Australian, Irish, and Swedish women's comfort levels when breastfeeding in public.

Background: Despite a flux of global initiatives to increase and sustain breastfeeding rates, challenges persist. The decision to commence and sustain breastfeeding is influenced by multiple, complex factors. Feelings of social embarrassment, shame, fear of judgement, and lack of confidence when breastfeeding in public, compound women's decisions to breastfeed and may result in formula feeding or early cessation of breastfeeding.

Women's perceptions of factors needed to encourage a culture of public breastfeeding: a cross-sectional study in Sweden, Ireland and Australia.

Background: Breastfeeding in the public sphere is known to be experienced as a problem for many women. It has been shown to arouse negative feelings among the public, depending on the attitude of those in the immediate surroundings. This contributes to the fact that many women hesitate to breastfeed in public and prepare themselves for potential adverse comments.

E-professionalism and social media use amongst nurses and midwives: A cross-sectional study.

Aim: To describe nurses' and midwives' social media use, knowledge, attitudes and information needs, in the context of e-professionalism. A secondary aim was to identify any relationship between these variables and age, or professional role.

Background: Midwives and nurses are viewed by the public as trusted professionals.

Impact of a Face-To-Face Versus Smartphone App Versus Combined Breastfeeding Intervention Targeting Fathers: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Despite the recognized health and economic benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, few Australian infants are exclusively breastfed beyond 5 months of age. Social support for breastfeeding, in particular the support of an infant's father, has been identified as a crucial element for successful breastfeeding.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of various father-focused breastfeeding interventions in terms of key infant feeding outcomes.

Spontaneous vaginal birth following induction with intravenous oxytocin: Three oxytocic regimes to minimise blood loss post birth.

Background: No evidence was identified in relation to the downward titration/cessation of intravenous oxytocin post spontaneous vaginal birth, in the absence of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH); suggesting clinicians' management is based on personal preference in the absence of evidence.

Aim: To determine the proportion of induced women with a spontaneous vaginal birth and PPH, when intravenous oxytocin was utilised intrapartum and ceased 15, 30 or 60minutes post birth.

Methods: This three armed pilot randomised controlled trial, was undertaken on the Birth Suite of an Australian tertiary obstetric hospital.

Women's experiences with breastfeeding in public: An integrative review.

Background: Much evidence around public breastfeeding does not reflect experiences of the key stakeholder, the breastfeeding woman, and focuses upon the audience. Selective evidence has explored breastfeeding experiences revealing challenges with public breastfeeding as a serendipitous finding. Although women's experiences have been explored in specific contexts, insight into commonalities reflective of an international perspective is unknown.

Helpful and challenging aspects of breastfeeding in public for women living in Australia, Ireland and Sweden: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Breastfeeding in public continues to be contentious with qualitative evidence confirming that women face many challenges. It is therefore important to gain understanding of not only the challenges but also what women perceive is helpful to breastfeed in public.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with women living in Australia, Ireland or Sweden currently breastfeeding or having breastfed within the previous 2 years.

Gaining insight into the supportive care needs of women experiencing gynaecological cancer: A qualitative study.

Aim And Objectives: To gain insight into the supportive care needs of Western Australian women experiencing gynaecological cancer.

Background: Meeting the supportive care needs of people living with cancer is becoming increasingly important as advances in cancer treatment contribute to growing numbers of survivors. International evidence suggests between 24%-56% of women with gynaecological cancer have unmet supportive care needs and that psychological challenges, information provision and holistic care are priorities.

The practice reality of ward based midwifery care: An exploration of aspirations and restrictions.

Background: This paper reports on research that explores the experience of the ward based midwife, as research suggests workplace balance is problematic.

Aim: To explore the processes and practices around ward based clinical engagement and its impact in an Australian public tertiary obstetric unit.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was undertaken.

Midwives' perceptions of women's mobile phone use and impact on care in birth suite.

Background: Women's use of mobile phones while in birth suite has been recognised as a common occurrence. However, no evidence has been reported around midwives' perceptions of how women's mobile phone use impacts midwifery care in birth suite.

Objective: To explore midwives' perceptions of women's mobile phone use and impact on care in the labour and birth environment.

Process evaluation of a peer-led antenatal breastfeeding class for fathers: perceptions of facilitators and participants.

Background: The Parent Infant Feeding Initiative (PIFI) was a factorial, randomised controlled trial that aimed to prolong exclusive breastfeeding by targeting expecting fathers. One of the intervention strategies evaluated was a father-focused breastfeeding class facilitated by a male peer facilitator. The aim of this mixed-methods descriptive study was to 1) evaluate the feedback provided from participants of the class and 2) explore the motivations and experiences of volunteer male peer facilitators trained to deliver the class.

Women's mobile phone use in birth suite: A West Australian perspective.

Research investigating childbearing women's use of digital technology focuses on pregnancy and parenting, with none examining usage during labour. We explored the importance of having a mobile phone and how it was used in birth suite. This cohort study utilised women on a postnatal ward.

The supportive care needs of women experiencing gynaecological cancer: a Western Australian cross-sectional study.

Background: Women diagnosed with gynaecological cancer experience supportive care needs that require care provision to reduce the impact on their lives. International evidence suggests supportive care needs of women with gynaecological cancer are not being met and provision of holistic care is a priority area for action. Knowledge on gynaecological cancer supportive care needs is limited, specifically comparison of needs and cancer gynaecological subtype.

