Happy birthday to Sara Wickham’s Birth Information Update … and here’s the story of how it happened and how it continues…
Happy Birthday Birth Information Update!
Gathering in the Knowledge – May 2020 dates now out!
Gathering in the Knowledge: an annual update online course for midwives and birth folk. Bite-sized, guilt-free, interactive and bang-up-to-date.
Midwifery Practice Wisdom and Reflection
Our latest information hub gathers together classic articles and blog posts written for and about midwives and midwifery practice by Dr Sara Wickham.
Bad science and the limitations of choice
Dr Sara Wickham discusses ‘bad science’ and the papers which purport to show that birth is risky. But is risk being used as a means to control?
Sara Wickham’s books are now available on Kobo!
Sara Wickham’s most recent books are now available in electronic form on Kobo, as well as in paperback and on Kindle.
Why are some women dissatisfied after induction of labour?
Dr Sara Wickham looks at new research. Why are some women dissatisfied after induction of labour? What aspects do they dislike?
Membrane sweeping for induction of labour
Sara Wickham looks at the latest edition of the Cochrane review on membrane sweeping for induction of labour. What are the key points?
Seven tips for finding old copies of guidelines
Sara Wickham explains how to find old copies of guidelines, such as those put out by professional or governmental bodies.
Eight things I’d like to share with midwifery students who care…
Sara Wickham offers some words of support and advice for the student midwife – aspiring, new or experienced – to take on their journey.
The keyword is protection
Michel Odent discusses the basic needs of a woman in labour, and why the keyword is protection.
Twenty birthkit essentials
Sara Wickham unpacks the birthkit essentials carried by midwifery colleagues and shares some great tips of things you might want to have at a birth.
Holiday time, and another self-care reminder :)
New research on upright breech birth
Sara Wickham looks at new research on upright breech birth, which offers practical insight into how this is facilitated and what we can learn from this.
The self care club
Sara Wickham offers a regular reminder about the value of self care and invites you to consider what you need for the coming month.
Home fetal dopplers “strongly discouraged”
Government and professional bodies in the UK have publicly advised against the use of fetal dopplers by parents in the home. Dr Sara Wickham explains.
Introducing our information hubs!
Sara Wickham shares details of our new information hubs – pages that summarise and link to all of our articles and blog posts on key topics.
What is a stretch and sweep?
Many women are offered a ‘stretch and sweep’ in late pregnancy. But what is this, why and how is it done, does it work and can you say no?
Three things I wish every woman knew about pregnancy and birth knowledge
Sara Wickham shares her thoughts on birth knowledge, women’s wisdom and what she wishes she could tell everyone about these topics…
Birthing your baby
Sara Wickham reviews the updated (2019) version of Birthing your baby, by Dr Nadine Edwards.
Screening: what are we missing?
Does the use of modern screening technology come with downsides? Sara Wickham argues that it does, both in life and birth.
Induction of labour at or before 42 weeks of pregnancy: new evidence
Sara Wickham looks at Danish research which compared induction of labout at 42 weeks with induction of labour at 41+3 weeks, with interesting results.
Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays from Sara Wickham. Here’s wishing you a fabulous festive season, and we’ll see you next year!
Cerridwyn and the Pixies: A Holiday Fairytale
Sara Wickham tells a holiday story of research pixies who learn why some types of research are (inappropriately) valued more than others.
Five tips for seasonal self-care
Sara Wickham offers tips on holiday self-care and an invitation to think about how you’re going to care for yourself over the festive season.
The Poo Taboo
Sara Wickham presents the results of a conversation amonst women who are also midwives on the topic of poo in labour.
The importance of practising from the heart…
Sara Wickham considers the concept of heart-centredness and discusses this in relation to birth and the maternity services. Why is this not valued?
Informed is Best
Dr Sara Wickham reviews – and loves – Informed is Best: How to spot fake news about your pregnancy, birth and baby, by professor Amy Brown.
Induction of labour and avoidable harm
Sara Wickham shares research which highlights the issue of induction of labour and avoidable harm, showing us that there’s another side to the story…
The folly of fully dilated
There are a few myths about the idea that women need to be fully dilated to give birth, and that this means the same thing for every woman.
A big GBS thank you!
Six months after the publication of the updated version of Group B Strep Explained, Sara Wickham offers a thank you to all who helped.
