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The shared journey: Models in midwifery practice

Abstract:

Childbirth is a journey through a significant life event. Childbearing women share it with their families, support people and the midwife. The journey is essentially linear, culminating in a changed life for the woman and her family. For a childbearing woman, the quality of her experience is intimately connected to the people who surround her and the events that occur during her journey. The paths this journey may take now in New Zealand are various, yet the essence of the journey is the same for all women. In this article I offer a model of the shared journey set into its social context, showing the collaborative working relationship between childbearing woman and midwife, and showing some of the events along the way. I comment on different models and aspects of partnership, postulating that partnership is based on reciprocal trust, and acknowledging that research into partnership is just beginning.

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collaborative relationship, models of midwifery practice, partnership