Sara Wickham offers a few reasons for caution about the latest research suggesting that late pregnancy scans would be advantageous.
A few reasons to be cautious about the idea of routinely scanning for breech presentation near term
Three questions to ask before using a guideline
“We need a better understanding of how to use guidelines — when they’re appropriate and when they’re not.”
Obstetric cholestasis – who is really at risk?
“Birth is the beginning of everything else.”
Does oxytocin use affect the severity of OASI symptoms?
Sara Wickham discusses research showing that modifiable factors such as use of forceps and oxytocin may affect the severity of symptoms after obstetric anal sphincter injury.
New UK VBAC guidelines welcomed
Sara Wickham discusses the changes to the NICE guidance around vaginal birth after previous caesarean.
AFFIRM, ARRIVE and a whole buffet more!
We’re delighted to announce that, by popular demand, we have created a brand new Gathering in the Knowledge online course for 2019, and registration for the May 3-10 run is now open!
The language of information: obscuring choice
Sara Wickham discusses how language can be used as a tool to exercise power, often in subtle ways that aren’t easily spotted unless you’re looking.
“We have reached the limits of the domination of Nature…”
The trusty toilet
Sara Wickham discusses midwives’ experience of using toilets as a way to facilitate normal birth!
You were born to do this
Potential harms of GBS screening “outweigh benefits”
A review published in the BMJ shows that universal antenatal screening for group B streptococcus may cause more harm than good.
When I am an old midwife…
Our Post-Term Pregnancy online course starts tomorrow!
Induction rates are rising everywhere, and midwives, birth workers and others are concerned. So I’m delighted that, tomorrow, I will be welcoming a new group of participants from around the world to our first online course of 2019, Post-term pregnancy:…
Induction of labour and larger women: what are the consequences?
Sara Wickham looks at research which has analysed the consequences of induction of labour for larger women.
Gathering in the Knowledge: back for 2019!
We’re delighted to announce that, by popular demand, we have created a brand new Gathering in the Knowledge online course for 2019, and registration for the March 22-29 run is now open!
Update to the Cochrane review on approaches to the birth of the placenta
An updated version of the Cochrane review on Active versus expectant management for women in the third stage of labour has just been published, although the main conclusions have not changed.
Eight things I’d like to share with midwifery students who care…
Research: the hidden stories
Places of trust and “a velvet ear”
Body wisdom: detecting birth by smell (part 2)
Sara Wickham discusses the experience of midwives who can smell when birth is imminent (part 2).
Body wisdom: detecting birth by smell (part 1)
Risk: the game of life
More evidence on why women are dissatisfied after induction of labour
Sara Wickham writes about research looking at why women are dissatisfied with induction of labour.
The value of leaving the umbilical cord intact
A summary of the advantages of leaving the umbilical cord intact for longer after birth.
The myth of the aging placenta
How do women feel about induction of labour for post-term pregnancy?
Sara Wickham discusses a review of women’s experiences of induction for post-term pregnancy.
“No room for complacency…”
“No amount of resilience training, and telling us to be kind and compassionate, will address the serious and undermining deep-rooted challenges in our underfunded and under-resourced NHS.”
Induction and synchronised swimming: Mary Cronk’s words of wisdom
On December 21st 2018, we lost one of midwifery’s heroes, Mary Cronk. A staunch and strong advocate for women, Mary was a passionate midwife, an inspiring teacher and a famously and delightfully stroppy woman. She was a true radical who…
Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays! This is my last blog post of 2018 … as always, we are going to turn off our computers and turn on the festive away message over the holidays. This year, we’ve had loads fun hanging out with…
Five tips for seasonal self-care
My eight favourite blog posts of 2018
The language of the complicated
Sara Wickham discusses how our languages focuses more on complication and risk than normality.
In celebration of plateaus
Why some research results are more likely to be published than others
A Cochrane review has confirmed that some research results are more likely to get published than others, which is one reason why evidence may not be as reliable as some people think.
Vitamin K: the stories behind the evidence
A quote from Sara Wickham about the ‘stories behind the evidence’ relating to vitamin K.
Word-thought for the day: replacing risk with chance
Midwifery care is shown to lead to better outcomes (again)
Research shows that midwifery care in pregnancy reduces the chance of small and low birthweight babies as well as of preterm birth.
Bring back the bed bath?
Positive benefits of physiological birth
Sara Wickham highlights a research study showing the transformative benefits of physiological birth.
Facebook, we have a problem…
Your birth: stories from midwifery-led areas
Sara Wickham reviews a new book in which women share their stories of giving birth in midwife-led areas in Wales.
Induction of labour: the gap between theory and reality
Sara Wickham looks at research showing the gap between what women need and want and the reality of what they experience when undergoing induction of labour.
Oxytocin-related resources
Routine early induction in healthy women not supported by evidence
A systematic review has concluded that induction prior to post-term is associated with few beneficial outcomes and several adverse outcomes.
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Is it any wonder?
Is it any wonder that many women don’t know how to trust their bodies or have a sense that decisions about their body are theirs and theirs alone to make?
Placental birth resources
Further thoughts on the third stage
Sara Wickham raises questions about how we measure blood loss during and after the birth of the placenta.
Seven useful words for the birth room…
Work, health and emotional lives of midwives in the United Kingdom: The UK WHELM study
A senior midwife has shared her thoughts on a study looking into the work, health and emotional lives of midwives in the UK which does not appear to have been publicised by the organisation that commissioned it, the Royal College of Midwives.
Birthing Your Placenta: now available!
Birthing Your Placenta: the third stage of labour … updated version available from 20th September 2018!
Birthing Your Placenta: new book AND new online course!
Home births – where are we heading?
Ten ways I can help midwifery students
Sara Wickham offers a variety of resources for student midwives and others studying birth-related areas.
We need a better way of defining postpartum haemorrhage…
It was so good to see a paper in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology this month calling for better definitions of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH). Borovac-Pinheiro et al (2018) write that, “The current definition of [postpartum haemorrhage] is inadequate…
What’s true, pussycat?
What’s in a name?
Review shows that “evidence is lacking” to induce labour before 42 weeks of pregnancy
A review of trials comparing induction of labour with expectant management has concluded that evidence is lacking for the recommendation to induce labour at 41 weeks instead of 42 weeks for the improvement of perinatal outcome.
Labour progress resources
This post offers a summary of labour and progress related resources that are right here and freely available on my website. Let’s start with some thoughts on why normal birth matters to women, some studies related to normal birth, why…