A midwife is responsible for recording the progress of labour on a partograph or partogram. The partograph helps caregivers detect whether labour is progressing normally or not, indicates when augmentation of labour is appropriate and assists in recognising potential problems before they occur. Each title covers one important topic, and has been written by a specialist in that field. The series follows a consistent format and covers issues such as key ethical and legal considerations, relevant legislation, case studies, and practical applications. These concise, accessible texts will be suitable for accreditation when continuing professional development becomes a requirement

Pelvic organ prolapse has been on medical record for over 4000 years yet remains hidden behind closed doors because of embarrassing symptoms like urinary and fecal incontinence, tissues bulging from the vagina, pain with intimacy, and chronic constipation. Vaginal childbirth and menopause are the leading causes of POP; millions of women worldwide suffer in silence with symptoms they don't understand. Pelvic Organ Prolapse: The Silent Epidemic dissects pelvic organ prolapse and explains causes, symptoms, and treatment options. It is written in an easy to understand format and includes insights from Sherrie Palm's personal journey.

Is your man experiencing: Fatigue? Low or no sex drive? Less mental focus? Less tolerance to stress? Lack of interest for things that he used to love?Then, this book may be for you to read. He may be one of the 15 million men in the United States that are suffering from testosterone deficiency and not know it. Many men do not seek help and are sometimes in denial about this problem that can affect their relationships. Fortunately, you may arm yourself with important information before bringing up this sensitive issue in conversations with him. After reading this book you will know: How to spot symptoms of low testosterone in men What his best treatment option is more suitable, if he needs one How to identify and treat potential side effects before they become a problem What foods and medicines can lower his testosterone What compounding pharmacies are and how they can customized economical TRT options for him Upcoming testosterone options for women (yes, women may also need testosterone) And much more

For new students the language and concepts of midwifery care can at first be daunting. This book helps students to understand the expectations of midwifery training in relation to normal midwifery practice. It covers the basics of midwifery care including professional practice, frameworks informing midwifery care, key concepts and philosophies of care, communication and care skills, antenatal care, normal labour and birth, postnatal care, neonatal care and breastfeeding, as well as a brief introduction to medicines management in normal midwifery care. The book is designed to work alongside first taught modules in midwifery, and underpin training in subsequent years.

A book to help midwives and other health care professionals think through the practicalities of optimising pregnancies and births. After explaining precisely how 'optimal' is defined, nine reasons are presented to justify why this kind of birth is best. Finally, key practical issues are considered and reflective questions provided, so as to give caregivers a clear basis for clinical practice, wherever their place of work. This easy-read, accessible book, which is fully referenced, is equally useful for students of midwifery (or obstetrics, or medicine generally), practising midwives, doulas, and maternity care assistants. This third edition includes changes based on feedback and some additional material.

A book for midwives who would like to explore how best to help women cope with pain and fear. This book contains information about the physiological and psychological functions of pain; cultural influences on the experience of labour pain; elective caesareans, which are supposedly a simpler alternative; advantages and drawbacks of using pharmacological pain relief; information and ideas on how to transform labour pain into an experience of strength and power. While the book provides information on a very wide range of pain relief options and the emphasis is on maternal choice, it also presents many convincing arguments for normal physiological birth. It can therefore make a contribution to helping reduce the rate of unnecessary caesareans and help midwives improve rates of maternal satisfaction. Forewords by Dr Trudy Stevens and Dr Helene Vadeboncoeur.

An international collaboration of lecturers, practitioners and researchers. Each chapter considers a topic relevant to normalizing maternity care. Topics include: routine interventions epidurals physiological third and fourth stages longer labors and approaches to monitoring / intervention most effective models of care birth centers home birth mental health doulas reasons for intervention links between research and practice harmonizing 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' cesarean individual agents for change intrapartum best practice ways of supporting women laboring without pharmacological pain relief water birth VBAC the role of regulatory bodies ways of publicizing 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, family doctors, 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.

