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NCT Ayrshire & Arran Peer Support offers friendly, non-judgmental, free, infant feeding support, for parents during pregnancy through to the early stages of parenthood, run by parents who understand the challenges it can bring.

We work in partnership with NHS Ayrshire and Arran and the health and social care partnerships to provide infant feeding peer support across Ayrshire and Arran.

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Helping you find local feeding support in Ayrshire and Arran

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "Thank you for sharing your beautiful and empowering birth story of Ayla Eve  #homebirthstory it's wonderful to see how #continuityofcare can have such a positive impact on your birth experience #oxytocin #fullmoonbaby #birthstory"

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103 likes, 4 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on December 28, 2025: "Thank you for sharing your beautiful and empowering birth story of Ayla Eve  #homebirthstory it's wonderful to see how #continuityofcare can have such a positive impact on your birth experience #oxytocin #fullmoonbaby #birthstory". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "One picture can paint a thousand words and how true is that for this beautiful post homebirth photo. So much emotion and power in this picture. Thank you @tracymccubbin for sharing your birth story and photos and especially for first time parents. #oxytocin #proud #homebith #family #babyboy continuityofcare"

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126 likes, 19 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on January 2, 2026: "One picture can paint a thousand words and how true is that for this beautiful post homebirth photo. So much emotion and power in this picture. Thank you @tracymccubbin for sharing your birth story and photos and especially for first time parents. #oxytocin #proud #homebith #family #babyboy continuityofcare". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "Thank you so much Naomi for sharing this story and the most incredible photo of you and Aoife just moments after delivery. I wonder what midwifery in the UK would look like if everyone had person centred care, choice, advocacy and love? #waterbirth #babygirl #continuityofcare #homebirth #bestjobever"

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73 likes, 12 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on January 17, 2026: "Thank you so much Naomi for sharing this story and the most incredible photo of you and Aoife just moments after delivery. I wonder what midwifery in the UK would look like if everyone had person centred care, choice, advocacy and love? #waterbirth #babygirl #continuityofcare #homebirth #bestjobever". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "Thank you so much Kerry for sharing your birth story with us! 
What joyful oxytocin filled pictures 🥰

#homebirth #waterbaby #oxytocin #birthstory #birth"

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77 likes, 7 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on January 22, 2026: "Thank you so much Kerry for sharing your birth story with us! 
What joyful oxytocin filled pictures 🥰

#homebirth #waterbaby #oxytocin #birthstory #birth". 

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Modern birth practices are stifling women's autonomy, minimising the birth experience and endorsing the medicalisation of birth. The Great Birth Rebellion dismantles western beliefs and management of birth and presents an evidence-based alternative to modern birth practices. We believe that...

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Within the first few hours after birth, most healthy newborns will instinctively move to their mother's breast and attach on their own. This video shows early breastfeeding initiation through the journeys of 3 newborns and ways to ensure the success of this vital practice for any new mother and baby.

Join the Conversation

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Breastfeeding in the First Hours - Video - Global Health Media Project

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Within the first few hours after birth, most healthy newborns will instinctively move to their mother's breast and attach on their own. This video shows early

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Good attachment will help a baby get more milk and make breastfeeding more comfortable. This video shows why good attachment is so important to breastfeeding success and what a mother can do to deeply attach her baby to her breast.

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Attaching Your Baby at the Breast - Video - Global Health Media Project

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Good attachment will help a baby get more milk and make breastfeeding more comfortable. This video shows why good attachment is so important to breastfeeding

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Is home birth safe?

According to the most recent and up-to-date research evidence, yes. On this page, I'll share some of that with you. I also link to a number of articles and blog posts that I've written about this.

In 2019, a large systematic review and meta-analysis was published in The Lancet. It looked at 14 studies including data from around 500,000 intended home births. The authors found that, "The risk of perinatal or neonatal mortality was not different when birth was intended at home or in hospital." (Hutton et al 2019).

This is just one of many studies that show the same thing. The Hutton et al (2019) study was remarkable because of its size. But, as the studies on this page show, it's not a unique finding.

More on safety

If you're the kind of person that likes the detail, here are the results of the Hutton et al (2019) study:

"Among nulliparous women intending a home birth in settings where midwives attending home birth are well-integrated in health services, the odds ratio (OR) of perinatal or neonatal mortality compared to those intending hospital birth was 1.07 (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 0.70 to 1.65); and in less integrated settings 3.17 (95% CI, 0.73 to 13.76). Among multiparous women intending a home birth in well-integrated settings, the estimated OR compared to those intending a hospital birth was 1.08 (95% CI, 0.84 to 1.38); and in less integrated settings was 1.58 (95% CI, 0.50 to 5.03)." (Hutton et al 2019).

Hutton et al (2019). Perinatal or neonatal mortality among women who intend at the onset of labour to give birth at home compared to women of low obstetrical risk who intend to give birth in hospital: A systematic review and meta-analyses. doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2019.07.005

This paper has also been discussed by Henci Goer and you can read her analysis here.

More evidence

The findings of Hutton et al (2019) also confirmed those of the meta-analysis conducted by Scarf et al (2018). And both of these reviews are simply the latest in a long series of studies confirming home birth safety.

Here's how I summarised the Scarf et al (2018) review:

"A systematic review and meta-analysis has further confirmed the safety of home birth for healthy women, even if they are having their first baby. After comparing data from births planned at home birth, in birth centres and in hospital, researchers found that high-quality studies found no statistically significant difference in infant mortality between the different settings, although women giving birth at home or in birth centres were more likely to have a normal vaginal birth. In fact, women planning home births were nearly three times more likely to have a normal (that is, non-instrumental) vaginal birth than women planning a hospital birth."

The Scarf et al (2018) review was an important one because, as the authors explain in the background to their paper, there have been many debates on this area and there exist methodological challenges which have to be taken into account. Some of the so-called evidence that is cited on this topic is not of good quality. The review authors include some world experts on this topic, and in order to produce high-quality research they "reviewed original research from high-income countries (World Bank, 2016) using a birthplace-specific quality appraisal instrument (Vedam et al 2017a), and undertook meta-analysis of outcome data where possible." (Scarf et al 2018).

