Kylie Kelce Tells People Who Mom-Shame Over C-Sections To ‘F**k Right Off’

Posted on 29/03/2025 by Boris Clair

Kylie Kelce is taking issue with critics who say that having a C-section or getting an epidural during labor isn’t a “true birth experience.”

During Thursday’s episode of her Not Gonna Lie podcast, Kelce opened up about her birth plan ahead of the arrival of her and husband Jason Kelce’s fourth child, which she said was “approved by her team of OB-GYNs.”

“I just want a fat needle in my back,” she joked before slamming people who judge women for having medicated births. “People who dismiss birth with an epidural as being not a true birth experience, I can promise you from the bottom of my heart, I felt every part of labor.”

Kelce went on to defend women who have C-sections, noting that she’s seen a “number of triggering comments over the weekend” on TikTok about women being told that having an emergency C-section, or a C-section that was scheduled, means “they did not experience birth.”

“The person you’re speaking to just grew a human being, and for whatever reason that little baby needed to come out the front, not the bottom,” she declared. “You know whose business that is? Not fucking yours.”

“I’m trying to be nice,” Kelce added. “No, never mind. Go fuck yourself. You can kindly fuck right off.”

She then pointed out that C-sections are considered a “massive abdominal surgery.”

“Abdominal surgery to get out the human life that they just built. I can’t believe that people say that,” she said. “That is horrific. I dare you to say that within earshot of me.”

Elsewhere in the episode, Kelce told viewers that her mom, Lisa McDevitt, birthed her via C-section because she was a large baby.

“You think that when I was 12 pounds, 1 ounce and I had to come out the front [of] my 5-foot-2 mother that she didn’t experience birth? I will kick your ass in honour of Lisa,” she added.

Watch Kelce’s Not Gonna Lie podcast below.

<div class="js-react-hydrator" data-component-name="YouTube" data-component-id="6977" data-component-props="{"itemType":"video","index":15,"contentIndexByType":2,"contentListType":"embed","code":"

