buggie

I work as a trainer for The Parent Company v good if you can get a few friends together - can do customised classes too including bits of accidents/injury with the basic life support/choking. How to organise a class is on the website (I teach but I don't sort out the classes!)

Induction is a whole different kettle of fish as the body is being forced into doing something it isn't ready to do itself yet (for whatever reason the induction). There are unique details/things that happen with every birth (thus the level of interest in this series) but with each birth seen on OBEM we're seeing the equivalent of Gone with the Wind edited down to 30secs so really not seeing enough to make judgement calls on the treatment of the women, however, the discussion it generates/reading the experiences on here is fascinating :)

Agree with points Keef & RB make - especially regarding being FULLY informed. Think some people think the biggest form of analgesia is the way to go when it really isn't suitable/the best in all situations.

(just catching up with sky+'d OBEM) The MW wasn't "gossiping" with her colleagues about the woman, she was doing as myself and my colleagues have done nearly every shift - stated what is happening/what her plan is - partly so that if they see the woman they have an idea of what is happening, but also to see if any of our colleagues have different ideas of what to do/approach the situation. Could even be that she did contact an anaesthetist and discuss the woman with them (they may even have come to assess/discuss with her further) but that these bits were edited out/disrupted the "flow" the editors were aiming for. The clips of the coffee room last no longer than 30secs (at most) so it can't be assumed they are sitting round drinking tea the whole time - only in the 30secs shown there (prob not showing longer clips as there often are people in and out/being called out/going to check on their patients). Wasn't until I was in my own A&E dept with my daughter I realised how as patients you really don't have a clue how busy the rest of the department/nurses and Dr's are - should think the same thing happens on Labour Ward (even more so as you're each in your own room. I remember from my NCT classes being advised on how epidurals can slow the labour down/increase intervention and really, really aren't given until labour is established. Also, typically with an epidural you're then tied to the bed (not quite literally) and (as far as I know) you then have it till the birth - there's no going back from it so can understand why at 3cms the MW was discouraging. Even if epidural is required then an needs to be called up to give it and the is a finate number of them around so may take time before they are available.

I use a close sling - was fab as when the bugglet hit the 5lb mark (at about 3wks old!) I could start using it, being in first floor flat is great for short trips out. She's nearly 5mths and even though she is still tiny can easily have her facing outwards, as there's nearly a ft difference in me and hubbies height (plus v different sized bodies) we can swap it between us without taking ages to adjust it (although hubbie still needs to be talked through how to put it on so he doesn't end up with his head/arms out the wrong bits!). I tie the excess material under bugglet's legs otherwise they'd really get on my nerves!!

...have got this on sky+ to watch in the morning (so I can fully partake in the discussions prm!) Think the fact that babies don't really have much of a neck helps prevent injury - most babies do Clive Anderson/Sandi Toksvig impressions for the first few months! Am sure the MW wasn't really being cruel (am sure the MW's/hospital have a say so in what goes out on TV and looking bad wouldn't be good/help the TV crew get MW's happy to appear on it), is likely the effect of having several hrs edited down to a TV friendly portion. The MW's are there as they've had the training/experience to know what is occuring - might have looked like she wasn't helping the woman, but she was likely thinking several steps ahead of what was happening and so could see a bigger picture **reserves right to edit this if it appears MW really was evil!**

Babies airways are really tiny, so could be that she sounds bad as what in us would barely register as congestion on us can make her breathing sound worse. With no problems with feeding/sleeping/clear chest and negative allergy tests as well, it is likely to be that she grows out of this - she is still v young and with a lot of growing to do in the next couple of years and her airways will grow with that. Plus, any snuffles/colds now help her build immunity for later years. If she is especially snuffly, the calpol saline spray is a god-send, couple of squirts up each nostril pre-feed will help her to clear stubborn snotty bits, plus propping a blanket/pillow under the head end of her mattress to help stop snot pooling at the back of the throat/drying overnight.

A friend's little one had chickenpox when she was only 2yr old and raved about Eurax cream - think it comes as a lotion as well.

Have no VBAC experience to share, but just wanted to stick up for midwives/dr's wanting to put cannula's (the tap a drip is connected to) in before they are needed/even if they end up not being needed in "higher risk" cases In an emergency (eg postpartum haemorrhage/shock), not only is there a huge amount of adrenaline pumping/stress/pressure on the healthcare professionals to quickly get access (as we call it), it is most likely that your veins will have collapsed making it v difficult (and in worst case likely a large needle would be bored into your shin bone to allow administration of blood/fluids). Yes it might sting having it in, and yes it might feel awkward, but, if you were aware of the stress getting access into critically ill people/potential delay to treatment it can cause think it's an insurance policy worth investing in. All power to those who have VBAC's though - always think of the case in the first series of "One Born Ever Minute" with the lady who had had CS due to failure to progress in her first labour and despite a rather useless hubbie (who was going to use his level 5 management training skills to help her during labour!) managed to have the birth she wanted 2nd time around.

Good to hear of another 1/2hr wonder! :))

Am so sad to see more gun/knife crime and the death of another young lad. There is support available locally for teenagers - think one of the big problems is getting those who need it to engage with it... you can lead a teenager to help but can't make them take it. Kings ED have been the first in the country to have adolescent youth workers who make contact with all teenagers who come in following assaults/other injuries suggestive of needing support, but think there is often a problem in that those who it seems would need the most support are often least likely to take it - think self-esteem/self-worth often have a bearing on this and do have to agree that parental support is often much needed and much lacking, sometimes albeit due to them not knowing how to help rather than not wanting to.

