The Art Of Midwifery

The Art Of Midwifery

Abstract
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery council Incorporated (ANMC), have incorporated into their guidelines the importance of working ‘with women’, and delivering women centered care, which strives to achieve a holistic approach. This is outlined in the competency stands of the ANMC, January 2006. The women-centered care model recognizes what women need throughout their childbearing journey.
This paper will discuss the relevance of working with women in childbearing, outlining the importance of ‘the art of midwifery care’, in relation to the midwives heart, hands, and mind. Analysis of previous and recent research into women centered, holistic care will demonstrate the benefits both the childbearing women receives, along with the benefits the midwife herself receives.  

Midwifery in the 21st century has somewhat done a complete circle. Generations ago, “midwifes’ , ‘wise women’ or ‘fingersmith’ were women who, with past hands on experience, guided a women through her pregnancy, helped and encouraged her to give birth, and educated her in how to care for her newborn (Carolan and Hodnett 2007; Moloney, 2006; Hastie, 2006; Fraser and Cooper, 2003). Over the past years midwifery became more of a nursing role (medical zed), babies were birthed in hospitals and not homes, doctors started to take over the care of the women during her pregnancy, leaving the midwifes to meet the women for the first time during her labour, to help and support her through the difficult and emotional time of giving birth (Hodnett, Gates, Hofmeyr and Sakala 2007). Many interventions during the process of labour were occurring, sometimes unnecessarily, sometimes with good reason. Sometimes without consent from the women, or the right to make an informed choice for herself and her baby (Hastie, 2006). During this time, the women were lacking something – holistic women-centered care. This has become a controversial issue of the years, with many midwifes feeling...