Table 5 Descriptive characteristics of the anecdotal literature
Author Year/Location | Title | Number of births | Mode of birth | Place of birth | Maternity care provider | Experience with maternity provider(s) | Overall birth experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Berkley 2002 (UK) [33] | A midwife's reflection on a homebirth: thoughts of a midwife becoming a mother | 1 | NVB | Home | Homebirth midwives | Positive | Positive |
Burlow 1999 (UK – Scotland) [34] | A midwife to myself | 1 | NVB | Home | Community midwives (Hospital midwives)a | Negative | Traumatic |
Constable 2011 (UK) [35] | Switching off the ‘Midwife’ | 1 | NVB | Home | Homebirth midwife (also a friend) | Positive | Not stated |
Cooke 2010 (location unknown) [36] | A better midwife? | 1 | NVB | Hospital | Hospital midwives | Not stated | Positive |
Duggan 1997 (UK -England) [37] | Professional: How will it change your practice? | 1 | NVB | Home | Midwife friends | Positive | Positive |
Hinsliff 2010 (location unknown) [38] | Torn in two: birth decisions after a third degree tear | 2 | NVB (unplanned). Planned elective caesarean birth | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Positive |
Elective caesarean | Hospital | Hospital midwives and private obstetrician | Positive | Positive | |||
Jennings 2005 (UK) [39] | Midwife as mother, midwife as client | 1 | NVB | Home | Homebirth midwives | Positive | Positive |
Knapp 2013 (CAN) [40] | Rebirth | 2b | NVB (VBAC) | Home | Homebirth midwives | Positive | Positive |
Lee-Ribas 2008 (USA) [41] | Face to Face: A Midwife’s Birth Story | 1 | NVB | Home | Homebirth midwives | Negative | Traumatic |
Moes 2004 (USA) [42] | Giving birth: A Midwife’s Faith in Birth is Reborn | 1 | NVB | Home | Homebirth midwives (also her friends) | Positive | Positive |
Neiger 2004 (UK) [43] | Choices and Changes | 1 | NVB | Home | Independent homebirth midwives | Positive | Positive |
South 2016 (UK) [44] | Birthing Instincts or a Midwife’s Intuition? | 1 | NVB | Home | Homebirth midwives (also her friends) | Positive | Positive |
Tennant 1982 (location unknown) [45] | Never the Same Again | 1 | Not stated | Hospital | Hospital midwives | Not stated | Positive |
Wilde 2004 (location unknown) [46] | Only Connect | 2 | NVB | Home | Homebirth midwives | Positive | Positive |
NVB | Hospital | Hospital | Negative | Neutral | |||