maternity – Page 3 – Nannyjob blog

Future Olympians!

Well, what an incredible buzz the Olympic Games brought with it! They claimed 22 golds, 21 silvers and 22 bronze medals in Japan. With towns and cities across Great Britain welcoming back their hero’s, it’s no wonder that many of us heard a daily announcement from our little ones “I want to do that!”.

So, if you have a child who would like to be the next Laura Kenny, Sky Brown or Tom Daly how do you get started to help them on their way to being the next big thing?

PMA!

Ok, it may sound cliche, but how do you expect a child to believe in itself if you don’t plant seeds of positivity? If they announce they want to learn a sport or event that they’ve seen on the Olympics, then there should be very little reason why they can’t. Make them feel like they can do anything they want, with the right attitude and commitment.

Don’t be a pushy parent

There is nothing worse for a child than feeling pressurised to do something they don’t really want to. Remember that this is their dream, not yours! There is no quicker way to put a child off something than to push them into it if they aren’t interested. Also, if they are not physically or emotionally ready to compete, then starting them too early can end up being frustrating for everyone, and can turn kids off from sports for good.

Local clubs

Ask around or search online for your local clubs that specialise in the area the child is interested in. You’re sure to find something in most towns and cities, and even if you have to travel a little way, it may all be worth it in the end.

Create balance

Ok, so we’ve all heard how many hours a day the best swimmers spend in the pool to become the best, and just how totally dedicated the lives of world class athletes are. When starting out though, children need to see the fun in the event, and not feel that it is simply a trial of endurance, or all consuming. They are not likely to become great at something that they don’t see as being fun and enjoyable, especially in the beginning, so make sure you help create balance, and not expect them to start dedicating their lives to their chosen sport or activity.

Nannyjob wishes you and your little one lots of fun and the best of luck in the shaping of the future Team GB! Keep us informed about how you get on at Facebook.

When’s it due?

Only around 4% of babies are actually born at 40 weeks, commonly known as the due date. 80% of babies are born 2 weeks before or 2 weeks after. That leaves parents with a dilemma – when should they start looking for someone? And when should they book someone to start?

Many people choose to have some kind of childcare around or just after the time a new baby is expected to make an appearance but predicting when that might be if you opt for a natural birth is not an exact science. Only around 4% of babies are actually born at 40 weeks, commonly known as the due date. 80% of babies are born 2 weeks before or 2 weeks after. That leaves parents with a dilemma – when should they start looking for someone? And when should they book someone to start?

That all depends on what kind of care you want. If you’re talking about care for older children while a mother is in labour then it’s a wise idea to have someone on standby from 2 weeks before. If it’s an existing nanny or childminder then that can make life a lot easier if the baby is born during the week (as long as you’ve agreed contingency plans in advance). If you want someone to be on standby and not make plans to go out then you can expect to pay them some kind of retainer so it’s a good idea to have a backup plan for your chosen carer. Ideally you’ll have someone in place by the time you’re 6 months pregnant, but tapping into existing childcare networks earlier on means you have a greater chance of finding joined up care if your preferred carer can’t make it. For expectant mothers who don’t usually use childcare, or who have children in school or nursery, a temporary nanny/mother’s help may be a good solution and if you employ them during the day even part-time they’ll give you a chance to grab some much needed rest. It’s a good idea to make sure your older children are familiar with the child carer before the due date, as a new child carer and a new baby all at once might be unsettling.

A doula who provides care for you during labour should be used to making arrangements to be on standby for the month around the due date and that is usually reflected in the price of a birth care package. If, however, you choose to book a doula solely for the post-natal period you should discuss with them when they usually start and what the arrangement is if a baby ends up arriving late. Many mothers feel they benefit from having a doula in the early days on an occasional basis especially if their own mother can’t be around to help. A doula is generally more flexible in their duties than a maternity nurse and less intrusive as they don’t live in for the duration of the booking. Depending on your location doulas might be difficult to find, so it’s advisable to start looking early in pregnancy.

A maternity nurse, who will care for mother and baby and ease the baby into a routine will usually start around 2 weeks after the due date (although some may have availability to start earlier than booked). If a baby ends up being later than expected most will charge either a full or reduced fee from the date the booking starts. Many families also prefer to have a few days together as a family and aim to have a maternity nurse start just as the other parent goes back to work. Some maternity nurses can get booked up far in advance, and as they are likely to be on a booking which may not be in your area while you’re searching for them interviewing may be tricky to arrange. Most people start to look for a maternity nurse around 3 months into their pregnancy and book by 6 months to ensure availability but, unlike doulas, there are several agencies which place maternity nurses and maternity nurses are often not restricted by location so finding an emergency maternity nurse or late booking is easier to accomplish.

