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Labour is different for everyone, but it's often described in three stages to help explain what happens during labour and birth. This NHS resource gives a simple overview of each stage.

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Latent stage of labour

The latent stage of labour is where your cervix starts to soften and open (dilate) so your baby can be born.

You may begin to feel irregular contractions, but it can take many hours, or even days, before you're in established labour. It's usually the longest stage of labour.

At this stage, your contractions may range from being slightly uncomfortable to more painful. There's no set pattern to how many contractions you get or how long they last.

During the latent stage, it's a good idea to have something to eat and drink because you'll need energy for when labour is established.

If your labour starts at night, try to stay comfortable and relaxed. Sleep if you can.

If your labour starts during the day, stay upright and gently active. This helps your baby move down into your pelvis and helps your cervix to dilate.

Breathing exercises, massage and having a warm bath or shower may help ease pain during this early stage of labour.

Established labour (1st stage of labour)

Established labour is where your cervix has dilated to about 4cm and your contractions are stronger and more regular.

When to contact a midwife

Call your midwife or maternity unit for guidance if:

you think you're in labour

you're having regular contractions coming every 5 minutes or more often

you're worried about anything

Call your midwife or maternity unit urgently if:

your waters break

you have vaginal bleeding

your baby is moving less than usual

you're less than 37 weeks pregnant and think you might be in labour

any of your contractions last longer than 2 minutes

you're having 6 or more contractions every 10 minutes

You can call 111 if you're unable to contact your midwife or maternity unit.

Call 999 and ask for an ambulance if:

you think your baby is coming now and you have a strong urge to push

If you go into hospital before your labour has become established, they may suggest you go home again for a while.

Once labour is established, your midwife will check on you from time to time to see how you're progressing and offer you support, including pain relief if you need it.

You can either walk around or get into a position that feels comfortable to labour in.

Your midwife will offer you regular vaginal examinations to see how your labour is progressing. If you do not want to have these, you do not have to - your midwife can discuss with you why she's offering them.

Your cervix needs to open about 10cm for your baby to pass through it. This is what's called being fully dilated.

In a 1st pregnancy, the time from the start of established labour to being fully dilated is usually 8 to 18 hours. It's often quicker (around 5 to 12 hours), in a 2nd or 3rd pregnancy.

When you reach the end of the 1st stage of labour, you may feel an urge to push.

Monitoring your baby in labour

Your midwife will monitor you and your baby during labour to make sure you're both coping well.

This will include using a small handheld device to listen to your baby's heart every 15 minutes. You'll be free to move around as much as you want.

Your midwife may suggest electronic monitoring if there are any concerns about you or your baby, or if you choose to have an epidural.

Electronic monitoring involves strapping 2 pads to your bump. One pad is used to monitor your contractions and the other is used to monitor your baby's heartbeat. These pads are attached to a monitor that shows your baby's heartbeat and your contractions

Sometimes a heart monitor called a foetal scalp electrode can be attached to the baby's head instead. This can give a more accurate measurement of your baby's heartbeat.

You can ask to be monitored electronically even if there are no concerns. Having electronic monitoring can sometimes restrict how much you can move around. Your midwife can discuss this with you.

If you have electronic monitoring with pads on your bump because there are concerns about your baby's heartbeat, you can take the monitor off if your baby's heartbeat is shown to be normal.

A foetal scalp electrode will usually only be removed just as your baby is born, not before.

Speeding up labour

Labour can sometimes be slower than expected. This can happen if your contractions are not coming often enough, are not strong enough, or if your baby is in an awkward position.

If this is the case, your doctor or midwife may talk to you about 2 ways to speed up your labour: breaking your waters or an oxytocin drip.

Breaking your waters

Breaking the membrane that contains the fluid around your baby (your waters) is often enough to make contractions stronger and more regular. This is also known as artificial rupture of the membranes (ARM).

Your midwife or doctor can do this by making a small break in the membrane during a vaginal examination. This may make your contractions feel stronger and more painful, so your midwife will talk to you about pain relief.

Oxytocin drip

If breaking your waters does not work, your doctor or midwife may suggest using a medicine called oxytocin (also known as syntocinon) to make your contractions stronger. This is given through a drip that goes into a vein, usually in your wrist or arm.

Oxytocin can make your contractions stronger and more regular and can start to work quite quickly, so your midwife will talk to you about your options for pain relief.

You will also need electronic monitoring to check your baby is coping with the contractions, as well as regular vaginal examinations to check the drip is working.

2nd stage of labour

The 2nd stage of labour lasts from when your cervix is fully dilated until the birth of your baby.

Finding a position to give birth in

Your midwife will help you find a comfortable position to give birth in. You may want to sit, lie on your side, stand, kneel, or squat, although squatting may be difficult if you're not used to it.

If you've had lots of backache while in labour, kneeling on all fours may help. It's a good idea to try some of these positions before you go into labour. Talk to your birth partner so they know how they can help you.

Pushing your baby out

When your cervix is fully dilated, your baby will move further down the birth canal towards the entrance to your vagina. You may get an urge to push that feels a bit like you need to poo.

You can push during contractions whenever you feel the urge. You may not feel the urge to push immediately. If you have had an epidural, you may not feel an urge to push at all.

If you're having your 1st baby, this pushing stage should last no longer than 3 hours. If you've had a baby before, it should take no more than 2 hours.

This stage of labour is hard work, but your midwife will help and encourage you. Your birth partner can also support you.

What happens when your baby is born

When your baby's head is almost ready to come out, your midwife will ask you to stop pushing and take some short breaths, blowing them out through your mouth.

This is so your baby's head can be born slowly and gently, giving the skin and muscles in the area between your vagina and anus (the perineum) time to stretch.

Sometimes your midwife or doctor will suggest an episiotomy to avoid a tear or to speed up delivery. This is a small cut made in your perineum.

You'll be given a local anaesthetic injection to numb the area before the cut is made. Once your baby is born, an episiotomy, or any large tears, will be stitched closed.

Find out about your body after the birth, including how to deal with stitches.

Once your baby's head is born, most of the hard work is over. The rest of their body is usually born during the next 1 or 2 contractions.

You'll usually be able to hold your baby immediately and enjoy some skin-to-skin time together.

You can breastfeed your baby as soon as you like. Ideally, your baby will have their 1st feed within 1 hour of birth.

Read more about skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding in the first few days.

3rd stage of labour

The 3rd stage of labour happens after your baby is born, when your womb contracts and the placenta comes out through your vagina.

There are 2 ways to manage this stage of labour:

active - when you have treatment to make it happen faster

physiological - when you have no treatment and this stage happens naturally

Your midwife will explain both ways to you while you're still pregnant or during early labour, so you can decide which you would prefer.

