Brisbane Midwife

13/04/2026

Hilarious, but more than a grain of truth! https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18LnUE5V5c/

24/10/2024

https://journals.lww.com/clinicalobgyn/fulltext/2022/06000/understanding_the_placental_biology_of_to***co.16.aspx

ccompanied by parallel rises in both the prevalence and incidence of ma*****na use in pregnancy. This is worrisome, as the macromolecules which comprise to***co and ma*****na smoke affect placental function. In this chapter we summarize the decades of evidence contributing to our understanding of th...

04/06/2024

Well, we've always known it is beneficial for any mum but for those at higher risk of diabetes (Gestational or other) it is an important factor to consider when deciding how you feed your baby, and for how long you breastfeed.

Dr Lisa Devine explores findings from two prospective cohorts looking at whether lifetime breastfeeding duration is associated with lower cardiovascular disease in high-risk populations with type 2 or gestational diabetes history.

17/01/2024

I have queried this myself. This intervention needs to be scrutinised. https://www.facebook.com/share/NAsc3Nj98sXqSpmr/?mibextid=xfxF2i

What's the evidence for giving postnatal heparin?

For a few years now, some women have been offered a drug called low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) during and/or after pregnancy.

This is a preventative or prophylactic measure, given in the hope of preventing blood clots during pregnancy and/or after birth.

But many people are questioning this, and with good cause.

My blog post today looks at the evidence relating to postnatal heparin.

I explain what postnatal heparin is, and go through some of the research that you might want to be aware of if you're considering your decision about this, or talking about it in your work.

You can find it at https://www.sarawickham.com/research-updates/postnatal-heparin/

06/05/2023

What a lovely day I had yesterday. I drove up to Toowoomba to attend the Midwifery@Griffith Darling Downs syposium to celebrate International Day of the Midwife. The presenters were excellent - I learned new things and was so impressed with the skills, enthusiasm and dedication of those who spoke. I saw some old friends, and met new ones. There were midwives who, like me, have been around for decades. But there were also members of the rising generation - students who will be the dedicated Sages Femmes of the future. We work in many different settings, but there was a common theme of wanting to do our best for birthing and parenting. I came away feeling more exhilarated and nourished than I have for ages. Thank you to everyone who made this possible.

21/04/2023

So important!

Staying hydrated is more important for health, wellbeing and enjoyment of life than many people realise. Dietitian Ngaire Hobbins explains why.

14/02/2023

I don't know how long this link is good for, but Birth Time is well worth viewing. We need to understand that mainstream Australian birthing services are perversely supported by funding that largely buys machines that go "ping" (so to speak). The money must be directed to gold-standard, richly researched and proven, continuity of care with a known midwife. https://www.birthtime.world/ppncenter?fbclid=IwAR0Klr4QxSv-uXAiaFCE6_JFwKUYoNMOBGnsNbaThuGLyJBalgpl9JKAUwk&mibextid=uc01c0

25/11/2022

As somebody famous once said, there are Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics. This article teaches us what stats really mean. I have heard countless stories about, and witnessed myself, the manipulation of stats by health care types to coerce women into compliance when birthing. Here's a simple but wonderful explanation of how we can read stats to make better decisions regarding our care.

What's the chance of PPH, if you've had one before? Dr Sara Wickham looks at research which answers this question.

23/11/2022

Totally this...Dr Kirsten Small nails it again.

Photo by Sergiu Vălenaș on Unsplash One of the questions I am often asked about is what research says is the best approach to fetal heart rate monitoring for a woman who has previously had one (or …

30/08/2022

Although many of us take man-made supplements, nothing replaces actual food. And for pregnant women seeking to alleviate nausea and vomiting, take care you don't take too much Vitamin B6! As is often the way, moderation is wise.

Vitamins and minerals: how safe are they?