Rainy Day Play!

Rain rain go away, come again another day! Let’s go play in the rain!

Rain rain go away, come again another day! It seems like we’ve been saying this far too many times already this Summer. In the last few days the sun has decided to make an appearance, but just in case the rain clouds return and your plans for picnics and sunshine walks go out of the window – there are many fun things to do to keeps little ones occupied whilst it’s pouring down (and there won’t need to be a games console in sight, you’ll be pleased to know!).

We automatically think that we have to stay indoors when it’s raining, but if you nanny for toddlers or children, splashing around in puddles and mud can be lots of fun! Make sure everyone is well wrapped up in raincoats and wellies, and go out and create a splash in the woods or park, allowing the kids to get as wet and muddy as they like (if you’re brave!). The chances are the children will be so used to staying in while it’s rainy that this will be a welcome alternative and loads of fun!

So, if you’re not quite as game as that, do not fear – as always we’re here for you with our top tips and activities:

Show time! Get your little ones to put on a show. Make one end of the room the stage area, and teach them a little dance, or help them to come up with an idea for a short play (depending on age!). Once they’ve rehearsed and know what they’re doing, help them to make some nice colourful tickets, and they can ‘sell’ them to mummy and daddy later on.
Den making – we’ve never met a child yet who doesn’t love building a good old den. Probably something you did as a child (we love the old school activities!), use your imagination and get some old sheets, a duvet, or the big cardboard box that the new telly came in, and make a special den with the kids. Once it’s made, have a secret code word to get in, and put teddies and toys in there – a wonderful way of creating a new little pad for the day!
Scrap booking – with the permission of parents, encourage the children to start a personal scrapbook. It’s a great activity which will fill a rainy day, as you dig out old photos, postcards, drawings, and items that reflect who the child is and who they want to be. If they’re old enough, get the children to write next to each item they place in the scrapbook, and they can update it over time, pulling it out on more rainy days to come!
Indoor Olympics – what better a year than now to do this?! Get into the Olympic spirit and create your own games indoors. Get the kids to choose a country they’d like to represent, and to wear a comfy outfit as their uniform. For the actual activities, make sure you’re not doing anything too risky (you don’t want a smashed ornament on your hands!). Things like a slither race on the rug, or a knee race (each child going as quick as they can on their knees!) are perfect. Set up a leader board, and help the children to fill it in as they go.
Indoor beach party! Well, if we can’t have a Summer outside, why not have one inside?! Set up a tropical themed ‘beach’ party in the living room. Get the children to choose and put on their most summer-ish clothes, sunglasses, and flip flops, and make some palm tree, beach and fish paintings to decorate the walls. Find some music that fits the theme, and get the kids to help you make them some fruity ‘cocktails’ with umbrellas and straws. You’ll all forget about the rain outside before you know it!

If you have any other good ideas for indoor activities, don’t forget to share them with us on our Facebook page!

Targeting Tantrums

Supernanny Jo Frost used to make it look easy, and nannies usually know that the ‘naughty step’ and ‘time out’ techniques can be sanity savers in dealing with the most frustrated or badly behaved of toddlers, but nobody wants to actually let it get to that stage. So, how do we go about avoiding tantrum situations altogether?

If a child is prone to tantrums, making sure that frustration is kept within the limits of a child’s tolerance can be tough, but it is possible. Of course avoiding tantrums depends on each individual child, so there are no quick fixes that work for all.

Some of the the best ways to avoid toddler tantrums:

