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Respectful Maternity Practices for Labour, Birth and the Postnatal Period is a must-read for obstetricians, doctors, midwives, nurses, and students seeking to enhance their knowledge and clinical practice. It's more than a textbook: it's a call to action, fostering compassion, and ensuring that every woman and baby receives the respectful, high-quality care they deserve. This book distinguishes itself by moving beyond a purely clinical, fact-delivery model. It combines robust, evidence-based information with a culturally aware and highly accessible writing style, making it not just an informative resource, but also an inspiring guide for all maternity caregivers. With a global perspective and deep respect for cultural diversity, this book explores how maternity care can-and must-uphold the autonomy, voices, and lived experiences of all those giving birth. Through real-world examples and actionable strategies, the book challenges harmful norms and equips caregivers with the tools to cultivate safety and trust in every birth setting.
- Spans the full spectrum of care environments, from intimate home settings to hospitals nestled in the jungle, to large, resource-rich medical facilities
- Dr. Shawn Walker, a leading expert in the field, contributes a vital section on physiological breech birth
- Vivid photographs are used throughout, to enhance understanding and provide clear visual guidance for safe practice
- An invaluable, free online section provides editable resources for use in practice
Rooted in dignity, empathy, and human rights, this essential guide offers a thoughtful and practical framework for ensuring that every woman, baby, and family receives respectful, compassionate care throughout labour, birth, and the postnatal period.
List of contents
Dedication Preface/Introduction About the Companion Website SECTION 1: CAREGIVERS AND FUTURE-CAREGIVERS 1. Our Responsibilities and Desires in Maternity Care
2. Hopes and Dreams for Maternity Care
3. Handover
4. Mentoring Future-Caregivers
SECTION 2: THE LABOUR ROOM ENVIRONMENT 5. The Labour Room Environment
6. The Labour Room Environment - Our Impact
SECTION 3: CARE DURING LABOUR AND BIRTH 7. The Labour Room Welcome
8. Eating and Drinking in Labour
9. Mobility in Labour
10. Monitoring in Labour with Our Heads, Hearts and Hands
11. Caring for Women Experiencing Painful Contractions
12. When A Woman Feels the Urge to Push
13. Care During the Birth
14. Waterbirth
15. Breech - An Unusual Normal by Tanya Burchell and Shawn Walker
16. Vaginal Birth After Caesarean Section - The New Normal
17. Meconium
18. Initial Care and Assessment of the MotherBaby Unit
19. Initial Care of Low-Birth-Weight Babies
20. Birth of the Placenta
21. Repairing Perineal Trauma
SECTION 4: COMPLEX NEEDS IN LABOUR 22. Prelabour Rupture of Membranes
23. Preterm Labour and Birth
24. Labour Dystocia
25. Inducing Labour
26. Medical Challenges: Hypertension, Obstetric Cholestasis, Diabetes Mellitus, Sickle Cell and Thalassemia
27. Birth by Forceps or Vacuum
28. Caesarean Section
29. Tokophobia
SECTION 5: POSTNATAL CARE 30. Compassionate Care for the Postnatal MotherBaby Unit
31. Breastfeeding
32. Hypoglycaemia, Hypothermia and Hypoxia
33. Neonatal Jaundice
SECTION 6: PROMPT CARE IN A CRITICAL, OBSTETRIC EVENT 34. Maternal Sepsis
35. When a Baby Becomes Stuck
36. Cord Presentation and Prolapse
37. Postpartum Haemorrhage
38. Severe Pre-Eclampsia, Eclampsia and HELLP Syndrome
39. Adult and Newborn Life Support
SECTION 7: WHEN A MOTHER OR BABY DIES 40. When a Mother or Baby Dies
About the author
Tanya Burchell is a highly respected British nurse, midwife and educator, dedicated to promoting compassionate and respectful maternity care. She possesses extensive international experience, including living in Cyprus, India, Bangladesh and Cambodia, and this direct engagement with diverse cultures deeply influences her approach to healthcare, highlighting her commitment to understanding and integrating varied beliefs and attitudes into best practices. Tanya's vision is to foster maternity units globally, where passion, current practices, and compassion thrive, and staff genuinely love their work.
