Towards the Humanisation of Birth

Towards the Humanisation of Birth PDF Author: Elizabeth Newnham
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319699628
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 280

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Book Description
This book examines the future of birthing practices, particularly by focusing on epidural analgesia in childbirth. It describes historical and cultural trajectories that have shaped the way in which birth is understood in Western, developed nations. In setting out the nature of epidural history, knowledge and practice, the book delves into related birth practices within the hospital setting. By critically examining these practices, which are embedded in a scientific discourse that rationalises and relies upon technology use, the authors argue that epidural analgesia has been positioned as a safe technology in contemporary maternity culture, despite it carrying particular risks. In examining alternative research the book proposes that increasing epidural rates are not only due to greater pain relief requirements or access but are influenced by technocratic values and a fragmented maternity system. The authors outline the way in which this epidural discourse influences how information is presented to women and how this affects their choices around the use of pain relief in labour.

Birth Without Violence

Birth Without Violence PDF Author: Frédérick Leboyer
Publisher: Pinter & Martin Publishers
ISBN: 9781905177301
Category : Childbirth
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Birth without Violence revolutionised the way we perceive the process of birth, urging us to consider birth from the infant's point of view. This Pinter & Martin edition is the definitive edition, published exactly how the author intended it.

Promoting Normal Birth

Promoting Normal Birth PDF Author: Sylvie Donna
Publisher: Fresh Heart Publishing
ISBN: 1906619069
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 373

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Book Description
An international collaboration of lecturers, practitioners and researchers. Each chapter considers a topic relevant to normalising maternity care. Topics include: routine interventions - epidurals - physiological third and fourth stages - longer labours and approaches to monitoring / intervention - most effective models of care - birth centres - home birth - mental health - doulas - reasons for intervention - links between research and practice - harmonising models of birth - caseload midwifery - including 'normality' on medical training courses - the symbolic value of birth - developments in China, the UAE, Brazil and other countries where dramatic changes are taking place (e.g. in sub-Saharan Africa) - the 'natural' caesarean - individual agents for change - intrapartum best practice - ways of supporting women labouring without pharmacological pain relief - water birth - VBAC - the role of regulatory bodies - ways of publicising your work - communication for best results - review of progress and pointers for future research. Questions and extracts provide stimulating reflection and seminar material. For midwives, obstetricians, GPs, doulas and other maternity caregivers. "I strongly recommend this book to midwives, obstetricians, doctors and hospital administrators. It carefully reviews the scientific data." Marsden Wagner-who was director of Women's and Children's Health at the World Health Organization for 15 years, before his retirement. Questions and extracts provide stimulating reflection and seminar material. For midwives, obstetricians, GPs, doulas and other maternity caregivers. "I strongly recommend this book to midwives, obstetricians, doctors and hospital administrators. It carefully reviews the scientific data." Marsden Wagner-who was director of Women's and Children's Health at the World Health Organization for 15 years, before his retirement

Anthropologies of Global Maternal and Reproductive Health

Anthropologies of Global Maternal and Reproductive Health PDF Author: Lauren J. Wallace
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030845141
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 225

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Book Description
This open access edited book brings together new research on the mechanisms by which maternal and reproductive health policies are formed and implemented in diverse locales around the world, from global policy spaces to sites of practice. The authors – both internationally respected anthropologists and new voices – demonstrate the value of ethnography and the utility of reproduction as a lens through which to generate rich insights into professionals’ and lay people’s intimate encounters with policy. Authors look closely at core policy debates in the history of global maternal health across six different continents, including: Women’s use of misoprostol for abortion in Burkina Faso The place of traditional birth attendants in global maternal health Donor-driven maternal health programs in Tanzania Efforts to integrate qualitative evidence in WHO maternal and child health policy-making Anthropologies of Global Maternal and Reproductive Health will engage readers interested in critical conversations about global health policy today. The broad range of foci makes it a valuable resource for teaching in medical anthropology, anthropology of reproduction, and interdisciplinary global health programs. The book will also find readership amongst critical public health scholars, health policy and systems researchers, and global public health practitioners.

Supporting Women for Labour and Birth

Supporting Women for Labour and Birth PDF Author: Nicky Leap
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000440869
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 386

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Book Description
This new edition provides an up-to-date and thoughtful guide to supporting women in labour, looking at a range of techniques and approaches that promote a safe and positive experience of birth for women and their families. Across the world, support in labour has been shown to reduce obstetric interventions and improve outcomes for women and babies. Written by two highly experienced midwifery authors, this text draws on a wide range of cutting-edge research on this topic, identifying how the evidence can be applied to everyday practice. Narratives from women and practitioners, including midwives, doulas, childbirth educators and students, are used to illustrate a range of situations where the quality of support is central to the quality of the experience and outcome. Supporting Women for Labour and Birth encourages readers to reflect on their experiences and examine the evidence provided by both research and experiences of women and practitioners in order to explore how this could be incorporated into their practice. The only book to deal directly with the practical and emotional issues associated with labour support, this is an ideal text for student midwives and an important reference for practising midwives, doulas and other childbirth practitioners.

