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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 …

Unfamiliarity breeds infection

I have now downloaded a copy of "Saving Mothers' Lives" and am reading through it. A few paragraphs under the Genital tract sepsis chapter have caught my attention:

"As in previous Reports there was failure or delay in diagnosing sepsis, failure to appreciate the severity of the woman’s …

Masses of bodies

… parts have been reproduced in various news articles today - most probably from a heavily edited press release.

All of the talk is of obesity and migrant mothers. This is a distortion of what I know to be true. When the report says that deaths due to substandard care have not risen, are we supposed to applaud the NHS?

Jessica died because of substandard care, from a disease that has been …

A clean sweep

We had a good day today. Good as in productive, or mostly so. We trailed around the supermarket and successfully filled our trolley. Even though a mother told me how glad she was that she wasn't the only one with children who climbed up the shelves and rattled the wine display, we weren't the …

Fairy magic

Damp air, fog, golden trees, falling leaves, dark evenings, smoke. It's Autumn.

A boy stands in boots, his coat buttoned up to the neck with matching gloves and scarf wrapped tightly, eating a hot dog, eyes wide. His Daddy holds his hand as they watch in wonder. Fireworks in a blazing volley. …

End of Act One

So the petition closed last night. 3,880 people signed it and Thank You to all of you who did. It reached number 48 in over 8,200 petitions, and was 12th in over 1,000 Health related petitions, which shows how much we mind about our Mums.

I wish I'd been able to tell more people that it was …

Mum gives birth in car park

Mum gives birth in car park because 'hospital didn't have midwife' from the Daily Mail

Unless the NHS can ensure adequate midwifery staff numbers and stop its ludicrous plans to close maternity units I fear this is going to happen more and more.

What the bureaucrats seem to forget is that …

Why Mothers Die when nobody's Saving Mothers' Lives

… Mothers Die ' is for the period 2000-2002, and I have often quoted (both in these pages and to the press) the statistics it found and also its recommendations, few of which seem to be taken up, as they are repeated report after report in alarmingly consistent language.

The next report, for 2003-2005, is now to be called " Saving Mothers' Lives ", as I have just learned from CEMACH's updated …

Faith in healers

"What's an infection, Daddy?" Harry interrupted the bed time story. "How do you get an infection, Daddy?"

No prizes for guessing what was on his mind, but satisfied with my answers, he tucked himself back down again.

They're questions he has asked time and time again, and I always explain them …

Praying Mantra

… a midwifery study day this week and the other from a student midwife in her final year.

Both expressed total disbelief and horror at the lack of care and insight that led to Jessica's death and both said that knowing of Jessica's story and my views on the government's response would help them make midwifery a safer place for mothers.

I was also thanked, in no uncertain terms and not for …