Give Leeway. Don’t back the child into a corner when you see them getting upset or angry about something. Instead of insisting on absolute “do’s” or “dont’s”, leave a bit of an escape route for them, and coax them to meet you half way if they really don’t want to do something.
Explain. Understand that tantrums often occur when a child simply doesn’t understand something, and their frustration grows as they try to get it. Try to explain things thoroughly before a situation is entered into which you think might cause this to happen. The child will feel calmer and more prepared, and less anxious about not fully understanding a situation or task.
Expression. One of the reasons toddlers have tantrums is because they are beginning to learn how to grasp speech and language. They often understand much more than they can express, which is fuel to the fire of a tantrum. Calmly listening and picking up on what you feel the child is trying to express will help the toddler feel less frustrated.
Enough food and sleep! It may sound like a no-brainier, but think about how you feel if you had a poor nights sleep and are hungry. It isn’t pleasant for anyone, let alone a toddler who doesn’t understand that this is the case. Make sure the child has had enough of both, and they will be far less likely to get frustrated over the small things with a clear head and a full belly.
Avoid negative attention. When a toddler has a tantrum and gets a reaction, this may actually be satisfying their need for attention in general, and in turn make them more likely to have tantrums. To avoid this behaviour, try to pick up on the good things that the toddler does and reward them with positive attention, even if it seems small, it will make a difference. This will make them less likely to need the negative kind, and less likely to demand it with tantrums.
Choose the right tasks – make sure you’re not trying to push the child to advance before they are able to. Offer age-appropriate tasks and games, so that you are more likely to have a situation where you praise them for doing something right. Once a more simple task has been completed and the child feels good, only then move on to slightly trickier things.
Set the stage – make sure you set boundaries to try toavoid tantrum situations. If you know you don’t want the child to have a certain item, make sure it’s hidden and out of sight to avoid the battle even starting. Of course this is not always possible when a child decides they want something that they can see when you’re out of the house!
Give control – work out what little things you think the child can handle being in control of. If they feel in control of some things, they are less likely to throw a tantrum about something they are not in control of. If a tantrum does arise, give them a subtle reminder of what they can control, to distract them from what they can’t.

Stick to these tactics and you might just save yourself some difficult situations dealing with tantrums! Do you agree with our ideas? Have you got any tactics that work to avoid tantrums? If so why don’t you add a comment or post them on our Facebook page…

Is breastfeeding best for you?

It’s an age-old debate, and one that has caused many a stir amongst new mums regarding what they feel is best for baby. With so many Women being the main breadwinners now or needing to return to work more quickly for financial reasons is breast really the best way for everyone?

Gone are the days when it was a given that all new mums would breast feed, with few alternatives being promoted at all. Babies were simply expected to ‘latch on’ with no problems (or none which were discussed openly by midwives or our own mums!). In reality, most of us know that this does not always run as swimmingly as the way we plan it whilst pregnant. In fact, it can sometimes be a source of great pain both physically and emotionally to many mums who innocently expect a stress-free start to baby’s feeding.

Mums can also feel a fair amount of pressure from others to breastfeed, making this very personal choice a tricky one. Whether the breast or formula choice is made before or after baby arrives, it is certainly a decision that you need to feel happy with, in a time when emotions are heightened and doing ‘the right thing’ by baby is the only thing in mind. Here is our simple guide to the benefits and possible drawbacks of each:

Some benefits of breastfeeding:

Nutrition – Colostrum, which is the milk produced at the end of pregnancy and the early part of breastfeeding, is high in concentrated nutrition for newborns, and has a laxative effect on baby.
Protection in childhood – In addition to containing all the vitamins and nutrients your baby needs in the first six months of life, breast milk is packed with disease-fighting substances that protect your baby from illness.
Protection into adulthood – Breastfeeding’s protection against illness lasts beyond your baby’s breastfeeding stage. Antibodies in breast milk may give a baby’s immune system a boost, and can protect from childhood and adult illnesses, including diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Bonding – A strong physical and emotional bond can be formed between mother and baby.
No cost – Breastfeeding is free, and available whenever baby needs a feed.
Good for mum – The NHS states that there are health benefits to mum as well, including up to 500 calories being used per day, and the risk of breast and ovarian cancer being reduced.

What they don’t always tell you about breastfeeding:

Pain – Breastfeeding can be physically painful for mums, lead to sore or even bleeding nipples.
Attaching – Many new mums find that baby doesn’t attach or ‘latch on’ as naturally as they’d expect, which can lead to a feeling of rejection or failure for mum. Patience and persistence are key.
Thrush – this can occur and pass between you and baby’s mouth. If nipples become sore or pink after breastfeeding without problems, this may be a sign of thrush.
Tongue-tie – Some babies are born with ‘tongue-tie’ where the skin between the underneath of the tongue and the bottom of the mouth is tight, making it difficult for baby to attach. If you experience any of the above and want to continue breastfeeding, don’t panic as help is at hand from GPs, health advisors and midwives.

