The impact of birth-related injury and pain on breastfeeding outcomes

Human milk is acknowledged to be the optimum source of nutrition for infants, while also being beneficial to maternal health (Victora et al, 2016) As such, the World Health Organization ([WHO], 2019)...

Reflecting on #16DaysofActivism2019

During November and December 2019, I was delighted to see so much activity around the international ‘16 Days of Activism’ campaign to end violence against women and girls This years' theme was ‘Orange...

British Journal of Midwifery peer reviewers 2019

Every issue of the British Journal of Midwifery is dependent on an essential team of peer reviewers to bring our readers the very best midwifery research and clinical content Peer reviewers play an...

A life worth living

When my son Tom was a day old and a paediatrician expressed concern that he may have Down syndrome, I was absolutely devastated I felt my world fall apart and the bond of unconditional maternal love I...

Primiparous women's narratives of confidence in the perinatal period

Pregnancy and childbirth are described as transitional phases or existential thresholds that childbearing women have to cross These events are multifaceted experiences with many dimensions, unique for...

Learning to be a midwife

I am in the midst of my eighth week working as a newly qualified midwife I'm not going to lie to you and say that it has been easy, but it also hasn't been quite as difficult as I thought it would...

Much to celebrate

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...

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...

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...

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...

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],...