Midwifery and the Transition to Parenthood

Abstract

The book explores contemporary issues relating to parenthood and midwifery. It aims to bridge a gap in literature, by highlighting the close and unique relationships that midwives, nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals have with women and men during the transition to parenthood. Midwives work in close contact with and address the diverse needs of women and men during one of the most critical life transitions including its long-term implications on the physical, psychosocial, emotional, cultural, economic and spiritual well-being of parents and infants. We are all unique, so is the response to parenthood. The chapters draw on explicit and implicit situations women, men and families face as they live through the transition. Each chapter focuses on a particular situation such as the changing relationships between the partners and the unborn child during pregnancy, challenge of preparing for parenthood, perinatal mental health and well-being, issues of infertility, surrogacy, challenges of preterm birth, adolescent’s parenthood, drug and alcohol misuse, violence and abuse, migrants, motherhood, fatherhood, diversity of family formation, breastfeeding and spirituality. The birth of a child irreversibly confers parenthood, which marks women’s and men’s lives positively and/or negatively during this significant and developmental phase of an individual’s life. Midwives and other health professionals strive to enhance the health and well-being of mothers, fathers and families; hence, they are the catalysts in supporting women and men to develop confidence and competence to adapt or adopt a realistic perspective of transitioning to parenthood.