Midwives magazine: August
2010
Edited by: Denis Walsh and Soo Downe
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
ISBN: 9781405176989
Reviewed by Maureen Raynor and Helen McIntyre
This book highlights the inter-relatedness of an array of important and multifaceted issues during the intrapartum period of relevance to women and contemporary midwifery practice. It takes a fresh look at the social dimensions of care, as well as the psycho-biophysical processes involved in achieving normality in childbirth. At the same time, it considers some of the historical and oppressive structures that have proved disempowering to both women and midwives, such as the medicalisation of childbirth within large institutionalised hospital settings.
It is admirable that not all the contributors are midwives. Each chapter is written by an expert in their specialist field, adding diversity to the discourse around how normality is conceptualised.
The book also draws on important paradigms including social anthropology and feminism to examine the role of the midwife and how knowledge, skills and understanding of the physiology of childbirth can either facilitate or frustrate labour, affecting outcomes. Negative outcomes and aspects of inappropriately employed or ill-informed use of aromatherapy are unusually explored, which reiterates the importance of evidence-based practice and knowledge within midwifery. The chapters on peak experience and spirituality illustrate the deep sexual nature and emotional impact of birth for women whether it is normal or assisted. Finally, the role of feminism in ‘being with woman’ and facilitating the woman’s wishes for her birth provides a philosophical and theoretical underpinning for midwifery per se.
The book is a welcome resource that adds to and enriches the critical mass of literature available to midwives, student midwives and allied professional groups – we highly recommend it as a key text.
Have you read this book? What did you think?