This book is for any woman considering a vaginal birth after one or more previous cesareans. What are the risks? What are the advantages? What is the best choice in your particular case? The author, Helene Vadeboncoeur, takes you through the research and also gives you a glimpse into other women's experiences through the use of first-hand accounts. It was, in fact, the author's experience of two very different births (one a cesarean, the next a VBAC) that inspired her to get a PhD. In her thesis she explored how women experience giving birth in hospital. Helene wanted to consider questions about birth because this is such an important event in women's lives. For over 10 years since then, she has divided her time between teaching and participating in research projects. (She is currently on the Board of the International MotherBaby Childbirth Organization.) She also regularly gives talks at conferences around the world. This means that you not only get the benefit of advice from a woman who's been through both a cesarean and a VBAC, you also get taken through the most up-to-date research. Serious information is presented in an upbeat, readable style. Comment from an obstetrician: "As a professional who is concerned about the risk in the cesarean rate I would like to suggest that all women who have anything to do with cesareans read this book. The author has collected research data and precious accounts, which will help women make an informed choice as to how to give birth to their babies." Feedback from a midwife: "Helene Vadeboncoeur offers women an important tool to support them if they choose to give birth vaginally after a previous cesarean." Comment from a VBAC mom: "This book can help you heal the inner scars that every cesarean leaves behind. It'll also help you prepare and inform yourself to make a different journey with your next birth."

This title gives printed book plus Pageburst[trademark] access. You will receive a printed book and access to the complete book content electronically. Pageburst[trademark] enhances learning not only by bringing world class content to your fingertips but also by letting you add to it, annotate it, and categorize it in a way that suits you. Pageburst[trademark] frees you to spend more time learning and less time searching. "Mayes' Midwifery", an established key textbook for students and qualified midwives, contains essential knowledge for professional practice. For this 14th edition, each section and chapter has been fully updated and enhanced by leading authors to ensure the text complies with contemporary practice and current guidelines. Added benefits are the availability of a variety of additional online resources for each chapter, including case studies, video and website links, and a bank of multiple-choice questions to test knowledge. With a strong emphasis on normal birth, the book covers the spectrum of midwifery-related topics applied to practice, providing a foundation of knowledge, and encouraging independent thought through the use of reflective exercises in each chapter and online. The book provides midwives with material that meets individual ways of learning and supports current modes of midwifery education. "Mayes' Midwifery" is the text for initial preparation and for ongoing midwifery practice.

Within maternity care midwives and consultant obstetricians are frequently required to collaborate together in an attempt to provide optimal care for women and their babies. In this way they are engaging in interprofessional collaboration, a much debated and increasingly popular policy agenda within health care. However, despite the growing support for interprofessional collaboration there is a limited understanding of how patient experiences are influenced by interprofessional working. This book will shed light on this issue using insights gained from midwifery clients. The stories of the women suggest that interprofessional consultation is complex with instances of subjugation and resistance occurring simultaneously as differing professional ideologies collide. The experience of midwifery clients during interprofessional consultation will be relevant for all those involved in maternity care, and for academics and professionals who are considering ways in which policy and practice can strengthen interprofessional working.

The author and her husband got pregnant easily and after that everything was hard. In elegant, spare prose, Ariel Balter unflinchingly and courageously chronicles the couple's five-year-long quest to have a child on the frontlines of the fertility industry. And though the journey ends successfully, this is not a simplistic or feel-good story. Instead, The Maternity Labyrinth raises difficult questions not only about the costs-emotional, financial, moral- of assisted reproduction but also the very human desire to become a parent. Balter has written a moving, graceful and deeply honest book.
Alexandra Enders, author of Bride Island
The Maternity Labyrinth offers a window into the very personal experience of one woman as she navigates the often bewildering, frustrating, dehumanizing and heart-wrenching experience of family building for the infertile. Ariel Balter gives voice to this experience and to the feelings that accompany it - a voice that will be welcome to many who feel alone in their struggle through the labyrinth.
Shana (Susan) G. Millstein, Ph.D., Professor of Pediatrics,
University of California, San Francisco
The Maternity Labyrinth is a must read for anyone who has gone through fertility treatments, assisted reproductive technology procedures or experienced the terrible tensions between hope and fear integral to the process. Professionals working in the fields of Infertility, Assisted Reproductive Technology, Maternity and Maternal Mental Health need this book as do family members and anyone who wants to understand the emotional nooks and crannies of playing against the odds to have a baby of one's own. The Maternity Labyrinth is a treasured gift to all of us-making sense of the twenty-first century new world of Fertility through the words of a mother who has lived it from the inside.
Diane Ehrensaft, Author of Mommies, Daddies, Donors,
Surrogates: Answering Tough Questions and Building Strong Families

