Sometimes the events of birth can feel like such a mystery - why do professionals suggest the things they do, why did things happen that way? Here we interviewed 9 professionals who are involved in birth or supporting people after birth, to find out more about their roles and their ideas on how to Make Birth Better.
The Antenatal Teacher
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"My aim is to help all parents feel more confident in their abilities..."
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The
The Psychiatrist
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..."in maternity units we have a real problem and, from my clinical work, it’s getting worse not better."
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The
The Midwife
"I wish the common misconception of birth was completely overturned"
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The
The GP
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"I wish women knew that birth is unpredictable, and that those around them are there because they want to look after them and do their best."
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The
The Obstetrician
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"Shift work can gruelling. We often haven’t sat down, had a drink or had a wee for 12 hours! We do this because you, our patients, are incredibly important to us."
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The
Consultant Obstetrician
The Psychologist
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..."Having sat with countless couples over the years, I repeatedly hear them ask “But why didn’t anybody tell us it might be like this?”
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The
Perinatal Psychologist
The Perinatal Specialist Midwife
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"A potential barrier for women accessing help with birth trauma and perinatal mental health issues is that often women don't realise what is happening within their mind or feel ashamed of their feelings"
The
Perinatal Specialist Midwife
The Doula
"Heartbreakingly, too many mothers end up blaming their bodies for things not going as they planned, but the things that contribute to birth being complicated are more complex than that"
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The
Doula
The Birth Activist
"I’m not sure that any amount of preparation will prepare most woman for some of the poor practices and processes that they might unexpectedly encounter in the UK’s maternity care system."
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