","type":"video","meta":{"author":"Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce","author_url":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmCEofjQiLDJYUCFu_zlfPA","cache_age":86400,"description":"Kylie’s back for a brand new episode of Not Gonna Lie presented by Liquid Death and kicks the show off by finally announcing the winner of the NGL Fan Name poll! Let’s just say Kylie is conflicted…\n\nAfter that, Kylie gets brutally honest about the phenomenon that is Birth Plans in this week’s edition of “Can I Be Honest?” She explains what they are, her very short personal birth plan and also calls out people in comment sections who have decided what does and does not qualify as giving birth.\n\nThen, Kylie is joined by yet another woman she has no business speaking to: the original American Idol, Grammy Award winning superstar Kelly Clarkson! Kylie and Kelly get right into their Eagles-Cowboys rivalry, as Kylie claims Kelly is one of very few Dallas fans she’d ever agree to have on the show.\n\nKelly also tells a story about bumping into Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and the Eagles offensive line when they were in New York filming an episode of The Tonight Show. Kylie and Kelly get to talking about Jason’s Philly Special Christmas album, Jordan Mailata’s incredible voice and whether or not Kelly would be willing to cross enemy lines and join the next Eagles album.\n\nKylie then throws it back to Kelly’s American Idol days where she shares what that experience was really like in the first season of the show, her success afterwards and if it’s true that America found their best vocalist on the first try. \n\nKelly also gets into what it was like to join The Voice as a coach and help out singers who were in the same position she was in when she first started out. \n\nLastly, Kylie asks Kelly about the best piece of motherhood advice she’s ever received. Kelly and Kylie also bond over their kids not being happy when they leave for work and the realities that come with being a working mother.\n\nAs always, these episodes are capped at 45 minutes so make sure you tune into More Sh*t Monday on the Not Gonna Lie YouTube channel for exclusive clips from Kylie’s longer conversation with Kelly Clarkson.\n.\n.\n.\nDownload the full podcast here:\nApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-gonna-lie-with-kylie-kelce/id1780888125\nSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0RgXbSGGmwpzAyeLHbDqUD?si=4585dab89c4f4c11&nd=1&dlsi=e178bf324b99403f\n\nFollow Not Gonna Lie on Social Media for all the best moments from the show: \nlnk.to/j61XD8\n\nSupport the Show: \n\nLiquid Death: Go to http://liquiddeath.com/kylie for $2 off any 2 six-packs! Liquid Death is available nationwide anywhere you shop for water or iced tea\n\nKelly Clarkson Tickets: https://www.kellyclarkson.com/home#tour\n\nChapters: \n00:35 – Intro\n01:35 – NGL Fan Name Winner\n03:08 – Birth Plans\n11:48 – Kelly Clarkson joins NGL\n12:15 – Eagles-Cowboys Rivalry\n14:18 – Eagles Christmas Album\n18:30 – Kelly’s Music Label\n20:30 – American Idol\n24:00 – Kelly’s Song Covers\n26:57 – Belting a Note\n31:45 – Coaching on The Voice\n36:59 – Best Motherhood Advice\n40:20 – Working Mom Challenges\n\n#kyliekelce #kellyclarkson #ngl #podcast #nfl #eagles #cowboys #americanidol #thevoice #comedy","options":{"_cc_load_policy":{"label":"Closed captions","value":false},"_end":{"label":"End on","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s","value":""},"_start":{"label":"Start from","placeholder":"ex.: 11, 1m10s","value":""},"click_to_play":{"label":"Add your own player cover","value":false}},"provider_name":"YouTube","thumbnail_height":720,"thumbnail_url":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1kGTeatTFwU/maxresdefault.jpg","thumbnail_width":1280,"title":"Kylie & Kelly Clarkson on America’s Best Vocalist, A Christmas Album Offering & Birth Plans | Ep. 16","type":"video","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kGTeatTFwU","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"life","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"67e69443e4b0f69ef1d34fd3","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/kylie-kelce-tells-people-who-mom-shame-over-c-sections-to-fk-right-off_uk_67e69443e4b0f69ef1d34fd3","entryTagsList":"birth,c-section,kylie-kelce,@us_huffpost_now,@widget-imported","sectionSlug":"parents","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.parents","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"8b034f64-513c-4987-b16f-42d6008f7feb","clickToPlayPlayer":"5a777b9b-81fe-41a6-8302-59e9953ee8a2","videoPagePlayer":"19654b65-409c-4b38-90db-80cbdea02cf4"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/2757f9a5-9d3c-4e0f-bcf4-6284bcf6701b/1_th.jpg?crop=629:354,smart&width=629&height=354&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":4},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"67e69443e4b0f69ef1d34fd3","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"birth","slug":"birth","links":{"relativeLink":"news/birth","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/birth","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/birth"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/birth/"},{"name":"c-section","slug":"c-section","links":{"relativeLink":"news/c-section","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/c-section","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/c-section"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/c-section/"},{"name":"Kylie Kelce","slug":"kylie-kelce","links":{"relativeLink":"news/kylie-kelce","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/kylie-kelce","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/kylie-kelce"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/kylie-kelce/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-1\", \"entry_paragraph_1\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline\", \"entry_paragraph_2\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-2\", \"entry_paragraph_3\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-infinite\", \"repeating_dynamic_display\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}”>

[embedded content]

Too Many Women Like Me Are Suffering From Traumatic Births. We Need To Change Maternity Services For Good

Posted on 18/12/2024 by Boris Clair

February 16, 2021 was meant to be the day that I birthed my newborn son – without drugs, not even gas and air! – into a birthing pool, under the glow of lavender-coloured LED lights, as the sound of ‘cicadas in a field’ gently filled the my private room at the midwife-led birthing unit of my local hospital.

Ideally, this would have been with the aide of a birthing Doula, but as we were deep into another nationwide lockdown, I was lucky to even have my (masked) husband as my birthing partner.

However, somehow nearly three weeks later in early March – instead of the birth I had expected and made a playlist for – I found myself recovering from three excruciating days of induced labour and an emergency c-section, while laying in a pool of blood in a sensory clusterfuck of a maternity ward.

I couldn’t move – partly from exhaustion, mostly from major surgery and a catheter – so I couldn’t even pick up my son when it was time to feed him.

The story of my pandemic pregnancy and my son’s birth is complicated, tender, and generally something I keep very private. My husband lived it alongside me, but only my closest friends and my therapist know why orange Lucozade makes me want to vomit or why the sight of that small, blue suitcase under the guest bed can still make me cry.