Intrapartum care has undergone profound changes over the past fifty years. Essential Midwifery Practice: Intrapartum Care takes a broad sweep to examine these changes and their intersection with midwifery, in particular their impact on the midwife's role during labour and birth. It is an invaluable guide for all midwives. Essential Midwifery Practice: Intrapartum Care addresses a wide range of topics including the evolution of intrapartum care, debates about knowledge, and childbirth education. It looks at birth environments, labour rhythms, working with pain, normal birth, unusual labours, and complementary therapies. Written by key experts and providing guidance on best practice, this unique and diverse text will bring readers up-to-date with the latest research and reflection in their specialist fields. Written by key experts in their respective fields coming together for the first time Provides comprehensive examination of normal birth practice Evidence-based, bringing you up-to-date with the latest research

Professional Ethics For Midwives: Conscious Practice Is An Applied Ethics Book Designed For Both Students And Practicing Midwives To Build Ethical Thinking In The Context Of Daily Practice. This Unique Text Uses An Accessible Writing Style And Includes Chapters On Diversity And Justice, Informed Consent, Multiple Relationships, Confidentiality And Privacy, Scope Of Practice, And Others. Realistic Case Examples Throughout The Text Encourage Critical Thinking In Applied Ethics. The Authors Present A Unique Model For Midwives' Ethical Thinking And Appendices Include Widely Used Codes Of Ethics In The Field.

Based on the accounts of midwives, their descendants, and the women they served, "In the Way of Our Grandmothers" tells of the midwife's trade--her principles, traditions, and skills--and of the competing medical profession's successful program to systematically destroy the practice.

The rural South was one of the last strongholds of the traditional "granny" midwife. Whether she came by her trade through individual choice or inherited a practice from an older relative, a woman who accepted the "call" of midwife launched a lifelong vocation of public service. While the profession was arduous, it had numerous rewards. Midwives assumed positions of leadership within their communities, were able to define themselves and their actions on their own terms, and derived a great sense of pride and satisfaction from performing a much-loved job.

Despite national statistics that placed midwives above all other attendants in low childbirth mortality, Florida's state health experts began in the early twentieth century to view the craft as a menace to public health. Efforts to regulate midwives through education and licensing were part of a long-term plan to replace them with modern medical and hospital services. Eager to demonstrate their good will and common interest, most midwives complied with the increasingly restrictive rules imposed by the state, unknowingly contributing to the demise of their own profession.

The recent interest of the youthful middle class in home birth methods has been accompanied by a rediscovery of the midwife's craft. Yet the new midwifery represents the state's successful attainment of a long-awaited goal: the replacement of the traditional lay midwife with the modern nurse-midwife. "In the Way of Our Grandmothers" provides a voice for the few women in the South who still remember the earlier trade--one that evolved organically from the needs of women and existed outside the realms of men.

"On Uganda's Terms" is the gripping tale of the author's experiences as an American nurse during the vicious and brutal reign of Idi Amin. Ms. Hale tells the story of the struggles she faced while striving to improve the Ugandan health care system in the 1960s - 70s. Recalling a saying from the Talmud-""If you can save one life, you can save a generation,"" she worked to improve health care in the midst of this African nation's most horrific time in history.

About the Author:
Mary M. Hale, RNC, MSN, SRN, SCM, has been a Nurse-Midwife for 35 years. Ten of those years she served under the Ministry of Health in Uganda, East Africa where she set up the first post-graduate pediatric nursing program. Hale has written about these experiences in her first book "On Uganda's Terms" telling the obstacles to saving lives under the worst of circumstances while working tirelessly against the odds of Idi Amin.
She retired after 27 years in Pediatrics and Obstetrics at Albert Einstein Medical Center, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 2006. Her first year of retirement was spent writing her autobiography "On Uganda's Terms." In her second year she finished "Beyond Nurses Notes - A Journey to Choose Life."

