text: AOSIS OpenJournalshttp://email@example.com://www.curationis.org.za0379-85772223-6279Mothers' expectations of midwives' care during labour in a public hospital in Gauteng Background: Mothers develop expectations regarding midwives' care during labour and when these are not met mothers become dissatisfied and eventually have negative experiences of their labour. It is only when mothers' voices are heard by midwives in the labour ward that efficient and quality care will be provided. To ensure mothers have a positive experience of labour, midwives should include mothers' expectations when caring for them. Objective: The purpose of the study on which this article is based was to determine mothers' expectations of midwives' care during labour. To achieve this purpose the researcher sought to explore and describe mothers' expectations of midwives' care during labour in a specific public hospital in Gauteng. Method: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual study design was used. Face-to-face, in-depth individual interviews were conducted with mothers about their expectations of midwives' care during labour. Data were then analysed with an open descriptive method of coding (Tesch's eight steps) that is appropriate for qualitative research to identify categories. The data was also analysed by an independent coder. The categories were subsequently placed within a holistic health promotive nursing theory that encompasses body, mind and spirit. Results: The findings revealed the provision of comfort and support as the two main aspects that the mothers expected from the midwives' care. The mothers expected midwives to improve their communication skills with them (mothers) as well as with fathers or partners if they were available. The mothers expected midwives to facilitate bonding between mother, father and baby, and also encouraged the midwives to improve their (midwives') knowledge, skills and morale. Conclusion: The results of this study should assist midwives in providing holistic quality care to mothers during labour, thus providing satisfaction and positive experiences of the mothers' labour.Malmsey Sengane1 1Nursing Science Department, University of Limpopo, South Africa Malmsey Sengane firstname.lastname@example.com PO Box 142, Pretoria 0204, South Africa 26 Sept. 201224 June 201315 Aug. 2013Sengane, M., 2013, 'Mothers' expectations of midwives' care during labour in a public hospital in Gauteng', Curationis 36(1), Art. #320, 9 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/curationis.v36i1.320 © 2013.The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS OpenJournals. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.Introduction Pregnant mothers wait in anticipation for nine months, with a variety of thoughts and emotions, eagerly expecting the uncomplicated births of healthy babies. However, pregnant mothers also fear that the pain of giving birth will be unbearable or that something will go wrong. All women seem to develop expectations of childbirth but the kinds of expectations vary (Lowdermilk & Perry 2006:402). The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that worldwide, as many as 1500 women die every day due to complications related to pregnancy or childbirth. Similarly, 10 000 babies die per day within the first month of life and an equal number of babies are born dead. More than 90% of these deaths occur in developing countries, most of them in Africa (Republic of South Africa, National Department of Health 2012:6) In addition, maternal deaths cause one million children to become motherless annually (D'Ambruoso, Abbey & Hussein 2005:1) A woman's expectations arise from her social conditioning: her education, including prenatal education programmes, her own birth experience and the influence of authority figures like her doctor. Other expectations arise from stories her friends and relatives have told her, films, television programmes, books and magazines. The information that she has received contributes to her beliefs about child-bearing and what she expects to happen when she gives birth (Highsmith 2006:141).Women also differ in their expectations of relationships with midwives (Hunter 2006:310). For some women, knowing the midwife and establishing a bond with her is important, whereas for others, the most important aspect is feeling confident in the skills and ability of the midwife (Lowdermilk & Perry 2006:426). From the women's expectations, personal relationships appear to be valued over role-based relationships. For example, mothers feel valued when the midwives provide them with the expected and needed care during labour. Some women view midwives as friends, with the relationship characterised by mutuality and intimacy (Nicholls & Webb 2006:415). According to the Scottish Government Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (2010:22), midwives play a central role in ensuring that women have a safe and life-enhancing experience based on their expectations during their maternity care and that their babies and families have the best possible start in life. Midwives are autonomous professionals whose unique and specialist contribution affects the whole population: each of us at the time of birth, the great majority of people who become parents and the half of these who become mothers. Women and their families expect a service that provides clear communication and explanations, effective teamwork, a safe, caring environment and continuity of care. A midwife's role is to ensure that these expectations are understood and met (Scottish Government Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety 2010:22). There is growing awareness that a person's individual beliefs, expectations, attitudes, perceptions and thoughts not only have an influence on how mothers feel and behave but directly influence the reality