Stepping Stones and Cervical Wisdom
What is cervical wisdom, why is it important, and why have many midwifery and medical textbooks got it so wrong? Sara Wickham explains.
Holistic therapies: proof and plausibility
Why it isn’t justifiable to ban complementary therapies from use in the NHS, and why women and clinicians are concerned about this.
The value of the knitting midwife
Sara Wickham tells the story of the Silent Knitting Workshop in Hawaii and reflects on the value of ‘the knitting midwife’.
Does CTG monitoring reduce perinatal mortality in ‘high risk’ women?
Does electronic fetal heart rate or CTG monitoring reduce perinatal mortality in ‘high risk’ women? Sara Wickham looks at research showing that it does not.
Sara Wickham now has an Etsy shop!
Sara Wickham and her husband Chris announce the birth of their Etsy shop, featuring Sara’s handmade vaginas, birthkit purses and friendly knitted bacteria!
101 dissertation tips – read the first chapter free
Free dissertation tips! The first chapter from Sara Wickham’s book, 101 tips for planning, writing and surviving your dissertation.
Would you like me to email you a relevant, reliable, regular update?
Get regular, reliable, free monthly email updates on birth-related research and thinking from Sara Wickham.
Tips for physiological birth of the placenta
Sara Wickham shares tips for physiological birth of the placenta which emerged from a discussion held with a circle of midwives.
The problem of product propaganda
Sara Wickham looks at the problem of product propaganda, seen where companies are using sales messages that undermine parents’ confidence in their ability.
Pondering the post-birth tea break
Sara Wickham explores the uniquely British ritual of having a cup of tea after birth, with the help of midwives and women who share their thoughts on this.
Fetal monitoring research resources
A list of fetal monitoring research resources available on www.sarawickham.com. Includes blog posts and references to relevant research.
Is home birth safe?
Our home birth information hub – the latest research on the safety of home birth and links to many of Dr Sara Wickham’s articles and blog posts on this.
Homebirth: Safe & Sacred
Expert opinion and evidence
Can I have a natural placental birth after induction?
“Is it possible to have a natural placental birth after induction?” That’s a question I get asked a lot. My first reply to this question usually begins with me saying that I am not sure that any part of a…
Ten ways I can help midwifery students
Sara Wickham offers a variety of resources for student midwives and others studying birth-related areas.
Oxytocin and birth: the latest evidence
The latest evidence on oxytocin and birth: Sara Wickham looks at a review which helps explain why spontaneous, physiological labour and birth is beneficial.
The induction crisis continues (and what we can do about it)
Vitamin K Resources
Articles and resources relating to vitamin K for newborn babies. By Sara Wickham, a midwife, researcher and author who has written extensively on this.
Fixed point due date or a wider window (part 2)…
How do holistic midwives get across the fact that ‘normality is a range’ when talking about the expected date of birth, asks Sara Wickham.
Dreams help…
A quote illustrating how dreams can help pregnanct and birthing women to build power, explore fears and develop knowledge.
Fixed point due dates and wider windows (part 1)…
If Doctor Who turned up in front of you right now and offered you the chance to go elsewhere in time to change, remove or amend one tenet of modern maternity care, what would you choose? Even though I understand…
Vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy
New data have changed the conclusions of the Cochrane review on vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy.
Love, kisses and other ways of knowing…
Sara Wickham asks whether maternity care providers and those who attend births are focusing on the right things.
EFM: ubiquitous yet flawed
“EFM has become a quintessential example of the perils of adopting new medical technologies without proper study of risks and benefits,” says a Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Vaginal examination in pregnancy
“There are clearly few reasons to do vaginal exams during pregnancy,” says Nancy Wainer. But such a practice does carry risks.
Group B Strep resources
This post offers links to all of the group B strep resources on Sara Wickham’s website, including articles, blog posts and a few external resources.
Giant Breakthrough in Screening or Great Big Stressor?
Sara Wickham’s 2004 article in which she looks at the pros and cons of offering screening for the group B strep bacteria in pregnancy.
Microbiome seeding and woman-centred care
Sara Wickham discusses a woman-centred paper on vaginal seeding, whose authors highlight complex but really important elements of this conversation.
Screening and the consequences of knowledge (part three)
The third part of Sara Wickham’s article in which she discusses the consquences of knowledge gained from medical screening, which aren’t always anticipated.