Psychosocial Aspects of Midwifery
Psychosocial Aspects of Midwifery Care
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Practicing midwives in our healthcare system today need to have an understanding of political and social factors of their practice in order to provide optimum service for the women and families in their care.
The psychosocial needs of the individual should be considered, and midwives should contemplate external factors that may affect the woman’s health, pregnancy, outcome and their home lives. This is why the whole picture of a woman’s life should be respected in order to gain contextual knowledge.
With the aid of a scenario true to real life practice, this essay will aim to: identify and analyse the psychosocial impact of the processes of childbirth upon women and their families; explore the social and political context of midwifery care; examine the changing role of women as a result of childbirth; discuss sociological explanations for inequalities in health and how these affect health and the provision of maternity care; discuss the impact of medicalising childbearing; explore psychological processes of those involved maternity care; explore social interaction between individuals, interpersonal skills in midwifery practice and the implications.
The chosen scenario involves Mina (Mother-to-be), Carl (Mina’s Husband), Fay (Midwife) and Inez (Student Midwife).
From the very beginning, it is obvious that Carl is a very supportive husband, which has a positive affect on Mina from what can be gathered by the writing of the scenario. On the other side, with Inez and Fay, there is a feeling of negativity; Fay is very dismissive of the birth plan, and Inez’s attempt to interact with the couple using their plan through discussion “Shall I go through [the birth plan] with them when we go back to the room?”… “Won’t need that, she’ll end up with a section.”
Analysis of the scenario will begin with Carl, the supportive husband. According to FathersDirect.com (2007), fathers often feel marginalised from the pregnancy,
MW2222
Practicing midwives in our healthcare system today need to have an understanding of political and social factors of their practice in order to provide optimum service for the women and families in their care.
The psychosocial needs of the individual should be considered, and midwives should contemplate external factors that may affect the woman’s health, pregnancy, outcome and their home lives. This is why the whole picture of a woman’s life should be respected in order to gain contextual knowledge.
With the aid of a scenario true to real life practice, this essay will aim to: identify and analyse the psychosocial impact of the processes of childbirth upon women and their families; explore the social and political context of midwifery care; examine the changing role of women as a result of childbirth; discuss sociological explanations for inequalities in health and how these affect health and the provision of maternity care; discuss the impact of medicalising childbearing; explore psychological processes of those involved maternity care; explore social interaction between individuals, interpersonal skills in midwifery practice and the implications.
The chosen scenario involves Mina (Mother-to-be), Carl (Mina’s Husband), Fay (Midwife) and Inez (Student Midwife).
From the very beginning, it is obvious that Carl is a very supportive husband, which has a positive affect on Mina from what can be gathered by the writing of the scenario. On the other side, with Inez and Fay, there is a feeling of negativity; Fay is very dismissive of the birth plan, and Inez’s attempt to interact with the couple using their plan through discussion “Shall I go through [the birth plan] with them when we go back to the room?”… “Won’t need that, she’ll end up with a section.”
Analysis of the scenario will begin with Carl, the supportive husband. According to FathersDirect.com (2007), fathers often feel marginalised from the pregnancy,
References: . . Psycho-analytic Psychotherapy in South Africa. 16 (1), 61-85. Raphael-Leff (2001). Pregnancy: An Inside Story. 2nd ed. London: Sheldon Press. Raynor, M., England, C. (2010). Psychology for Midwives: Pregnancy, Childbirth and Puerperium. London: Open University Press. Reed, R. (2012). Asynclitism: a well aligned baby or a tilted head?. Available: http://midwifethinking.com/2012/04/25/asynclitism-a-well-aligned-baby-or-a-tilted-head/. Last accessed 25th November 2012. Rodgers, O (2011). Language, gender and power in discourses of maternity. The discursive construction of gender identity in pregnancy advice literature in English and French. University of Limerick: University of Limerick. Stapleton. (2012). Perceived partner support in pregnancy predicts lower maternal and infant distress. Journal of Family Psychology. 26 (3). Zeanah, C. (2009). The Pregnant Father. In: Zeanah, C Handbook of Infant Mental Health. 3rd ed. New York: The Guilford Press.