Author Description

This book brings together aspects of psychological theory that are relevant and useful for midwifery practice. An understanding of such psychological theory helps students to develop their professional practice and gain a fuller understanding both of themselves and of the people that they interact with in their day-to-day work. This book is divided into two sections. The first part discusses topics that are particularly relevant to the practice of the midwife; the focus being on the midwife gaining a fuller understanding of the psychology of the environment in which she works and of her own psychological responses to this. In the second part of the book the focus shifts to the mother/baby dyad with the chapters following a logical sequence beginning with pregnancy through to the postnatal period. Issues of loss and bereavement are also dealt with in this second section.