The Social Meaning of Midwifery (Book).

Abstract

Many books exist illustrating the power structure of the medical professional, which is male gendered, and its significance for women within this. No study has so far tackled the relationship between women as child birth professionals and women as mothers. The attitude of the midwife towards the labour ward and how the mother is marginalised by the managerial role taken on by the midwife towards the production process (childbirth) and the object of production (child) is the main focus of this book. The stream of feminist orientation, which is said to run through a section of the midwifery profession, is examined. Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- PART 1: THE SITE OF THE LABOUR PROCESS -- PART 2: THE MANAGEMENT OF LABOUR -- PART 3: ETHNOGRAPHY: TREATING THE FAMILIAR AS STRANGE -- PART 4: SOME ASPECTS OF LABOUR WARD CULTURE -- PART 5: ALL IN A DAY'S WORK -- PART 6: ORGANISATION AND CONTROL -- PART 7: SHIFTS AND HANDOVERS -- PART 8: REFLECTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS -- References -- Index.