I've listened to the podcast now and I'm really conflicted between my initial personal thoughts and then from a professional stand point. I have worked within the Maternity sector for 11 years now - first as a sort of night time Nanny service in the nursery of a hospital, then as a Midwifery Assistant before working bloody hard and finally qualifying as a midwife. Over that 11 years I have worked both in a Private hospital, a private birth unit and the NHS (which is where I am now). I have never personally been involved in an IOL that took only two hours. I say personally because I'm not saying it is impossible. Every woman, every pregnancy, every birth, every recovery, every post natal period and every baby is different. What one person may see and/or experience another may never see in their entire career and it is the diversity of the people, the settings and the experiences that contribute to why I love my job so much. She states that she was induced with a pessary and then followed up with a gel. This in itself would take a good few hours. She might well have then progressed very quickly, once labour was established but to any expectant Mum's listening, I think it sound as though from the start of the induction process to baby being born was two hours. Maybe it was actually two hours from transition to Ronnie being born? Who knows? I also have a problem, especially with celebs, when they say they didn't bother going to "breathing classes" a.k.a ante natal classes and then say how much of a shock it was and they didn't know what to expect etc. Ante natal classes are about so much more than just breathing techniques. You are taught about the different stages of labour, what happens to your body during labour e.g. the production of different hormones and how they help, the softening, effacing and opening of the cervix, the way the baby moves down through the pelvis and cervix so you can visualise it and make sense of what is happening. You are given tips on how to help encourage/optimise the production of hormones, labour positions, coping techniques, breathing, how to make the most positive birthing environment etc. etc. So much is covered that I find it quite flippant that so many celebs dismiss them and then reveal their story in OK that is nearly always accompanied with a scaremongering headline about how they and/or the baby nearly died and they had no idea what was going on and how traumatic it was etc. * I am not disputing at all, that for many, many people, birth can be traumatic - my issue is when people who are more than able to, don't fully prepare and educate themselves and then act naive. Knowledge is power and can lead to a beautiful, controlled, empowering birth*
I'm glad she didn't suffer much trauma to her perineum and only needed "three stitches" but I also can't help but think that too was a humble brag and not the norm for many, especially first time Mums.
My next issue is around the topic of PND. Did/does she have it or not? Jamie said he read up on it at a friend's recommendation but I reckon it was more because he was already aware of his wife having or at least previously struggling with her mental health and being prepared - sensible, responsible and caring on his part. He then said he was prepared for when it happened. However she has not come out and said it clearly. The way she spoke, sounded like she had an issue with being a new mum and having a public platform and scrutiny. That is different to having diagnosed Post Natal Depression and having the relevant treatment and therapy for it. I feel bad even speculating on all this but I am not on duty, I am not her care provider and these are my personal thoughts. As I have said before having such a huge following results in also having a level of responsibility. If she truly has/had PND she really could raise so much awareness and help so many people - not herself directly, but by pointing them in the right direction to their GP/midwife/Health Visitor, helplines, websites, therapies, encouraging them to talk to someone!! Raising awareness of signs and symptoms to look out for - she might say something that sparks the interest of someone who has noticed it in a friend or loved one and leads to help that way. I am glad that Jamie acknowledged that they are in a privileged position to be able to go on there cottage break around Suffolk - it still must have been stressful keep moving with all the 'stuff' that inevitably comes with a newborn and to keep on top of any care for her PND. It will have been complicated for her midwives and HV to keep on top of her PND with coordinate with the different teams in the various areas as they travelled around. I'm assuming there would have been lots of transferring of notes, lots of different faces, lots of phonecalls and visits etc. Just would be nice for her to maybe highlight the reality of the "holiday" presuming this was the case. Maybe all is being saved and will be revealed in the third book.
Wow...sorry - just realised how long this post is and perhaps a bit nit picky
When is the law going to catch up to protect children on “professional” SM accounts from their own parents?
