Debate on TOKOPHOBIA broadcast Jan 2

On December 7, 2012 I was fortunate to be a guest at the Voice of Russia broadcast studios to pre-record a five-strong panel debate on the issue of tokophobia. An edited 28 minutes of this discussion aired on January 2, 2013 and can be listened to here, and here is a summary of who was on the panel and what we were asked about:


Too posh to push or too scared to give birth? Latest figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre reveal that last year 25 per cent of mothers in England had a caesarean. Why so many? Are these mums-to-be squeamish, scared, or sensible? Listen in as VoR discusses the question with midwives and other birth experts. So, does pushing for normal birth always give the best psychological outcome for mothers and babies?

 

VoR's Juliet Spare is joined by Pauline Hull, co-author of ‘Choosing Caesarean: A Natural Birth Plan; Toni Harman, co-creator of the One World Birth film; Virginia Howes, an independent midwife; Zara Chamberlain, who is an NHS midwife counsellor in Kent; and Maureen Treadwell, co-founder of the Birth Trauma Association.