I’m really limited in where I can work at home as I only have one living space. I don’t like working in my bedroom so have everything crammed onto one desk that looks very cluttered most of the time. I want to sort it out and make it a bit more accessible and hopefully that will help the creative juices flow a bit better.
My desk at home is a little bit on the busy side!
I’ve often thought what it would be like to have an actual office and how I’d want it to be. I think think coworking spaces might work a bit better or actually having an office to go to would be quite lovely. The only thing is I’d like a bit of a say in how it’s designed and that kind of means I’d have to own it or at least collaborate on it’s design with a few other creative people. Working from home can be quite lonely though so perhaps collaborating on a shared creative workspace would be the way forward.
Obviously it’s important to have a desk for my work and a decent computer but I also like doing a lot of things handwritten too. Extra desk space, some shelves to keep books, notebooks and planners and a good selection of decent pens. I’d also like to be able to make use of natural light and have a place where I could easily record videos when I need to. It’s something I really wish I had here in the flat really!
Having some creative breakout areas could help with brainstorming ideas and collaborating
Sharing office space with others would also call the need for a place to make a decent cuppa and to work together and collaborate or brainstorm. Having some good quality and comfortable breakout furniture could really help with this. There are a lot of cool and creative solutions to make office spaces really personal these days. I think you need the right amount of private and group spaces when you work creatively. Areas to discuss and brainstorm, and then areas to just get the work done.
One thing I find quite tough about working from home is the background noise of kids TV but it helps to occupy Felix and I can get some work done. That being said if it’s not Kids TV then it’s a video game or Eastenders and I often get distracted then! I would really like my own little space where I can close the door and get stuff done but ultimately I work at home because of the flexibility it offers. Maybe in the future I’ll be able to look into an office space or maybe even get myself a decent laptop and go and work in a coffee shop from time to time!
Cervical cancer is one of the more common cancers affecting women (or anyone with a cervix, really) and is screened from the age of 25. I’ve now had two, I’m due my next one around March 2020. I recently read a news article about at home self sampling cervical cancer screening tests possibly increasing and becoming ‘the norm’ within the next five or so years. You can read the full article here. I can’t comment on the science but I can comment on how I feel about cervical screening.
Cervical cancer is incredibly serious, and, according to healthcare professionals, in many cases be prevented or dealt with early enough should you attend your regular cervical screenings. I had a conversation with my nurse about it last time who said the reason it’s every three years is because that’s usually the time it may or may not take for cell changes to become present on the cervix. I’ve had a baby since I last had a screening so my cervix has been through quite a bit! If any cell changes are detected, further tests are offered. I have had both tests come back clear but there’s always the chance they won’t and further screening is offered. I’ve read stories from friends who have also had further screening and whilst it doesn’t sound pleasent, I’d argue that it’s better than cancer.
Why Don’t We Attend Cervical Screenings?
I’d say the most common reason is embarressment. By the time I’d had my first cervical screening I’d already had a baby. Enough midwives and doctors had already seen everything down there but that didn’t really help because I didn’t know what to expect. Does talking about our experiences help encourage others to go? It might do, but it might not. I mean, it’s not something that comes up in conversation is it. Even though it’s a regular screening that’s really important, any kind of health care check to do with genitals, or unseen bits, makes us feel uncomfortable. There’s a huge element of self-conciousness about health care checks that involve our bits.
I can tell you that the two screenings I’ve had have been minutes long. I’ve had privacy to get undressed and dressed again. It hasn’t really been painful but I’ve had a few cramps afterwards and felt a little delicate. I’d say thats probably more mental than physical though. It’s something that you don’t really want to do and well the vagina doesn’t really like it when you’re not completely relaxed. My advice is to take a few long, deep breaths before, counting for 4 as you inhale and then 8 as you exhale. Another tip I’ve learned is relaxed shoulders means a relaxed pelvis so trying to keep your shoulders down rather than up at your ears might make it a little bit easier.
The fact is cervical screening is not easy for everyone and I can completely sympathise with that. I don’t doubt that victims of rape and sexual assualt find this to be incredibly difficult to experience. I understand that for some people the screening is really painful. I know first hand what it’s like to be fat shamed during a cervical screening and yes, it has made me doubt having another one because my weight has nothing to do with my screening and everything to do with the fatphobic attitude of the healthcare professional doing the screening. Perhaps cervical screening is incredibly uncomfortable and difficult for intersex, transgender or individuals at war with gender dysphoria. There are so many social constructs that make cervical screening hard and why so many people put it off.
How Could At Home Tests Help?
I think it could make a huge difference actually. I think this would see cervical cancer screening rates rise hugely. If women were taught more about there bodies and actually encouraged to look at themselves down there to check things where okay perhaps the embarressment might fade a bit. It seems that the test is a urine sample and a vaginal swab and I am sure many, many people would prefer to do this at home. It looks like the inital use of self sampling would be for those that don’t attend after being invited to their screening or in countries where routine screening is not offered. In the long term, it could be that at home self sampling is the way forward.
So far more than 600 women have taken part in a study for this who had either abnormal smear results or tested positive for HPV (the virus known to cause the cells to change cancerous). Of course there is the vaccination offered too but with the anti-vax community growing there is probably less uptake of this too. Women were asked to self sample with a vaginal swab and it correctly identified high risk pre-cancerous cells in 96% of samples. This is encouraging to know that it has been successful because it sounds much less invasive than the cervical screening at the moment.
