Navigating grief Pedagogy in Midwifery: Insights from interviews with clinical midwifery educators

To explore Australian Clinical Midwifery Educators' perceptions of the barriers and enablers to facilitating midwifery students' clinical learning experiences in perinatal loss and grief care.

A qualitative descriptive design was used. Ten Clinical Midwifery Educators participated in semi-structured Zoom interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Seven themes emerged, five barriers and two enablers. Barriers included the low prioritisation of perinatal loss education, protective attitudes toward students and women, the emotional and practical challenges of teaching this sensitive topic, and the impact of busy clinical environments. Enablers included students' emotional readiness and the role of universities as safe spaces to initiate learning and discussion. These findings highlight the complexity of preparing students for perinatal grief care and the need for systemic educational reform.

Graduating midwifery students often lack the knowledge, skills, and confidence to provide evidence-informed, woman-centred care in the context of perinatal loss and grief. Limited clinical exposure contributes to this gap, leaving students underprepared for emotionally complex care situations. Midwifery students require structured, supported exposure to perinatal loss care to build emotional resilience and clinical competence. A shift in mindset is needed to balance protection with preparation. Strengthening university curricula, enhancing collaboration with clinical settings, and prioritising mental preparedness are essential. Future research should examine the impact of pre-registration exposure on graduate midwives' readiness to provide bereavement care.