In contrast, here are some benefits of formula feeding:

Nutrients – Commercially prepared infant formulas are still full of nutrients, and can even contain some vitamins & nutrients that breastfed babies need to get from supplements.
Convenience – Formula feeding is convenient, and feeding can be shared between both parents enabling mums to do other things, and dads to feel the bond that comes with feeding their baby.
Back to normal – ‘Normal’ life can resume more quickly, including returning to work, and taking birth control or other medication.
Sleeping – Baby may sleep for longer in between feeds, giving you more chance to sleep for longer too.
Quantities – You know exactly how much milk baby has had when formula-feeding.

What they don’t always tell you about formula feeding:

Getting it right – It’s easy to make the mixture too strong, weak or hot.
Illness – the NHS states that formula fed babies are more likely to get diarrhoea, chest, ear or urine infections.
Expense – it is estimated to cost at least £700 per year to formula feed.
Sterilising – there is a lot of work involved in thoroughly sterilising all the equipment required to formula-feed.
Mixing it up – if you decide to combine bottle feeding with breastfeeding, you should not introduce bottle feeding during the first six weeks of life, because the difference between nipples can confuse the baby, cause feeding problems, and it can interfere with the establishment of breastfeeding.

If you’re still not sure whether breast or formula feeding is best for you, speak to your midwife or health visitor for information and support, or call the National Breastfeeding helpline on 0300 100 0212.

Ommmm…. The Key Benefits of Yoga For Children

A bit of time to zen out, a great way to loosen off muscles, the best way to keep supple, or a full on cardio workout – whatever ways we already think yoga is good for us as adults – whether you partake or not – we know there are generally lots of benefits.

So, why should this be different for the little people in our lives? It isn’t. As joints and muscles are still growing, yoga can bring benefits that other exercise can’t for our little ones. Here are the reasons it’s a good idea to start them early with this ancient eastern art:

Enhancing concentration: When your child gets used to the postures of yoga, they automatically improve their concentration skills. Ancient sages used yoga as a form of meditation, and their powers of concentration are legendary. Your child learns how to sit still in one place and focus on what’s important as opposed to letting their mind wander and be distracted easily. This helps them in their lessons and at school, boosts their attention span and improves their grades.

Increasing flexibility and balance: Yoga helps improve flexibility and balance and tones their muscles too. It makes them stronger and less likely to suffer sprains and fractures through accidental falls.

Improving general well-being: Kids who practice yoga regularly feel good about themselves and are healthier and happier than those who don’t. They feel both mentally and physically rejuvenated after a yoga session and this improves their mental and physical health.

Boosting confidence: When your child is able to display great agility and flexibility, it does wonders for their confidence. Their improved performance at school also helps boost their popularity and their self assurance. They become more poised and start to believe in their abilities. This feeling provides them with the adrenaline they need to achieve success in all their endeavours.

Relaxing their minds: Even kids are subject to a great deal of stress these days because of their workload at school and the high expectations that many parents have. They are pushed to be achievers at every single point of their lives, and when they fail, they take it to heart and become depressed. Yoga helps them relax and de-stress when they feel upset or depressed. It soothes their frayed minds and helps them get back to a normal mental state.

Source: www.youngyogamasters.com

Although not yet seen as a mainstream activity for children in many cities, you should be able to find children’s yoga classes near or in your area via a quick Internet search. If you struggle, it may be worth contacting your school or nursery, and asking them to start arranging classes with a local qualified children’s yoga instructor.

Are you or your kids into Yoga or similar activities? Share it with us on our Facebook page!

How Nannies Can Help Children Cope With Parents’ Divorce

If you nanny for a family who is breaking up and going through a divorce or separation, it can be a real task to help get the kids through things, as well as to carry on your general nanny duties throughout this unstable time for all involved.

Children of any age can be deeply affected by their parents divorcing, even if they appear to be coping well on the outside, and it is a known fact that the bond with a caregiver may be the most stable relationship for the child during a divorce. In this situation, the nanny is seen as a caring adult who can provide a different perspective on things and not be full of the emotion that the child’s parents would be at the time – this can be a real relief for the child.

So, here are some ways that as a nanny you can really help the parents, children, and yourself, in a divorce or separation situation:

Communication

You need to know what the parents want you to know, and more importantly what they want you to say to the child. Be as straightforward as possible, and ask the parents to sit down with you and help you to do your best by their child, by briefing you properly on things. It may be painful, but it’s necessary.

Set out your stand

If you see your position as long term and would like to carry on working for the family (and they still want / can afford to employ you), then make it clear that you understand this is a difficult time, but that you will need to know where and what hours you will be required to work from now on. Make it clear that for you to do your job, you need to be in the loop with any custody and visitation issues at the very least. Remember this is a business relationship when all is said and done, and they should still respect that.

