
Through the lens of an NHS obstetrician -An interview with Dr Florence Wilcock
Explicit content warning
10/12/21 • 82 min
1 Listener
In this episode we have with us Dr Florence Wilcock , an obstetrician who has been working in NHS maternity services for more than 25 years. Florence has a special interest in improving women’s experience of maternity care & has been a consultant in London since 2007 where she is currently the lead obstetrician for Perinatal mental health as well as working with the Birth Options team, and homebirth team.
As a member of the London Maternity Clinical Network Florence was responsible for the innovative Maternity ‘Whose Shoes’ co production workshops piloted across London in 2014. As a result she co-founded #MatExp with Gill Phillips; a grassroots movement of women, families and staff caring for them & working together to improve maternity services, and is also a clinical representative on the Royal College of Obs & Gyn women’s network.
Florence hosts the podcast TheObsPod. Where she works towards demystifying obstetrics and help both maternity staff and families.
Today we talk about how midwives and obstetricians can work more collaboratively in the hospital system.
We discuss safety, the current discussions on physiological birth as radical thinking and the thoughts of some who propose inductions for everyone!
Florence talks us through her Lithotomy challenge & the simple power of nurturing touch. She clearly points out how this education tool can spark our knowledge of how disempowering this can be for a woman.
And we discuss how the small changes, or what is often known as the 'warm and fluffies' for both obstetrician and midwife, can make a significant difference for the woman physiologically as well as emotionally.
And Florence leaves us with her zesty "nuggets" for us all to work in a space that benefits and protects women, midwives and obstetricians.
Links:
Dr Florence Wilcock:
The Obs Pod podcast
Twitter @FWMaternity and @TheObsPod
Instagram @TheObsPod
"Whose shoes" #matexp with Gill Phillips
Get 10% off Katie's Breastfeeding & Lactation: the fundamentals online course today with code POD10 at checkout.
Get 10% off The Feeding Couch pregnancy course with code POD10.
- Please support the show via Patreon or BuyMeACoffee
- MERCH here!
- Music Joseph McDade
Like this podcast? Leave us a review here
Want more from Katie and Rachel?
Katie's website
Rachel's website
Disclaimer
The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical or legal advice; instead, all information available on this site are for general informational purposes only. The Midwives' Cauldron podcast reserves the right to supplement, change or delete any information at any time.
The information and materials on the podcast is provided "as is"; no representations are made that the content is error-free. Whilst we have tried to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information we do not warrant or guarantee the accurateness.
The podcast accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.
In this episode we have with us Dr Florence Wilcock , an obstetrician who has been working in NHS maternity services for more than 25 years. Florence has a special interest in improving women’s experience of maternity care & has been a consultant in London since 2007 where she is currently the lead obstetrician for Perinatal mental health as well as working with the Birth Options team, and homebirth team.
As a member of the London Maternity Clinical Network Florence was responsible for the innovative Maternity ‘Whose Shoes’ co production workshops piloted across London in 2014. As a result she co-founded #MatExp with Gill Phillips; a grassroots movement of women, families and staff caring for them & working together to improve maternity services, and is also a clinical representative on the Royal College of Obs & Gyn women’s network.
Florence hosts the podcast TheObsPod. Where she works towards demystifying obstetrics and help both maternity staff and families.
Today we talk about how midwives and obstetricians can work more collaboratively in the hospital system.
We discuss safety, the current discussions on physiological birth as radical thinking and the thoughts of some who propose inductions for everyone!
Florence talks us through her Lithotomy challenge & the simple power of nurturing touch. She clearly points out how this education tool can spark our knowledge of how disempowering this can be for a woman.
And we discuss how the small changes, or what is often known as the 'warm and fluffies' for both obstetrician and midwife, can make a significant difference for the woman physiologically as well as emotionally.
And Florence leaves us with her zesty "nuggets" for us all to work in a space that benefits and protects women, midwives and obstetricians.
