The Obs Pod

July is Group B Strep awareness month Listen here whilst I chat to Jane Plumb founder & CEO of the charity GBS support about not only all things GBS but also how as a lay person she has led and inspired change. Want to know more: Joint patient information leaflet https://gbss.org.uk/product/free-leaflet-group-b-strep-and-pregnancy/ The translated leaflets available for download at https://gbss...

The HSJ published a list of 20 people the the new NHS CEO should speak to when appointed and my great friend Gill Phillips was amongst them. True to form Gill immediately set me the challenge : what would i want the NHS CEO to know about maternity? Challenge accepted - Wildcard is my response! https://www.hsj.co.uk/the-20-wildcards-the-nhss-new-bosses-should-listen-to/7030341.article   https://www...

What vaccines do we offer in pregnancy & why? What information is there on Covid vaccination that can help you decide if you have it during your pregnancy? Information for women: https://www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/2021-02-24-combined-info-sheet-and-decision-aid.pdf https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/vaccinations/ https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/whooping-...

Here I explore the issues when you are asked to look after friends, family or colleagues? How can we not blur the boundaries and ensure we are giving the best care? https://www.guidelinesinpractice.co.uk/your-practice/weigh-up-the-risks-and-benefits-before-treating-members-of-your-family/305196.article https://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g4281.full https://www.gmc-uk.org/-/media/documents/good-med...

Here I reflect on some of the strangeness of working in maternity during a global pandemic. Learn about the campaign #ButNotMaternity trying to get rid of some of the restrictions that still seem to be being placed on pregnant women and families. #ButNotMaternity campaign https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/covid-19/ The RCOG guidance https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/coronavirus...

Find out about the What Matters to you? campaign. This episode focuses on leadership on the labour ward. Although this episode was prepared partly as a talk for the RCOG labour ward leads course, a course held annually for all O&G senior trainees, much of what I talk about is applicable to anyone working in maternity care. If you are not working in maternity I do hope you will still explore th...

I am coming back to the topic of induction when you are overdue as there is a new draft of NICE guidance that needs thought. Want to read more of the evidence? https://www.nice.org.uk/news/article/nice-recommends-inducing-women-in-labour-earlier-in-new-draft-guidance https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/6/e047040 https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/GID-NG10082/documents/evidence-review-3 https://bmjope...

Who is responsible for pre conception care? How can you optimise the health of a mother and baby if you only meet them at 16 weeks of pregnancy? https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/assets/downloads/mbrrace-uk/reports/maternal-report-2020/MBRRACE-UK_Maternal_Report_2020_-_Lay_Summary_v10.pdf Medicines and pregnancy & Valproate information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuBq2M1Me04 https://www.medicines...

Sometimes in the NHS it can feel like we are going round and round in circles when we are trying to  make a change. Here I talk about some of my experiences and why staff can find it so difficult to embrace new ideas when they feel they have see it all before. How might we share ideas and stop reinventing the wheel? Networks https://q.health.org.uk/blog-post/collaborating-for-success-using-evidenc...

Listen to my first ever guest Deepa Santhosh  discuss her Quality improvement project on Upright Birth with inspiration for Lithotomy Challenge - You may wish to listen to Episode 21 if you haven't already. You can find Deepa on Twitter @deepasanthosh You can find out more about me on Twitter @FWmaternity & @TheObsPod as well as Instagram @TheObsPod please check out #MatExp matexp.org.uk...

What are the challenges facing women with physical disability during pregnancy? Are we set up to meet their needs? How can we improve our knowledge and understanding & improve our care. Lots to explore! RCN resources - you can explore a wide range of conditions form this link including chronic conditions, deafness and blindness.  https://www.rcn.org.uk/clinical-topics/womens-health/pregnancy-a...

This week 3-9th May is Maternal Mental health awareness  week &  this year the theme is the Journey to Recovery. I thought this would be a good opportunity to talk about Birth Trauma and to reflect on my recent attendance at the Make Birth better Birth Trauma summit. There are loads of free resources for maternity professionals women and families on birth trauma, want to explore more? https://...

One of my listeners suggested I read  the book Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage by Rachel Reed & think about how to humanise institutional birth and especially the birth  environment. So here goes! Want to know more? https://www.babycentre.co.uk/l25025610/16-birthing-positions-for-labour-images https://www.aims.org.uk/journal/item/rebozo-in-an-nhs-setting Want to undertake the 15 ste...

