This course is designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals in supporting women during labour and birth. This course focuses on the principles of active birth, emphasising the importance of promoting freedom of movement and empowering women to actively participate in their birthing experience. The course covers evidence-based practices, communication techniques, and strategies for assisting women in adopting various positions. Last updated 2023.

This advanced course 'Compassionate maternity care' is designed to develop understanding, research knowledge and skills on this topic. Birth professionals will be able to utilise this knowledge when providing care to women and birthing people during the perinatal period. The module focuses on the principles of compassionate maternity care and the vital role it plays in safe, high quality midwifery care. The module explores the definition and concepts of compassionate midwifery care, and reviews the global context and research evidence that can be applied to practice. You will be encouraged to think and reflect on your own practice and how this applies to the care you provide, and your own wellbeing.

Welcome to the Anatomy and Physiology of the Placenta quiz. The placenta, a remarkable and intricate organ, plays a vital role during pregnancy, facilitating the exchange of nutrients, gases, and waste products between the mother and the developing fetus. This quiz will test your knowledge of the structure, function, and significance of the placenta in the context of pregnancy. From its development to its hormonal influence, from gas exchange to immune protection, the placenta's role is multifaceted and fascinating. Whether you're a student, healthcare professional, or recapping your knowledge as a midwife this quiz will challenge and expand your understanding of the placenta's crucial role in supporting fetal development.

This mini course will help you to understand what compassion is and the vital role it plays in high quality maternity care. You will be introduced to some definitions and theories of compassion. You will learn about the process of compassion and think about how this applies to maternity care. Most importantly, you will be encouraged to think about how this relates to your own practice and reflect on how compassion is key to the care you provide, the people you work with and yourself. Last updated 2023. 

As human beings, our interactions with each other encompasses physical, mental, spiritual and emotional connections that varies depending on the nature of that interaction. In midwifery, much of our work is on the emotional level, whether is managing our own emotions in clinical situations or through supporting women, people and their partners through their own changing emotions. However, this ‘emotion work’ is an undervalued and often hidden aspect of our work, with much more attention given to the physical acts of ‘doing’ clinical tasks. This study sheet uses a Maternity Voices reflection from The Practising Midwife to shine a light on the value of positive ‘emotion work’ that makes an extraordinary difference for women’s experiences of care and their transition to motherhood.

In today's rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, organisational culture stands as a cornerstone that profoundly influences the delivery of care, experiences of women and families, and the well-being of healthcare professionals. With its complex nature, healthcare organisations encompasses many differing cultures and norms, varied by global region and context. This mini course focuses on the definition of organisational culture, explains the impact culture has on health and maternity care and most importantly offers ways in which midwives and healthcare practitioners can take action to improve organisational culture. New Course 2023. 

Listening to women’s voices, stories and experiences are vitally important as midwives. It offers a unique opportunity to glean what works well and what does not work well. This study sheet draws upon a reflective piece written by a doula as she considers the support she provides to families, but crucially she draws upon her own experience of caesarean birth. She found that consenting to a caesarean birth meant she was inadvertently consenting to procedures she was not fully aware of. Lots of key information was omitted during the discussions; which for maternity professionals, the details of a caesarean birth are ‘everyday knowledge’, implicit, and often take for granted. Here, we are challenged to reconsider how we communicate information so that informed consent is truly informed.

Listening to the fetal heart is an essential clinical skill that supports understanding fetal wellbeing. Listening can be carried out with a Pinard or a Doppler, both of which require different skills to use properly. Moreover, beyond counting a heart rate, a midwife needs to contextualise the heart tones in relation to the mother-baby context for what might be normal in one context may warrant emergency care in another context.  Therefore, midwives need to gather several sources of knowledge to synthesise to make interpretations that can impact mothers and baby’s outcomes. This study sheet assumes the reader has some knowledge and clinical experience of auscultating fetal hearts to offer some practice tips to developing this skill.

In this mini course, we will explore the benefits that massage offers during pregnancy and childbirth. From reducing physical discomfort to enhancing emotional well-being, massage proves to be a holistic approach that supports women and birthing people in their journey to motherhood. Learn about the therapeutic advantages, develop your practice toolbox, and consider teaching families about massage to help support a healthy, relaxing pregnancy experience. Last updated 2023.

Maternal and paternal mental health is just as important as physical health, but historically was overlooked in busy maternity services. The perinatal period is a vulnerable time for families’ mental health needs as they adapt and transition to parenting; either for the first time or with the addition of siblings to the family. In recent years, the importance of mental health has become a key driver on the maternity services agenda. This study sheet will facilitate your learning and development in this vital area of care.

