A new walking group for expectant mothers and their families has been launched, with the aim of creating a safe environment to meet other mums-to-be.

The Roaming Birth Tribe meets twice a month, strolling through different parts of Worcestershire each time.

It was founded by Abbie Ing, an antenatal and hypnobirthing educator from Malvern, and Cheryl Griffin, a birth and post-natal doula.

“It’s not just expectant mums,” said Ms Ing. “It’s birth partners, dads, grandparents – basically anyone who wants to know more about what to expect from birth.”

Ms Ing launched her professional service after the birth of her second son, when she found women sometimes struggled to find answers to their questions about birth.

“That lit a bit of a fire in my belly,” she said.

As for the walks, she stated the physical and mental benefits of walking were well-documented.

“We just wanted to make a safe place to make people comfortable about having conversations about birth,” she said.

“So often people have quite limited time with their midwives these days – not through any fault of the NHS, they’re doing everything they can.

“We just want to provide a bit of extra space really, for new parents – even experienced parents – just to talk about birth in a really safe place, where they can ask all of those perhaps embarrassing questions that they don’t feel comfortable asking their midwife, or that they just don’t have time to ask.”

The Roaming Birth Tribe will be running free drop-in walks on the first and third Wednesday of each month.

Gavin Kermack
BBC News, West Midlands

Kalpana Boodhoo
BBC Hereford & Worcester