Ask the midwife
Due to a massive response to this service we are having to suspend our free 'Ask the Midwife' section.
We're expecting to commence the service again in the new year. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.
Previous Questions and Answers:
Question:
Hiya, my niece is 38 weeks pregnant by the doctors dates and 39 wks by her own and she has visited the midwifes unit at her local doctors today and the midwife is concerned that the baby is to small and told her she needed a emergancy scan just in case the baby wasnt feeding properly unfortunatly the hospital cannot fit her in to the 13th july, do u feel this is too long to wait and is it worth us booking a private scan as we are all quite worried.
Answer:
I advise that you ring the maternity unit and ask to speak to a senior midwife and ask for a clear explanation.
If the midwife who ordered the scan was really concerend about the growth of the baby then your niece needs to be seen immediately for a scan and not wait a week.
Other factors such as baby\'s movements need to be considered also. If the baby is moving less than is usual for that baby then your niece should go to the maternity unit for baby to be monitored.
The midwife your niece speaks to speak to should ask about baby\'s movements also. You shouln't have to go for a private scan as it is the duty of the NHS to provide proper care for your niece.
Whoever rings the maternity unit should be clear, polite and firm with their request for further information abou the matter.
Best wishes
Caroline & Chrissy
Question:
I was just wondering if you know what evening primose oil does to you if you are pregnant and are only a few weeks. I think I am nine weeks.
Answer:
My advice would be to not use it at all as we do not know the possible effects in pregnancy. There is some anectodal evidence (ie stories) that evening primrose oil may help to ripen the cervix in late pregnancy. However no pregnant woman should use it without discussing it with her midwife first.
Best wishes
Caroline & Chrissy
Question:
I'm 39 and 4 days pregnant. Is castor oil safe to drink. Does it cause the baby to have a BM inside you?
Answer:
It is not recommended to drink castor oil as it can sometimes cause violent contractions and lead to the baby getting distressed. Far better to wait for nature to take it's course. You will go into labour when your body is ready. Trust in the process and let the baby come at the right time.
Question:
I had my 20 weeks scan the other day and got my maternity notes bag. When I looked at the results from my scan I noticed PVD9. I was wondering what this means. Also by baby's head circumference was 192 and abdominal circumference was 162, is that average for 20 weeks?
Answer:
We are not experts on scan results and without all your notes we cannot help you with this question. I would suggest that you ask your midwife to explain the results to you at your next antenatal appointment.
Best wishes
Caroline and Chrissy
Question:
Hello I am due today. What should I do if nothing happens today, do I have to contact my midwife or go to the hospital?
Answer:
You don't need to do anything. Very few babies come on their due date. You just need to wait until you have signs of going into labour which could be from now or up to two more weeks. Most hospitals offer women an induction of labour (where labour is artificially started at around 12 days after your due date if you haven't gone into labour).
You should make another antenatal appointment with your midwife for 41 weeks (that is, when you are one week past your due date).
If you need further advice before then you should talk to your midwife or ring your local maternity unit.
Hope this helps.
Caroline and Chrissy
Question:
I am 8 weeks pregnant and have had a scan which showed a heartbeat. I have been violently sick for a week, up to 11 times a day and I got very dehydrated. I have not been sick for the last 2 days and whilst this is a massive relief to me and I feel much better in myself (occasional nausea). I am now concerned that the sudden disappearance of the actual sickness could mean something is wrong.
Answer:
I can understand you feeling anxious about your pregnancy. Hopefully your body is adjusting to the pregnancy which is why you are no longer being so sick. I would advise you to contact the Early Pregnancy Clinic in your hospital and ask if you could have another scan for reassurance. You also mentioned that you had been dehydrated. Try to drink plenty of water in order to replenish what you have lost.
Best wishes
Caroline and Chrissy
Question:
I am 6 months pregnant with my second child and I have been having really bad abdomen pain for about a week now. I was wondering if you could give me some advice as my last pregnancy my waters went at 33wks and had him at 34wks so a bit concerned it is happening again
Answer:
The best advice would be to ring your nearest Maternity Unit as soon as possible and tell the midwives about the pain. They will probably ask you to come in to the hospital to have a checkup. Any pain in pregnancy should be taken seriously. It is far better to go in and have everything checked and possibly find that all is well, rather than not go in and then it turns out that there is a problem.
Waters breaking do not ususally cause pain so hopefullty the same thing isn't happening again but since you are experiencing some kind of pain, you really should seek advice from the hopsital.
Best wishes
Caroline and Chrissy
Question:
I'm 38 weeks pregnant and really worried about my movements my baby hardly kicks and when she does its really light. I've had 3 children and they have all at this stage been active where my whole belly rocks. I'm also been going to the hospital twice a week for heart monitoring the baby. Please help, is this normal?
Answer:
It sounds as though you are receiving good care from the hospital though you didn't say if the hospital has asked you to go there twice a week or if you have decided to do this yourself. Every pregnancy is different so this one may not feel the same as your other pregnancies. Sometimes anxiety can make you so tense that you cannopt feel the baby move. You can try lying down quietly for ten minutes to half an hour. Try to relax and concentrate on your baby and you may notice the movements. Of course you should go to the hospital if you feel the baby\'s movements over the past 24 hours have been less than usual. More often than not the baby is absolutely fine.
The main thing to say to you is to try to relax a little.
Hope this helps.
Caroline and Chrissy
Question:
I'm currently 25+5 and my baby is very active but always kicks down low. The last 2 weeks it seems even lower than normal, right down far in my pelvis as if she's is kicking right at the inside of my private parts! Is this normal? Most people I have spoken to around my dates have their babies kicking under their ribs etc, but she has never been that high? She is also giving me very painful lower back pain but im assuming that's just because of where she is laying
Answer:
What you are feeling is normal, I assure you! Babies can move into all kinds of positions at this stage of pregnancy so pregnant women can feel the baby kicking in all kinds of places! Regarding your back pain, the position of the baby shoudn\'t really be causing pain at this stage of pregnancy. You could ask your midwife to refer you to a physiotherapist or you could make a private appointment to see a chiropractor or osteopath who is experienced in pregnancy.
Best wishes
Caroline and Chrissy
Question:
I'm concerned for my friend who is 26 weeks plus and wants to start using evening primrose capsules to soften the cervix. Can you give advice to her on the dangers of doing this?
Answer:
I would strongly advise your friend not to take the capsules.
If she is only 26 weeeks pregnant she should do nothing that might harm her pregnancy. We do not know the effects of evening primrose oil and she could do herself and the baby harm and possibly cause premature labour.
Nature has it's own way of ripening the cervix as the time for baby to be born gets nearer. Ask her to trust that her body will do what it needs to do and leave well alone.
Best wishes,
Caroline and Chrissy
Question:
I'm 29 weeks pregnant and my baby weighs 2lb 3oz. The consultant has told me this is small and my baby isn't thriving. They think I should have it early?..
Answer:
I would trust the Consultant's opinion on this rather than your friends. They may mean well but how can they know what is the right weight for your baby?
"Failure to thrive" means more than just the baby being underweight. It can also mean that it is not growing as fast or as well as it should. I would suggest that you ask your midwife to explain this to you in more detail so that you can really understand what the concerns are about.
Sometimes if a baby is not growing well inside it's mother it is better for it to be born but generally as long as the baby is not unwell, they will leave starting your labour off as long as possible until the baby is well developed at around 38 weeks.
I can't really comment on your case in any detail as I am not your doctor or midwife and I do not have the full facts.
I hope this has been of some help.
Best wishes,
Caroline and Chrissy
Question:
I am 23 weeks pregnant and for the last 2 days the baby's movements have been less frequent and not as forceful as a couple of days before. Is this normal? I am unfortunatley a big worrier. Any advice would be great.
Answer:
It could be that the baby has moved into a position where where you don't feel it kicking so much. You could sit or you lie down somewhere quiet for a while, drink some cold water and relax for a bit and you may find that you notice the baby moving. If not, you should ring your nearest maternity unit for advice. They may ask you to come in for a check and to listen in to baby's heartbeat with a monitor.
Best wishes,
Caroline and Chrissy
Question:
I am 20 weeks and 5 days pregnant with my first baby. I've never had any urine or kidney infections before but, for the last 5 days I am having a bad pain on my right side, below the ribs (I assume it's a kidney area). The pain comes in waves 5-6 times in a minute. Its giving me a tough time and I can't lay down straight
Answer:
It is not uncommon to get a urine infection in pregnancy but it is more unusual to get a kidney infection. You should seek advice from your midwife or GP as soon as possible because untreated urine infections can lead to kidney infections. Either infection can make you quite ill and sometimes cause premature labour. Kidney pain is usually (though not always felt below the ribs but in your back below the ribs, not at the front). The pain you have needs to be investigated in a maternity unit or at your doctors surgery.
