THE ROLE OF THE MIDWIFE IN HOMEBIRTH Homebirth refers to the act of a woman giving birth at home

Continuity of care may have different meanings, ranging from continuity of caregivers, to a shared philosophy of care by large numbers of caregivers with different professional backgrounds or ideally one-to-one care (Waldenstrom et al. 2000). The purpose of midwifery continuity of care is to allow women and their midwives to get to know each other over time. This involves not only a personal knowledge of each other, but also the ability to be able to work out, investigate, talk about and consider the complex decisions, bearing in mind the woman’s needs and expectations. The relationship has a professional purpose, which is the provision of safe and effective midwifery care (Homer, Brodie & Leap, 2008).

Being a midwife refers to a profession where the midwife would work in partnership with the women throughout her pregnancy, labour and the postpartum period. Not only is being a midwife women-centred, however, their role also includes ensuring the partner and family members are prepared and aware of the process. Within a women’s health, the midwife should focus on health, family planning, nutrition, domestic and other health issues as the main priority is the

This essay demonstrates significant factors, a midwife and the women may face within Australian public hospitals. As a midwife the key skills are understanding of what supports and impacts the normal physiological process of labour and birth. This essay will discuss two influencing factors that have a negative effect on the normal progress of labour and birth. This will be seen, firstly by discussing the cultural and environmental impacts of labour and birth. Then, examining how the midwife may best support and facilitate the adverse effects of normal physiological process. This essay also discusses a positive labour and birth environment within the Australian standard model of care.

Giving birth to a baby is the most amazing and miraculous experiences for parents and their loved ones. Every woman’s birth story is different and full of joy. Furthermore, the process from the moment a woman knows that she’s pregnant to being in the delivering room is very critical to both her and the newborn baby. Prenatal care is extremely important and it can impact greatly the quality of life of the baby. In this paper, the topic of giving birth will be discussed thoroughly by describing the stories of two mothers who gave birth in different decades and see how their prenatal cares are different from each other with correlation of the advancement of modern medicine between four decades.

For hundred of years, women have wrestled with their womanhood, bodies, and what it means to be a woman in our society. Being a woman comes with a wonderful and empowering responsibility--giving birth. What sets us aside from other countries is that the process and expectations of giving birth has changed in our society; coming from midwifery, as it has always been since the early times, to hospitals where it is now expected to give birth at. Midwifery was a common practice in delivering babies in

Public health is defined by the World Health Organisation as ‘all organised measures to prevent disease, promote health, and prolong life among the population as a whole’ (WHO, 2015). Within this role of public health, the midwife has an essential role. They are in the best position to be able to guide

Home birth versus hospital birth is one of the more controversial topics in the world today. It is a delicate topic because the safety and well-being of mothers and babies is in question. The majority of the information out there is subjective, making it difficult to reach an unbiased conclusion.

I strongly believe in and support the mutual partnership that is established between Midwives, Wahine and their Whanau. It is an honour to be a part of women and their families journey to welcoming a new family member and I cherish the opportunity to be able to do this with them. Whilst pregnancy and childbirth is a normal, natural process of life, for some this can be complicated and I feel it is my responsibility to be able to walk with low risk and high risk women, injecting as much of my midwifery philosophy as I can into what might be a complex medical picture. By keeping practice hollistic and woman-centred this can be achieved. All women are entitled to make fully informed decisions and granted the time to do this. I am pro-choice and

North America’s childbirth conditions and practice have been revolutionized throughout time. Today, many aspects of childbirth are carefully inspected to create, in their opinion, the healthiest environment for the women and child. The vast majority of Americans birthing environment takes place at a “hospital, birthing-centers, and homes,” while “planned home births” are fewer then 1% of birth (347). When having a planned at home birth, a birthing center will bring all the required equipment to your

This paper is an evaluation of philosophical and sociological underpinnings within Australian maternity services. The information was researched from observational studies of six articles connected to the medicalisation of childbirth that is associated with low risk pregnant women. The objective for this paper is to review key theoretical arguments related to the reference of homebirth and midwifery services and against barriers to home birthing and the underlying discussion of freedom of choice. The interrelations between dominant themes were incorporated. This paper reports on the findings of “Preparing for birth”, “Birth expectation barriers and emasculation of midwifery” and finally the “Trajectory of Australian Health Policies”.

In the simplest terms, a midwife is someone, traditionally female, who assists women in childbirth. Yet, a midwife is much more than an assistant in the process of labor, but a strong, wise woman, capable of holding the lives of the mother and child. Throughout history, women have assisted each other through pregnancy and delivery. It was not until the discovery of new germ theories and the development of biomedicine that traditional midwifery has been pushed to the side. However, despite wishes of allopathic doctors, midwives have stood strong and remained present worldwide.

Obstetricians and midwives both have a standard that they all need to be aware of and know when working with women in antenatal, birth and post natal. They need to both be able to help assist the women in choosing a mode of care that is suitable for her needs. (Ranzcog.edu.au, 2011)

In the United States, midwives attend less than 8 percent of all births. In Europe and Japan, midwives attend over 70 percent (New Line Home Entertainment). People say that midwives are not needed in today’s world because of the abundance of nurses and doctors. This may be true, but the United States has the second worst infant mortality rate and one of the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world. Hospitals and other health professional places are tricking women into thinking that they need an induced labor, an epidural, or even a cesarean section, but they really do not. The documentary The Business of Being Born dives into the history of birthing in the United States, the labor process at a hospital, as well as the role of

According to the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNMb) (2015), home births account for 1.4% of all births in the U.S. In eight years the number of home births in the US increased by 41% (ACNM, 2015b). Providing home births falls within the scope of practice of midwives and is supported by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM, 2015b). A mother can have the option of a home birth as long as the home birth follows regulations set in place by the state and can provide a favorable safe environment for both mother and newborn (ACNM, 2015b). Both the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) state that the ultimate decision of having a home birth is a patient’s right, especially if she is medically well informed (Declercq, & Stotland, 2016).

The topic of Home Birth is one that is constantly being debated, researched and talked about. Here I will discuss several aspects of this topic to be thought over for what they are: facts. A home birth is simply giving birth to a child at home rather than in a hospital. There are many benefits when choosing home birth as well as negative consequences. When having a child, many aspects must be acknowledged and well thought over. These include the cost, the location, whether a midwife is necessary or not among other concerns. A midwife is “a person trained to assist women in childbirth.” (Dictionary.com). This knowledge is important in understanding the differences between hospital and home birth as midwives may be present in either situation.