The Obs Pod

In this episode i am joined by Victoria White founder of Neurodivergent Birth CIC and author of 'Why Neurodivergent Birth matters'.

This is a must listen episode for people working in maternity care , containing all sorts of thought provoking ideas & information 

We had a great converstaion about Neurodivergent birth , covering the four pillars of: Communication, sensory processing, executive functioning and mental health.

We discussed the useful resources that can be found at 

https://www.ndbirth.com/

https://www.ndbirth.com/downloads

As well as the upcoming Neurodivergent Birth Awareness week 5-11th Dec 2026

https://www.ndbirth.com/ndbaw26

providing free resources and CPD accredited education.

If you enjoyed exploring this topic you may also like to take a listen to Victoria's own podcast:

https://theneurodivergentbirthpodcast.buzzsprout.com/

Thank you all for listening,  My name is Florence Wilcock I am an NHS doctor working as an obstetrician, specialising in the care of both mother and baby during pregnancy and birth. If you have enjoyed my podcast please do continue to subscribe, rate, review and recommend my podcast on your podcast provider.
If you have found my ideas helpful whilst expecting your baby or working in maternity care please spread the word & help theobspod reach other parents or staff who may be interested in exploring all things pregnancy and birth.
Keeping my podcast running  without ads or sponsorship is important to me. I want to keep it free and accessible to all but it costs me a small amount each month to maintain and keep the episodes live, if you wish to contribute anything to  support theobspod please head over to my buy me a coffee page  https://bmc.link/theobspodV any donation very gratefully received however small.
Its easy to explore my back catalogue of episodes, I have a wide range of topics that may help you make decisions for yourself and your baby during pregnancy as well as some more reflective episodes on life as a doctor.
If you want to get in touch to suggest topics, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can find out more about me on Instagram @TheObsPod and email me on [email protected] Please also check out #MatExp matexp.org.uk for ideas about how to improve maternity experience.
My bea...

Have you listened to Episode 42 Assisted Birth and Episode 181 Assisted vaginal birth a woman's persepctive. Did you wonder if assisted vaginal birth could things be improved? 

If so this episode is a glimpse into development of a new device The Odon Assist that is an interetsing new option for clinicans. Join me as I chat to Emily Hotton obstetrician and Georgina Kelly midwife about Odon Assist, a new method of assisted vaginal birth designed for when the baby’s head is already low, and why it could offer a safer, more acceptable alternative to forceps or ventouse. We dig into the origin story, the clinical data so far, how women are involved in design and consent, and what needs to change in antenatal education so choices feel informed rather than frightening.

Want to know more:

For photos of the device check my instagram @theobspod images taken by Julian Benjamin/MNHI

Watch the information video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGzWi1dtd4Q

Read the research:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38462264/

Contact Emilt Hotton, or Georgina Kelly on LinkedIn if you want more information

If you have enjoyed the podcast, it’d be fantastic if you could subscribe, rate, and review on whatever platform you find your podcasts. As well as recommending the Obspod to anyone you think might find it interesting. If you found this episode interesting and want to explore the subject a little more deeply, don’t forget to take a look at the programme notes where I’ve attached some links. If you want to get in touch to suggest topics for future episodes, you can find me at the Obspod on Instagram and you can email me at the Obspod at gmail.com. If you’ve enjoyed my episodes and by chance you do have a tiny bit to spare, you can now contribute to keep the podcast going and keep it free via my link to buy me a coffee. Don’t feel under any obligation but if you’d like to contribute, you now can.

