Product Description

To practice effectively, midwives need to continually update their knowledge of pregnancy and birth. This fully revised and updated new edition of The Midwife′s Labour and Birth Handbook is a practical and accessible guide to providing midwifery care while promoting ′women–centred′ care and normality. It explores important questions such as:


∗ Why are women not encouraged to make a birth plan for elective CS?

∗ If a VBAC woman declines continuous CTG monitoring then why shouldn′t she use a waterbirth pool?

∗ If shoulder dystocia is anticipated, why not encourage all–fours birth in preference to a semi–recumbent position?

∗ Why are the needs of the delivering professional so often put before the advantages of upright postures for promoting descent of a second twin?


This new edition incorporates the latest research and national guidelines, and includes new chapters on twins, caesarean section, bullying, risk management and IOL. By bringing together the latest midwifery information in a woman–centred way, The Midwife′s Labour and Birth Handbook is an essential guide for both student midwives and experienced practising midwives.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31159 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

Review
FROM THE 1ST EDITION:

“This is a useful guide for all midwives and a worthwhile text to have on the shelves in the labour room.

It book promotes midwifery practice in both normal birth and where complex situations occur. Each chapter has a standard approach, making it an easy reference guide.”

Review by: Julia Magill–Cuerden, principal lecturer, Thames Valley University. Review published in Intermid.co.uk: the online archive of peer–reviewed midwifery articles

From the Back Cover
To practice effectively, midwives need to continually update their knowledge of pregnancy and birth. This fully revised and updated new edition of The Midwife′s Labour and Birth Handbook is a practical and accessible guide to providing midwifery care while promoting ′women–centred′ care and normality. It explores important questions such as:

• Why are women not encouraged to make a birth plan for elective CS?


• If a VBAC woman declines continuous CTG monitoring then why shouldn’t she use a waterbirth pool?


• If shoulder dystocia is anticipated, why not encourage all–fours birth in preference to a semi–recumbent position?


• Why are the needs of the delivering professional so often put before the advantages of upright postures for promoting descent of a second twin?

This new edition incorporates the latest research and national guidelines, and includes new chapters on twins, caesarean section, bullying, risk management and IOL. By bringing together the latest midwifery information in a woman–centred way, The Midwife′s Labour and Birth Handbook is an essential guide for both student midwives and experienced practising midwives.

About the Author
Vicky Chapman is a registered nurse and midwife. As a midwife Vicky has worked in a variety of hospitals and in the community setting. She believes that more women deserve supportive midwifery care that is evidence based and sensitive to their needs, as well as a genuine choice regarding place of birth. She is a mother of four children, including twins.

Cathy Charles is a registered nurse and midwife. She has been a practising midwife since 1991 and a ventouse practitioner since 1998 and has worked as both a consultant unit midwife and a community unit midwife. She was formerly clinical audit & risk management co–ordinator and a supervisor of midwives and has lectured at various universities on risk management, midwifery practice and community based maternity care.

Customer Reviews

Worth every penny
This is a great wee book which seems to cover every aspect of labour and birth. Yes it does go into a lot of the high-risk care and medicalised side of childbirth, but not without initially looking at the 'normal' side of birth (normal labour, homebirth and waterbirths have a chapter devoted to each them). Chapman writes clear to the point notes which are comprehensive without being wordy. Whats more she pulls on a good dose of fairly recent reference material to give it some guts. The lay out of each chapter into sub headings means it's easy on the eye and so so quick to find exactly the information you require when you need it, with some useful large illustrations to help. A really excellent book, as a 3rd year student midwife I wouldn't be without it and imagine I'll be using it as a reference book for quite some time to come.

One of those books midwives just need on their shelf
I was introduced to this book by one of my students. The chapter on perineal repair is worth purchasing the book for alone. Its step by step, up to date, evidence based instructions are superior to anything I have seen elsewhere. This is one of those books I just find that I need.

Student Midwife's Review
I absolutely love this book! A real midwifery perspective and exploring all areas of labour and birth. The author considers a range of midwifery perspectives, including the more alternative midwifery viewpoints from the ARM etc. This book, although slightly older now is very good and still remains in my top 5 midwifery books. I would highly recommend reading this book!