Twenty-five former NCT babies of the year pose for a celebratory shot. (Picture by Yasmin Mariess, 0504971)
IT IS 25 years since Jeanne Langford helped give birth to a group that has provided priceless support to countless Guernsey parents - and it is still providing a lifeline for couples in the island.
St Peter Port-born Jeanne, who last week celebrated her 60th birthday, set up the island’s first branch of the National Childbirth Trust.
And grateful parents all over Guernsey have been quick to praise her contribution.
The former Girls’ Grammar School pupil had her first child, William, in North Carolina, where she lived with her husband, Peter. The birth was made easier by antenatal classes which taught her the Lamaze Method of childbirth.
‘The Lamaze Method is based on the belief that pregnancy and birth are natural processes,’ said Jeanne, ‘and that a female body is uniquely designed. These classes had a big effect on me and I found them really good preparation for having William.’
After his birth in 1974, Jeanne and Peter moved to London where, in 1977, second son Thomas was born.
After moving back to Guernsey, Jeanne gave birth to daughter Genevieve in 1979, but during that pregnancy she found nothing like the support she had received in America or London. A chance meeting with an old friend and a mention of the NCT - an organisation Jeanne had never heard of - prompted her to contact Gwen Rankin, one of the trust’s founder members. She came to Guernsey and trained both Jeanne and her friend, Hilary Venn, and the island branch was born.
‘At that time there was such an interest in a new approach to childbirth education and parenthood,’ said Jeanne. ‘We were totally independent from the Board of Health and initially we had quite a lot of resistance from the medical profession. We were seen as meddling in medical matters.’
Jeanne persuaded three pregnant women to be ‘guinea pigs’ and come to her classes.
‘We encouraged an active and independent approach to birth by teaching women confidence and self-help techniques and offered the resources to understand the physiology of birth so that they wouldn’t be afraid of it,’ she said.
As well as setting up the local branch, Jeanne, along with Ann Lomax, Guernsey’s first breastfeeding counsellor, began producing In Touch, a magazine devoted to topics raised at classes. An extract from an early issue written by Jeanne explained her philosophy: ‘I hope my classes will change and improve each time round, as I learn from the experiences, problems and insights of people who come to them,’ she wrote.
‘My motivation and aims have not changed. The environment should be cosy and formal and the numbers small so that everyone can voice their hopes, misgivings, convictions and experiences in an easy, relaxed atmosphere.’
By the time Jeanne’s fourth child, Madeleine, was born, classes were well under way in the basement of the family home.
As Guernsey NCT grew, so too did its pulling power and many speakers visited the island. One was Sheila Kitzinger, author, lecturer and one of the most respected and controversial figures in the area of parenting and childbirth. It was the work of Sheila and the NCT which was responsible for fathers being allowed to witness the birth of their children and the eradication of unnecessary medical interventions.
‘Provision of information, physical skills and discussion are still the three main elements to every class,’ said Jeanne.
Society has changed in ways that have isolated women from traditional sources of support - such as grandmas, sisters and parents. That is where the NCT also helps. It has a strong belief in antenatal classes that set up self-supporting groups, where feelings of loneliness, or doubts caused by changes in a couple’s relationship, can be discussed with like-minded people.
Jeanne Langford set up the group 25 years ago. (Picture by Daniel Guerin, 0538066)
‘One of my old antenatal groups is still going,’ said Jeanne, proudly.
‘They get together once a year and take photos of the children, some of whom are 16 years old.
‘I have always loved connecting with a subject and it has been a privilege to be a part of people’s lives.’
She may have retired last year, but members of the NCT - both those on the committee and those who have benefited from Jeanne’s classes - will be throwing a celebratory dinner in her honour tonight at the Wellington Boot.
‘I thought I said all my goodbyes in October,’ said a delighted Jeanne. ‘That’s when I officially retired.’
Has she really done so or will she be keeping her hand in?
‘No,’ she assured, ‘I’ve really retired.’
But Jeanne has more babies to take care of: both her sons are now fathers.
William and his wife Helen have Isabelle, who is 16 months old, and Thomas and Sarah’s Lottie is aged just six months.
Who better to ask for expert advice - and perhaps the best babysitter ever - than their mother?
Jeanne has been able to relinquish her trust duties safe in the knowledge that its leadership will be as strong as ever.
‘I’ve gone on really enjoying the NCT to the last but I’ve known that there were people who could take over -
Jo Hudson, who has been my colleague for 12 years, and Anita Davies, who is showing great promise.’
Will she miss her baby?
‘I will miss it. My colleagues have been tremendous and so have the parents. But life moves on.’
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