Thank you all for listening,  My name is Florence Wilcock I am an NHS doctor working as an obstetrician, specialising in the care of both mother and baby during pregnancy and birth. If you have enjoyed my podcast please do continue to subscribe, rate, review and recommend my podcast on your podcast provider.
If you have found my ideas helpful whilst expecting your baby or working in maternity care please spread the word & help theobspod reach other parents or staff who may be interested in exploring all things pregnancy and birth.
Keeping my podcast running  without ads or sponsorship is important to me. I want to keep it free and accessible to all but it costs me a small amount each month to maintain and keep the episodes live, if you wish to contribute anything to  support theobspod please head over to my buy me a coffee page  https://bmc.link/theobspodV any donation very gratefully received however small.
Its easy to explore my back catalogue of episodes, I have a wide range of topics that may help you make decisions for yourself and your baby during pregnancy as well as some more reflective episodes on life as a doctor.
If you want to get in touch to suggest topics, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can find out more about me on Instagram @TheObsPod and email me on [email protected] Please also check out #MatExp matexp.org.uk for ideas about how to improve maternity experience.
My bea...

In this episode I talk with my wonderful collelague consultant midwife Frances Rivers about what the role looks like on the ground and why it matters for women, midwives, and obstetricians. We dig into evidence, inequality, and personalised care, and how respectful conversations can keep trust even when choices sit outside recommendations. 
• what a consultant midwife does and why the role was created 
• the four pillars: clinical expertise, leadership, research, education 
• how women can access consultant midwife support through their midwife 
• disparities in place of birth by ethnicity and why awareness matters 
• the evidence for midwife-led units, home birth and birth centres 
• why birth centre rates are falling and what leadership can change 
• working with healthy tension between midwifery and obstetrics 
• personalised care when national guidance and evidence do not align 
• freebirth, disengagement from care and the difference between information and coercion 
• communication that starts with yes, continuity of care and being heard 

Want to know more?

The role of the consultant midwife

https://rcm.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/JGC2520-CM-Role-publication-v6-DIGITAL-1.pdf

Frances's research into ethnicity and place of birth

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12884-024-06977-z

A recent article by Frances and others about midwifery unit useage

https://www.all4maternity.com/racialised-womens-use-of-midwifery-units-barriers-and-facilitators/

https://birthrights.org.uk/

it'd be fantastic if you could subscribe, rate, and review on whatever platform you find your podcasts, as well as recommending the Obspod to anyone you think might find it interesting. 

Thank you all for listening,  My name is Florence Wilcock I am an NHS doctor working as an obstetrician, specialising in the care of both mother and baby during pregnancy and birth. If you have enjoyed my podcast please do continue to subscribe, rate, review and recommend my podcast on your podcast provider.
If you have found my ideas helpful whilst expecting your baby or working in maternity care please spread the word & help theobspod reach other parents or staff who may be interested in exploring all things pregnancy and birth.
Keeping my podcast running  without ads or sponsorship is important to me. I want to keep it free and accessible to all but it costs me a small amount each month to maintain and keep the episodes live, if you wish to contribute anything to  support theobspod please head over to my buy me a coffee page  https://bmc.link/theobspodV any donation very gratefully received however small.
Its easy to explore my back catalogue of episodes, I have a wide range of topics that may help you make decisions for yourself and your baby during pregnancy as well as some more reflective episodes on life as a doctor.
If you want to get in touch to suggest topics, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can find out more about me on Instagram @TheObsPod and email me on [email protected] Please also check out #MatExp matexp.org.uk for ideas about how to improve maternity experience.
My bea...

We explain why palpitations and a fast heart rate are so common in pregnancy, and how to separate normal physiological change from signs that need urgent assessment. We walk through the questions we ask, the tests we choose, and how we stay reassuring while still taking symptoms seriously. 
• normal pregnancy physiology and a typical 10 to 20 bpm rise in resting pulse 
• why a high heart rate is a general sign of illness rather than a diagnosis 
• infection screening in pregnancy including urine and chest symptoms 
• iron deficiency anaemia and why low haemoglobin drives tachycardia 
• thyroid function tests as part of a sensible blood work-up 
• when breathlessness and oxygen levels point towards lung causes 
• recognising red flags for pulmonary embolism and checking for leg clots 
• ECG as a snapshot and why intermittent symptoms may need longer monitoring 
• what a 24-hour tape involves and how an event log helps interpretation 
• likely results including sinus rhythm and sinus tachycardia 
• rarer arrhythmias in pregnancy including SVT and atrial fibrillation or flutter 
• treatment options including carotid sinus massage, medication, and MDT care 

Want to know more?

https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/heart-palpitations/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470211824054617

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/supraventricular-tachycardia-svt/

https://www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/leaflets-a-z/bisoprolol/

it'd be fantastic if you could subscribe, rate and review on whatever platform you find your podcasts, as well as recommending the Obspod podcast to anyone you think might find it interesting.  

Thank you all for listening,  My name is Florence Wilcock I am an NHS doctor working as an obstetrician, specialising in the care of both mother and baby during pregnancy and birth. If you have enjoyed my podcast please do continue to subscribe, rate, review and recommend my podcast on your podcast provider.
If you have found my ideas helpful whilst expecting your baby or working in maternity care please spread the word & help theobspod reach other parents or staff who may be interested in exploring all things pregnancy and birth.
Keeping my podcast running  without ads or sponsorship is important to me. I want to keep it free and accessible to all but it costs me a small amount each month to maintain and keep the episodes live, if you wish to contribute anything to  support theobspod please head over to my buy me a coffee page  https://bmc.link/theobspodV any donation very gratefully received however small.
Its easy to explore my back catalogue of episodes, I have a wide range of topics that may help you make decisions for yourself and your baby during pregnancy as well as some more reflective episodes on life as a doctor.
If you want to get in touch to suggest topics, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can find out more about me on Instagram @TheObsPod and email me on [email protected] Please also check out #MatExp matexp.org.uk for ideas about how to improve maternity experience.
My bea...

In this update I talk about why induction of labour is such a charged topic and why the real-world experience can feel long, uncomfortable, and out of step with what the evidence promises. We explain how drug shortages and new research are pushing the NHS towards oral and mechanical methods that could make induction more streamlined and less intrusive. 

What if you could take a tablet to start your labour?

Would you be willing to help shape treatment for the future by participating in research ? 

Want to know more?

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng207/resources/inducing-labour-pdf-66143719773637

https://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/services/maternity/moli-study

If you have, it'd be fantastic if you could subscribe, rate and review on whatever platform you find your podcasts, as well as recommending the ObsPod to anyone you think might find it interesting. If you've enjoyed my episodes and by chance you do have a tiny bit to spare, you can now contribute to keep the podcast going and keep it free via my link to buy me a coffee. If you want to get in touch to suggest topics for future episodes, you can find me at the Obspod on Twitter and Instagram, and you can email me theobspod at gmail.com.

Thank you all for listening,  My name is Florence Wilcock I am an NHS doctor working as an obstetrician, specialising in the care of both mother and baby during pregnancy and birth. If you have enjoyed my podcast please do continue to subscribe, rate, review and recommend my podcast on your podcast provider.
If you have found my ideas helpful whilst expecting your baby or working in maternity care please spread the word & help theobspod reach other parents or staff who may be interested in exploring all things pregnancy and birth.
Keeping my podcast running  without ads or sponsorship is important to me. I want to keep it free and accessible to all but it costs me a small amount each month to maintain and keep the episodes live, if you wish to contribute anything to  support theobspod please head over to my buy me a coffee page  https://bmc.link/theobspodV any donation very gratefully received however small.
Its easy to explore my back catalogue of episodes, I have a wide range of topics that may help you make decisions for yourself and your baby during pregnancy as well as some more reflective episodes on life as a doctor.
If you want to get in touch to suggest topics, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can find out more about me on Instagram @TheObsPod and email me on [email protected] Please also check out #MatExp matexp.org.uk for ideas about how to improve maternity experience.
My bea...

We talk frankly about why medicines in pregnancy and breastfeeding feel frightening, even though most women take something during pregnancy and many treatments are genuinely safe. We break down why the evidence is often patchy, how to think about benefit versus risk, and where to find clear information you can trust. 