In their summary of the findings and conclusions, the researchers noted that, "Meta-analysis indicated that women planning hospital births had statistically significantly lower odds of normal vaginal birth than in other planned settings. Women experienced severe perineal trauma or haemorrhage at a lower rate in planned home births than in obstetric units. There were no statistically significant differences in infant mortality by planned place of birth, although most studies had limited statistical power to detect differences for rare outcomes. Differences in location, context, quality and design of identified studies render results subject to variation. High-quality evidence about low-risk pregnancies indicates that place of birth had no statistically significant impact on infant mortality. The lower odds of maternal morbidity and obstetric intervention support the expansion of birth centre and home birth options for women with low-risk pregnancies." (Scarf et al 2018).

Turning it around: the harms of hospital

"A 2023 summary of the best available research published in the internationally recognized Cochrane Library shows that planned hospital births can do more harm than good. This applies if the pregnant woman is healthy, expects an uncomplicated birth, and the birth takes place in a well-organized health care system." ( Olsen and Clausen 2023).

The summary was written by senior researcher Ole Olsen, Research Unit for General Practice, in collaboration with midwife and PhD Jette Aaroe Clausen.

It highlights that, while there is a lack of evidence from randomised controlled trials, "Evidence from observational studies suggests that planned hospital birth does not reduce mortality but may lead to more interventions, more complications, and more neonatal problems." ( Olsen & Clausen 2023).

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised concern that the increasing medicalisation of childbirth tends to undermine women's own capability to give birth and negatively impacts their childbirth experience. (Olsen & Clausen 2023).

Olsen O & Clausen JA (2023). Planned hospital birth compared with planned home birth for pregnant women at low risk of complications. doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD000352.pub3

Read the researchers' summary at https://publichealth.ku.dk/news/hospital-births-can-do-more-harm-than-good/

Read the Cochrane review which highlights the lack of RCT evidence and the need for a different approach at https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000352.pub3/full

Other benefits of homebirth

Studies also confirm other benefits of homebirth. For example, a study which looked at the experiences of more than 28,000 women in the UK and Ireland showed a significant association between home birth and breastfeeding (Quigley et al 2016).

And, when researchers asked fathers about their experiences of homebirth, they described it as magical.

A study in Ireland which collated the experiences of 141 participants who birthed both in hospital and at home between 2011 and 2021 found that, "Participants' overall experience scores were significantly higher for homebirth (9.7/10) than hospital birth (5.5/10)." "Homebirth was perceived far more positively than hospital birth experiences across all aspects of care surveyed." The authors concluded that, "This study provides evidence regarding the need for genuine choices for maternity care and reveals the importance of care which is respectful and responsive to divergent ideologies about birth." ( Gregory et al 2023).

Home birth and risk

Home birth isn't just for those who manage to stay in the 'low risk' box either!

Research shows that home birth is also safer for women who are labelled as 'high risk'. (Let's acknowledge that this labelling is often inaccurate, unhelpful and offensive though.)

Here's more evidence from The Netherlands and Australia.

We also have papers from the US. and New Zealand.

The research keeps coming

Many individual studies from around the world have evidenced the safety of homebirth, as well as the reviews. Here are a few of the most recent:

Finland

In Finland, researchers were concerned that, "compared to in-hospital births, the long-term outcome of children born out-of-hospital, planned or unplanned, is poorly studied."

Researchers often use hospital birth as the standard by which the safety of home birth is measured. This is curious, because hospital birth is a relatively new intervention and it was introduced without evidence of safety compared to home birth. But that's another post.

So they looked at the outcomes of 790,136 children born in Finland between 1996 and 2013. These included planned and unplanned out-of-hospital births. Usually, it's better to separate the two as there can be quite a difference in outcomes.

The fact that planned AND unplanned out-of-hospital births were included make the results even more interesting.

They actually found that, although on the whole there is no difference in children's health at the age of seven, "morbidity (illness) related to asthma or allergic diseases and infections by seven years of age appeared to be lower in children born out-of-hospital."

The paper is by Ovaskainen et al (2021) and it is freely available online.

Spain

In 2021, researchers published a descriptive study of planned homebirth in Catalonia (Spain).
"In Spain, official records show that 0.63% of births take place at home, but these records do not state the proportion of planned and unplanned home births. For this reason, official records do not enable the analysis of maternal and neonatal outcomes according to the place of birth; thus, the rate of adverse advents with respect to planned place of birth remains to be determined." "Catalonia is the region with the largest number of home births, and thanks to the data collected by CAHBM midwives, we know that most home births in Catalonia were planned." "The rates of maternal and neonatal morbidity show a high degree of safety during birthing and reflect the work of independent midwives in Catalonia. The variety of positions during the birth and the low percentages of high-grade perineal tears and episiotomies, as well as the high percentage of women who used water during birth and of babies who started feeding within an hour of birth, demonstrate that the care provided by the midwives in these planned home births in Catalonia is based on the scientific evidence and on a respect for physiology."
The full study can be read at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0266613821000565

Norway

In 2020, a Norwegian study by Skrondal et al (2020) which is freely available here provided more evidence of homebirth safety.

"Planned home birth may be experienced as a very positive occurrence for nulliparous women, and the care those women in this study received contained several elements that can help to promote normal labour and birth at a time in which reducing interventions in maternity care is of importance. Their positive birth experiences gave the women confidence both in their transition to motherhood as well as in other aspects of life." (Skrondal et al 2020).

The Netherlands

One older but important study is de Jonge et al's (2013) study, Severe adverse maternal outcomes among low risk women with planned home versus hospital births in the Netherlands: nationwide cohort study.

The authors of this research looked at the experiences of 146,752 low-risk women, of whom 92,333 (62.9%) had a planned home birth and 54,419 (37.1%) had a planned hospital birth. Upon analysing the outcomes, they discovered that, although the absolute risks were small in both groups, low risk women who planned home birth had lower rates of severe acute maternal morbidity, postpartum haemorrhage, and manual removal of placenta than those with planned hospital birth. These differences were statistically significant for women who had had given birth before.

The take-home message, although worded in the negative as is often the case with such studies, is that: There was no evidence that planned home birth among low risk women leads to an increased risk of severe adverse maternal outcomes in a maternity care system with well trained midwives and a good referral and transportation system (de Jonge et al 2013).

Australia

Another useful study is Publicly funded homebirth in Australia: a review of maternal and neonatal outcomes over 6 years.

