Oxford Handbook of Midwifery

Sarah Stables qualified as a Registered Adult Nurse in 2002 and a Midwife in 2004 at the University of Sheffield. She began her career in A&E at Sheffield Northern General Hospital before joining Barnsley NHS Foundation Trust as a rotational midwife, later managing the Antenatal Ward and Day Unit. While completing a Master's in Midwifery, she lectured at Sheffield Hallam University and contributed as an editor to the 3rd edition of the Oxford Handbook of Midwifery. She returned to Barnsley as a Consultant Midwife and later Matron for Maternity and Gynaecology. In 2021 she joined The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust as Deputy Head of Midwifery and became Head of Midwifery and Nursing in 2025.Susan Battersby practised as a midwife in both hospital and community settings in England and the Middle East, gaining broad insight into complex midwifery issues. Recently retired as an Independent Researcher and Infant Feeding Consultant, she previously lectured in Midwifery at Sheffield University. Her PhD explored midwives' experiences of breastfeeding, and she has researched both breastfeeding and formula feeding. Susan has published and spoken widely on Infant Feeding, served as a WHO Consultant delivering a workshop in Kazakhstan, and contributed to the NICE Topic Advisory Group for Breastfeeding Peer Support and the Sheffield Infant Feeding Forum. Her work informed the NICE Maternal and Child Nutrition Programme's paper on the cost-effectiveness of breastfeeding support.Sarah Petty is currently the Head of Nursing and Midwifery, Family Health Division at the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, UK.Alison Morrison qualified as a midwife in 2009 and has worked at various NHS Trusts within South Yorkshire and Derbyshire and she currently works at The Rotherham Foundation NHS Trust as a Specialist Midwife caring for vulnerable women. Prior to this she obtained a BSc in Psychology. During her midwifery career Alison has also worked at the WHO Headquarters in Geneva in the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Department as well as completing a European Masters in Midwifery with Hannover Medical School in Germany. Alison has worked on research projects at Sheffield Hallam University and was part of a team of midwives at Sheffield University who developed their Masters in Midwifery program. She occasionally works at the University of Sheffield as a guest lecturer. Alison also developed and ran a birth trauma service for 3 ½ years.Verity Gough qualified as a midwife in 2008 and has worked at various NHS Trusts within South Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire and she currently works at The Rotherham Foundation NHS Trust as a Matron for Maternity Acute Services. During her midwifery career she has worked as a rotational clinical midwife, a Clinical Education midwife and a Lead Midwife of the Ante/Postnatal Ward. In 2024 Verity completed her MSc in Healthcare Leadership as part of the NHS Leadership Academy's Elizabeth Garrett Anderson programme. She leads an inspirational team of midwives, maternity support workers and ward clerks that strive to give outstanding care to the women and families they serve in South Yorkshire.