Midwives' experience of their education, knowledge and practice around immersion in water for labour or birth.

Background: There is limited research examining midwives' education, knowledge and practice around immersion in water for labour or birth. Our aim was to address this gap in evidence and build knowledge around this important topic.

Methods: This mixed method study was performed in two phases, between August and December 2016, in the birth centre of a tertiary public maternity hospital in Western Australia.

Exploring young pregnant smokers' experiences with a self-nominated non-smoking buddy.

Introduction: psychosocial interventions can increase the proportion of women who stop smoking in pregnancy. There is limited research exploring self-nominated, non-smoking buddy support, to assist young pregnant smokers to quit.

Methods: this qualitative descriptive study was embedded within a randomised controlled study assisting young (16 to 24 years) pregnant smokers to quit.

Obstetric and neonatal outcomes for women intending to use immersion in water for labour and birth in Western Australia (2015-2016): A retrospective audit of clinical outcomes.

Background: Research supports water immersion for labour if women are healthy, with no obstetric or medical risk factors.

Aims: To evaluate the obstetric and neonatal outcomes of women intending to use immersion in water for labour or birth.

Methods: Retrospective audit of clinical outcomes for women intending to labour or birth in water conducted between July 2015 and June 2016, at a tertiary maternity hospital in Western Australia.

The perceptions and experiences of women who achieved and did not achieve a waterbirth.

Background: There is a gap in knowledge and understanding relating to the experiences of women exposed to the opportunity of waterbirth. Our aim was to explore the perceptions and experiences of women who achieved or did not achieve their planned waterbirth.

Methods: An exploratory design using critical incident techniques was conducted between December 2015 and July 2016, in the birth centre of the tertiary public maternity hospital in Western Australia.

Nurses' perceptions of providing psychosexual care for women experiencing gynaecological cancer.

Purpose: To gain insight into how Western Australian nurses conceptualise the provision of psychosexual care for women undergoing gynaecological cancer treatment and how this aligns with nurses globally.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was chosen to facilitate insight into nurses' perspectives of their reality. Seventeen nurses working at a tertiary women's hospital in Western Australia participated in one-on-one interviews and were asked to describe their perceptions and identify factors that facilitate or challenge psychosexual care provision.

Preference for cesarean section in young nulligravid women in eight OECD countries and implications for reproductive health education.

Background: Efforts to reduce unnecessary Cesarean sections (CS) in high and middle income countries have focused on changing hospital cultures and policies, care provider attitudes and behaviors, and increasing women's knowledge about the benefits of vaginal birth. These strategies have been largely ineffective. Despite evidence that women have well-developed preferences for mode of delivery prior to conceiving their first child, few studies and no interventions have targeted the next generation of maternity care consumers.

Sexual health and sexual trauma in women with severe mental illness: An exploratory survey of Western Australian community mental health services.

Australian women attending community mental health services were surveyed to determine the relationship between sexual trauma, sexual activity, and sexual health seeking behaviors. Self-reported history of "forced sex" was 58.4% (n = 122 out of 220).

Trends in seasonal influenza vaccine uptake during pregnancy in Western Australia: Implications for midwives.

Background: Antenatal influenza vaccination is an important public health intervention for preventing serious illness in mothers and newborns, yet uptake remains low.

Aim: To evaluate trends in seasonal influenza vaccine coverage and identify determinants for vaccination among pregnant women in Western Australia.

Methods: We conducted an annual telephone survey in a random sample of post-partum women who delivered a baby in Western Australia between 2012 and 2014.

Australian, Irish and Swedish women's perceptions of what assisted them to breastfeed for six months: exploratory design using critical incident technique.

Background: Breastfeeding initiation rates in some developed countries are high (98 % in Sweden and 96 % in Australia) whereas in others, they are not as favourable (46 % to 55 % in Ireland). Although the World Health Organization recommends exclusively breastfeeding for six months, 15 % of Australian women, 11 % of Swedish women and less than 7 % of Irish women achieve this goal. Awareness of what women in different countries perceive as essential breastfeeding support is a gap in our knowledge.

Titration of intravenous synthetic oxytocin post vaginal birth following induction or augmentation.

Evidence exists for titration of intravenous oxytocin during induction and augmentation, whereas no evidence was identified for titration of intravenous oxytocin following vaginal birth, where management excluded oxytocin for postpartum haemorrhage (PPH). This retrospective cohort study explored this issue through patient case notes and computerised perinatal data. Analysis included 335 women comparing induction (n = 226, 67%) to augmentation (n = 109, 33%).

Association between childbirth attitudes and fear on birth preferences of a future generation of Australian parents.

Background: The reality of childbirth fear is recognised for expectant parents but we lack knowledge about the childbirth attitudes of the next generation of Australian parents.

Aim: Examination of adults' attitudes toward childbirth including influencing contributing factors, fear scores, birth preferences and reasons for this preference.

Methods: A cross-sectional online study was conducted with 654 Western Australian students attending one tertiary institution.

An overview of the first 'no exit' midwifery group practice in a tertiary maternity hospital in Western Australia: Outcomes, satisfaction and perceptions of care.

Background: Midwifery group practice (MGP) is a care model offered by a primary midwife in a small team. Evidence confirms MGP is acceptable to women, safe and cost effective.

Methods: We aimed to provide a systematic overview of the first 'no exit' MGP in a Western Australian (WA) tertiary maternity hospital, using a mixed methods approach, involving four phases.