There are some situations where physiological management is not advisable. Your midwife or doctor can explain if this is the case for you.

What is active management?

Your midwife will give you an injection of oxytocin into your thigh as you give birth, or soon after. This makes your womb contract.

Evidence suggests it's better not to cut the umbilical cord immediately, so your midwife will wait to do this between 1 and 5 minutes after birth. This may be done sooner if there are concerns about you or your baby - for example, if the cord is wound tightly around your baby's neck.

Once the placenta has come away from your womb, your midwife pulls the cord - which is attached to the placenta - and pulls the placenta out through your vagina. This usually happens within 30 minutes of your baby being born.

Active management speeds up the delivery of the placenta and lowers your risk of having heavy bleeding after the birth (postpartum haemorrhage), but it increases the chance of you feeling and being sick. It can also make afterpains (contraction-like pains after birth) worse.

Read more about preventing heavy bleeding after birth.

What is physiological management?

No oxytocin injection is given, and the 3rd stage of labour happens naturally.

The cord is not cut until it has stopped pulsing. This means blood is still passing from the placenta to your baby. This usually takes around 2 to 4 minutes.

Once the placenta has come away from your womb, you should feel some pressure in your bottom and you'll need to push the placenta out. It can take up to an hour for the placenta to come away, but it usually only takes a few minutes to push it out.

If the placenta does not come away naturally or you begin to bleed heavily, you'll be advised by your midwife or doctor to switch to active management. You can do this at any time during the 3rd stage of labour.

Read more about what happens straight after you give birth.

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Find out what happens during labour and birth, including the 3 stages of labour, contractions, dilation, birth positions and monitoring your baby.

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Morning sickness is unpleasant, and can significantly affect your day-to-day life. But it usually clears up by weeks 16 to 20 of your pregnancy and does not put your baby at any increased risk.

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Find out how to deal with morning sickness (nausea and vomiting in pregnancy) and how to spot hyperemesis gravidarum, or severe morning sickness, which needs specialist treatment.

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Baby's Movements in Pregnancy- Translated Languages

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Baby's Movements in Pregnancy- Translated Languages

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Optimal Positioning for Pregnancy, Labour and Birth

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Optimal Positioning for Pregnancy, Labour and Birth

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Remember KICO - Knees In, Calves Out!

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⭐Remember KICO⭐ Knees In, Calves Out when giving birth 💗 Birth position#viral #cutebaby #shortvideo

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Bringing your baby home for the first time can be emotional, exciting and a bit intimidating. Knowing what to expect and who will be there to support you can help.

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Explore options for an unmedicated labour, including TENS, water, and complementary therapies.

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Labour can be painful, so it can help to learn about the pain relief options available to you. The main methods fall into two categories: with medication and without medication. Your anaesthetist will guide you through your options to find the one that works best for you and your baby.

Pain relief methods with medication

Pain relief methods without medication

Compare different pain relief methods

Understanding your pain relief options can be daunting. To help in your decision making, use our comparison table to learn more about the different options available and how they vary from each other.
Pain relief comparisons

Other information related to labour pain relief

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Pain relief and anaesthesia choices during labour

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Labour can be painful, so it can help to learn about the pain relief options available to you. The main methods fall into two categories: with medication and without medication. Your anaesthetist will guide you through your options to find the one that works best for you and your baby.

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Birthing balls (or birth balls) can help you stay active, ease labour pain and reduce the pain of contractions.

They can also help you get into a more upright position, helping bring your baby’s head further down into the pelvis.

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How to use a birthing ball - Best Start in Life - NHS

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How to use a birth ball during labour and which positions you can adopt, including sitting, hugging and leaning.

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This short animation explains Personalised Care and Support Planning in maternity services, focusing on your individual needs, choices, and feeling listened to and supported.

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Personalised Care and Support Planning in Maternity Services

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Information on who and when to call- Available in 8 languages

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‘Your Basic Birth Rights’ factsheet and ‘Know Your Rights’ leaflet are available in 20 languages and can be downloaded, printed, shared, and accessed for free.

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Your basic birth rights - translated - Birthrights

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It’s really important that women and birthing people and those that care for them, understand basic birth rights in maternity care. It is vital that conversations that lead to decisions, start from a shared understanding of what an individual can or can’t choose to do and the obligations on maternity services to uphold human rights. ... Read more

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Pregnancy and birth involve choices. You should be given enough information to decide what’s right for you.

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A central and guiding principle of medical care is that you have the freedom to decide what happens to your own body. This right to autonomy means that a medical professional should seek your permission before undertaking any examination, investigation or providing any form of care or treatment. This is otherwise known as obtaining your […]

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You have the right to say 'yes' or 'no'. You have the right to make decisions about your body and your baby. Treatment cannot be given to you or your baby without your consent.

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Consent means saying yes Consent means saying yes. You have the right to make your own decisions about your body, just as you do at any other time. It is against the law to give you medical treatment unless you agree to it. It is also against the law for treatment to be given to ... Read more

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Maternity Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (MEDI)

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Maternity Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (MEDI)

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At Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust we are committed to tackling health inequalities and championing positive change to improve maternity outcomes for all families.

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Maternity Equality Diversity Inclusion - MEDI

For further information about MEDI, please e-mail dgn-tr.medi@nhs.net

At Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, we want to ensure that we provide personalised care for all service users. MEDI aims to reduce health inequalities experienced by families who are socio-economically disadvantaged, families from the Global majority, LGBTQ+, and Disabled groups using our maternity services. We pledge to tackle inequalities and champion positive change to improve outcomes.

Please accept our apologies, we are in the process of updating the content of this webpage.

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Maternity Equality Diversity Inclusion group (MEDI) :: Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust

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At Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, we want to ensure that we provide personalised care for all service users. MEDI aims to reduce health inequalities experienced by families who are socio-economically disadvantaged, families from the Global majority, LGBTQ+, and Disabled groups using our maternity services. We pledge to tackle inequalities and champion positive change to improve outcomes.

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A central hub for links to maternity information in different languages created by MEDI at Darent Valley Hospital

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Learn the difference between Braxton Hicks and contractions, how your body gets ready for birth, the signs of labour, and what happens if labour is induced.

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Learn the difference between Braxton Hicks and contractions, how your body gets ready for birth, the signs of labour, and what happens if labour is induced.

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A resource to help you think about, note down, and discuss your birth preferences.

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What to include in your birth plan - Best Start in Life - NHS

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Learn about what to consider when making a birth plan, including a checklist to think through your preferences and a birth plan template.

