current phrase of choice.
Failure / Failed
Women were eager to talk about how phrases like “failure to advance” might add to emotions of defeat and trauma during the Re: Birth initiative. “slow labor” or “delayed progress in labor” is preferable nowadays.
The same reasoning holds true for phrases like “failed induction” or “failed homebirth.” Both “induction of labor, with delay, and then surgical delivery” and “transfer in during scheduled homebirth” are favored according to the circumstances.
Words like “good girl” or “you are permitted/not allowed to” that have implications of guilt or infantilize pregnant women should also be avoided. Poor maternal effort and denial are two such phrases.
The midwife’s job is to give women agency and respect their right to choose how they are cared for throughout pregnancy and childbirth, two times in life when they are most vulnerable.
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Nursing & Midwifery Council’s Standards Of Proficiency For Midwives
According to the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s criteria of excellence for midwives, midwives must offer care for all pregnant women and newborns. Midwives provide security on several levels, including the physical, mental, social, cultural, and spiritual. As a result, it’s quite evident that psychological care is prioritized, and it’s also clear that language has a major influence on how people feel.
The language used by healthcare providers is an important aspect of patient care. There is a tight relationship between physical safety, good results, and future experiences that promote psychological safety and well-being; what we say matters.