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Squaring the Circle: Normal birth research, theory and practice in a technological age
Squaring the Circle is a cutting-edge and comprehensive collection of the latest research and debate on normal childbirth. Based on a salutogenic approach - focusing on factors that support human health and well-being, rather than on factors that cause disease - it helps our understanding of what works and why it works, as well as helping health practitioners turn this knowledge into best practice.
Written by world-renowned experts in their field, and edited by Soo Downe and Sheena Byrom, the editors of the acclaimed The Roar Behind the Silence, Squaring the Circle includes an examination of a range of associated evidence in areas as diverse as architecture for optimal birth environments, the impact of birth events on neonatal DNA methylation and the microbiome, the current knowledge base around oxytocin production in labour, and the role of emotion in the workplace.
Case studies of successful change from around the world - from service users, activists and maternity care staff - provide inspiration for innovation while hints and tips help to make such change happen.
Written by world-renowned experts in their field, and edited by Soo Downe and Sheena Byrom, the editors of the acclaimed The Roar Behind the Silence, Squaring the Circle includes an examination of a range of associated evidence in areas as diverse as architecture for optimal birth environments, the impact of birth events on neonatal DNA methylation and the microbiome, the current knowledge base around oxytocin production in labour, and the role of emotion in the workplace.
Case studies of successful change from around the world - from service users, activists and maternity care staff - provide inspiration for innovation while hints and tips help to make such change happen.
- GenresNonfiction
523 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 4, 2019
7 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 18, 2019
You can watch my full review of this important book here: https://youtu.be/zg8OFLun7kg
This book is very good and very important and I hope it is taken as seriously as it should be. This book is a manifesto for maternity care. I think the aims of this book to square the circle of maternity care needs and practice are both admirable and urgent. How many more generations are going to have to put up with the drip down effect of gentler maternity support (which is proven again and again to be the most effective) with the swooping in of new technologies which earn their pride of place based on their monetary value, but can often be a hinderance rather than a help.
This book is a correlation of scientific papers with many contributors, bringing together a compelling and convincing evidence-based argument for changes in maternity services. The book is laid out as categorised scientific papers all with introductions, explanations, conclusions and points for consideration. This segmented the book well and gradually brought together all the different angles of the square/circle.
This book covers important areas surrounding birth, such as the thin evidence for internal examination accuracy, as well as similarly or more reliable methods of assessing women’s progress in labour. It talks about the difference in preventing death and encouraging health, in all aspects of medical care, but maternity care particularly.
I made a record number of notes reading this book, there was lots of information that was well phrased and explained, you can find my top quotes in my video of this review.
There was a lot in this book about the architecture of birth settings and this is more relevant than it could at first seem. As the book explains, birth settings are usually alongside hospitals and have traditionally been built and decorated in the same manner. But birth is different to everything else that happens in a hospital. Most people are in hospital because they are sick. Birth is not a sickness, and as this book explains, women feeling like patients is likely to be detrimental to their labours and birth. Being a patient is disempowering, labouring women need the opposite; they need to feel comfortable, with privacy and a feeling of control, whether they are low or high risk. Midwives can be an advocate for this.
A uniquely strong point of this book was the final section on implementation. This book is not just highlighting the problems and offering solutions, is goes further, it offers practical advice for implementing the ideas with case studies demonstrating ways it can be done. I was very impressed with that, as with all of the book, it shows how much thought and planning has gone into it. The editors of the book are serious about changing maternity care and this book shows it to be beneficial and achievable.
This book is convincing and comprehensive; From ancient wisdom and experience of normal birth; to traditional scientific research and trials; to the newer areas of human rights during birth and the use of big data. This book tackles all angles to argue for midwife-led continuity of care for all women. It gives a critical evaluation of current maternity services and how to move forward to achieve better outcomes for all with constructive suggestions on how to achieve this.
Who should read this book? This isn’t your average birth book, I wouldn’t recommend it for expectant mums. It is a medical book so if you have a particular interest in birth or health then I would recommend it. It is a particularly valuable book to anyone working in maternity care, as well as post-natal care. It would also be of great value to other people working in health, right down to GPs, and also people working in health planning and policy, right up to government departments.
This is a very strong book and it reminded me how strong we women are and that instead of using our strength to endure current maternity practices, we should be using our strength to achieve what we deserve.
I want to give a final Well Done to the creators of this book because I think that they achieved their aim, they have laid it out extraordinarily well, I can’t wait for the day when it is in action, this book helps me to believe in that reality.
You can watch my full review of this important book here: https://youtu.be/zg8OFLun7kg
This book is very good and very important and I hope it is taken as seriously as it should be. This book is a manifesto for maternity care. I think the aims of this book to square the circle of maternity care needs and practice are both admirable and urgent. How many more generations are going to have to put up with the drip down effect of gentler maternity support (which is proven again and again to be the most effective) with the swooping in of new technologies which earn their pride of place based on their monetary value, but can often be a hinderance rather than a help.
This book is a correlation of scientific papers with many contributors, bringing together a compelling and convincing evidence-based argument for changes in maternity services. The book is laid out as categorised scientific papers all with introductions, explanations, conclusions and points for consideration. This segmented the book well and gradually brought together all the different angles of the square/circle.
This book covers important areas surrounding birth, such as the thin evidence for internal examination accuracy, as well as similarly or more reliable methods of assessing women’s progress in labour. It talks about the difference in preventing death and encouraging health, in all aspects of medical care, but maternity care particularly.
I made a record number of notes reading this book, there was lots of information that was well phrased and explained, you can find my top quotes in my video of this review.
There was a lot in this book about the architecture of birth settings and this is more relevant than it could at first seem. As the book explains, birth settings are usually alongside hospitals and have traditionally been built and decorated in the same manner. But birth is different to everything else that happens in a hospital. Most people are in hospital because they are sick. Birth is not a sickness, and as this book explains, women feeling like patients is likely to be detrimental to their labours and birth. Being a patient is disempowering, labouring women need the opposite; they need to feel comfortable, with privacy and a feeling of control, whether they are low or high risk. Midwives can be an advocate for this.
A uniquely strong point of this book was the final section on implementation. This book is not just highlighting the problems and offering solutions, is goes further, it offers practical advice for implementing the ideas with case studies demonstrating ways it can be done. I was very impressed with that, as with all of the book, it shows how much thought and planning has gone into it. The editors of the book are serious about changing maternity care and this book shows it to be beneficial and achievable.
This book is convincing and comprehensive; From ancient wisdom and experience of normal birth; to traditional scientific research and trials; to the newer areas of human rights during birth and the use of big data. This book tackles all angles to argue for midwife-led continuity of care for all women. It gives a critical evaluation of current maternity services and how to move forward to achieve better outcomes for all with constructive suggestions on how to achieve this.
Who should read this book? This isn’t your average birth book, I wouldn’t recommend it for expectant mums. It is a medical book so if you have a particular interest in birth or health then I would recommend it. It is a particularly valuable book to anyone working in maternity care, as well as post-natal care. It would also be of great value to other people working in health, right down to GPs, and also people working in health planning and policy, right up to government departments.
This is a very strong book and it reminded me how strong we women are and that instead of using our strength to endure current maternity practices, we should be using our strength to achieve what we deserve.
I want to give a final Well Done to the creators of this book because I think that they achieved their aim, they have laid it out extraordinarily well, I can’t wait for the day when it is in action, this book helps me to believe in that reality.
You can watch my full review of this important book here: https://youtu.be/zg8OFLun7kg
Displaying 1 of 1 review