Birth Balls

Saturday, 28 June 2014 / Published in Home Birth, Labour, Labour & Birth

The Birth Ball for movement and pain relief in labour is a large inflated exercise ball that has been adopted into maternity care to aid relaxation and movement (Perez .P 2000). The woman can sit on or lean against the ball, which provides soft support. The ball also expands the number of positions the woman can assume for comfort and offers a means for movement (e.g. bouncing, rolling) in these positions, which provides a counter-distraction during contractions. Many hospitals have birth balls in their maternity departments and encourage labouring women to use them for comfort.

Top Tips for Preparing your Hospital Bag

Thursday, 26 June 2014 / Published in Labour, Labour & Birth, Newborn Care

Are you expecting an imminent arrival? You may be experiencing all of the typical ‘false alarm’ twinges and cramps that mums-to-be normally have at this point in your pregnancy. So how do you know that labour has started? Each woman is different, but normally one of the following will occur:

Empowering Birth

Wednesday, 25 June 2014 / Published in Home Birth, Labour, Labour & Birth, Working with UKBC

I believe that women are wonderfully designed to give birth so when they are supported by midwives with whom they have developed a relationship of trust then amazing births will happen. My philosophy of trust in the physiology of birth differs from the Medical model of child birth that proliferates in our health care system. The medical model believes that birth is only normal in retrospect and is fraught with potential problems that need fixing at any moment!  This form of care appears to disempower women and leads to the use of phrases such as “I was not allowed” or “I had to have and induction” evidence that the women did not have any choice in the matter.

Water Birth

Monday, 23 June 2014 / Published in Home Birth, Labour, Labour & Birth

Water birth enables women to give birth in the way their bodies were designed. I feel that birth pools have brought a special quality to the environment of birth, helping midwives get back to the roots of being with women.

What is in a Midwife’s Home Birth Kit?

Sunday, 22 June 2014 / Published in Home Birth, Labour, Labour & Birth, Working with UKBC

I have been an Independent midwife for 9 years and have noticed that there are many things I view as essentials to my home birth kit that were absent when I was a community Midwife for the NHS. I am not talking about the standard equipment sonic aid, sphygmomanometer and stethoscope, thermometer, sterile gloves, etc.

Hugs not drugs!

Wednesday, 18 June 2014 / Published in Home Birth, Labour, Labour & Birth

Oxytocin is the hormone that drives the rhythm of labour and birth and the great news is that it is released when we hug one another!

Breech Presentation a little back ground

Tuesday, 17 June 2014 / Published in Labour, Labour & Birth

Breech presentation refers to the position of the baby being bottom first. If babies are left to their own devices the majority will have turned to head down before 36 weeks of gestation and only 3-4% of babies will be in a breech position at the end of pregnancy.

Birth Philosophy

Monday, 09 June 2014 / Published in Home Birth, Labour, Labour & Birth, Working with UKBC

What is my philosophy as a UK Birth Centre Midwife?

In Honour of Maya Angelou

Saturday, 07 June 2014 / Published in Labour & Birth

On Wednesday May 28th 2014, Maya Angelou died at the age of 86 and in honour of this remarkable poet here are some of her inspirational quotes.