Patience is a virtue

Whatever reaction the child has, make sure you are patient and let them go through it. The last thing the child needs is for the one stable adult influence to be pressuring them to be ‘mature’ or not get too upset. If they are allowed to go through the emotions they feel, they will eventually come through the other side, and trust you all the more.

Reassurance

Use reassuring language, and if the child has a tactile nature, then give lots of hugs. Answer any questions they may ask you as best you can, based on what the parents have told you. Reassure the child that they are NOT responsible for the divorce, and repeat this as much as possible. In all the chaos the parents may have forgotten the incredible importance of this.

Keep normal schedules and routines

Encourage parents to do the same at home. Try not to change any more things than necessary, so that the child can feel as secure and ‘normal’ as they possibly can.

Encourage parents

If you have a good relationship with the parents, try to encourage them to spend a bit more time with the child when your shift starts and ends. If, for example, a dad has moved out of the family home, when he is in your place of work with the child, leave them alone for a little while, so he can have some valuable moments when he might not have done.

Remember that above all, the most important thing is to be a stable, calm and consistently positive influence for the child at this trying time. This will help you grow as a nanny, increase the bond that you have with the family, and very importantly help the children in their time of need.

Do you agree with our thoughts on this extremely sensitive issue? Post a comment or let us know your thoughts on our Facebook page…

Changing Career And Becoming A Nanny

With the economy and the job market struggling, there has been an increase in the number of people rethinking just how they can carve out a career for themselves. There are many people who previously did totally different jobs with no link to child care who are now wanting to go about getting into the industry. Here we outline the best ways to get into nannying if you don’t know where to start and have no experience, but know it’s where you see your career heading.

Start with the end in mind

Like starting any career, ask yourself where you see yourself in 5 years time, or even in 20 years time! It’s always best to begin something with a clear goal, and stick to it. Write down what you want from this career change, and ultimately where you see it taking you, and keep referring to it as you go to keep on track mentally.

Qualifications and experience

The good news is that there are no legal qualifications that you have to hold to become a nanny. However, this can be a double edged sword in cases, as parents will want to be as sure as possible that you can cope with the job, if they can’t see it written on a formal black and white certificate.

There are courses you can do to show that you are capable, including CACHE (the officially recognised Awarding Body for Early Years, Care and Education, and Play-work). Another way to prove you’re serious is to join the voluntary section of the General Childcare Register, which is administered by Ofsted, and covers things like Paediatric First Aid training (something that potential employers will want you to have).

As with anything else, the more experience you have, generally the more able you will be, so gain as much experience with children outside your family as possible, whether this is helping out at local playgroups, or babysitting for friends. This is a great way to use case studies as examples when being interviewed for a nannying job, and will put faith into parents that you can handle situations with children alone.

Learning

Be aware that potential employers will expect you to help with their child’s key stages of development. You’ll be expected to plan and organise fun activities to help development and learning, so it is worth looking into registering on courses that would help you with this. There are many courses out there, and it helps that you can use distance learning. A great place to start is to have a look at our list at http://www.nannyjob.co.uk/information/general/qualifications.aspx, and check out the list on www.childcarecollege.co.uk.

References

If you have no experience in the industry, it is still worth getting character references from previous employers, even if from a totally different sector. Potential employers will want to know about how trustworthy you are, what your timekeeping is like, and what kind of motivation levels you have, no matter what you did previously.

Know what you will and won’t do

Does the idea of walking the family dog fill you with dread? Are you happy to be asked to do the household ironing? Before you advertise your services as a nanny, prepare yourself to be asked to do things that are not strictly childcare based. Most nannies do nursery duties, which is anything related to the child within reason, so washing and ironing, and tidying the bedroom and playroom, as well as cooking meals would all most likely be expected of you. If there is anything that you really wouldn’t want to do then make it clear from the start.

The Nannyjob website should be a great source of information to help you get to grips with learning and beginning your new career, and ultimately to get a fantastic position! Good luck from the Nannyjob team.

Food For Thought: How To Encourage Healthy Eating

As a nanny one of your most important duties is to make sure the children in your care eat properly. This may sound simple enough, and parents may take it for granted that you will make sure their child eats well, but what happens if you find yourself face to face with the fussiest eater you’ve ever met – in the form of the small child in your care?!

