Tag Archives: pushing

Understanding and assessing labour progress

Posted on February 3, 2017 by

I have previously written about how the current framework for understanding and assessing labour progress is inaccurate, not supported by evidence, and fails to incorporate women’s experience of birth. This post is in response to readers asking me to write … Continue reading →

Posted in birth, midwifery practice, uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

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

Posted on June 15, 2016 by

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 while the midwife … Continue reading →

Posted in birth, intervention, midwifery practice | Tagged , , , , , | 431 Comments

Perineal Protectors?

Posted on January 13, 2016 by

Updated: March 2017 Perineal tearing and/or grazing is common during birth. Two thirds of women will sustain damage to their perineum during birth (AIHW 2012). You can find out more about types/grading of perineal trauma here. This post will discuss ‘protecting … Continue reading →

Posted in birth, midwifery practice | Tagged , , , , , | 104 Comments

Supporting women’s instinctive pushing behaviour during birth

Posted on September 9, 2015 by

This article was published in The Practising Midwife journal in June 2015 along with ‘practice challenge’ questions for midwives (not included here). Introduction Clinical guidelines recommend that women should be guided by their own pushing urges during birth (National Institute for Health … Continue reading →

Posted in birth, midwifery practice | Tagged , | 53 Comments

Pushing: leave it to the experts

Posted on April 16, 2014 by

A birthing woman is the expert regarding when and how she pushes. Providing directions implies she needs our guidance and we are the experts. Of course each woman and birth situation is different and in some circumstances guidance may be … Continue reading →

Posted in birth, intervention, midwifery practice | Tagged , , , , | 116 Comments

Listening to Baby During Labour

Posted on August 14, 2013 by

Updated: January 2018 Intermittent auscultation (IA) is considered to be an important aspect of midwifery care for women during a ‘low risk’ labour. The expectation of surveillance of the baby is reflected in guidelines and hospital policies. The recommended frequency of … Continue reading →

Posted in baby, birth, midwifery practice | Tagged , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Birth from the Baby’s Perspective

Posted on March 13, 2013 by

Picture this… A mother sits holding her newborn son on a postnatal ward during visiting time. One of her visitors reaches forward, grasps the baby by the head and pulls him out of his mothers arms leaving him dangling by … Continue reading →

Posted in baby, birth, intervention, midwifery practice | Tagged , , , | 99 Comments