Something like this cannot be diagnosed by e-mail.
With best wishes,
Caroline and Chrissy
Question:
Hi there, I am really sorry to bother you. I have been for my first scan today and it shows that I am 10 weeks and 5 days. When they were checking the measurements she asked if I'd had a bleed, she said that there was a patch of blood just around the baby. She sent me out then asked advice then I went back in and she said if I get any bleeding or pains to ring my midwife or Dr. I asked why it was there and she didn't know. I am now worried all the time incase I will lose the baby, I don't know how I can avoid any further bleeds or why that happened? When I was pregnant with my 2nd daughter I bled from about 9 weeks until 17, this was beacause of a cervical nic or something. Many Thanks
Answer:
Please don't be sorry - we are here to help as much as we can!
I'm sorry that you have this worry. Sometimes there can be small patches of blood that are seen on scan and then they have gone by the time you have the next scan. To be honest, there is nothing you can do to avoid further bleeds and sometimes we really don't know what the cause might have been.
This sounds different to the bleeding you had in your second pregnancy. It might be a good idea to phone your antenatal clinic and ask to speak to a midwife there. You can explain what happened today at the scan and what you are concerned about and she may be able to explain more about the scan to you.
Warm wishes,
Caroline and Chrissy
Question:
Is it suitable to put a baby in a attic bedroom?
Answer:
I didn't really get enough information from your question to give a very good reply. As long as there is plenty of ventilation and you are able to keep the room at a suitable temperature, I see no reason why a baby shouldn't be in an attic bedroom as long as that is where you will be sleeping also.
If you are asking about a new baby, the current advice is that a baby should sleep in the same room as it's mother (or parents) for the first six months.
If you mean putting a young baby in an attic room on it's own I would advise you not to.
Hope this answers your question.
Best wishes,
Caroline and Chrissy
Question:
Hi, I have done about eight pregnancy tests and most done days apart, the latest was done today, all read positive, this one seems a lot darker, it's 5 days before my period am I pregnant?
Answer:
It certainly sounds as if you are pregnant. The pregnancy test shows either that you are pregnant or not so the intensity of the colour is not really the thing to focus on. All you can do now is wait and see if your period comes or not, although some women can have a bleed at the time their period is due but still be pregnant.
If you are unsure or need further advice you should go to to your doctor and ask for a pregnancy test there.
With best wishes,
Caroline and Chrissy
Question:
I had a miscarriage last sunday, but this weekend I've done a pregnancy test because I've been feeling sick and it was positive, could it be I am pregnant or the aftermarth of before
Answer:
I'm so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. As you have found, you can have a positive pregnancy test soon after a miscarriage. You are quite right in thinking that this is more than likely to be the aftermath of the miscarriage rather than you being pregnant. Sometimes it takes a while for the hormones in your body to adjust to the fact that you are no longer pregnant.
If you haven't already seen your GP it would be wise to do so soon just to make sure that everything is OK. If need be you can be referred to your local early pregnancy clinic (who also look after women who have had miscarriages).
I hope this is of help to you.
Best wishes
Caroline & Chrissy
Question:
Im 37 and 4 weeks pregnant and my whole tummy is hard except at the bottom where it is really flabby, do you know if this is OK?
Answer:
This is not such an easy question to answer without seeing your tummy. It is not unusual at this stage of pregnancy for your tummy to feel quite hard as your baby will be filling most of the space now. The question about the "flabby" bit lower down is more difficult for me to answer. If you have excess body fat, it could just be that.
My advice would be to ask your midwife at your next antenatal appointment. If you have any pain in the area then you should see your doctor or midwife as soon as possible. Sorry if this hasn't completely answered your question but as I said, I can't be any more specific without actually seeing your tummy.
Best wishes,
Caroline
Question:
I read an article last week in a daily paper about a lady whose baby died after it contracted the HPV virus from her. My midwife has tried to reassure me that this is nothing I should worry about but I am worried sick. My baby is due in July.
Answer:
I'm sorry to hear that you are so very worried.