What is truly horrifying to me, aside from my own gruesome memories, is that my story is just a drop in the ocean when it comes to how many women in the UK have also had a “negative” or traumatic birth experience.

Because of these unsettling and life-altering numbers, a new campaign called Delivering Better, formed by a group of mothers, is urging Health Secretary Wes Streeting to take urgent action to improve maternity services in the UK.

The group’s new report highlights the need for “better support for women who often suffer, both mentally and physically, years after they have given birth” and shows the horrific impact that traumatic births are have on women, with almost half of all mothers suffering mentally and physically.

They report one in four mothers experience a negative birth in the UK, and that 72% of those women say their experience had left them with long-term mental health impacts.

Of the women who reported a negative birth experience:

almost half (48 per cent) say it had a long-term impact on their relationships,
over a third (37 per cent) say it had a long-term impact on their ability to work,
more than half (54 per cent) said it left them less likely to want to have more children.

More than half of women (58%) of the women who said they had a negative birth experience said they “didn’t feel listened to during delivery” – which, for me, was one of the worst parts of my own experience.

Being in one of the most vulnerable states a human can be in, and then voicing a need, a concern, or asking for help and being denied that help or dismissed by the people who are apparently there to help you can be incredibly damaging for your mental health. Not being listened to can also have incredibly serious, if not life-threatening physical implications, too, as we know from the startling statistics around Black maternal health care.

What can be done differently to help new mothers?

As both a mum and an editor I see a lot of press releases and newsletters targeting mothers and pregnant people. Some of it is helpful, but I’ll never forget an email I was sent about a new campaign to “support maternal mental health” which initially sounded excellent as some big name brands were involved.

However, reading the details, the campaign was meant to support women’s mental health after giving birth via… a meditation app. And some frozen food vouchers. And also a bit of funding for an organisation that has been criticised for its potentially harmful policies and focus on ‘natural births’.

We deserve better than this.

There needs to be much more tangible action taken in both pregnancy and delivery to see any significant changes in maternal mental health.

In my opinion, a lot can be done by addressing the curriculum and policies of prenatal courses that are available to parents – and the cost and accessibility of these services, too. I’ve experienced first hand that women – especially first-time parents – are taught in these courses that we have much more control over exactly how and when our babies will be born. That we can choose a positive birth experience.

We’re told to just watch your favourite films and eat some chocolate to get those oxytocin levels up and then labour shall commence shortly thereafter. If you breathe correctly that baby’s gonna pop right out of you – you’ve been doing your cervical massages, right?

But I can tell you firsthand – as can thousands of other parents – you can do everything “right” and still end up having an emergency c-section.

The Delivering Better campaign is asking for changes to be made in both pregnancy and delivery for mothers, including greater continuity of care throughout pregnancy.

The aftercare new mothers get is nearly comical in its limitations, and the group is also calling on GPs to proactively contact mothers via text message at three months and six months postpartum to check in on their physical and mental health.

According to Delivering Better: “Mothers often report feeling abandoned after the current six-week check, which is often not fit for purpose, with only a couple of questions directed at the mother.

“Some mums say the main question they’re asked is whether they are back on contraception. In the survey, 88% of mothers say they support receiving mental and physical health checks in the months following their birth experience, and 81% say they would have benefited from this themselves if it had been offered.”

Shocking isn’t it?

You can read more of what Delivering Better is asking for on their website, where you can also sign their open letter to Wes Streeting, “urging action for maternity care that is safe, compassionate and evidence-based”.

Help and support:

Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.

Help and support:

Sands works to support anyone affected by the death of a baby.
Tommy’s fund research into miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth, and provide pregnancy health information to parents.
Saying Goodbye offers support for anyone who has suffered the loss of a baby during pregnancy, at birth or in infancy.

New Parents – You Can Grab 20% Off Postpartum Essentials With Lola&Lykke

Posted on 17/04/2023 by Boris Clair

We hope you love the products we recommend – all of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Prices accurate and items in stock at time of publication.

April marks C-section Awareness Month, and Lola&Lykke has pulled out all the stops to honour the delivery method many welcome their children into the world via.

Mums who have undergone a Caesarean section, as well as those who have had a vaginal birth, can now save on all the essentials they need to look after themselves and their bodies during their pregnancy, and postpartum, with the popular parenting brand.

