Links to other websites

(each link will open in a new window)

General

Doula uk - A network of doulas run voluntarily by doulas.
The network started in February 2001 and it is a non-profit making organisation.
"...Our aims are to promote the role of doulas, to improve communication between doulas, and to advance our understanding of birth and the postnatal period..."
(www.doula.org.uk)

Compleat Mother magazine - Helping women choose where to have their baby, including local maternity statistics.
(www.compleatmother.com)

BirthChoiceUK - Helping women choose where to have their baby, including local maternity statistics.
(www.birthchoiceuk.com)

The National Childbirth Trust - (NCT) is a UK charity for expectant and new parents, famous for its wonderful ante-natal classes.  Contact HQ to get details of your local branch, and ask if there is a Home Birth Support Group near you.  Local groups will be able to advise you on maternity care in your area, and you can often contact women who have had home births locally.It offers support in pregnancy, childbirth and early parenthood.
"...We aim to give every parent the chance to make informed choices.  We try to make sure that all our services, activities and membership are fully accessible to everyone..."
(www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com)

The Active Birth Centre - Discover how you can make informed choices, and gain the confidence to be actively in charge of your pregnancy, birth and early parenting.
This site also lists Active Birth teachers in the UK, and some internationally.  The Centre is in North London, and it runs some excellent workshops on active birth, breastfeeding, water birth, as well as antenatal yoga classes, and baby massage.  It hires out birth pools.  Famous natural birth obstetrician Michel Odent gives regular talks there.
(www.activebirthcentre.com)

Birthworks - For several decades Michel Odent has been instrumental in influencing the history of childbirth and health research.  As a practitioner he developed the maternity unit at Pithiviers Hospital in France in the 1960s and '70s.  He is familiarly known as the obstetrician who introduced the concept of birthing pools and home-like birthing rooms.  It includes a useful Health Research Database Covering the critical period between conception and 1 year.
(www.birthworks.org)

Women's Health - Research-based articles which give an informed medical perspective on on pregnancy choices and complications.  If your home birth booking may be affected by issues such as prelabour rupture of membranes or post-dates pregnancy, this site can help you to assess the risks involved.  Highly recommended.
(www.womens-health.co.uk)

With Woman - A new site established by two UK midwives, Sara Wickham and Lorna Davies, for mothers, midwives and doulas.  It offers articles and resources on birth and midwifery, as well as birth art, poetry, birth stories, and education.
(www.withwoman.co.uk)

Midwife Archives - A collection of discussions and suggestions from midwives worldwide, but mostly in the USA, about many aspects of birth, including home birth.
(www.gentlebirth.org/archives)

Natural Parenting UK - A Beautifully-designed site with information on natural birth, breastfeeding, and family life.
(www.natural-parenting.com)

Birth Love - Some wonderful, radical and thought-provoking articles about birth at home and in hospital.  The author's last baby was born at home at 46 weeks gestation weighing over 12lbs!!
(www.birthlove.com)

Home Birth UK mailing list - A home birth support group by email.
For parents who are interested in home birth in the UK, or who have planned or had home births in the past, midwives, co-ordinators of home birth support groups, etc..
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/homebirthUK)

Home Birth Reference Site - Your first stop when planning a home birth in the UK (or elsewhere!).  An excellent resource for research-based evidence.
(www.homebirth.org.uk)

Sheila Kitzinger's Homepage - Thoughts on home birth, references, and home birth in the news, from a well-respected "natural birth" advocate.Here you can explore aspects of birth, drawing on things that Sheila has learned from women a round the world and her research as a social anthropologist into women's experiences of pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding.
(www.sheilakitzinger.com)

Siblings present at home births? - Article from the Compleat Mother magazine, on what you could do with your other children when you give birth at home.
(www.compleatmother.com/homebirth/hb_siblings.htm)

Homebirth Webring - A list of sites relating to home birth.
(www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=homebirth;list)

British Medical Journal editorial - States that home birth is safe for normal, low-risk women, with adequate support.
(www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/313/7068/1276)

The Weedpatch article on home birth safety - An excellent article by a midwife citing research conducted mainly in the USA, with full bibliography on the site.
(www.weedpatch.com/safe_homebirth.html)

Midwifery Today - An online magazine - many articles relevant to home birth.
(www.midwiferytoday.com)

The Association of Radical Midwives - This has some interesting articles on midwifery and birth choices, including a student midwife's views of home birth.
(www.midwifery.org.uk or www.radmid.demon.co.uk ?)

