Pregnancy & birth

Pregnancy, giving birth and the first weeks after.

Born early: the first months and corrected age
Your child came early and none of the books fit any more. Bloom explains what corrected age means, why kangaroo care does so much, and how to get through those... Read more...
What do you really need for a new baby (and what can you skip)?
Baby shops would like you to spend a fortune. What you genuinely need from day one, what can wait, what you'll probably never use, and what's best bought new. Read more...
The first ten days after birth: what to expect
Day by day, what to expect in the first ten days: feeding, nappies, weight, jaundice, newborn checks, your own recovery — and the day almost everyone cries. Read more...
Diastasis recti: the gap in your tummy after birth
Your tummy stays rounded and there's a channel down the middle. Bloom explains what diastasis recti is, how to test for it yourself, and which exercises actually make it worse. Read more...
Your pelvic floor after birth: what's normal and what isn't
A little leaking when you sneeze isn't simply part of the deal. Bloom explains what your pelvic floor goes through, which symptoms are and aren't normal, and why you shouldn't... Read more...
Bonding with your baby: why it isn't always instant
What if that wave of love doesn't come? Bloom explains how bonding really works, why it takes weeks for many mothers, and what you can simply carry on doing meanwhile. Read more...
Postnatal care at home: what to expect and what to ask for
Who checks on you and your baby after the birth, what they look for, what you can ask, and why protecting the first week matters — in the UK, US... Read more...
Caesarean birth: preparation, the operation and recovery
Planned or unexpected — a caesarean is abdominal surgery. Bloom describes what happens, how recovery realistically goes and what to avoid in the first six weeks. Read more...
Pregnant at work: your rights at a glance
When do you have to tell your employer, how much leave do you get, and what can't your employer do? An overview of key rights in the UK, US and... Read more...
Gestational diabetes: what the diagnosis means and what helps
The glucose test came back abnormal. Bloom calmly explains what gestational diabetes is, what it means for the birth and what you can steer with food. Read more...
Pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy: what helps and what to avoid
Pain turning over in bed, on the stairs and getting out of the car. Bloom explains where pelvic pain comes from, which movements to avoid and why rest alone isn't... Read more...
Your birth plan: what to include and what to leave out
A birth plan isn't a script but a list of preferences. Bloom explains what really belongs in it, how to keep it short, and why flexibility has to be written... Read more...
Fear of giving birth: why it's common and what you can do
Everyone says your body can do this. That doesn't help when you're lying awake at night. Bloom looks at where fear of birth comes from and what help genuinely exists. Read more...
Pregnancy sickness: what genuinely helps
Morning sickness that lasts all day. Bloom sets out what practically helps, why eating actually matters, and when sickness becomes a medical problem. Read more...
Expecting your second: preparing your eldest for a new baby
When do you tell them, how do you prepare your toddler, and how do you survive the first weeks with two? Bloom gives an honest picture — including the guilt... Read more...
The fourth trimester: your body and mind in the first six weeks
Everyone talks about the birth. Almost no one talks about the weeks after it. What really happens in the fourth trimester — to your body, your hormones and your mind. Read more...