It can be a real worry if a little one will only ever eat when or what they want to. It could be that parents do not experience this with their child, and the child may be trying to exercise an element of control over their environment when in your care. Having personally nannied for a 5 year old who only ever wanted jam sandwiches, I know from experience how frustrating it can be – but fear not, this did change over time, as he started to put more trust into the slightly more unfamiliar things in all areas of his life.

As always we are here to share our top tips if you find yourself in this kind of situation:

Don’t make it a big deal! Inwardly, you might be screaming, but try not to let the child see that this bothers you so much. Depending on the reason for the fussiness, the child may feel like they have ‘won’ if they see it bothering you, or in other cases they may start thinking there is something wrong with them – neither situation is good, so keep cool and very slowly over time start encouraging them to eat more / other things. The calmer you are about it, the more likely they are to be calm and compliant too.

Get them involved. It’s a known fact that a child is twice as likely to eat a meal that they have helped to prepare. As well as being educational and fun, getting a child to safely help out with food preparation will help improve their relationship with food. Start with taking them grocery shopping, so they can see the whole process from the start, and start to see it as fun.

Appropriate portions. We all know what it’s like when presented with a large and over facing meal. The immediate reaction is to feel a negative connotation with the meal and feel as though you can’t eat it before you even start. Well, this is the same for our smaller friends! You may think you’re doing them a favour by trying to get them to ‘eat it all otherwise no pudding’, but this is often the wrong way to go about things. Limit portion size, so that the child is not over faced, and they will feel proud of themselves for finishing a (much easier to manage) meal.

Timing. Make sure you only go about introducing new foods at appropriate times. A good example of this is if a child is hungry and / or rested or in a good mood. They are far more likely to try something new in this case. Also, make sure you only ever introduce one new thing at a time, again so as not to over face the child.

Mix it up. If you really want to introduce a certain food group that you know won’t be accepted too well by a fussy child, try introducing it at the same time as serving a favourite food. This will make the child more likely to try the other food on his plate as well as his favourite. If he ignores the new food, don’t fuss, just quietly try again next time.

Lead by example. It may help to actually sit and eat the same meal that you are trying to encourage, with the child. As we know, children like to imitate, and if you make sure that you, the child, and any siblings get into the routine of eating the same things, together at the table, then it often helps to encourage the fussy child to eat the same.

If you are finding that the issue seems to last for a really long period of time, it may be that there is a deeper rooted problem, and consulting a doctor or dietician is advised.

Hospital vs Home Birth: The Role of Midwives

When you’re planning for your baby’s birth, you’ll have lots to think about. One of the main thoughts that will be going through your mind will be the midwives that will attend your birth – after all, along with your birth partner(s), they will be your main companions throughout your labour.

If you decide to plan to give birth to your baby at home, you may be wondering if your care will differ at all to that of mothers giving birth in a hospital environment.

Ultimately, the main job of midwives is to keep you and your baby as safe as possible, but the dynamics between midwives and their patients can be quite different at a home birth than at a hospital birth.

Hospital Birth
Hospital maternity units are run to strict protocols to ensure quality of care for every woman and baby on the unit. Additionally, maternity units are generally very busy places – often, midwives are stretched to their limits. As a result, midwives need to be ‘in charge’ of their unit. The dynamic between midwives and mothers on a maternity unit is usually very much that of professionals and patients, although midwives do their very best to empower women to make their own choices about their births.

If you choose to give birth on a hospital maternity unit, you will be assigned to a midwife when you arrive. They generally won’t be able to stay with you throughout your labour, but will check on you regularly. When it comes to the second stage of labour when your baby is born, you will have two midwives with you, or a midwife and a doctor.

Home Birth
A home birth is usually a much more holistic affair than hospital birth. People who opt for home birth usually do so because they want a more natural experience, or because they want to feel more in charge of their birth. At a home birth, the midwife – mother dynamic is quite different. Midwives acknowledge that they are guests in the mother’s home, and as such, the mother is very much in charge of her own birth. The midwives are there to safeguard the mother and facilitate the safe delivery of the baby.

If you choose to give birth at home, two midwives will attend you. Usually, the first midwife will arrive at your home with the equipment, and then send for the second midwife when the second stage of labour is approaching.

It is important that we point out that the legal requirements of midwives are the same whether you give birth at a hospital or at home – as the patient, your care is centred around you, and wherever you give birth you are legally responsible to make decisions about your care. The only real difference between hospital and home births is how the birth experiences feel to the birthing family.