Waterbirth Stories: Midwifery Reflections / Edition 1

by Maria Paz Miranda, Sian Marie Barnard

Overview

Drawing on years of midwifery experience of waterbirth, this collection of stories, based on real-life events, illuminates a rewarding way of birth and emphasises the theoretical knowledge, skills, understanding, and resilience needed to practice well.

Waterbirth Stories includes chapters on the criteria for use of water in labour and birth, on the different stages of labour, and on some more serious or unusual situations such as shoulder dystocia, postpartum haemorrhage, breech presentation, and other unexpected maternal and neonatal events. Each chapter includes several stories from a midwife’s perspective, told in the context of evidence-based guidelines available for this topic. The stories end with learning points to help readers reflect on their own practice.

Ideal for student and practising midwives with an interest in waterbirth, this research-informed book is enjoyable, challenging, and informative.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138541535
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/17/2019
Pages:	112
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Maria Paz Miranda is a midwife working at an NHS Alongside Midwifery-Led Unit in the UK.

Sian Marie Barnard is a midwife working at an NHS Alongside Midwifery-Led Unit in the UK.

Table of Contents

1. Use of Water in Midwifery in the UK 2. Latent Phase of Labour and the Water 3. The First Stage of Labour and the Water 4. Post-Partum Haemorrhage and the Water 5. Shoulder Dystocia and the Water 6. Unexpected Events and the Water

Editorial Reviews

"This is a must-read for any obstetrical provider considering or currently offering water labor or water birth, as well as student midwives…The stories highlight best practices, with numerous references demonstrating the authors' commitment to evidence-based care. Each chapter concludes with learning points to help readers process the information in a clinical framework…This is a great book that depicts water labor and water birth safety through evidence-based practice principles. It is easy to read, highly engaging, and well referenced, which adds to the validity of its stories. Chapters four through six are captivating because they highlight stories of emergency management, which I have yet to read elsewhere but is vital information for practicing water labor and birth providers. To my knowledge, there are no books like this that impart knowledge to healthcare providers through storytelling. The stories are short enough to keep readers' attention but detailed enough to paint the picture of what the laboring women and midwives encountered. This book is unique and well done." - Elizabeth M. Nutter, Doody's Review Service

"Waterbirth Stories was a highly enjoyable book, both informative and easy to read. This book would be particularly useful for students, newly qualified staff, and anyone with limited experience of labour and birth in water." - Mhairi McLellan, The Practising Midwife

From the Publisher

Reviewer: Elizabeth M Nutter, DNP, CNM (St. Martin's University)
Description: This book uniquely combines United Kingdom midwives' stories of water labor and water birth with a discussion of key evidence-based principles that promote the safety of this modality. Each chapter concludes with learning points highlighting important takeaways from the midwives' stories.
Purpose: The purpose is to reproduce the ancient midwife tradition of telling stories to learn from others' clinical experience to better one's own practice. This book specifically shares stories of United Kingdom midwives who have assisted with water labor and birth. It demonstrates how National Health Service (NHS) midwives, under the umbrella of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and statuary bodies' guidelines, are able to support women's desires for laboring and birthing in water. The book depicts stories of not only routine water labor and birth, but also complicated deliveries that were skillfully managed and resulted in optimal outcomes.
Audience: This is a must-read for any obstetrical provider considering or currently offering water labor or water birth, as well as student midwives. Many stories educate readers on rare occurrences and emergency management. The authors, with 70 years of combined midwifery experience, are credible authorities on water labor and water birth.
Features: The first chapter is a brief introduction to the history of midwifery care in the United Kingdom and addresses the U.K. criteria for use of water labor and birth. The remainder of the book depicts stories of water labor and water birth by NHS midwives. The second and third chapters detail accounts of latent labor management and active labor management in water; the fourth and fifth chapters have stories about postpartum hemorrhage and shoulder dystocia in water; and the final chapter describes unexpected situations such as maternal sepsis, group beta strep sepsis, severe perineal trauma, malpresentation, unresponsive mother in water, umbilical cord avulsion, and early urge to push. The stories highlight best practices, with numerous references demonstrating the authors' commitment to evidence-based care. Each chapter concludes with learning points to help readers process the information in a clinical framework.
Assessment: This is a great book that depicts water labor and water birth safety through evidence-based practice principles. It is easy to read, highly engaging, and well referenced, which adds to the validity of its stories. Chapters four through six are captivating because they highlight stories of emergency management, which I have yet to read elsewhere but is vital information for practicing water labor and birth providers. To my knowledge, there are no books like this that impart knowledge to healthcare providers through storytelling. The stories are short enough to keep readers' attention but detailed enough to paint the picture of what the laboring women and midwives encountered. This book is unique and well done.

Doody's Review Service