WTF?!

What does this mean?

My take is that the (UK) government is putting the frighteners on pregnant women.

“The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says there is no evidence that a couple of units once or twice a week will do any harm to the baby.”

Now, I am hardly advocating that pregnant women should get on the sauce, but it would seem to me that this is an unwarranted level of control over women’s bodies. I dare say that most of our mothers had a shandy or two while pregnant, and worse still, cigarettes!

I haven’t touched a drop since before I learned I was pregnant, but I drank far to much on my wedding anniversary (when I was pregnant but didn’t know it). I am also open to the idea of a white wine spritzer later in my pregnancy (when and if the idea stops making me gag), and I resent that this is being done in such a heavy handed manner. What might be more intelligent, is tackling a problem that is a massive health threat – like smoking.

In Ampersand news, I saw my GP yesterday, and got the results of the blood test from the hospital last week. Elevated liver enzymes (from puking so much), and an elevated white blood cell count. GP suspected an infection, and sent me off to the SAN clinic to speak to an obstetrician.

I’ve been given a new drug called Restavit – it’s an over the counter insomnia medication, which is apparently very effective for nausea of pregnancy (I refuse to call it morning sickness if it won’t confine itself to mornings). I fell asleep before I could take it last night, and have had another rotten day today, but I am hopeful for tomorrow.

He reckons that 14 weeks is the magic number for feeling better – not 12 as popular opinion would have it. I also spoke to the midwife at the clinic, who agreed with the doctor about the 14 week thing. She has also given me a phone number for the social worker at Hornsby Hospital, so that I can call and make an appointment before I book in to the hospital (which is not until the 14th of June).

Thursday night we did a tour of the birthing unit, and were pretty happy with the facility, but for one small detail. They like you to check out 24 hours after giving birth. They will extend it to 48 hours, but no more unless there are exceptional circumstances. I’m no fan of hospitals, and thought I would be keen to get out, but that sounds just a we bit harsh….

8 thoughts on “WTF?!”

  2. Hmmm. For me, I wanted to check out asap so I could learn breastfeeding in the comfort of my own home.

    Personal preferences aside, do they have an early discharge program i.e. a midwife visits you at home for say 30mins each day for 3 days after your discharge? I used that (at RPA), it was excellent.

    There’s a bunch of things they need to tell you, like physio exercises, contraception choices, they need to test the baby’s hearing and test for some other stuff and they need to monitor that you are healing normally and the baby is learning to feed ok and isn’t jaundiced etc. I really don’t think 24 hours would be enough, particularly as you will want some recovery time to yourself and you’ll be learning breastfeeding at the same time.

    Sorry for a long 2c worth.

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  3. 24 hours? Never having given birth, I’ve got no idea, but that’s an awfully short time to heal before going home to have a small human be dependent on you.

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  4. I got out of the hospital as soon as I could to get away from the snoring of the other woman in the room! I had a lot of great follow up support though and I could relax in a familiar environment. I’m all for the healing powers of home.

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  5. I am no fan of hospitals either. When I gave birth was the first time I had ever been hospitalised. I was really relieved that it was a positive experience (as positive as a hospital experience can be, I suppose). I don’t know how I would have coped without the help of the midwives. I stayed for 4 nights after the birth and it was heaven!

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  6. The hospital does have a midwife that comes to visit you once a day for a few days, and I also have my Doula that will be there to help out with all sorts of stuff – she can even help me do the shopping if I need it!

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  7. yep its a 40 week pregnancy so each “trimester” is about 14 weeks… yet another fallacy in pregnancy – oh yeah and its 10 mths not 9 mths…
    24 hours seems like a short time to me – what happens if you have c-section ? Or do they move you too another part of the hospital ? If I could have moved, I would have gone home after about 3 days …. the food was bland (thanks to Bron and you for the choccies and Ali for the fruit !) and it was noisy… but the biggest bonus was being able to take Alex to the nursery during the night so I could sleep….

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  8. I was asked to leave public hospital on day 2 after a n emergency ceasarian, it is barbaric in my opinion. They kept asking me if I had passed wind and as soon as I did they told me to go home. After I had the second one I laid very very low in the hospital room and closed the door and did not come out in the hope they’d forget I was there. And I totally lied about the wind. Unfortunately there’s no food until the fart so some trade off was involved. Still I got an extra day.
    Such is the public system, they don’t have the funds to do otherwise. Get the support you need at home. My advice would be to focus on getting your feeding in order – the endorphins and feelgood hormones of breast feeding are better than magnums of crystal champagne – you get post natal elation from them if you’re lucky enough to get it to work!

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