Recent Speakers
Sarah Davies
Sarah Davies is a senior lecturer in midwifery at the University of Salford. She has two (grown up) children, both born at her home in Salford. Her first labour was a very long one, and since then she has always been interested in longer labours! Since starting teaching many years ago she has maintained her skills by attending births as an independent midwife; the last birth she attended, a home waterbirth of a first baby, was very quick with a second stage lasting about 5 minutes.
Jane Evans
A midwife in mainly community based clinical practice for more than 30 years, and independent of the NHS since 1991. Has extensive experience in twins and breech, and is the author of the AIMS booklet, ’Breech Birth, what are my options?’ She has lectured nationally and internationally and runs ’A Day at The Breech’ workshops with Mary Cronk and Brenda van der Kooy.
Dianne Garland
Dianne has been a midwife since 1983 and teaching about waterbirth since 1989. Her work has taken her all over the world, from Australia to China and the United States. She has written numerous articles with a new version of her book “Rediscovering waterbirth – an attitude to care” published Palgrave Nov.2010. Dianne works as an expert witness, University lecturer and maintains her clinical skills on a midwife led and consultant unit at a local hospital. In 2005 Dianne became freelance to expand these roles within her company www.midwifeexpert.com. Her newest role is as a trustee to APEC.
Mavis Kirkham
Mavis has done midwifery research and clinical practice since 1971 and now works occasionally in a rural birth centre and books a few women for home births. Her current research focuses on midwives’ relationship with their work in the NHS. She is also supervising research projects concerning the childbearing experiences of groups of women who experience social exclusion and vulnerability. All this concerns how women cope with birth and bureaucracy and what are the key factors in their coping.
Dotty Watkins
Dotty Watkins, A midwife of over 33 years, she has local, regional and national experience. Her current role is Nurse Director and Head of Midwifery for Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatology at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. She is passionate about providing high quality care and a positive experience for women so that they can have a smooth transition to family life. As a Head of Midwifery she continues to manage a small caseload of women who give birth in a variety of settings.
Workshop Leader Biographies
Jill Benjoya Miller (Active Birth)
Jill Benjoya Miller is an Active Birth & YogaBirth Teacher. Following a fantastic birth with my first child 16 years ago, I trained with the Active Birth Foundation to teach childbirth education and yoga for the perinatal year. I work mainly in my local North London community, where I offer Yoga for Birth classes, postnatal groups and birth preparation courses. I am also a birth doula. For many years I worked with the very special Birth Unit at the Hospital of Saint John and Saint Elizabeth, and have travelled in the UK presenting an interactive workshop for midwives entitled Passionate Midwifery: Making Active Birth and Waterbirth Happen. I adore teaching antenatal yoga, as it helps women to appreciate their changing bodies during pregnancy and to connect with the new life inside, and it prepares them to trust their body’s design and power to give birth normally and joyfully. My husband and I have three children, with whom I spend the majority of my time.
Chris Johnson (Osteopathy)
Chris Johnson is the Principal Practitioner at The Osteopathic Practice in Broomhill, Sheffield. Chris has twenty years experience as an osteopath and as well as treating adults he has a particular interest in cranial osteopathy for babies and children. Osteopathy is gentle, effective and drug-free which makes it perfect for treating babies, children and mums-to-be.
Saduf Khan (Breastfeeding)
Saduf Khan is the Service Health Coordinator for the city wide Breastfeeding Peer Support Service, in Sheffield, employed by Action for Children. She has a background in Public Health and Infant Feeding. Saduf has been working in Children Centres for the past 8 years working on Social Change Models around Breastfeeding Health and Nutrition and Adult Education in the Community.
Jo Moon (Acupressure)
I studied traditional acupuncture for three years at the University of Lincoln where I was awarded a Batchelor of Science honorary degree (BSc Hons) in traditional Chinese Medicine with the specialisation of acupuncture. I have also attended CPD events in the specialist field of pregnancy acupuncture. My interest in pregnancy acupuncture began when I fell pregnant whilst in the final year of my acupuncture degree. I found acupuncture helped with nausea and to induce labour when I went over term.
Melinda Pagden (Aromatherapy Massage)
After qualifying as a nurse Melinda moved to Sheffield in 1981 where she completed her midwifery training in1983. Melinda has worked as a community midwife since 1991 and was one of the original 1-1 caseloading team midwives since its start in 1999; caring for women through pregnancy, birth (whether hospital or home) and post-natally. Melinda wanted to enhance her care so she gained qualifications in a range of complimentary therapies; including aromatherapy. She also provided a complimentary therapy service at the Jessop wing in a job share from 2001.