Baby torture a.k.a immunisations and why I still am for them

Amy had her second set of jabs yesterday and let me tell you one thing: I was absolutely dreading them. I know that Amy was good as gold last time round and only cried for what was probably less that 30 seconds but things can change, can't they?

I was sure she had remembered the whole needle-in-the-leg feeling and built myself up for what could only be described as the biggest crying fit ever but as soon as we got into the treatment room, my little girlie was all flirtatious with the nurses. Could my fear have been completely pointless? When they explained which immunisations they were going to give, Amy listened as if she was fully understanding what was about to happen and even the nurses were laughing about how knowingly she looked at them. Ben quickly signed the form of consent and then the immunisation (I call it baby torture) went ahead. Both nurses quickly stuck their needles into Amy's little legs and my little baby girl broke out in the most heart-breaking cry ever. I felt so so sorry for her. Especially when I noticed that the one of the nurses must have it a vein or something. The blood was literally running down Amy's little leg and the nurse needed two cotton wool buds to stop the bleeding. 

But has horrible as it is to see my baby girl cry, I am so glad that she has lucky enough to get immunisations to protect her from illnesses such as flu, diptheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B and polio. Of course, it breaks my heart to see my baby cry but could I ever forgive myself if I didn't take her and she caught one of those life threatening illnesses that can be so easily prevented? - NO!

The jabs that so many of us take for granted or even refuse because we think that our children won't be affected by relatively rare yet dangerous illness such as polio or diphtheria are not available to 1 in 5 children worldwide. Around 10,600,000 children under age five die every year. Around two-thirds of these deaths could be avoided if these children had received basic immunisations. So be wise - immunise!

Did your children get their jabs or did you decide against having them immunised? How did your little ones cope with their jabs? Were mummy cuddles enough or did they need medicine to feel better? I would love to hear your thoughts!

I'll miss my maternity notes

I had my last midwife appointment on Friday and was officially discharged from their care. This does not only mean that a health visitor will be regularly checking on Amy from now on, no, it also means that I had to hand in my maternity notes and with them my entire pregnancy: the results of my blood tests, my scan reports, my birth plan and all the little reports that the midwives have written in the hospital and after we have been discharged.

During the last 9 months I have grown quite fond of my orange notes. I took them to every appointment at the health centre and hospital and I was regularly reading what the midwives had put down after every appointment. I know it sounds a bit weird but I am kind of sad that they are gone. I am sure that I would have loved to sit down at some point, drinking a nice cup of tea and going through them. They would have been a nice memory, not only for me but also for Amy when she is older, allowing us to look back on my pregnancy and how things went. I know that it's important to keep medical records but why was I allowed to keep my maternity notes with me throughout the whole nine months of my pregnancy just to hand them in as soon as my baby is born? Were you disappointed when you had to hand in your notes and do you think it would be a good idea to allow mothers to keep their notes at home and just take them in when a medical professional asks to see them?