Aastrika Foundation’s Post

Pulling out an excellent overview on how New Mexico integrated various types of midwifery care in their state. “Approximately 26 percent of all births in New Mexico are attended by midwives compared to the national average of 10 percent. New Mexico’s high utilization of midwives may contribute to the state’s above average birth outcomes. Approximately 53 percent of New Mexico births are spontaneous vaginal deliveries and fewer than 24 percent of births result in caesarean deliveries compared to the national average (49 percent and 32 percent, respectively).” 👉The New Mexico model should be HIGHLY considered if your state is thinking about TMaH funding. TMaH letters of intent were due August 8th. CMS is accepting applications until September 20th. Announcements on recipients expected in Fall. DID YOUR STATE APPLY and how is midwifery-led care integrated? #GrowMidwives #scalingupandsustainingmidwifery https://lnkd.in/gPdYNN3n

NEW BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT! Kind, honest and open communication is at the heart of midwifery care and maternity practice, and is vital in providing safe, person-centred care. This new book explores communication in midwifery from a range of perspectives and across different settings. It considers the theoretical and practical dimensions of communication, including how and why we communicate and who we communicate with. It uses case studies and practical examples to put ideas into real-world context and to explore topic areas in ways which are thought-provoking, accessible and useful to practitioners. Above all, Communication in Midwifery supports midwives in developing their theoretical understanding around communication and building a practical toolkit of ideas and strategies for use in a range of settings and with diverse groups of people. It helps midwives and other caregivers in navigating the nuanced and complex situations they encounter every day where clear, honest and collaborative communication is vital. 📚Covers communication in pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period; the use of written, verbal and non-verbal approaches; and complex scenarios where communication may be challenging, such as diverse groups, trauma and loss 📚Explores new methods of communicating, including the use of the internet and social media, and their benefits and challenges Highlights the importance of communication between professions and ways this can be enhanced 📚Covers contemporary issues of consent, risk and safety in maternity care 📚Useful at all stages of a midwife’s career from undergraduate to qualified midwife Link to more information http://301.nz/vilnkhW #midwifery #midwives #midwiferyupdate #evidencebasedmaternitycare #studentmidwives #midwiferyknowledge #communicationskills

Need a guide for discussion for TMaH funding? Look no further than the National Council of State Legislators discussion on the maternity care workforce, released June 12. “Obstetrician/gynecologists, midwives and doulas can play different, and important, roles in reducing health disparities in maternal morbidity and mortality, and improve access to care. This report highlights these three maternal health professions and related policy options available to state leaders to support and strengthen the workforce and improve maternal health outcomes.” As much as I have become exhausted reading articles that discuss facts we have known for well — a very very long time — every day a national organization is releasing their opinions on what many of us have been advocating for far too long. In this comprehensive article, within a highly influential organization, we see advocacy to integrate midwives and doulas. (Unfortunately the article does not recognize the Certified Midwife pathway (CM), a midwife that holds a graduate degree and sits the same national board exam as a CNM.) WHAT is it going to take for each and every conversation to provide accurate facts in discussions that reflect the US midwifery workforce? ACNM Affiliates may find this article valuable in working with State Medicaid Associations on the TMaH priority’s and assist states still challenged by restrictive legislative barriers to midwifery practice. #GrowMidwives #scalingupandsustainingmidwifery #heretohelp https://lnkd.in/gWde5CJY

A powerful quote which encapsulates the importance of empowering midwives as key contributors to Maternal and Child Health (MCH) programmes. By equipping them with training on soft skills, leadership, and programme management, midwives will be able to offer invaluable insights and drive positive change at the policy level as well. We, at Aastrika Foundation, strongly believe in the vital role midwives play in shaping effective MCH initiatives. Let us advocate for comprehensive midwifery education, enabling these frontline champions to lead the charge towards improved maternal and child health outcomes! #Aastrika #AastrikaFoundation #healthcare #respectfulhealthcare #maternalhealthcare #womenshealth #motherandchild #midwifery #midwives #maternitycare #womenempowerment #dignity #trust #maternalhealthmatter #societalchange #positivebirth #pregnancy #birth #birthinpower

