are meant to be. Perhaps also if we think of birth in the context of a rite of passage it's easier to 'own' our bad experiences and understand that they are a part of learning about ourselves. xx

If you make decisions based on anecdotal observations, this called 'emotive' decision making, as opposed to scientific or logical decision making. Whatever your decision making process, it's currently your choice. Indeed many decisions are a combination of both emotive and logical decision processes. However, we as parents and members of a social community should have no pretenses about portraying one process as the other when clearly they are not the same. Don't forget that your choices have the potential to affect communities, not just individuals. xx

lindzi00 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > For all people who think vaccination is safe I > reccomend Vaccination Bible. You can get one one > Ebay. What I think- i read a lot about studies of > some doctors who discovered that vaccination is > not that save as government say. Most of them lost > they jobs and right to work as doctors. Why???? > Different doctors in different places found same > problems and there were banned for talking about > loud. I didn't vaccinate my children. Why? I spoke > with friend who vaccinated just first two of 6 > children she have. These two have the most > problems with health. The other 4 is perfectly > fine all the time. That's an anecdotal observation. And so is this, but from an opposite perspective: Link here http://www.slate.com/articles/life/family/2014/01/growing_up_unvaccinated_a_healthy_lifestyle_couldn_t_prevent_many_childhood.html

I think at that age a lot will depend on the teacher. If the teacher is aware that your child is shy but keen to participate, then that's very helpful. Weigh it up to how she may feel if you delay till next term? Xx

Hmm, interesting. Although depending on the sling design (assuming front-carry slings for newborns of course), there's potentially little to no head neck support in the event of a collision. So a sling would not protect from whiplash the way a properly fitted carseat would. And whiplash can occur in adults in low speed collisions, though I don't know of any research looking at this in children. Presumably it's worse because of their relative lack of head/neck control?

MichelleT Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Took my baby home in a cab in a sling. Kings were > a bit weird about it initially, until I pointed > out that I could always walk. Then they said it > was up to me. I often wondered about this, but in the end we never came to the circumstance where we needed it. Do you just thread the seatbelt under the sling (ie, seatbelt between you and Baby)? So presumably in event of a collision, the seatbelt holds you in place, and the sling holds baby in place over you?

uncleglen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > No reply from 5* as yet. Saw a discarded e-cig on > the pavement today in Crystal Palace- a new litter > problem in the offing? Ewww.

Loz Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > But nicotine is not tobacco. Yes, and that's why eCigs are allowed to advertise in places where tobacco advertising is banned. So, something which looks like a cigarette, and is as addictive as a cigarette is now advertised in places where cigarette advertising is banned.

El Pibe Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Alcohol comes from potatoes Alcohol is distilled from the processing of potatoes. Alcohol as an individual chemical is not stored and concentrated within the potato plant as an intoxicant. Whereas nicotine is inherently present in its intoxicant form in tobacco.

On rites of passage and positivity... Lavender et al (1999) 'A prospective study of women's views of factors contributing to a positive birth experience' The authors analysed statements from a large cohort of primigravid women and noted that the main themes which emerged included "support, information, intervention, decision making, control, pain relief and trial participation" as contributing factors to a positive birth. The study also concluded (not surprisingly) that "most women are able to identify important contributors to a positive intrapartum experience. Midwives have an important role in identifying these contributors and supporting women to fulfil their individual needs." Hodnett (2002) 'Pain and women's satisfaction with the experience of childbirth: A systematic review' This article picks up where Lavender at al left off, looking at satisfaction (positivity) in childbirth with particular attention to pain and pain relief. Whereas Lavendar et al were able to note that women identified pain relief as a contributing factor to a positive experience, Hodnett noted that other factors can trump pain relief/perceptions of pain in creating the perception of a positive outcome. Of those 4 factors, one of them is entirely under the individual's control: Personal expectations. Our personal expectations (before, during, and after childbirth) can override pain and medical interventions. That's pretty powerful support for positivity in birth and beyond!

sillywoman Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Just a reminder that 'Birth Talk Ed' will be > meeting next on Thursday 6th of February > 10am-12pm. The topic is "Birth as a right of > passage". PLease PM me if you'd like the venue > details. > > Thanks SWx See this beautiful post from a VBAC mother, on rites of passage: http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/03/05/birth-a-rite-of-passage-for-mother-baby/ Oh, if only we all had the time, energy, opportunity, and MONEY for such arrangements! Interesting to note on how the author's positive experience of her second labour & birth seemed to ameliorate the stress of her caesarean previously. As a rite of passage, how much power do second births have to 'rewrite' the experiences of a first birth? Is birth as a rite of passage different then, for couples who only ever have one birth? xx

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,1253645

Nicotine comes from tobacco.

Positive to positive, negative to earth (ie, usu just clip it to frame). I think this is to prevent feedback in the circuit playing havoc with the leading car. Then start the dead car with the power from the lead car. Dead battery charges while the car is running, if it's not totally kaput. At least that's been my experience, but how you proceed might depend on what type of battery/car/jump leads you're using.

Cable connection sounds right. Were batteries of the same voltage? What happened when you attempted to start the car with the dead battery? Did the engine turn over then die, or not start at all? There's some addl info on the AA website even if you're not a member.

There's no definitive evidence that infacol really helps colic anyway. As susyp says, you'd probably be better off investgating the real cause with a referral to a specialist, or even just a different GP with better knowledge in that specific area. I think if it were my LO, I'd try dropping dairy and adding some age-specific probiotics. Xx

SE22mum Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Such good news and a really lovely idea to > celebrate! > > Whilst on a personal level the Head may well agree > with you s/he is constrained by the rules. Yes, but, isn't that precisely susyp's point? What are the 'rules'? What is an 'extraordinary circumstance'? Isn't it still at the discretion of the head to make that decision, or is there now a standardised protocol for headteachers to decide what qualifies as 'extraordinary'???

El Pibe Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > "ECigs get around the current bans on tobacco > advertising" > > ...and i promise you I'm not an ecig lobbyist, > just a pedant, but isn't this a bit like saying > cars get around ban on tobacco advertising, or > perhaps more appropriately, coca cola gets around > ban on alcohol advertising. No, not the same analogy. They contain the same active and highly addictive ingredient, ie nicotine.