Exploring changes in practice: when midwives and nurses become mothers

Abstract

The impact motherhood has on midwives and nurses should be understood by both those professionals within its own ranks and the greater UK health sector. These professions remain predominately female (89.3%) (NMC, 2007), and at some stage during their professional lives 90% become mothers, directly impacting on staffing levels and ultimately the care given to women and patients. The aim was to explore transition to motherhood for midwives and nurses, including their perceptions of its impact and implications on their professional lives. Twenty-two participants volunteered from the health professions of midwives and nurses (including health visitors) providing narratives through two sets of interviews. This article focuses on midwives' and nurses' knowledge levels and changes in professional practice resulting from their experiences of becoming a mother, childcare and treatment on return to work. Understanding these midwives' and nurses' unique perspectives may contribute to allaying the stress related to returning to work, and ensure these professionals are retained as the valuable practitioners they become as a direct result of motherhood.

Insider knowledge as a double-edged sword: an integrative review of midwives’ personal childbearing experiences

“…For these midwives their professional knowledge was reassuring because they knew the most likely cause of small problems that arose [ 25 , 28 , 29 , 35 , 44 ]. For others, their knowledge helped to prepare them for possible outcomes, providing insight to accept situations when obstetric risks outweighed the possibility of a safe normal birth [ 25 , 28 ]. There were also elements of their care, such as vaginal examinations, that they were able to perform on themselves because of their midwifery skills.…”

“…This review identified that for most of the midwives who birthed in the hospital setting, fears and anxieties, heightened by their increased professional knowledge, were often unaddressed by caregivers, even at times having their valid concerns disregarded and dismissed [ 25 , 28 , 46 ]. These midwives were left feeling alone [ 28 , 31 , 41 ], unsupported in their worries [ 28 , 31 , 46 ] and with the feeling that their professional knowledge was unacknowledged [ 28 ].…”

“…Ultimately, midwives who received respectful care and developed a trusting relationship with their care provider often reported overall positive birth experiences [ 33 , 36 – 40 , 42 – 46 ], whereas those who were not treated with respect felt their birthing experiences were negative or traumatic [ 25 , 28 , 31 , 32 , 34 , 46 ].…”

“…In six of the reviewed articles, midwives reported feeling traumatised by their experience of childbirth [ 25 , 30 , 32 , 34 , 40 , 41 ]. These midwives described having flashbacks, nightmares and panic attacks for years [ 40 ].…”

“…All research articles were limited to primary studies with participants who were midwives or nurse-midwives. There was one primary study that included both midwife and nurse participants [ 25 ] that was also included. The findings in this particular study did not always differentiate between the midwife and nurse participants, however when it did, data clearly relevant to midwife participants was included in this integrative review.…”