Yatdjuligin Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nursing and Midwifery Care

This chapter discusses midwifery practices in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in urban and regional areas. It begins by considering the challenges Indigenous women face when they experience maternity care in mainstream healthcare settings, and the importance of providing and receiving culturally safe maternity care. Traditional birthing practices used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women prior to colonisation are discussed. The chapter provides an overview of maternal and neonatal health today by considering statistics related to the health of Indigenous mothers and infants, fertility rates and gestational issues Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women may face, along with recent improvements in antenatal care and infant health outcomes. Current birthing practices are discussed, before Indigenous-led models of care are presented as ways to provide culturally safe care to pregnant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. The chapter considers the role of Indigenous nurses and midwives in contributing to better maternal outcomes for Indigenous women and their babies, and provides concrete ways in which all nurses and midwives can provide culturally safe care.