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When your waters break, it can be a sign that labour is starting - but labour may not begin straight away. Find out what it feels like and what you need to do next.

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If you’re having a vaginal birth, your labour will have 3 stages, from the first twinges to delivering the placenta.

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The latent stage of labour is when your labour starts. Find out how long it can last, and how to get through it as comfortably as you can.

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Active (established) labour and when to call the midwife

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Active (established) labour and when to call the midwife

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Established or active labour starts once your cervix opens (dilates) to at least 4cm and your contractions become stronger and more regular.

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Latent stage of labour

The latent stage of labour is where your cervix starts to soften and open (dilate) so your baby can be born.

You may begin to feel irregular contractions, but it can take many hours, or even days, before you're in established labour. It's usually the longest stage of labour.

At this stage, your contractions may range from being slightly uncomfortable to more painful. There's no set pattern to how many contractions you get or how long they last.

During the latent stage, it's a good idea to have something to eat and drink because you'll need energy for when labour is established.

If your labour starts at night, try to stay comfortable and relaxed. Sleep if you can.

If your labour starts during the day, stay upright and gently active. This helps your baby move down into your pelvis and helps your cervix to dilate.

Breathing exercises, massage and having a warm bath or shower may help ease pain during this early stage of labour.

Established labour (1st stage of labour)

Established labour is where your cervix has dilated to about 4cm and your contractions are stronger and more regular.

When to contact a midwife

Call your midwife or maternity unit for guidance if:

you think you're in labour

you're having regular contractions coming every 5 minutes or more often

you're worried about anything

Call your midwife or maternity unit urgently if:

your waters break

you have vaginal bleeding

your baby is moving less than usual

you're less than 37 weeks pregnant and think you might be in labour

any of your contractions last longer than 2 minutes

you're having 6 or more contractions every 10 minutes

You can call 111 if you're unable to contact your midwife or maternity unit.

Call 999 and ask for an ambulance if:

you think your baby is coming now and you have a strong urge to push

If you go into hospital before your labour has become established, they may suggest you go home again for a while.

Once labour is established, your midwife will check on you from time to time to see how you're progressing and offer you support, including pain relief if you need it.

You can either walk around or get into a position that feels comfortable to labour in.

Your midwife will offer you regular vaginal examinations to see how your labour is progressing. If you do not want to have these, you do not have to - your midwife can discuss with you why she's offering them.

Your cervix needs to open about 10cm for your baby to pass through it. This is what's called being fully dilated.

In a 1st pregnancy, the time from the start of established labour to being fully dilated is usually 8 to 18 hours. It's often quicker (around 5 to 12 hours), in a 2nd or 3rd pregnancy.

When you reach the end of the 1st stage of labour, you may feel an urge to push.

Monitoring your baby in labour

Your midwife will monitor you and your baby during labour to make sure you're both coping well.

This will include using a small handheld device to listen to your baby's heart every 15 minutes. You'll be free to move around as much as you want.

Your midwife may suggest electronic monitoring if there are any concerns about you or your baby, or if you choose to have an epidural.

Electronic monitoring involves strapping 2 pads to your bump. One pad is used to monitor your contractions and the other is used to monitor your baby's heartbeat. These pads are attached to a monitor that shows your baby's heartbeat and your contractions

Sometimes a heart monitor called a foetal scalp electrode can be attached to the baby's head instead. This can give a more accurate measurement of your baby's heartbeat.

You can ask to be monitored electronically even if there are no concerns. Having electronic monitoring can sometimes restrict how much you can move around. Your midwife can discuss this with you.

If you have electronic monitoring with pads on your bump because there are concerns about your baby's heartbeat, you can take the monitor off if your baby's heartbeat is shown to be normal.

A foetal scalp electrode will usually only be removed just as your baby is born, not before.

Speeding up labour

Labour can sometimes be slower than expected. This can happen if your contractions are not coming often enough, are not strong enough, or if your baby is in an awkward position.

If this is the case, your doctor or midwife may talk to you about 2 ways to speed up your labour: breaking your waters or an oxytocin drip.

Breaking your waters

Breaking the membrane that contains the fluid around your baby (your waters) is often enough to make contractions stronger and more regular. This is also known as artificial rupture of the membranes (ARM).

Your midwife or doctor can do this by making a small break in the membrane during a vaginal examination. This may make your contractions feel stronger and more painful, so your midwife will talk to you about pain relief.

Oxytocin drip

If breaking your waters does not work, your doctor or midwife may suggest using a medicine called oxytocin (also known as syntocinon) to make your contractions stronger. This is given through a drip that goes into a vein, usually in your wrist or arm.

Oxytocin can make your contractions stronger and more regular and can start to work quite quickly, so your midwife will talk to you about your options for pain relief.

You will also need electronic monitoring to check your baby is coping with the contractions, as well as regular vaginal examinations to check the drip is working.

2nd stage of labour

The 2nd stage of labour lasts from when your cervix is fully dilated until the birth of your baby.

Finding a position to give birth in

Your midwife will help you find a comfortable position to give birth in. You may want to sit, lie on your side, stand, kneel, or squat, although squatting may be difficult if you're not used to it.

If you've had lots of backache while in labour, kneeling on all fours may help. It's a good idea to try some of these positions before you go into labour. Talk to your birth partner so they know how they can help you.

Pushing your baby out

When your cervix is fully dilated, your baby will move further down the birth canal towards the entrance to your vagina. You may get an urge to push that feels a bit like you need to poo.

You can push during contractions whenever you feel the urge. You may not feel the urge to push immediately. If you have had an epidural, you may not feel an urge to push at all.

If you're having your 1st baby, this pushing stage should last no longer than 3 hours. If you've had a baby before, it should take no more than 2 hours.

This stage of labour is hard work, but your midwife will help and encourage you. Your birth partner can also support you.

What happens when your baby is born

When your baby's head is almost ready to come out, your midwife will ask you to stop pushing and take some short breaths, blowing them out through your mouth.

This is so your baby's head can be born slowly and gently, giving the skin and muscles in the area between your vagina and anus (the perineum) time to stretch.

Sometimes your midwife or doctor will suggest an episiotomy to avoid a tear or to speed up delivery. This is a small cut made in your perineum.

You'll be given a local anaesthetic injection to numb the area before the cut is made. Once your baby is born, an episiotomy, or any large tears, will be stitched closed.

Find out about your body after the birth, including how to deal with stitches.

Once your baby's head is born, most of the hard work is over. The rest of their body is usually born during the next 1 or 2 contractions.

You'll usually be able to hold your baby immediately and enjoy some skin-to-skin time together.

You can breastfeed your baby as soon as you like. Ideally, your baby will have their 1st feed within 1 hour of birth.

