Women and birth : journal of the Australian College of Midwives
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The aim of the study was to increase knowledge and understanding of how women begin their roles as mothers when their infant is in the neonatal nursery. ⋯ It becomes clear that the intense work women undertake as mothers in the nursery is focused on not only the infant, which might have been expected, but also the nursery staff. It is driven by their desire to develop or re-establish some sense of competence in the eyes of the nurse and to achieve control over the situation. Achieving physical closeness with the baby was a major strategy through which women not only learned about and gained intimate knowledge of their infant, but also demonstrated authority and ownership. It appears that reorientating the delivery of services from the infant to the mother-infant dyad would improve the care women and families receive during their nursery experience.
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An interpretive phenomenological study involving 17 Australian parents was undertaken to explore parents' experiences of breastfeeding very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm infants from birth to 12 months of age. Data were collected from 45 individual interviews held with both mothers and fathers, which were then transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. From this study, the analysis identified the following themes: the intention to breastfeed naturally; breast milk as connection; the maternal role of breast milk producer; breastmilk as the object of attention; breastfeeding and parenting the hospitalised baby and the demise of breastfeeding. ⋯ There is disparity between parents' expectations of breastfeeding 'naturally' and the commonplace reality of long-term breast expression and uncertain at-breast feeding outcomes. How the parents came to make the decision to breastfeed their unborn child -- including the situations and experiences that have influenced their decision making -- and how the preterm birth and the dominant cultures subsequently affected that decision will be discussed. The findings have implications for midwifery education and maternity care professionals who support parents making feeding decisions early in pregnancy and those striving to breastfeed preterm infants.
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Smoking during pregnancy not only impacts on the woman's health but that of her unborn child. Women most likely to continue smoking throughout pregnancy are generally of lower age, socio-economic status, level of education and occupational status. Women who continue to smoke during pregnancy often feel criticized by society. ⋯ Women want an individualised approach to smoking cessation advice, with health care workers having knowledge of the woman's social situation and viewpoints. This paper reveals that the woman's perspective has largely been ignored. Indeed health care professionals have attempted to manipulate women to stop smoking rather than engage in mutually respectful dialogue.
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To determine the accuracy of the estimation of blood loss using simulated clinical examples. ⋯ We encourage other clinicians and educators to embark upon a similar exercise to assist midwives and others to improve their visual estimation of blood loss after birth. Accurate estimations can ensure that women who experience significant blood loss can receive appropriate care and the published rates of postpartum haemorrhage are correct.
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To discuss cultural safety and critique the provision of culturally appropriate maternity services to remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in Australia. ⋯ Cultural safety provides a useful framework to improve the delivery of maternity services to remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their families.