The Obs Pod
Episodes
Episode 88 Herpes
22 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why on earth does the midwife you meet at the start of pregnancy ask you about genital herpes? What business is it of ours. Here I explore the top...
Episode 87 The Placenta
15 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Placenta is a simply awesome organ that grows and sustains the baby during pregnancy. Here I attempt to discuss how it forms , a baffling number o...
Episode 86 Decades
08 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A reflective episode for New Year as I look back through the decades to what i was up to in 1992, 2002, 2012 & the present day. Join me as I think...
Episode 85 WildObs Festive Special
24 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Its the festive season & that calls for something a little special. In this episode I have clubbed together with my good friend Gill Phillips the ...
Episode 84 Pre eclampsia
18 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Pre eclampsia is a huge topic so these are my thoughts but not comprehensive coverage.If you want to go into more detail and explore guidance take a l...
Episode 83 An Average Monday
11 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Every Monday I am on the labour ward, week in week out. For me it is routine but for the families I treat it is anything but. Here I discuss a typic...
Episode 82 Time
04 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Here I discuss our obsession with time and clocks in maternity care.Are our decisions really that time critical? Want to know more?Decision to deliver...
Episode 81 Twins
27 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Twins can be fun. In this episode find out about different types of twin pregnancy and what challenges and choices obstetricians and parents face in t...
Episode 80 Climate
20 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the wake of Cop26 I have been thinking about maternity services and climate change. Listen to my exploration of some of the problems but also some ...
Episode 79 Help!
13 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Find out how we know when and where there is an emergency situation in hospital. Why is 2222 is such an important number for healthcare professionals ...
Episode 78 Lost in Translation
06 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How can we make sure people who do not speak English get equal access to information and good quality care? Here I discuss the challenges and the impo...
Episode 77 A Chat with JennytheM
29 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to a sparky and stimulating chat with JennytheM a retired midwife who has so much wisdom to offer on many aspects of maternity care from #Skint...
Episode 76 Black History Month
22 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode celebrates the theme of Black History Month 2021 - Proud to bePlease do also go back and listen to one of my previous episodes Ally and e...
Episode 75 Signs of Life
08 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode recorded for Baby Loss Awareness Week 2021 discusses the difficulties of baby loss at extremely preterm birth , the challenge of how you ...
Episode 74 Blue Light
01 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What role do ambulance services play in maternity care & how can we work with them to improve pre hospital maternity care?Want to know more?https:...
Episode 73 Diabetes in Pregnancy
24 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How do we care for women with a diagnosis of diabetes when they are pregnant & why is the extra care we give so important? In this episode I exp...
Episode 72 Respect
16 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today is World Patient Safety day World Pt safety day , this year focusing on safe and respectful maternity and newborn care.Here are some of my thoug...
Episode 71 Gem's Story
10 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Gem is an obstetrician and has recently become a new mum with her wife Emma. I was delighted when she offered to share her journey to parenthood the g...
Episode 70 Reality Check
03 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is performative parenting ? How can we help new parents discuss how they really feel and talk honestly rather than perpetuating the myth of perfe...
Episode 69 Obstetric Cholestasis
27 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Understand why midwives and doctors worry about itching in pregnancy and what it might mean. Learn a bit about the latest research into treatment and ...
Episode 68 Good Samaritan
20 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What are your responsibilities as a doctor in your everyday life? what happens when you stop and help?Thank you all for listening, My name is Florence...
Episode 67 Magic Mates
13 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes you meet someone who spurs you on and brings out the best in you, for me this is Gill Phillips aka WhoseShoes. Hear us chat about what makes...
Episode 66 Group B Strep
23 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
July is Group B Strep awareness monthListen here whilst I chat to Jane Plumb founder & CEO of the charity GBS support about not only all things GB...
Episode 65 Wildcard
16 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The HSJ published a list of 20 people the the new NHS CEO should speak to when appointed and my great friend Gill Phillips was amongst them. True to f...
Episode 64 Vaccination
09 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What vaccines do we offer in pregnancy & why?What information is there on Covid vaccination that can help you decide if you have it during your pr...
Episode 63 Boundaries
02 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Here I explore the issues when you are asked to look after friends, family or colleagues? How can we not blur the boundaries and ensure we are giving ...
Episode 62 Pandemic
25 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Here I reflect on some of the strangeness of working in maternity during a global pandemic.Learn about the campaign #ButNotMaternity trying to get rid...
Episode 61 What Matters To you
18 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Find out about the What Matters to you? campaign.This episode focuses on leadership on the labour ward.Although this episode was prepared partly as a ...
Episode 60 Overdue
11 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I am coming back to the topic of induction when you are overdue as there is a new draft of NICE guidance that needs thought.Want to read more of the e...