Read more about skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding in the first few days.

3rd stage of labour

The 3rd stage of labour happens after your baby is born, when your womb contracts and the placenta comes out through your vagina.

There are 2 ways to manage this stage of labour:

active - when you have treatment to make it happen faster

physiological - when you have no treatment and this stage happens naturally

Your midwife will explain both ways to you while you're still pregnant or during early labour, so you can decide which you would prefer.

There are some situations where physiological management is not advisable. Your midwife or doctor can explain if this is the case for you.

What is active management?

Your midwife will give you an injection of oxytocin into your thigh as you give birth, or soon after. This makes your womb contract.

Evidence suggests it's better not to cut the umbilical cord immediately, so your midwife will wait to do this between 1 and 5 minutes after birth. This may be done sooner if there are concerns about you or your baby - for example, if the cord is wound tightly around your baby's neck.

Once the placenta has come away from your womb, your midwife pulls the cord - which is attached to the placenta - and pulls the placenta out through your vagina. This usually happens within 30 minutes of your baby being born.

Active management speeds up the delivery of the placenta and lowers your risk of having heavy bleeding after the birth (postpartum haemorrhage), but it increases the chance of you feeling and being sick. It can also make afterpains (contraction-like pains after birth) worse.

Read more about preventing heavy bleeding after birth.

What is physiological management?

No oxytocin injection is given, and the 3rd stage of labour happens naturally.

The cord is not cut until it has stopped pulsing. This means blood is still passing from the placenta to your baby. This usually takes around 2 to 4 minutes.

Once the placenta has come away from your womb, you should feel some pressure in your bottom and you'll need to push the placenta out. It can take up to an hour for the placenta to come away, but it usually only takes a few minutes to push it out.

If the placenta does not come away naturally or you begin to bleed heavily, you'll be advised by your midwife or doctor to switch to active management. You can do this at any time during the 3rd stage of labour.

Read more about what happens straight after you give birth.

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Find out what happens during labour and birth, including the 3 stages of labour, contractions, dilation, birth positions and monitoring your baby.

# data[].attributes.body
As well as checking on you throughout labour, your midwife will check how your baby is doing. They will do this by monitoring your baby’s heart rate. This can help to check your baby’s health during labour and birth, and pick up any problems early on.

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Your midwife will check on how your baby is coping during your labour. There are different ways that you and your baby will be monitored.

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When your cervix is fully open (10cm dilated) you may have the urge to start bearing down or pushing

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Active labour and delivering your baby (second stage of labour) - Leeds Maternity

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Penny Simkin discusses the benefits of waiting for the cord to stop pulsating before cutting and clamping.

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You have 2 options for how to deliver the placenta after giving birth. Here, we explain what these are so you can decide what is best for you.

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Eating a healthy, nutritious diet is especially important during pregnancy, as your baby relies on you for the nutrients they need to grow and develop.

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Healthy eating in pregnancy - Best Start in Life - NHS

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Having a healthy diet is important in pregnancy, find out which foods to include in your pregnancy diet.

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Pain relief options for labour and birth

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Pain relief options for labour and birth

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Information for expectant parents on pain relief choices during labour with and without medication

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Labour Pains - Information on pain relief choices during labour

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Information for expectant parents and healthcare professionals on pain relief choices during labour

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A free exercise programme created by pelvic health physiotherapists, offering safe videos and resources during and after pregnancy - suitable for all levels and available in over 100 languages.

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Welcome to Sussex WEPP

A Wellbeing and Exercise in Pregnancy Programme

Supporting Maternal Health Through WEPP

WEPP was created by pelvic health physiotherapists to provide easy access to safe and effective exercise videos and useful resources during and after pregnancy. It is a free exercise programme with something for everybody, including complete beginners. All our resources can be translated into over 100 languages.

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Testimonials

"WEPP was an invaluable service for me during my pregnancy and the postnatal period. Having access to safe and effective exercise videos and resources throughout such a vulnerable time has given me so much confidence in recovering both my body and mind. I recommend the service to all people I know may benefit from it."

Rachel R

"I've had a great experience using the WEPP website. The exercise videos are easy to follow and helpful for building confidence with movement. The content is both professional and made with care. Overall, WEPP is a really positive, supportive resource that's well designed and simple to use."

Lily J

"WEPP is such an important resource during pregnancy and the post natal period. I'd have been lost without it. The information was so helpful and reassuring and the videos were accessible and empowering. It was great to know how I could look after myself and my body during pregnancy and once baby was here. Forever grateful for WEPP!"

Sarah W

Why Should I Exercise?

Exercise in pregnancy has a number of benefits for you and your baby including reduced risk of high blood pressure, reduced risk of gestational diabetes (diabetes caused by pregnancy) and reduced risk of low mood.

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Sussex WEPP | A Wellbeing and Exercise in Pregnancy Programme

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A Wellbeing and Exercise in Pregnancy Programme WEPP was created by pelvic health physiotherapists to provide easy access to safe and effective exercise videos and useful resources during and after pregnancy. It is a free exercise programme with something for everybody, including complete beginners. All our resources can be translated into over 100 languages.

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Whether you’re currently pregnant or have recently given birth, look after your body with this prenatal and postnatal exercise home workout video from the NHS Fitness Studio.

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This booklet provides exercises and advice to help women keep healthy and cope with the physical demands of pregnancy.

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This resource explains and provides advice about pelvic girdle pain (PGP) and other common conditions in pregnancy. The term PGP is used to describe
pain experienced in the front and back of your pelvis.

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Pregnancy Related Pelvic Girdle Pain and other common conditions in pregnancy

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This booklet is designed to support the information given in terms of stages of labour – what to expect and how to prepare. Alongside valuable perineal preparation with massage, pelvic floor exercise pre and post delivery.

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Spare 2 minutes of your time to learn more about how to do your pelvic floor exercises

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Perineal Health- How to reduce perineal tears in childbirth

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Perineal Health- How to reduce perineal tears in childbirth

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Information to help you reduce the risk of severe perineal trauma during childbirth

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Published: October 2019

Please note that this information will be reviewed every 3 years after publication.

This information is for you if you are pregnant and would like to know more about perineal tears during childbirth

It may also be helpful if you are a partner, friend or relative of someone who is in this situation.

Within this information, we may use the terms 'woman' and 'women'. However, it is not only people who identify as women who may want to access this information. Your care should be personalised, inclusive and sensitive to your needs, whatever your gender identity.

A glossary of medical terms is available at A-Z of medical terms.

Read, listen, or download versions of the poster.
Black and white printable version
You can find further information on the RCOG perineal tears hub.

