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The role of a midwife
The role of a midwife
The role of a midwife in antenatal care essay
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Being pregnant and going through childbirth is a natural part of life. Women have been doing it since the beginning of mankind. In the 1900’s childbirth was seen as a normal part of the life cycle and the majority of births were attended at home by midwives and occasionally by physicians. With the age of medicine and technology in Western society the use of pain medication and anesthetics has surged among pregnant women. During the baby boom generation in the 1940-50’s hospital births became the norm with 80% of women giving birth while sedated or unconscious. The mother either gave birth naturally or was completely sedated and delivered her baby while unconscious. In the 1970’s epidural analgesia became a safer option for women to be alert and conscious during her delivery yet not feel most of the pain that is associated with labor.
Today, maternity care can be provided by obstetricians, family practice physicians and certified-nurse midwives. The decision on what kind of provider a woman chooses usually depends on her health and medical condition and personal beliefs. Certified-nurse midwives that work in a physician practice also deliver babies in a hospital setting. They provide prenatal care to women during normal pregnancies and work in collaboration with physicians if complications arise. Many women who choose a natural childbirth method (using no drugs) usually choose nurse midwives for their maternity care. However, that does not imply physicians cannot provide the same kind of support. In early pregnancy, a woman should interview several caregivers to decide which one will support their goals the best. The midwives at Topeka’s Lincoln Center, Rebecca Otte, CNM and Leslie Arnold, CNM provide maternity care for low-risk...
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...ike setting to accommodate their birthing experience.
Women remember each of their children’s birth experiences for the rest of their lives. In order to have a satisfied birth experience, a woman must have an open line of communication with their caregivers whether it is their doctor or nurse in the delivery room. Education also plays a key role to having a natural birth. Attending birthing classes and reading books will help a woman prepare and make the best possible decisions for her baby. Having a birth plan, whether its written or spoken, is a good way to make a woman’s wishes clear to her caregiver. Planning and preparing is important but a woman must always plan for the unexpected and be flexible if the birth doesn’t go exactly as planned. Pregnancies and births are different for everyone and the ultimate goal for caregivers is a healthy mother and baby.
Johnson, K. C., & Daviss, B. A. (2005). Outcomes of planned home births with certified professional midwives: large prospective study in North America. Bmj, 330(7505), 1416.
When pregnant, many expecting mothers are faced with a very tough decision, the decision to have an epidural during labor or to have a natural birth. Both methods have negative and positive aspects. This topic has such conflicting views that about 50% of women decide to get an epidural when going into labor and the other 50% of women choose the alternative: natural childbirth. It is important for an expecting mother to look into both options thoroughly to ensure they make the best choice for both themselves and for their child. With all of the speculations circulating about both options, it is hard for mothers to see the truth about both epidurals and natural childbirth.
In doing this project the literature drawn from is largely non-scholarly for the reason that I am prevailing upon the reader to think outside the box about birth. Most of the “scholarly” research that is available was written by doctors or nurses/nurse midwives who were trained in the medical model of birth. Since part of my premise is that the high rate of Cesarean sections is caused in part by viewing birth as a medical and therefore pathological event, and in part for its emergence as a capitalistic industry, it was then necessary to find literature written by people who have expertise in birthing though not from the traditional obstetrical/medical school approach.
The focus of this paper is to discuss the different characteristics of the two most effective methods of child births: Natural births and Cesarean section (C-section). Child birth includes labor and delivery; the entire process of passage from the womb, to the birth canal, to the outside world. Natural birth is a method of child birth in which medical interventions are minimal and the mother usually practices relaxation and breathing techniques to minimize pain during delivery. Cesarean section (c-section) is a method of birth which involves delivery through incisions in the abdominal walls and uterus. Natural births and C-sections both pose documented medical risks to the mother’s health including infections and other medical mishaps (Rowe- Murray 2002).
The use of epidurals is so common today that many perinatal professionals are calling the 1990s the age of the epidural epidemic. Believed by many in the medical profession to be safe and effective, the epidural seems now to be regarded as a veritable panacea for dealing with the pain of childbirth. It is true that most women experience pain during the course of labor. This pain can be intense and very real, even for those who have prepared for it. But pain is only one of many possible sensations and experiences that characterize the experience of giving birth. Barbara Katz Rothman, a sociologist who studies birth in America, writes that in the medical management of childbirth, the experience of the mother is viewed by physicians as pain: pain experienced and pain to be avoided.1 Having experienced childbirth ourselves, we have great compassion for women in painful labors. However, we also feel a responsibility to mothers and their babies to explore issues concerning the use of epidural anesthesia in labor issues that are seldom discussed prenatally.
Throughout history mankind has come up with some wonderful inventions and innovations, but out of all the creations by far the most beautiful and precious is human birth. I first developed an interest in nursing and in particular midwifery years ago. I believe it is a great service within the health profession because of the privileged position to assist in human childbirth. The word midwife means with woman. Centuries before obstetricians delivered babies, midwifes assisted women in having at home births. But it was only formally established as a profession in the early 1900’s. A nurse-midwife is a registered nurse that specializes in midwifery. The job of midwife is to assist in family planning and birth control advice, provide general gynecological services (such as pap smears and breast exams), aid women in childbirth, and help women by providing prenatal and postpartum care. Nurse-midwives are required to have a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree and pass the American College of Nurse Midwifery (ACNM) board examination to obtain certification.
