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Journal Vol. 36, No. 3 — A Matter of Trust

ISSN 2516-5852 (Online)

Editorial - Trust and responsibility: Going with the flow
Alex Smith considers the relationship between uncertainty, trust and responsibility, proposing the practice of truly consensual care as a form of birth activism - for parents and professionals alike.

Trust in maternity care – Going, going, gone?
Mary Nolan explores the issue of trust within maternity care and shares her very deep concerns about the relationship between mothers and midwives.

Trusting myself in birth
Salli Ward recalls a time when everyone knew and trusted the village midwife, and wonders if a time will come when we see a complete loss of trust in women’s bodies to give birth to their babies?

An invitation to contemplate the meaning of trust
Bernadett Kasza asks, If women are not supposed to trust their bodies, who can they trust?

Exploring trust within the midwife-mother relationship
​​​​​​​Dr. Marie Lewis reflects on the journey of trust within the midwife-mother relationship, highlighting its significance in modern maternity services and advocating for its continued cultivation and prioritisation.

An interview with Dr Malika M. Bonapace, D.Psy
​​​​​​​Alex Smith interviews Dr Malika M. Bonapace about her work with health professionals and her mission to teach the world to trust in birth.

I trust we can change
Claire Dunn walked out of her first placement as a student nurse when she witnessed the shocking lack of care afforded to women in labour, but still holds out hope that things can change.

A review of: European Association of Perinatal Medicine (EAPM), European Board and College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (EBCOG), European Midwives Association (EMA). Joint position statement: Substandard and disrespectful care in labour – because words matter
​​​​​​​Gemma McKenzie challenges yet another attempt by health care practitioners to silence women and their use of the term ‘obstetric violence’.

Getting on my soapbox on the theme of trust: what’s in a name, and do you trust your local NHS Trust?
Jo Dagustun reflects on whether the word ‘trust’ in relation to ‘NHS trusts’ is simply a way to seduce us into believing exactly what they want us to believe about their organisation.

Revisiting pregnancy and birth through an autistic lens
​​​​​​​Sarah Fisher looks back on her journeys to motherhood with new autistic insight, reflecting on the importance of having trust in herself and her care providers.

We always have a choice, no matter how much we are made to feel otherwise.
​​​​​​​Rachel Wolfe bitterly regrets her unquestioning obedience of the midwives and doctors when she gave birth to her first baby. In this article she explains why she wished she had trusted herself.

Black Trust Within Maternity
​​​​​​​Mars Lord gives an impassioned account of the disparities for Black bodied women in maternity care.

The physiology of Trust
​​​​​​​Kath Revell explores the physiology of trust in relation to the physiology of birth.

Two poems
​​​​​​​Two poems about trust.

Get out there and conference!
​​​​​​​Jo Dagustun is on a mission to see lay people become ever more effective advocates for improvement by attending birth conferences.

Issues of trust led to me becoming a volunteer for AIMS
​​​​​​​Ryan Jones' stalwart trust in the medical profession was betrayed again and again throughout his wife’s pregnancy and birth. It was an experience that led him to volunteer for AIMS.

Why be an AIMS member?
​​​​​​​On behalf of the AIMS Management Team, Nadia Higson explains why you might consider becoming an AIMS member.

AIMS is concerned about the accessibility of CQC local maternity service ratings: should you be too?
AIMS calls on all birth activists to help their local community - and improve national practice - by investigating the accessibility of the Care Quality Commission (CQC)’s rating for your local maternity services.

Continuity Matters - Women’s Voices
​​​​​​​As the new model of midwifery care rolls out in Northern Ireland, one mother describes how it benefitted her.

AIMS Physiology-Informed Maternity Services (PIMS) - September 2024
​​​​​​​Read about the first three PIMS case studies which the PIMS team put together for the British Intrapartum Care Society (BICS) Conference last year.

What has the AIMS Campaigns Team been up to this quarter?
The AIMS Campaigns team updates us about their recent activities.

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