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The midwife as healer.

R A Garratt1

  • 1De Montfort University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Scraptoft, Leicester, UK. rgarratt@dmu.ac.uk

Complementary Therapies in Nursing & Midwifery
|February 22, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Midwives are reclaiming their historical role as healers by integrating complementary therapies and spirituality. This shift moves away from the medical model towards holistic, women-centered care, emphasizing the mother-midwife relationship.

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Area of Science:

  • History of Medicine
  • Sociology of Health
  • Midwifery Studies

Background:

  • Historically, midwives were integral community healers, a role diminished by medieval witch hunts and the rise of scientific rationality.
  • Traditional women's knowledge, including healing practices, was suppressed and largely forgotten.
  • Contemporary midwifery is witnessing a resurgence of interest in holistic and alternative approaches to care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the re-emergence of the midwife as a healer.
  • To examine how midwives are integrating alternative knowledge and practices.
  • To understand the shift from a purely medical model to a more holistic, women-centered approach.

Main Methods:

  • Exploration of historical trends in midwifery and healing practices.
  • Analysis of current trends in midwifery, focusing on the adoption of alternative knowledge.
  • Identification of key areas where midwives are re-embracing the healer role.

Main Results:

  • Midwives are actively exploring complementary therapies and spiritual practices.
  • There is a discernible rejection of the purely medical model of maternity care.
  • The mother-midwife relationship is being re-examined within a holistic framework.

Conclusions:

  • Midwives are beginning to re-embrace their historical role as healers.
  • The integration of complementary therapies, spirituality, and a focus on the mother-midwife relationship signifies a move towards enhanced, women-centered care.
  • This evolution represents a significant shift in contemporary midwifery practice.

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