For the duration of April, Lola&Lykke is offering shoppers the chance to get 20% off select items.

Lola&Lykke – which was was founded in 2018 by parents Laura and Kati, after they experienced problems during their pregnancies – offers a range of products to see parents before and after their pregnancy.

The selection of support bands, which includes the Core Restore Postpartum Support Band, as well as the Core Relief Pregnancy Support Belt, are firm favourites.

The Postpartum Support Band in particular is a must have as it provides medical-grade compression on the weakened core muscles, and aims to speed up recovery from childbirth and pregnancy. It was also designed by Finnish physiotherapists, so is safe to use.

Not only does it provide support around the stomach to heal diastasis recti, which is when your growing uterus expands causing your muscles to separate, but also to alleviate any back pain.

The Postpartum Support Band, which is also suitable for those recovering after a natural births, has been designed with comfort in mind, as the band fits to your body without inhibiting any movements.

It comes in a range of sizes, from extra small to extra large, to fit all body shapes comfortably.

The Postpartum Support Band is super simple to wear too, all you have to do is wrap around the target area of your stomach, and secure with the double velcro fastening.

It is free from latex, hypoallergenic and breathable, which means it is super delicate on fragile areas of the body.

The Postpartum Support Band is one of the selected items Lola&Lykke shoppers can claim 20% off of, which sees the price drop from £85 to £67, but for a limited time only.

No discount code is required to claim 20% off as it is discounted at the checkout, which makes for super simple and stress-free shopping.

While browsing Lola&Lykke – which is also famed for its bestselling breast pump, plus so much more – shoppers can save on the Hospital Bag Set, which usually retails at £271 has been slashed to £262.

While those who want to secure the Maternity Support 2-Pack, which features the Pregnancy Band and Postpartum Support Band to see you through all stages of pregnancy, can do so at a more purse-friendly £171 down from £180.

With glowing reviews, support from medical experts, and super affordable price tags, these bargain buys are not to be missed.

While on the Lola&Lykke website, you will also find tool kits, tips and tricks, expert advice from professionals, as well as real life stories from fellow parents, so rest assured you are in a safe space to share your concerns or product recommendations.

The maternity label also has a blog about all subject matters, including in-depth detail on C-sections, so you can be well informed about the surgical procedure prior to giving birth, preparation to help in advance, as well as tips on recovery, and everything in between.

Stillbirths Increased Last Year. Why Is Nobody Talking About It?

Posted on 10/08/2022 by Boris Clair

After years of progress, the number of stillbirths increased across England and Wales in 2021 – but it’s not the story you’ll read about elsewhere.

When the new ONS data was released this week, most newspapers focused on a jolly little fact: last year, more babies were born out of wedlock than among married couples for the first time since records began.

But the figures also show there were 2,597 stillbirths in 2021, an increase of 226 from 2020.

These statistics were barely a footnote in most national newspapers, something the baby loss charity, Tommy’s, was disappointed by.

Kath Abrahams, chief executive at the charity says the latest figures are “unacceptable”. She believes they reflect the “direct and indirect” impact Covid-19 had on pregnant women and people in 2021.

“Indirectly, the pandemic had a significant impact on maternity services, putting them under greater pressure,” she tells HuffPost UK. “There were higher rates of stillbirth in January 2021, which coincided with the peak of the second wave of Covid-19.”

Throughout the pandemic, HuffPost UK reported on the disproportionate impact on maternity services, with pregnant women saying they felt “forgotten” as lockdown restrictions eased. While pubs reopened, mums-to-be reported having routine antenatal appointments cancelled or conducted over the phone.

Though there’s no research to link these practices directly to stillbirth rates, the individual stories paint a picture of incomplete care, at a time of high-anxiety for pregnant women.

Pregnant women also faced misinformation regarding vaccine safety, with some even mistakingly told not to take the jab at vaccine centres. Data from October 2021 found just 15% of pregnant women were fully vaccinated amidst the fear and confusion.

Because of this, Tommy’s says Covid-19 infection is likely to have had a direct impact on the 2021 stillbirth rate.

“Our research has shown that getting Covid-19 during pregnancy could cause problems in the placenta, increasing the risk of pregnancy complications, which is why it’s important pregnant women and people get vaccinated if they can,” Abrahams says.