This comprises the first national evaluation of 97% of the women who chose publicly funded homebirth between 2005 and 2010. While 97% is a significant proportion of the available sample, however, the rarity of poor outcomes means that the sample size isn't big enough to be conclusive about safety. What the evaluation shows is that 84% of the women who planned to give birth at home actually did so, and 90% of the women (which will include a few of those who transferred to hospital) had a normal vaginal birth.

Other positive outcomes included that intervention rates among these women were low. Women choosing homebirth had low rates of postpartum haemorrhage (which is particularly significant given that around three quarters of the women had physiological placental births) and third degree perineal tears and stillbirth and early neonatal death rates were also low. In other good news, 69% of the women were breastfeeding at 6 weeks postpartum. Transfer rates were high though and, although this is consistent with some other studies, it warrants further exploration.

In a related editorial, Professor Marc Kierse addresses those who may question the need for publicly funded homebirth programs, especially as only around half a per cent of Australian women currently choose homebirth, noting that, " It is a woman's prerogative and her fundamental human right to determine her reproductive behaviour, and this includes how and where to give birth. " (Kierse 2013: 575).

Women's experiences of planning home birth

I have had the privilege of working with Nadine Edwards for many years now, and Nadine's PhD research turned into a book: Birthing Autonomy: Women's Experiences of Planning Home Births: Women's Experiences of Home Births.

Nadine undertook research in which she talked to thirty Scottish women about their experiences of planning a home birth and her book explores the themes that arose within these woman's stories alongside some of the key issues, debates and tensions that exist in relation to modern maternity care.

I am especially fond of citing her work on how the women she talked to perceived notions such as risk and safety, which explores these concepts into a very different light from the way they are viewed by many birth attendants in the modern culture of the maternity services.

In fact, I wish that everybody involved in maternity care was made to read this book before they were allowed to practice, because in its entirety it provides one of the most compelling arguments for listening to women and ensuring that their care is woman-centred that I have ever read.

*****

In 2023, a systematic review of women's experiences of planning home birth in consultation with maternity care providers in middle to high-income countries (Gillen et al 2023) also highlighted a number of key issues in this area, including that:

All women need accessible evidence-based information about planned home birth;

Women need to feel supported in their plans for home birth;

Women value the care of midwives when planning home birth;

Fully resourced home birth services should be a prioritised service. (Gillen et al 2023)

This is an important topic. We know that there is a significant discrepancy between what women want/are asking for, and the services they are told they can access.

This is particularly the case when it comes to midwifery care, out-of-hospital settings, and interventions that are low-tech, physiology-focused, and requested by the women themselves, such as water immersion.

We know that some women's desire to birth at home is rooted in previous poor experiences, and these researchers also found that, "Women's prior traumatic experience of hospital birth and a preference for physiological birth motivated their assertive decision to have a planned home birth despite criticisms and stigmatisation from their social circle and some maternity care providers."

The study also showed that, "Midwives' competence and support enhanced women's confidence and positive experiences of planning a home birth."

What about freebirth?

Several studies also look at how, when home birth isn't made available by the maternity services, some women will decide to freebirth instead. This highlights how important it is that homebirth is offered. It's important to know that the studies cited on this page showing that homebirth is safe are looking at planned home births attended by midwives.

But I know that people are also interested in freebirth, so here are some recent papers.

An Australian study is beautifully described by its title. Birthing outside the system: the motivation behind the choice to freebirth or have a homebirth with risk factors in Australia (Jackson et al 2020, also freely available).

"The core category was 'wanting the best and safest,' which describes what motivated the women to birth outside the system. The basic social process, which explains the journey women took as they pursued the best and safest, was 'finding a better way'. Women who gave birth outside the system in Australia had the countercultural belief that their knowledge about what was best and safest had greater authority than the socially accepted experts in maternity care. The women did not believe the rhetoric about the safety of hospitals and considered a biomedical approach towards birth to be the riskier birth option compared to giving birth outside the system. Previous birth experiences taught the women that hospital care was emotionally unsafe and that there was a possibility of further trauma if they returned to hospital. Giving birth outside the system presented the women with what they believed to be the opportunity to experience the best and safest circumstances for themselves and their babies." (Jackson et al 2020)

Another Australian survey of why women choose homebirth showed that, "if a midwife was not available, half of the respondents indicated they would give birth without a registered midwife (freebirth) or find an unregistered birthworker." (Sassine et al 2020). Unfortunately, this paper isn't freely available, but you can see the abstract here.

Homebirth and cost

There are lots of reasons to opt for a home birth. We know from research studies that home birth is both safe and satisfying, that it leads to fewer interventions, a higher chance of breastfeeding success, and helps to make confident parents.

A 2021 study from the USA also showed that it is also far more cost effective than hospital birth.

Anderson and Gilkison (2021) set out to estimate the cost of home birth in the USA and found that: "On the basis of a nationwide study, we estimate that the average cost of a home birth in the United States is USD 4650, which is significantly below existing cost estimates for an uncomplicated birth center or hospital birth." "Further, we find that each shift of one percent of births from hospitals to homes would represent an annual cost savings to society of at least USD 321 million."

No, it's not just about money.

But it makes you think.

Anderson, D.A.; Gilkison, G.M. The Cost of Home Birth in the United States. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 10361. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910361 The paper is freely available at https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/19/10361

How to find out more

I helped a colleague with putting the evidence on safety together for a book. Homebirth: Safe & Sacred.

It was written by American homebirth midwife Kim Osterholzer. The book's aim is to get information out to those who have questions in an affordable, readable format. It is written for a US audience, so some of the information about midwifery care is US-specific. But the stories and the evidence transcend national borders. You can find out more about the book here.

Articles

This site also contains other articles that might interest you if you're looking for information on home birth.

Home birth after caesarean

Home births - where are we heading?

Unexpected home birth: let's keep our shoelaces on...

Homebirth: Safe & Sacred

Further confirmation of home birth safety

How midwives make a difference when there's an emergency at home...

Home birth also safer for 'higher risk' women

If you'd like to know more about your options, or explore tools for decision making, I can help!

My book What's Right For Me? has been written to help women and families make the decisions that are right for them.

What's Right For Me?

Books to help you become informed and make the decisions that are right for you...

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Our home birth information hub - the latest research on the safety of home birth and links to Dr Sara Wickham's articles on this.

