Maternity & Midwifery Forum

midwives

Midwifery Feature Articles Midwifery News

Developing an identity as a midwife: an impossible task?

Debra
Becoming a midwife is time of evolving and developing! In this article Nicole Rajan-Brown, Third-year student midwife, University of Salford and Editor-in-Chief, The Student Midwife Journal shares some helpful tips of how to step through this minefield and develop a personal midwifery identity.   ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________     Developing an identity......
Midwifery Feature Articles Midwifery News

What’s in a word? The importance of language in midwifery care

Debra
Over many years there has been questioning of the use of language across maternity services, particularly in relation to birth. The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) undertook a widely consultative project to establish the best choice of language that would provide clarity.  Dr Mary Ross-Davie, Director of Midwifery at NHS......
Midwifery Feature Articles Midwifery News

Midwifery Continuity of care: Imperative to Change

Debra
Developing maternity services to provide continuity of care is national policy across the four countries of the United Kingdom. In this article Trixie McAree, National lead for Continuity of Carer with Alana Hunt, regional lead for Continuity East of England, they explore the background for this policy and how the......
Midwifery Feature Articles Midwifery News

A fresh perspective to recruitment and retention of Newly Qualified Midwives

Debra
The theme of the shortage of midwives in the UK continues across media and political outputs. A key concern is that many are leaving who have been less than 5 years in the profession. In this article Judi Smith, and Jan Bentley, Preceptorship Lead Liverpool Women’s Hospital, share how the......
Midwifery Feature Articles Midwifery News

Helping midwives to put parents at the centre of their care

Debra
Caring for parents who have experienced the death of a baby is an important role for midwives, student midwives and other members of the multidisciplinary team. In this article Clare Worgan, Sands’ Head of Training and Education, writes about the importance of bereavement care to parents, how training helps healthcare......
Midwifery Feature Articles Midwifery News

Maternity in the spotlight: HM The Queen’s Birthday honours

Debra
A number of HM The Queen’s honours were conferred on midwives and those linked to the maternity services this weekend. Jenny Hall tells you about them… _______________________________________________________________   Maternity in the spotlight: HM The Queen’s Birthday honours In the UK each year, on the date of the Queen’s “official birthday”,......
Midwifery Feature Articles Midwifery News

Personalised maternity care conference: Building on Ockendon

Debra
There is no question maternity services in the UK are experiencing struggles at this time. There is much that can, and needs to be, done to improve circumstances. In this article Dr Claire Feeley Lecturer (Research & Teaching)  from King’s College London provides views on the issues and discusses why......
Midwifery Feature Articles Midwifery News

Queen Elizabeth’s Royal births: transforming the monarchy

Debra
This week the UK is celebrating 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II on the throne. In this article Dr Jenny Hall, Editor, MATFLIX briefly examines the births of the royal children in the context of the time, and challenges others to take up researching history. _______________________________________________________________ In this week in......
Midwifery Feature Articles Midwifery News

Black Maternity Matters: maternity care improvement project

Debra
Last week two important reports demonstrating racism across UK Maternity services were released. In this week’s article Ann Remmers, Maternal and Neonatal Clinical lead, West of England Academic Health Science Network, shares a co-produced project to improve the care of Black women in the South West Region. _______________________________________________________________    In......
Midwifery Feature Articles Midwifery News

The FiveXMore and Birthrights reports: individual and systemic racism

Debra
This week two key reports on the experiences of Black and Brown women and staff in maternity services has gathered much attention in the UK press this week. Dr Jenny Hall presents the content and considers the implications. _______________________________________________________________   Racism strongly exists in UK maternity services. The clarity of this......