Search Results

British maternity wards in crisis

Some very bleak reading, particularly in light of the recent CMACE report, Saving Mothers' Lives 2006-2008 which tells that sepsis now outranks even pre-eclampsia and eclampsia as the leading direct cause of maternal death. Deaths due to sepsis have risen from 18 in 2003-05 to 26 in 2006-08* - …

'Midwife numbers to fall short'

With a weariness I read today yet another story about midwifery staffing levels falling short of the number required  for the government to meet it's own declared standard of care.

BBC: Midwife numbers 'to fall short'

I've said it before, and I expect I'll say it again; please look after …

Topic for discussion

Maternal death is too uncomfortable a topic for discussion.

Please discuss in the comments.

She doesn’t know her mother is dead

… of and preventing childbed fever deaths in this country, but one day (and I'm already having discussions to this end) I'd like to say, 'Job done. Now, what can Jessica do to help in the third world.'

All of our resources are limited, but please: do help where you can.

Woman's Hour - Childbed Fever

I've just been alerted to a Woman's Hour discussion on childbed fever this morning. I listened to a recording of it on the BBC website.

The author of a new book, The Bone Garden discusses childbed fever with the presenter and a professor, but in the context of the past. They highlight the pain and agony of dying from this terrible …

Experimental forum

… Comments on individual blog posts will stay.

I'd also like to encourage question asking and discussion.

Please add any forum ideas to the Requests & Ideas forum.

Wish upon a star

… gift box, with a registration form for the star at RA:0h30m33s, DEC:3°13'29" which, after great discussion, is now called Jessica Palmer's Star, or Mummy's Star to us, but that could be confusing because, "another Mummy might have a star, Daddy".

The idea stemmed from the great work that Harry has been doing with his Skyscape of Memories at the Winston's Wish website (which I commend …

No news would have been good news

There's been a fair bit of news recently (see here and here ) about two poor mothers who gave birth on the same day, in the same hospital, and who both died within three days, just before Christmas. The coverage has focused on the fact that they both had a Group A Strep infection, and there has …

Whistling up the fairies

For those who follow the story, this is a Tooth Hurty update.

This morning's early wake up call was, "Daddy, I can whistle through my teeth and do you know why? DADDY, I said do you know why?"

"No idea, Harry. What time is it?" It was way early, but we agreed that whistling was good, and …

Minimum iron percale

… and their children go shopping.'

There's much excitement back in the house as lunch is cooking. Discussions about where the beds are right now, and whether there'll be time to put them together before bedtime tomorrow. It's actually a bunk bed, but we'll only put up one half of it as a single for Harry, and Emily can have his junior bed for a few months, while she gets used to the lack of cot …