they experience (Fenwick et al. 2005:30). The lack of a birth plan, a communication document that is uniquely designed according to the mother's needs and expectations, may lead to unfulfilling experiences (Fraser, Cooper & Nolte 2010:451). These authors echo Maputle and Nolte's (2008:5) view that midwives' inability to give information and clear explanations to mothers during labour may lead to feelings of disappointment which may later generate negative experiences. If mothers are not given adequate information, they may not be able to communicate with their physicians and midwives or be willing or able to ask questions (Hunter 2006:320). Not allowing the fathers or partners to provide support to the mothers during labour may prevent bonding from occurring between them and the baby. According to Lowdermilk and Perry (2006:426), fathers are valuable in providing support, encouragement and reassurance to the mothers during labour. This article explores and describes mothers' expectations of midwives' care during labour. Face-to-face, in-depth individual interviews were conducted to investigate mothers' expectations of midwives' care during labour. Problem statement Hunter (2006:310) states that a woman–midwife relationship should be a partnership based on equality, shared responsibility, empowerment, continuity of care giving, individual negotiation and informed choice and consent. Henderson and Macdonald (2004:433) agree with this view by stating that the relationship between the mother and the midwife is ideally a partnership ethos requiring the involvement of the mother and her partner in decision making whereby the mother is able to voice her needs, expectations and wishes freely. They further indicate that the midwife should strive to build a relationship of mutual trust and create an environment in which expectations, wishes, fears and anxieties can be discussed, based on good communication resulting from a two-way interaction between equals. Barker et al. (2005:315) reported accounts of mothers feelings of little control that were related to inadequate information provision, poor communication and lack of opportunity to influence decision making, including negative attitudes and behaviours of maternity staff that were linked to mothers' negative feelings such as fear, anger, disappointment, stress, guilt and inadequacy. Mothers going through labour and childbirth must receive individualised holistic care to meet their unique needs and expectations because they experience stress and physical pain, hence, midwives as skilled attendants should provide an environment which allows mothers to go through childbirth with dignity by providing adequate and relevant information that allows the mother to make relevant informed decisions (WHO 2003: 35). According to Maputle and Nolte (2008:56), once mothers seek midwifery care during childbirth, they are expected to follow set standards, midwifery protocols and procedures that do not always manifest the experiences, needs, expectations and priorities of mothers during childbirth. Furthermore, Modiba (2012:19) explains that where care is appropriately organized, and midwives hold interpersonal, clinical skills and knowledge, care is more likely to be positive. If care is fragmented, oriented to technology, protocols and standards rather than human relationship, where midwives do not have professional autonomy and the culture of care is institutionalized, even if they hold the best skills, attitudes and knowledge, the midwives will not be able to do their best in support of the mothers and their families. From the above stated problem statement the following research question arose: what are the mothers' expectations of midwives care during labour? Purpose and objective of the study The purpose of the study was to determine mothers' expectations of midwives' care during labour in a public hospital in Gauteng. To achieve this purpose, the researcher sought to explore and describe mothers' expectations of midwives' care during labour. Significance of the study This study may ensure that, in order to improve practice, midwives' care must be based on evidence of what mothers expect of midwives care during labour. The study may inform midwives' care that could be rendered to the pregnant mothers during labour. Provision of care to be rendered may be individualised, based on mothers' expectations; thus enhancing the quality of care that is rendered to mothers during labour. Paradigmatic perspective The study focused on the promotion of health of the individual, family, group and community, using the Theory for Health Promotion in Nursing (THPN) (University of Johannesburg 2006:2). This theory is specifically applicable in the realm of midwifery practice as the mother is viewed holistically in interaction with her environment. The midwife as a sensitive, therapeutic professional facilitates the promotion of health through the mobilisation of resources. The meta-theoretical assumptions of the THPN (University of Johannesburg 2006:2) are: unconditional acceptance of people and respect for human rights; sensitivity towards cultures through empathy and caring; realizing and facilitating virtues such as honesty, commitment, trustworthiness, acceptance of responsibility and accountability, courage and perseverance, and promoting co-operation and empowerment by being consumer friendly and helpful through availability and accessibility. Operational definitions For the purpose of this study, the following concepts were used as defined below: Mother refers to a female parent of a child or offspring (Allen 2006:903). The mother in this study refers to a pregnant individual who was in labour at a specific hospital in the Gauteng province. Expectation refers to the hopeful anticipation of a desired event (Allen 2006:487). In this study expectation