Physiology-Informed Maternity Services

AIMS Position Paper

PIMS Case Study: Optimal cord clamping and intact cord resuscitation

PIMS Case Study: Biomechanics

PIMS Case Study: Family-friendly/natural/gentle caesarean birth

Evidence submission to the House of Lords' review of Preterm Birth

In 2024 the AIMS Campaigns team sent this evidence submission highlighting, among other things, the importance of optimal cord clamping and kangaroo mother care for pre-term babies .

AIMS Physiology-Informed Maternity Services Poster

AIMS Campaigns Team volunteers presented a poster about our campaign for Physiology-Informed Maternity Services at the 2023 conference of the British Intrapartum Care Society in Cardiff . The poster explains the reasoning behind the campaign, and includes several case studies to illustrate what we mean by “Physiology-Informed Care."

Letter to Jeremy Hunt MP

February 2021:AIMS wrote to Jeremy Hunt MP, in his role as chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee, as a response to the current discussion regarding a so-called 'ideology of normal birth'.We are keen for there to be more clarity and consensus on this issue. AIMS is proud of its continuing role in highlighting the need for physiology-informed maternity care provision. Everyone using the UK's maternity services, whatever their individual needs and preferences, deserves to be supported by health professionals who properly understand birth physiology. Until this is the case, then our maternity services are simply not Better Births compliant.

AIMS Publications

AIMS guide to giving birth to your baby

AIMS guide to giving birth to your placenta

The Princess & the Poo – AIMS UK Shop

Children’s book to encourage and inspire more peaceful births.

Journal articles

2025

The POOL cohort study| AIMS

The AIMS Campaigns team comments on the conclusions and the potential implications of this study that contributes important evidence for the safety of birth in water.

2024

Microbirth Summit: The Microbiome and Why it Matters in Maternity| AIMS

Midwife and AIMS Campaigns volunteer Catharine Hart reports on the Microbirth Summit, which featured talks on how establishing a healthy microbiome (the community of microorganisms that live on or in the human body) at birth may contribute to long-term health.

An interview with Dr Malika M. Bonapace, D.Psy | AIMS

Dr Bonapace is a doctor of clinical psychology who now trains health care professionals about physiologic birth and about an approach to non-pharmacological pain management called the Bonapace method.

The Physiology of Trust| AIMS

Kath Revell, AIMS volunteer, and active birth teacher and doula for over 20 years, explores how "Trust is at the heart of physiological birth" and how trust can be fostered in maternity care.

Pelvic floor health - “I wish I’d known this sooner” | AIMS

Physiotherapist Lara Watson explains what women need to know about techniques ro prevent and treat pelvic floor problems.

2023

Why does physiological birth matter?| AIMS

Carolyn Warrington explains why physiology-informed care enhances every birth and protects the well-being of the whole family.

Teaching midwives about physiology-based care: going beyond the core curriculum| AIMS

Molly O’Brien worked as a clinical midwife in the NHS for 20 years. She is now an associate lecturer, birth preparation teacher and freelance trainer. In the course of her career she developed techniques to diagnose and rectify labour dystocia. She teaches online and travels all over the world teaching her Biomechanics for Birth course.

Physiological birth: a dangerous cult or a scientific fact?| AIMS

Natalie Meddings is a doula, active birth yoga teacher and mother to three children. She is the author of How to have a Baby and Why Homebirth Matters and presents a podcast with doula colleague Jenna Rutherford called 'Mothers Talking.' She lives in SW London with her husband Danny, two cats and her last sixteen year old baby.

Physiological birth: how it works | AIMS

Alex is an editor for the AIMS journal, a grandmother and great grandmother, and witness to some truly wonderful physiological births. She has close to half a century’s experience as a childbirth educator.

The International Labour and Birth Research Conference 24th – 26th April 2023 | AIMS

Charlotte Edun is a doula, MNVP lead (Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust), researcher at the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health at Coventry University and AIMS volunteer. Her areas of interest are decision making, health literacy and physiology informed care.

Facilitators and barriers to the implementation of a physiological approach to care in labour | AIMS

PhD student Florence Darling shares the findings of her study that looks at the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of a physiological approach to care in labour. Florence presented these findings at the international labour and birth research conference in April 2023.

