To think pregnant women should be made aware of this?!

[mum2Bomg]

I'm putting this here for awareness more than anything else.

I've just been told (warned) about something by a friend. I told her I was having a little girl as we found out at the scan. She's now told me that some newborn baby girls can have bleeding similar to a period.

Why does no one tell you these things? I would have absolutely freaked out and run to he hospital if I hadn't known!

Is this common knowledge? I used to work in childcare and no one has ever mentioned this.

I've never heard of this, despite doing NCT and a fair amount of reading before my DD was born. It didn't happen with DD and I'd have been very freaked out if it had!

I found out about it yesterday and it was genuinely the first thing I'd heard whilst being pregnant that I'd never ever heard of before.

Agree group B strep is useful to know but its not OP's job to tell everyone about everything!

Regarding Group B, I spoke to my midwife yesterday and she said the problem with testing for it is that (a) if you screen negative it doesn't mean you won't get it next week and therefore unknowingly have it before birth (b) if you screen positive and get antibiotics, you might get it again before you give birth. Not quite sure where that leaves me....

OP just to reassure you, there is no reluctance to discuss this or any other women's issues with blood or bodily fluids. In the nicest possible way, you will have knowledge of substances you didn't even know it was possible to secrete by the Time DD is born.

It is because there is so much information to take in that it is broken up into chunks. There is no conspiracy of silence.

Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy, you sound very excited about it all

plimsolls seriously incorrect info there from your midwife. You should get tested between 35 & 37 weeks (to ensure results are returned prior to probable labour).

You also get antibiotics while in labour (not before) so the risk of infection is significantly lessened.

I'd strongly suggest if anyone is interest in Group B strep that they do their own research. The NHS is very sketchy on info and unfortunately midwives are not very forthcoming (or seemingly correct!) with information.

I (a man) knew this. Can't remember where from though - I think it might have been a 'What to Expect' book or similar that I read before my kids were born. It's a similar thing to newborn girls lactating isn't it? The mother's hormones are absorbed into the baby's body.
Sorry to mansplain!

My DD had this, and I discovered it 10 minutes before the HV arrived, so she was able to reassure me quickly! I didn't know about it beforehand.
She also had swollen breasts. The HV asked me "Hows the mastitis?", to which I answered "Whose? Hers or mine?"

Oh those newborn days.

I knew that, even when I was expecting a boy. I also knew about Strep B. Can't remember how I knew- NCT?, Nhs? Books? MN ?

luckystar Thank you!

It was very briefly mentioned at my NHS antenatal class, didn't happen to my DD though!

I knew, can't remember how I knew, and as I only have boys it's never been useful. But I think it was something I found out via a midwife or a HV or a nursery nurse (I worked in a children's centre so it might just have come up in conversation).

This was covered in my nhs antenatal class and the community midwife also mentioned it on her first visit,though it never happened.

I knew this. No experience of pregnancy/birth/newborns but my Mum told me it happened to me. She apparently freaked out, so I assume she didn't know it could happen.

I didn't know that and I read pretty widely whilst pregnant. It didn't happen to my daughter though.

The huge testicles in boys is funny, as I have heard Dads on the phone mentioning massive testicles like its a huge pride thing, not realising lots of baby boys arr born huge due to hormones

Yes when DS was born he had huge knackers - but only for about a day or so!

Happened with my DD, was warned by midwife- no big deal.

I knew this and dd is 12. She did have some spotting and also lactation for a couple of days.

The lactating freaked me out I must admit.

I didn't know (DD2 now 8). Didn't have it with DD1. Luckily the midwife came round (only time she visited). To be fair, I read books but was overwhelmed with it all so may not have sunk in!

I'm 18 weeks along with twin girls- never heard of this so useful to read it here- thanks!

Its very rare BUT it is in all those baby books, what to expect etc, and on development websites etc.

So by "why does no-one tell you this" do you actually mean "you never read any of the relevant information but somehow thats other peoples fault"?

Absolutely amazed that I've never heard of this before. I live and learn!!

I was given a 'what's in a nappy' leaflet by the HV that mentioned this, never happened though. Surely if it did you'd ring your midwife for advice?

I was told about this by a health care assistant when DS2 was a new born. He was being treated for jaundice in the postnatal ward, as a consequence of the jaundice had been too sleepy to feed properly, and then had red wee in his nappy when I changed it.

I rang the buzzer, and a health care assistant appeared and said "oh, that's normal, the hormones make some new born babies have little periods after they're born" I was all "but DS2 is a boy, so how could he possibly ever have a period?"

But one of the more senior midwives had a look as well and said it was actually urate crystals, probably because he was a bit dehydrated.

I have a DD of 5yrs and I've never heard of this and I read loads on babies and went to NHS and NCT classes! How bizzare!

Didn't happen to my DD though, thank god, I'd have freaked out.