Using historical research to make sense of our past, our present and our future. 3. Finding and using historical...

This article is the third of a series of four pieces looking at the use of historical research to explore midwifery. It considers the practicalities of finding and using historical sources, and at some of the ethical implications involved. Midwifery sources can be hard to track down as they range from catalogued collections to papers stored in shoe boxes under peoples' beds. Oral history can be a powerful way of capturing stories and memories that were never written down. Care needs to taken in using sources sensitively, particularly when they involve people who are still alive.