For a full list of birth stories visit the forum Birth Story Section below is a selection of the most read!
Here is Orla’s birth story by Hazel [Crafty n Clothy] some of you may have been following her Pregnancy Diary of a WAHM in the magazine!
Contractions started at 9pm on Friday 7th August. They were just like backache and I wasn’t really sure they were contractions at first. I realised they were coming every 10 minutes so called Michelle to let her know and Alan started filling the pool (but he made it too cool). A bit later I went to the loo but going up the stairs made me have two stronger contractions very close together. Having a bit of a panic that it …

Hopefully this section will give you some clue as to what all the abbreviations and jargon are on your medical notes… if you can’t find what you want then email us and we will add it!
AF ~artificially feeding
AFP~Alpha-feto-protein – a pregnancy screening test
ANC~ antenatal clinic
APH ~Antepartum haemorrhage – bleeding in pregnancy
ARM~ Artificial rupture of membranes
BF ~breast feeding
BO~ bowels opened
BP ~Blood pressure

HcG levels
How to test for pregnancy.
When a women becomes pregnant  her body starts to produce a hormone called HcG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) this hormone is what is detected in both urine and blood based tests to give a positive pregnancy result. What are HcG Levels ?
HcG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) is a hormone that is produced by the embryo when its starts to implant itself into the uterine lining (implantation) and begins to grow. This occurs approximately 6-10 days after conception. As it grows, the amount of HcG increases and doubles about every three days. The purpose of HcG is to keep the estrogen and progesterone levels at their appropriate levels until the placenta has developed enough to take this function over. HcG levels will reach …

Taken from BBC Health News:
Expectant mums need to stop blaming their bump for memory lapses, say experts who want to dispel the “baby brain” myth.
Neither pregnancy nor motherhood addle a woman’s brain, say the researchers based on their study of 1,241 women both before and after having babies.
The Australian researchers say we have been misled by a fallacy.
Any absentmindedness might be adaptive, shifting attention to the baby, the British Journal of Psychiatry says.
Lead researcher Professor Christensen said: “Part of the problem is that pregnancy manuals tell women they are likely to experience memory and concentration problems – so women and their partners are primed to attribute any memory lapse to the ‘hard to miss’ physical sign of pregnancy. Full article can be read here.
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The Mama Pack is here to change the face of the natal pack!
In the UK almost every mother looks forward to her ‘pack’ from the midwife and hospital…. the excitement of opening the pack up and rooting through all the freebies inside is tangible in the ante-natal clinics!
But there are a growing number of expectant mothers who feel let down by the contents as they look through the plastic printed bag.
Disposable nappies, disposable chemical filled wipes, disposable breast pads IF you get any at all….. handful’s of leaflets seemingly encouraging you to have a hospital birth, formula feed and buy the most expensive buggy and feed your precious baby from hermetically sealed jars of food prepared by machines in factories!
The Mama Pack is here to …

Welcome to Mama Pack ® website.
If you have been left feeling a bit deflated after receiving your not so fantastic regular natal pack then you have probably been directed to this website!
Mama Packs are the United Kingdoms ONLY ethically influenced, trade marked Mum & Baby sample pack. A pack you wont find nasty chemicals in, a pack you will love receiving!
Have a look above in the ‘get a pack’ section to find your nearest stockist, try the forum also as there are often packs randomly handed out on there!
Are you expecting a baby? Already have children? Well regardless of your age or sex if you have or are about to be a parent you are welcome on our forum to talk to other parents & …

Use this section of the website to find your nearest birth provider for midwifery and more by entering your town or post code below ..Please mention MAMA PACKS when contacting the providers below…. Some give discounts but all of them would like to know how you found them!
If you wish to be listed here for free then please contact us with details…If you would like details on distributing Mama Packs please read this.

The map below is set by default to only load a few locations, there are many more which will be displayed when a postcode or town are typed into the input areas.

Address 

–Search By City–Brighton, SussexColchester, EssexExning, SuffolkHelston, CornwallLondon, LondonLothian, ScotlandMatlock, DerbyshireNutley, East SussexRedruth, CornwallRowden Hill, ChippenhamRugby, WarwickshireSefton Park, LiverpoolSheffield, South YorkshireSouthend-on-Sea, …