Midwives balance daily between respecting the autonomy of birthing women and ensuring medical safety. This is according to new research by anthropologist Giulia Sinatti of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and colleagues, published in SSM - Qualitative Research in Health. The study sheds light on the emotional labour performed by midwives - an essential but often invisible part of their work that has a direct impact on both women's birthing experience and the well-being of the caregivers themselves.
The ethnographic field study, conducted in collaboration with midwifery scientists Ank de Jonge and Corine Verhoeven, shows that midwives must constantly switch between woman-centred care and risk assessment protocols. This 'watchful attendance' - a form of continuous, alert presence - requires a high degree of emotional involvement, judgment and empathy.
The study uses the concept of 'emotional labour' as a lens to better understand the profession of midwives. Midwives who can use their emotions sincerely ('deep acting') contribute to a positive birthing experience. But when they have to suppress emotions to meet professional expectations ('surface acting'), this can lead to stress and reduced quality of care.
The researchers therefore argue for more attention in education and policy to this emotional dimension of birth care. As Dutch birth care increasingly moves towards integrated models in which primary and secondary care work together, an understanding of midwives' daily practice is of great importance.
The study also highlights the importance of interdisciplinary research: the article was co-authored with students from the Professional Anthropology Track of the Master's programme in Anthropology, who actively contributed to the fieldwork. Sinatti: "This is a great example of how educational innovation and practice-based research can go hand in hand."