Episode 59 Pre conception
04 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Who is responsible for pre conception care? How can you optimise the health of a mother and baby if you only meet them at 16 weeks of pregnancy?https:...
Episode 58 Merry Go Round
28 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes in the NHS it can feel like we are going round and round in circles when we are trying to make a change. Here I talk about some of my expe...
Episode 57 Upright Birth
21 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to my first ever guest Deepa Santhosh discuss her Quality improvement project on Upright Birth with inspiration for Lithotomy Challenge - You...
Episode 56 Pregnancy and Disability
14 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What are the challenges facing women with physical disability during pregnancy? Are we set up to meet their needs? How can we improve our knowledge an...
Episode 55 Birth Trauma
07 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week 3-9th May is Maternal Mental health awareness week & this year the theme is the Journey to Recovery. I thought this would be a good ...
Episode 54 Environment
29 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
One of my listeners suggested I read the book Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage by Rachel Reed & think about how to humanise institutio...
Episode 53 Tears and Stitches
23 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today I am talking about perineal tears, episiotomy and the stitches you may need with a vaginal birth as well as how you might prevent a more serious...
Episode 52 Maternity Notes
16 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Who do Maternity notes belong to, what are they for, can you have copies?Join me as I explore some of the issues about maternity handheld notes and so...
Episode 51 Blood and Guts
09 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week follows on from last week's episode Aches and Pains to discuss some common pregnancy symptoms including hyperemesis and varicose veins....
Episode 50 Aches and Pains
02 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There are all sorts of odd pregnancy symptoms, too many for a single episode. This week I talk about aches and pains next week I will tackle some o...
Episode 49 A Year of TheObsPod
27 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Its a year since I started on this adventure. This week I reflect on what I have learnt & assess how it compares with what I expected & hoped....
Episode 48 Fetal Heart Monitoring Part 2
20 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why do we want to monitor the baby's heart beat in labour? what are the advantages or disadvantages of listening intermittently over continuous C...
Episode 47 Fetal Heart Monitoring Part 1
13 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why & how do we monitor babies' heart beats in pregnancy?Want to understand more?Dawes Redman video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcGtR4zca...
Episode 46 Doulas
06 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is a doula? How do maternity staff feel about them? How might we work more collaboratively with Doulas?Want to explore more? https://doula.org.u...
Episode 45 Birth after Caesarean
27 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Birth Options after caesarean is a choice facing many women. How can we provide good unbiased information to help their decision making?Want to know m...
Episode 44 Critical Care
20 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is critical care and why do some women need it as part of their maternity journey?How can we best work together with critical care colleagues to ...
Episode 43 Pain Relief
13 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What pain relief is available in labour and what causes the pain anyway? How do different women experience & express their response to pain &...
Episode 42 Assisted Birth
06 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is assisted vaginal birth? Why do obstetricians suggest it and what are we aiming to achieve?Want to explore more?More information for pregnant w...
Episode 41 Blood Loss
30 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why is minimising blood loss after having a baby so important?Maybe you had an above average blood loss after having a baby and you would like to un...
Episode 40 Pressure
23 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What is it like working in the high pressure environment and how can we look after oursleves and set realistic expectations of what we can do.MatNeoQI...
Episode 39 Caesarean Rates
16 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The episodes builds on episode 30 statistics with a more in depth look at Caesarean Rates.Why are they so variable, how can we categorise and study wh...
Episode 38 Ethics
09 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Obstetrics can be an ethical minefield , what is considered ethical varies with our own personal beliefs, where in the world we practice, legislation,...
Episode 37 Resolutions
02 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year ! A traditional time for resolutions, so as we step into 2021 what action can we take to improve maternity care.Some ideas: http://mat...
Episode 36 Festive Working
19 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Maternity care doesn't stop just because its Christmas. Find out what it is like working over the Festive period.This is my final episode for 202...
Episode 35 Induction
12 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What is induction of labour? Why is it so often suggested to women as a treatment for a problem in pregnancy? What are the downsides?For more reading ...
Episode 34 Vaginal Examinations
05 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Are vaginal examinations necessary in labour, we professionals take them for granted, what are they for , how useful can they be and what do women nee...
Episode 33 Investigations
28 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Learn how we try and reach a diagnosis & listen to a discussion on how important are the investigations or tests we do along the way?Thank you...
Episode 32 The Dark Side
21 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How do clinicians work with hospital managers? what are relationships like and what about clinical management posts how do they feel?You can find out ...
Episode 31 Bottom Down
14 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a baby is bottom down or breech at the end of pregnancy? Can we encourage it to turn and what are the options for birth if it won&ap...
Episode 30 Statistics
07 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How do we use data to support practice? Do we pick and choose what stats we share & what happens if we delve into some of the numbers in a little ...