Dr Nedjai added: “We are currently working on new markers to try to improve the accuracy of the classifier even further, but these findings represent an advance in cervical cancer screening, especially for women who do not attend the clinic, such as older women, or women who find the smear test too painful or who do not have access to a screening programme in their country. We think it’s promising.”
Absolutely. I don’t like going to the doctors and being fat shamed. I would self sample and if I needed further tests then of course I would go. I would prefer the results to be a little more accurate but then even the initial screening isn’t going to be 100% accurate. Sometimes the cervix is too high, the patient needs to stop for whatever reason or the cells simply aren’t good enough. Self sampling could be the cost effective and time saving breakthough that would encourage more screenings and is a change I would welcome.
Celebrating Felix’s first birthday at the start of the month was really nice. We had a great day at Legoland as a family and got on a few rides. The weather was nice too which was great. This last year has been so busy and watching Felix grow, change and develop has been a real priveledge. He is such a happy little boy and has a lot of love to give.
Physical Development
Felix isn’t walking yet. I thought he might be by now but I think he just realises how quick he can get places by crawling. I know he will get there when he’s ready but it does make going out quite tough sometimes as he wants to be out of the pushchair, highchair or not being held. However, it’s not always safe to pop him down. He can cruise around the furniture with ease. He can pull himself up, reach down for things he drops with one hand, squat and get back up again. He is now climbing up and down the sofa. We are trying to teach him to climb back down backwards to keep him safe. He can also get himself out of his highchair straps and tries to get out of there too.
His pincer grip is getting stronger and he has mimicked clapping two objects together. He loves to knock down towers of bricks too. He very much plays with his toys now and of course one of his favourite games is throwing something down for you to pick back up again. He will hand me objects or try to put his dummy in my mouth which often ends with him punching me in the nose! He now likes to discard things by throwing them behind his back and is starting to try and put things together like putting the lid on his bottle.
Social Development
He is making lots of funny noises with his mouth at the moment like clicking his tongue and doing a sort of fish face. He has also started giving kisses to his teddies and to me, usually in the morning when I get him out of bed. Felix is constantly chattering away which is so lovely to hear. He is really practising all the sounds and shouts, screeches and has had more moments of that big belly laugh. He sometimes nods and shakes his head if we ask him questions but it’s usually with a smile and then the opposite reaction straight away. He does make us all laugh.
Recovering from a c-section is a long process and when you have an experience that’s completely unexpected or unplanned it can be really hard on your mental health too. It’s really important to think of yourself during c-section recovery so that you can recover physically and emotional from the birth.
What to expect in hospital after a c-section
Usually you can expect to spend a bit more time in hospital after a c-section but some mothers go home within 24-48 hours. I personally stayed in for four nights each time. The first time was because Evie needed extra antibiotics for 72 hours so it gave us a bit of time to have some extra help in hospital and the second time was because I had a complicated surgery and needed to wait for my wound drain to be removed. If you have a wound drain you won’t be able to leave until the fluid is clear and a doctor will come and assess this every morning for you. This isn’t commonplace though as it’s only for more difficult surgeries.
It’s hard to know what to expect during the hospital stay after a c-section but you will be offered around the clock painkillers, DVT injections and support getting you back on your feet when you can. As soon as you can get walking again, do so. Getting mobile really makes a big difference to recovery. I had help walking to the bathroom to use the shower around 12 hours after my surgery and then gradually moved from bed to chair a few times whilst I still had a catheter in.
The catheter is usually removed after 24 hours but this is sometimes longer depending on how hydrated you are. You then need to wee in a pot to show you’re still hydrated and your bladder is working properly without the support. Mine was measured a few times by the midwives on the wards before being given the all clear.
Self Care for C-Section Recovery at Home
There are plenty of things you can do to really help your recovery from a c-section birth. I’ve had two c-sections now and I wish I had known what I know now for my first recovery. It can be really hard to recover from a c-section with the pressures we tend to put on ourselves and it’s easy to forget that it’s not just birth but also major abdmonial surgery. You have to rest. Your body desperately needs it and this is the perfect reason for doing the absolute bear minimum. Your only goal is loving your newborn and recovering.
What should you buy to help c-section recovery?
A corded shower head or tap adapted shower head. We don’t have a built in shower in our flat so we bought one that suctioned onto the taps. Getting in and out the bath can be a little bit daunting as you have to learn to use those core muscles again but having a shower you can move around your body makes this so much easier. It’s also excellent for helping to keep that wound lovely and clean.
Pillows. Sleeping on your front or side can be tough after a c-section so you may find it more comfortable to sleep sightly reclined. I made good use of my pregnancy pillow for a good few weeks after my c-section to keep the pressure of my tummy. I started being able to sleep on my side around day 10 and within 3 weeks I was back to sleeping on my front so it does get easier.
Some good cotton pads, reusable or large maternity pads. Not only for the after birth bleeding but also helps to keep your wound nice and dry. You also want to give it plenty of air after bathing or showering whilst you’re healing.
BIG knickers. I’m talking big, comfort, cotton high waisted beauties. You want them completely away from the c-section scar so they don’t irritate it. I had a few issues with the dressing and had a reaction to this and anything rubbing against it was very sore for a couple of days.
Comfy PJs or lounge clothes. If there is any better time to truly look after yourself it’s after giving birth whether that’s vaginally or a c-section. Treat yourself to some comfortable, soft, pjs that make feeding nice and easy and don’t irritate any staples, stiches or wounds.
Other than that whatever you can do to look after yourself and make life easy do. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, don’t feel like you have to bounce back and if you want to stay home and snuggle your new baby then do. Anything you can do to relieve the pressure.
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