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The first two papers in this series described the early development, and ongoing evolution of a caseholding team in the north-west of England (Byrom and Downe, 2007; Fleming and Downe, 2007). We described the outcomes of the scheme and suggested that nine key factors may underpin the success of the project, namely: continuity of carer; visibility in the community; multi-agency involvement; inter-disciplinary collaboration; leadership; strategic partnership; ability to be innovative and flexible; involvement of local community and individuals; and shared group philosophy. Based on principles of service user involvement it was agreed that the ongoing monitoring of the project would include an invitation to all those using the service to write their birth story to summarize their experiences with the scheme. This paper presents a selection of these stories as a reflection on the processes and outcomes of the scheme. The stories indicate that the benefits of the scheme are evident for both the women using the service, and the midwives providing it. They also illustrate many of the nine core factors for success identified in our previous paper. Specifically, the scheme offers the opportunity for women at high clinical and socio-demographic risk to experience positive childbirth experiences. It also offers the opportunity for midwives to exercise their skills in normalizing birth in complex situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the widespread recognition of the benefits of minimal interventions within birth, the number of women having a 'normal birth' is less than half and dissatisfaction is often reported (Department of Health, 2005; Birth Choice UK, 2013). This paper presents how an elective placement in a freestanding birth centre shaped the author's attitude to midwifery. The placement specifically enabled the author to consider what makes birth go well (rather than focusing just on what makes it go 'wrong') and encouraged her to examine the role she might play in contemporary maternity services. This experience was powerful in identifying avenues for personal and professional development, and has enabled the author to clarify her objectives as a midwife and what is needed to achieve them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal and infant mortality rates are reassuringly low in developed countries. Despite this, birth is increasingly seen as risky by women, health professionals and society in general. In wider society, women are subjected to a litany of risks regarding birth, including sensationalising negative incidents by the media. Within maternity care, both structural and operational factors contribute to heightened risk perceptions. Women are processed through a system where risk-management strategies can take precedence over individualised care as health professionals attempt to protect themselves from implication in adverse outcomes and litigation. This results in increasingly interventionist care, depriving women of psychosocial safety in the birth process. Midwifery, as a profession promoting trust in normal birth, is threatened by this dominant medical model of maternity care and interventionist birth practices. Midwives need to act to reclaim their role in promoting normal birth, while balancing considerations of risk with the principle of woman-centred care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A healthy urinary system is vital to every woman's life, and the relationship between childbirth and bladder dysfunction has been well documented in the medical literature. Aims: To explore women's bladder care experiences during the antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum periods. Methods: An exploratory, descriptive research study with nine in-depth semi-structured interviews. Findings: Thematic analysis showed three themes: 'muddling through to earn "a badge of honour"', 'caring for a baby, but who cares for me?' and 'do you speak bladder language?' with an overarching theme of 'lack of bladder care'. Women's experiences reflected a lack of understanding, information, and promotion regarding bladder care, aggravated by the use of ambiguous language when professionals communicated with women about bladder health. Conclusions: Bladder care was very limited for women during the antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum period although reports of urinary incontinence were frequent. Bladder care could therefore be characterised as 'lack of bladder care'. Clinicians should become more proactive in delivering information and promoting bladder health during these periods but that attention needs to be paid to communication methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS) are an underdiagnosed group of conditions with implications and risks associated with childbearing. Those with EDS suggest that health professionals lack of awareness in this area, and consequently describe delays in access to appropriate healthcare services. This article draws on the existing international evidence available to present evidence-based care considerations for childbearing women with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) throughout the antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal periods. Care considerations are also offered in relation to the care of the newborn infant. The management of hEDS in childbearing women and babies can be complex. Findings point to the need for a multidisciplinary approach to formulating individualised care plans in partnership with women. In understanding the evidence in relation to this issue, midwives will be better able to practice evidence-based and woman-centred care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women with diet-controlled gestational diabetes have been excluded from birthing in one midwife-led birth centre due to an assumed risk of complications. Aims: This study aimed to examine the rates of adverse outcomes for women diagnosed with gestational diabetes who have controlled their hypoglycaemia through dietary change, but who may be excluded from birthing in a midwife-led centre owing to risk of complications, to identify whether outcomes are the same for these women as for other low-risk women giving birth in one local maternity unit. Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted of data on low-risk women giving birth at a maternity unit in the South East of England to compare the birth outcomes of women with or without gestational diabetes. Data were analysed in Microsoft Excel and presented as descriptive statistics. Findings: In 2014, a total of 164 out of 4032 women who gave birth at the maternity unit had gestational diabetes. Among these, 89 were controlled through diet alone. Data for 4 months in 2015 were also examined for 57 women with gestational diabetes. Conclusions: The mode of delivery and outcomes for the women in this cohort who remained normoglycaemic have been found to be in line with the general outcomes for all women at this hospital during the study period. The women diagnosed with gestational diabetes but well controlled on diet had similar outcomes to low-risk women giving birth at the maternity unit. The small sample size means further work is needed to confirm the findings, but indicates that the option of using the birth centre may be considered a reasonable alternative for these women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author comments on whether midwives should give care to family and close friends. She says that midwives often do this without prior consultation with their named supervisor of midwives (SOM). She shares her experience of giving care in labour to a friend. She notes the stress involved in undertaking intrapartum care to a friend or relative. Also discussed is the guidance offered by the Local Supervising Authorities (LSA) in Great Britain for midwives who are in this situation.

Focuses on the parallels between fast and slow food and childbirth in Great Britain. Resonance of free-standing birth centers with the Slow Food Movement; Observation on maternity care in a free-standing birth center and a large consultant unit; Effectiveness of birth center birth in enabling midwives and women to reconnect with meaning and significance in a non-medical, non-technological environment that enables the social and cultural domains to resurface.