Suffolk Independent Midwives

06/08/2026

03/08/2026

Cervical dilation is one tiny part of labor progress. It gives one small piece of the puzzle.

So many other signs show us labor is moving forward.

Fun fact: plenty of women birth with zero or just one or two cervical exams in labor.

👇🏽 What has been your experience with birth and cervical dilation?

03/08/2026

With conflicting information and opinions, many families wonder, is water birth safe?

A 2023 meta-analysis published in theAmerican Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology (AJOG)
examined maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with planned water birth.

Key Findings

• No Increase in Serious Neonatal Complications
• Respiratory Outcomes Were Not Worse With Water Birth
• Slightly Increased Risk of Umbilical Cord Avulsion — But Still Rare
• Maternal Outcomes Were Favorable

Water birth was associated with:
• Lower rates of severe perineal trauma
• High maternal satisfaction
• Reduced need for pharmacologic pain management

Read more: https://internationaldoulainstitute.com/2025/12/is-water-birth-safe-what-ajog-recent-meta-analysis-found/

👇🏽 Did you have a water birth?

25/07/2026

Every woman has the right to make an informed choice about where she gives birth—including at home, attended by a competent midwife.

On this , explore our updated statement on Home Birth. Evidence shows that for women at low risk, planned home birth offers comparable outcomes to hospital birth, with lower rates of unnecessary intervention and higher satisfaction. Midwives are skilled at supporting physiological birth. Women deserve autonomy and choice.

But in many places, legal barriers and regulatory restrictions make it nearly impossible.

Read more at: https://zurl.co/S1U3i

23/05/2026

❤️ this!!

11/05/2026

We have one space for a September birth, either at hospital or planned home birth. Email [email protected] or call 07754538701 and leave a message xx

29/04/2026

Please share

21/03/2026

www.suffolkmidwives.com

👩‍⚕️ Is it better to see the same midwife or a small team of midwives throughout pregnancy and labour?

Evidence from 17 studies involving 18,533 randomized women was included in this updated systematic review.

Women or their babies who received midwife continuity of care models (seeing the same midwife or team of midwives) were:

⚕️ Less likely to experience a caesarean section or instrumental birth with forceps or a ventouse suction cup.

⚕️May be less likely to experience an episiotomy (a cut made by a healthcare professional into the perineum and vaginal wall).

⚕️More likely to experience spontaneous vaginal birth.

⚕️Reported more positive experiences during pregnancy, labour, and postpartum.

⚕️Additionally, there were cost savings in the antenatal (care during pregnancy) and intrapartum (care during labour and birth) period.

Further evidence may change our results, and future research should focus on the impact on women with social risk factors and those with medical complications, and understanding the implementation and scaling up of midwife continuity of care models, with emphasis on low‐ and middle‐income countries.

Read the full Cochrane review: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004667.pub6/full

12/03/2026

Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles introduced Belgium’s first walking epidurals, allowing women to remain upright and mobile during labor rather than confined to bed. The technique provides pain relief while preserving movement in the legs, meaning women can sit, stand, or walk during childbirth.

Research from the Cleveland Clinic suggests that mobility during labor can help shorten delivery time and improve the overall birth experience. A Cochrane review also found that upright positions during labor can reduce the first stage of labor by more than an hour on average and may lower the likelihood of certain medical interventions. The ability to move freely during labor can give women greater dignity and control.