"Normal" Birth - Read the research and weep
New research shows that only a quarter of women in the UK truely have a normal birth. AIMS Research Officer Jean Robinson reports on the study's findings.
Getting a normal birth - Whose failure to progress
Janette McCabe wanted a normal birth. But her story reveals the idea that hospital is the 'best' place to give birth is still irrationally strong among both midwives and consultants. Beverley Beech provides commentary to put the story in context.
Naomi Wolf's "Misconceptions" - Is it relevant to the UK?
Misconceptions - Naomi Wolf's expose on US childbirth practices - was received with unusual positivity by the UK press. Why did it take a rich and beautiful - if somewhat confused - media personality writing about birth practices in a foreign country to get the message across in the UK? Anne Mccabe reports
Supporting women after birth - Experience of postnatal illness support in Cumbria
In many areas of the country women with Postnatal Illness are left to struggle alone, and manage as best they can, but in the North West, the charity Postnatal Illness Support (Cumbria) provides a unique support service.
Domestic violence in pregnancy
Midwife Sally Price shines a light on a surprisingly common, but little talked about phenomenon
Also in this issue:
"Who's on duty"; Blind Prejudice; National Normal Birth Symposium; The Rising Caesarean Rate 2002; Maternal Deaths; Successful home birth despite 'low' iron count
AIMS Journal, 2025, Vol 37, No 3 By Alex Smith An increasing number of new mothers begin breastfeeding following a long drawn-out process of induction of labour. Currentl…
AIMS Journal, 2025, Vol 37, No 3 Welcome to the September 2025 issue of the AIMS journal. The theme for this quarter is breastfeeding. An important issue that emerged as…
AIMS Journal, 2025, Vol 37, No 3 Interview by Catharine Hart Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed by AIMS, Kate. I love that this book doesn't try to sound authoritat…
AIMS AGM 2025 All members welcome to join us in London or online - further details to follow in AIMS Members Mailing. Please email admin@aims.org.uk if you plan to attend…
Join us for an interactive online AIMS workshop: " The Foundation Stones for Supporting the Physiological Process in Pregnancy and Birth ". In this workshop discussion we…
AIMS is delighted to be hosting a series of Tools for Change campaigning workshops to be led by Ruth Weston. Ruth's journey of Birth Activism and Maternity Service Campai…
The Government’s 10-year health plan for England ‘ Fit for the Future ’, launched in July 2025, is the outcome of the large-scale ‘Change NHS’ consultation that began in…
AIMS has written to Wes Streeting MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to welcome his announcement of a National Maternity Review, offer our support for the…
Introduction There has long been uncertainty over whether there is any benefit to early induction of labour when a baby is suspected to be ‘big’, known as ‘Large for Gest…