“Rates of stillbirth had been following a consistent decline over recent years, and we believe 2021’s increase is unacceptable. It highlights exactly why we need to increase efforts to meet NHS England’s aim of reducing stillbirth rates by 50% by 2025.”

The data also uncovered that stillbirth rates differed across the country last year, with more deprived areas, including the North East and Yorkshire, experiencing higher rates than the most affluent regions.

“It is unacceptable that who you are and where you live continues to have an impact on whether your baby is born healthy – and it’s vital that our government and health services continue to focus on tackling these inequalities,” Abrahams adds.

“Action to reduce stillbirth must be a national priority as health services recover following the Covid-19 pandemic, and more work must be done to understand the reasons for the increase in stillbirths and help improve care for pregnant women and people at risk.”

Commenting on the latest figures, Professor Asma Khalil, spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said every stillbirth “is a tragedy for the families affected as well as the maternity staff involved”.

“Stillbirth rates are still higher in the UK than many other high-income countries and vary widely across the UK,” she said. “We continue to advise women who have concerns or worries about their or their baby’s health – including the baby’s movements – to seek medical advice from their midwife or hospital as soon as possible. We also advise pregnant women to ensure they are fully vaccinated against Covid as this can increase the risk of stillbirth.”

HuffPost UK contacted the Department of Health and Social Care about the increased stillbirth rates, sharing the concerns raised by Tommy’s about stretched maternity services.

In response, a DHSC spokesperson told us: “We are committed to making the NHS the best place in the world to give birth through personalised, high-quality support.

“Since 2010, the rate of stillbirths has reduced by 20.9%, the rate of neonatal mortality for babies born over 24 weeks has reduced by 36% and maternal mortality has reduced by 17%.

“The NHS is investing £127m into the maternity system in the next year to support the workforce and improve neonatal care – which is on top of £95m to recruit 1,200 more midwives and 100 more consultant obstetricians.”

‘Shocking’ Inequality Is Still Behind Many Stillbirths And Premature Births

Posted on 02/11/2021 by Boris Clair

A quarter of stillbirths and a fifth of premature births across England are due to socio-economic inequalities, research suggests.

A review in the Lancet of more than a million births found that South Asian and Black women living in the most deprived areas experience the largest inequalities when it comes to what happens to their pregnancy.

Experts behind the review suggested that some factors, such as high body mass index (BMI) and whether a mother smokes, could be contributing to the risk, but also pointed to racism and economic issues.

Calculations for the study suggest that half of stillbirths and three quarters of births where the baby is smaller than expected in South Asian women living in the most deprived fifth of neighbourhoods would be potentially avoidable if these women had the same risks as white women living in the most affluent fifth.

Similarly, about two thirds of stillbirths and nearly half of births involving small babies in Black women from the most deprived neighbourhoods were potentially avoidable if they had the same risks as white women in richer areas.

The NHS has set a target of halving stillbirth and neonatal death rates, and reducing levels of premature birth, by 25% by 2025.

An estimated 60,000 babies are born prematurely in the UK every year (before 37 weeks).

In 2019, around one in 255 births resulted in a stillbirth in England and Wales, alongside around one in 302 in Scotland.

In 2020, there were 2,429 stillbirths (167 fewer than 2019) in England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

In the new study, a team from the National Maternity and Perinatal Audit analysed birth records between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2017, in NHS hospitals in England.

They worked out the impact of socio-economic factors, adjusting for whether women smoked, their BMI and other pregnancy risk factors.

Socio-economic status was measured for each local area and combined information on income, employment, education, housing, crime and the living environment.

In total, almost 1.2 million women with a birth of a single child were included in the study, of whom 77% were white, 12% South Asian, 5% Black, 2% mixed race/ethnicity, and 4% other race/ethnicity.

Overall, 4,505 women experienced a stillbirth (after 24 weeks), the study found, while of 1,151,476 liveborn babies, 69,175 were premature and 22,679 were births involving foetal growth restriction (smaller babies).

Risk of stillbirth was 0.3% in the least socio-economically deprived group and 0.5% in the most deprived group; risk of a premature birth was 4.9% in the least deprived group and 7.2% in the most deprived group; while risk of foetal growth restriction was 1.2% in the least deprived group and 2.2% in the most deprived group.

