New birth guidelines: ‘For midwives, they are preaching to the converted’

Midwives at St George’s hospital in London say outcomes are better for women giving birth in midwife-led centres and at home

Over coffee and hobnobs at their kitchen table, eyed by a greyhound called Jim, first-time parents-to-be Poppy Mardall and Chris Pensa are discussing babies, birth and umbilical cords with a community midwife from St George’s hospital in Tooting, south London.

The couple say they took a while to decide what kind of birth they wanted, before finally deciding on a home birth. Some 2% of all births associated with the hospital are done this way.

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from Pregnancy | The Guardian http://ift.tt/11Yzkol