SeanMacGabhann Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > blimey - well, I wasn't going to bring it up on > here but fair play TT and thanks to everyone for > lovely messages. > > Amazingly enough the first person outside of > medical staff and family after the birth was > dulwichfox who I had never met before but > approached me on LL and asked if I was > seanmacgabhann - very surreal. Lovely chap tho ...maybe floating a few inches off the ground gave it away ;-) Very happy for you both (have increasing supply of vests/baby-gros that the bugglet has grown out of if you are interested!!) xx

The Bishop and The Herne are both v good... wasn't so keen on the Actress as the tables were so tightly packed in there wasn't room for the buggies (most of the babies were sleeping so folding up/leaving them outside wasn't an option!). Once the babies are steadier on your laps/awake for a few hours at a time it does get easier!

I've got the icandy cherry (posted about it earlier in thread!)

Eye drops don't exactly sting, but do make you want to rub your eyes. I'm rubbish at doing them to myself (despite giving them to lots!). Unfortunately I don't have any top tips on administrating drops as always have had the benefit of parents/carers to help hold the child when giving them in A&E!

At 4mths mine is still only 9lb 12oz so think she'd be lost in the Mclaren!

I *heart* shush/pat! We've been doing it with the bugglet since she was about 5wks old (she's now 18wks). Really like it, haven't got on with put up/put down as found she often cries most just before she zonks out and so picking her up would wake her up more! I have a chair by her cot to sit on as I do the shushing and patting (with her laid in the cot) and typically now can settle her within 5 mins - could never work out how to do it with her on her back though so settle her on her side and finds she normally rolls onto her back in her sleep. Think I'm really lucky in that Mr Buggie has been happy to shush/pat too and so we've been consistent in how we settle her - both can settle her equally well, and (so far touch wood) we've had no problems settling her in moses basket/travel cot when out and about as we can do as we would do at home so easily. Found the Baby Whisper book so useful (albeit the bite size chunks I had to repeatedly read in the first few wks before it sunk in/made sense!) - recognising the tired cues really helps how quickly bugglet settles even though these seem to get more subtle (think she senses daytime naps = missing out on *something*!)

Completely know where you're coming from and Mr Buggie & I are doing lots of head scratching ourselves as we have similar 500k-ish limit. Trying to weigh it up is really tricky - more space/bigger garden obv good, but not having good bus service from Nunhead/Honor Oak into ED makes me wonder how useful it would be - especially since the arrival of the Bugglet, being able to get home from LL within 5/15mins (dependent on bus arriving or walking back myself) makes a huge difference to being able to feel confident getting out and about/not having to rely on car/finding parking space. Is so difficult to second guess which would be the compromise we could easier live with - space or distance.

We've got the icandy cherry and love it! Prime thing I looked for it to be lightweight frame as have to lump it up and down stairs, but also love the look of it but haven't been disappointed in the handling. Must admit, I use my carseat on the frame more than the carrycot now that bugglet is 4mths old, but found the carrycot essential in early days when to get out she'd need to be asleep/staying asleep whereas now, often want her to stay awake! Also find I can store lots in the basket - think there's more room than on a bugaboo/quinny. Hope this helps! I was lucky in that being a paeds ED nurse I could quiz parents about their buggies when they came in (obv after reassuring/treating their babies!!)

Think it's only ok between 10am-4pm, there's not many parking restrictions in ED but the few that there are do catch a lot of people out :-S

Fuschia, should get him to try a bit (maybe be sneaky and not tell him the ingredients) I don't like bananas, but bought a banana and date cake before christmas and found it yummy - the banana added moisture rather than flavour!

I promise you're not... there have been several families over the years that I've been on first name terms with due to the frequent accidents of their children (on mat leave at mo but normally work there!). Really isn't that unusual - think it's a bit of a stage that kids go through and would be more worried to encounter a child who held back from doing things for fear of hurting themselves (obv within reason!)

I kept telling Mr Buggie to wear a shirt (rather than t-shirt) for labour as I knew it would make it easier to do skin to skin after the birth (and it did!). We'd got a fab hubbie bag together with snacks/camera/phone & charger/spare clothes/toothbrush/book/travel scrabble and connect 4 (to play with dependent on how with it I was!)... were almost disappointed when Bugglet arrived within 30 mins of us arriving at the hospital!!

Ooo another vote for SW making a fab MW here... would you be SMW then?!

Find others experiences v interesting. Bugglet was full term but tiny (still below the 0.4th centile) and at birth couldn't latch on and spat syringes of milk out, so while attempting to get her to latch on at every feed I would end up giving formula via a bottle (which she took really well) and both of which were provided by the hospital. Even on seeing the Joanne (Claire's colleague) and being shown to hand express colostrum it was agreed to con't offering the breast but then topping up with formula until my own milk came in/I discovered nipple shields! I never felt pressure not to use a bottle (cup feeding was suggested, but on a 3hr feeding schedule with it taking 1/2hr to hand express 1ml I didn't see that as a viable option) but wonder if this was due to them knowing I was a paediatric nurse and so being perceived to be better informed into the risks/benefits... as it was I hadn't read/researched that widely and just went with my instincts. As it is at 16wks old I have a v happy (tiny) baby who loves br/feeding but is also happy to take EBM/formula via a bottle (thus if anything ever happened to me I'd know she wouldn't starve/have to stress about her trying bottle for first time). It is amazing seeing the amount of pressure Mums put on themselves - in Paeds ED have seen so many babies that have come in dehydrated/jaundiced due to br/feeding not getting off to the best start and stress themselves out even further over giving even one formula feed to raise the babies blood sugar (which then wakes them up a bit/give them energy) to enable them to have a better attempt at latching on and thus stimulating supply - a sleepy baby who's unable to latch isn't going to stimulate supply as well.