Today I am talking about perineal tears, episiotomy and the stitches you may need with a vaginal birth as well as how you might prevent a more serious tear. Find out more: Perineal tears during childbirth – Poster (rcog.org.uk) Care of a third- or fourth-degree tear that occurred during childbirth (also known as obstetric anal sphincter injury – OASI) (rcog.org.uk) Perineal Healing | POGP (thepogp...

Who do Maternity notes belong to, what are they for, can you have copies? Join me as I explore some of the issues about maternity handheld notes and some ideas about how things may improve in the future. For more information: https://www.birthrights.org.uk/factsheets/accessing-your-records/ https://www.nhsx.nhs.uk/media/documents/NHSX_Records_Management_Code_of_Practice_2020_3.pdf https://digital....

This week follows on from last week's episode Aches and Pains to discuss some common pregnancy symptoms including hyperemesis and varicose veins. Want to know more? https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/related-conditions/common-symptoms/piles/ https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/patient-leaflets/pregnancy-sickness/ https://www.dentalhealth.org/news/oral-health-and-pregnancy-six-things-every-mum-needs...

There are all sorts of odd pregnancy symptoms, too many for  a single episode.  This week I talk about aches and pains next week I will tackle some other common symptoms in Blood & Guts. Want to know more: https://www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/patients/patient-information-leaflets/pregnancy/pi-pelvic-girdle-pain-and-pregnancy.pdf https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/related-conditions/common-...

Its a year since I started on this adventure. This week I reflect on what I have learnt & assess how it compares with what I expected & hoped. Thank you to everyone who listens and to all who have supported me on this journey. You can find out more about me on Twitter @FWmaternity & @TheObsPod as well as Instagram @TheObsPod please check out #MatExp matexp.org.uk for ideas about how to...

Why do we want to monitor the baby's heart beat in labour? what are the advantages or disadvantages of listening intermittently over continuous Cardiotocograph (CTG)? Monty Python Hospital sketch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arCITMfxvEc Evidence to consider: https://www.cochrane.org/CD006066/PREG_continuous-cardiotocography-ctg-form-electronic-fetal-monitoring-efm-fetal-assessment-during-l...

Why & how do we monitor babies' heart beats in pregnancy? Want to understand more? Dawes Redman video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcGtR4zcaYM Some history of heart beat monitoring  https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1471-0528.13151 Don't be tempted to DIY - seek professional advice & check ups https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/blogs-and-stories/...

What is a doula? How do maternity staff feel about them? How might we work more collaboratively with Doulas? Want to explore more?   https://doula.org.uk/ https://doula.org.uk/doula-access-fund/ https://www.aims.org.uk/journal/item/nhs-doulas https://www.doulaswithoutborders.com/ You can find out more about me on Twitter @FWmaternity & @TheObsPod as well as Instagram @TheObsPod please check ou...

Birth Options after caesarean is a choice facing many women. How can we provide good unbiased information to help their decision making? Want to know more? https://www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/gtg_45.pdf https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/research/projects/63-ukoss-uterine-rupture https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/patient-leaflets/birth-after-previous-caesarean/ Models trying to pred...

What is critical care and why do some women need it as part of their maternity journey? How can we best work together with critical care colleagues to make care seamless for women that need that little bit extra? Want to understand more? https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2020-06/EMC-Guidelines2018.pdf https://www.oaa-anaes.ac.uk/assets/_managed/cms/files/ICNARC_Report.pdf http:/...

What pain relief is available in labour and what causes the pain anyway? How  do different women experience & express their response to pain & how do we as professionals sometimes leap to conclusions from their behaviour. Pregnant and want to know more? https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg190/ifp/chapter/Pain-relief https://www.labourpains.com/home Professionals wanting an update ? TOG publ...

What is assisted vaginal birth? Why do obstetricians suggest it and what are we aiming to achieve? Want to explore more? More information for pregnant women https://www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/patients/patient-information-leaflets/pregnancy/pi---vaginal-birth-final-28.04.2020.pdf https://elearning.rcog.org.uk/easi-resource/pelvic-anatomy/passage-head-through-pelvis https://web.bestbegin...