Barefaced Birth

14/07/2026

Between 2024 and 2025 45% of babies born were by caesarean birth.

As of April 2026 NUH statistics (Queens & City) show:

⭐ 46% of babies were born by caesarean
⭐ 21% of babies were born by planned caesarean ⭐(elective)
⭐ 25% of babies were born by emergency caesarean
⭐ 11.1% of caesarean births followed onset of spontaneous labour at least 37 weeks gestation
⭐ 68.4% of caesarean births at least 37 weeks were either induced labour or caesarean section prior to onset of labour.
⭐ 84.1% of caesarean births followed a previous caesarean at least 37 weeks of gestation.
⭐ 10% if babies were born by forceps or ventouse
⭐ 40% of births were spontaneous

What it doesn't tell us is how many women chose a cesarean birth and were informed of all their options making an informed choice.

Evidence across various studies that those that planned a caesarean birth after a previous caesarean birth often are not aware of other birth options such as VBAC and HBAC & supported with a balanced presentation of evidence and birth choices.

How many induced labours that led to caesarean birth; women and their families were aware this was a risk.

How many "spontaneous births" included sweeps.

Induction methods of induced births

Medical reasons for caesarean births.

What it does shows us that induction INCREASES the chance of a caesarean

Women are choosing planned caesarean births.

A va**nal birth is not the norm (30% of births were spontaneous and 70% of births were caesarean or assisted).

That medical interventions and caesarean births are not proving better outcomes for women and babies.

That we have a maternity system that approaches birth as a medical emergency rather than a normal biological and natural process of a woman's body.

Some births do require medical interventions and we are thankful we have them but this shouldn't be the norm unless there is a true medical reason.

That you have to prepare for all modes of birth, learn and understand birth, research, questions everything, know all your options, to support yourself as best as possible to have the birth that you want.

You deserve more.

10/07/2026

YES environment is so important BUT it isn't everything.

It's even more so important now to go beyond having a pretty environment for birth.

Without birth knowledge

Without asking questions

Without advocating

Without knowledge of navigating the system

The birth environment is powerless to get the birth you want feeling supported, in control and informed.

Build your knowledge

Build your birth team

Ask questions

You don't have to do this alone!

09/07/2026

Birth Power Hours!

A one off 1 hour session totally focussed on you and your birth.

⭐ Perhaps you're feeling a little confused and want to talk through your options in a safe space

⭐ You would like guidance on how to help plan for a home/hospital or caesarean birth.

⭐ You would like guidance on how to navigate the maternity system

⭐ You would like some help going through your options and writing a birth plan.

⭐ You would like some help in going through some evidence and research to help you make a decision

I will share all my doula knowledge in a safe space to help you find confidence, clarity and focus for your birth.

A power hour can for any time throughout your pregnancy and includes follow up resources and email check in bespoke to you.

Do you think a power hour is for you?

Head to link in my bio to find out more on my website or pop me a DM.

08/07/2026

Thank you to everyone who shared their birth date with me!

We had one baby born on their due date so one of the 4-5% of babies that will be born on their due date!

Having worked with well over a 100 pregnant ladies I have only ever had one baby born on their due date.

Again this does not take into account everyone's ovulation, their cycle, their hormones, their babies growth and genetics.

All babies after 13 weeks grow based on genetics, your body.

Some babies will be born earlier than their EDD.

Some babies will be born later than their EDD.

Some will be born on their EDD.

Let's normalise babies not being born on their due date.

Let's normalise waiting for your baby for when they are ready if there are no other MEDICAL indications to warrant your baby being born before they are ready.

And no your placenta will not stop working because it's reached maturity at 40 weeks (unless there were other indications during the pregnancy your placenta wasn't working as it should).

Next post will be on the" aging placenta" (since I know this has been used before with clients to persuade them to book and Induction!)

06/07/2026

It's not like the movies!

Waters breaking is not often the first sign of labour starting.