The experts found that 24% of stillbirths, 19% of live premature births and 31% of live births of smaller babies were attributed to socio-economic inequality and would not have occurred if all women had the same risks as those in the least deprived group.

But when experts adjusted for ethnicity, mothers smoking and BMI, these statistics were cut (to 12%, 12%, and 16%, respectively), which the authors suggested means these factors may explain a considerable part of the socio-economic inequalities in pregnancy outcomes.

Pregnancy complications were found to disproportionately affect Black and minority ethnic women – with 12% of all stillbirths, 1% of premature births and 17% of births with growth restriction attributed to ethnic inequality.

In this group, adjusting for deprivation, smoking, and BMI had little impact on these associations – suggesting factors related to discrimination based on ethnicity and culture may contribute to poor outcomes.

Co-lead author Dr Jennifer Jardine, from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “The stark reality is that across England, women’s socioeconomic and ethnic background are still strongly related to their likelihood of experiencing serious adverse outcomes for their baby.

“I think that people will be shocked to see that these inequalities are still responsible for a substantial proportion of adverse pregnancy outcomes in England.

“Over the past few decades, efforts to close the gap in birth outcomes focusing primarily on improving maternity care and targeting individual behaviours have not been successful.

“Birth outcomes don’t only represent a woman’s health during pregnancy but also reflect her health and wellbeing across her entire life.

“While we must continue to encourage healthy behaviours during pregnancy, we also need public health professionals and politicians to strengthen efforts to address the lifelong, cumulative impact of racism and social and economic inequalities on the health of women, families, and communities.”

Co-lead author Professor Jan van der Meulen from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine added: “There are many possible reasons for these disparities.

“Women from deprived neighbourhoods and Black and minority ethnic groups may be at a disadvantage because of their environment, for example, because of pollution, poor housing, social isolation, limited access to maternity and health care, insecure employment, poor working conditions, and stressful life events.

“National targets to make pregnancy safer will only be achieved if there is a concerted effort by midwives, obstetricians, public health professionals and politicians to tackle the broader socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities.”

Birth Injuries Are Leaving Some Mums Wishing They’d Never Had Kids

Posted on 14/07/2021 by Boris Clair

One in four women who experience a severe injury during birth regret having their child. It’s taboo to admit, but with more than 600,000 women giving birth in England and Wales alone each year, we need to talk about this.

A new survey of mothers affected by birth injuries lays bare the physical and psychological impact on women, which can last years into their child’s life.

The overwhelming majority (85%) of mothers who suffered severe injuries say their experience damaged their relationship with their child, with 14% saying this harm was permanent. One in three (34%) said they saw their child as the cause of the injury while, heartbreakingly, three in 10 (31%) thought their child would be better off without them.

The research, from birth injury charity The MASIC Foundation, surveyed 325 women who self-identified as having suffered severe perineal trauma when giving birth. The sample size may be small, but the research adds to growing concern about women’s health outcomes after giving birth in the UK.

While it’s important to acknowledge that millions of women around the world give birth each year without problems, it’s equally important to say this isn’t always the case – and women are increasingly talking about their negative experiences and demanding better care.

HuffPost UK has previously reported on the gaps in NHS postpartum care that widened during the pandemic. In a separate survey of mums, the majority (91%) said they were not given enough advice during pregnancy about postpartum recovery.

We also know that Black women are five times more likely to die during childbirth than white women. A controversial proposal to tackle this – inducing labour at 39 weeks for pregnant black, Asian and minority ethnic women as a matter of course – has been called “racist” by some doctors and midwives.

In the latest research, 78% of women surveyed said they have traumatic memories of birth and 52% said they face embarrassment due to symptoms of their injury.

This rings true for Catherine*, who had a prolonged labour following induction with her son, which then required an episiotomy and ventouse (vacuum delivery).

She had a third-degree tear (defined as a tear that extends into the anal sphincter), but it was initially misdiagnosed as a second-degree tear, meaning she wasn’t offered the correct treatment. Her undiagnosed injury left her in too much pain to sit down or attend mother and baby groups, leaving her “essentially house-bound” for her maternity leave. After a year – and hitting a brick wall with the NHS – she accessed help at a private clinic.