Homebirth in the Hospital

Homebirth in the Hospital PDF Author: Stacey Marie Kerr
Publisher: Sentient Publications
ISBN: 1591810779
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
Written by a physician, this book embraces the power and possibility of integrative childbirth, in which the compassionate tradition of midwives is combined with the technical expertise of western medicine. --from publisher description.

Spirituality and Childbirth

Spirituality and Childbirth PDF Author: Susan Crowther
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1315389622
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 360

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Book Description
Highlighting aspects of birth often taken for granted, ignored or left silenced, this book questions the art and meaning of childbirth. Addressing spirituality in and around the start of life from a variety of thought-provoking perspectives, it examines the apparent paradox of impersonal biomedical-technocratic systems operating alongside the meaningful experiences encountered by those involved. Themes covered include: Notions of holism and spirituality, culture, religion and spirituality Childbirth significance at societal level Spiritual care in maternity care provision Birth environment, mood, space and place Spiritual experience of all those involved, including health professionals Spiritual experience when birth is complex and challenging When birth and death are juxtaposed. Although there is considerable literature on spirituality at the end of life, this is the only book that draws together a global and multidisciplinary selection of academic researchers and practitioners to reflect on spirituality at the start of life. Each chapter explores the relevant theoretical background and makes links to practice, using case studies from research and practice. The chapters conclude by discussing: how spiritual care is, and should be, provided in this context; what practice approaches are beneficial; cross-cultural perspectives; and future directions for research. It is an important read for all those interested in childbirth, maternity care, social science perspectives on health and illness, and spirituality.

The Roar Behind the Silence

The Roar Behind the Silence PDF Author: Sheena Byrom
Publisher: Pinter & Martin Publishers
ISBN: 9781780661803
Category : Hospitals
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
For many years there has been growing concern about the culture of fear that is penetrating maternity services throughout the world, and that the fear felt by maternity care workers is directly and indirectly being transferred to the women and families they serve. The Roar Behind the Silenceprovides information, inspiration and practical suggestions to support maternity care workers, policy makers, and maternity care funders across the world in their quest to deliver sensitive, compassionate and high quality maternity services."

Supporting Physiological Birth Choices in Midwifery Practice

Supporting Physiological Birth Choices in Midwifery Practice PDF Author: Claire Feeley
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000842177
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 146

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Book Description
Highlighting the experiences of midwives who provide care to women opting outside of guidelines in the pursuit of physiological birth, Claire Feeley looks at the impact on midwives themselves, and explores how teams and organisations support or discourage women’s birth choices. This book investigates the processes, experiences and sociocultural-political influences upon midwives who support women’s alternative birthing choice and argues for a shift in perspective from notions of an individual’s professional responsibility to deliver woman-centred care, to a broader, collective responsibility. The book begins by contextualising the importance of quality midwifery care with an exploration of the current debates to demonstrate how hegemonic birth discourse and maternity practices have detrimentally affected physiological birth rates, and the wellbeing of women who opt outside of maternity guidelines. It provides real life examples of how midwives can facilitate a range of birthing decisions within mainstream midwifery services. Moreover, an exploration of midwives’ experiences of delivering such care is presented, revealing deeply polarised accounts from moral injury to job fulfilment. The polarised accounts are then presented within a new model to explore how a midwife’s socio-political working context can significantly mediate or exacerbate the vulnerability, conflict and stigmatisation that they may experience as a result of supporting alternative birth choices. Finally, this book explores the implications of the findings, looking at how team and organisational culture can be developed to better support women and midwives, making recommendations for a systems approach to improving maternity services. Discussing the invisible nature of midwifery work, what it means to deliver woman-centred care, and the challenges and benefits of doing so, this is a thought-provoking read for all midwives and future midwives. It is also an important contribution to interprofessional concerns around workforce development, sustainability, moral distress and compassion in health and social care.

Birth as an American Rite of Passage

Birth as an American Rite of Passage PDF Author: Robbie Davis-Floyd
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000574288
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 363

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Book Description
This classic book, first published in 1992 and again in 2003, has inspired three generations of childbearing people, birth activists and researchers, and birth practitioners—midwives, doulas, nurses, and obstetricians—to take a fresh look at the "standard procedures" that are routinely used to "manage" American childbirth. It was the first book to identify these non-evidence-based obstetric interventions as rituals that enact and transmit the core values of the American technocracy, thereby answering the pressing question of why these interventions continue to be performed despite all evidence to the contrary. This third edition brings together Davis-Floyd's insights into the intense ritualization of labor and birth and the technocratic, humanistic, and holistic models of birth with new data collected in recent years.