Midwifery: Preparation for Practice focuses on placing the woman and midwife at the center of care, in line with the philosophy, education and practice standards set by the Australian College of Midwives and the New Zealand College of Midwives. It reflects the socio-political contexts in which students in the two countries practice. * Develops and supports competent and confident midwives who are able to make professional judgments — in partnership with women — on their own authority. * Chapter features include: chapter overviews, learning outcomes, key terms, clinical interest boxes, reflective and critical thinking questions, context-specific boxes, research and critical appraisal activities, diagrams and illustrations, summary boxes and questions for review, references, further reading lists and online resources. * Emphasizes a woman-centered approach, which emphasizes the normal process that is childbirth without unnecessary intervention. This approach differentiates the text from all others currently available. * Utilizes a midwife-centered approach — identifying the full scope of midwifery practice, while acknowledging that the current working context may either support or limit the individual midwife’s ability to practice with that philosophy.