Doula and writer Adela Stockton has produced a small, easy to read book that will be of interest to a wide variety of women, in particular those looking to create the circumstances within themselves to enjoy a gentle birth. Adela’s premise is that the capacity to birth gently is within yourself. A chapter titled ‘Clearing the ...
Tag Archive: birth
Neighbourhood Midwives: The future is coming!
In the current economic climate when families are struggling with everything from employment to food it is incredibly heart warming to know that a dedicated band of midwives are coming to the end of the beginning of their long standing battle to improve the UK maternity services. Campaigning for normal birth The Independent Midwifery Association (IMA) has ...
“Rediscovering Birth” By Sheila Kitzinger
Guest blogger Sarah Buchanan reviews 'Rediscovering Birth' by Sheila Kitzinger. Giving birth is a shared experience by women all over the world and no matter your experience, age or societal status it is a unifying act. However, the physical and spiritual methods of how the world’s different and diverse cultures give birth is fascinatingly complex ...
Birthright by Betsey Dewey
I give enormous credit to anyone willing to stand up and shout about their positive birth experience and their views promoting natural childbirth and doubly so in America where the maternity care situation is significantly more dire than in the UK. It puts the UK in a good light, which if you think the UK ...
HypnoBirthing Midwives Win National Midwifery Award
Take 2 Scottish Midwives.... In January 2012 midwives Donna Burns and Alison Fyfe won the Royal College of Midwives Award for Promoting Normal Birth by using HypnoBirthing, The Mongan Method to help women achieve a calm, natural birth. Since July 2009 Ayrshire and Arran NHS Trust have audited the referral of women by medical staff to the HypnoBirthing ...
How Mothers Love by Naomi Stadlen
This book is based on the conversations of mothers with psychotherapist Naomi Stadlen in her weekly discussion group run for over 20 years at Janet Balaskas' Active Birth Centre in London. Reading this book as a mother it made me smile and grimmace. The most private truths of joy and sadness, guilt and pleasure are ...
Call The Midwife
Last night was the first in a series dramatising the writings of Jennifer Worth based on her experience of being a midwife in the 1950s and '60s in the East End of London. As green as she was when she first arrived I doubt even a seasoned midwife from any era would have been ...
“Natural Birth: A Holistic Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth and Breastfeeding” by Kristina Turner
Guest blogger Sarah Buchanan reviews 'Natural Birth' by Kristina Turner. Using her personal knowledge of motherhood and esoteric teachings, Kristina's book effortlessly blends contemporary information about the physical elements of pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding with the importance of the mental attitude of the mother. She explores the harmonious relationships between the physical and mental ...
The Babymoon Experience by Caroline Deacon
The Babymoon Experience feels like a chatty conversation between friends for the purpose of giving an overview of supportive thoughts and advice on pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. It is easy reading in a clear and informal style, good on positive information and helpful tips. For that reason it is a good introductory ...
The Birthplace cohort study: health outcomes by planned place of birth
What is the Birthplace cohort study? This 2 year English study (April 2008-2010) looked at 64538 low-risk births involving 90% of all midwifery units in England to consider the safety, cost-effectiveness and availability of current maternity services in the 4 available locations: hospital obstetric units (OU), alongside midwifery units (AMU), freestanding midwifery units (FMU) (collectively ...