Episode 29 Big baby
31 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why does it seem like we are offering induction to more women for a big baby? Are babies getting bigger ? What drives us to offer intervention?If you ...
Episode 28 Dates
23 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One of the first questions asked when a woman announces a pregnancy is 'when is it due?' How do we come up with the Expected Date of Deliver...
Episode 27 Responsibility
16 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week how does it feel to be a consultant, how can we be responsible for everything yet not overwhelmed by this responsibility? How can we support...
Episode 26 Baby Loss Awareness week
09 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Warning this episodes deals with a sensitive and emotional subject. This week 9-15th Oct is Baby Loss Awareness week 2020 : https://babyloss-awarenes...
Ally
01 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week is a little different.I want to talk about the inequality in outcomes for Black and Asian mothers and babies identified in Mbrrace reports t...
Episode 25 Names
26 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What's in a name? This episode talks about using our names to introduce ourselves , knowing the names of other members of the team and knowing th...
Episode 24 Language part 2
18 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In my second episode focused on language we use I discuss abbreviations and jargon. Why do we use them? Are there alternatives? Can we make the matern...
Episode 23 Language part 1
11 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Language we use can have a big and sometimes unintentionally detrimental impact. This is such a large topic i am going to focus on it for two episodes...
Episode 22 Teacher
04 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hang on I thought I was training to be a doctor, so how did I end up spending so much time teaching ? What do I teach, how do we teach?I mention a cou...
Episode 21 Lithotomy
28 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What does lithotomy mean, why is lithotomy position commonly used for birth in western countries & what can we do about this?To explore the issues...
Episode 20 Ultrasound
21 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When did ultrasound become such an important tool in obstetrics and how do obstetricians learn to understand those grey fuzzy images?What are we looki...
Episode 19 MindNBody
14 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What about maternal mental health ? What role do we play as obstetricians in caring for women's mental health? Find out how some of the national...
Episode 18 Handover
07 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Find out how we hand over at the beginning and end of a shift and why ward rounds are important to me.Learn about SBAR a structured hand over tool we ...
Episode 17 Postnatal
31 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why is postnatal care a problem?Learn some common problems, tips and check out this resource:https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/detailed-informat...
Episode 16 Hands On
24 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Find out a bit more about the practical aspects of operating and how any surgeon depends on the team around themYou can find out more about me on Twit...
Episode 15 Guidelines
17 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Find out a bit more about what guidelines we follow and how evidence based medicine works in practice. How can we use guidance to offer consistent hig...
Episode 14 Dads
10 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What about the Dads? Its a question that frequently crops up at the maternity Whose Shoes workshops & one I have been asked to talk about. So this...
Episode 13 Mistakes
03 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What if we make mistakes , we are only human after all? Find out what systems are in place to ensure mistakes are less likely to have a negative imp...
Episode 12 Flexible
26 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Find out what it was like completing my training part time, what does it take to run a family and keep your mind on the job?You can find out more abou...
Episode 11 Caesarean
19 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Find out a bit more about how the way I operate during a Caesarean section has evolved during my career and what has prompted these changes.You might ...
Episode 10 Homebirth
12 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Homebirth might be considered pure midwifery led care. What can I do as an obstetrician to try and understand why women chose homebirth? What can I co...
Episode 9 Continuity
05 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There is a lot of focus on Continuity of Care in midwifery care at the moment, but what does continuity of care look like from an obstetric perspectiv...
Episode 8 Motherhood Part 2
30 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode learn more about my own experience of giving birth & how it has influenced my practice.For more information about me I can be foun...
Episode 7 Motherhood part 1
22 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Find out what it is like to be on the other side, what is it like being pregnant when you work in maternity care?You can find out more about me on Twi...
Episode 6 Night Shift
16 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Find out what it is like to work the night shift & how it feels to be on call from home.For more information about me I can be found on twitter @F...
Episode 5 Balance
08 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode learn a bit more about the day to day difference between obstetricians and midwives as I talk about the roles and explore the mechanis...
Episode 4 Detour
02 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Follow me as I broaden my horizons with a detour into two other specialties , looking after newborn babies in the neonatal unit and working in paediat...
Episode 3 Flying Solo
25 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hear about how as a trainee obstetrician I step up and start taking responsibility in independent practice.You can find out more about me on Twitter @...
Episode 2 Apprentice
18 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How does one get started in obstetrics and how does one start to learn surgical skills?Follow my first steps into my chosen specialty.You can find out...
Episode 1 Beginings
29 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What is an obstetrician and what motivated me to become one?As always you can find me on twitter @FWmaternityFollow #MatExp or check out matexp.org.uk...
The Obs Pod Trailer
26 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I am an NHS obstetrician hoping to share some thoughts and experiences about my working life. Join me to share what shaped me, learn about my training...