The Art of Giving Birth – Five Key Physiological Principles | AIMS

Sallyann Beresford is an experienced doula and antenatal educator. She is the award-winning author of 3 books and hosts a weekly podcast. Her recent book The Art of Giving Birth – Five Key Physiological Principles is aimed at helping the reader not only plan but succeed at achieving a physiological birth

Considering the invisible parts of the birth environment | AIMS

Nicole is a midwife, aromatherapist and yogi and has recently published her first book. ‘7 Secrets Every Pregnant Woman Needs To Hear Before Giving Birth: The New Midwife’s R.O.A.D. To Birth Hypnobirth System’ is available on Amazon.


2022:

The Birthkeeper of Bethlehem: A Midwife's Tale | AIMS

Book review by Mary Newburn, service user researcher and activist, co-founder of the Midwifery Unit Network, and former Head of NCT Research and Information.

British Journal of Midwifery - Physiology-Informed Maternity Services

Carolyn Warrington discusses how improved understanding of the physiology behind birth can improve outcomes and experiences for mothers and birthing people.

2021:

Book review: Dynamic Positions in Birth | AIMS

Reviewed by AIMS volunteers Verina Henchy and Jo Dagustun.

Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering: A Doctor's Guide to Natural Childbirth and Gentle Early Parenting Choices - a review

Reviewed by Sue Boughton, a longstanding AIMS member and massage practitioner and doula from the North-East of England now living in London.

Where is the village? | AIMS

Beth is a writer on maternity and women’s rights matters. She lives in Southeast England with her husband and children.

2019:

Do animals need doulas? | AIMS

Katie Hickey BVetMed is a former vet, a doula and mother to two girls.

Oxytocin: Love, Birth and Bulldogs | AIMS

Based in Yorkshire, Tracy Ripley is a pregnancy, birth and postnatal educator, Doula and holistic integrated therapist, specialising in women’s reproductive well-being . She also volunteers for AIMS and Doulas Without Borders.

2018:

Physiology Matters: A letter to Doctor Joseph B. DeLee | AIMS

Céline Lemay PhD, anthropologist by academic background, has been a practicing midwife for more than 30 years. She is also a senior lecturer in midwifery at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, and a current council member of the College of Midwives, Québec (l'Ordre des sage-femmes du Québec).

2017:

Protecting Physiology, supporting twin births to avoid unnecessary interventions. | AIMS

Birthing twins – encouraging normal physiology by Chris Warren

2014:

Rebozo in an NHS setting | AIMS

Jude Davis, NHS midwife, encourages those supporting births to increase their confidence.

2011:

Undisturbed Birth | AIMS

Sarah Buckley shows us what is stopping birth working and describes the physiology of undisturbed birth

Latest Content

Journal

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An interview with Sarah Odling Smee

AIMS Journal, 2025, Vol 37, No 1 Interview by Leslie Altic What first attracted you to being a midwife, tell us a bit about your journey and how you got to where you are…

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Birth Activists Briefing: The lates…

AIMS Journal, 2025, Vol 37, No 1 By the AIMS Campaigns Team In this article we will summarise some of the key points of data about the maternity services that have been p…

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AIMS Physiology-Informed Maternity…

AIMS Journal, 2025, Vol 37, No 1 Art by Sophie Jenna Latest update from the PIMS team! The NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) recently asked the Campa…

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Events

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AIMS Workshop: Politics and power i…

This is an invitation to anyone who was ever born... ... to explore our understanding and learn together. It’s part of a short series of interactive discussions around ho…

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The 10th Annual Birth Trauma Summit

Join us online via livestream or in person at Conway Hall for a day of inspiring speakers and workshops. We promise to hold courageous conversations which challenge narra…

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Midlands Maternity & Midwifery Fest…

The Maternity and Midwifery Festivals are back face to face and we’re looking forward to meeting you in 2025. Nine events across the UK and Ireland – all of them free of…

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Latest Campaigns

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AIMS Letter to Professor Mary Renfr…

AIMS has written to Professor Mary Renfrew to thank her for taking the lead on reviewing maternity services in Northern Ireland. Her report is the first of its kind to ta…

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MBRRACE-UK Saving Lives Improving M…

By the AIMS Campaigns team This note is intended to offer both a summary and AIMS commentary on the latest annual MBRRACE-UK report. MBRRACE stands for Mothers and Babies…

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PIMS Short Case Study - Optimal Cor…

Optimal cord clamping AIMS supports midwife Amanda Burleigh’s campaign for optimal cord clamping “ Wait for White ”. Optimal cord clamping is a key part of physiological…

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