It's vitally important that midwives understand the complex adaptations to the maternal body during the postnatal period. This course will assist you in supporting women through this transformative period, focusing on both physical recovery and mental well-being. Recap the physiological changes in the body and the spectrum of emotions, including the common "baby blues" and more severe postnatal depression. You'll learn about the hormonal fluctuations, musculoskeletal adjustments, and cardiovascular adaptations that occur after childbirth, as well as strategies for promoting self-care and fostering a supportive environment. This course will equip you with the knowledge to provide comprehensive care and holistic support of postpartum women. New Course 2024.

Midwifery regulation worldwide considers reflection on clinical practice having significant importance. In high income countries, as the field of midwifery continues to evolve in its complexity, the utilisation of reflection becomes essential in supporting midwives and student midwives through a continuous improvement process. This process aims to foster personal and professional resilience, enhance the quality of care provided, and ensure preparedness for professional revalidation (Nursing and Midwifery Council, NMC 2015). Internationally, the ICM Global Standards for Midwifery Education (2021) advocate the use of reflection in the development of midwifery competencies, with the ultimate goal of reducing global maternal and perinatal mortality. Last updated 2023. 

Successive annual UK MBRACCE reports have identified disproportionate morbidity and mortality rates amongst Black, Asian and ethnically diverse women in the UK, this situation is reflected in many other countries across the world. In response to these ongoing maternal health inequalities, All4Maternity has commissioned a committee of women representative of this beneficiary group to develop this essential course, which promotes understanding of how to improve maternity care for women and families from marginalised ethnic communities. This essential course is solution-focussed and designed to support learners to explore strategies they can use to improve the pregnancy outcomes of Black, Asian and ethnically diverse women and families. Last updated 2024.

Successive annual UK MBRACCE reports have identified disproportionate morbidity and mortality rates amongst Black, Asian and ethnically diverse women in the UK, this situation is reflected in many other countries across the world. In response to these ongoing maternal health inequalities, All4Maternity has commissioned a committee of women representative of this beneficiary group to develop this essential course, which promotes understanding of how to improve maternity care for women and families from marginalised ethnic communities. This essential course is solution-focussed and designed to support learners to explore strategies they can use to improve the pregnancy outcomes of Black, Asian and ethnically diverse women and families. This is the second course in the series of two.

Self-care for midwives refers to the intentional practice of nurturing and maintaining physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Midwifery is a demanding profession that requires dedication, compassion, and continuous learning. To provide the best care for others, midwives must also prioritise their own health and self-care. Last updated 2023.

In this course you will develop knowledge about the importance and benefits of skin-to-skin contact for the newborn, parents and families as part of building close and loving relationships. This course will cover various birth scenarios and clinical practice considerations, including preparation during pregnancy and support following different types of births. The content will also explore the links between skin-to-skin contact, optimal breastfeeding and infant feeding, parent-infant attachment, and ongoing benefits for both mother, parents and newborn. Last updated 2023. 

Respectful vaginal examinations are an essential skill required of midwives. However, midwives also need to discern the necessity of vaginal examinations as ‘routine’ procedures against a preordained ‘clock’. Discerning necessary and unnecessary vaginal examinations is a skill in itself; this study sheet expands that idea to consider the other ways and methods of assessing the progress of labour without recourse to routine vaginal examinations. Therefore, facilitating a wider, more holistic approach to clinical care.

Iron deficiency poses significant risks to pregnant women worldwide, impacting both maternal health and the wellbeing of newborns. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2023, approximately 40% of children aged 6–59 months, 37% of pregnant women, and 30% of women aged 15–49 years are affected by anaemia globally. Whether pre-existing or developing during pregnancy, childbirth, or the postnatal period, iron deficiency and anaemia require careful attention. This course, will help you to understand the physiological mechanisms of iron absorption, explore the challenges faced by women and families in adhering to routine iron supplementation, and discuss strategies to overcome these obstacles. Additionally, we will provide supportive practice considerations aligned with national and global recommendations, empowering you with the knowledge and tools needed to promote maternal health and ensure the well-being of both mothers and newborns. New for 2024.

The Better Births report (NHS, 2016) emphasises collaboration with service users, indicating that involving women, families, and birthing people in the maternity services leads to safer, more personalised, and effective care (Sandall et al, 2016). While this approach is applicable worldwide, not all healthcare systems enable active user feedback in maternity care. Feedback and involvement can occur during perinatal care meetings like clinics, home visits, specialist listening services or groups. The mini course showcases a UK example, the maternity voices partnerships, illustrating how service users contribute to creating a safe and quality maternity service. New Course 2023.

Central to respectful, humanised care is the active recognition of women’s bodily autonomy. This means that women have the only and final say on what happens to their body. In the UK, we have strong legislation that supports women’s human rights in childbirth. Fundamental to these rights is the application of meaningful consent in all aspects of our care, this includes respecting women’s decisions should they decline recommendations of care. This study sheet will offer direct guidance regarding consent, and while a UK focused paper it can be applied to other contexts.