Text version: Perineal tears during childbirth

What you need to know during pregnancy

After the birth of your baby a healthcare professional will offer you an examination to see if you have a tear. They will advise you if you need stitches. Most tears heal within 6 weeks with no long-term problems. For women who do have problems after a tear (such as pain, difficulty going to the toilet, incontinence or mental health problems) specialist help is available.

Approximately 6 out of 100 women giving birth for the first time and 2 out of 100 women who have given birth vaginally before will have a deeper tear involving the back passage/anal sphincter muscle (a 'third- or fourth-degree tear'). These deeper tears will need repair in an operating theatre. You will be supported by healthcare professionals including physiotherapists after your recovery from a third- or fourth-degree tear.
Image 1: Anatomy of the perineum without tears
Perineal massage and 'hands-on' birth

A kneeling or all-fours birthing position may be beneficial and reduce the severity of tearing.

You can ask your healthcare professional to support your perineum as your baby is being born, which reduces the risk of a third- or fourth-degree tear. This is called 'hands-on' birth.

From 35 weeks onwards, you may choose to try perineal massage until your baby is born, which has been shown to reduce the risk of tears. This is particularly beneficial for first-time mothers. You may wish to ask your partner to help with this.
Image 2: Example of perineal massage
Top tips

1. Use lubricant like vitamin E oil, almond oil or olive oil.

2. Hold one or both of your thumbs in the position shown for about one minute. You will begin to feel a stretching sensation. Keep breathing.

3. Gently massage the lower half of your vagina using a U-shaped movement for 2-3 minutes. Do this 2-3 times.

4. Repeat the massage daily, or when possible.

For more information about the types of tears that can happen in childbirth, and what can be done to help your recovery if you do tear, visit the RCOG perineal tears hub.

Sources and acknowledgements

This information has been developed by the OASI Care Bundle Project Team, OASI Care Bundle Clinical Champions and the RCOG Patient Information Committee.

It is based on the RCOG Green-top Guideline No. 29 The Management of Third- and Fourth-degree Perineal Tears, published in June 2015, and on expert opinion of the OASI Care Bundle Project Team, Clinical Champions, key stakeholders and the RCOG patient Information Committee, in line with RCOG due process. The guideline contains a full list of the sources of evidence we have used.

Before publication this information was reviewed by the public, by the RCOG Women's Network and by the RCOG Women's Voices Involvement Panel.

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Perineal tears during childbirth - patient information poster

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This information is for you if you are pregnant and would like to know more about perineal tears during childbirth. It may also be helpful if you are a partner, friend or relative of someone who is in this situation.

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Perineal Massage Animated Video- Available in multiple languages

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Perineal Massage Animated Video- Available in multiple languages

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This animation explains how women can reduce their risk of severe perineal trauma in childbirth.

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Reducing your risk of perineal tears | RCOG

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The following animation explains what an OASI is, the four components of the OASI Care Bundle and how women can reduce their risk of sustaining an OASI in childbirth.

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Click here to see what our trust can offer you to support your mental wellbeing in pregnancy.

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Pregnancy is often a very exciting and joyful time however, not every woman feels this way. Often women can have mixed, or even negative, feelings about being pregnant. Some find it more difficult to than others to cope with the changes and uncertainties which pregnancy brings. Physical, Social and financial stresses can affect how you feel in pregnancy e.g. morning sickness, the support you have at home and stressful events in your life.

Naturally there can be some worry when you are pregnant; it is common to worry about:

The changes in your role (becoming a mother, stopping work).

The changes in your relationships.

Whether you will be a good parent.

Fear that there will be problems with the pregnancy or the baby.

Physical health problems and pregnancy complications.

Fear of childbirth.

Lack of support and being alone.

As many as 1 in 5 women have mental health problems in pregnancy or after birth.1-3 It can happen to anyone and just like physical problems, the severity can vary. For some women, a mental health issues can develop for the first time during pregnancy.

Many women have already have had a mental illness before pregnancy, and this can raise the risk of becoming unwell, particularly after birth. Whether it is your first episode of a mental health problem or an enduring condition, we have a specialist team and partnership with mental health services to hopefully prevent this happening.

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Pregnancy is often a very exciting and joyful time however, not every woman feels this way. Often women can have mixed, or even negative, feelings about being pregnant. Some find it more difficult to than others to cope with the changes and uncertainties which pregnancy brings.

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Building a Relationship with Your Baby in Pregnancy

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Building a Relationship with Your Baby in Pregnancy

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First Steps Nutrition Trust provides evidence‑based information and resources on infant feeding from pre‑conception to age five.

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First Steps Nutrition Trust is an independent public health nutrition charity. We endeavour to fill practical and policy-relevant information gaps and provide resources for health workers supporting eating well from pre-conception to five years.

Our Mission

To influence policies which enable the safe, appropriate and optimal feeding of infants and young children in the UK, and to protect them from commercial interest.

To ensure that the importance of good nutrition from pre-conception to age five remains on everyone's agenda.

To provide conflict of interest-free information on infant milks marketed in the UK, and to promote better regulation and marketing of breastmilk substitutes.

To provide resources for health workers to support them in their work with pregnant women and young families.

Our Resources:

Are put together by nutrition experts and are regularly updated.

Can be used in Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative accredited settings.

Are available as free pdf downloads for use by anyone promoting better public health on a not-for profit basis.

Everyone who works at First Steps Nutrition Trust feels passionately about the need for better information and support for good nutrition - and good food - from pre-conception to five years.

First Steps Nutrition Trust is supported by generous individual donations and conflict of interest free grants. First Steps Nutrition Trust does not work with organisations or individuals that work with, or take funding from, the breastmilk substitute industry and we reserve the right not to sell them our subsidised resources.

First Steps works with and supports a number of organisations including Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative, the Baby Feeding Law Group, the Obesity Health Alliance, the Children's Food Campaign and the APPG on Infant Feeding and Inequalities.

First Steps Nutrition Trust host and regularly update their partner site infantmilkinfo.org which contains comprehensive information about infant milks (for 0-12 month olds) available on the UK market.

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First Steps Nutrition Trust is a charity which provides clear, evidence-based and independent information and support for good nutrition from pre-conception to five years of age.

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A pain‑relief comparison tool, including unmedicated options.

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A pain‑relief comparison tool, including unmedicated options.

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Pain relief in labour: How do the different options compare? See side by side comparisons of the medicated and non-medicated pain relief options available to you during childbirth.

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We use cookies, which are small text files, to improve your experience on our website. You can allow or reject non essential cookies or manage them individually.

