Expert Q&A: Read the Wednesday Lunch Club chat with pregnancy yoga teacher and Active Birth Centre associate Nicole Croft

By askamum

06 March 2013

If you missed our Wednesday Lunch Club Q&A on the askamum Facebook page with Yoga for Pregnancy teacher and Active Birth Centre associate Nicole Croft, from BuddhaBellies, read the questions she was asked and her answers below.

Q: I'm currently 14 weeks pregnant with monochorionic twins (mo-di twins). I have been told that they will probably be delivered via c section, is there any chance of a natural delivery with mo-di twins?

A: Congratulations – it's such a special thing to have identical twins! So, it is, indeed becoming a little rarer for women to have twins naturally but that does not mean it can not happen and indeed both identical and non-identical twins are born naturally and successfully all the time. The difficulty is, depending on where you plan to give birth and what birth practice is like in your area, you will come up against more or less resistance to the idea. Birth practice and protocol is a lottery at the best of times but more so when it comes to twins, or anything unusual for that matter. My advice would be very much to shop around- different hospitals, speaking to independent midwives in your area and trying to find amenable and understanding obstetricians. It is important to know that your care does not need to be with the first person you are assigned to. Obviously whatever you plan, it will come down to the babies' positions on the day and the progress of labour too, but in theory it is entirely possible.

Q: Any ideas to encourage my 14m old to walk independently he will walk with furniture no problem or a finger as long as he is touching something he will go he's done a few steps on his own but he gets down and crawls he's getting frustrated with it all bless him.

A: I can relate them holding your fingers- its back breaking. I am afraid that patience is the only thing I can advise, which might well be easier for you than for him it sounds like. As I suspect you already know, they all learn to walk in their own time and at very different times, and 14 months is not at all late. Some children as late as 20 months are still firmly sat on their bottoms, or so efficient at crawling that they don't bother even trying. It sounds as your son has the will to walk, and the physical maturity but just needs to muster up a bit more bravery, which he will absolutely do of his own accord- and probably relatively soon. In the meantime a helpful finger will help him build his confidence. There is nothing like their own motivation to spur them on. If he has discovered that walking is quicker than crawling, then he wont be long.

Q: What's the score on getting taxis to take you to the hospital when your in labour? This is a big worry for myself and my fiance as we don't drive and our nearest big hospital which is where I'll probably have my little man is 22 miles away. Being told we have to make our own way to hospital and that even if you're booked in to the birth centre or hospital an ambulance won't take you because they're not a taxi and it's not classed as an emergency. Is this true?

A: As far as I am aware you can book any normal taxi to take you and that would probably be the best option, as ambulances are reserved for emergencies. I have known of some women take taxis successfully, though there is always the chance that they feel uncomfortable with the responsibility for a labouring woman. Have you got any friends who could be 'on call'? Obviously if there is a medical emergency or you feel that the baby is coming very quickly then you would be well within your rights to ask for an ambulance, but if you are still in the early stages of labour then a taxi is best ( and make sure you bring a towel with you!)

Q: I’m 30 weeks pregnant with my first child, and I have a family history of long, lengthy labours. Will this mean I have increased chances of a long, difficult labour, or is every women different? Is there anything I can do to reduce my chances?

A: Some people proclaim a genetic link between births but I have not seen any evidence of it, and I suspect if there is one it is more psychological - as in we hear about the history of birth in our family and we assume that ours will be the same and we build up expectations and fears.
There are a huge number of things you could do to prepare for birth and avoid a lengthly labour. Remember that when your mum gave birth, circumstances in hospitals were very different and the general understanding of the birth process was markedly different- she was probably on her back for labour for a start. I would really recommend you read up on the physiology for birth, find a local yoga for pregnancy class, look into natal hypnotherapy or hypnobirthing, consider a water birth and even consider having a doula. the last two are actually scientifically proven to reduce the length of labour!