Spring 2016

Theme: 30th Anniversary, Celebrating Midwifery

We are pleased to be able to celebrate Midwifery Today’s 30-year anniversary with our readers for the Spring 2016 issue. To celebrate midwifery, we chose thirteen of our favorite articles from thirteen of our most loyal and devoted writers and reprinted them in this anniversary edition. You will be able to read from the best of the best, including Ina May Gaskin, Penny Simkin, Michel Odent, Robin Lim, Sister MorningStar, Gail Tully, Elizabeth Davis and others, as we continue to provide you with only the best and evidence-based information surrounding childbirth. This issue also features some great new articles, including one about institutional biases in birth research—a must read! As an additional way to celebrate our readers and writers, we are pleased to announce that this issue will have our first ever color cover. Here’s to 30 more years!

Buy This Issue

Departments

• Poetry
• From the Editor
  Midwifery Today’s editor-in-chief celebrates MT’s 30-year anniversary by honoring 13 of the magazine’s most loyal contributors and gentle birth advocates.
• Tricks of the Trade
• Marion’s Message
  Birthing women deserve optimal care and a chance to give birth in the safest way for mom and baby. The new ACOG guidelines and the work of Ariadne Labs and their associates can provide long-term benefits.
• IAPBP 2016 Image Competition Winners
• Media Reviews
• Classified Advertising
• Photo Album

Features

• Celebrating Midwifery
• How Being a Homebirth Midwife Enabled Me to Learn about Shoulder Dystocia—Ina May Gaskin
  Ina May shares the history behind the Gaskin Maneuver and how her non-traditional midwifery training allowed her to be introduced to skills she wouldn’t have received otherwise.
• The Fourth Stage: Sharing the Asian Way—Robin Lim
  From her experience as a midwife in Indonesia, CNN Hero of the Year Robin Lim shares with us the Asian way of taking care of women postpartum.
• First Hours after Birth: Family Integration and Mutual Regulation—Penny Simkin
  Benefits of a holistic approach to fourth stage are reviewed in this informative article by childbirth educator and doula Penny Simkin.
• Childbirth from a Bacteriological Perspective—Michel Odent
  French pediatrician Michel Odent shares how interfering with the process of childbirth causes a baby to enter the world of microbes in a radically different way—one that is far less desirable in terms of the health of the baby.
• Managing First Stage Problems—John Stevenson
  Dr. John Stevenson discusses common first stage labor problems and what he typically does to remedy them.
• Opening the Pelvic Brim with Walcher’s Position—Gail Tully
  The detailed illustrations and first-hand experiences author Gail Tully provides will help to expand your understanding and application of this time-tested technique used to engage babies stuck at the pelvic brim.
• A Vision of Birth—Sarah J. Buckley
  Dr. Sarah Buckley shares her thoughts on birth, which include trusting your instincts and connecting with the earth.
• Waterbirth Basics: From Newborn Breathing to Hospital Protocols—Barbara Harper
  This article will prove to be your go-to resource on waterbirth.
• Global Midwifery and the Humanization of Birth—Marsden Wagner
  From Midwifery Today’s 2007 Costa Rica conference, Marsden Wagner, MD, shares his speech.
• The Enduring Qualities in Midwifery—Elizabeth Davis
  “Respect for nature, for the physiology of birth, is the cornerstone of our midwifery tradition.” Educator and midwife Elizabeth Davis discusses the differences between midwives and obstetricians, current trends and ages-old traditions, remarking on how much midwives have to contribute to the future of birth.
• A Difficult Breech Birth—Marion Toepke McLean
  Marion tells the incredible story of a breech birth at the Teso Safe Motherhood Clinic in Soroti, Uganda.
• Midwifing Second Stage—Sister MorningStar
  Regular contributor Sister MorningStar shares her thoughts and experiences on the importance of communication, community and constancy in this article about the midwife’s role during second stage.
• The International MotherBaby Childbirth Initiative (IMBCI): A Human Rights Approach to Optimal Maternity Care—Robbie Davis-Floyd
  This article outlines the steps developed by IMBCI to help ensure that women everywhere are guaranteed the basic human right of humane and evidence-based maternity care.
• The Bond of Midwifery and Art—Annette Wilson
  Midwifery Today’s graphic designer shares her thoughts on the importance of birth photography to the normalization of gentle birth around the world.
• Margaret Stephen: The Ironies and Instruments of an 18th Century London Midwife—Jane Beal
  Author Jane Beal describes the life of one of midwifery’s historical heroes: Margaret Stephen.
• Delayed Cord Clamping Requires a New Table for Stressed Newborns—Mary Esther Malloy
  This is an important article to consider regarding the practical aspect of the kinds of equipment and furniture used in hospitals to care for stressed newborns.
• A Slower Transition for Waterbirth Babies—Gail Hart
  Midwife Gail Hart discusses waterbirth babies and how they take a little longer transitioning to life on the outside than land-born babies.
• Outside the Evidence: Births Missing from the Research—Sarit Shatken-Stern
  Sarit Shatken-Stern. A thought-provoking article about the biases found in birth research.

= Membership Article.