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Most babies born too small or too young will not be able to breastfeed well enough at first. As a new mother, you will need to learn how to remove your milk and give it to your baby by spoon, cup, or feeding tube. This video shows you how to express colostrum, your first milk.

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How to Express Your First Milk - Video - Global Health Media Project

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Most babies born too small or too young will not be able to breastfeed well enough at first. As a new mother, you will need to learn how to remove your milk and give it to your baby by spoon, cup, or feeding tube. This video shows you how to express colostrum, your first milk.

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran (nhsaaahomebirthteam) • Instagram photos and videos

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran (@nhsaaahomebirthteam) • Instagram photos and videos

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649 Followers, 128 Following, 155 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran (@nhsaaahomebirthteam)

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Homebirth team are getting together for a mid morning walk and would love for you to join us!

Are you pregnant? Keen to learn more about the homebirth team and process?

Booked for homebirth and have questions or want to get to know us?

Had a homebirth with us and want to come along and share your experience with others, and also catch up with the team.

Everyone is welcome… feel free to bring kids, birth partners and even furry friends if you wish.

We shall set off from the cafe around 11.30 after a ☕️ for a nice walk and chat.

Side note- this is a public space and everyone should be responsible for assessing own risk and safety.

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This podcast tackles and discusses various topics within the sphere of womanhood, birth, and lactation and what this entails in today's society. Sharing the strengths of women gathering together and being more informed, for their birth, their feeding experience, and the transition into knowing ourselves better.

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Join us as we hubble, bubble, toil, and trouble our way through aspects of midwifery, birth, lactation, and womanhood. We tackle and discuss a variety of topics within the sphere of womanhood, birth, and lactation and what this entails in today's society. We want to be able to share in the strengths of women gathering together and being more informed, for their birth, their feeding experience, and the transition into knowing ourselves better. This is the podcast to connect us as a greater circle of women united.

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Join us as we hubble, bubble, toil, and trouble our way through aspects of midwifery, birth, lactation, and womanhood. We tackle and discuss a variety of topics within the sphere of womanhood, birth, and lactation and what this entails in today's ...

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Birthrights exists to protect your human rights during pregnancy and childbirth.

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Black women in the UK are four times more likely to die in pregnancy and childbirth than white women, and Asian and mixed-race women are twice as likely.

Download our report Systemic Racism, Not Broken Bodies, the evidence from our year-long inquiry into racial injustice in maternity care.

What are my human rights in pregnancy and childbirth?

Do I have the right to a home birth? How do I make a complaint? Can I choose my midwife or doctor? Our factsheets cover everything you need to know about your basic human rights in pregnancy and childbirth.

If you are thinking about pregnancy, are pregnant or have recently given birth and need further information or advice, our team is here to help you.

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Birthrights - your human rights during pregnancy and maternity care

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✓ Information and advice during pregnancy & childbirth ✓ Factsheets ✓ Translated pregnancy factsheets ✓ Maternal requests for caesareans ✓ Homebirths ✓ Training for healthcare professionals, doulas and childbirth educators ✓ Campaigning for change ✓ Your human rights during pregnancy and childbirth

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Reliable and accurate information on medicine use in pregnancy.

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bumps - best use of medicine in pregnancy

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This website provides reliable, evidence-based, and accurate information about use of medicines in pregnancy, in the form of freely available patient information leaflets called 'Bumps ' leaflets are produced by the UK Teratology Information Service ( UKTIS), a not-for-profit national organisation hosted by the Newcastle upon Tyne hospital NHS Foundation Trust and funded by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on behalf of the UK Health Departments.

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About Group B Strep - Group B Strep Support

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Carrying GBS is not harmful to you, but GBS can cause infection, most commonly in young babies.

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If you are feeling pain in your pubic bone, groin, hips, buttocks and/ or tail bone it may be that this is due to pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain/ pelvic girdle pain (PRGP/PGP).

This website is informative, and you can also call the Ayrshire Maternity Unit front desk on 01563 521133 to book into antenatal physio group classes.

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Explanation of common symptoms/ problems

If you are feeling pain in your pubic bone, groin, hips, buttocks and/ or tail bone it may be that this is due to pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain/ pelvic girdle pain (PRGP/PGP). PRGP also used to be called symphysis pubis dysfunction or SPD.

Sites where you may experience pain

This pain happens for approximately 20% of pregnant women and can happen at any stage of pregnancy. It can also continue or develop for a small number of women after having a baby.

More common in pregnancy is lumbopelvic pain (pain in the lower back and/or back of the pelvis). This happens for 50% of pregnant women.

These conditions often happen due to problems with how the muscles and joints of the back and the pelvis are working. There may be:

Uneven movement of the joints of the lower back or pelvis

Weakening of the tummy, buttocks, inner thigh and pelvic floor muscles. This puts more stress and strain on the joints of the lower back and pelvis.

A previous injury of the lower back or pelvis

Occasionally pain can be due to the position of your baby

For a small number of women, pain is due to the hormonal changes of pregnancy.

If you have a physical job, gained a large amount of weight during your pregnancy or had PGP or low back pain in a previous pregnancy you are more likely to have pain this pregnancy.

For women who have just had a baby, sitting in one position for a long-time feeding, lifting and carrying your baby and baby equipment can put a large amount of strain on your back and pelvis and cause pain.

Other activities that are often painful are:

Standing on one leg (i.e. getting dressed, using the stairs)

Moving legs apart (i.e. getting in/ out of bed or the car)

Lying in some positions

Sexual intercourse

Self help / Advice

There are lots of things that you can do which can help your pain such as:

Pacing yourself. Try not to get all of your daily jobs done in one go. Break up the activities and have a rest in between. Similarly try to take regular breaks at work and change the position that you are in.

If you are struggling with walking make sure that you are wearing supportive footwear. Try to slow down your walking speed and don't walk so far.

Try not to push through activities that make your pain worse.

It is good to stay active but you may just need to find the right exercise/ activity to help. (Take a look at our leaflets, Fit for pregnancy and Exercise and advice after pregnancy, for exercise ideas.)

Place a pillow between your knees for sleeping

Try to keep your knees together and turn slowly in bed. Do the same when getting in and out of the car.

