Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 401032

Coordinator Michelle Eveleigh Opens in new window

Description This subject introduces students to midwifery knowledge for childbirth within a woman centred partnership model. It provides the theoretical foundations to equip students in understanding the role of the midwife during late pregnancy, labour and birth and the initial care of the newborn. The educational, psychological and social needs of women are explored and integrated with learning from the Bioscience for Midwifery subject. The subject briefly introduces students to midwifery care related to the immediate postnatal and newborn period including lactation and breastfeeding.

School Nursing & Midwifery

Discipline Midwifery

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 1 10cp

Check your fees via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 1 subject

Pre-requisite(s) NURS 1009 AND
NURS 1012

Co-requisite(s) NURS 1004 AND
NURS 1013

Restrictions

Students must be enrolled in the 4684 Bachelor of Midwifery.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Relate anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, labour and birth and the parameters of normal in relation to maternal and fetal wellbeing during labour, birth and the post-partum period 
2. Examine the role of the midwife in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of woman centred midwifery care during late pregnancy, labour and birth and the immediate post-birth period 
3. Describe the role of the midwife in the initial assessment and care of the infant at birth
4. Discuss how to facilitate normal physiological labour and birth
5. Identify strategies to facilitate culturally safe care for the woman, her partner and her family during labour and the immediate post-birth period
6. Identify strategies for providing culturally safe maternity care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their communities, in urban, rural and remote settings

Subject Content

Antenatal
• Normal birth policies and guidelines
• Role of the support people
• Impact of support on birth outcomes
• Birth plans
• Supporting woman and their families within a culturally safe framework
• Midwifery considerations for supporting:
o Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women
o CALD women
o Partners
o Adolescent women 
Labour
• Continuing the partnership and continuity of care
• Assessing labour – phone/hospital/home
• Latent and active labour
• Culturally safe midwifery care in labour
• Working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people from CALD backgrounds
• Positions for labour
• Complementary medicine and alternative approaches to labour and birth support
• Promoting normal birth
• Promoting normal birth for women planning a VBAC and women having an induction of labour
• Legal requirements of consent and documentation in labour and birth
• Reducing perineal trauma
• Options for Pain Relief in Labour and Birth
• Physiological and active third stage

Midwifery Care Following Birth
• Welcoming the newborn
• Maternal/infant interactions
• Understanding the APGAR score
• Maternal and newborn assessment and observations
• Inspection of the placenta with the woman/family
• The evidence for skin to skin and the nine instinctive stages of the newborn
• The initial breastfeed maternal / infant attachment