Paper short abstract:

This paper will explore how feminist activist ethnography is used within midwifery education to enable sudent midwives to prepare for professional life and critically review the realities of practice through the narratives of women who have recently given birth.

Paper long abstract:

We have used feminist activist ethnography as a framework for student midwives to explore women's birth narratives and identify issues that arise in contemporary childbirth in Scotland.

By positioning women at the heart of the students experiences a space is created for students to explore their own working practices and developing professional identities as they prepare to qualify as midwives.

The paper looks at how a close relationship between the pregnancy and parenting charity and the university has had a positive impact on the midwifery curriculum. We will discuss how student midwives are encouraged to critically reflect on key themes within women's childbirth experiences and how this fosters a re examination of their own midwifery belief systems. As a result of this collaborative approach students are able to express their findings through a range of creative mediums that provide both reflexive and reflective opportunities.