This new edition of a highly regarded classic midwifery text encourages critical thinking about the art and science of midwifery. Promoting the idea that thinking directly affects practice, it offers a clear explanation of the concepts, theories and models that shape effective evidence-informed care for women. A host of expert contributors join best-selling author Rosamund Bryar in this extensively updated and reworked edited collection, which: * captures the expansion of midwifery research that has tested and developed the field's traditional theory base * highlights the value of theory from other disciplines - from psychology to ergonomic design * incorporates the professional experience of theorists from across the world. With engaging end-of-chapter activities, this insightful book challenges you to reconsider the knowledge at the heart of your own midwifery practice. It is the essential text on midwifery's growing theoretical framework for students and practitioners alike.