Covering completely new topics areas, including the effects of emotional labour, poverty and health policy, the new edition of this ground-breaking text brings together classic and current research to establish key tenets for maternity care within hospital and home. It remains the definitive guide to the complex area of midwife-mother relations.

Introduction.- The Maternity Services Context; M.Kirkham.- The Less We Do the More We Give; N.Leap.- Emotion Work and Relationships in Midwifery; R.Deery & B.Hunter.- The Midwife: a Professional Servant? M.Cronk.- Poor Relations: the Paucity of the Professional Paradigm; R.Wilkins.- 'There's so much potential...and for whatever reason it's not being realised' Women's Relationships with Midwives as a Negotiation of Ideology and Practice; N.Edwards.- Feeling Safe Enough to Let Go: the Relationship between a Woman and her Midwife during the Second Stage of Labour; T.Anderson.- The Midwife/Mother Relationship where there is Poverty and Disadvantage; A.Gaudion & C.Homeyard.- Pakistani Muslim Women and Midwives Relationships: What are the Essential Attributes?; K.Bharj & M.Chesney.- Midwifery Relationships with Childbearing Women at Increased Risk; M.Berg.- Midwives' Personal Experiences and their Relationships with Women: Midwives without Children and Midwives who have Experienced Pregnancy Loss; C.Bewley.- Midwifery Partnership: a Professionalising Strategy for Midwives; S.Pairman.- The Midwife as Container; M.Taylor.- We Need to Relate; M.Kirkham.

'I think this is one of the best childbirth books I have ever read!I think it is an essential text for midwives, I'm sure even the best will find something to learn, something to use, or a way of fostering good midwifery amongst their colleagues' -- Vicki Williams, AIMS journal. 'I am very impressed with the book and am strongly recommending to both students and qualified midwives.' - Kathryn Muldoon, Lecturer in Midwifery/Course Co-Ordinator BSc Midwifery programme, Trinity College Dublin 'As excellent, relevant and useful as the first edition.' - Dr Julie Jomeen, Senior Lecturer in Midwifery and Women's Health, University of Hull, UK Endorsements of the 1st edition: 'A useful text by a respected author.' - Professor Angela King, Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Northumbria University, UK '...covers key issues in the provision of woman centred care which is an important concept for students to understand and implement. The book enables the reader to look beyond the physical care and addresses woman's needs and ways in which the midwife's approach can facilitate meeting them.' - Professor Jane Hinde, School of Health and Social Care, Staffordshire University, UK 'The contents of the book relevant to student midwives, provoking thought and reflection.' - Ms Gaynor Wright, Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Central Lancashire, UK

I think this is one of the best childbirth books I have ever read...I think it is an essential text for midwives, I'm sure even the best will find something to learn, something to use, or a way of fostering good midwifery amongst their colleagues' - Vicki Williams, AIMS journal. 'I am very impressed with the book and am strongly recommending to both students and qualified midwives.' - Kathryn Muldoon, Lecturer in Midwifery/Course Co-Ordinator BSc Midwifery programme, Trinity College Dublin 'As excellent, relevant and useful as the first edition.' - Dr Julie Jomeen, Senior Lecturer in Midwifery and Women's Health, University of Hull, UK Endorsements of the 1st edition: 'A useful text by a respected author.' - Professor Angela King, Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Northumbria University, UK '...covers key issues in the provision of woman centred care which is an important concept for students to understand and implement. The book enables the reader to look beyond the physical care and addresses woman's needs and ways in which the midwife's approach can facilitate meeting them.' - Professor Jane Hinde, School of Health and Social Care, Staffordshire University, UK 'The contents of the book relevant to student midwives, provoking thought and reflection.' - Ms Gaynor Wright, Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Central Lancashire, UK

Edited by leading author in field: contains contributions from key UK and international academicsWoven with examples from a full range of birth circumstances, from mothers in poverty to those at high obstetric risk Draws on research from seven different countries along with experiences of birth in NHS, independent and community-based settings Presents perspectives from both sides of the connection, exploring the subjective, cultural and practical obstacles to a mutually rewarding birth experience   new_to_this_edition Fully revised and expanded to reflect key developments in midwifery philosophy over the past decade, applying a theoretical approach to emerging concepts such as emotional labour and midwifery partnership Covers completely new topics areas, including the effects of emotional labour, poverty and health policy Combines new works from the previous edition with new chapters on innovative midwifery practice Brings together classic and current research to establish key tenets for maternity care within hospital and home