The damage has been permanent, though, and she’s still prone to toilet urgency and accidents. Catherine now carries pads, wipes, Imodium and spare underwear everywhere she goes. She quit a job she loved as she was struggling to manage her condition, and has been diagnosed with PTSD.

““My confidence, my me-ness, the essence of who I am, has been destroyed.”

– Catherine, 44, Bristol

“My confidence, my me-ness, the essence of who I am, has been destroyed,” says the 44-year-old, from Bristol. “My relationships with my child and my partner have suffered.”

Catherine has struggled to talk to friends about her experience – or even watch programmes when childbirth is mentioned – and has counselling each year in the run-up to her son’s birthday.

“With my son, I love him dearly, he is the best thing in my life, but his birth caused the injury and it is difficult to square the two,” she says.

“Every year I dread his birthday and the reminders of my traumatic experience. It is not fair on him or on me – his birthdays are not a happy occasion, but every year I have to pretend it is.”

While her partner has been understanding, Catherine says “he also carries his own guilt about what happened”. Their physical relationship has also been impacted hugely. “I feel like a shell of my former self at times,” she adds.

Like Catherine, 69% of mothers surveyed said the impact of a birth injury was both physical and emotional. Almost half (45%) said they have had postnatal depression as a result and 29% said it has affected their ability to breastfeed their baby, with 18% stopping earlier than planned.

Elizabeth*, who now has a 10-year-old daughter, describes the period after birth as the “worst time of [her] entire life” and is still impacted by her birth injury a decade later.

Aged 30, she had a fourth-degree tear (a tear that extends further into the lining of the anus). Six days after delivery, she passed faeces vaginally and was in extreme pain. She was then readmitted to hospital and found to have a recto-vaginal fistula, causing an infection in her vagina and bowel.

““I am ashamed to say that at times I wished I had never become a mother and I grieved for the life I had before.””

– Elizabeth, 40, Hampshire

Although she’s had further treatment, she still experiences rectal incontinence, which has affected her ability to socialise and work. “I often avoid eating out as this stimulates my bowel,” says the now 40-year-old, from Hampshire. “I always need to know where the toilets are.”

Her birth injury meant Elizabeth was forced to give up her beloved hobbies of horse riding and swimming. For a long time, she was in too much pain to even walk her dog. “I am ashamed to say that at times I wished I had never become a mother and I grieved for the life I had before,” she says. “I paid such a high price to have a baby.”

Jen Hall, a MASIC spokesperson, is sadly unsurprised by Catherine and Elizabeth’s stories, after having a “brutal forceps delivery” that left her with physical and psychological damage herself.

“Nobody warns you that having a child can leave you with life-changing injuries and no woman should have to go through this without support and proper medical care,” she says.

Most of these injuries are “entirely preventable”, she adds – the result of something going wrong during birth or a failure to identify risk factors beforehand, according to MASIC. The charity is calling on the government and the NHS to roll out a programme of training for medical professionals.

The Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury (OASI) care bundle – a package of training which has been praised by the Royal College of Midwives – has been trialled in 16 maternity units across the NHS and is being extended to a further 20, but this still leaves three in four (76%) maternity units yet to be reached.

The charity is calling for it to be rolled out nationwide. They’ve also set out a seven-point plan for better care, calling for:

Improved identification, diagnosis and treatment of birth injuries in the NHS.
An education programme for obstetricians and midwives so that severe injuries are recognised at birth and treated in line with best evidence.
A primary care education programme so that all women are asked at contacts following birth about signs and symptoms of OASI/incontinence, with appropriate referral pathways for those with symptoms in line with the NHS long-term plan.
Information about the risks of OASI given to all women antenatally.
Women’s concerns to be listened to and not dismissed as “normal” postnatal experiences.
Specialised psychological treatment and support for women after OASI injury and an end to the stigma and taboo of talking about these injuries.
Dedicated OASI clinics nationwide.

HuffPost UK has contacted NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care for a response. We’ll update this article if they provide a statement.

Without change, women like Catherine do not feel like they can have a second child. “I feel like I was someone the birth just happened to,” she says. “At the time I was happy to place my faith in the medical professionals dealing with me; I had no reason not to. Whilst birth is normal, natural and inevitable, and women’s bodies are designed to do it, unfortunately as we all know it isn’t always that simple. The people who were meant to help me through it let me down.”

• Surnames have been omitted to offer anonymity to interviewees.

