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2025, Vol. 37, No. 3 (Thinking about breastfeeding)
2025, Vol. 37, No. 2 (Women in labour: Do not disturb!)
2025, Vol. 37, No. 1 (Listen with Grandmother)
2024, Vol. 36, No. 4 (The deafness loop: a cycle of inequality)
2024, Vol. 36, No. 3 (A Matter of Trust)
2024, Vol. 36, No. 2 (When the Mother is Unwell)
2024, Vol. 36, No. 1 (I am writing to complain)
2023, Vol. 35, No. 4 (Mixed Feelings)
2023, Vol. 35, No. 3 (We were there)
2023, Vol. 35, No. 2 (Where will the baby come out? Birthplace dreams, instincts and lived experience)
2023, Vol. 35, No. 1 (Dare we say it? Physiological birth)
2022, Vol. 34, No. 4 (Picturing Birth)
2022, Vol. 34, No. 3 (Once Upon a Birth)
2022, Vol. 34, No. 2 (The Sound of Violence)
2022, Vol. 34, No. 1 (Induction: love's labours lost?)
2021, Vol. 33, No. 4 (Birth of a pandemic: How we coped)
2021, Vol. 33, No. 3 (Decision-making and consent)
2021, Vol. 33, No. 2 (A Plurality of Births: Languages, Places, Communities)
2021, Vol. 33, No. 1 (Salutogenesis - Putting the Health Back Into Healthcare)
2020, Vol. 32, No. 4 (The Use of Social Media in Pregnancy and Early Parenthood)
2020, Vol. 32, No. 3 (AIMS at 60 - Making a difference past and future)
2020, Vol. 32, No. 2 (Pandemic birth: Women's own stories during Covid-19)
2020, Vol. 32, No. 1 (Breaking Down the Barriers to VBAC)
2019, Vol. 31, No. 4 (Raging Hormones - The Power of Birth)
2019, Vol. 31, No. 3 (Resolution: Finding Closure Following Birth)
2019, Vol. 31, No. 2 (Everyone's an Individual (I'm not!))
2019, Vol. 31, No. 1 (To Induce or Not To Induce - At Least Ask the Question?)
2019, Vol. 30, No. 4 (When Birth Becomes Trauma)
2018-19, Vol. 30, No. 3 (The Politics of Infant Feeding)
2018, Vol. 30, No. 2 (Implementing Better Births Part 2)
2018, Vol. 30, No. 1 (Implementing Better Births Part 1)
2017, Vol. 29, No. 4 (Twins and Multiples: More Babies, More Decisions, Same Rights)
2017, Vol. 29, No. 3 (Making Decisions)
2017, Vol. 29, No. 2 (Changing Language)
2017, Vol. 29, No. 1 (Focus on what makes a difference)
2016, Vol. 28, No. 4 (Reforming maternity)
2016, Vol. 28, No. 3 (Creating Continuity)
2016, Vol. 28, No. 2 (Back to the Future)
2016, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Caring for Midwives)
2015–16, Vol. 27, No. 4 (Birthplace Matters)
2015–16, Vol. 27, No. 3 (Stillbirth)
2015–16, Vol. 27, No. 2 (Ensuring good births for all)
2015–16, Vol. 27, No. 1 (Human Rights and the maternity jigsaw)
2014–15, Vol. 26, No. 4 (Supporting Birth)
2014–15, Vol. 26, No. 3 (State of the NHS)
2014–15, Vol. 26, No. 2 (Long-term Impact)
2014–15, Vol. 26, No. 1 (What about the evidence?)
2013–14, Vol. 25, No. 4 (Freedom of choice - When women really get to choose)
2013–14, Vol. 25, No. 3 (Breastfeeding and Biology - Supporting access to breastmilk?)
2013–14, Vol. 25, No. 2 (Remembering Women - What happens when women are not part of the decision chain?)
2013–14, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Policing Pregnancy - Who is really in charge?)
2012–13, Vol. 24, No. 4 (Commissioning Care - Building women-centred choice)
2012–13, Vol. 24, No. 3 (Are you asking? considering consent)
2012–13, Vol. 24, No. 2 (Place of Birth - why women don't have a real choice)
2012–13, Vol. 24, No. 1 ('Please treat me normally' Women share their thoughts on care)
2011–12, Vol. 23, No. 4 ('High Risk' When does a label become a self-fulfilling prophecy?)
2011–12, Vol. 23, No. 3 (International Witch Hunt - the campaign against midwifery)
2011–12, Vol. 23, No. 2 (Challenging the medicalisation of birth)
2011–12, Vol. 23, No. 1 (Normality)
2010–11, Vol. 22, No. 4 (Campaigning for 50 years 1960 - 2010)
2010–11, Vol. 22, No. 3 (The persecution of woman centred care)
2010–11, Vol. 22, No. 2 (Caesarean Birth)
2010–11, Vol. 22, No. 1 (Is anyone listening?)