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Designed for parents 28 weeks + in pregnancy. 4 week course, covering Labour and Birth, When Birth Takes a Different Path, Infant Feeding and Caring for Your New Baby. Presented over Microsoft Teams.

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We are sorry that we have had to suspend our Hypnobirthing classes. To support you during this time we have attached some resources that will help you to gain a knowledge and understanding of the role Hypnobirthing can play in your birth.

Hypnobirthing course material

In addition you may find the following links useful:

A preparation for birth course in which you will learn about the wonderful process of labour and how you can positively influence it by acquiring positive perceptions and learning to relax and to create a positive environment for birth.

Description:

We recommend you choose a start date around week 30 to 32 of pregnancy.

Runs for 4 consecutive Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays 7.00pm and 9.30pm

We also offer some weekend courses Sat and Sun 10.00am to 4.00pm (both days inclusive)

Cost £50 per person/couple

You must be booked to have your baby at Darent Valley Hospital in order to attend.
Dates: TBA

To avoid disappointment please book early.

Hypnobirthing is a complete antenatal programme focusing on a combination of childbirth education, self-hypnosis and deep relaxation techniques to help achieve a more comfortable birth. Hypnobirthing provides parents the tools they need to minimise the fear-tension-pain cycle, aiming for a more comfortable birth experience. Many women, midwives and doctors have seen that the use of Hypnobirthing techniques in the birthing process has a positive effect.

It is a method of self-help techniques that can continue to be employed when extra help is needed, enabling women to remain calm and in control and able to make informed choices in any type of birth. Women say that it helps them to cope better with labour and in particular to feel more in control of what is happening to them, which is known to be important (DOH 1993).

The deep relaxation and visualisation techniques taught in Hypnobirthing increase the production of endorphins and oxytocin, both of which are known to have beneficial effects in labour and birth. The aim of Hypnobirthing is for parents to achieve a calm, gentle birth. At Darent Valley Hospital we have developed a comprehensive Hypnobirthing course based on the Hypnobirth Midwives UK method.
Our course is unique in offering information on:

Understanding the process of labour and working with the body.

How to break the fear/tension/pain cycle.

Top tips for birth partners; the named birth partner will be trained to support the techniques.

How to achieve an active birth.

Practice positions and massage for labour.

Breathing and visualisation techniques for labour.

How the environment influences labour.

Hormones and their effect on birth.

Planned learning outcomes

Techniques of deep relaxation to help you eliminate the Fear-Tension-Pain cycle.

To explode the myth that pain is a necessary accompaniment to labour.

How your body is naturally designed to conceive, nurture and birth your baby with ease and comfort.

To use your natural birthing instincts to birth your baby in a way that most mirrors the way that nature intended.

How you and your birthing companion can create a birthing environment that is calm and joyful.

The course is facilitated by midwives and support staff, who are also trained Hypnobirthing practitioners. Therefore we feel you will receive a high standard service delivered by professionals skilled in both areas.

During your course you will be asked to practice and train in the techniques at home to gain the maximum benefit during labour. You can attend with your birth partner.

The Hypnobirthing course is £50, to cover the materials and resources. This includes:

10 hours of hypnobirthing teaching time

The Hypnobirthing workbook

Light Refreshments

Please can you spare a few minutes to share your feedback on our hypnobirthing courses. You can do this by clicking on this link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SKHR52D.

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We are sorry that we have had to suspend our Hypnobirthing classes. To support you during this time we have attached some resources that will help you to gain a knowledge and understanding of the role Hypnobirthing can play in your birth.

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For Dads and other non-gestational parents/any parent who did not physically give birth to the child

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For Dads and other non-gestational parents/any parent who did not physically give birth to the child

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A tool to help you describe what you are going through and the support you would like to receive

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To provide a safe space for dads to talk, listen and share their experiences of fatherhood across the country.

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DadSpace | Supporting Mens Mental Health

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DadSpace facilitates Brotherly Support Between Fathers by providing opportunities to talk, listen and share personal experiences of fatherhood.

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Becoming a dad is one of life's most profound and transformative experiences. It's a journey filled with joy, anticipation, and a healthy dose of uncertainty.

However, thanks to MANtenatal's comprehensive online courses, dads-to-be can embark on this journey feeling empowered and prepared every step of the way.

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Becoming a dad is one of life's most profound and transformative experiences. It's a journey filled with joy, anticipation, and a healthy dose of uncertainty. However, thanks to MANtenatal's comprehensive online courses, dads-to-be can embark on this journey feeling empowered and prepared every step of the way.

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North Kent Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP)

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North Kent Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP)

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The MNVP works together to contribute to the development and improvement of local maternity and neonatal care. Share your views here to ensure your voice is at the heart of our services. All feedback is anonymous to the trust.

North Kent Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership - MNVP | Facebook

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*This video is a little outdated- we are currently working on a new one*
Information that has changed:
-A & E is no longer used as an entrance to maternity after 9pm, please use the Empress entrance instead.
- You can no longer pay for a private room.
- The visiting policy may differ, please see our website/ facebook page for up-to-date information.
- Aspen is now a postnatal ward for straight forward and complicated births.
- The Birth Centre is within Aspen ward and we now have plumbed in pools (see our Birth centre video).

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Virtual Tour of Maternity Services at Darent Valley Hospital

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The 9 stages your baby will go through once born, as they work out how to feed

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Please complete this quick, anonymous survey so we can continue to improve our services for you.

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Maternity Feedback :: Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust

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1.	Please choose the area you are providing feedback for. SELECT ONE OPTION FROM THE FOLLOWING: Required

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DVH- New Baby- Advice for New Parents Booklet

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DVH- New Baby- Advice for New Parents Booklet

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A resource to support you after your discharge home, including who to contact for help or advice.

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New Baby - Advice for New Parents Amended April 2026

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How to hold and handle your newborn: in pictures

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How to hold and handle your newborn: in pictures

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Suitable for 0-3 months

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How to hold and handle your newborn: in pictures

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This parenting guide in pictures shows you how to hold a baby or newborn. It includes tips for picking up, handling and cradling your baby.

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In the UK, babies are offered vitamin K soon after they are born. Read more here to understand the benefits.

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Learn about what vitamin K is, why it’s given to babies, and how to notice the signs of low vitamin K.

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When babies cry it can be stressful and overwhelming. Help is out there and all you need to do is ask.

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Choices of where to have your baby (1st baby)

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Choices of where to have your baby (1st baby)

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Choices of where to have your baby (had a baby before)

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Choices of where to have your baby (had a baby before)

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A central hub of information to support women and families affected by the rising cost of living and deprivation.

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It's important to understand your birth options if you're expecting more than 1 baby.
Twins and triplets are more likely to be born early and need special care after birth than single babies.

