The Midwife's Labour and Birth Handbook

Praise for previous editions:

"An excellent resource for both student midwives and
qualified staff alike." (Alison James, Midwifery
Lecturer, Plymouth University)

"A lovely book with a lot of practical advice and easy to
navigate. (Jayne Samples, Midwifery Lecturer, University of
Huddersfield)

This fully revised and updated third edition of The
Midwife's Labour and Birth Handbook is a practical and
accessible guide to midwifery care.

It addresses important questions such as:

• Why are women being pressured into caesarean section for breech
  presentation when the evidence is equivocal?

• If a baby needs assisted ventilation breaths at birth, why not
  bring the ambubag to the baby and leave the cord intact so the baby
  can benefit from the extra maternal oxygen supply?

• Why is skin-to-skin contact at birth so rarely offered to
  preterm babies when there is evidence of benefit?

This well-regarded text promotes normality and woman-centred
care, using research, evidence-based guidelines and anecdotal
accounts from women. It challenges practice and guidelines which
are biased or based on poor evidence. Guidance is offered on how to
deal with difficult, sometimes controversial, situations.

The Midwife's Labour and Birth Handbook 3rd
edition is an essential guide for both student midwives and
experienced 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 and
  malposition/malpresentations, including a rare photograph of a face
  presentation birth.

Autorentext

Vicky Chapman is a registered nurse and midwife.?As a midwife Vicky has worked in a variety of hospital settings and as a caseload midwife. She has a particular interest in normal birth, as well as an interest the politics of childbirth and their impact on women's birth experiences. Vicky has recently returned to midwifery practice in Surrey, having had a break in order to be at home with her four children, the last three of which were born at home, including twins.
Cathy Charles is a midwife and ventouse practitioner, practising in acute and community settings in Wiltshire and Somerset. She has lectured and written on the subject of practising as a midwife ventouse practitioner in a stand-alone birthing centre. Like Vicky, Cathy has an interest in waterbirth and home births. She also gained experience in investigating adverse events as a clinical audit/risk management co-ordinator and has been a supervisor of midwives. She teaches aquanatal classes.

Zusammenfassung
Praise for previous editions:

An excellent resource for both student midwives and qualified staff alike. (Alison James, Midwifery Lecturer, Plymouth University)

"A lovely book with a lot of practical advice and easy to navigate. (Jayne Samples, Midwifery Lecturer, University of Huddersfield)

This fully revised and updated third edition of The Midwife's Labour and Birth Handbook is a practical and accessible guide to midwifery care.

It addresses important questions such as:

• Why are women being pressured into caesarean section for breech presentation when the evidence is equivocal?
• If a baby needs assisted ventilation breaths at birth, why not bring the ambubag to the baby and leave the cord intact so the baby can benefit from the extra maternal oxygen supply?
• Why is skin-to-skin contact at birth so rarely offered to preterm babies when there is evidence of benefit?
  This well-regarded text promotes normality and woman-centred care, using research, evidence-based guidelines and anecdotal accounts from women. It challenges practice and guidelines which are biased or based on poor evidence. Guidance is offered on how to deal with difficult, sometimes controversial, situations.

The Midwife's Labour and Birth Handbook 3rd edition is an essential guide for both student midwives and experienced 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 and malposition/malpresentations, including a rare photograph of a face presentation birth.

Inhalt

Preface xiii

Contributors xv

1 Labour and normal birth Cathy Charles 1

Introduction 1

The birth environment 3

Signs that precede labour 5

First stage of labour 6

Second stage of labour 18

Pushing 20

The birth 22

Third stage of labour 25

After the birth 30

Summary 31

Useful contacts and information 32

References 32

2 Vaginal examinations and artificial rupture of the membranes Vicky Chapman 39

Vaginal examinations 39

Accuracy and timing of VEs 40

Consent or compliance? 41

Performing a VE 42

Some common problems 45

Artificial rupture of the membranes 47

Summary 49

References 49

3 Fetal heart rate monitoring in labour Bryony Read 52

Introduction 52

Intermittent auscultation 52

Electronic fetal monitoring 54

Fetal scalp electrode 56

Classification of fetal heart rate features 56

Positive and negative aspects of EFM 59

Summary 60

References 61

Appendix: Continuous EFM algorithm (NICE, 2007) 63

4 Perineal trauma and suturing Vicky Chapman 64

Introduction 64

Reducing perineal trauma 65

Assessment of perineal trauma 66

First and second degree tears: to suture or not to suture? 67

Suturing procedure 69

Summary 82

Recommended reading 82

References 82

5 Examination of the newborn baby at birth Caroline Rutter 86

Introduction 86

The midwife's assessment of the baby at birth 87

Measurements of the newborn 89

Vitamin K prophylaxis 90

Top-to-toe check 91

Neonatal infection 96

Giving upsetting news to parents 98

Useful contacts 99

References 99

6 Home birth Janet Gwillim and Cathy Charles 102

Introduction 102

Benefits of home birth 103

Issues to consider before choosing home birth 104

Preparing for a home birth 106

Care in labour 108

Possible transfer to hospital 112

Summary 115

Useful contacts 115

References 115

7 Water for labour and birth Cathy Charles 117

Introduction 117

Benefits of warm water immersion 118

Possible risks of warm water immersion 119

Criteria for labouring in water 120

Relative contraindications 120

Preparation 121

Labour care 123

Possible problems 125

Summary 127

Useful contacts 128

Recommended reading 128

References 128

8 Malpositions and malpresentations in labour Vicky Chapman 130

Introduction 130

Definitions 130

Occipitoposterior position 133

Face presentation 140

Brow presentation 141

Transverse lie (shoulder presentation) 142

Summary 143

References 144

9 Slow progress in labour Vicky Chapman 146

Introduction 146

Prolonged labour 147

Causes of a prolonged labour 148

Prolonged latent phase 149

Prolonged active first stage 150

Prolonged second stage 153

Summary 155

Recommended reading 156

References 156

10 Assisted birth: ventouse and forceps Cathy Charles 160

Introduction 160

Avoiding an instrumental delivery 161

Indications for an instrumental delivery 161

Types of instrument 162

Choice of instrument 162

Care of a woman undergoing instrumental delivery 163 Ass...