Useful websites and helplines

Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.

Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).

CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.

The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk

Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.

The 10 Most Popular Songs To Give Birth To

Posted on 11/03/2021 by Boris Clair

The most popular songs to give birth to have been revealed – and Salt-N-Pepa’s Push It is shockingly absent.

Instead, mums-to-be seem to favour a chilled vibe, with Jack Johnson’s Better Together taking the top spot. The 2005 hit featured in more than half of the birth-related playlists analysed, with 460,197,498 plays on Spotify.

I Won’t Give Up by Jason Maraz came in second, featuring on 26 of the playlists with 530,386,616 plays overall. Meanwhile Make You Feel My Love by Adele took the third spot with 613,094,614 plays and appearing on 25 playlists.

Although he failed to make the top three, Ed Sheeran was the most popular birthing partner artist overall, with two of his songs making an appearance in the top 10.

The researchers, working with Supplement Place, collated a list of 16,000 songs using playlists created by users that included the words “childbirth”, “birthing”, “birth”, “labour”, “birthing at home” and “hypnobirthing”.

As well as looking at which songs and artists appeared most often, they looked at the average beats per minute (BPM) across all of the songs.

The average BPM was 118, which is around the same speed as Alicia Keys, If I Ain’t Got You, Mae Robinson’s What a Wonderful World and Patricia by Florence and The Machine.

The research follows previous analysis, which identified Jeremih’s All The Time as the most popular track to have sex to, with Often by The Weeknd and Genuine’s Pony also making the top 10.

Those lyrics have a lot to answer for.

These Are The Birth Risks For ‘Big Babies’ And Mums-To-Be

Posted on 04/02/2021 by Boris Clair

HuffPost is part of Verizon Media. We and our partners will store and/or access information on your device through the use of cookies and similar technologies, to display personalised ads and content, for ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development.

Your personal data that may be used

Information about your device and internet connection, including your IP address
Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps
Precise location

Find out more about how we use your information in our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

To enable Verizon Media and our partners to process your personal data select ‘I agree‘, or select ‘Manage settings‘ for more information and to manage your choices. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Your Privacy Controls.

We Wouldn’t Encourage Anyone To Have A ‘Natural’ Root Canal – Why Is Birth So Different?

Posted on 01/11/2019 by Boris Clair

HuffPost is part of Verizon Media. Verizon Media and our partners need your consent to access your device and use your data (including location) to understand your interests, and provide and measure personalised ads. Verizon Media will also provide you with personalised ads on partner products. Learn more.

Select ‘OK’ to continue and allow Verizon Media and our partners to use your data, or select ‘Manage options’ to view your choices.

Birth Diaries: ‘I Tripped Over My Toddler And Broke My Knee At 36 Weeks’

Posted on 10/07/2019 by Boris Clair

HuffPost is part of Oath. Oath and our partners need your consent to access your device and use your data (including location) to understand your interests, and provide and measure personalised ads. Oath will also provide you with personalised ads on partner products. Learn more.

Select ‘OK’ to continue and allow Oath and our partners to use your data, or select ‘Manage options’ to view your choices.

WellnessMaster

Get The Latest News on Holistic Wellness

Tag Archives: birth

Kylie Kelce Tells People Who Mom-Shame Over C-Sections To ‘F**k Right Off’

Too Many Women Like Me Are Suffering From Traumatic Births. We Need To Change Maternity Services For Good

What can be done differently to help new mothers?

Help and support:

Help and support:

New Parents – You Can Grab 20% Off Postpartum Essentials With Lola&Lykke

Stillbirths Increased Last Year. Why Is Nobody Talking About It?

‘Shocking’ Inequality Is Still Behind Many Stillbirths And Premature Births

Birth Injuries Are Leaving Some Mums Wishing They’d Never Had Kids

The 10 Most Popular Songs To Give Birth To

These Are The Birth Risks For ‘Big Babies’ And Mums-To-Be

Your personal data that may be used

We Wouldn’t Encourage Anyone To Have A ‘Natural’ Root Canal – Why Is Birth So Different?

How Verizon Media and our partners bring you better ad experiences

Birth Diaries: ‘I Tripped Over My Toddler And Broke My Knee At 36 Weeks’

How Oath and our partners bring you better ad experiences

Donation for helping 20