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Journal Vol. 32, No. 2 — Pandemic birth: Women's own stories during Covid-19

ISSN 2516-5852 (Online)

To read or download this Journal as a PDF, please click here

Editorial
A snapshot of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the pregnancies and births of women and pregnant people in the UK

The importance of home birth during Covid-19
Briony Cobb describes the reassurance that her trust’s commitment to home birth is giving her as she awaits her first baby during the Covid-19 crisis

A positive induction during Covid-19
Frances Colquhoun gives birth to her daughter Emma following an induction during Covid-19

Positive hospital birth during Covid-19
Lois Hubbard shares her lovely birth story, even though her plans were changed

When unassisted birth may be the safest option
Louise Day explains why birthing at home without a midwife may be her safest option during the Covid-19 pandemic

Preparing for birth in lockdown
Lorraine Noble describes her ups and downs as she prepared for the birth of her baby during Covid-19

When fear becomes reality
Rosie West explains how the withdrawal of the homebirth and MLU services during Covid-19 is affecting her and her family

High risk and high and dry
This anonymous author shares how she felt abandoned by the NHS during Covid-19, despite risk factors which were worrying her

My birth, my way
Joanna freebirthed her baby girl as the right choice for her during the Covid-19 pandemic

Covid-19 and my IVF pregnancy
Gemma Wood describes how a lack of communication from her hospital has caused her anxiety and distress

A time of worry and uncertainty
Felicity Miller explains how the changes to maternity services in her area are causing huge stress and anxiety

Balancing the trade offs
Isla Wallace discusses how balancing the risks of spreading Covid-19 with the risks of being separated from her partner and newborn affected her

The impact of Covid-19 on Tabitha’s birth
Hannah Kemlo explains how Covid-19 affected her mental health

When partners are banned from birth
As Lucy Castelino arrived at the hospital to birth her twins, she was told that her partner could not be there at all, nor for the next 5 days

Homebirth to Midwife Led Unit transfer
Leanne Sumner’s positive birth, accidentally on the MLU!

When support stops
Polly Warr’s postnatal care was hugely reduced during the Covid-19 pandemic

Anxious in a pandemic
Louisa Powell writes how supportive her midwives have been as the Covid-19 pandemic made her pregnancy-related anxiety even worse

Preparing for freebirth during Covid-19
Hannah-Beth Hyde explains why she feels that a freebirth is her safest option during the Covid-19 pandemic

Birth in a pandemic after a pregnancy loss
After losing a baby to miscarriage, Clare Hardy describes how her subsequent pregnancy and birth were affected by Covid-19 as well as anxiety about a further loss

Doula-ing from a distance: better than nothing
Hilary Pengelly shares what being a doula during the Covid-19 pandemic means

Managing a doula team in the Covid-19 crisis
Michelle Bromley-Hesketh talks about the challenges of balancing life, work and a doula team during coronavirus

Campaign Update: What has the AIMS Campaigns team been doing?
AIMS’ campaigns team updates us on their work in the past 3 months

Campaign Update: Incentives for Continuity of Carer now included in NHS Resolution Scheme
The AIMS Campaigns Team describes how Trust Boards in the UK will now have a strong incentive to make sure that Continuity of Carer is firmly on their agenda, otherwise they will miss out on extra funding

Campaign Update: The CQC 2019 survey of women’s experiences of maternity care
AIMS Trustee Nadia Higson summarises the findings of the CQC survey, and looks at how it needs to be improved

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