Sara Wickham considers the concept of heart-centredness and discusses this in relation to birth and the maternity services. Why is this not valued?
The importance of practising from the heart…
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.
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.
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.
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…
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)
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.
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.
Caseload midwifery continues to outperform standard maternity care
Sara Wickham shares links to evidence showing that caseload midwifery outperforms standard maternity care – time and time again.
Another way of helping babies with shoulder dystocia?
Sara Wickham discusses a paper on the shoulder shrug maneuver, designed to facilitate birth in cases where a baby experiences shoulder dystocia.
Prophylactic antibiotics after instrumental birth?
A large trial on prophylactic antibiotics after instrumental birth which shows that this reduces the chance of infection from one in five to one in ten.
“EFM is a waste of extremely scarce resources…”
A new paper analysing the evidence for electronic fetal monitoring shows this to be ineffective as a means of reducing cerebral palsy in sub-Saharan Africa.
Recurrent episodes of reduced fetal movement and pregnancy risk
New research from the UK has found no evidence to suggest that recurrent episodes of reduced fetal movement increase pregnancy risk.
Nutrition and the wisdom of craving
Sara Wickham’s 2005 article in which she riffs about nutritional advice, pregnancy cravings and whether there is a case for optimism…
What I knew about placental birth that my obstetrician friend didn’t…
Evidence is important, but it isn’t enough. Sara Wickham explains why we need to learn from stories as well as science.
We are all biased by what we see…
Sara Wickham looks at how we are all biased by our experiences, and how different viewpoints can develop and solidify, depending on what we see.
Women’s experiences of birthing their placenta
Australian researchers have carried out an important study looking at women’s decisions about, and experiences of birthing their placenta.
Are birth seats beneficial?
Sara Wickham looks at research which considered the relationship between birth seats and tears in healthy women.
Sharing resources with families…
Sara Wickham offers links to informative blog posts which childbirth educators and others might like to share with families.
The ARRIVE Trial: another perspective
Sara Wickham shares the work of an obstetrician who has added further doubt to the value of the results of the ARRIVE Trial.
A few reasons to be cautious about the idea of routinely scanning for breech presentation near term
Sara Wickham looks at the ides of routinely offering a scan to see if a baby is breech. This raises more issues than many people realise.
Three questions to ask before using a guideline
When is it appropriate to use a guideline and when is it not? The questions that we should ask before deciciding whether to use the guidance or walk away.
Obstetric cholestasis – who is really at risk?
Sara Wickham looks at new research into obstetric cholestasis, which may help determine which babies are really at risk and thus reduce over-intervention.
“Birth is the beginning of everything else.”
Does oxytocin use affect the severity of OASI symptoms?
Research shows that modifiable factors such as 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, which have been welcomed by midwives.
The language of information: obscuring choice
Sara Wickham discusses how language can be used to obscure choice, or as a tool to exercise power, often in subtle ways that aren’t easily spotted.
“We have reached the limits of the domination of Nature…”
Michel Odent suggests that we have reached the limits of the domination of nature, and describes the kind of environment needed for birth.
The trusty toilet
Sara Wickham discusses midwives’ experience of using toilets as birth stools, and looks at their effectiveness at facilitating 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…
Induction of labour for larger women: what are the consequences?
Sara Wickham looks at research which has analysed the consequences of induction of labour for larger women.
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.
Research: the hidden stories
Sara Wickham considers the hidden stories behind research, and shows how what goes on behind the scenes can influence a study’s results.
Places of trust and “a velvet ear”
Wimyn need wimyn’s circles, says Sister MorningStar. Places of trust, honesty, innate community building, storytelling and the passing on of wisdom.
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
Sara Wickham considers women who decline to accept the “high-risk” label applied by risk-focused caregivers and make the decisions that are right for them.
More evidence on why women are dissatisfied after induction of labour
Sara Wickham writes about research looking at why some women dislike induction of labour. Delays and a lack of information are key issues.