Think about how you are sitting. Try not to sit with your legs crossed or underneath you. Placing a cushion behind your back may help. And if you are breastfeeding using a feeding pillow can be more comfortable.

Where to go to next

It is important to ask for help with your pain if it does not improve with the advice given here or if you are struggling with sleep and daily activities. Speak with your midwife/ GP in the first instance. They should advise you to see a specialist pelvic health physiotherapist who is trained to treat PGP and lower back pain in pregnancy. You can also contact the POGP who may be able to help find a specialist physiotherapist where you live.
Find a Physiotherapist

Other good sources of information are:

For a small number of women there will be a different cause for their pain which needs urgent medical attention. If you experience any of the following:

1. Pain going down both legs at the same time,

2. Numbness in both legs at the same time,

3. Difficulty passing urine,

4. Leakage of stool from the bowel that you couldn't control

5. Numbness around the vaginal or back passage

Call your GP straight away or go to your nearest A&E department.

What to expect from physiotherapy

Physiotherapists who treat pregnant women have specialist training and they are used to treating people who have these problems. They will carry out a thorough assessment to find out why you are getting these symptoms and explain what can be done to help improve them. They will make sure that the treatment is very specific to your symptoms. If the physiotherapist thinks that your problem is not PGP/ LBP but some other cause they may suggest that you see another health care professional, such as your GP, to look into your problem further.

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Explanation of common symptoms/ problems If you are feeling pain in your pubic bone, groin, hips, buttocks and/ or tail bone it may be that this is due to pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain/ pelvic girdle pain (PRGP/PGP). PRGP also used to be called symphysis pubis dysfunction or SPD.

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Dr Sara Wickham analyses the results of The Big Baby Trial, helping women, families and caregivers understand this research study.

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Spinning Babies® is a physiological approach to preparing for and caring for birth.

During birth, babies descend through the pelvis by turning to fit each curve in the passage. Baby’s turns are “fetal rotation.” If fetal rotation can be made easier, birth is easier for everyone.

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Spinning Babies® is a physiological approach to preparing for and caring for birth. During birth, babies descend through the pelvis by turning to fit each curve in the passage. Baby's turns are "fetal rotation." If fetal rotation can be made easier, birth is easier for everyone. Spinning Babies® has become a paradigm, or a new view on childbirth. By understanding birth physiology better we can help birth be easier. Spinning Babies® is how we are Changing Birth on Earth.

Spinning Babies® is a unique approach to birth created by midwife, Gail Tully

Spinning Babies ® offers a third perspective to the "natural vs. managed" childbirth today. In reality, we don't pick all one or all the other. Technology and Nature aren't teams in a sport to which we must be loyal. Medicine and Midwifery are professions developed to serve Nature when the body needs support.

So, rather than increasing technology or medication to help childbirth, we activate nature within the body by working with the body in new ways. We begin with physiology and move to interventions if and when needed.

The assumption that birth is a passenger powered through the pelvis (The old 3Ps paradigm) seems to make the passenger and pelvis static. The power of the body is replaced with medication and if that doesn't work, then surgery. Physiology allows for more creative, body-centered options.

Self-care and specific body activities restore body balance and make room for the baby. Babies then put themselves into the best positions possible for childbirth - within the anatomical space available.

We off a unique pregnancy preparation program with labor activities that have been shown to ease birth. Spinning Babies ®can be used with any childbirth method or none at all. Spinning Babies ® approach is good in any childbirth setting, home, hospital, and independent birth center.

Parent Class - Not your usual childbirth class!

Our Spinning Babies® Parent Class Video shows you what to do for an easier birth with practical and detailed preparation to help baby in the best position to fit the pelvis and solutions when labor seems long, painful, or has a stall! And, if practiced daily, an easier labor and birth are likely." Download today!

As a doula, Gail noticed that some births were short and some were long and that most parents couldn't see what was coming for them, as far as ease of birth. Doctors seemed to think women had small pelvises and babies were too often too big; and midwives seemed to think long labors were usually due to psychological mindsets. Gail sought a third explanation.

As a midwife, Gail noticed that fetal positioning was often a leading reason for long labor. So why would some babies be posterior and not be able to turn to anterior? For that matter, why were some posterior labors straightforward while others were complicated?

Gail's learned first hand from mentors such as the late midwife Jan Hofer. And Carol Phillips, DC, taught her that birth is "easier" when we have balance in the pelvis (including ligaments, fascia, and muscles with the pelvis) than when we have tension, torsion, or a closed pelvic position.Balance first.

Gail facilitates a release to the connections around the hip ball and socket on a woman carrying a breech baby at 34 weeks with a breech baby to restore body balance. Combined with other techniques, her 45-minute appointment gave her baby room to turn head down within the hour. No manipulation of the baby was attempted or needed in this case. While this quick result is occasional, body balance for optimal positioning is shown in how fast baby moved into a head down position. Gravity works better when there is room to accommodate baby's head! We reveal which birth positions opens the pelvis where baby waits.

Some posterior births are relatively easy, that's true. A very few anterior babies need help to come out. Fetal position shares a stage with several leading actors, such as Flexion, Body Balance, and, don't forget the importance of the Parasympatheticsin the ease of birth. Reducing force requires an invitation to more players than just "size." There's more to the ease of birth than the size of the baby! You can get the overview of this new paradigm right now in the Spinning Babies® Parent Class.

Daily Essentials can be practiced daily throughout pregnancy to help bring balance and comfort - and an easier, shorter birth.

Spinning Babies® Parent Class

Spinning Babies® Parent Class provides clear instructions on how to use Spinning Babies® for a more comfortable and confident pregnancy and labor.

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What is Spinning Babies? - A New Paradigm of Birth - Spinning Babies

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Spinning Babies® is a physiological approach to preparing for and caring for birth. During birth, babies descend through the pelvis by turning to fit each curve in the passage. Baby's turns are "fetal rotation." If fetal rotation can be made easier, birth is easier for everyone.

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Stay in this position for 30 minutes, start in cat/cow, then drop your chest as low as you can to the bed or the floor and your bottom as high as you can. Knees should be fairly wide apart, and the…

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Good information about vitamin K is key for every parent.

In most countries, one of the first decisions that parents need to make for their baby is whether or not they want their baby to have vitamin K. If they do, it's usually given within the first hour of birth.

