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Universal Midwifery Care: Postnatal - HEA00078C

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  • Department: Health Sciences
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: C
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2023-24 to Summer Semester 2023-24

Module aims

Note: This document uses the word 'women’ throughout. This should be taken to include people who do not identify as women but are pregnant or who have given birth.

  • Develop a rigorous, evidence based understanding of universal midwifery care for women and families during the postnatal period.

  • Evaluate the midwife’s role providing universal care for women and families within the postnatal period, including:

    • public health, health promotion and health protection

    • assessment, screening and care planning

    • optimising normal physiological processes

    • working to promote positive outcomes and prevent complications.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate a rigorous, evidence based understanding of universal midwifery care for women and families during the postnatal period.

  2. Evaluate the midwife’s role providing universal care for women and their families within the postnatal period, with a focus on:

    • public health, health promotion and health protection

    • assessment, screening and care planning

    • on optimising normal physiological processes

    • working to promote positive outcomes and prevent complications.

  3. Evaluate evidence-based knowledge aligned to the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) topics mapped to this module.

Module content

Content includes: anatomy and physiology of relevant body systems for women and newborn infants, including normal changes during uncomplicated postnatal period & optimisation of normal physiological processes; contemporary universal midwifery care for the postnatal period (knowledge, clinical skills (including simulation); full systematic physical examination of the newborn infant in line with local and national evidence-based protocols; role of the midwife within UK maternity care); the midwife’s role in postnatal assessment, screening and care planning; public health, health promotion and health protection; supporting and promoting individual needs; introduction to contraception sexual and reproductive health; parent/infant attachment; full systematic examination of the newborn; themes within UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) University Standards mapped to this module including understanding and supporting infant feeding and the development of close and loving relationships; essay planning and writing skills.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

Non-compensatable

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

Written feedback for the summative assessment is provided on the standard proforma, within the timescale specified in the programme handbook.

Indicative reading

Baston, H. and Durward, H. (2016) Examination of the newborn: a practical guide. (3rd ed). Taylor & Francis

Baston, H. and Hall, J. (2017). Midwifery essentials volume 4 - postnatal. (2nd ed). Edinburgh: Elsevier

Brown, A. (2021). Breastfeeding uncovered: who really decides how we feed our babies (revised and updated). London: Pinter & Martin.

Public Health England. (2021). Newborn and infant feeding physical examination (NIPE) screening programme handbook. [Online]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/newborn-and-infant-physical-examination-programme-handbook/newborn-and-infant-physical-examination-screening-programme-handbook [Accessed 11 March].

HM Government. (2021). The best start for life: A vision for the 1,001 critical days (The early years development Review Report). [Online]. Available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/973112/The_best_start_for_life_a_vision_for_the_1_001_critical_days.pdf [ Accessed 11 March 2022].

Jawadwala, R. (2020). Why pregnancy and postnatal exercise matter. London: Pinter & Martin.

Jones, T. (Ed). (2019). The student’s guide to the newborn infant physical examination. Abingdon: Routledge.

Lomax, A. (Ed). (2021). Examination of the newborn an evidence-based guide. (3rd ed). Chichester: Wiley Blackwell.

Marshall, J. and Raynor, M. (eds) (2020) Myles' textbook for midwives. (17th ed). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.

Messager, S. (2020). Why postnatal recovery matters. London: Pinter & Martin.

Moberg, K. U. (2019). Why oxytocin matters. London: Pinter & Martin.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE]. (2021). Postnatal care. NICE guideline [NG194]. [Online] Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng194 [Accessed 11 March 2022].

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. (RCOG). (2017). Better for women. [Online]. Available at: https://www.rcog.org.uk/better-for-women [Accessed 11 March 2022].

UNICEF UK. (2022). The Baby Friendly Initiative. [Online] Available at: https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/ [Accessed 11 March 2022].


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.