Cathy Warwick

How do we prevent midwives from leaving

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has just published its Evidence to the Review Body for Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine (RCM, 2002). The report contains worrying information for any of us who had been encouraged by the fact that last years evidence concluded: ‘…that the results of the 2001 survey offered “some hope that the steady decline in midwife numbers may have been arrested”.’ (RCM, 2001)

‘Misconceptions’ in midwifery and motherhood

I quite like this time of year. The roads that have been abnormally quiet are filling up as children return to school. There is an autumn nip in the air but the days are still sunny. Lots of people, including myself, have been on holiday and are back at work feeling refreshed. I have a feeling of optimism as during the first week I am back at work I gradually piece together what has been going on in the world of maternity services. Then I pick up the Saturday morning paper and read an edited extract from a new book by the feminist author Naomi Wolf Misconceptions: Truth, Lies and The Unexpected On The Journey To Motherhood.

Food for thought: international perspectives on violence

For one reason or another I attend various conferences, discussion groups, working parties and committees. You might imagine that there is a lot of repetition. In fact boredom is very rare. I nearly always hear something new, and often get a different perspective on something of which I am already aware.