Abject Accountability in the Wake of Baby P

I roll my eyes skyward in this 18.5 week picture....

I'm not making reference to the latest Baby P scandal involving Sharon Shoesmith, some Haringey social workers and a Great Ormond Street Hospital doctor, all of whom have launched appeals of unfair dismissal linked to this sad and disturbing case. My expression would be fitting, minus the cheesy grin. Though not directly pregnancy related, I feel this social services / child protection story is well worth a mention.

Baby P, a four year-old boy from the London Borough of Haringey, died of child abuse in 2007. This poor innocent child withstood repeated barrages of abuse by his mother, her boyfriend and her boyfriend's brother until he reached breaking point. The identities of his abusers have just been widely publicized, however I don't want to give these debase individuals any further time or attention - I can't fathom actions of their kind and can only imagine they must have something wired wrong on the inside.

My blood now boils at the total lack of accountability from the professionals who repeatedly failed to recognize the gravity of Baby P's case until it was too late. Haringey's former Director of Children's Services, Sharon Shoesmith, appealed against her dismissal without compensation and just saw this motion fast tracked at high court. Her Deputy and two former social workers launched similar appeals, alongside Great Ormond Street Doctor Sabah al-Zayyat who seeks damages for her dismissal.

I think it's disgusting. Social work and the welfare of vulnerable children is a vital and challenging area that must be taken seriously. Haringey Social Services did have a positive inspection rating at the time of the Baby P scandal, though this review clearly fell short and was not a green light for apathy or carelessness. Shoesmith questions the pressure Secretary of State Ed Balls put on Haringey to dismiss her without compensation in the wake of the 2008 media frenzy surrounding the case and new inspections highlighting departmental failings. Be this as it may, this does not reverse the harsh reality that she was at helm of a social services disaster.

As for Doctor al-Zayyat - she must be having a laugh - she failed to spot Baby P’s more serious injuries days before he died and asserts the weak defense that she was not privy to the child's history of abuse. One would think a registered doctor at one of the UK's foremost children's hospitals might have, unprompted, noticed signs of abuse!

Yes, Shoesmith, dismissed colleagues and Doctor al-Zayyat may be scapegoats for both their own and similar failings around the country. But this case prompted a well needed wake up call for Councils and medical professionals to take a serious and proactive stance in protecting vulnerable children.

Fluttery Sunday

Yesterday was one of those idyllic Sunday afternoons that I didn't want to end. Chris and I met our friends L&J at L's parent's house outside London. We sat outside on their back patio basking in sunshine/umbrella induced shade, played bocce ball on the soft, green, warm underfoot lawn and enjoyed a yummy picnic lunch. The conversation, as always with G&T (L's mom and dad), was interesting, amusing, excellent. I felt very relaxed, a welcome contrast to our usual hustle bustle.

The conversation turned to quickening at some point, and T asked if I'd felt the baby move. Just as I'd heard, T described her first experience with baby movement as the "fluttering of butterfly wings." Subtle but solid baby kicks, flips and twirls.

I said I wasn't sure if I'd felt anything. Over the last week I have experienced a slight pattering or tweaking sensation, but I don't know if this is my baby, my stomach or my over active imagination since I don't really know what I'm looking for. I don't feel like a butterfly is loose in my belly - more like the odd little "sensation" from time to time.

I've stopped trying to coax my little one into movement in the bathroom stalls at work, but last night thought I'd try a new approach. I've heard babies are sensitive to light, so as we went to bed I shined my cell phone light at my stomach and waited for a response. Does anyone else try weird things like this? Again, I don't know. But I did feel like I felt the faintest little pitter patter when I did it. I'm just waiting for a big ol' kick so I know that it's the real thing and not just me wishing it.

Good Vibrations

Supposedly there "may" be advantages to playing music to your baby in the womb. I don't think there are any definitive findings on this theory, but I guess the idea is to use music as a vehicle to engage and comfort your baby in utero, which will then be familiar or soothing once he/she is born.

I'm now at 18 weeks; our baby is the size of a bell pepper and can apparently hear my heart beating and my digestive system processing - after the amount of curry I ate last night the little one must have had quite the show! I think it's still a couple of weeks until baby can hear noises from outside the womb, so I have some time before I can start putting the music theory to the test.

Having said that, earlier this week I went to karaoke with Chris and some friends from his work. They are karaoke king and go often enough to hold a gold card that entitled us to 5 hours of free singing! Yes 5 hours. I am no seasoned karaoke girl and I'm a terrible singer, but the night was a lot of fun. The music was so loud though, that baby must have got some kind of show, if not from the audio at least from the vibrations. Chris did a particularly stirring rendition of Guns and Roses' 'Civil War' that must have radiated beyond our singing room and throughout the surrounding area! Maybe not particularly soothing, but stimulating I'm sure! Looking forward, I think we better introduce a balanced mix of music or we may have a hyper one on our hands.

Bump on Board: Running in Pregnancy

I’ve always been a runner. In school I took pride in being able to outrun some of the boys in my class. I played midfield in soccer which required a lot of stamina, and I kept up running for fitness through college and as I moved into “the real world.” Last year I even knuckled down and ran the London Marathon! So now I’m running while pregnant, which you’ve probably picked up on.

