Essential Midwifery Practice
Postnatal Care
Chapter One
The History of Postnatal Care,
National and International
Perspectives
Sally Marchant
The Princess was composed after her delivery, and, though of course
much exhausted, every hope was entertained of her doing well.
A little after twelve a change was observed in Her Royal Highness.
Her quiet left her - she was restless and uneasy, and the medical
attendants felt alarmed. From half-past twelve restlessness and convulsions
increased, till nature and life were quite exhausted, and Her
Royal Highness expired at half-past two this morning.
(Jones 1885)
Introduction
The history behind the role of midwives and their sphere of practice has
already been comprehensively described in a number of publications
(Schnorrenberg 1981; Donnison 1988; van Teijlingen 2004). These texts
describe how the attendance of the midwife, particularly to a woman
in labour, has often been undertaken within a framework of con ... read full excerpt from Essential Midwifery Practice: Postnatal Care ebook
