Vivienne Hill - Midwife

27/09/2025

Demonstrating the complex interaction of hormones and mechanics during labour, birth and the postnatal period. The physiology of birth has many potential im...

18/09/2025

If you’ve ever breastfed a baby, you know how busy their little hands can be. They knead, push, scratch, and grab… sometimes in ways that don’t feel so gentle! Many mothers are told to swaddle babies tightly or hold their arms down during feeds to “help them focus.” But what if those restless hands actually serve a purpose?

The truth is, your baby’s hands aren’t getting in the way… they’re working. And when we restrain them, we interrupt an important part of the breastfeeding process.

🌀 Hands Help With Hormones

When a baby touches, strokes, or kneads at the breast, it stimulates oxytocin and prolactin, two essential hormones for milk production. Oxytocin helps with letdown (that surge of milk release), and prolactin supports ongoing supply. Think of baby’s hands as natural “helpers” signaling your body to keep the milk flowing.

🤲 Hands Massage and Push

Babies instinctively massage the breast while feeding, just like how you might hand-express milk. This gentle pressure helps stimulate letdowns and encourages steady milk flow, especially in the early weeks when supply is still regulating.

🎯 Hands Guide the Way

Newborn vision is blurry, but touch is powerful. Babies use their hands to orient themselves, stabilize their bodies, and find the ni**le. Restraining their arms can actually make it harder for them to latch effectively.

🔘 Hands Shape the Ni**le

Babies will often squeeze or push on the breast tissue near the ar**la. This pressure can help shape the ni**le, making it easier to draw into the mouth and latch on deeply. It’s not random… it’s instinct.

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Why This Matters

When parents see flailing arms, they may assume the baby is “fussy” or “distracted.” But these movements are part of the natural feeding reflexes babies are born with. Instead of swaddling arms or pinning hands down, try allowing them freedom. Yes, it might feel chaotic at times, but those busy little hands are helping… not hurting.

Supporting your baby’s instincts builds trust, encourages better milk transfer, and strengthens the bond between you and your baby. So next time you nurse and feel those tiny fingers tugging, scratching, or massaging, remember: your baby’s hands are tools. Let them work. 😌💕

27/08/2025

This explains A Lot https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EtPfBq9uP/

26/08/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vqWYQCxAzE Unfortunately, in the world of midwifery regulation, the only way I can attend a birth and NOT disturb it, is for the woman to CLEARLY STATE her wishes for undisturbed birth beforehand. The legal requirements of my job require me to offer interventions so without women claiming birth for themselves I am obliged to continue intervening. I love when women say "no thank you" to everything, but, sadly, it rarely happens. While I have listened to Michel many times (books, talks) there are some new-to-me nuggets in here.

We suggest that you turn on CC for this interview since Michel's beautiful French accent can be tricky to understand in some parts.

25/09/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/vo24gvpofLUNxHK1/

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30/08/2024

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14/08/2024

https://www.sarawickham.com/research-updates/is_home_birth_safe/

Our home birth information hub - the latest research on the safety of home birth and links to Dr Sara Wickham's articles on this.

03/08/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/tpKSFm5UH4P91XqC/

15/07/2024

I'm guessing it works via suction by pressing it into the breast then gently pulling it out once it's sucked onto the breast.

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14/07/2024

This is the best demo I've seen of how to make muka! My efforts aren't nearly as good.

14/07/2024

What are your favourite maternity podcasts? The Midwives' Cauldron, where Katie James interviews Dr Rachel Reed https://open.spotify.com/episode/53oXTnvy1yLUSzrAJAkNIo?si=kacfXw8XRKqQkUUiP5oR_Q&nd=1&dlsi=49f610462f96416f is one of my favourites. Also see Rachel's blog: which is a fantastic resource: https://midwifethinking.com/

evidence-based birth information

14/07/2024

Discussion on recent research about coffee in pregnancy. https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/dont-steal-our-coffee/ I love Sara and Amy's witty conflict disclosure comments at the end of the blog.

Amy Brown and Sara Wickham look at research on coffee and stillbirth and come up with a rather different - and less scary - conclusion.