2009–10, Vol. 21, No. 4 (Good Care)
2009–10, Vol. 21, No. 3 (Midwifery under Threat)
2009–10, Vol. 21, No. 2 (Social Services - The secrecy of forced adoption)
2009–10, Vol. 21, No. 1 (Campaigning, Complaining and Caring)
2008–9, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Midwifery Focus - Looking at supporting normal birth)
2008–9, Vol. 20, No. 3 (Home Birth, in search of normality)
2008–9, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Birth in Europe - Is there unity in the EU?)
2008–9, Vol. 20, No. 1 (The Value of Mothering - Are mothers let down when Culture can't care?)
2007–8, Vol. 19, No. 4 (Rhetoric and Reality - How do they compare on the ground?)
2007–8, Vol. 19, No. 3 (Where is the Support? Just how medicalised, institutionalised and fragmented are maternity services? )
2007–8, Vol. 19, No. 2 (Listen with Mother - Considering our options for the future of maternity care )
2007–8, Vol. 19, No. 1 (Birth Trauma - What makes birth traumatic and how can we help? )
2006–7, Vol. 18, No. 4 (Consultation Conundrums)
2006–7, Vol. 18, No. 3 (Free-standing and Proud)
2006–7, Vol. 18, No. 2 (Breastfeeding - Supporting Success)
2006–7, Vol. 18, No. 1 (Homebirth - why is it still hard labour?)
2005–6, Vol. 17, No. 4 (Choice - an abused concept)
2005–6, Vol. 17, No. 3 (Do Women Want Midwives or Obstetric Nurses? The AIMS conference poses the question)
2005–6, Vol. 17, No. 2 (Help us to save our Birthing Units!)
2005–6, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Hands off that breech!)
2004-5, Vol. 16, No. 4 (Why are more mothers dying?)
2004-5, Vol. 16, No. 3 (Health Visitors or Health Police?)
2004-5, Vol. 16, No. 2 (NICE guidelines for caesarean section)
2004-5, Vol. 16, No. 1 (Is it murder to refuse a caesarean?)
2003-4, Vol. 15, No. 4 (The politics of cot death)
2003-4, Vol. 15, No. 3 (Challenging the illusion of choice)
2003-4, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Premature babies: Avoidable deaths)
2003-4, Vol. 15, No. 1 (Shaken baby syndrome: Caused by hospital care)
2002-3, Vol. 14, No. 4 (Failure in expectations: it's all your fault!)
2002-3, Vol. 14, No. 3 (Money running out for convenience caesareans)
2002-3, Vol. 14, No. 2 (State-sanctioned kidnapping: Violation of a baby's human rights)
2002-3, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Caesarean section or vaginal birth - What difference does it make?)
2001-2, Vol. 13, No. 4 (What is normal birth? Time to stop confusing what is common with what is normal)
2001-2, Vol. 13, No. 3 (Misoprostol for induction of labour - Untested, Unapproved and Unnecessary)
2001-2, Vol. 13, No. 2 (What Happens When a Woman Needs a Caesarean?)
2001-2, Vol. 13, No. 1 (Supporting the Mother - Where are the midwife advocates?)
2000-1, Vol. 12, No. 4 (Under-motivated, Under-skilled and Under Threat)
2000-1, Vol. 12, No. 3 (A Nail in the Coffin for Home Birth)
2000-1, Vol. 12, No. 2 (Waterbirth - Time to Move forward)
2000-1, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Responding To Women's Needs)
1999-2000, Vol. 11, No. 4 (The Safety of Hospital Birth - The myth versus the reality)
1999-2000, Vol. 11, No. 3 (Where's the Good News?)
1999-2000, Vol. 11, No. 2 (The Witch Hunt)
1999-2000, Vol. 11, No. 1 (Midwifery - Will Higher Level Equal Lower Skill?)
1998-9, Vol. 10, No. 4 (Miscarriage - The Loss of A Baby)
1998-9, Vol. 10, No. 3 (Breech Presentation)
1998-9, Vol. 10, No. 2 (Active Management of Labour)
1998-9, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Is Labour Just a Pain?)
