Ideally your birth partner will be:CALM:Birth is a demanding experience, so you need someone who can handle the highs and lows, and not take it personally if you snap at them.Would your husband or mum get upset seeing you in pain during labour

Every labour is different - from the way it starts to how quickly it progresses.Getting to know the distinct phases will help you feel prepared for when labour comes on, recognise the signs that your baby is on its way, what happens at each stage

if they are able to give birth naturally. At present, about a quarter of all babies in the UK are delivered by C-section, with women only put forward for the procedure if there is a high risk in natural childbirth. These guidelines, due to be published next month

A quarter of babies born in the UK are currently delivered by Caesarean section. About 15% are emergency Caesareans, where complications arise during labour. The remainder are planned, where it's decided in advance that a C-section is the safest way

You wouldn't think of running a marathon without training first, and the same goes for preparing your body for the physical challenge of giving birth.'If you're fit and well, you'll have more strength and stamina for labour,' says antenatal teacher

Staying upright and active can help you have a faster, easier birth – here’s our guide to some good positions for labour.Most experts agree that the traditional position for labour of lying down on your back (which we always see in films and on TV

child after a C-section. You can give birth naturally after a C-section, but many women find they are offered a planned Caesaerean second time around. There is a one in 200 risk that your scar will rupture during labour, requiring an emergency Caesearean

Excited, impatient, nervous... chances are you're feeling all these things and more as you count down the days to your due date. Although every birth is different, having an idea of what might happen during the different stages of labour can help

-out music and the relaxing aroma of your favourite scented candle, remember even the best-laid plans can go awry when it comes to childbirth!As Annette Briley, a research midwife for baby charity Tommy's, says, 'The best thing to take into labour is an open

Prima Baby magazine’s expert midwife for the past decade, Nikki Khan can advise on all areas of pregnancy, labour & childbirth.If you have concerns, questions or just need some emotional support during your pregnancy, labour and birth or as a new