Your birth choices with twins

It's a good idea to discuss your birth options with your midwife or consultant early on in your pregnancy.

You'll normally be advised to give birth in a hospital, as there's a higher chance of complications with twins.

There are usually more health professionals at a multiple birth - for example, there may be 2 midwives, an obstetrician and 2 paediatricians (1 for each baby).

For more information on who's who, read about the antenatal team.

The process of labour is more or less the same as for 1 baby, but your maternity team will usually advise you to have your babies electronically monitored because of the higher risk of complications.

This means attaching belts with sensors (1 for each twin) to your bump. You'll still be able to move around into different positions.

Once your waters have broken, your midwife may ask your permission to attach a clip attached to a wire to the first baby's head to get a more accurate measure of their heartbeat.

You'll be offered a drip in case it's needed later - for example, to restart contractions after your first baby is born.

Triplets or more babies are almost always delivered by a planned caesarean section.

Can you have a natural birth with twins?

Lots of women think they have to have a caesarean section with twins, but in fact, many twin births are vaginal

If you're planning a vaginal delivery, it's usually recommended that you have an epidural for pain relief, but you can discuss this with your midwife.

If there are any problems, it's easier for your antenatal team to deliver your babies quickly if you have already got an epidural in place.
Find out more about the signs and stages of labour
You're more likely to have a vaginal birth if the first twin is in a head-down position.

But there may be medical reasons why a vaginal birth is not recommended.

If you have had a caesarean section before, for example, it's not usually recommended that you have a vaginal birth with twins.

As with any vaginal birth, you may need an assisted birth. This is where forceps or vacuum delivery are used to help deliver your babies.

Once the first baby is born, your midwife or doctor can check the position of the second baby by feeling your tummy and doing a vaginal examination. They may also use an ultrasound scan.

If the second baby is in a good position, it should be born soon after the first, as your cervix is already fully dilated.

If your contractions stop after the first baby is born, the doctor or midwife may discuss giving you hormones via a drip to restart them.

Caesarean section and twins

In the UK, more than half of twins and almost all triplets are delivered by caesarean section is a common method used during twin and triplet births.

You may choose to have a planned caesarean, or your doctor may recommend a caesarean, if:

the first baby is lying feet, knees or buttocks first (breech)

1 twin is lying sideways (transverse)

you have a low-lying placenta

your twins share a placenta

you have had a difficult delivery with a single baby before

As with any pregnancy, if you plan a vaginal birth, you may still end up needing an emergency caesarean.

In a small number of cases, some women deliver 1 twin vaginally and then need a caesarean section to deliver the second twin.

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What to expect when your twins or triplets are born, including your birth choices and what happens if your babies are premature.

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Penny Simkin - Pain Versus Suffering in Labor

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Some people feel anxious or scared about giving birth. This is normal but, if you are struggling, there are some things you can try that might help.

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Home Birth under the care of Darent Valley Hospital

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Holding Your Baby for Breastfeeding Video

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Holding Your Baby for Breastfeeding Video

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HOLDING YOUR BABY FOR BREASTFEEDING 10 11 20 V4

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A research team at Cardiff University have been studying birth in water and put this information together to let you know about labour and birth in water, and what evidence this new study has added.

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How to Tell if Your Baby is Feeding Well Video

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How to Tell if Your Baby is Feeding Well Video

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Follow us to keep up to date with the latest changes to covid restrictions/ visiting policies and much more

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Caring for women and families in North Kent during pregnancy and birth. For pregnancy concerns ring... Darenth Wood Road, DA2 8DA Dartford

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Baby Check App

Baby Check features 19 simple checks that parents can do if their baby is showing signs of illness. Each check tests for a different symptom and when completed, a score is calculated that tells parents or carers how ill their baby is. The app then lets parents know whether their baby needs to see a doctor or health professional.

Download for FREE from Google Play or the App Store.

Buy posters, business cards and other materials to help promote Baby Check to your clients and patients

Shop

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The Baby Check App helps parents decide if their baby needs to see a doctor or health professional

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This link takes you to a Padlet that has videos and resources to help you through feeding challenges Tools for breastfeeding challenges (padlet.com)

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Read here to learn more about expressing your breastmilk as well as safe storage and preparation of breastmilk

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Expressing milk means squeezing milk out of your breast so you can store it and feed it to your baby later.

You might want to express milk if:

How to express breast milk

You can express milk by hand or with a breast pump. How often you express your milk, and how much you express, will depend on why you're doing it.

Sometimes it takes a little while for your milk to start flowing. Try to choose a time when you feel relaxed. Having your baby (or a photo of them) nearby may help your milk to flow.

You may find it easier to express if you cover your breasts with a warm towel first, or after you have a shower or bath.

Expressing breast milk by hand

Some find it easier to express milk by hand, especially in the first few days or weeks. It also means you can express without needing a pump, or an electricity supply.

Hand expressing allows you to encourage milk to flow from a particular part of the breast. This may be useful, for example, if one of the milk ducts in your breast becomes blocked.

Hold a sterilised feeding bottle or container below your breast to catch the milk as it flows.

These tips may help:

Before you start, wash your hands with soap and warm water.

Have something clean ready to collect the milk in.

Some find gently massaging their breasts before expressing helps their milk to let down.

Cup your breast with one hand then, with your other hand, form a "C" shape with your forefinger and thumb.

Squeeze gently, keeping your finger and thumb a few centimetres away from your nipple, just outside the darker area around it (areola). Do not squeeze the nipple itself as you could make it sore. This should not hurt.

Release the pressure, then repeat, building up a rhythm. Try not to slide your fingers over the skin.

Drops should start to appear, and then your milk usually starts to flow.

If no drops appear, try moving your finger and thumb slightly, but still avoid squeezing the darker area near your nipple.

When the flow slows down, move your fingers round to a different section of your breast, and repeat.

When the flow from one breast has slowed, swap to the other breast. Keep changing breasts until your milk drips very slowly or stops altogether.

Watch a video about expressing milk by hand on the UNICEF website

Expressing milk with a breast pump

There are 2 different types of breast pump: manual (hand-operated) and electric.

Manual pumps are cheaper but may not be as quick as an electric pump.

You may be able to hire an electric pump. Your midwife, health visitor or a local breastfeeding supporter can give you details of pump hire services near you.

The suction strength can be altered on some electric pumps. Build up slowly. Setting the strength to high straight away may be painful or damage your nipple.

You may also be able to get different funnel (the part that goes over your nipple) sizes to fit your nipples. The pump should never cause bruising or catch your nipple as it's sucked into the funnel.

