Presentation Information

Bodies Are Not Machines: Practical Tools for Individualised Maternity Care

• Speaker: Leah Hazard , BA, MDra, PgDip
• Presentation Type:
• Duration: 75 Mins
• Credits:

Abstract:

As maternity care has evolved from patriarchal systems, the birthing body has been viewed in increasingly mechanistic, industrialised terms. This perspective continues to shape everything from the language we use, to the time frames we impose on the birth process, to our understanding of the psychosocial dimensions of maternity care, often in ways that go unexamined, even within person-centred models of care.
This presentation invites practitioners to look more closely at the historical roots of these inherited frameworks and consider how they may still influence contemporary practice, including our own. Together, we will explore the subtle ways that bias and embedded norms can shape clinical decision-making and interactions with families.
Building on this critical lens, the session will offer a practical toolkit to deepen and strengthen person-centred care, supporting midwives to move beyond intention and toward more reflective, nuanced, and truly individualized practice.