Overview

This book explores the lived experiences of newly qualified midwives working in free-standing birth centres, highlighting the emotional, professional, and sociological aspects of their journeys from novices to confident practitioners in an out-of-hospital setting. As newly qualified midwives transition from their educational settings to the low-tech environment in their free-standing birth centre, they broaden their skill set, develop hands-on skills, and learn, for example, to care for labouring women without continuous fetal monitoring. This book spotlights the skills needed to work in free-standing birth centres and the importance of becoming well integrated into a team, which, in turn, allows newly qualified midwives to build confidence in their abilities and offer comprehensive care to women and their families throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Capturing the skill acquisition, learning, and professional identity development of newly qualified midwives, this thoughtful book emphasises the critical role of mentorship from experienced midwives and the supportive environment for midwives and families in free-standing birth centres, many of which also offer home birth services. This book is an essential contribution to the literature around midwifery practice, with an emphasis on physiological birth, continuity of care, skill acquisition, and professional identity development. It will be of use to students, practitioners, and scholars with an interest in these areas.

Full Product Details

9781032969299

Table of Contents

Reviews

'Nancy Stone’s book comes at a critical time as societies around the world replace emotional relationship connections with wireless electronic messages and pieces of data. She gives examples of how midwifery education can identify therapeutic presence as the foundational essence of midwifery care and use it to turn birth into an empowering experience beyond the technology used, no matter what style of birth is chosen by the woman. The relational foundation of midwifery cannot be taught through texts or online modules. It needs to be experienced and felt and Stone gives us examples of how that can be modeled for students. Stone’s use of stories from Greek mythology brings midwifery back to the humanities, demonstrating that the feelings that need to be recognized and nurtured for pregnancy and birth are timeless. Stone’s book is a must read for midwifery teachers, practicing midwives, and student midwives.' Cecilia M. Jevitt - Professor, Midwifery Program Director University of British Columbia ""Dr. Nancy Stone’s manuscript reveals the deep physiological wisdom embedded in relational caregiving. Her work thoughtfully integrates the lived experience of midwifery with the science of oxytocin and autonomic regulation. It affirms that birth and caregiving are not only clinical processes but relational neurobiological events—shaped by co-regulation, safety, and trust. This is a timely and meaningful contribution to the fields of reproductive health and human connection."" - Sue Carter, PhD, Distinguished Research Professor, and Emerita Director of the Kinsey Institute, Indiana University and Professor of Psychology, University of Virginia “In this methodologically rigorous and beautifully articulated manuscript, Dr. Nancy Stone offers a compelling examination of midwifery in free-standing birth canters. Her focus on relational care and embodied knowledge reflects the core principles of Polyvagal Theory—particularly the role of co-regulation, neuroception, and the social transmission of safety. This work makes a significant contribution to our understanding of how caregiving environments shape autonomic regulation and support human resilience.” - Stephen W. Porges, PhD, originator of Polyvagal Theory, is a Distinguished University Scientist and founding director of the Kinsey Institute Traumatic Stress Research Consortium at Indiana University, and a professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina. 'Nancy Stone has written the smartest, most thoughtful, most data-based discussion of the difference between midwifery in medical settings and midwifery as an independent profession.' - Barbara Katz Rothman

Author Information

Nancy Iris Stone is an American-German midwife who has lived in Germany for nearly four decades. She has practised midwifery for 24 years in both hospital settings and a free-standing birth centre. Her research focuses on birth in free-standing birth centres, with particular attention to the lived experiences of women and birthing people, as well as midwives. Passionate about midwifery practice, she is committed to fostering the transmission of skills and knowledge between generations of midwives.

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