referred to the mothers' anticipation of midwives' care during labour. Midwife refers to a person who has been admitted to a midwifery educational programme, duly recognised in the country in which it is located, who has successfully completed the prescribed course of studies in midwifery, and who has acquired the requisite qualifications to be registered and/or legally licensed to practise midwifery (International Confederation of Midwives' Council Meeting 2005:1). Care refers to those assistive, supportive, helping, facilitated, professional, moral and culturally accepted actions rendered to the individual, family or group, whilst feeling concern or interest, providing protection and showing attention to the one being cared for; through a competent and interactive therapeutic caring relationship (Msolomba 2007:207). Labour refers to the act of giving birth to a child. It is characterised by regular and rhythmic uterine contractions and the gradual dilatation and effacement of the cervix. The first stage lasts until there is full dilatation of the cervical os, the second stage lasts until the baby has been delivered and the third stage implies the delivery of the placenta and membranes (Brooker 2006:136). The fourth stage refers to the period after delivery of the placenta up to one hour post-delivery (Dippenaar & Da Serra 2012:316) In this study labour occurred when the mother had reached term, that is 36–40 weeks of pregnancy, and commenced when the cervix was 3 cm dilated until 10 cm dilatation; it included the first, second and third stages up to the end of the fourth stage of labour. Research approach and methods The study was quantitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature. A qualitative approach was used in order to gain insight into mothers' expectations of midwives care during labour through discovering meanings they attach to these expectations (Burns & Grove 2005:52). The study was also contextual since validity of the findings is claimed only in the labour ward of a specific public hospital in Gauteng where the study was conducted (Minnie, Klopper & Van der Walt 2008:52). Setting The study was conducted at a specific public hospital based in the Gauteng province. This is a third level academic hospital that provides specialised service to a semi-rural nearby community. It also serves as a referral hospital for other level one hospitals and clinics that are nearby. Study population Polit and Beck (2012:738) define a research population as an aggregate of all the individuals or objects to be studied with some common defining characteristics. In this study the population entailed all mothers' who delivered in the labour ward under the care of midwives and were then transferred to the postnatal ward of a specific public hospital in Gauteng. The mothers were recruited from the postnatal ward because for the first two hours after delivery (fourth stage of labour) they need adequate rest and time to bond with their new born babies. The mothers also need to be closely observed by midwives (to exclude complications such as postpartum bleeding). Those who agreed to participate were willing to be interviewed on day one of their postnatal period (the day following delivery). This date was convenient for the mothers because those who deliver normally without any complications are usually discharged on day one or two following their delivery day. Sampling Purposive sampling was used to ensure that a specific representation of the entire population was selected (Polit & Beck 2008:338). No predetermined number of participants was specified. In order to be included in the study, the mothers could be of any age and the pregnancy must have reached term; the mothers must have been observed for more than four hours in the labour ward because this would give adequate time to experience care provided by the midwives. For ethical reasons of not inducing further trauma through the interviews, only mothers who had delivered normally and their babies were alive were included. Mothers must have given informed consent to participate in the study. Pilot study De Vos et al. (2011:237) define a pilot study as a procedure for testing and validating an instrument by administering it to a small group of participants from the intended test population. Two face-to-face, in-depth individual interviews were held with mothers who were chosen from the population, but were not included in the main study. The researcher conducted a pilot study to determine whether the central question and the instrument used elicited the information being sought. The results yielded the intended information; hence the central question was not changed. The findings from the pilot study were not included in the main findings. Data collection Data was collected in a suitable environment for the mother identified by the hospital management whilst babies were cared for in the nursery. Face-to-face, in-depth individual interviews were conducted in English because all the participants were able and willing to speak English and one central question was asked: Please tell me, in detail, what are your expectations of midwives' care during labour? A tape recorder was placed strategically to capture dialogue between researcher (moderator) and the participants. Each interview lasted for 45 min to 1 h. The researcher conducted follow-up interviews with the mothers during their six week postnatal visit to verify whether the results were a true reflection of their verbalised expectations. Data analysis Data analysis was done by the researcher concurrently with data collection using Tesch's eight steps (Creswell 2009:186). Data was collected until no new data emerged and saturation was reached. The data was also analysed by an independent coder, who then met with the researcher to discuss and reach consensus on the