When I mention that I’m still running, I often get one of two reactions: Cue furrowed brow and concerned tone: “Is that really a good idea for you and the baby?” OR a perplexed grimace that suggests I might as well be bungee jumping or throwing myself into a rugby scrum. So I find myself justifying my actions, and explaining that there is no reason for concern. “I’m only running a couple of 5Ks a week, nothing too taxing for baby or me!”

This approach was not condoned at my first “booking in” midwife appointment around 11 weeks, where I was told plain and simple, “don’t run, we don’t advise it.”

I felt a little cheated by this response. Yes, it wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but mainly, it conflicted with advice I’d read elsewhere. I’m sure the midwife had a duty of care to echo the advice in the NHS Handbook that gave she me, but this “blanket advice” didn’t account for my history running, fitness level, medical history, etc. It seemed more of the “cover our backs with catch all safe advice” family. So I dug a little deeper…

Now I’m no medical expert, and the following is my understanding and NOT official medical advice (disclaimer, disclaimer, etc). but herein lies the skinny on running while pregnant:

If you haven’t run before you were pregnant, don’t start once you are. It is generally safe for seasoned runners to continue at a lesser distance and intensity; you will need to slow down as your pregnancy progresses and your bump grows. It’s important to stay hydrated and not to overheat, especially in the first trimester while your young baby is developing its vital organs. You may be more prone to injury as your body has higher levels of relaxin, a joint-relaxing hormone, so tread carefully over uneven ground and to wear supportive footwear. A sturdy sports bra is also a must, and a maternity support belt could help support your bump. Try to engage your pelvic floor as you jog since extra strain is put on these muscles. Listening to your body is most key: if you feel nauseous, dizzy, out of breath or experience chest pains, blurred vision, a headache or vaginal bleeding, STOP! If anything feels uncomfortable or not right, STOP! Don’t push yourself and don’t go for the “burn.” Think in terms of your fitness, not keeping up your previous level of training.

Across the board, advice suggests that women with pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, placenta previa (low lying placenta), a weak cervix and others, particularly a history of pre-term labor or miscarriage should avoid running; if you are at all concerned, have a discussion with your doctor or midwife.

This article from Runners World suggests that women entering their second trimester should have an internal with their OBGYN to check the strength of their cervix. I’ve read more about this from US sites, and think my midwife might look at me like I have two heads if I ask her for an internal considering the advice I received previously, but maybe I should ask. I haven’t had any signs out of the ordinary, but this looks like an extra and sensible precaution runners can take. In fact, many US sites suggest getting the “all clear” from your doctor regarding your plan to run pregnant.

As with many things in pregnancy, a cautious and sensible approach to running looks like the answer. Many runners pay testament to their trade as a means of staying fit and healthy throughout their pregnancy and preparing them for labour. Here’s an excerpt from a Babyfit article on the topic:

“When I became pregnant with my first child, I decided that as long as my doctor said it was okay (and I felt good), I would continue running for as long as my body would allow… I'd been a runner for years and loved both the physical and mental benefits. So I was relieved that when I went in for my first OB appointment, the doctor said I could continue running as long as I felt good and didn't push myself too much. Running helped alleviate the constant morning (and afternoon and evening) nausea I couldn't seem to shake, kept my weight gain at a healthy rate, and prepared my body for the toughest race I'd ever have to run-labor and delivery. As my belly expanded, I went from a comfortable jog, to a slower jog, and finally to a waddle the week before my daughter was born. I was quite a sight to the neighbors I passed on my running route! But I wouldn't trade that for anything. For anyone whose health care provider has given their okay to continue running, I highly recommend it.”

Some other useful articles about running pregnant are at Babycentre and Pregnancy Today.

So come on fellow running ladies, let’s lace up our sneakers, give our bodies and minds a work out, our bumps a ride and those passers by something to gape at!

Still Got It!

So here's my 17 week picture.

Expanding on my body image comments from yesterday, I went for a run this morning and got a "sexy ass" shout from a passing car. We can ignore the fact it was actually from a couple of young guys in white van, music blaring, passenger with his head out the window i.e. the typical source of cat calls for females running. I gave a small smile and a nod. I think it's better to acknowledge and keep moving rather than risk pissing people off by ignoring them. Plus, it never feels bad to get a cat call!

Chris and I took a quick spin by Mothercare today for a little scope out of the goods. Our main points of interest, well the first was more mine, were over the bump maternity jeans and the strollers. It was like a whole new world in that store - baby bonanza, lots and lots of pregnant ladies, lots of ladies pushing babies and lots of men attending to their wives. I felt a little out of my depth, but this is my new club, so I better just get on with it.

I came away with a 2 pack of maternity bras that looked supportive but had cute little patterns (I'm going to test them out and return them if they don't fit) and a better idea of what size over the bump jeans I may purchase. On the strollers, or prams, I think I have expensive taste. I don't feel that way about most baby items but I want a stroller that is durable, maneuverable, not too heavy or bulky and suited to both city/town strolling as well as more bumpy terrain. Does such an item exist that doesn't break the bank? If I'm going to splash out in one area, however, I think the stroller and travel system is a good one since we are so active and I know I'll want to be out and about with baby a lot on foot....plus a safe, comfortable car seat is must. So research is in order there....I'll let you know how I get on. If anyone has any suggestions in this department, please share!