1997-8, Vol. 9, No. 3 (Maternity Madness)
1997, Vol. 9, No. 2 (Normal Birth - A Movement Standing Still)
1995, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Shackled Women)
1990, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Caesareans ...Something must be wrong)
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2025 , Vol. 37, No. 3
2025 , Vol. 37, No. 2
2025 , Vol. 37, No. 1
2024 , Vol. 36, No. 4
2024 , Vol. 36, No. 3
2024 , Vol. 36, No. 2
2024 , Vol. 36, No. 1
2023 , Vol. 35, No. 4
2023 , Vol. 35, No. 3
2023 , Vol. 35, No. 2
2023 , Vol. 35, No. 1
2022 , Vol. 34, No. 4
2022 , Vol. 34, No. 3
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2022 , Vol. 34, No. 1
2021 , Vol. 33, No. 4
2021 , Vol. 33, No. 3
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2020 , Vol. 32, No. 4
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2019 , Vol. 31, No. 4
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2018-19 , Vol. 30, No. 3
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2018 , Vol. 30, No. 1
2017 , Vol. 29, No. 4
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2015–16 , Vol. 27, No. 4
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2014–15 , Vol. 26, No. 4
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2004-5 , Vol. 16, No. 4
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2003-4 , Vol. 15, No. 4
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2002-3 , Vol. 14, No. 4
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2000-1 , Vol. 12, No. 4
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1999-2000 , Vol. 11, No. 4
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1997-8 , Vol. 9, No. 3
1997 , Vol. 9, No. 2
1995 , Vol. 7, No. 4
1990 , Vol. 2, No. 2
Journal Vol. 37, No. 2 — Women in labour: Do not disturb!
ISSN 2516-5852 (Online)
Editorial: Women in labour. Do not disturb
Guest editor, Catharine Hart, introduces the theme for this issue of the AIMS journal.
An open letter of thanks to Catharine Hart, Campaigns Team Volunteer and Physiology-Informed Maternity Services (PIMS) campaign lead.
AIMS bids a warm farewell to Catharine and wishes her all the best in her return to midwifery.
I n the safety and privacy of one’s own home
Alex Smith wonders whether current approaches to maternity care sabotage any chance of a physiological birth.
Reflections on the birth of my first child, Rory, 43 years ago.
Noreen O’Dwyer Hart reflects on a birth experience that changed her life forever.
The Joys, Chaos, and Magic of Five Waterbirths: A Personal Journey
Juliet Fisher shares the joyful birth stories of her five children.
The benefits of physiology-informed maternity services in high risk situations
Naomi Glass strove for a physiological birth despite her medical condition and found that midwives need support in this situation too.
My experience of physiology-informed maternity care as a pregnant women living with diabetes
Jane Furness, who lives with type 1 diabetes, describes the home birth of her second baby.
Reclaiming Birth: Trusting the Body Within a Physiology-Informed Maternity System
Sallyann Beresford explains why daring to believe in your body’s ability to give birth without help may come across as an act of defiance.
Supporting physiological birth as a student midwife
Student midwives Anna Jones and Lydia Barwood, share very different experiences, both highlighting how rarely midwives ever see physiological birth.
What is causing women to fear physiological birth?
Student midwife Emily Burke explains how the medical model of maternity care has led to a loss of trust in physiological birth.
The Fabric of Birth: Part one
Former midwife Nicole Schlögel compares what she was taught as a student midwife about anatomy, to what she has learned through her work as a fascia therapist offering pregnancy massage.
Integrating Evidence and Practice: Implementing Physiology-Informed Maternity Care in England
Midwife and public health advocate Fedwa Harrak explains why transitioning to a physiology-informed maternity care model in England is both essential and complex.
Is it time for an “oxytocin-based” maternity system?
AIMS comments on Toni Harman’s blog highlighting the worrying thought that routinely separating mothers and babies could be putting newborns at increased risk of morbidity and mortality.
Case study: Optimal Cord Clamping
AIMS reminds us of the vital importance of leaving the cord intact for some minutes after almost any birth.
The Natural (Gentle) Caesarean
Midwife Jenny Smith writes about her work in improving caesarean birth, both physiologically and psychologically, for women and their babies.
Case study: Rebozo
Julia Mihaylov explains how the rebozo scarf can be used throughout pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal period.
Case study: Biomechanics
Catharine Hart showcases the work of Molly O’Brien who believes that Biomechanic techniques should be available for all birthing women.
Review of the new book, ‘Born Stroppy’ by Ruth Weston
Catharine Hart reviewed Ruth Weston’s new book and found that she couldn’t put it down!
Birth Activists Briefing: Latest data from MBRRACE and the PMRT review
Nadia Higson tells us about the MBRRACE Data briefings on maternal mortality
Reflections on attending the Inaugural Regional Maternity & Neonatal Conference in Belfast on 25 th March
It was the first conference of its kind in Northern Ireland and AIMS was invited to attend by the Chief Nursing Officer Advisory Group!
What has the AIMS Campaigns Team been up to this quarter?
Find out about all of the AIMS campaigns team activities this last quarter.
Listen with Grandmother
Thinking about breastfeeding