During your labour, support should also be offered through access to and availability of a range of equipment and props such as cushions, birthing balls and ropes as well as the provision of conventional delivery beds. Further information about the role of birth facilities can be found in the Informed Choice leaflets Where will you have your baby? and Positions in labour and delivery.
Research has shown that women in labour need:
- emotional support in the form of encouragement, praise, reassurance, being listened to and
the continuous physical presence of another supportive person - informational support consisting of explanations and suggestions, advice and information
- physical support in the form of comfort measures such as massage, cool compresses, ice chips, the use of water and equipment to help with comfortable positioning
- an advocate, so that your wishes can be represented to others; this may involve someone else acting on your behalf, when requested...
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Contributors include:
Mr. Peter Young, MB; ChB; MRCOG;
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
Prof. Moira Plant, RN; RMN; PhD;
Professor of Alcohol Studies
Anne Viccars, MA; BSc (Hons); PGDipEd; RM; RN;
Senior Lecturer in Midwifery
Dr. AP Madden, MA; BM; BCh; FRCA;
Consultant Anaesthetist
Dr. Julie Dallison, MSc; DPhil
Dr. Jenny Ingram, PhD; BSc (Hons)
Dr. Mary Stewart, PhD; RN; RM; ADM; BSc (Hons);
MSc; PGDipHE
Prof. Christine MacArthur, PhD;
Professor of Maternal and Child Epidemiology
Dr. Sally Marchant, PhD; RN; RM; ADM; DipEd
Prof. JG Thornton, MD; FRCOG;
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Rona McCandlish, RM; RMN; RN; MSc (Epid);
Sarah Beake, MSc; RM; RN; Research Midwife
Prof. Alison Macfarlane, BA; Dip Stat; C Stat; FFPH;
Professor of Perinatal Health
April Bolding, DPT; Childbirth Educator; Doula, USA
Dr. Helen Churchill, PhD; BA (Hons); Senior Lecturer
Dr. Louise Howard, PhD; MSc; MRCP; MRC Psych;
Senior Lecturer in Women's Mental Health
Sharon Hodgkiss, RN; RM; DipHE; BSc (Hons); MPH;
West Midlands Regional NSC Antenatal & Child Health
Screening Coordinator
Vicky Carne, MSc; BA (Hons); ADM; RM; RN;
Head of Midwifery, MIDIRS
Glenda Augustine, MPH; BSc (Hons); RM; DipHV, RGN
Debra Kroll, MSc; PGCEA; ADM; RM; RN;
Midwifery Lecturer in Practice
Michelle Lynn, BEd (Hons); ADM; RM; RN;
Midwifery Advisor, Nursing and Midwifery Council
Chrissie Hammonds, MSc; RM; RN;
Midwife Ultrasonographer
Sara Wickham, MA; BA (Hons); RM; PGCE (A);
Midwife & Author
Dr. Sandy Oliver, PhD; BA; Reader in Public Policy
Sally Cottrell, RM; BSc; MSc; MICG; NNEB; Consultant
Midwife Public Health, Women & Family
Dr. Gillian Flett, FRCOG; FFSRH; MIPM; Consultant in
Sexual and Reproductive Health Clinical Lead, NHS Grampian
Amanda Mansfield, BSc (Hons); MSc; RM;
Consultant Midwife
Dr. Joyshri Sarangi, MBBS (Lond.); MBA; MRCP (UK);
MRCGP; FFPH; Consultant in Communicable Disease Control
