Wondermum - The Birth Pool Specialists

15/03/2026

Late pregnancy nutrition can sometimes influence how labor begins and progresses. One study examining women in the final weeks before delivery looked at the effects of eating dates regularly during the last month of pregnancy.

Researchers found that women who ate about 6 dates per day during the final 4 weeks before their due date arrived at the hospital with greater cervical dilation compared to those who did not. The same group also experienced about a 77% shorter first stage of labor and showed a 42% lower rate of cesarean sections.

Scientists believe the natural compounds in dates may support uterine activity and cervical readiness during late pregnancy, although more research is still being explored.

11/06/2025

26/05/2025

🟣 Another blog post updated and moved to my website!
The research evidence regarding induction for rupture of membranes is poor. Giving antibiotics in labour 'just in case' is not supported by current evidence, and may cause problems for baby and mother. Women need adequate information on which to base their decisions regarding the management, or not, of this situation. Women who choose to wait for labour should be supported in doing so.
https://www.rachelreed.website/blog/prelabour-rupture-of-membranes

21/03/2025

18/02/2025

Babies in the womb can signal to their mothers for extra food using genes from their dads.

This fascinating mechanism, uncovered by scientists at Cambridge, involves a paternal gene that influences hormonal signals from the placenta. Essentially, the fetus uses this gene to manipulate the mother's body into releasing more nutrients, creating a "nutritional tug of war" where the mother must balance the needs of the growing fetus with her own health and future reproductive potential.

The placenta plays a key role in this process, acting as a communication hub between the fetus and the mother. By releasing specific hormones, the placenta signals the mother's body to prioritize the baby's growth, ensuring it receives sufficient glucose and fats.

This intricate system is orchestrated by imprinted genes, which can be switched on or off depending on whether they are inherited from the mother or the father. Paternal genes tend to promote fetal growth, while maternal genes tend to limit it, reflecting an evolutionary balance between the needs of the offspring and the mother's survival.

One such paternal gene, Igf2, provides instructions for making a protein similar to insulin that promotes fetal growth and development. When this gene is deleted in the placenta's signaling cells, the mother doesn't release enough nutrients into her circulation, resulting in growth restriction in the fetus.

This reveals the crucial role of Igf2 in regulating the mother's metabolism and ensuring adequate nutrient supply to the developing baby.

Learn more: https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/unborn-babies-use-greedy-gene-from-dads-to-remote-control-mums-into-feeding-them-extra-food

28/10/2024

Homebirth Awareness Week starts TODAY

Come and join us on Thursday 31st October to celebrate birth

06/09/2024

🔴Did you use a ball in labour? What did you think?

I used a birth ball in both my early labours, but once I got more dilated the pressure it caused in my pelvis made contractions feel more painful!

There were times where I did need a rest in bed and although I did use cushions in between my knees a peanut ball would have been better!

It’s well known that remaining upward forward and open means gravity helps with the baby's descent and your pelvic bones have space to open and move like they are supposed to.

Labouring in upright positions has been shown to:

👨‍⚕️ significantly reduced the rate of instrumental vaginal birth (moderate-quality evidence),

⏰shortened the second stage of labour (very low-quality evidence),

✂️reduced the rate of episiotomy (very low-quality evidence)

❤️reduce the rate of abnormal foetal heart rate patterns requiring interventions

❤️There is less risk of the weight of your baby reducing blood supply to the uterus/placenta, which can cause foetal distress and more painful contractions

A birth ball is just another prop that can help with this!

A recent article convoluted that using a birth ball can reduce pain in labour by 1.7 points on a scale of 1-10!

If you have an epidural or need to be on the bed for any other reason this is where the peanut ball comes in!

The peanut ball is a peanut-shaped plastic ball placed between the knees of a person labouring in the side-lying position. It can allow for bent-knee positioning that can mimic a squatting position and facilitate frequent and optimal position changes during labour

Some studies have shown that when used with an epidural it can reduce the length of active labour and Labour overall!

It’s important to follow your body and instincts, I’m not saying you have to sit in a birth ball or get in bed with a peanut ball!

Having them around could be useful though just in case!

The.Smart.Doula

01/09/2024

A 2023 study offered a unique perspective on place of birth by carrying out research into the experiences of women in Ireland who have given birth both in hospital and at home. The authors began by explaining that, while hospital care is perceived as the norm in western cultures, “Homebirth is at least as safe as hospital birth for those with low-risk pregnancies, yet access is strictly regulated.” (Gregory et al 2023). The researchers collated the experiences of 141 participants who birthed both in hospital and at home between 2011 and 2021, and found that:

“Participants’ overall experience scores were significantly higher for homebirth (9.7/10) than hospital birth (5.5/10)." (Gregory et al 2023).
“In hospital, midwifery-led care scored significantly higher (6.4/10) than consultant-led care (4.9/10).” (Gregory et al 2023).
“Homebirth was perceived far more positively than hospital birth experiences across all aspects of care surveyed.” (Gregory et al 2023).

The authors conclude 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)
You can see the study at https://www.womenandbirth.org/article/S1871-5192(23)00035-5/fulltext and we’ve also added this to our home birth information hub on my website. This is just one of the studies that I’ve shared in my Birth Information Update, which we send out to our email friends at the end of each month. If you’re not on our list and would like to be, you can sign up at www.sarawickham.com

And if you’d like more information about homebirth, and the evidence for its safety, I have an information hub on this topic, which you can find at https://www.sarawickham.com/research-updates/is_home_birth_safe/

For more statistics, links and information please head over to homebirth.org.nz or Home Birth Aotearoa
Photo from -

01/07/2024

Most women are not getting enough nutrients during pregnancy. A lot of the popular shelf brands are very low in nutrients and almost not worth taking! Make sure to take a good quality multi, seperate omega 3 & vitamin D if you are pregnant

Children of mothers who take multivitamins and/or vitamin D during pregnancy may have reduced odds of receiving a diagnosis of autism.