The Midwife's Labour and Birth Handbook

Praise for previous editions: “An excellent resource for both student midwives andqualified staff alike.” (Alison James, MidwiferyLecturer, Plymouth University) "A lovely book with a lot of practical advice and easy tonavigate. (Jayne Samples, Midwifery Lecturer, University ofHuddersfield) This fully revised and updated third edition of TheMidwife’s Labour and Birth Handbook is a practical andaccessible guide to midwifery care. It addresses important questions such as: Why are women being pressured into caesarean section for breechpresentation when the evidence is equivocal? If a baby needs assisted ventilation breaths at birth, why notbring the ambubag to the baby and leave the cord intact so the babycan benefit from the extra maternal oxygen supply? Why is skin-to-skin contact at birth so rarely offered topreterm babies when there is evidence of benefit? This well-regarded text promotes normality and woman-centredcare, using research, evidence-based guidelines and anecdotalaccounts from women. It challenges practice and guidelines whichare biased or based on poor evidence. Guidance is offered on how todeal with difficult, sometimes controversial, situations. The Midwife's Labour and Birth Handbook 3rdedition is an essential guide for both student midwives andexperienced practising midwives. New to this edition: Full colour photographs including a kneeling breech birth Suturing diagrams to assist left-handed midwives. Expanded chapters on slow progress in labour andmalposition/malpresentations, including a rare photograph of a facepresentation birth.