In their daily work case-loading midwives traverse space. They visit childbearing women or attend childbirth in their homes, they may spend time in clinics or a variety of hospitals; smaller primary birthing units or larger obstetric hospitals. They spend their days engaging with childbearing women, their family or supporters and with obstetric or midwifery colleagues. As they move across space and between people, they traverse a variety of physical and discursive spaces.
Midwives journey into the intimate space of the childbearing woman attempting to understand their subjective experience and the way that this pregnancy and childbirth is situated within the landscape of their life world. They travel with this understanding as they negotiate other spaces; the biomedical space of the maternity context and obstetric hospital and the spaces of their own constructions of childbirth. Ultimately they work to create a space for birthing that is perhaps unique to each midwife, woman pairing. The obstetric hospital setting provides midwives with particular challenges as they work to create, maintain and protect the birthing space of the women in their care. Midwives engage in a variety of strategies to this end and these will be explored in this presentation.
This work is based on Deborah’s PhD study that explores the discursive construction of case-loading midwifery in
Joan, if we provide an attachment it bounces back from the list serv. Would you provide your direct contact information please? Kind regards, Kerri
Kerri Durnell Schuiling, PhD, CNM, FACNM
From: Kerri Schuiling [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 3:13 PM
To: 'A forum for discussion on midwifery and reproductive health research.'
Subject: RE: Theory for Midwifery Practice
Dear Joan,
I would be interested in potentially contributing to this book. I am a US midwifery researcher. My work focuses on using Comfort Theory in midwifery practice to support laboring women. I use the theory developed by Kathryn Kolcaba which is holistic and supports midwifery philosophy. You suggest we email you something not more than 200 or 300 words. I am attaching an abstract that describes my work. If you would like something different please let me know. Kind regards, Kerri
Kerri Durnell Schuiling, PhD, CNM, FACNM
From: A forum for discussion on midwifery and reproductive health research. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of JOAN CAMERON
Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 10:25 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Theory for Midwifery Practice
Apologies for cross posting
‘Theory for Midwifery Practice’ by Ros Bryar is in the process of being revised and updated. It is intended that the 2nd edition of the book will have a section where midwives and others provide examples of how they have used theory in relation to either practice or research.
Anyone interested in being a potential contributor should contact me with brief details (not more than 200 – 300 words ) outlining their use of theory in relation to midwifery practice or research.
Joan Cameron
University of Dundee
School of Nursing and Midwifery