AIMS - (The Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services).
Information on pregnancy and childbirth care, and midwifery, and support for parents and professionals in the UK and Ireland.  If you experience difficulties in booking a home birth, these are the people to contact.  AIMS Supports parents and professionals in the UK and Ireland.  They are a group of very dedicated and experienced people who can help you get what you need, providing lots of quality information about how to work your way through ‘the system’.
(www.aims.org.uk)

Independent Midwives in the UK
(www.homebirth.org.uk/indmid.htm)

Breastfeeding Support and Information

La Leche League International - LLL are the international experts on breastfeeding - find out how to make breastfeeding work for you, and how to avoid problems before they crop up.
(www.laleche.org.uk)

National Childbirth Trust - Many NCT branches have breastfeeding counsellors, and there is a national breastfeeding helpline.  You can call the NCT breastfeeding line on 0870 444 8708.
(www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com)

Breastfeeding Network - Another wonderful UK voluntary organisation in which mothers support mothers after receiving training in breastfeeding support.  Also has a drugs information line so that you, your midwife, doctor or pharmacist can check what is safe to take while breastfeeding.
(www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk)

Baby Milk Action - The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that reversing the decline in breastfeeding could save 1.5 million lives every year, yet baby food companies continue to market artificial foods in ways that undermine breastfeeding.  The people responsible have names and addresses - call on them to market products ethically.
(www.babymilkaction.org)

007 Breasts - Breasts are for breastfeeding - this wonderful, well-informed site explains how breasts of all shapes and sizes do their job, and how social attitudes can get in the way.  It will make you feel proud of your body and its potential.  Lots of discussion of how different breast shapes and sizes affect breastfeeding, support for nursing in public, and general breastfeeding info.  Well-referenced, well-argued - highly recommended.
(www.007b.com)

Equipment, services and products

Little Possums or Happy Baby Slings
Most babies love being carried and it makes your life easier.  There are lots of slings made by small companies such as these two, which are much nicer than the ones sold on the high street, and they usually work better too.
(www.littlepossums.co.uk) or (www.happybabysling.com)

UK Birth Pool suppliers - A list of suppliers in the UK
(www.homebirth.org.uk/water.htm)

Home Birth Equipment List - Labour Aids - including birth balls, TENS machines etc.
(www.homebirth.org.uk/list.htm)

BORN Direct - At BORN we realise that new parents and parents to be need the full picture, that's why as well as information on new and exciting products, we have information available on lots of subjects such as cotton nappies, breastfeeding, vaccinations, sleep and also childhood ailments.
(www.borndirect.com)

Homebirth 8k.com - T-shirts, mugs and more besides... all with slogans supporting home birth! From the Glasgow Natural Birth and Home Birth Support Group.
(http://homebirth.8k.com)

Unassisted Childbirth

Bornfree! - The Unassisted Childbirth Page, by Laura Shanley (for those planning home birth without a midwife or doctor in attendance).  Includes information and resources for unassisted childbirth.
(http://unassistedbirth.com)

Pregnancy Today article -
(http://pregnancytoday.com/reference/articles/unassistedbirth.htm)

Motherstuff -
(www.motherstuff.com/midwife-uacb.html)

Other websites - Unassisted childbirth's "Links" page has lots of links to other websites relating to unassisted childbirth
(http://unassistedbirth.com/links.htm)

Page last updated : 18th January 2008

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