• British Pharmacological Society statement and the scale of medicine use in pregnancy 
• why pregnant and breastfeeding women are often excluded from trials 
• how the BNF language can feel alarming and unhelpful 
• benefit versus risk and why untreated illness can be the bigger danger 
• common prescriptions in pregnancy such as antibiotics for UTIs, anti sickness drugs and reflux medicines 
• how pregnancy physiology can change dosing and drug clearance 
• women’s anxiety when advice is unclear or conflicting 
• practical resources: BUMPS for patients and UKTIS for health professionals 
• why considering research participation can improve care for future women

Want to know more:

https://www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/

https://uktis.org/

https://www.bps.ac.uk/fileadmin/uploads/bps/Policy_statements/BPS_Position_Statement-_Medications_in_Pregnancy_and_Breastfeeding__1_.pdf 

https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/4/2/e004365

If you have, it'd be fantastic if you could subscribe, rate and review on whatever platform you find your podcasts, as well as recommending the Obspod to anyone you think might find it interesting. If you want to get in touch to suggest topics for future episodes, you can find me at the Obspod on Instagram, and you can email me atobspod at gmail.com. If you've enjoyed my episodes and by chance you do have a tiny bit to spare, you can now contribute to keep the podcast going and keep it free via my link to buy me a coffee. Don't feel under any obligation. But if you'd like to contribute, you now can. 

Thank you all for listening,  My name is Florence Wilcock I am an NHS doctor working as an obstetrician, specialising in the care of both mother and baby during pregnancy and birth. If you have enjoyed my podcast please do continue to subscribe, rate, review and recommend my podcast on your podcast provider.
If you have found my ideas helpful whilst expecting your baby or working in maternity care please spread the word & help theobspod reach other parents or staff who may be interested in exploring all things pregnancy and birth.
Keeping my podcast running  without ads or sponsorship is important to me. I want to keep it free and accessible to all but it costs me a small amount each month to maintain and keep the episodes live, if you wish to contribute anything to  support theobspod please head over to my buy me a coffee page  https://bmc.link/theobspodV any donation very gratefully received however small.
Its easy to explore my back catalogue of episodes, I have a wide range of topics that may help you make decisions for yourself and your baby during pregnancy as well as some more reflective episodes on life as a doctor.
If you want to get in touch to suggest topics, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can find out more about me on Instagram @TheObsPod and email me on [email protected] Please also check out #MatExp matexp.org.uk for ideas about how to improve maternity experience.
My bea...

We explore what low amniotic fluid really means at different stages of pregnancy and when to act, when to watch, and how to personalise decisions. We share why routine induction for isolated low fluid may not improve outcomes and how to navigate monitoring, growth checks, and timing of birth.

• defining oligohydramnios and anhydramnios
• how gestation changes risk
• ruling out ruptured membranes with history and tests
• expert scans, infections, and maternal factors
• why fluid matters for lung development
• isolated low fluid late in pregnancy
• induction evidence and unplanned caesarean risk
• growth surveillance and timing around due date
• continuous heartbeat monitoring considerations
• practical reassurance and shared decision-making

Want to know more:

https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tog.70021

Subscribe, rate, and review on your podcast app. Recommend The ObsPod to anyone who might find it interesting. Find the programme notes for links. Contact us on Twitter and Instagram @theObspod or email [email protected]. If you can, support the show via Buy Me A Coffee.

Thank you all for listening,  My name is Florence Wilcock I am an NHS doctor working as an obstetrician, specialising in the care of both mother and baby during pregnancy and birth. If you have enjoyed my podcast please do continue to subscribe, rate, review and recommend my podcast on your podcast provider.
If you have found my ideas helpful whilst expecting your baby or working in maternity care please spread the word & help theobspod reach other parents or staff who may be interested in exploring all things pregnancy and birth.
Keeping my podcast running  without ads or sponsorship is important to me. I want to keep it free and accessible to all but it costs me a small amount each month to maintain and keep the episodes live, if you wish to contribute anything to  support theobspod please head over to my buy me a coffee page  https://bmc.link/theobspodV any donation very gratefully received however small.
Its easy to explore my back catalogue of episodes, I have a wide range of topics that may help you make decisions for yourself and your baby during pregnancy as well as some more reflective episodes on life as a doctor.
If you want to get in touch to suggest topics, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can find out more about me on Instagram @TheObsPod and email me on [email protected] Please also check out #MatExp matexp.org.uk for ideas about how to improve maternity experience.
My bea...

