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Would you go to an Active Birth Workshop and ask about Epidurals? Just wondering.
Had a wonderful day out in London Town last Thursday. My best friend took me to see Stomp, highly recommended, and we made a day of it. Covent Garden, Festival Hall and Embankment, drinks, Italian meal, I had forgotten how much I enjoy being in London. As a teenager, with a tube pass (good old education authority), I used to spend a lot of my school hours roaming around the sights, and when the children were little I would just gather them together and we would catch the tube into 'town' and just go exploring. I must get back into the Day Return mentality again, it did me a power of good.
No news on new grandchild front. Jack is one year old on Sunday, he is having his party here, his Mummy is making the cake, a duck, I'm in charge of the jellies.
Informed Choice
Yesterday, she who is expecting, starting quizzing me about Castor Oil. I gave out my standard advice - gives you really bad stomach ache, can cause baby to become distressed, will be a messy labour, generally not a good idea. Daughter was not to be put off, she did a Goggle search. The first two results gave her the same advice as me, then I noticed that one of the other links was to Cochrane. The Cochrane database is the source on which the medical profession in general bases it's policies and guidelines as they collect and diseminate medical research. I pointed it out and said 'read that, it will show the results of studies and then you can see why we advise against Castor Oil'. Up came the page, and it said they could see no adverse effects, apart from all the women feeling nauseous. That took the wind out of my sails. Later, pregnant daughter waddled into Tesco's, went up to the pharmacy counter and asked for a bottle of Castor Oil, and they refused to sell it to her!
I'm in two minds about this. You could say that they were acting responsibly, or is it? As a midwife I am required to give women all the information required for them to make an informed choice. If a woman decides to have a Home Birth when she is considered at risk of something going wrong, I have to go along with her choice, even though she may be considered to be endangering herself or the baby. It is, ultimately, her choice. Legally I have no choice. Tesco's can decide though that she has no choice about Castor Oil. They would sell her cigarettes, alcohol, soft cheese, uncooked meat, all of which are well documented as having the potential to harm an unborn child, but will draw the line at a product which, according to research, causes no ill-effects.
Later I shall pay them a visit, complete with a copy of the research, and ask for their rationale on this.
A year on
Getting in the swing (with new favourite teddy)
Yesterday was Jack's birthday. We had his party at our house as his Mummy and Daddy had decided to invite too many people for their flat to be the venue. Half an hour before it was due to start his Mummy asked me if I was going to get dressed. I was dressed at this point. Okay, so I was in joggers (so comfy) and I was going to change and put my 'face' on, but I did think she was a bit cheeky. I decided that I would try out my Boho look, so on went the crinkley trousers and cami, with an ethnic floaty blue, green and purple blouse. I presented myself for daughters approval, and was greeted with ' Very Susan Kennedy'. Not what I expected, Sienna or Kate is what I associate with Boho, not Mrs Kennedy off Neighbours. Anyway, I digress, back to the party. The guests included my Mother (grrr), V, the midwife who helped Jack into the world, and a two week old baby, who nearly stole the limelight. I mention my Mother (grrr) as she succeeded in being rude to nearly everyone, and also making a truely thoughtless and inappropriate comment to pregnant daughter. I was not told about her massive indiscretion until she had left, lucky for her, because I was so incandescent with rage that I would have vented 50 years of repressed anger in one onslaught. I sometimes wonder what gene-pool she eminated from, and why my sister and I seem to have avoided her more unpleasant traits. V, warrants a listings due to Jacks strange behaviour with her. He has seen her a couple of times and has always been quite 'normal', but yesterday he was fixated on her. He just kept staring at her, with a somewhat quizzical expression, everyone noticed and commented on how odd it was. Did he remember her, she was the first person he saw? The Birthday Boy's Mummy was really pleased with how it all went, and was especially happy that people had made the effort to come to celebrate his first year. The one disaster was my attempt at making a jelly rabbit. I had decided on a two-tone bunny, so it was half green and and half blackcurrant, no one should accuse me of not being adventurous, but when I turned it out it didn't resemble a bunny as much as an unripe avocado. No one ate any.
Pregnant daughter is still fermenting. V, offered to do a 'stretch and sweep' yesterday, daughter declined, she felt it was a bit strange to have 'things' like that done during a birthday party. So, last night I practiced my reflexology on her, apparently I made Baby Bean leap around, but s/he didn't try to find the exit. This morning she has taken Castor Oil (purchased by her partner), I havn't heard if there has been any movement (sorry!).
Still no progress on the next Grandchild front. The castor oil was a dismal failure, Baby Bean went quiet, her tummy went hard, she had a bath, and then all returned to normal. So much for the consultant hoping to get her through to 36 weeks, she's now 39 weeks, and still growing.
Got in from work with a humdinger of a headache yesterday, to find Hubby sprawled on the settee looking dejected. 'No golf?' I enquired. Ten, long, minutes later I had elicited the information that he was on the first tee, about to putt out (?) when it looked as if it was going to rain, so he went to get his rain stuff and heard/felt something go pop in his calf. Was transported to my workplace (not maternity) where they told him he had torn his muscle. Woe, woe and thrice woe.
Things got even better though. Mother came round for me to sign the land registry transfer so that she could complete on her move. Ages ago I told her, and her solicitor, that transfer, from me to her, should take place prior to her move as I didn't want to suddenly find myself billed for Capital Gains. Even though I signed a transfer a few weeks ago, I find that I am still the registered owner. Not a happy bunny. I signed anyway. Then I decided to mention to her the inappropriate comments she made to pregnant one on Sunday. Well, fireworks erupted, she stamped her feet (literally), she shouted, I shouted, insults were exchanged and she left. Hubby had sat quietly through all this, finishing his dinner, his only comment, after she had left was 'Do you really hate her that much?'
Waiting - still
Today I'm still waiting, but I'm waiting for two things. One is Baby Bean, obviously, and the other is my wooden garden swing, with trellis, my birthday present from the children. How exciting, the sun is shining and, hopefully, by tomorrow I can sit and survey my garden from the comfort of a gentle swaying seat. Next Wednesday I'm going to be waiting again, this time for a new patio set. Yes, it's farewell to our blotchy, old, white 6-seater UPVC set and hello to a wooden 8-seater set, complete with parasol. For a couple of years now I've been winging about needing a bigger set but Hubby kept procrastinating. I found one a couple of months ago in Argos that fitted the bill, but Hubby pointed out that soon (HaHa) we would be buying a new dining set so it was too extravagent. Then, watching TV up came THE advert, '20% off all patio sets at Argos'. Hubby cringed, he could sense what was coming. He was right. A few clicks later on my trusty computer and I had purchased my 'perfect' ouside entertaining suite.
Hubby's leg is still hurting so much that I had to drive him to the pub last night, and he phoned early to be picked up. Just to compound his misery the G.P has requested that all his blood tests be repeated. 3 weeks ago he went to see G.P to have a full MOT (at my insistance), ECG, chest X-Ray and full blood screen, now they have asked he re-attend, I'm sure all is well, really I am.