In 2012, I learned that our son had to start school early or else face missing his reception (kindergarten) year if he started at compulsory school age, so in February 2013, I also created the website summerbornchildren.org, and have since communicated with the media on both subjects.
2020
The Independent, Shaun Lintern (December 10)
Shrewsbury maternity scandal: Ministers told to ‘stamp out’ normal birth ideology in NHS
2018
The Times, Chris Smyth (September 11)
Hospital inspectors ordered to stop criticising caesarean rates
The Times, Chris Smyth (September 8)
Natural-birth targets ‘put lives of mothers at risk’
Self, Kavin Senapathy (May 14)
Giving Birth Made Me Question the Informed Consent Process During Childbirth
The Times, Kat Lay (April 23)
Quarter of NHS hospitals refuse requests for caesareans
Daily Mail, Sophie Borland (April 22)
One in four hospitals are refusing to perform C-sections to expectant mothers unless they have a good medical reason
2016
Mein Wunsch Kaiserschnitt, Dr. Martina Lenzen-Schulte (July 13)
Damit sie wissen, was sie tun: Ärzte sollen Frauen vor den wahren Risiken einer natürlichen Geburt warnen
National Post (April 5)
Too precious to push — shame, fear and the spike in C-sections: ‘It’s not safer, but it’s believed to be safer’
2014
BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour (January 16)
Forceps versus caesarean birth
Pregnancy & Newborn magazine, Sarah Newcomb (June)
An inconvenient truth
2013
BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour pre-record (July 31)
How to have the birth you want
LBC Radio, Nick Ferrari (June)
New NICE Quality Standard on Caesareans
LBC Clive Bull show (January 4)
National Childbirth Trust (NCT) and whether criticism of their approach is justified
Voice of Russia international broadcast, Juliet Spare (January 4)
Panel discussion on the issue of tokophobia
2012
BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, Jane Garvey (September 3)
What is normal birth?
BBC London Vanessa Phelz show (August 31)
New RCOG guidance urges CCGs to increase births without epidurals and reduce caesarean rates to 20% (endorsed by 7 other maternity care charities and organizations) Press Release
BBC WM, Adrian Goldberg (August 31)
New RCOG guidance urges CCGs to increase births without epidurals and reduce caesarean rates to 20% (endorsed by 7 other maternity care charities and organizations) Press Release
Daily Mail (August 31)
Doctors told to try and talk women giving birth out of having epidurals to save NHS money (as they cost £200 a pop); report on my Press Release
The Sun (August 30)
Grin ‘n bear it, Plan to cut childbirth pain relief and caesareans; report on my Press Release
BF without BS (August 28)
If this is cost-cutting, just be honest, please; report on my Press Release
Mumsnet (August 26)
New guidance to reduce epidurals and a target rate of 20% for C-Sections; Feminism discussion on my Press Release (190 responses)
The Skeptical OB (August 25)
New document on British maternity services is fundamentally unethical; report on my Press Release
Pulse Today (August 24)
GPs urged to discourage women from ‘unnecessary’ hospital births, caesareans and epidurals; Sofia Lind report on my press release
Mumsnet (August 24)
New guidance to reduce epidurals and to achieve a CS target rate of 20%; Childbirth discussion on my (112 responses)
Sky News (August 1)
New research about the risk of infection with cesarean delivery
Canada.com Postmedia Digital, Ruth Dunley (July 12)
Should caesarian sections be more widely available?