Always make sure that the pump and container are clean and sterilised before you use them.

Find out how to sterilise baby bottles

Storing breast milk

You can store breast milk in a sterilised container or in special breast milk storage bags:

in the fridge for up to 8 days at 4C or lower (you can buy fridge thermometers online) - if you're not sure of the temperature of your fridge, or it is higher than 4C, use it within 3 days

for 2 weeks in the ice compartment of a fridge

for up to 6 months in a freezer, if it's -18C or lower

Breast milk that's been cooled in the fridge can be carried in a cool bag with ice packs for up to 24 hours.

Storing breast milk in small quantities will help avoid waste. If you're freezing it, make sure you label and date it first.

Defrosting frozen breast milk

It's best to defrost frozen breast milk slowly in the fridge before giving it to your baby. If you need to use it straight away, you can defrost it by putting it in a jug of warm water or holding it under running warm water.

Once it's defrosted, give it a gentle shake if it has separated. Use it straight away. Do not re-freeze milk that's been defrosted.

Once your baby has drunk from a bottle of breast milk it should be used within 1 hour and anything left over should be thrown away.

Warming breast milk

You can feed expressed milk straight from the fridge if your baby is happy to drink it cold. Or you can warm the milk to body temperature by putting the bottle in a jug of warm water or holding it under running warm water.

Do not use a microwave to heat up or defrost breast milk. This can cause hot spots, which can burn your baby's mouth.

Storing breast milk if your baby is in hospital

If you're expressing breast milk because your baby is premature or sick, ask the hospital staff caring for your baby for advice on how to store it.

Read more about breastfeeding a premature or sick baby

If you're having difficulty expressing breast milk

If you're finding it difficult or uncomfortable to express your breast milk:

Ask your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding supporter for help. They can also tell you about other breastfeeding support available near you.

Search online for breastfeeding support in your area.

Call the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212 (9.30am to 9.30pm daily).

The Bliss website also has advice about expressing milk for a premature or sick baby

Community content from HealthUnlocked

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Everything you need to know about expressing and storing your breast milk, including tips on hand expressing and electric breast pumps, and how to freeze, defrost and warm breast milk.

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Beside You- Breastfeeding Support in Kent and Medway

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Beside You- Breastfeeding Support in Kent and Medway

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Breastfeeding shouldn't leave you feeling sore. In the early days, you might feel a bit of discomfort while you and your baby are learning to breastfeed but this should go away.

A latch that isn't quite right can cause a lot of pain. With the right support with positioning and attaching from a local drop-in or health professional, you should find feeding much more comfortable. Find out more at about why breastfeeding might be hurting on our why I'm finding it painful page.

You're welcome to go along to a local breastfeeding drop-in for a chat if you do have any questions.

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The #BesideYou campaign supports breastfeeding families in Kent and Medway.

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We aim to help dads have successful relationships with their families, and to support dads with anxiety, stress and mental health issues.

We hope to get dads engaged with services that have traditionally been targeted at mums, and to train & support volunteer dads to work with us.

We work directly with services that support Dads, families and especially babies to increase engagement and knowledge across the sector.

We want to make sure dads know how important they are, how to access support when they need it and why it's essential for baby's development.

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VOLUNTEER WITH US EVENTS REGISTRATION FIND SUPPORT IN YOUR AREA DONATE HERE We aim to help dads have successful relationships with their families, and to support dads with anxiety, stress and mental health issues. We hope to get dads engaged with services that have traditionally been targeted at mums,

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Twins Trust - We support twins, triplets and more...

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Supporting you through every milestone of your journey with twins, triplets or more. From being pregnant with twins, triplets or quads through to parenting twins, triplets or quads, we are here for you.

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This video by Dr. Amy Brown, explains why babies feed frequently and why this is normal and healthy

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School of Health & Social Care, Swansea University

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Information about your pelvic floor and how to do pelvic exercises.

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Your pelvic floor will not be very strong initially after childbirth.

You may also feel that you have difficulties working with your pelvic floor and that you have little sensation.

This usually improves with time, but the more you are able to work your pelvic floor, the quicker the recovery will be.

You may find that you have trouble controlling your bladder and if you have this problem, you may need to see a physiotherapist to help you strengthen your pelvic floor.

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Your pelvic floor will not be very strong initially after childbirth. You may also feel that you have difficulties working with your pelvic floor and that you have little sensation. This usually improves with time, but the more you are able to work your pelvic floor, the quicker the recovery will be.

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Here at Darent Valley hospital, we can offer a debriefing service whereby skilled midwives can discuss your birth experience and any planned future pregnancies and birth

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Some birthing experiences may leave women feeling traumatized, distressed or anxious. The actual birth experience may have been very different from the experience that was expected, which can be very difficult to deal with. These feelings and experiences can predispose to postnatal depression and which may lead onto post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Here at Darent Valley hospital, we can offer a debriefing service whereby skilled midwives can discuss your birth experience and any planned future pregnancies and birth.

Discuss their birthing experience, and their feelings around this.

To understand what happened to them and why in order to receive validation and resolve self-blame

Have the opportunity to express any negative feelings such as anger, frustration, or pain.

Discuss any positive aspects of their experience and also discuss implications for future pregnancy and birth.

Please also read the Patient Information Leaflet available HERE.

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Online Self-Referral Form for Birth Experience Debrief

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Some birthing experiences may leave women feeling traumatized, distressed or anxious. The actual birth experience may have been very different from the experience that was expected, which can be very difficult to deal with. These feelings and experiences can predispose to postnatal depression and which may lead onto post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

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What is a Rectus Abdominis Diastasis [Dec 2022]

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Click here to follow our Birth Centre on Instagram

Darent Valley Birth Centre (@darentvalleybirthcentre)

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Feeding Twins - Information from The Twins Trust (Formerly TAMBA)

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Feeding Twins - Information from The Twins Trust (Formerly TAMBA)

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Many mothers of twins or more breastfeed their babies successfully and we're here to support you.

Multiples are more likely to be born early and we know that very small or premature babies can find it difficult to breastfeed at the beginning. If you are unable to feed your babies straight away it doesn't mean that you won't be able to breastfeed.

Spending time with your babies, giving them skin-to-skin time with you or your partner and expressing breastmilk regularly, can all help babies to get going with breastfeeding. Talk to the hospital staff and your midwife about how they can support you to feed your babies in the way you want to.

To help you prepare for breastfeeding Twins Trust suggest that you:

Personal stories

Our work with peer-to-peer breastfeeding supporters has been made possible thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund.

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Many mothers breastfeed their twins, triplets or more. Twins Trust is here to support you with whichever feeding choice is best for your family.