You may not even get any signs that labour is beginning but some signs you may get are:

⭐ Mucus plug
⭐ Diarrhea
⭐ Sickness
⭐ Tiredness
⭐ Cramping
⭐ Gut instinct

There are so many things happening in your body behind that you will not be aware of happening the scenes including those amazing hormones getting ready for labour.

Most wasters break during labour rather than at the beginning of labour.

Waters breaking can be a dripping sensation (hind waters) or bit of a gush which is your front waters (forewaters).

The hind waters can break when the two membranes weaken causing an opening behind the baby's head which leads to the hind waters leaking.

Your forewaters usually break when the cervix is nearly almost open helping to prepare the va**na with lubrication for baby to move through.

It can vary between person to person and every labour is different but first and foremost your labour 85-95% less likely to start with your waters breaking.

#

Did your waters break as the first sign of labour?

01/07/2026

This one of the things I say to my clients as they edge close to their due date.

Pressure from messages, pressure from social media to try different things to bring labour on.

Then there is the pressure from healthcare professionals to "move things along".

It is so easy to doubt everything in those last few weeks. Doubt that you will ever labour, doubt that your body isn't doing what it is supposed to do.

There are so many incredible changes happening in your body that you may not even notice.

Your hormones are increasing to an optimal level for supporting labour to progress for when it begins and for your baby to be physiologically ready for life outside the womb.

Your body and baby are incredible.

Protecting your head space in those last few weeks in those last few weeks is so important.

There is no pressure to go anything UNLESS you want to and it feels right for you.

When it comes to moving things along due dates alone (without any other medical concerns) is not a medical reason to get things going unless you've made an informed decision to choose that path.

You can drink all the raspberry leaf tea, eat all the dates and do all the acupuncture but if you body and baby are not ready then there is little evidence to support that this will get labour started.

If you want to do all those things and it makes you feel good, look at it as supporting your body for labour 💪

It is important in those last few weeks to protect the space!

Do things that make you feel good.

Ignore those messages.

Ask questions when you need to.

Trust the process.

Trust your body.

Listen to your body.

Listen to your baby.

Trust your gut.

26/06/2026

I know it feels a lot right now.

My thoughts are with every single family.

You deserved to be listened to when you spoke out.

You deserve to be supported.

You deserved to be treated with respect.

You deserved to be treated with care.

You deserved so much more 🤎

25/06/2026

22/06/2026

Doula off call ✨

I had the honour of witnessing my lovely client birth her baby at home last week. I am in awe at her strength and the mental preparation to support herself in planning her home birth! She was incredible!

I am super happy that it wasn't heatwave last week for my client and I am sending approve thoughts to those that will be labouring this week!

Get some wet flannels in your freezer ready for labour and some hand fans to help keep you cool.

I am now off call until mid August and this will be the longest I will be off call for since September last year 😅.

Whilst I am off call, I have some postnatal visits booked, doula antenatal sessions and a hypnobirthing/antenatal course plus some study days (yep it's important as a doula to always keep learning).

Over the next week or so I'll be sharing some stats on home birth for this looking at their birthing options. I also have a long list of blog posts I want to write and share with you!

Feel free too me what you want to know about pregnancy, birth and postpartum and I'll add it to my topic lists! Share in the comments below👇

For now this doula is off call!

19/06/2026

Birth fears can derail even the best birth plans! Sometimes we don't know if they are there until it's happening or we have not given the space to sit down and think about it.

Perhaps we are even too scared.

Birth fears often come from other people's fears, their experiences or experiences that have happened to us.

Our brain will hold onto those fears to help keep us safe.

Working on those fears ahead of time can really go a long way to putting yourself in the best mental head space for birth.

Find out everything you need to know about that fear or worry, perhaps it isn't as scary as you first thought.

Perhaps there is a really low chance of it happening.

Perhaps there are things you can do to help minimise those risks/chance of happening.

Affirmations can be a great way of changing your thoughts and beliefs about something. They challenge your brain to think differently.

Tell me what you did to help mentally prepare for birth?