Surrey Independent Midwives

Home Birth Resource List

Websites

Home birth website with the most amazing collection of information and articles www.homebirth.org.uk Angela Horn, who runs it, also lists all the homebirth support groups in the country.

Association of Radical Midwives website offers positive and informative articles and links www.midwifery.org.uk

Association for Improvements in Maternity services are a very dynamic organisation championing women’s rights to maternity care. They have plenty to read online and books you can order www.aims.org.uk

The Independent Midwives Association is a collective of midwives providing complete maternity care outside of the NHS. Home births, water births and care for women with previously difficult births are the speciality. To find out more and your choice locally www.independentmidwives.org.uk

A lovely website that has a strong holistic slant is http://www.natural-parenting.com

The NCT page on homebirth is helpful - http://www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com/page.asp?page=783

There is an email list you can subscribe to and chat with other women planning a home birth as well as those who have had home births. You can subscribe by going to www.egroups.com/group/homebirthUK and following instructions

Books

Home Birth Nicky Wesson Optima

Out of Print – recently so ask your library. This book is a wonderful resource. All questions about the practicalities of having a home birth are looked at.

Home Birth Sheila Kitzinger Dorling Kindersley

Out of print but don’t give up on looking. Try www.amazon.co.uk who do out of print book searches

Choosing A Home Birth AIMS www.aims.org.uk

A very practical book about safety and also how to attain availability and who to speak to if you still have problems.

Labour Pain Nicky Wesson Vermilion

A fantastic book confronting attitudes to pain in labour and describing ways of coping. Out of print in the YUK but available in the USA via www.amazon.com

Gentle Birth Choices Barbara Harper HAP

US book but available via Airlift book distribution 020 88040400 or www.amazon.com

Thinking Woman’s Guide to Pregnancy Henci Goer

The author is very thorough in her writing style. She reviews and critiques research relating to the obstetric and midwifery care that women are offered. The focus is on obstetric care in particular for example induction of labour, breech birth and episiotomy.

Birthing Your Baby – The second stage AIMS

Fantastic little book that gives a well written understanding of birth from the physiological perspective.

Delivering Your Placenta – The third stage AIMS

Another very detailed book explaining the two main ways of birthing your placenta! The medically managed way and the drug free physiological way. You really are making an informed choice after reading this booklet.

The Pregnant Woman’s Comfort Book Jennifer Louden

An American book that helps you to work through some of the emotional as well as physical demands that pregnancy brings.

Home Birth Bound Maggie Banks Birthspirit Books

This book is aimed at midwives but is a lovely holistic vision of home birth! Available from www.amazon.com

Choosing a Waterbirth AIMS www.aims.org.uk

Another of the helpful booklets from AIMS. As well as explaining the potential benefits and pleasures of birthing in water, advice on ways of requesting a waterbirth when the way appears to be blocked.

Choosing Waterbirth Lakshmi Bertram Airlift Book Distribution 020 88040400

A very holistic and natural approach to birth particularly in water. Lovely and very positive.

Organisations who may be able to help

Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services (AIMS)

www.aims.org.uk

40 Kingswood Avenue

London 0208 7780175 (membership)

NW6 6LS 02392 462786 (publications)