Sometimes having more facts can help allay fears so I suggest that you either talk about your concerns with your GP or make an appointment at you local Genito-Urinary (GU) Clinic which are in most large hospitals. You can make direct appointments there. They are the experts on such matters as HPV and will be able to answer your questions in detail.
From what you tell me, the risks to you or your baby of having a problem are very small or likely to be non-existent. Try to remember that newspapers only publish the worst and most scary stories. Their job is to sell papers and we know that they can be more than economic with the facts.
For that one woman whose baby sadly died, there are 1000's and 1000's of women who had good normal births and lovely healthy babies.
You could try imagining that you are putting your fears into a box and that you then throw the box away. Or imagine throwing your fears into a stream and watching the water take them far away from you.
I hope this helps you feel a bit better.
Best wishes
Caroline & Chrissy
Question:
I keep waking up in the night at 3 or 4 non-stop and I cant get back to sleep for hours after, also I keep getting butterflies in my belly. I am 5 or 6 weeks gone thank you.
Answer:
Firstly, congratulations on your pregnancy. There are many changes going on in the body in early pregnancy which can make you feel different to how you normally feel as your body adjusts to growing a baby inside you.
If your mind is very busy when you wake up, it is worth listening to a relaxation CD or music that you find soothing that can help the mind quieten down and relax and get back to sleep.
The butterflies in your tummy may be connected to this feeling of restlessness (which may be partly excitement too!). If there is any pain when you feel butterfies then you should see your GP or midwife for advice.
It's a good idea to cut down on tea/coffee and fizzy or sugary drinks as some contain caffeine which is not good for your baby and can also affect your sleep pattern. Also some form of gentle exercise every day can help you relax a bit more and then hopefully get a good nights sleep.
Best wishes
Caroline & Chrissy
Question:
I am currently pregnant with my first baby, I am hoping to breast feed my baby for the first couple of weeks then go on to formula, I was wondering how much formula I would need to feed my newborn at each feed for if I dont breast feed for any reason and for after breast feeding.
Answer:
It's great that you are intending to breast feed and I hope that you will find that you carry on breast feeding a bit longer than you intended.
Breast feeding is the the best way to feed your baby, it's exactly the right temperature and a perfectly balanced food. Your baby will be healthier and less likely to get ear infections, tummy upsets/childhood diabetes, allergies... the list is endless. You too will benefit as you will get your figure back sooner as breast feeding uses lots of calories. You are also less likely to get certain cancers and brittle bones in later life....and more besides.
But of course it's your choice and if you do choose to give artificial milk, you will find the amounts a baby needs per feed on the tin or packet. Usually a very new baby will have between 10-30ml per feed but it is not an exact science and the amount increases frequently as the baby grows.
I would suggest waiting till you have had the baby and then asking your midwife or Health Visitor for advice on amounts as they will know how much your baby weighs.
Good luck with everything.
Caroline & Chrissy
Question:
I was told by my doctor that if I wanted children I would need some "medical assistance", which was fair enough as I wasn't planning anything anyway. I became pregnant unexpectedly and now I'm unsure what to do.
On the week my period was due (which obviously didn't arrive) I slept with somebody other than my partner (wrong I know...we were actually going through the process of separating). When I went to the doctor a week later, she put me to be around 6 weeks already pregnant. At the 12 week scan it confirmed this.
Is there any possible way that I got pregnant later on and the ultrasound was wrong? I hope this makes sense. I have a normal cycle so I know in my mind that I would have been 12 weeks at my 12 week scan if my regular partner was the father and 9 weeks if not. The scan put me a spot on 12 weeks.
My 12 week dating scan indicated the baby measured exactly 12 weeks which would be correct for my dates and LMP. I have regular periods so know when my LMP was. I was getting worked up because I wanted to know if the dating scan could be wrong by 3 weeks.
I have found a website on fetal measurements which say at 12 weeks the CRL should be 57mm which it was. If I took it from the date I would have conceived with the other man it would show up as only 9 weeks (or 7 not included the 2 weeks they add on) which would mean a measurement of 23mm (9 weeks) or 11mm (7 weeks)
Answer:
With the information you have given me I would suggest the scan date is the accurate one. It is possible for some women to have a period even though they are pregnant. This can be an "implantation bleed". That is when the fertilized egg imbeds into the lining of the womb. I hope this reassures you.
Best wishes
Chrissy and Caroline