Successful midwifery students and learners don't grapple with every single source out there. Here are my favourite academic resources for midwives to get good, evidence based information for essays and other projects.
- MBRRACE (Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK) is the government agency that looks into the reasons mothers die every year. They improve outcomes in the UK through a comprehensive report.It’s a good place to start researching. You can read more on what MBRRACE is exactly and what it offers midwifery in this series of blog posts. (Confusingly the report used to be called CEMACE - Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health. It’s recently changed – it'll also change again as it updates in the future just to keep things spicy for you!)
- The National Maternity Review was out early 2016, you can find it here, and you can find the first of my fun little summaries on it here
- NICE (the National Insititute for Health and Care Excellent) guidelines. NICE compiles evidence and presents guidelines for healthcare professionals, you can find maternity NICE guidelines by searching here
- Cochrane reports: Cochrane offers some of the most up to date and comprehensive evidence available globally
- Google books: Here are some examples of excellent Midwifery Book snippets: here, here, and here.
- Statements and guidance from the Royal College of Midwives, and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Blogs:
MidwifeDiaries.com 🙂
Hi Ellie
I have been watching ur videos and I would to know how would it be best to prepare for your midwifery degree, so that I can understand what it is that I will be learning.
Hi Dipika, awesome question. I think read everything you can get your hands on, textbooks, midwifery novels, journal articles, the RCM website and perhaps spend some time on YouTube watching some midwifery and obstetric lectures, these are good: (though they are from the US so there will be some things that don’t apply). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9LO1Vb54yk
Hope this helps!
hi Ellie! im a first year student midwife and was just wondering about your views on the hands on/hands poised techniques? its a topic i’ve been researching recently following a birth that ended in a 3rd degree tear
thanks!
Hi Alice, good question…I think my answer from clinical practice would be ‘it depends on the situation, and you get better at judging with experience’.
There’s an awesome article that looks at the research here which is my go to when thinking about this topic: http://midwifethinking.com/2010/08/07/perineal-protectors/ This study from the Royal College of Midwives was also very helpful: https://www.rcm.org.uk/sites/default/files/Perineal%20Audit%20Report%202014_0.pdf
All the best, good luck with your research!
The Maternity Review 2016…….I also love Simkins Labour Progress Handbook
Good thinking Diane…added!I’ll make sure to add Penny Simpkin to the Secret Community Reading List next time I update it too, thanks for your comment.
Hi,
I am currently a nursing student, applying to midwifery for the coming fall. I was not passionate about nursing and it is somewhat noticeable in my grades, but not because I am not capable… Do you have any tips on how to strengthen my application, otherwise?
I realized my passion was midwifery the moment I watched a baby crown during my nursing maternity rotation, then had a midwife as a guest speaker.
It is time to follow my heart and be a midwife, but I am nervous about the application process!
Any advice would be amazing.
Thanks!
Hi Amanda, can I check which country you’re in? x
I’m waiting to enter stage 1 of the entry tests in london. So nervous. Test is in a couple of hours.
Good luck! 🙂 x
I am a first year Bachelor of Midwifery student from Sydney, Australia. I’m loving it so far! I’m going on my first clinical placement in a hospital where I will be experiencing labour first-hand for the first time. Any tips when I am on my clinical placement? Also any tips on how to execute an abdominal palpation without looking too nervous like I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m expected to complete a set number of these skills in the hospital setting.
Hi Emma, could I post your question The Secret Community For Midwives In The Making on Facebook? I think you’ll get some good responses from lots of different midwives and students! Thanks for your comment 🙂