Jennifer A Parratt

Trusting enough to be out of control: a pilot study of women's sense of self during childbirth

The findings of a pilot study undertaken to determine what features of childbirth have a positive effect on womens sense of self are presented in this paper. This research contrasted the midwifery and medical models of maternity care using feminist constructivism, personal narrative and a thematic analysis. Using theory that is strongly grounded in empirical data, this paper outlines the influence of features inherent in the womans experience of childbirth that have been theoretically linked to how women feel about themselves. Primary focus was given to the internal characteristics that enable the woman to feel positive about herself during labour, birth and afterwards. The importance of the woman releasing mind control and allowing herself to move into an altered conscious state during labour is discussed in terms of womens subsequent enhanced sense of self. Results illustrate how women are more likely to trust enough to let go of mind control and release control of their bodies when supported within a midwifery model rather than when cared for in the medical model.

The impact of childbirth experiences on women's sense of self: a review of the literature

This paper presents a review of the literature that informed research undertaken to determine what features of childbirth have a positive effect on womens sense of self. The literature looked at control: of women or with women, trusting relationships, balancing self-empathy, self understanding through an instinctual response, altered concious states, childbirth and mother/baby relationships.

Planned homebirths in Victoria, 1995–1998

This paper reports and comments on quantitative aspects of 440 planned homebirths attended by registered midwives in Victoria during the three years studied, 1995-1998. The spontaneous labour rate was 96.4%, and 91.6% of women planning a home birth experienced a spontaneous cephalic birth. The overall transfer to hospital rate was 20%, the most common reason for transfer being delayed progress in labour. 64.2% of women experiencing a vaginal birth had no perineal trauma. Postpartum haemorrhage was noted in 5.5% of participants, and 1.1% had a retained placenta. Infants were an older gestation and heavier than those in the state in general, although the Apgar scores were similar. These data support the claim that planned home birth with a qualified midwife remains a demonstrably safe option for women who choose this model.