We unpack polyhydramnios with clear guidance on measurement, risk, and choices, showing why most mild cases near term are benign while outlining when to call in fetal medicine. Practical steps help parents and midwives stay calm, plan safely, and avoid unnecessary interventions.

• definitions of polyhydramnios by single deepest pool and AFI
• pros and cons of SDP versus AFI measurement
• thresholds for mild, moderate, severe excess fluid
• idiopathic cases late in pregnancy and prevalence
• screening for gestational diabetes and infection
• key risks: unstable lie, cord prolapse, postpartum haemorrhage
• induction debates, continuous monitoring, and individualised plans
• when to refer to fetal medicine and what they assess
• amnioreduction indications, risks, and diagnostic value
• reassurance for parents and guidance for midwives

If you have, it’d be fantastic if you could subscribe, rate and review on whatever platform you find your podcasts, as well as recommending The OBSPod to anyone you think might find it interesting

Want to know more:

https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tog.70021

Thank you all for listening,  My name is Florence Wilcock I am an NHS doctor working as an obstetrician, specialising in the care of both mother and baby during pregnancy and birth. If you have enjoyed my podcast please do continue to subscribe, rate, review and recommend my podcast on your podcast provider.
If you have found my ideas helpful whilst expecting your baby or working in maternity care please spread the word & help theobspod reach other parents or staff who may be interested in exploring all things pregnancy and birth.
Keeping my podcast running  without ads or sponsorship is important to me. I want to keep it free and accessible to all but it costs me a small amount each month to maintain and keep the episodes live, if you wish to contribute anything to  support theobspod please head over to my buy me a coffee page  https://bmc.link/theobspodV any donation very gratefully received however small.
Its easy to explore my back catalogue of episodes, I have a wide range of topics that may help you make decisions for yourself and your baby during pregnancy as well as some more reflective episodes on life as a doctor.
If you want to get in touch to suggest topics, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can find out more about me on Instagram @TheObsPod and email me on [email protected] Please also check out #MatExp matexp.org.uk for ideas about how to improve maternity experience.
My bea...

Remember my popular Episode 29 on big babies from five years ago? Today I'm diving into what's changed since then, spurred by Warwick University's Big Baby trial, new research examining whether early induction truly prevents complications in pregnancies where scans predict larger babies.

The most startling revelation? A whopping 60% of babies predicted to be above the 90th centile weren't actually that large at birth. This  margin of error should give us serious pause when recommending interventions based on third-trimester scans. 
What also troubled me was the study design itself. The "standard care" group still saw about 75% of women receiving some form of intervention rather than experiencing spontaneous labour. With only six days average difference in delivery timing between groups, is there really enough distinction to draw meaningful conclusions? The recorded times between head and body delivery (just over one minute in both groups) further suggests we might be rushing physiological processes unnecessarily.

For pregnant women hearing "your baby might be big," take these predictions with healthy skepticism. Having a larger baby doesn't automatically mean a difficult birth lies ahead. For healthcare providers, perhaps it's time we questioned whether we've trapped ourselves in a cycle of intervention based on imprecise predictions and exaggerated risks.

Listen to this update alongside my original Episode 29 Big baby and episode 102 Shoulder Dystocia. Subscribe, rate, and share if you found this valuable!

