Untangling the Maternity Crisis

Nadine Edwards, Rosemary Mander, Jo Murphy-Lawless, Nadine Edwards, Rosemary Mander, Jo Murphy-Lawless

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781138244221
• eBook ISBN: 9781351998208
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Nursing

Arguing that contemporary maternity services provide a toxic environment both in which to practise and to give birth, this book looks at how we can change this. Its aim is promoting the best possible experiences of childbearing, and confident, strengthening and loving contexts for new parenthood.

Designed to create awareness about the professional and political realities which enmesh maternity care, this inspiring volume features an in-depth and research-oriented analysis of the challenges faced by contemporary maternity services. Recognising the frequently hostile environment in which midwives practise, the contributors go on to explore its impact on women and families, as well as on midwives themselves. They then look at woman-centred and community-based ways of contributing to a much better birthing experience for all.

Important and relevant for all those with an interest in improving maternity care, this book is particularly suited to midwives – practising and student, doulas, birth educators and activists, policymakers and health service managers.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Illustrations
• Contributors’ affiliations
• Acknowledgements
• Foreword: The family experience of home birth
• 1 Introduction: A toxic culture
• Part I The Birth Project Group (BPG) survey: Introduction
• Part II Understanding traumatic experiences for women, midwives, families and the wider community: Introduction
• Part III Responding practically and politically to change our troubled maternity structures: Introduction
• Part IV Looking ahead and back
• Afterword: ‘Mrs Brown is fully’
• References
• Index