Introduction

Abstract

Beyond this there is much that needs to be done in midwifery research and the subsequent development of midwifery concepts and theory. There is little time to do this, for the majority of midwives are now vastly limited in their practice by the nature of their setting. But midwifery researchers drawing upon the knowledge of those midwives who still retain a degree of autonomy in their practice could feed much of value into midwifery education, as well as raising our consciousness by showing us the nature of our own practice. (Kirkham, 1989, p. 136)