Midwifery

Royal College of Nursing (2019) Nurses in maternity care: RCN report, London: RCN.

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Nursing and Midwifery Council (2019) Future midwife, London: NMC.

• Future midwife
• Standards of proficiency for midwives
• Standards for pre-registration midwifery programmes

Royal College of Nursing (2020) RCN nursing education in termination of pregnancy services, London: RCN.

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Royal College of Midwives (2016) The RCM standards for midwifery services in the UK, London: RCM.

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Royal College of Nursing (2016) Genital examination in women: a resource for skills development and assessment (3rd edition), London: RCN.

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Royal College of Nursing (2017) Clinical nurse specialist in early pregnancy care, London: RCN.

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Royal College of Nursing (2019) RCN guidance conscientious objection (termination of pregnancy) (2019), London: RCN.

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Royal College of Nursing (2017) Domestic abuse pocket guide, London: RCN. 

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Royal College of Nursing (2017) Termination of pregnancy, London: RCN. 

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Royal College of Nursing (2019) Female genital mutilation. An RCN resource for nursing and midwifery practice (4th edn), London: RCN.

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Royal College of Nursing (2016) Female genital mutilation: RCN guidance for sexual health care, London: RCN. 

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Royal College of Nursing (2017) Modern slavery pocket guide, London: RCN.

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Royal College of Nursing (2016) Formula feeds: RCN guidance for nurses caring for infants and mothers (3rd edition), London: RCN.

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Nursing and Midwifery Council (no date) Standards for competence for registered midwives, London: NMC.

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Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018) The Code: professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates, London: NMC.

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Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists: Guidelines

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NICE Evidence: search for pregnancy and childbirth guidance

• Please check that guidance is applicable for your country.
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The Cochrane Library: Browse by topic.

• Systematic reviews from the Cochrane Library. Topics include pregnancy and childbirth.
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We would like to thank the RCN Midwifery member community for their input into the development of this subject guide.

Boyle M (2016) Emergencies around childbirth: a handbook for midwives, Boca Raton: CRC Press.

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Davy L and Houghton D (2013) The midwife’s pocket formulary (3rd edition), Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.

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Fleming V and Mander R (2014) Becoming a midwife (2nd edition), Abingdon: Routledge.

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Hunter A, Schott J, Henley A and Kohner N (2016) Pregnancy loss and the death of a baby: guidelines for professionals (4th edition), Coventry: Tantamount.

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Johnson R and Taylor W (2016) Skills for midwifery practice, Edinburgh: Elsevier.

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Kenny L and Myers, J (2016) Obstetrics by ten teachers, Boca Raton: CRC Press.

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Lomax A (2015) Examination of the newborn: an evidence-based guide (2nd edition), Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley Blackwell.

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Lumsden H and Holmes D (2010) Care of the newborn by ten teachers, London: Hodder Arnold.

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MacDonald S and MacGill-Cuerden J (2017) Mayes’ midwifery (15th edition), London: Balliere Tindall.

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Marshall J and Raynow D (2010) Advancing skills in midwifery practice, Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.

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Marshall J (2014) Myles textbook for midwives (16th edition), Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.

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Narayan H (2016) Compendium for the antenatal care of high-risk pregnancies, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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Peate I and Hamilton C (editors) (2013) The student's guide to becoming a midwife, Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

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Wilks J (2015) Choices in pregnancy and childbirth : a guide to options for health professionals, midwives and holistic practitioners, London: Singing Dragon.

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Use these links to see details of books the RCN libraries hold on each topic.

• Antenatal care
• Neonatal care
• Postnatal care
• Pregnancy
• Reproductive health

Use these links for details of journal articles on each topic.

• Antenatal care
• Antenatal and postnatal depression
• Contraception
• Family planning
• Neonatal care
• Pain relief in labour
• Postnatal care
• Pre-conception care
• Prenatal screening

Journals of interest for midwifery. Use these links to see details of availability.

• BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• British Journal of Midwifery
• Evidence based midwifery
• Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing (JOGNN)
• MIDIRS Midwifery Digest
• More midwifery journals

Maternity and Infant Care

• Search for online journal articles and print references on midwifery, pregnancy, labour and early infant care.
  Open Maternity and Infant Care

Leap N (2013) The midwife’s tale: an oral history from handywoman to professional midwife, Great Britain: Scarlet Press.

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McIntosh T (2012) A social history of maternity and childbirth: key themes in maternity care, London: Routledge.

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Worth J (2008) Call the midwife, Great Britain: Orion Publishing.

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Our Permanent Collection consists of nursing specific core items and rare items. It is viewable by appointment at the RCN Library and Heritage Centre. Here is a small selection of items from our collection.

Pritchard E (1934) The new-born baby a manual for the use of midwives and maternity nurses, London: Henry Kimton.

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Radcliffe W (1967) Milestones in midwifery, Bristol: John Wright

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Robinson H (1916) The midwives pronouncing dictionary of obstetrical and gynaecological terms, London: Scientific Press.

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Nursing Record/British Journal of Nursing (1888-1956)

• Digitised journal available online.
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The RCN Archive contains many references to midwifery within the personal papers collections. One of the most significant midwifery collections in our archive is that of midwifery tutor Gertrude Baker. Mrs Baker collected material for a museum of midwifery, the papers of which have been donated to the RCN. These include research and career information of not only Mrs Baker, but many individual midwives who gave her their own collections towards her work, including certificates, badges and photographs. For more details search the Archive catalogue for RefNo C502.

• RCN Archive catalogue
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