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The "What will people think?" syndrome

The “what will people think” syndrome popped up yesterday, during the second day of the Nottingham workshop. In a punitive environment, or one where there is very little mutual support from colleagues or management, midwives will no doubt worry about what will happen if they step outside the accepted practices or try something different. This kind of climate saps confidence and undermines autonomy and should be stamped out by midwifery managers, who are responsible for the overall philosophy of a maternity unit.

The only real barriers for trying new approaches, using innovative ideas and experimenting, are in people’s minds. In maternity care, where meeting the needs of pregnant and labouring women should be the central aim, midwives have the opportunity to work with a degree of freedom that offers excitement and enviable possibilities for professional development. As long as a midwife practices with good intent, safely and with the full permission of the woman, she is protected by law and should receive the support of her superiors. She must be able to justify what she does and provide evidence for her actions, but at the end of the day, she is primarily responsible to the women for whom she is caring.

Midwives gain valuable experience when women ask for something different, or labour in ways that appear to step outside the boundaries of current practice. This is the way to learn about the many variations ion the birth theme, and to discover the mysteries and strengths of women’s bodies.

When midwives shy away from supporting women, when they back the protocols and policies at the expense of women’s needs, they not only let the women down but they undermine their own positions and professionalism. Who cares “what others think”? It is the woman who matters most, and keeping her birth normal and supporting her physiological needs is a midwife’s primary goal. When colleagues snigger and finger point, when others make snide remarks and sarcastic comments, it is their inflexibility, lack of imagination and basic humanity that is being exposed. Women will support a midwife’s efforts in improving her birth experience, and this is the place to look for the most valuable rewards.

Posted by andrea at June 17, 2004 06:43 PM

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