Influence of midwife communication on women's understanding of Down syndrome screening information

All pregnant women in England, Wales and Scotland are offered screening for Down syndrome at their first antenatal (booking) appointment with their midwife (UK National Screening Committee [UK NSC],...

Talking about smoking cessation with postnatal women: exploring midwives' experiences

Maintenance of smoking cessation after pregnancy remains a challenge, with many women who quit during pregnancy relapsing by six months (Logan et al, 2017) Factors relating to relapse postnatally are...

The importance of terminology when discussing risks in pregnancy

Dear Editor, I read with interest the article titled, ‘How do risk management principles fit with the reality of clinical midwifery?’ by Evette Sebastien Roberts published in the British Journal of...

Understanding the vulnerability of a baby's skin to help treat and prevent nappy rash

The first breath taken within seconds of birth is a vital role allowing the lungs to fill with air (Kenner and Lott, 2014)—signifying the moment the baby is now living in a gaseous (air) environment...

Choice as the cornerstone of woman-centred care

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service ([BPAS], 2019a) sees over 80 000 women per year across Britain for reproductive healthcare services including abortion care, pregnancy counselling, miscarriage...

Midwives in 2020: time to flourish and change perceptions

The international year of the midwife (and nurse) is nearly upon us Throughout the year 2020, the whole world will be focused upon our professions As such, we have an opportunity to shape how we...

Much to celebrate

How To Have A Mindful Pregnancy

This handbag-sized wonder is my new favourite go-to as both a mother and midwife I only wish I had found it years ago! ‘How To Have A Mindful Pregnancy’ by Sian Warriner and Mark Pallis is packed full...

Breast milk donation and bereavement

Choosing to donate breast milk can be a coping mechanism for grieving mothers

The SAPlings project: an alternative antenatal care pathway

Antenatal care in Oxfordshire is predominantly a shared-care model based on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) antenatal care pathway Care is based in GP surgeries or...

Neonatal resuscitation: ‘room side to motherside’

From the moment of birth, around 90% of neonates initiate spontaneous respiration within 30 seconds (Resuscitation Council UK, 2016) For approximately 10% of neonates, this process takes a little...

Management of first trimester pregnancy loss: mifepristone plus misoprostol versus misoprostol alone

Miscarriage occurs in 20% of all pregnancies (Fernlund et al, 2018) and medical management using misoprostol is now a popular treatment option as opposed to surgical intervention Current research...