Author Archives: MidwifeThinking

About MidwifeThinking

Midwife • Doctor of Philosophy • Author • Presenter • Researcher

Post-Dates Induction of Labour: balancing risks

Posted on July 13, 2016 by MidwifeThinking

Updated: August 2019 In Australia 33% of labours are induced (40.5% of first time mothers). The most common reason for induction is to prevent a ‘prolonged pregnancy’. That’s an awful lot of babies outstaying their welcome and requiring eviction. I am … Continue reading →

Posted in baby, birth, intervention | Tagged ARM, consent, induction, information giving, intervention, law, negligence, oxytocin, pitocin, risk, syntocinon | 263 Comments

Responsibilities in the mother-midwife relationship

Posted on June 28, 2016 by MidwifeThinking

Updated: April 2020 When I facilitate workshops with midwives and students, there is always a lot of discussion and debate about professional responsibilities in the mother-midwife relationship. These debates often get heated, and the complexities of legal, professional, and ethical issues … Continue reading →

Posted in law, midwifery practice, opinion and thoughts, uncategorized | Tagged information giving, law, risk | 29 Comments

The Anterior Cervical Lip: how to ruin a perfectly good birth

Posted on June 15, 2016 by MidwifeThinking

Updated: February 2022 Here is a scenario I keep hearing over and over: A woman is labouring away and all is good. She begins to push with contractions, and her midwife encourages her to follow her body. After a little … Continue reading →

Posted in birth, intervention, midwifery practice | Tagged birth, cervical lip, cervix, occipito-posterior, OP, pushing | 443 Comments

VBAC: making a mountain out of a molehill

Posted on June 15, 2016 by MidwifeThinking

VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) is big. A google search for ‘vbac’ results in ‘about 795,000’ results. Reviews, guidelines, policies and statements are being produced by every organisation with an interest in birth. Support groups and networks are growing. I am … Continue reading →

Posted in birth, intervention, midwifery practice | Tagged birth, caesarean, uterine rupture, vbac | 348 Comments

In Celebration of the OP Baby

Posted on June 8, 2016 by MidwifeThinking

Updated: February 2022 How many times have you heard “I had to have an epidural/c-section/ventouse/etc. because my baby was facing the wrong way”? An occipito posterior (OP) position occurs when the baby enters the pelvis facing forward with their back … Continue reading →

Posted in baby, birth, midwifery practice | Tagged birth, blame, cervix, intervention, labour pattern, occipito-posterior, OP, optimal fetal positioning, positions | 216 Comments

The Placenta: essential resuscitation equipment

Posted on April 13, 2016 by MidwifeThinking

Updated: August 2022 Premature cord clamping/cutting Premature cord clamping (clamping before placental transfusion is complete) has been the norm since ‘active management’ of the placenta became routine. In recent years, research has highlighted the harms caused by cutting the umbilical … Continue reading →

Posted in baby, birth, intervention, midwifery practice | Tagged ARM, baby, birth, heart rate, intervention, nuchal cord, placenta, resuscitation, syntocinon, umbilical cord | 115 Comments

The Human Microbiome: considerations for pregnancy, birth and early mothering

Posted on April 13, 2016 by MidwifeThinking

This post was co-authored by Jessie Johnson-Cash and based on her presentation at the USC Midwifery Education Day. The human microbiome is rather fashionable in the world of science at the moment. The NIH Human Microbiome Project has been set up to … Continue reading →

Posted in baby, birth, midwifery practice, pregnancy | Tagged birth, breastfeeding, Chris Kresser, gut bacteria, gut microbiota, human microbiome, microbiome, nutrition, pregnancy, probiotic, stress | 119 Comments

Perineal Protectors?

Posted on January 13, 2016 by MidwifeThinking

Updated: September 2019 Most women will sustain some damage to their perineum during birth (AIHW 2018). Around 50% will have a tear or graze in the skin and/or vaginal wall (1st / 2nd degree). Occasionally (1% of non-instrumental vaginal births) … Continue reading →

Posted in birth, midwifery practice | Tagged birth, episiotomy, perineum, positions, pushing, water | 109 Comments

In Defence of the Amniotic Sac

Posted on September 16, 2015 by MidwifeThinking

Updated: May 2022 Artificial rupture of membranes (ARM) aka ‘breaking the waters’ is a common intervention during birth. However, an ARM should not be carried out without a good understanding of how the amniotic sac and fluid function in labour. … Continue reading →