identified categories and subcategories. Trustworthiness Lincoln and Guba's model (De Vos et al. 2007:345–347) was used to maintain trustworthiness of the study. The following criteria for trustworthiness were applied in this study: credibility, transferability, consistency, neutrality. Credibility was enhanced by implementation of the following strategies: Member checking. Follow-up interviews were held with the participants for validation of the data. Peer examination. The study was supervised by an expert in research methods and midwifery. The data was also analysed by an independent coder experienced in qualitative research methods and midwifery. Transferability was enhanced by giving a thick description whereby the researcher gave in-depth discussion of the research methodology and the findings. Consistency was ensured by using a peer examination strategy, as well as by doing stepwise replication in which the researcher was under the guidance and supervision of the mentor throughout the study. A dependability audit was ensured by the involvement of an experienced researcher (supervisor) in qualitative methods, who followed the progression of the study to analyse and evaluate decisions made, as well as to determine whether comparable conclusions could be reached given the same data and research context. The researcher's authority was established by analysing the characteristics that enabled her to conduct the research efficiently. The researcher has a master's and doctoral degree in Midwifery and Neonatal Nursing, has developed investigative skills, literature review experience and interviewing skills as well as experience in qualitative research methods. Neutrality entails freedom from bias in the research procedure and findings. It also refers to the degree to which the findings are the product of the focus of the inquiry and not of the biases of the researcher (Babbie & Mouton 2011:278). The researcher held discussions on the collected data with the participants. In some stages of the research project, discussions were also held with the supervisor and an independent coder. The researcher made use of reflective thinking by putting aside her own speculations, feelings, problems, ideas, prejudices and impressions when analysing the data. Ethical considerations Permission to conduct the study was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee at the University of Johannesburg Faculty of Education and Nursing Science and the management of the hospital where the study was conducted. Informed consent was obtained from the participants before data collection commenced but first the researcher explained the purpose and objectives of the study in detail. The participants were informed that they could withdraw from the study at any time without fear of being victimised. Confidentiality was maintained throughout the study by not attaching names to the collected data but using codes. The participants were also assured that the tapes that contained the interview information would be erased after transcription of the interviews. The researcher treated the participants with respect by asking questions about their personal views sensitively and they were assured that they would not be exposed to harm or exploitation (Polit & Hungler 2001:76). The participants were informed that they would not be remunerated for participating and that the results of the study may be published. The researcher provided the participants with her contact details should they have any questions about the study. Findings and discussion Discussion of the findings includes responses from the mothers in the study. Tesch's eight steps (Creswell 2009:186) were used to identify categories that were named according to the most descriptive word for that category. These categories were then positioned within the universal categories of THPN (University of Johannesburg 2009:2–13), which was used as a theoretical framework to guide this study that comprises body, mind and spirit. Body Regarding the participants' physical well-being, the participants indicated that they desired comfort and a pleasant environment. During admission there was a need for the midwives to give the mothers prompt attention, welcome them warmly and orientate them to the labour ward. Midwives were required to show them a bed to lie on or offer them a chair to sit on before asking them questions and examining them physically. Two of the participants said: 'Firstly, I would expect them to welcome me with a smile and ask me what I am there for and what my problems are.' (Participant 4, mother, teacher, 27 years) 'I expect basic things, like to be shown around … especially regarding things that I would use in the ward, where to look for help; that is, the basic orientation for starters'(Participant 5, mother, dressmaker, 33 years) Dippenaar and Da Serra (2012:334) justify the mothers' expectations by stating that the midwife should welcome the mother and give her a brief explanation of the activities which will take place to confirm whether she is in labour or not. They also point out that the mother should be seated in a comfortable chair, but if she is experiencing severe labour pains it may be necessary for her to lie on the admission couch. Privacy must be maintained all the time. Littleton and Engebretson (2005:507) concur with the mothers' expectations by stating that the midwife should introduce herself, ask the names of the mother and those accompanying her, and accompany them to the admission room. As the midwife helps the mother undress and get into a hospital gown, she also begins to develop rapport and establish the midwifery database. In referring to the mothers' expectations, Leifer (2005:99) agrees that the mother should be made comfortable, and recommends that if she wants to rest in bed, a side-lying or semi-fowler's position