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)00162-X/fulltext

Thank you all for listening,  My name is Florence Wilcock I am an NHS doctor working as an obstetrician, specialising in the care of both mother and baby during pregnancy and birth. If you have enjoyed my podcast please do continue to subscribe, rate, review and recommend my podcast on your podcast provider.
If you have found my ideas helpful whilst expecting your baby or working in maternity care please spread the word & help theobspod reach other parents or staff who may be interested in exploring all things pregnancy and birth.
Keeping my podcast running  without ads or sponsorship is important to me. I want to keep it free and accessible to all but it costs me a small amount each month to maintain and keep the episodes live, if you wish to contribute anything to  support theobspod please head over to my buy me a coffee page  https://bmc.link/theobspodV any donation very gratefully received however small.
Its easy to explore my back catalogue of episodes, I have a wide range of topics that may help you make decisions for yourself and your baby during pregnancy as well as some more reflective episodes on life as a doctor.
If you want to get in touch to suggest topics, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can find out more about me on Instagram @TheObsPod and email me on [email protected] Please also check out #MatExp matexp.org.uk for ideas about how to improve maternity experience.
My bea...

Trigger warning: This episode discusses birth trauma.

When a birth doesn't go as planned and requires intervention, how does it feel from the woman's perspective? Jacqueline Edwards, mother of five, shares her powerful firsthand experiences of both traumatic and positive assisted vaginal births, challenging healthcare professionals to see beyond the clinical procedure.

Through our conversation, Jacqueline offers a rare glimpse into the psychological impact of instrumental deliveries. She describes her experiences with both forceps and ventouse deliveries, revealing how communication, respect, and pain relief dramatically affected her perception of each birth. Surprisingly, her forceps delivery – often considered the more invasive intervention – proved less traumatic than her ventouse births due to better communication and adequate pain management.

The emotional weight of assisted birth emerges through Jacqueline's moving marathon analogy: "You've prepared for it, trained for it, you can see the finishing line... but all of a sudden, for some reason, you fall down and someone runs out of the crowd and picks you up and carries you." This powerful comparison highlights the sense of incompleteness many women feel when intervention becomes necessary, despite having done most of the work themselves.

What shines through is how small, seemingly insignificant actions from healthcare providers can transform a potentially traumatic experience. When an obstetrician told Jacqueline "I can't get this baby out on my own. This is something we're doing together," it fundamentally shifted her perception from passive recipient to active participant. These simple words acknowledged her essential role in bringing her baby into the world.

Jacqueline also shares practical suggestions for improving care during instrumental deliveries – from better lighting arrangements to privacy screens – alongside powerful insights into how birth trauma can manifest in unexpected everyday situations, like trips to the supermarket. Her testimony stands as both a call for change and a roadmap for more compassionate, woman-centered care during assisted births.

Whether you're a healthcare professional seeking to improve practice, an expectant parent preparing for birth possibilities, or someone processing their own birth experience, this episode offers invaluable perspective on centering women's dignity and agency during one of life's most vulnerable moments.

Jacqueline has also written and published this article 

https://www.aims.org.uk/journal/item/obstetric-violence-rape

Thank you all for listening,  My name is Florence Wilcock I am an NHS doctor working as an obstetrician, specialising in the care of both mother and baby during pregnancy and birth. If you have enjoyed my podcast please do continue to subscribe, rate, review and recommend my podcast on your podcast provider.
If you have found my ideas helpful whilst expecting your baby or working in maternity care please spread the word & help theobspod reach other parents or staff who may be interested in exploring all things pregnancy and birth.
Keeping my podcast running  without ads or sponsorship is important to me. I want to keep it free and accessible to all but it costs me a small amount each month to maintain and keep the episodes live, if you wish to contribute anything to  support theobspod please head over to my buy me a coffee page  https://bmc.link/theobspodV any donation very gratefully received however small.
Its easy to explore my back catalogue of episodes, I have a wide range of topics that may help you make decisions for yourself and your baby during pregnancy as well as some more reflective episodes on life as a doctor.
If you want to get in touch to suggest topics, I love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can find out more about me on Instagram @TheObsPod and email me on [email protected] Please also check out #MatExp matexp.org.uk for ideas about how to improve maternity experience.
My bea...