So here I am, back in the UK as the new year starts. I have returned immediately to my work as an independent midwife in Sussex, and I’ve been reflecting on volunteering as a midwife in Malawi. What have I learned, what surprised me, and what this might mean for me in the future? I really didn’t know what to…
Throughout human history, throughout the world, the majority of babies have been born at home. In the last few decades however, in many countries, hospital birth has been promoted as being “best”. So is hospital birth best? This is a question I discuss frequently in the UK, and it has been an increasing concern for me in Malawi. Since 2012…
Hygiene and handwashing are integral to professional healthcare practice in the UK. It is astonishing to experience a society where this just isn’t understood to be a priority. In the hospital here there is usually running (cold) water, but soap is not often available. It is simply not seen as a priority purchase. The irony of the posters on the…
This week I have been working in the special care nursery at the hospital. A grand title for a simple room set aside for premature or unwell babies, where they are cared for by their mothers. The special care and intensive care baby units that I have worked in in the UK have had high staffing levels because of the…
Reflecting on optimal fetal positioning and mechanisms of birth. Explores the different experiences working in England and in Malawi