Staff profiles
Dr Nadine Edwards
Research interests
- developing an understanding about the uses and limitations of postmodernism in feminist theory and practice
- contributing to the dialogue between sociology, midwifery and other disciplines, to expand midwifery's understanding about its place in a technological, post industrial society, and why midwifery knowledge and practice challenges current dominant ideology
- how women define their own meanings of birth within a technocratic society, and both accept and resist dominant ideology and practices
- how developing relationships between women and midwives might increase women's and midwives' autonomy in childbearing
- expanding knowledge and skills around birth and birth practices based on the experiences of women and midwives - knowledge about emotional and spiritual aspects of birth, and
- developing low tech approaches that work with the birth process as far as possible, when complications occur
- exploring women's views in birth research, to support diversity, based on individual ethical stances
- exploring the legal, ethical and moral issues implicated in the development of medical practices and technological tools, and their use in/on women's bodies
- compiling and sharing accessible, woman-centred information based on sound research arising from a wide range of sources
- developing a more nuanced understanding of risk and safety
Current research
- public participation and democracy through women's experiences of being on Maternity Services Liaison Committees - this includes defining participation and the broad difference between participation as a consumerist practice, and participation as a means toward greater democracy
- the experiences of different groups of women who do not engage with, or disengage from maternity services during childbearing
Research collaborations
Dr Faye E Thompson, Principal Research Fellow, School of Nursing Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia.
Research project on reporting and non reporting of mistakes and perceived unethical behavior and the impact of this on the individual midwife/mental health nurse.
Main role: User perspective
Dr Jane Sandall, Professor of Midwifery and Women's Health, Health and Social Care Research Division, King's College, Waterloo Bridge Wing, 150 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH.
Research project entitled 'Supporting women to have a normal birth: Developing and field testing of a training package for maternity staff'
Main responsibility: User engagement
Research outputs: key publications since 2001
Books and book sections
Edwards NP (2005) Birthing Autonomy: Women's Experiences of Planning Home Births. Routledge
Edwards NP and Murphy Lawless J (2006) The Instability of Risk: Women's Perspectives on Risk and Safety in Birth. In A Symon (ed) Risk and Choice in Maternity Care. Elsevier pp34-49
Edwards NP and Leap (2006) The Politics of Involving Women in Decision Making. In RMcCandlish and L Page (eds) The New Midwifery: Science and Sensitivity in Practice. Elsevier pp 97-123
Edwards NP (2006) Women, Midwives and Information. In S Wickham (ed) Appraising Research Into Childbirth An Interactive Workbook. Elsevier pp 27-42
Ewards NP (2004) Why Can't Women Just Say No? In M Kirkham (ed) Informed Choice in Maternity Care. Palgrave 1-29
Papers in press
N Edwards (2007) The Transparent NHS? AIMS Quarterley Journal 18(4) pp 16-20
Articles
Edwards N (2006) Promoting public participation: MSLC Workshops in Doncaster The Practising Midwife
Edwards N (2005) Promoting public participation: MSLC workshops. AIMS Journal 17(2):16-7
Edwards N (2005) Is public participation working for women? New Generation 33
Edwards, N (2004) Protection - regulations and standards: enabling or disabling? Part 1. Midwives 7(3) 116-119
Edwards, N (2004) Protection - regulations and standards: enabling ordisabling? Part 2. Midwives 7(4) 160-163
Edwards, N (2003) Birthing Environments. Midwifery Matters No 99 17-21
Edwards, N (2003) The choice is yours - or is it? AIMS Quarterly Journal, 15(3)
Edwards, NP (2001) Delivering Your Placenta: The Third Stage of Labour. Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services, 5 Ann's Court, Grove Road, Surbiton, Kent KT6
Editorials and other reports
Edwards NP (forthcoming) The Experience of public Participation on Maternity Services Liaison Committees
Edwards N (2006) Home Birth: Why are we still struggling? AIMS Quarterly Journal
Edwards, N (2005) Report on Public Participation and MSLC Workshops in Doncaster. University of Sheffield/Doncaster Health Action Zone. Available from nadine@nadineedwards.org.uk
Conference abstracts
Industrialised, Institutionalised Emotion Work: The Impact on Women'. A Labour of Love? Emotion Work and Reproduction Conference, University of Huddersfield September 2005
'Safety and Choice'. La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia, August 2005
'Some Women's Views on Safety and Risk'. Midwifery Practice Across the Globe, University of Technology Sydney, Australia, August 2005
'Home Birth Women in Technocracy: Their Views on Safety and Risk'. Dealing with Difference, Darwin, Australia, July 2005
'Safety and Risk: Women's Perspectives'. International Conference, Wellington, New Zealand, July 2005
'Women Recounting Home Birth: Narratives of Control'. Normal Labour and Birth: 3rd Research Conference, Grange over Sands, 2004
'Why the Birth Environment Matters'. A Birth Centre for Essex Initiative, Danbury Conference Centre, Essex, May 2003
'Ethics of Choice: Women and Decision-Making'. Organising, Enabling, Empowerment and the Evidence: Strategies for Moving the Maternity Services Forward, Study Day for Midwives, Derby Maternity Hospital, March 2003
'How do Current Definitions of Choice Fit with Women's Ethics and Decision-Making'. Home Birth: A Realistic Possibility'. Joint meeting of the Forum on Maternity and the Newborn of the Royal Society of Medicine, Royal College of Midwives and Association of Community-Based Maternity Care, London, November 2002
