The power of environment

In Ten tips for normal birth, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) (2014) advocates the building of nests; creating an environment that helps women to feel safe and secure during birth, as this can improve women's experiences and likelihood of normal birth. Furthermore, a private, undisturbed and dark environment, where women feel calm and safe can promote the release of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for uterine contractions and thought to promote the release of the pain relieving hormones endorphins (Uvnas Moberg 2003). When this is not achieved, women can experience fear-tension-pain syndrome, impeding labour progress and causing increased levels of pain (Dick-Read 2013). In addition, birth space has the potential to encourage the promotion of normality through providing space to mobilise, and alternative furniture to enable upright birth positions. Midwives should help women to create a birth space in which they feel safe, calm and secure, to promote normality and increase the incidence of normal birth (RCM 2014).