I’m always excited when new research comes out that supports something that we already knew. This one is a Cochrane Review, published on 18 March 2019, which concluded that “companionship in labour results in positive outcomes for both women and babies”.

It happened last week.

My youngest daughter was standing in the hallway in front of the mirror, brushing her hair.

“Would you like me to help you put your hair up?” I asked her.

2 am, and I was woken from a semi-sleep state by a text message, reading, “my waters just broke”. After a quick text exchange, I put some clothes on and got in the car to make the 20 minute drive to my client’s house. I was not at all surprised to get this message - my client had been experiencing steadily strengthening waves throughout the previous day and we had been in touch almost constantly through the build up.