At Your Cervix

Trigger warning - this post discusses baby loss

This week Emma and Grainne are joined by mother, editor and author Georgina Lucas  Emma first met Georgie in clinic when she came to see her for a postpartum check following the birth of her 2nd baby, Grey. Tragically Grey passed away when he was 21 days old. Emma treated Georgie for a long time and got to know Georgie well.  At the beginning of this year Georgie’s first book ‘If not for you’ was published. ‘If not for you’ is Georgie’s incredible, moving memoir of the 21 days she and her husband Mike shared with Grey and the aftermath - the search to make sense of their unimaginable loss.  On this week’s episode, you can hear Georgie talk to Grainne and Emma about her heartbreaking journey, Grey, her memoir, her postnatal recovery and her life now.  It’s a beautiful episode and very much worth a listen!  If you love the podcast please review us and let us know what you think

If not for you is available from all good booksellers https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/georgina-lucas/if-not-for-you/9781408714546/

BABY LOSS RESOURCES

Aching Arms achingarms.co.uk

Supports those who have suffered the loss of a baby during pregnancy, at birth or soon after.

Arc arc-uk.org

Helps parents and healthcare professionals through antenatal screening and its consequences.

Bliss bliss.org.uk

Aims to give every baby born premature or sick the best chance of survival and quality of life.

Borne borne.org.uk

Researches the causes of premature birth in order to save lives. Child Bereavement UK childbereavementuk.org

Supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement.

Mama Academy mamaacademy.org.uk

Empowers all maternity professionals and expectant parents on stillbirth prevention methods to help more babies arrive safely.

The Mariposa Trust mariposatrust.org

Supports those affected by baby loss and bereavement.

The Miscarriage Association miscarriageassociation.org.uk

Supports those affected by miscarriage, molar pregnancy or ectopic pregnancy.

Our Missing Peace ourmissingpeace.org

Helps all who have been affected by the death of a child.

Petals petalscharity.org

Provides specialist counselling after baby loss.

Sands sands.org.uk

Provides support for anyone affected by the death of a baby, improves the care bereaved parents receive, works to create a world where fewer babies die.

Saying Goodbye sayinggoodbye.org

Provides comprehensive information, advice, support to anyone who has suffered the loss of a baby, at any stage of pregnancy.

Teddy’s Wish teddyswish.org

Funds research into the causes of baby loss and provides hope for grieving families.

Tommy’s tommys.org

Provides support and funds research into stillbirth, premature birth and miscarriage.

Unique rarechromo.org

Supports and informs families living with a Rare Chromosome Disorder.

Instagram

Zoe Clarke Coates - @zoeadelle

Feathering the empty nest - her Mum’s Voice blogs in particular @feathering_the_empty_nest

The Mindful Grief Coach - @themindfulgriefcoach

Grief Gang - @thegriefgangpodcast

Julia Samuel - @juliasamuelmbe

Priyanka Saha - @the_lilyflower

Kirsty Dougal is Scottish but lives in the Cotswolds. She is 42 and works in research funding for biological sciences. Outside of work, she is passionate about horses, having previously worked in the equine industry. If money was no object she would happily spend her time outdoors cuddling horses! 4 years ago her life was turned upside down due to the perimenopause and menopause. She experienced the perimenopause at 38! Her symptoms were life-altering and her battle to seek diagnosis and treatment have been very difficult. Her transition into the menopause is not conventional. At 41 she went through a chemical menopause before having surgery last year to be put into a surgical menopause! She realised first-hand how poor support is  and is now driven to do what she can to help other women understand the topic and know how to advocate for themselves and access the right help.

Resources

https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/

https://www.themenopausecharity.org/

https://www.menopausalnotmad.co.uk/

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23

We open this season talking to Helen Ledwick the creator of ‘Why Mums Don’t Jump’ -- a podcast about pelvic floor problems after childbirth. She’s a former BBC journalist and a mum-of-two with pelvic organ prolapse. 

When delivering her second baby, Helen experienced a 3rd-degree tear and subsequent pelvic organ prolapse. Unaware of pelvic floor dysfunction until this point and frustrated, anxious, and keen to learn more, Helen began to explore the world of pelvic health and found that there were so many more women affected by these common but not normal symptoms that can occur at any time in a woman life, but often around pregnancy and childbirth. 