Links:
Dr Florence Wilcock:
The Obs Pod podcast
Twitter @FWMaternity and @TheObsPod
Instagram @TheObsPod
"Whose shoes" #matexp with Gill Phillips
Get 10% off Katie's Breastfeeding & Lactation: the fundamentals online course today with code POD10 at checkout.
Get 10% off The Feeding Couch pregnancy course with code POD10.
- Please support the show via Patreon or BuyMeACoffee
- MERCH here!
- Music Joseph McDade
Like this podcast? Leave us a review here
Want more from Katie and Rachel?
Katie's website
Rachel's website
Disclaimer
The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical or legal advice; instead, all information available on this site are for general informational purposes only. The Midwives' Cauldron podcast reserves the right to supplement, change or delete any information at any time.
The information and materials on the podcast is provided "as is"; no representations are made that the content is error-free. Whilst we have tried to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information we do not warrant or guarantee the accurateness.
The podcast accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.
Previous Episode

End of season 2 trailer
We'll be back soon. Thanks for being with us for Season 2; all the in-depth conversations, truth-bombs, singing, laughter and so many golden nuggets! It's great to have you with us in this big bubbling cauldron of goodness.
Watch out for the beginning of Season 3 on our Instagram page where we have some great stuff coming up for you all.
Please check out our links below.
LINKS:
Dr Rachel Reed - https://rachel-reed.website/
Our Patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/themidwivescauldron
Our Instagram page - https://www.instagram.com/themidwivescauldron/
- Please support the show via Patreon or BuyMeACoffee
- MERCH here!
- Music Joseph McDade
Like this podcast? Leave us a review here
Want more from Katie and Rachel?
Katie's website
Rachel's website
Disclaimer
The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical or legal advice; instead, all information available on this site are for general informational purposes only. The Midwives' Cauldron podcast reserves the right to supplement, change or delete any information at any time.
The information and materials on the podcast is provided "as is"; no representations are made that the content is error-free. Whilst we have tried to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information we do not warrant or guarantee the accurateness.
The podcast accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.
Next Episode

Low milk supply
In this episode we go on an hour-long whistle-stop tour all about low milk supply. We touch on topics such as:
- How many women experience low milk supply
- Breast refusal
- Re-building milk supply
- Donor milk
- Nipple teat confusion
- Breast reduction surgery
- The top up trap
- Medications that could affect milk supply
- Witching hours and COLIC
Phew! It's jam packed. We even have some great 80s or is it 90s movie references and some Ah-mazing accents from two of our comedy idols - Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer. You can't miss this, and nor can your friends so go on, shout out the window now and tell 'em to put the kettle on as you're popping round with the podcast they need to hear!
LINKS:
Rachel Reed: https://www.rachelreed.website/
Patreon donation page: https://www.patreon.com/themidwivescauldron
Instagram: @themidwivescauldron
Resources for low milk supply:
- https://www.thewomens.org.au/health-information/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-problems/low-milk-supply
- https://professoramybrown.co.uk/
- https://professoramybrown.co.uk/research
- https://kellymom.com/ages/newborn/bf-basics/importance-responsive-feeding/
- https://kellymom.com/hot-topics/low-supply/
- https://dianawest.com/books/
Get 10% off Katie's Breastfeeding & Lactation: the fundamentals online course today with code POD10 at checkout.
Get 10% off The Feeding Couch pregnancy course with code POD10.
- Please support the show via Patreon or BuyMeACoffee
- MERCH here!
- Music Joseph McDade
Like this podcast? Leave us a review here
Want more from Katie and Rachel?
Katie's website
Rachel's website
Disclaimer
The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical or legal advice; instead, all information available on this site are for general informational purposes only. The Midwives' Cauldron podcast reserves the right to supplement, change or delete any information at any time.
The information and materials on the podcast is provided "as is"; no representations are made that the content is error-free. Whilst we have tried to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information we do not warrant or guarantee the accurateness.
The podcast accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Featured in these lists
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/the-midwives-cauldron-140745/through-the-lens-of-an-nhs-obstetrician-an-interview-with-dr-florence-16934536"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to through the lens of an nhs obstetrician -an interview with dr florence wilcock on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy