Case-loading midwifery in New Zealand: Bridging the normal/abnormal divide 'with woman'

Objectives: To explore the way that case-loading midwives in New Zealand construct midwifery (and in so doing, the concepts of woman and childbirth). This paper illuminates the fundamental features of this construction (continuity and woman-centred care) and discusses this with regard to the role of midwives vis-à-vis normal/abnormal birth.

Design: Semi-structured interviews and official publications constituted the ‘text’ which was analysed using a poststructural approach that was informed by theorists Foucault, Grosz and Braidotti.

Participants and setting 48 case-loading midwives practising throughout New Zealand participated in this study. These included facility-employed and self-employed midwives and those from rural and urban settings.

Findings: Many midwives follow women through their maternity experience providing continuity of care regardless of whether the experience is considered ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’.

Key conclusions: Continuity and woman-centred care are fundamental features of the construction of midwifery in New Zealand.

Implications for practice: A focus on the midwifery concept of ‘with woman’ can bridge the divide between the polarising concepts ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ and enable a more fluid and dynamic reading of midwifery.