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I have followed the discussion with interest. I agree that the intolerance for activity such as knitting sits with the very medicalised and mechanical rendering of birth that so many midwives have done so much to struggle against. However, I have to take issue with the unsubtantiated comment, Denis, in your reply: "The other issue that is so disappointing is how a HoM could not see that it is exactly these midwives that are committed and brilliant practitioners of normal birth, that they would be skilled at detecting abnormality and responding to emergencies." This is not to cast aspersions on the skill or otherwise of the particular practitioners whose experience stimulated this debate, but HOW can we infer from the practice of knitting that individuals are "committed and brilliant practitioners"? There is no connection and to suggest that there is, violates all principles of evidence based judgement. Carolyn Roth LME& Director of Undergraduate Programmes Keele University School of Nursing& Midwifery Clinical Education Centre Newcastle Road ST4 6QG Tel. 01782 679698 On 12/04/2012 07:36, Denis Walsh wrote: > > Many thanks to all the contributions regarding this issue. I > deliberately didn't comment when I sent the story out but agree > wholeheartedly with what others have said. The other issue that is so > disappointing is how a HoM could not see that it is exactly these > midwives that are committed and brilliant practitioners of normal > birth, that they would be skilled at detecting abnormality and > responding to emergencies. She has interpreted knitting as slovenly > and a lack of interest/focus, completely missing the point that it is > a 'way of being' with someone in labour. If she had ever been at a > home birth or birth centre birth, she would know what knitting is > about. If we are to save midwifery from the industrial/risk adverse > model in hospital birth, then we need to find a way to regularly > expose midwives to home and birth centre births. > > Best wishes, > > Denis > > Dr Denis Walsh > > Associate Professor in Midwifery > > Academic Division of Midwifery > > University of Nottingham > > East Block > > Queens Medical Centre > > Derby Rd > Nottingham NG7 2UH > > United Kingdom > > Tel: +44(0)115 8230987 > > Mobile: 07905735777 > > Email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > > *From:*A forum for discussion on midwifery and reproductive health > research. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf Of > *Jenny Parratt > *Sent:* 12 April 2012 04:21 > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* Re: knitting during labour > > Yes, I am sure that in the 1980's Caroline Flint spoke and/or wrote > about midwives knitting labour. It may be mentioned in Flint, C. > (1986). /Sensitive Midwifery/. London: Heinemann Midwifery.** > > Regards, Jenny > > Jenny Parratt RM PhD FACM > Adjunct Associate Professor > School of Health and Human Sciences > > Southern Cross University, Tweed Gold Coast Campus - Lakeside > > P.O.Box Mandurang Vic 3551 Australia > 0409 393073 > [log in to unmask] > > *From:*A forum for discussion on midwifery and reproductive health > research. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf Of > *jenny hall > *Sent:* Thursday, 12 April 2012 12:59 AM > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* Re: knitting during labour > > Actually in the RCM Midwives Chronicles in the 1980's I seem to > remember being knitting patterns? > > *From:*A forum for discussion on midwifery and reproductive health > research. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf Of > *jenny hall > *Sent:* 11 April 2012 15:42 > *To:* [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > *Subject:* Re: knitting during labour > > Like everyone else who has commented I am saddened by this but also > not surprised. As a profession and as women (sorry Denis, but I hope > you will know what I mean here) we are losing the historical aspects > of our profession of relationship, femininity, community, time. This > is partly why I looked at the issues of crafting, quilting, in my EdD > study as well as the aspects of our education and research that have > taken on the masculine/medical model. We talk about knitting to our > students and get them to knit breasts for teaching purposes. We also > teach them the concept of 'sitting on your hands' that Marsden Wagner > talked about years ago. Some students knit during our teaching > sessions. The point of knitting and quilting is that they take TIME- > labour and birth take TIME. This story reads of power and control > being exerted. The next thing is they will stop people sleeping at > home births when time is being taken. At Michel Odents conference in > Hawaii in November there will be a silent knitting session. Perhaps > as a profession we should stage a knit-in outside the NMC and start > reclaiming the principles of being a midwife! > > Best wishes > > jenny > > *From:*A forum for discussion on midwifery and reproductive health > research. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > <mailto:[mailto:[log in to unmask]]> *On Behalf Of > *Denis Walsh > *Sent:* 11 April 2012 09:20 > *To:* [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > *Subject:* knitting during labour > > I would like to share the following story with the network and invite > comments. I was told the story in an email this week. > > It is from a midwife who attends a lot of home birth. > > She, together with some colleagues often knit while attending a home > birth labour and the Head of Midwifery heard about it. The midwives > then received a phone call asking them to attend a meeting with the > Head of Midwifery and Human Resources. > > At the meeting, the Head of Midwifery said that she had never heard of > the practice of knitting during labour and, while she was prepared to > look at the information from books and article about the purpose > behind it, in her opinion, if they were knitting, they could not be > providing professional care. The midwives subsequently received a > letter saying that, after consulting with fellow Heads of Midwifery, > Local Supervising Authority officers and Professional and Regulatory > Bodies, they were to stop the practice of knitting at births. The > reason for this was that, in the event of an adverse outcome, the > Regulatory body would not support them if it were to come to light > that they had been knitting during the labour. > > Best wishes, > > Denis > > Dr Denis Walsh > > Associate Professor in Midwifery > > Academic Division of Midwifery > > University of Nottingham > > East Block > > Queens Medical Centre > > Derby Rd > Nottingham NG7 2UH > > United Kingdom > > Tel: +44(0)115 8230987 > > Mobile: 07905735777 > > Email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > > This message and any attachment are intended solely for the addressee > and may contain confidential information. If you have received this > message in error, please send it back to me, and immediately delete > it. Please do not use, copy or disclose the information contained in > this message or in any attachment. 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