On the verge of entering the 21st century, women today are living in a n age of restlessness and flux. This outstanding interdisciplinary com pilation links post-modern perspectives on women's development and pot ential with health, political contexts, relationships, culture, age, e ducation, social conditions, and economic status. A diverse group of w riters offer their insights and ideas for improving the condition of a ll human beings through the augmentation of women's potential. More t han a cursory view of women's experiences, this remarkable book examin es contemporary issues in the context of actual eventsmilestones that have affected or will affect every woman today, in the 21st century, a nd beyond.

"At Work in the Field of Birth" is an ethnographic study of midwifery in Canada in the wake of its historic transition from the margins as a grassroots social movement devoted to low-tech, woman-centered care to a regulated profession within the public health care system. In January 1994, after decades of lobbying by midwives and their supporters, the province of Ontario recognized midwifery as a profession for the first time in more than a century.

Through stories about becoming and being a midwife and stories about receiving midwifery care, this book describes how fundamental tenets of midwifery philosophy and practice--the meaning of tradition, natural birth, and home birth, and the place of medical technology in midwifery--are being reworked by the practical and ideological challenges of midwifery's new place within the formal health care system. MacDonald presents contemporary midwifery as a complex cultural system in which "nature" and "tradition" emerge as dynamic rather than esssentialized social categories of meaning and experience.

STORY EXCERPT:
Martina, another rural midwife, tells me "My great-grandmother was a midwife . . . so I sort of have this idea that there is still a bit of that in my blood. But at the same time-I mean, we don't just get called during labour-it's much more clinical. We are doing blood work that my grandmother wouldn't have done and more lab work and tests. But I want to hold on to some of that. I don't want to become a techno midwife. It's not what I want to do at all. It doesn't mean tat we don't use technology or are not willing to-we certainly do, all the time. But I think that one thing that attracts women to midwives and certainlyattracts women to become midwives is the sense of the neighbour, the friend, having a cup of tea. It is more friendly, you've got time to spend with women."

A Companion To Varney'S Midwifery, Fourth Edition, This Is The Only Concise But Comprehensive Pocket Guide Covering All Stages Of Pregnancy That Puts Essential Information At The Midwife's Fingertips. The Text Is Divided Into 18 Sections, Including Midwifery Overview, Primary Care, Gynecology, Antepartum, Intrapartum, Newborn And Postpartum, Each Of Which Includes Content, Charts, Tables, Figures, And The Relevant Hands-On Skills.

Maternal-newborn nursing is multi-faceted, challenging and rewarding. It provides multiple opportunities to touch lives and make a difference. In the new edition, those facets and their impact on maternal-newborn nursing is evident, while emphasizing that family members are co-particpants in care. Because of the varied and rich opportunities for nurses, the theme emphasized in this edition are the many facets of maternal-newborn nursing. This thread is subtly woven throughout the book.

"At Work in the Field of Birth" is an ethnographic study of midwifery in Canada in the wake of its historic transition from the margins as a grassroots social movement devoted to low-tech, woman-centered care to a regulated profession within the public health care system. In January 1994, after decades of lobbying by midwives and their supporters, the province of Ontario recognized midwifery as a profession for the first time in more than a century.

Through stories about becoming and being a midwife and stories about receiving midwifery care, this book describes how fundamental tenets of midwifery philosophy and practice--the meaning of tradition, natural birth, and home birth, and the place of medical technology in midwifery--are being reworked by the practical and ideological challenges of midwifery's new place within the formal health care system. MacDonald presents contemporary midwifery as a complex cultural system in which "nature" and "tradition" emerge as dynamic rather than esssentialized social categories of meaning and experience.

STORY EXCERPT:
Martina, another rural midwife, tells me "My great-grandmother was a midwife . . . so I sort of have this idea that there is still a bit of that in my blood. But at the same time-I mean, we don't just get called during labour-it's much more clinical. We are doing blood work that my grandmother wouldn't have done and more lab work and tests. But I want to hold on to some of that. I don't want to become a techno midwife. It's not what I want to do at all. It doesn't mean tat we don't use technology or are not willing to-we certainly do, all the time. But I think that one thing that attracts women to midwives and certainlyattracts women to become midwives is the sense of the neighbour, the friend, having a cup of tea. It is more friendly, you've got time to spend with women."