Plus Size Pregnancy resources
Sara Wickham
by Sara Wickham
6d ago
This post is a collection of links to articles and plus size pregnancy resources on this website. I’m a researcher, and author of the book Plus Size Pregnancy: what the evidence really says about higher BMI and birth. And I researched this topic, wrote my book and created this page in the hope of bringing a bit of balance to the conversations in this area. How I can help you If you’re here, maybe you have been told (or already know) that you have a high BMI. You might also have been told that this means you will be offered extra tests, interventions, scans and appointments during pregnanc ..read more
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Why it’s illogical to deny ‘at risk’ women access to midwifery-led units
Sara Wickham
by Sara Wickham
1w ago
An increasing number of women are being told that, because they are ‘at risk’ or ‘high risk’, they are ineligible to give birth at state-run, out-of-hospital birthing centres, also known in some areas as midwifery-led units. There are several reasons why such policies are problematic. Perhaps the most important is that women are being denied access to the very places that could help reduce their chance of adverse events during labour and birth. In this blog post, I explain what the problem is, and why such policies are illogical. A few important caveats Let’s clarify a few things first ..read more
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The induction crisis continues
Sara Wickham
by admin
2w ago
An induction crisis is occurring in the UK, and many other countries. Increasing numbers of women are being told that their labour needs to be induced. In most cases, this isn’t because they have an actual medical problem (such as serious pre-eclampsia), but because they have a risk factor, such as being older, having a higher BMI, having a suspected large baby, having conceived by IVF, or being pregnant for more than a few days after their ‘estimated due date’. Women often report that, if they express concern or try to decline induction, they encounter coercion, with staff telling them that ..read more
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Eight things I’d like to share with midwifery students who care…
Sara Wickham
by Sara Wickham
1M ago
Dear Midwifery Student, I am sharing this with you in reply to your request for advice or words of wisdom on your journey. I hope you will understand when you realise that I have shared this with others before you. I would far rather send you a shared response than no response. It is my hope that it might also give you hope to know that you’re not alone. Many others have sent a similar message out into the Universe, and most of them are now qualified midwives. I understand how painful, difficult, tiring, challenging and heart-wrenching midwifery education can be. You are expected to cope with ..read more
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Induction of labour and larger women
Sara Wickham
by admin
3M ago
Women with a higher BMI are very likely to be told that they need to undergo induction of labour. But many do not want this, and the number of queries that we receive about induction of labour for larger women has increased in the past few years. And, as I researched and wrote In Your Own Time and my Plus Size Pregnancy book, I looked at the evidence in this area in more depth. I’m going to offer an overview of some of the key issues in this blog post. Please see either In Your Own Time or my Plus Size Pregnancy book for a readable discussion of the evidence on this and many other areas ..read more
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Home-made birth hearts recipe…
Sara Wickham
by Sara Wickham
4M ago
Today, I’m sharing the recipe for an activity for anyone who wants to slow down, rest and/or ponder their options while getting in touch with their baby.  All of which are highly recommended! This is also a brilliant activity for birth education groups, baby showers, or anyone who wants to make a special gift for a friend. Over the years, I have made hundreds of fabric hearts for friends, colleagues, fundraisers and as surprise ‘thank you’ gifts for those who buy lots of our craft goodies. I’ve also taught many friends and colleagues how to make them, as this makes a lovely ..read more
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Books I have known and loved…
Sara Wickham
by Sara Wickham
4M ago
As you might know, I love to tell you about books written by other people that I think are worth reading. This blog post contains many of the book reviews that I have written over the years, details of books that I have been involved with but haven’t authored, and links to some of my favourite birth and midwifery books. You can find out about my own books here. A quick note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links and any purchases made after visiting these links generate an affiliate fee (with no increased cost to the buyer) which goes directly towards the running costs of this we ..read more
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Evidence for the purple line…
Sara Wickham
by Sara Wickham
5M ago
In this blog post, Dr Sara Wickham gathers together evidence for the purple line in labour. The purple line is a line of temporary skin discoloration that can be seen in the anal cleft of some women as they progress in labour. In early labour, the line is short, and it gets longer as labour progresses. This means that some midwives use it as a sign of labour progress. It’s one of a number of non-invasive approaches that we can use to assess how a woman/baby is progressing in labour. I have been aware of the purple line being watched for, used and discussed by midwives for my whole career ..read more
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The importance of consent: rant, rinse, repeat…
Sara Wickham
by Sara Wickham
6M ago
I have been ranting about consent for decades, and I make no apology for it. In the few days before first writing this blog post, I had conversations with three different, unrelated, and very caring midwives. All were caring for bright, informed women who were experiencing difficulties getting the care they wanted. And in each case the problem was the same. The women had been subjected to a risk assessment or screening test, carried out without their knowledge or consent. And these tests or assessments had unwanted and unwelcome implications. I suspect that most midwives and birth workers can ..read more
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Plus Size Pregnancy book now available!
Sara Wickham
by Sara Wickham
7M ago
Dr Sara Wickham’s ‘Plus Size Pregnancy’ book is now available! Have you been told that your pregnancy is high risk simply because you have a higher BMI? Have you been advised that you need extra tests and interventions, or that you have no choice about where you give birth? Do you feel pressured or scared into following this advice? Are you wondering whether higher BMI actually makes a difference and whether guidelines about higher BMI and birth are truly evidence based? If your answer to any of these questions is “yes” then take a deep breath and read on, because Dr Sara Wickham’s new boo ..read more
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