**Updated by the UK National Health Service in April 2024. Please pause and think about the UK approach to supporting choices in childbirth. Read their public facing document. “Find out what's in your area. Your midwife will discuss the options available in your area but if you're willing to travel, you're free to choose any maternity services.” How is it that a country (and surrounding national Trusts) with over 1 million deliveries during 2022-23 recognizes the midwife as the entry into care. The midwife supports/assess/directs the family on all options, and the midwives attend the majority of births. How is it that UK families have better outcomes than the US? https://lnkd.in/gxj6Ddk7... Outcomes across UK urban and rural region: Cesarean rate 23% Epidural rate 12% First prenatal visit within first 12 weeks 77% Induction rate 33% Maternal mortality 13.41/100,000 Do you have an explanation as to why the US is unwilling to mainstream midwifery? This is just one example from the European countries. #GrowMidwives #scalingupandsustainingmidwifery #stoptheresearch #fundtheanswers https://shorturl.at/pT9PQ

The Mamas First Act, backed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Gwen Moore, is crucial to addressing the maternal health crisis. Expanding Medicaid to include doula and midwifery care can save lives and reduce disparities. #MamasFirstAct #MaternalMortality #HealthcareJustice #MaternalHealth #Doulas #Midwives #HealthcareReform #HealthJustice

Interesting article on the role of #midwifery in #maternalhealth and the future of birth centers in Massachusetts https://lnkd.in/eGpGekKn

The August issue of the British Journal of Midwifery is available to access on MAG Online Library. Subscribers can access it via #OpenAthens. 📝 Editorial insight: As summer continues, the focus is on mental wellbeing and the importance of rest for midwives to combat burnout and ensure the best care for patients. 📊 Epidural analgesia and Emergency Caesarean Risk: Discover the findings of a retrospective observational study on the use of epidural analgesia and its association with emergency caesarean sections. 🌏 Birth preparedness in Indonesia: Dive into local cultural perspectives with a qualitative study from a rural subdistrict in Indonesia. 📚 Midwifery students’ experiences: Read a scoping review on the journey of learning to be ‘with woman’. 🍼 Breastfeeding knowledge assessment: Explore a systematic review of tools used to assess breastfeeding knowledge among nursing and midwifery students. ⚖️ R v Noor Case: Understand the implications of the first UK prosecution for female genital mutilation committed abroad and its significance for midwives. 📖 Read the full issue via the link in the comments. 👇 #Midwifery #Healthcare #ClinicalPractice #BJM #MentalWellbeing #Research

My opinion piece on Midwifery Scope of Practice in Health Services Daily today.

Last week I presented my research to a team of midwives, labour ward managers, and clinical preceptors working in Coventry & Warwickshire. The research base for the emotional impact on midwives of compounded experiences of baby loss has so far focused almost entirely on the rudimentary identification of basic emotions, or on midwives who are 5+ years into the profession. Those new to their midwifery career, or still in their training years, have been neglected from any deeper exploration of how the difficult emotions that inevitably arise from repeated encounters with perinatal loss feed into wider, emotionally-loaded narratives: vicarious trauma, perceptions of midwifery and of their role as a midwife, and (lack of) sufficient training & effective coping strategies. These narratives persist long-term, and influence the high rates of burnout and professional disengagement seen in midwifery. Through discussion of these wider emotional experiences in my systematic review, founded in impactful quotes from the population about their first-hand experiences, the training and support needs of new midwives are uncovered. This informs what could be implemented right at the beginning of a midwife’s professional journey, during training, to combat later emotional difficulty resulting from working with perinatal loss. The presentation feedback echoed that received from perinatal psychologists and specialist bereavement midwives after I presented the review last year; the results have real implications for the training of midwives, and the recommendations can be carried forward by senior midwives and clinical preceptors facilitating supervision for students on placement. My hope is to spread the voice of this population further across midwifery and perinatal psychology teams and extend this research practically, to better support midwives through their training placements & newly qualified years and contribute to efforts to sustain the midwifery workforce. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you know of teams who may be interested in dissemination!😊 #perinatal #psychology #midwifery #babyloss