rather than a supine position is most comfortable and avoids supine hypotensive syndrome. Fraser et al. (2006:424) explain that the initial examination of the mother should be preceded by taking history regarding her labour, including when labour started, whether the membranes had ruptured and the frequency and strength of contractions. Her temperature and pulse must also be monitored.The participants expected the midwives to do a needs assessment based on the mothers' emotional status, social problems, knowledge about labour and perception of pregnancy. In reporting on the assessment of the mother during labour, Dippenaar and Da Serra (2012:218) state that monitoring the progress of labour requires more than assessment of the cervical dilatation and uterine contractions. Midwives should give weight to other skills such as abdominal palpation and knowledge of women's changing behaviour. Fraser et al. (2006:434) agree with the mothers' expectations by stating that the midwife has a traditional and professional role to fulfil: of clinical assessment of the progress of labour and the physical status of the mother and baby.During the first stage, the participants expected midwives to provide them with comforting measures such as rubbing their backs and abdomens, assisting them to assume a comfortable position, giving them pain relieving medications, holding their hands, offering them something to drink and then preparing them for delivery. Two of the participants commented as follows: 'I want to say that massage does help there. I think if there is somebody there just to rub your tummy or back or even touch you that would ease off the strength of the pain.' (Participant 4, mother, teacher, 27 years). I would expect the midwife to assist me in whatever way to endure this pain and if possible, let them give me a pain relieving injection (Participant 2, mother, cashier, 28 years). Adams and Bianchi (2008:109) emphasise that touch conveys an attitude of caring and encourages comfort. However, a pat on the hand or shoulder may be acceptable to some but not to others. Nurses must consider the client's personal space and cultural background when determining appropriate touch during labour. Holding the mother's hand, stroking her hair or similar actions convey caring, comfort, affirmation, and reassurance at this vulnerable time. Adams and Bianchi (2008:109) also endorse the expectations of mothers in this study by stating that massage, as a form of touch, relaxes muscles and increases blood flow and enhances the release of endorphins, promoting comfort whilst decreasing pain. The Multicultural Perinatal Network (2007:1) contends that massage can be soothing and relaxing to the back, shoulders and legs. They also recommend that a body lotion may be used for massaging the mother. Romano and Lothian (2008:100) point out that maternal positions that are consistent with the anatomic principles (such as squatting or kneeling positions to enlarge the pelvis) are generally safe and acceptable to women. This idea is supported by the Multicultural Perinatal Network (2007:1), who report that the mother may experience less pain in some positions than in others during labour. Labouring women tend to find upright positions, such as sitting, standing and walking, most comfortable. Many choose a lying down position as labour advances. Moving about during labour is usually more comfortable than staying still and helps labour to progress as a result of gravity and the changing shape of the pelvis. The Public Health Agency of Canada (2000:7) indicates that a policy of encouraging mobility, particularly in early labour, can potentially facilitate the progress of labour and increase comfort. Romano and Lothian (2008:98) support the mothers' expectations by stating that eating and drinking during labour provides essential nutrition and energy for the labouring woman. Labour is hard, active work that requires calories, not just hydration. In addition, labouring women preferred to eat and drink rather than fast. The Public Health Agency of Canada (2000: 15) agrees with this view by stating that although the practice of withholding food and fluid once labour has begun exists in many settings, it has become a concern. This practice is not supported in the literature partly because all labours are unique. Thus decisions must be made on an individual basis. During the second stage of labour, the participants expected the midwives to assist them by holding their legs so as to alleviate cramps and to cut episiotomies professionally. One participant made the following comment: 'Maybe say, for instance you are cut in your private part or a stitch, I think it must be done professionally, so that I must not suffer the pain later after giving birth whilst I am at home.' (Participant 1, mother, student, 23 years) Henderson and Macdonald (2004:497) point out that it is not uncommon for the woman to complain of leg cramps, particularly if she is tensing her muscles during bearing down efforts and utilising the common practice of pulling her knees to her chest. This may be relieved by massage and by extending the leg and dorsiflexing the foot – that is, bending it upwards. With regard to comfort during the third and fourth stages, the participants expressed the desire to be stitched professionally and to be given a bath and treatment for cleaning the wound. They expected the midwives to place extra pillows at their backs to facilitate good rest: 'I mean, washing me, dressing me up and giving me some hot tea or soup then putting me into a comfortable bed…' (Participant 3, mother, housewife, 31 years) 'They must constantly check on me, in terms of my physical condition.' (Participan 1, mother, student, 23 years) Fraser et al. (2006:487) state that midwives who have had instruction and have had supervised practice in suturing