Pulse oximetry screening

Critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs) affect around 2 in 1 000 newborns, and babies with CCHD often have low blood oxygen concentrations, which can be measured by non-invasive pulse oximetry (PO)...

The establishment of breastfeeding in the small-for-gestational-age baby

The term small for gestational age (SGA) refers to an infant born with a birthweight ‘lower than expected for a given duration of gestation’ (Tudehope et al, 2013) More specifically, it applies to...

How to have the ‘ideal’ Down syndrome screening discussion at antenatal appointments

This is the fourth in a series of papers. The previous papers inform midwifery practice by providing insight into whether, to what extent and how cognitive status influences understanding of Down...

Women's decision-making about mode of birth after a previous caesarean section

Despite the World Health Organization ([WHO], 2015) consensus that rate of caesarean section (c-section) should be between 10%–15%, because higher percentages are not associated with a reduction in...

Exploring the experiences of student midwives completing the newborn infant physical examination

The newborn and infant physical examination (NIPE) is a screening programme delivered by Public Health England ([PHE], 2019), consisting of screening of the eyes, heart, hips, and testes (in male...

Autonomy and its impact on midwifery practice

Autonomy is not a new concept in midwifery Although not explicit, the term autonomy has been embedded in the definition of a midwife (International Confederation of Midwives [ICM], 2011) Reiterated in...

Why Breastfeeding Grief And Trauma Matter

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...

It's up to us

The influence of women's cognitive status on their understanding of Down syndrome screening

The booking appointment is the first antenatal appointment a woman has with her midwife At this appointment, women are offered screening for numerous conditions, including Down syndrome It is vital...

An exploration of reasons why some women may leave the birth experience with emotional distress

Women use different terms to describe distress in relation to a poor childbirth experience Whereas some women consider it as having been negative, others feel their birth was traumatic (Creedy et al,...