My experience of birth wasn’t very positive. Not only were we panic stricken at the site of finding some bleeding at home, but we got to the hospital and my wife was in such pain it didn’t seem right. I know it’s painful, but something seemed wrong. Her back felt like her spine was falling out and it continued to be this painful throughout. It was only when the Boy’s head appeared that the midwife realised he was back to back… hence the extraordinary pain in her lower back. How did they miss that?

Anyway, positive birth is all about discussing birth in a positive way. Looking back, although it wasn’t a positive experience for us, there were positive parts we can take from it. Many of our friends had brilliantly positive birth experiences, and they should be celebrated and shared. Here’s some more information about positive birth, written by Louise; a doula and Ante-natal teacher.

The Positive Birth Movement is a grass roots movement, spreading positivity about childbirth via a global network of FREE Positive Birth groups, linked up by social media.  You can read more by visiting www.positivebirthmovement.org

A Positive Birth Group has only two strict criteria, it must be 1) free and 2) positive about birth.

And now Tunbridge Wells has joined the Positive birth movement. Positive Birth Tunbridge Wells is a place for ALL women regardless of their experience or choices to come together and share experiences, thoughts, feelings and insight about childbirth.

This group isn’t about pushing a certain type of birth: a positive birth doesn’t have to be ‘natural’ or ‘drug free’.  Any birth can be positive – at home, hospital, birth centre, caesarean, with or without medical intervention etc.

Often, when women & their partners talk about positive birth experiences those feelings are rooted in having felt they were listened to & given the accurate information they needed to be part of any decision-making process. This starts in pregnancy, and all parents deserve these things and the support to approach birth feeling informed and respected.

So, come along to the meetings for information on ALL your choices and to hopefully work through any concerns or anxieties in a warm, supportive environment. If you have a positive experience to share we’d love to see you too. We’ll also throw in some tea & cake, so, just come for that if nothing else!

Please visit & ‘like’ our Facebook Page: Positive Birth Tunbridge Wells for regular updates/details of meetings: https://www.facebook.com/positivebirthtunbridgewells

Or

Follow us on Twitter: @PositiveBirthTW : https://twitter.com/PositiveBirthTW

Meetings 2015

Monday 9th February

Monday 30th March

Monday 20th April

Monday 18th May

Monday 15th June

Monday 20th July

Meetings are held in my home, if you’d like to come along please email me: louise@callthedoula.com

Louise Daniels, NCT Antenatal Teacher and Birth Doula