This website contains lots of woman-centred, evidence-based information useful for those studying midwifery, medicine, or birth-related areas.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re an aspiring or current student, a birth worker, or someone who has done their initial learning and wants to stay updated, we have resources for you.
And this blog post has been written to explain what’s here.
Hello, my name is Sara
You can find out lots more about me here, but the short version is that I have worked in midwifery practice, education, research, and consultancy for around thirty years.
I’m British and based in the UK, but have also lived and worked in the USA and New Zealand.
I’ve lectured all over the world, written (or edited) eighteen books, and have been the Editor of three midwifery journals.
And here are ten ways in which my work can help you in yours.
1. More than 200 articles
This website contains hundreds of articles, blog posts, and information pages.
It can be overwhelming to realise how much is here, so we suggest that you bookmark the site rather than trying to read it all at once.
If you want to get a flavour of what’s here, we have a page for you. We have created information hubs for each of the key areas of my work, and this page explains those.
2. The Search Box
We also have a search facility that you can use if you’re looking for information.
If you’re on a computer, look for a search box in the top right corner of every page on the site.
On most phones, it appears with the magnifying glass icon on the black band at the very top of the page.
3. Regular updates on birth-related research and thinking
The best way of staying on top of birth-related research and also getting notifications about what I’m posting is to join my email list. Make sure you check for the confirmation email, or we can’t add you!
We usually send an email out once a week (other than when I’m on my holidays, because I think self care is really important).
Most of my emails are short, and they let you know about my new or updated blog posts, and new projects.
Then, towards the end of each month, I create a much bigger email. It’s called the Birth Information Update, and I share a round-up of the latest birth-related research and thinking. So, by signing up, you can find out about the latest research on birth- and midwifery-related topics. I usually look in depth at one study or areas, and I often add little notes to help you unpack the studies that I share.
These emails are totally free. If you find them useful, and would like to support my work on this, you can buy me a coffee to help keep the free stuff online.
4. Books to help you learn
When you need more depth, I have written books on all sorts of topics that you’ll need to know about.
I have books on Plus Size Pregnancy, Anti-D, Vitamin K, Group B Strep, and Birthing Your Placenta.
My two books on induction of labour are Inducing Labour: making informed decisions and In Your Own Time, which is also now available as an audiobook. You can find out the difference between those two books here.
Many students and aspiring students have found What’s Right For Me? making decisions in pregnancy and childbirth really useful. It explains issues relating to decision-making as well as being a good overview of the different belief systems that exist within maternity care.
Each of my books has a page of its own (see the top menu bar) so you can find out more.
5. A book just for you
But I have a new book which I think you will love, and which you might want to get even before you begin your midwifery journey.
It’s called Midwifery Wisdom, and it explores midwifery knowledge from evidence to intuition, and on all sorts of topics. It also contains practical tips for every stage of your journey.
6. My love letter to student midwives
One of the most popular blog posts on this website was written for student midwives.
I don’t have time to answer every individual email that I receive, but I wanted to find a way to respond to lovely students who needed kind words.
You might like to bookmark or save it for when you’re not having a great day.
Here it is: Eight things I’d like to share with midwifery students who care.
7. Podcasts
I’ve been on a few podcasts to talk about my work and books, and we’ve made it easy for you to listen by making a page which gathers Sara Wickham podcasts all in one place.
And, as I mentioned above, In Your Own Time is now available as an audiobook.
8. Tons of dissertation tips (well, at least 101!)
If you would love some help to get going with academic work, or wonder how you can get better at fitting it all in, then I have a book to help with this too.
It’s called ‘101 tips for planning, writing and surviving your dissertation‘.
It’s not just for your dissertation though, and you don’t need to wait.
Many people get it in their first or second year. Some grab a copy before they even begin their studies. This is a great idea, because a lot of the tips can be used for other assignments, and the book will help you plan and get prepared ahead of time.
It’s also not midwifery-specific, so it works for people studying other subjects as well.
If you’d like to read some of the tips to get a flavour of the book, this page tells you all about it.
9. Light relief
When you’ve had enough randomised controlled trials to last you for the rest of the term, I’ve got some light-hearted stuff to help you recharge your batteries.
You might like learn about knitting and birth, get a pattern for a baby hat, or read my article about birth fairies.
You can also procrastinate by searching my website for the kitties belonging to well-known midwives and birth folk who sometimes decorate my blog posts.
(That’s my cat, Mittens, in the picture. He also loves being on Instagram and making unauthorised appearances in my podcasts).
10. Reminders of what’s important
Many people go into midwifery, medicine, or birth work because they care deeply about women, families and their experiences.
Sadly, they often find themselves worn down by the reality of systems of care, and pressure from those who don’t feel the same way, as my loveletter to student midwives implies.
I can’t make that all better, but I do try to offer a different way of thinking on this website and in my work, which many people have described as an antidote and a safe haven for those who care about women, families, and birth.
My upcoming book brings many of these together, and a few older examples include my blog post about watching the purple line, quotes about what’s important, and lots of outside-the-box thinking.
Finally, because I think it’s really, really important, I’ll remind you a lot about self-care.
So don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter and let me keep you updated straight into your inbox while you worry about everything else!
Here’s wishing you all the best on your journey – wherever you may be – and I really hope that my work can help you in yours.
You’ll find more on this, and many other topics, in my new book, Midwifery Wisdom.
In it, I explore the knowledge that experienced midwives develop over years of supporting women through pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period. How midwives use their senses to assess labour progress, why the maths behind obstetric boundaries needs rethinking, the value of postnatal tea and toast, and when to put your gloves on. I cover topics from risk to cats in a book written to help people understand midwifery, and midwives better understand the value of their own skills and wisdom.
photo credits: Two hearts via photopin (license)
About the Author: Dr Sara Wickham is an author, speaker, and researcher specialising in pregnancy, birth and maternity care. Her work focuses on evidence-based, woman-centred information and informed decision-making, drawing on more than 30 years of midwifery knowledge and experience.
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Books to help you become informed and make the decisions that are right for you…
If this blog post or any of Sara’s work has helped you or those you care for, please buy her a coffee and help us continue to provide independent birth information online as well as in her books.
Thank you.