It's your decision whether or not your baby has vitamin K. It's also up to you to decide which kind of vitamin K (oral or injection) you want your baby to have. So you'll want to weigh up the pros and cons, as with every decision you'll make for your child.

I have been researching vitamin K for more than twenty years, and I have written several books and information leaflets on this subject. Here's the most recent.

I have written this summary of information about vitamin K that you might want to consider when making your decision. It's based on the information in my book, and you might also want to visit my vitamin K information hub, which offers a few more articles on vitamin K.

1. Vitamin K is offered in order to prevent a rare but serious blood clotting problem.

Vitamin K is needed in the human body for several key processes.

One of the most important is that it helps blood to clot.

This is why it is offered to newborn babies. Without it, a small number of babies will develop a rare but serious blood clotting problem.

We used to call this problem haemorrhagic disease of the newborn (HDN). It is now more commonly known as vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB).

2. The likelihood of the problem is low, but it can be serious.

Exact figures vary, but the chance of a baby experiencing VKDB if they don't have vitamin K is about 1 in 11,000.

Most babies who have VKDB will recover, especially if they receive treatment quickly. This is why it is important to be vigilant if you decide to decline vitamin K.

A small number of the babies who experience VKDB will experience long-term damage and, sometimes, a baby will die. The actual chance of death from VKDB is very low, but if we give vitamin K to all babies, it's even less likely.

3. Vitamin K can be given by mouth or by injection.

Vitamin K can be given by injection, or your baby can have oral drops.

The drops may be given in several doses over the first few weeks of your baby's life.

Oral drops are not as effective as the injection, but some parents prefer to give vitamin K that way.

The timing and amount of vitamin K that is given orally can vary between areas of the world.

Vitamin K is also added to formula milk.

4. Vitamin K is very effective, especially when given by injection.

We do not have a randomised controlled trial into vitamin K.

However, other studies, audits and long experience suggest that vitamin K is very effective at preventing VKDB when given by injection.

Oral vitamin K is less effective than vitamin K given by injection. But oral vitamin K is more effective than no vitamin K. We don't have good data on exactly how effective oral vitamin K is.

5. Vitamin K is very safe, but there are a few downsides.

Compared to some drugs, vitamin K is considered very safe.

The injection of vitamin K will occasionally result in infection (at the injection site), bruising or bleeding (as with any injection). It can cause pain to the baby when it is being given.

There have been cases of the wrong drug being injected, but these are rare.

Some people are concerned about other possible downsides to vitamin K, because it hasn't been well researched.

We have given vitamin K to millions of babies for many years because we know that it prevents almost all cases of VKDB.

But we don't know why babies have a relatively low level of vitamin K (compared to adults). It may be that this is beneficial to them in some way.

No research has been done into this, and not enough research has been carried out into possible side effects.

The fact that so much is unknown makes the decision difficult for some parents.

6. There are alternatives; it's not always 'all or nothing'.

As with many birth and parenting decisions, it's not always an 'all or nothing' decision.

For instance:
You may decide to have oral vitamin K rather than the injection.
In this situation, be aware that Vitamin K is fat soluble. So in order to be properly absorbed by the baby's body, it should be given with or just after a feed. Also be aware that it tastes bitter. Many babies will try to spit it out again and you might want to have your finger ready to scoot it back in!
You may decide to wait and see and make a decision according to your situation.
There are a few key vitamin K information issues to consider. If your baby is breastfed and is slow to feed or has feeding problems, the chance of VKDB is higher and you may want to reconsider. If you or your baby have antibiotics, this can increase the chance of VKDB. Again, you may want to take that into account. Likewise if your baby has a procedure such as a tongue tie division or circumcision.

It is good to look into all aspects of this decision to make sure that you are fully informed.

7. It's up to you

As I said at the beginning of this blog post, this is your decision.

You have the right to have good information and make the decision that is right for you and your baby.

I hear from midwives and others in some areas of the world (notably the USA) that parents are sometimes told that it is illegal to decline vitamin K.

This may not be true, so please check what your rights are.

It is also the case that, unfortunately, some parents are put under pressure to accept vitamin K. In some situations, senior professionals are brought in to try to persuade parents to accept it.

If you are thinking of declining vitamin K, I really would recommend that you look further into this area. Here's a link to my book if you'd like to get more depth.

We have an entire information hub on this topic, with links to several more articles and blog posts.

And if you are thinking of declining vitamin K, please take a look at this information in particular.

Books to help you become informed and make the decisions that are right for you...

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Seven things every parent needs to know about vitamin K - Dr Sara Wickham

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Dr Sara Wickham, author of Vitamin K and the Newborn, shares information about vitamin K. Seven things every parent needs to know before making a decision.

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https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/baby-safety/safer-sleep-information/

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Safer sleep information - The Lullaby Trust

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Our expert safer sleep information helps to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and gives you peace of mind.

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Infant milks for parents & carers — First Steps Nutrition Trust

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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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Come and join us for a chilled-out time with your baby, grab a cuppa, and hang out with other dads.

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Dads Rock is working with the North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership with funding from the Scottish Government Whole Family Wellbeing Fund to provide much needed support to Dads in North Ayrshire.

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Tips and advice you can trust to help with the highs and lows of parenting. From baby milestones, tantrums, to money and finances.

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Tips and advice you can trust to help with the ups and downs of parenting. Through pregnancy to toddler tantrums and starting school, all the way up to those tricky teenage years, Parent Club is here to help.

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Perinatal or neonatal mortality among women who intend at the onset of labour to give birth at home compared to women of low obstetrical risk who intend to give birth in hospital: A systematic review and meta-analyses

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "Blossom’s Birth story 🌸
Thank you for sharing your story with us 💖

#birthstory #homebirth #oxctocin #nhsayrshireandarran #breastfeeding"

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75 likes, 4 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on May 6, 2025: "Blossom’s Birth story 🌸
Thank you for sharing your story with us 💖

#birthstory #homebirth #oxctocin #nhsayrshireandarran #breastfeeding". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "Pippa’s Birth Story 💖
Thank you for sharing your story with us 💖
#birthstory #homebirth #oxytocin"

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103 likes, 7 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on May 2, 2025: "Pippa’s Birth Story 💖
Thank you for sharing your story with us 💖
#birthstory #homebirth #oxytocin". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "#homebirth #continuityofcare #ayrshire #homebirthmidwifery #homebirthteamayrshire #nhs #uk #birthstory #bestjobever #oxytocin #babygirl"

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67 likes, 1 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on February 13, 2025: "#homebirth #continuityofcare #ayrshire #homebirthmidwifery #homebirthteamayrshire #nhs #uk #birthstory #bestjobever #oxytocin #babygirl". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "Beautiful #homebirth #waterbirth #waterbirthbaby with #continuityofcare. Congratulations Chloe & Billy and thanks for sharing these wonderful photos of baby Eunella #babygirl #oxtocin. We love hearing your feedback on feeling safe phyisically and emotionally 💕."

