Dear Sarah,
I enjoyed reading your book when I was expecting my first child, Leila. Although we ended up having a caesarian due to growth restriction, breech and worsening conditions for Leila, it was a joyous day and since then we have practised gentle parenting and enjoyed our beautiful, aware and contented baby who turns 1 on Friday. As part of a follow on from Leila’s growth restriction (2.1kg birth weight, and perfect) we see a paediatrician. I’m wondering if you can recommend one in the Sydney or Camberra region who practices your approaches. We would like to get more value from these visits than just the routine prods and pokes.
Thank you in advance for any help.
Warm wishes,
Kim
My name is Renee Hoyle, I have read your wonderful book ‘Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering’ and the knowledge I’ve obtained from your book combined with my own personal desires have set me on a similar path for my own pregnancy. I’m 32 years old and currently 17 weeks and 5 days pregnant expecting my first child and my due date is the 12th March. I plan to have my baby at home and have found a wonderful midwife to guide me. I chose not to have any ultrasounds and up until this point I have been enjoying a blissful pregnancy with no sickness and only stronger feelings of tiredness at the end of the day.
Last Tuesday however after a weekend of mild persistent cramps and more heavy discharge than usual and after consulting with my lovely midwife, it was suggested that I go to the doctor who then referred me on to the Women’s and Children’s hospital in Adelaide. After some time I was taken to the assessment area where they performed an ultrasound, which by this point I felt was necessary, and they then performed two internals as well. It was decided that I had an infection and would need to stay in hospital for a while to clear the infection and to have a formal scan, all this much to my despair. The next day I had my formal scan and it seems that I have a short cervix of 18mm, which they seem to believe is the cause of my infection. I’m currently still in hospital as the doctors are waiting on my infection to clear before I have another internal and formal scan. It seems though that I am now faced with the likely option of having a cervical cerclage. Generally if the procedure goes well I would likely have the suture removed at 37 weeks assuming I do not go into premature labour. However, I feel very strongly against having a spinal anaesthesia and the suture and feel that this is a risky choice. I have been informed that there is a 1 in 20 chance that the procedure alone could rupture my membranes and I could lose my baby and there is also the risk of damaging my cervix and the effects the spinal will have on myself and my baby are certainly not desirable. Although, if I choose to do nothing the doctors’ tell me that my chances of making it past 28 weeks are very slim, and they would expect me to have a longer stay in hospital.
I have tried to find more information on this subject and what is considered a normal length for a cervix and apart from your book I’m at a dead end. The information I have found is not broad enough and I have only read stories from a few women who have had the suture, but these are women who have had previous miscarriages, and I myself have not had any.
So in conclusion, I was wondering whether you have any information on this subject, and perhaps if you know of any women who were faced with this dilemma and opted not to have this procedure done.
I thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and I look forward to hearing from you.
"Sarah Buckley creatively integrates mind/body wisdom with the latest scientific research to provide women with the essential tools they need to make conscious choices throughout their pregnancy and birth. "
Deepak Chopra, author, 'Reinventing The Body, Resurrecting The Soul'
Dear Sarah,
I enjoyed reading your book when I was expecting my first child, Leila. Although we ended up having a caesarian due to growth restriction, breech and worsening conditions for Leila, it was a joyous day and since then we have practised gentle parenting and enjoyed our beautiful, aware and contented baby who turns 1 on Friday. As part of a follow on from Leila’s growth restriction (2.1kg birth weight, and perfect) we see a paediatrician. I’m wondering if you can recommend one in the Sydney or Camberra region who practices your approaches. We would like to get more value from these visits than just the routine prods and pokes.
Thank you in advance for any help.
Warm wishes,
Kim
Dear Sarah Buckley,
My name is Renee Hoyle, I have read your wonderful book ‘Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering’ and the knowledge I’ve obtained from your book combined with my own personal desires have set me on a similar path for my own pregnancy. I’m 32 years old and currently 17 weeks and 5 days pregnant expecting my first child and my due date is the 12th March. I plan to have my baby at home and have found a wonderful midwife to guide me. I chose not to have any ultrasounds and up until this point I have been enjoying a blissful pregnancy with no sickness and only stronger feelings of tiredness at the end of the day.
Last Tuesday however after a weekend of mild persistent cramps and more heavy discharge than usual and after consulting with my lovely midwife, it was suggested that I go to the doctor who then referred me on to the Women’s and Children’s hospital in Adelaide. After some time I was taken to the assessment area where they performed an ultrasound, which by this point I felt was necessary, and they then performed two internals as well. It was decided that I had an infection and would need to stay in hospital for a while to clear the infection and to have a formal scan, all this much to my despair. The next day I had my formal scan and it seems that I have a short cervix of 18mm, which they seem to believe is the cause of my infection. I’m currently still in hospital as the doctors are waiting on my infection to clear before I have another internal and formal scan. It seems though that I am now faced with the likely option of having a cervical cerclage. Generally if the procedure goes well I would likely have the suture removed at 37 weeks assuming I do not go into premature labour. However, I feel very strongly against having a spinal anaesthesia and the suture and feel that this is a risky choice. I have been informed that there is a 1 in 20 chance that the procedure alone could rupture my membranes and I could lose my baby and there is also the risk of damaging my cervix and the effects the spinal will have on myself and my baby are certainly not desirable. Although, if I choose to do nothing the doctors’ tell me that my chances of making it past 28 weeks are very slim, and they would expect me to have a longer stay in hospital.
I have tried to find more information on this subject and what is considered a normal length for a cervix and apart from your book I’m at a dead end. The information I have found is not broad enough and I have only read stories from a few women who have had the suture, but these are women who have had previous miscarriages, and I myself have not had any.
So in conclusion, I was wondering whether you have any information on this subject, and perhaps if you know of any women who were faced with this dilemma and opted not to have this procedure done.
I thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Renee Hoyle