The Ric & Suzanne Show, Montreal, Canada, Suzanne Desautels (July 4)
Women who choose a cesarean
National Post (July 3)
C-section should be a ‘respected’ choice for pregnant women, says Alberta doctor
BBC London Drivetime, Eddie Nestar (May 24)
Caesarean link with obesity
Toronto Star (May 11)
Caesarean section: The Star goes inside the operating room for this look at why C-section rates matter
BBC Radio 4 Today, Jane Hughes (March 17)
On the National Childbirth Trust (NCT)’s history
BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey Danny Pike show (March 2)
New book, and the issue of some PCTs and hospitals not following the November 2011 NICE CG132 recommendations
2011
BBC Scotland Call Kaye (November 24)
New NICE Caesarean (update) guideline CG132
ITV Daybreak (November 23)
NICE Caesarean (update) CG132 recommendation on Maternal Request, published today
Sky News (November 23)
NICE Caesarean (update) CG132 recommendation on Maternal Request, published today
BBC London 94.9, Gaby and Paul (November 23)
NICE Caesarean (update) CG132 recommendation on Maternal Request, published today
BBC Radio Humberside The Peter Levy Show (November 23)
NICE Caesarean (update) CG132 recommendation on Maternal Request, published today
BBC Radio Leeds Mid-morning show, Wes Butters (November 23)
NICE Caesarean (update) CG132 recommendation on Maternal Request, published today
BBC Radio Hull (November 23)
NICE Caesarean (update) CG132 recommendation on Maternal Request, published today
BBC One The One Show, Angellica Bell (November 22)
Caesarean request television report
Associated Press, Maria Cheng (November 4)
Too posh to push? More C-sections on demand in UK
CBC News, Canada (November 4)
C-section on demand rule changed in UK
The Dallas Morning News (November 4)
Too posh to push? More C-sections on demand in UK
BBC Breakfast Television, Sian Williams and Bill Turnbull (October 31)
NICE Caesarean (update) CG132 draft recommendation on Maternal Request
BBC London Vanessa Phelz show (October 31)
NICE Caesarean (update) CG132 draft recommendation on Maternal Request
BBC Radio 5 Live Victoria Derbyshire show (October 31)
NICE Caesarean (update) CG132 draft recommendation on Maternal Request
Sky News (October 30)
NICE Caesarean (update) CG132 draft recommendation on Maternal Request
The Fresh Outlook, Laura Beard (September 9)
Women Could Soon Have the Right to Choose Caesarean Births
LBC London’s Big Conversation, Julia Hartley-Brewer (September 7)
Maternal request caesareans
The Telegraph, Martin Beckford (September 7)
NHS may give women right to caesarean
BBC News, James Gallagher (September 5)
Women could be given right to choose Caesarean birth
One World Birth DVD trailer (September 1)
Is there a conflict in birth?
One World Birth DVD trailer (September 7)
The Safety Debate
BBC Radio York, Jonathan Cowap (August 31)
NHS banning maternal request story
mybabyradio.com (August 24)
Reasons to plan a caesarean (30 min)
BBC Tees Radio Breakfast Show, Ali Brownlee (August 24)
NHS banning maternal request story
BBC WM Radio Breakfast Show, Phil Upton (August 23)
NHS banning maternal request story
WalesOnline, The Western Mail (July 16)
Are you too posh to push?
BBC London Vanessa show (July 14)
RCOG’s proposals on midwife-led care for all low risk women
BBC Norfolk, Nick Conrad (June 23)
Maternity Week’series in Norwich
2010
Nursery World, Karen Faux (August 25)
Insight: Special Delivery – caesarian sections
BBC News, Philippa Roxby (June 30)
Should there be a limit on caesareans?
The Times (front page mention), Helen Rumbelow (June 28)
Caesarean births ‘myth’ demolished‘ and ‘Don’t push it. Who says C-sections are bad for you?
CRI Beyond Beijing ‘Today’ Chinese Radio, Chris Gelken and Qinduo Xu (January 15)
Elective cesarean
2009
BBC Radio Wales, retired urologist Christine Evans (December 14)
The Irritated Consultant Episode 4 – ‘caesarian births under the spotlight
Dr. Evans concludes that a woman’s autonomy in making an informed decision is legitimate
The Times, Dr. Mark Porter and Peta Bee (November 2)
Why are more women pushing for Caesareans?
BBC News online, Michelle Roberts (October 27)
Emergency c-sections predominate
Sunday Mirror magazine, Joani Walsh (September 27)
The C-Section Question
The Mirror, Tanith Carey (May 14)
Caesarean births: Scarred before they were born – Exclusive
Mom Talk Radio, Maria Bailey (April 27)
Pauline McDonagh Hull, founder of electivecesarean.com
2008
BBC World Service (July 8)
Should all births be natural? Should elective-c-sections be banned?
Dublin 98FM Inbox (March 10)
Why women choose elective cesarean
2007
BBC Radio Scotland Live (December 21)
Keeping Childbirth Natural and Dynamic’ campaign
2006
The Observer, Jo Revill (March 5)
Why mothers should be offered caesareans
CAESAREAN BIRTH - Your Baby, Your Body, Your Life, Your Choice 