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36 likes, 2 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on February 13, 2025: "Beautiful #homebirth #waterbirth #waterbirthbaby with #continuityofcare. Congratulations Chloe & Billy and thanks for sharing these wonderful photos of baby Eunella #babygirl #oxtocin. We love hearing your feedback on feeling safe phyisically and emotionally 💕.". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "#homebirth #continuityofcare #ayrshire #bestjobever #homebirthteam #homebirthuk #nhs #continuity #waterbirth #birth #birthstory"

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28 likes, 8 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on November 12, 2024: "#homebirth #continuityofcare #ayrshire #bestjobever #homebirthteam #homebirthuk #nhs #continuity #waterbirth #birth #birthstory". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "#homebirth #ayrshire #continuityofcare #bestjobever #homebirthteam #midwives #nhs #homebirthuk #continuity #waterbirth #womencentredcare thankyou so much to Kelly, Calum , Callie and Cooper fur sharing their story 😍"

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33 likes, 2 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on November 1, 2024: "#homebirth #ayrshire #continuityofcare #bestjobever #homebirthteam #midwives #nhs #homebirthuk #continuity #waterbirth #womencentredcare thankyou so much to Kelly, Calum , Callie and Cooper fur sharing their story 😍". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "Thank you so much for sharing your birth story with us. It’s so wonderful to hear of your positive experience despite things not quite following the original plan. We are so grateful to have been a tiny part of your journey. 
💕💕

#homebirth #homebirthmidwife #homebirthteam #ayrshirehomebirth #nhs #midwife #hospitalbirth #continuity #bestjobever #birthstory #positivebirth"

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42 likes, 3 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on November 1, 2024: "Thank you so much for sharing your birth story with us. It’s so wonderful to hear of your positive experience despite things not quite following the original plan. We are so grateful to have been a tiny part of your journey. 
💕💕

#homebirth #homebirthmidwife #homebirthteam #ayrshirehomebirth #nhs #midwife #hospitalbirth #continuity #bestjobever #birthstory #positivebirth". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "Aww this is amazing! Thank you so much for sending us over this beautiful video and taking the time to share your experience 🥰
Just wonderful 💖 

“A huge thank you to the NHS Homebirth team for making the birth of Maeve Pearl Laing a truly exceptional experience and going above and beyond my expectations. I loved every minute 🫶🏼

I loved being able to choose how I wanted the birth room to look and smell. Very calming 😌

Left me to trust my body. 
Allowed space for me and my Partner to get into a perfectly safe and relaxed zone. 
Midwives were always close by supporting me and my birth wishes.”

#homebirthuk #homebirth #birth #newborn #midwives #homebirthteam #ayrshire #nhs #birthexperience #oxytocin #birthpool #waterbirth"

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49 likes, 4 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on October 24, 2024: "Aww this is amazing! Thank you so much for sending us over this beautiful video and taking the time to share your experience 🥰
Just wonderful 💖 

“A huge thank you to the NHS Homebirth team for making the birth of Maeve Pearl Laing a truly exceptional experience and going above and beyond my expectations. I loved every minute 🫶🏼

I loved being able to choose how I wanted the birth room to look and smell. Very calming 😌

Left me to trust my body. 
Allowed space for me and my Partner to get into a perfectly safe and relaxed zone. 
Midwives were always close by supporting me and my birth wishes.”

#homebirthuk #homebirth #birth #newborn #midwives #homebirthteam #ayrshire #nhs #birthexperience #oxytocin #birthpool #waterbirth". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "Oh my goodness Gracious me, how adorable is wee baby Evie! 

💕💖🤩✨

thank you so much for sharing Evelyn’s story and for the kind words about our wee team.

#thebestjobintheworld #midwives #homebirthteam #nhs #positivebirth #continuity"

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35 likes, 2 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on October 21, 2024: "Oh my goodness Gracious me, how adorable is wee baby Evie! 

💕💖🤩✨

thank you so much for sharing Evelyn’s story and for the kind words about our wee team.

#thebestjobintheworld #midwives #homebirthteam #nhs #positivebirth #continuity". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "Thank you, Toni, for sharing these gorgeous photos with us. Ruby arrived a little too fast for us, and we met her shortly after she arrived with thanks to the #scottishambulanceservice. Her five older brothers and sister were very excited about her arrival. #homebirthstory #homebirth #ayrshiremums #bestjobever #continuityofcare #oxytocin #babysister #noplacelikehome"

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23 likes, 0 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on October 3, 2024: "Thank you, Toni, for sharing these gorgeous photos with us. Ruby arrived a little too fast for us, and we met her shortly after she arrived with thanks to the #scottishambulanceservice. Her five older brothers and sister were very excited about her arrival. #homebirthstory #homebirth #ayrshiremums #bestjobever #continuityofcare #oxytocin #babysister #noplacelikehome". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "Thank you Sheree and Ross for sharing Rocco's beautiful birth story ❤#homebirthstory #homebirth #ayrshiremums #bestjobever #continuityofcare #poolbirth #oxytocin #babybrother #noplacelikehome"

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64 likes, 4 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on September 25, 2024: "Thank you Sheree and Ross for sharing Rocco's beautiful birth story ❤#homebirthstory #homebirth #ayrshiremums #bestjobever #continuityofcare #poolbirth #oxytocin #babybrother #noplacelikehome". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "Thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful birth story and beautiful photos 🥰 #homebirthstory #homebirth #ayrshiremums #bestjobever❤️ #continuityofcare #homebirthuk"

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53 likes, 2 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on September 24, 2024: "Thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful birth story and beautiful photos 🥰 #homebirthstory #homebirth #ayrshiremums #bestjobever❤️ #continuityofcare #homebirthuk". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "@thepositivebirthcompany 
@kghypnobirthing 
@the_nurture_nest
@pregnancyandpostpartumtv 
@yogawithvarrie 
@resonate.yoga 
@sandyfitz90"

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34 likes, 4 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on August 29, 2024: "@thepositivebirthcompany 
@kghypnobirthing 
@the_nurture_nest
@pregnancyandpostpartumtv 
@yogawithvarrie 
@resonate.yoga 
@sandyfitz90". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "Thank you @linzikinsellapt for sharing your absolutely amazing Birth story 🥰

“I asked to be transferred to the home birth team at 16 weeks after talking to others who had either had a home birth or tried to..