Helen 'fell' down many rabbit holes whilst researching her symptoms and was overwhelmed by the misinformation, scaremongering and myths that existed for all pelvic floor conditions including pelvic organ prolapse. As a result she started her very successful podcast 'why mums don't jump' and has gone on to myth bust, empower and support other women who suffer from pelvic organ prolapse and other pelvic floor dysfunction.  

This is Helen's empowering pelvic organ prolapse story and is a must for anyone suffering with pelvic floor dysfunction or who works with and supports women   

Check out Why Mum's Dont Jump Here  https://whymumsdontjump.com/

POGP and leaflets: https://thepogp.co.uk/resources/booklets/

If you enjoyed this episode do please tell your friends and even better review us on the podcast channel you subscribe too 

Lot of love Emma and Grainne 

✨Special Bonus Episode ✨

Here it is, our final episode. We think it is an absolute cracker 😂. It’s released on Sunday (Boxing Day) - a present from us to you!

Resources:

Molly Galbraith 

Instagram: @themollygalbraith

https://www.mollygalbraith.com/home1

Marika Hart 

Instagram: @marika.physio

https://marikahart.com/

Girls Gone Strong https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/

Book: Strong Women lift each other up by Molly Galbraith https://www.amazon.co.uk/Strong-Women-Lift-Each-Other/dp/0785239081

It’s taken us a whole year to get this super talented but super busy lady onto our podcast but it’s finally happened, just in time for Christmas!

Elaine Miller is a fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and award-winning comedian. She is interested in the sociology of incontinence and the barriers to help-seeking. Her paper on using humour as a public health promotion tool was published in August and she is about to tour her comedy show "Viva Your Vulva" to further that research. 

Elaine Miller,Heidi J. Bergmeier,Claire Blewitt,Amanda O'Connor,Helen Skouteris

First published: 19 August 2021

https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.13142

You can find her here: 

www.gussetgrippers.co.uk

Instagram: @gusset_grippers

Twitter: @GussieGrips

This week Emma and Grainne speak to Pip. Pip is a practicing NHS Midwifery Sister in the UK, an enthusiast of all things women’s health and also mum to her 9-week-old baby boy. Pip has worked across various maternity settings from community, homebirth, birthing centres and is now based on a labour ward (although she is currently on maternity leave).  Now she has had a baby we were fascinated to find out what her views are of midwifery and of course motherhood now she is on 'the other side'. We talk frankly about the 'maternity crisis' and explore the changing landscape of pelvic health and collaborative work necessary for effective perinatal care. 

Pip believes that pregnancy and birth are such monumental times in a woman’s life that should be truly positive and empowering regardless of the twists and turns that may crop up. Based on this, Pip’s mission is to provide honest support and information through her Instagram page @midwife_pip, Podcast- Midwife Pip Podcast and through her online courses which can be found at www.midwifepip.com.

This week Grainne and Emma are joined with Inemesit Graham a fitness professional, pregnancy, and postpartum athleticism coach. 

In season 1 we spoke with Illiyin Morrison, a midwife and birth trauma specialist who regularly highlights and educates about racial inequalities in healthcare. Today we wish to build upon that conversation by delving deeper and gaining wider perspectives from Inemesit Graham. 

Inemesit was born in Nigeria, moving to England when she was 5 years old, and has currently resided in Canada for the last 13+ years.

She is the founder of Mummy Fitness, an online perinatal fitness platform and her passion for health and fitness stems from her own struggles of understanding her body. Body image issues trace back to early childhood when she moved to the UK, highlighting the societal expectations and constructs created in the western world. Her journey into motherhood further challenged body image and expectations. The more Inemesit began to learn and understand about her body, the less she disliked it. She is now a voice of self-appreciation and racial equality and inspires women all around the world. Her goal is to offer a decolonized approach to fitness based on body liberty and not body oppression. 

You can find Inemesit on

Instagram: @mummy_fitness

www.mummy-fitness.com

https://www.mummy-fitness.com/blog/what-is-normal

This episode is sponsored by Pelvic  Relief (www.pelvicrelief.co.uk) Pelvicrelief is our favourite go-to to buy quality products for Pelvic Health including soul source dilators, GRS dilators, Ohnut, EVB support wear, period Incontinence pants, ES magic and Yes lubricants and moisturisers! Thank you Pelvic Relief for sponsoring Season 2