Maternity & Midwifery Forum

Better Births

Midwifery Feature Articles Uncategorised

The Rise and Fall of the Albany Midwifery Practice (London 1997-2009)

Debra
Across the world midwives providing relational continuity support is seen as beneficial for women, families and the midwives working in that model. In the UK creating continuity teams is in the Maternity transformation plans, but this is not new. Prior to, and into the 1990’s, midwives were working in group......
Read more
Midwifery Feature Articles Midwifery News

HIV in Pregnancy

Debra
March 1st is international Zero Discrimination day for HIV led by the United Nations. HIV remains of global concern, with many lacking the access to life-saving antiretroviral treatment. In this article Professor Yvonne Gilleece, Honorary Clinical Professor and Consultant in HIV and Sexual Health, Brighton & Sussex Medical School and......
Read more
Midwifery Feature Articles Midwifery News

Supporting the National Strategy for Midwifery in the United Arab Emirates

Debra
Supporting the National Strategy for Midwifery in the United Arab Emirates   In this second article (see the first here ), Gina (Georgina Sosa) PhD, Midwife, Assistant Professor of midwifery reflects on the progression of the #MidwiferyinAbuDhabi journey   Our journey to develop a high-quality midwifery degree programme in the......
Read more
Midwifery Feature Articles Midwifery News

Midwifery Continuity of Carer at the sharp end: Do we take off, taxi the runway or return to the place we came from…?

Debra
Joanne Crawford is Head of Midwifery in an England NHS Trust moving toward full continuity of carer for maternity services. She reflects personally on her experience of leading the developments and the challenges faced to support staff through the changes.   Midwifery Continuity of Carer at the sharp end: Do......
Read more
Midwifery Sector News

Better Births – Five years on

Paul
Better Births Five Year Review
Last week saw the celebratory meeting online to report on the fifth year of progress of the Better Births maternity transformation for England. For those unfamiliar with Better Births, back in 2015 a country-wide consultation process took place to consider how maternity service could be improved after the revelations from......
Read more
Midwifery Sector News

“It’s not really about safety, it’s about fear.” – Normal Birth… what’s going on?

Paul
Disproportionate levels of bullying and racism in obstetrics and gynaecology
Across the world, rates of caesarean section and other interventions in labour and birth are on the rise. Worryingly, however, birth outcomes for mothers and babies are not improving in a clearly correlative way. In fact, maternal mortality in the USA has risen in recent years despite the country having......
Read more
Midwifery Sector News

Sign our petition! A Chief Midwifery Officer for every country

Paul
Following the appointment of Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent OBE as the first Chief Midwifery Officer for England, an international group of midwives are calling on every country to follow suit, including each of the devolved governments in the UK. When announcing the first occupant of the England wide role, NHS chief......
Read more
Videos

Implementing Better Births

Paul
Implementing Better Births – Baroness Julia Cumberlege CBE from Narrowcast Media Group on Vimeo. Baroness Julia Cumberlege CBE, Chair of the National Maternity Review; Chair of the All Party Health Group and Former UK Minister gives a presentation discussing Implementing Better Births at the International Maternity Expo 2019. Find out......
Read more
Midwifery Sector News

“The power midwives have to make a better world, economically and through empowering women, is immense.”

Paul
Brydon Williams, Clinical Supervisor for Midwives at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board is also Brydon Williams, midwife, trainer and treasurer for Midwives@Ethiopia. Midwives@Ethiopia sends experienced midwives from the UK to Ethiopia to work with organisations and midwives in Ethiopia. Brydon told the Wales & South West Maternity & Midwifery Festival......
Read more
Midwifery Sector News

“You shouldn’t have to feel you’re pushing your pregnancy aside…”

Paul
“Even when you account for ethnicity, substance misuse, smoking – an out-of-home [situation] or housing instability leads to a low birth-weight baby.”   Being pregnant whilst homeless throws up a unique set of challenges. Pregnant women who become homeless have priority need for accommodation, according to government guidance, but problems......
Read more