Even those who didn’t end up having home births were raving about the home birth team so we went for it! 💪

We went along to one of the Meet The Team events in Irvine, learnt even more about giving birth at home and my husband really found it beneficial meeting other dads who’s partners had home births 💙

I was offered aromatherapy oils and acupuncture by Karen (ny midwife) in my third trimester which was great! 

At 40 weeks and 6 days, I was having contractions from 7am and my partner was at work 😅

By 9am they hadn’t stopped so I called the hospital. They let the home birth team know and I phoned my husband to come home 👌

We tidied the house, sat out the back door in the sun and I baked muffins pausing every so often for contractions 😊

I took the last batch of muffins out the oven at 12:40 in the afternoon. By 1pm my waters broke and Karen told me to get in the pool while she was on her way 💦

Thomas was born in the pool, in our living room, at 16:27 that afternoon with Karen, Audrey and Natasha on hand.. I couldn’t have done it without them! ❤️

My husband, sister and mum were also there and we had Ibiza dance music on in the background the full day! 🎶

That night we were able to watch Scotland get kicked out the euros from the comfort of our own home 😂🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿”

#birth #homebirth #homebirthmidwives #homebirthayrshireandarran #nhshomebirth #nhs #continuityofcare #birthstory"

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137 likes, 11 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on August 15, 2024: "Thank you @linzikinsellapt for sharing your absolutely amazing Birth story 🥰

“I asked to be transferred to the home birth team at 16 weeks after talking to others who had either had a home birth or tried to..

Even those who didn’t end up having home births were raving about the home birth team so we went for it! 💪

We went along to one of the Meet The Team events in Irvine, learnt even more about giving birth at home and my husband really found it beneficial meeting other dads who’s partners had home births 💙

I was offered aromatherapy oils and acupuncture by Karen (ny midwife) in my third trimester which was great! 

At 40 weeks and 6 days, I was having contractions from 7am and my partner was at work 😅

By 9am they hadn’t stopped so I called the hospital. They let the home birth team know and I phoned my husband to come home 👌

We tidied the house, sat out the back door in the sun and I baked muffins pausing every so often for contractions 😊

I took the last batch of muffins out the oven at 12:40 in the afternoon. By 1pm my waters broke and Karen told me to get in the pool while she was on her way 💦

Thomas was born in the pool, in our living room, at 16:27 that afternoon with Karen, Audrey and Natasha on hand.. I couldn’t have done it without them! ❤️

My husband, sister and mum were also there and we had Ibiza dance music on in the background the full day! 🎶

That night we were able to watch Scotland get kicked out the euros from the comfort of our own home 😂🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿”

#birth #homebirth #homebirthmidwives #homebirthayrshireandarran #nhshomebirth #nhs #continuityofcare #birthstory". 

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram: "Thank you so much @gemmajacksonphoto and @amyjackson__ for sharing this absolutely gorgeous and inspiring story and pictures - you may have made @jenniferconway shed a wee tear! Congratulations to all of you on baby Dylan's beautiful, peaceful arrival.
#homebirth #continuitymatters #birthisafeministissue #birthstartsathome #solsticebaby #studentmidwives @nhsayrshirearran"

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54 likes, 9 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on July 4, 2024: "Thank you so much @gemmajacksonphoto and @amyjackson__ for sharing this absolutely gorgeous and inspiring story and pictures - you may have made @jenniferconway shed a wee tear! Congratulations to all of you on baby Dylan's beautiful, peaceful arrival.
#homebirth #continuitymatters #birthisafeministissue #birthstartsathome #solsticebaby #studentmidwives @nhsayrshirearran". 

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Ayrshire Achieves Winners 2023 for 'caring for people'. The caring for people category recognises staff who have provided woman and their families with exceptional care, compassion, dignity and respect.

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Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran on Instagram

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21 likes, 0 comments - nhsaaahomebirthteam on April 12, 2023

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A post shared by Homebirth Team Ayrshire & Arran (@nhsaaahomebirthteam)

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Blown away by the professionalism and care

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Feedback from muscapm86 about Crosshouse Hospital / Maternity care, Ayrshire & Arran Community Services / Community Maternity Services

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I felt encouraged and supported throughout my labour

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Feedback from LRLOak about Ayrshire & Arran Community Services / Community Maternity Services

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Maternal outcomes and birth interventions among women who begin labour intending to give birth at home compared to women of low obstetrical risk who intend to give birth in hospital: A systematic review and meta-analyses

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Expressing breastmilk can relieve breast fullness, soften the breasts, and make it easier for the milk to flow. It is also important to maintain a mother's milk supply during separation and make milk available for someone else to feed the baby. This video shows how to hand express breastmilk.

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How to Express Breastmilk - Video - Global Health Media Project

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Expressing breastmilk can relieve breast fullness, soften the breasts, and make it easier for the milk to flow. It is also important to maintain a mother's

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Most small babies take many weeks to develop the skills and strength to effectively breastfeed. This video shows ways you can meet the special challenges of breastfeeding your small baby.

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Breastfeeding Your Small Baby - Video - Global Health Media Project

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Most small babies take many weeks to develop the skills and strength to effectively breastfeed. This video shows ways you can meet the special challenges of breastfeeding your small baby.

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The way a mother holds her baby affects how easy it is for her baby to feed effectively. This video shows basic points important for any position and then demonstrates several common positions that have worked well for many mothers and babies.

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Positions for Breastfeeding - Video - Global Health Media Project

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The way a mother holds her baby affects how easy it is for her baby to feed effectively. This video shows basic points important for any position and then demonstrates several common positions that have worked well for many mothers and babies.