Birth

Birth Choices

Pregnancy Sickness Support - resources and support for those suffering sickness, including hyperemesis gravidarum, for part or the entirity of their pregnancy.

Birth Choice UK - a UK site dedicated to proving up-to-date national maternity statistics and trends in order to empower women to make a choice that is most suitable for their needs.

Tell Me a Good Birth Story - a wonderful site committed to empowering women through positive shared experiences. You can enter your UK location and birth ideal and be paired up with a nearby buddy who can offer her positive thoughts on birth or you can read any of the beautiful birth stories online.

The Positive Birth Movement - a friendly organisation dedicated to bringing together people willing to share positive birth experiences. There is a resource for finding your nearest Positive Birth Group as well as information on starting your own.

Homebirth - an thoughtful and helpful introduction to the possibilities for homebirth in the UK based on evidence-based research. The site features homebirth stories and information on hypnobirth, waterbirth and antenatal preparation.

Waterbirth - international site with informative articles and reviews explaining the benefits of birthing in water as well as links to some of the limited research on waterbirth.

HypnoBirth - a UK site offering information, classes, a forum and birth stories based on The Mongan Method of HynoBirthing as a complete antenatal education approach. There are also details on how to train as a HypnoBirthing practitioner and HypnoBirthing Fertility Therapist.

Lotus Birth - a thorough article featuring common questions regarding lotus birth and comprised from publications by respected gentle birth advocates and practitioners.

Soundbirthing - a London-based business run by a wonderfully experienced practitioner offering group and private classes using the power of Sound and the Voice through pregnancy, birth and beyond. Services include specialist antenatal education using the sounding voice as well as pregnancy and postnatal support for parents & babies up to the toddler years, using the power of Sound Therapy. Other services include therapeutic voicework for deep emotional release and birth trauma, and welcoming new souls with Sound Baby Blessings!

Independent Placenta Encapsulation Network - IPEN provides information on the placenta, including recipes and remedies. They also offer trainings in placenta dehydration and encapsulation and provide a search database of qualified encapsulation practitioners throughout the UK.

Placenta Benefits - a US website packed with fascinating information on placental history, rituals and placentophagy.

Cord Clamping - excellent article explaining the benefits of delayed cord clamping in the light of stem cells, T-cells, iron levels and maternal health. A subject worth investigating and prioritising in any birth plan.

Nuchal Cords - written by an independent midwife, this investigates the hows and whys of an umbilical cord around the neck.

Midwives/Doulas

Independent Midwives - a newly formed professional organisation with UK Government support, Independent Midwives UK is striving to make Independent Midwifery available to all women who are entitled to NHS maternity care. The site offers information for mums to be and health professionals.

Association of Radical Midwives - UK chat list of midwifery wisdom offering support to people having difficulty finding the midwifery care they desire. There is a list of local support groups across Great Britain.

Doulas UK - a UK non-profit organisation helping doulas in supporting parents during the childbirth year. Information for parents, those interested in training, information on the Doula Hardship fund, doula vouchers and many medical-based resources on all aspects of birth.

MIDIRS - a UK-based organisation providing evidence-based information for health professionals and student midwives including podcasts, a shop and a forum among other things.

Midwifery Today Magazine - jam-packed magazine site including an excellent article on homebirth by contributing editor and UK midwife, Sara Wickham.

Can't Afford a Doula? - interesting blog piece explaining how to access the services of a doula at a very affordable rate. Well wortha read if you feel that a doula is within your desires but beyond your means.

Birth Practitioners/Training

Sheila Kitzinger - the biggest selling author of books on motherhood, Kitzinger is a renowned and respected authority on birth and parenting. Her experiences draw on her study of anthropology within the context of pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding and this site invites the reader to explore some interesting aspects of birth.

Dr Sarah Buckley - an Australian-based trained GP with a wealth of personal and professional experience advocating gentle birth, homebirth, and attachment parenting practices. Her site includes a link to free e-books, Ecstatic Birth as well as Giving Birth at Home.

Relaxed Birth & Parenting - registered with The Federation of Antenatal Educators, Relaxed Birth & Parenting was founded in Bristol in 2007 and offers professional training for doulas, ante natal class facilitators and child birth educators.

Birthing Wisdom - a UK organisation offering unique in-depth Holistic Birth practitioner courses for those who are drawn towards supporting women during the childbearing year. There are interesting articles on community & childbirth as well as when to push.