Where to, Love? said the taxi driver. Up with the lark, ain't yer? Station, please. Tickets please, next stop, Kings Cross. 30p for a wee, then mind the gap, tube to Baker Street. Past tourists gathering outside 221b Leafy streets and round the bend, the Royal College. The rarefied air and Continue Reading
Interview with Paula Cleary, Mother-of-five, Doula and founder of Birthplace Matters
This latest offering in my irregular series of guest posts is this interview with the inspiring Paula Cleary. Doula, Birth Activist and Founder of Birthplace Matters, Paula manages to find time in between home educating five children to support birthing mothers and raise awareness of the disparities Continue Reading
Hunting for the Truth: Birth in the Age of Fake News
This week there has some been some very random, and very mysterious news headlines in the media. Without warning, the media began reporting that the Royal College of Midwives was no longer going to be promoting 'normal birth'. None of the offending journalists seemed bothered by the fact that this Continue Reading
NMC Stop Ignoring Us: We actually give a toss where and with whom we give birth!
Once I was with a woman in labour. She was labouring at home. It took quite a while for this particular labour to reach boiling point. We were lucky enough to see 6 midwives in that time. All smiling, patient, understanding of her birthwishes and really, really wanting her to get what she wanted. Continue Reading
A Day in The Life of A Doula
A discordant beeping jolts me out of sleep. I roll over and grope for my phone. It is 6.30. Yawning, I look at the text. It is my postnatal client. Awake feeding baby, she has the opportunity to ask me to come a little earlier - her husband is away and and she’s feeling overwhelmed. She mentions Continue Reading
Coercing with kindness?
'She's so kind, she spent 20 minutes telling me about why the induction is the best choice. I should do it really. I wouldn't want to disappoint her'. 'He was so gentle and caring and understanding. I'm sure what he says must be for the best'. 'She's told me that it would be dangerous to stay Continue Reading
Men, Love and Birth…and a few giggles
Before we start this review, a small disclaimer is probably necessary. I know Mark Harris, the author of this new book on birth and, after a couple of years of online interaction, some lovely chinwags on the phone and a few real world hugs, I would consider him a mate. Still, I hope I'd be a good Continue Reading
Gentle Birth Companions, 2nd Edition: A Review
I am ashamed at how long it's taken me to start writing this review. My head space and time has been taken up with the publication of my own book on doulas, so I come to this later than I wanted. I have to start by being transparent. This probably won't be the most objective review you ever read. Continue Reading
Breathing Out!
That's what I seem to be doing at the moment. With all the whirlwind around publication of the book, family stuff, teaching new doulas and, somewhere in the mix, planning (probably stupidly) to embark on a house extension, I kind of forgot to breathe there, for a while! So this is me, breathing Continue Reading
The Roar Behind The Silence, edited by Soo Downe and Sheena Byrom
When I first discovered Sheena Byrom, I had no idea she was the midwifery queen of Twitter, passionate and expert in bringing mothers, midwives and all interested in maternity care together to debate, share and raise their voices in unison. She was the author of 'Catching Babies', a life story of a Continue Reading