Their work environments include a physician’s office, hospitals, nursing care facilities, schools, and clinics. Nurse midwives also work in birthing centers. Some may even treat patients in the comfort of their patient’s home. Also, they may travel long distances to help care to patients in places wh...
It is important to understand what women commonly experience during pregnancy. With a better understanding of what happens during prenatal development and childbirth, physicians can competently develop the best plan for the mother and baby. I interviewed two women who have been previously pregnant in order to evaluate how the ideas in the book translate into real-life experiences.
Birth is a normal, physiological process, in which a woman’s body naturally prepares to expel the fetus within. It has occurred since the beginning of time. Unfortunately, childbirth has gradually evolved into what it is today - a highly managed whirlwind of unwarranted interventions. Jennifer Block, a journalist with over twelve years experience, has devoted herself to raising awareness regarding the authenticity of the Americanized standard of care in obstetrics, while guiding others to discover the truth behind the medical approach to birth in this country. In her book, Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care, Jennifer Block brings forth startling truths concerning this country’s management of birth.
The hospital room holds all the usual scenery: rooms lining featureless walls, carts full of foreign devices and competent looking nurses ready to help whatever the need be. The side rails of the bed smell of plastic. The room is enveloped with the smell of plastic. A large bed protrudes from the wall. It moves from one stage to the next, with the labor, so that when you come to the "bearing" down stage, the stirrups can be put in place. The side rails of the bed provide more comfort than the hand of your coach, during each contraction. The mattress of the bed is truly uncomfortable for a woman in so much pain. The eager faces of your friends and family staring at your half naked body seem to be acceptabl...
The version of childbirth that we’re used to is propagated by television and movies. A woman, huge with child, is rushed to the hospital when her water breaks. She is ushered into a delivery room and her husband hovers helplessly as nurses hook her up to IVs and monitors. The woman writhes in pain and demands relief from the painful contractions. Narcotic drugs are administered through her IV to dull the pain, or an epidural is inserted into the woman’s spine so that she cannot feel anything below her waist. When the baby is ready to be born, the doctor arrives dressed in surgical garb. The husband, nurses and doctor become a cheerleading squad, urging the woman to, “Push!” Moments later, a pink, screaming newborn is lifted up for the world to see. Variations on this theme include the cesarean section, where the woman is wheeled to the operating room where her doctors remove the baby through an incision in her abdomen.
This paper will examine three of the areas associated with planning a newborn child, including single parenting, concerns and expectations parents have when planning for and having a child, and financial issues that mothers face when planning a pregnancy. (Specify if you are talking about single moms or parents/couples, if talking about all of them you might want to consider narrowing your research.)
Over the years birthing methods have changed a great deal. When technology wasn’t so advanced there was only one method of giving birth, vaginally non-medicated. However, in today’s society there are now more than one method of giving birth. In fact, there are three methods: Non-medicated vaginal delivery, medicated vaginal delivery and cesarean delivery, also known as c-section. In the cesarean delivery there is not much to prepare for before the operation, except maybe the procedure of the operation. A few things that will be discussed are: the process of cesarean delivery, reasons for this birthing method and a few reasons for why this birthing method is used. Also a question that many women have is whether or not they can vaginally deliver after a cesarean delivery, as well as the risks and benefits if it. Delivering a child by a c-section also has a few advantages and disadvantages for both the mother and child; this will also be discussed in more depth a bit later.
All mothers, especially first time mothers need help moral support and advice during the first few days after their delivery to ensure proper care of their newborn. The care and help given to first time mothers is of utmost important during this period as to maintain the normality in their babies as well as to prevent any further complications. Typically all pregnant women are counseled during their antenatal period on how to prepare themselves mentally on the care of their babies after birth. Upon delivery, majority of the mothers would stay for a short period in the hospital. During this short stay, they would need time to recuperate, need to know what care to give their baby and how to carry out the care and also learn what to do if their baby is feeling unwell. Thus it is important for health care providers to assist first time mothers be it at the hospital or at home since it is a crucial period for them and they often requires more help and moral support especially when it comes to the proper care of their newborn. ("Routine care of a newborn baby")
Child Birth can be a beautiful, yet unimaginable experience any mother and family member can encounter. It is a process of emotional and social involvements that make-up a natural human being. The familiarity of childbirth can play an important role in life for every individual, especially the mothers who are in labor or in delivery. Each moment during labor will become memories for the mothers to share with their grown up child in the future. Childbirth is a breath taking experience that can change someone’s life forever. The process of childbirth does not occur in a blink of an eye; in fact, it is more of a procedure that may take a few steps. Some mothers during labor, experience a severe amount of pain that medication can control and some