the perineum and are judged to be proficient may carry out the procedure in the case of an episiotomy or second-degree tear. It is kind to the mother to complete this aspect of care without undue delay and whilst the tissues are still anaesthetised. Similarly, the Scottish Government Public Health Agency of Canada (2000:12) argues that the practice of routine episiotomy should be abandoned. Olds et al. (2004:1026) explain that the midwife should teach the mother how to care for the episiotomy, since this promotes healing and reduces the incidence of infection. Johnson and Boyd-Davis (2003:615) state that after giving birth, the woman should be covered with a warm blanket, offered a warm drink if she is not nauseated from an analgesic, and assured that the occurrence is normal. This is usually enough to make the chills transient and will allow her to fall into a sound, much-needed sleep. Most women will then sleep for at least an hour. Most mothers appreciate being able either to wash or shower at this stage, which can do much to restore comfort and increase a sense of well-being (Fraser et al. 2010:466). These authors also suggest that simple comfort measures such as mothers will appreciate are being able to brush their teeth and apply lip balm or cream to alleviate dry mouth and sore lips, especially if inhalational analgesia has been used during labour. There is no evidence to suggest that restriction of food or fluids is necessary, thus a meal and fluids can be offered while the midwife completes her task, and the mother and her support person enjoy a little privacy with the new family member. De Kock and Van der Walt (2004:14–10) emphasise that the first hour after birth is a potentially dangerous period because of the possibility of haemorrhage. Continuous assessment of the uterus should be made to ensure that the uterus stays firmly contracted. If the uterus is boggy (atonic), the fundus should be massaged until it is firmly contracted. MindIn terms of the mind, the participants expected the midwives to support them by showing increased sensitivity, that is, not being harsh with them but rather consoling them. The participants' wished for the constant presence of the midwife. They expected the midwives to show interest, concern, advocacy, sympathy and empathy, and to give them emotional and moral support: 'They should not be harsh with me.' (Participant 5, mother, dressmaker, 33 years) In the study, the participants confirmed what D'Ambruoso et al. (2005:7) have emphasised, namely that women expect attending midwives to provide guidance and counselling. However, they indicated that providers expect women to know what to do at various stages during labour and delivery and that their lack of knowledge drew reprimands from some attending nurses and midwives. Some of the participants indicated that the nurses and midwives had shown a poor attitude towards them. Their behaviour had included rudeness, undeserved or inappropriate reprimands, shouting at women who were in labour, a lack of sympathy and empathy, refusal to assist, refusal to allow women in labour to touch or hold a midwife, threatening the women with poor outcomes if they did not comply with instructions, denying them service and showing a lack of moral support and encouragement. Similarly, Maputle and Nolte (2004:83) reported in their study that some mother participants had a firm conviction that midwives lacked comforting measures and emotional support skills. The mothers indicated that midwives had no sympathy and were unfriendly and that some scolded the mothers. In discussing mothers' expectations, Kneisl and Trigoboff (2009:37) maintain that genuine interest and concern provide the basis for a therapeutic alliance. The nurse conveys general interest and concern by trying to understand the client's perspective, working with the client on mutually formulated goals, and persisting even when breakthroughs and improvements are subtle and slow instead of dramatic and quick. Fraser et al. (2006:434) explain that emotional support is provided by exercising skill in imparting confidence, expressing caring and dependability as well as being an advocate for the childbearing woman if needed. The midwife should display a tolerant non-judgmental attitude, ensuring that the mother is accepted, whatever her reactions to labour may be. Similarly Kneisl and Trigoboff (2009:39) state that successful advocacy is a positive experience for nurses as well as for clients. Clients derive benefit, and nurses feel good about their ability to be agents of change. The mothers who participated in the study also expressed these views. Nicholls and Webb (2006:424) support Hunter's (2002:660) standpoint that nurses' presence includes portraying a high level of nursing skill, being open, honest, and non-judgmental with the client, listening intently to her needs and concerns, understanding the privilege of being part of the client's life, and the client's perception of the meaningfulness of the relationship with the nurse. They argue that being there for the woman and having good communication skills are the most important aspects of good midwifery care (Nicholls & Webb 2006:424). The participants emphasised the need for communication. They expected the midwives to explain their actions and findings, and to guide and encourage them on what to do, without shouting at them but reassuring them throughout labour: 'They should explain to you in simple terms because sometimes they say 'push' and you don't know what you are doing, and they shout at you meanwhile you don't understand what 'pushing' is all about. So 'pushing' should be taught and clearly explained so that nothing goes wrong during the delivery.' (Participant 1, mother, student, 23 years) In articulating their expectations, the participants were in agreement with Lowdermilk and Perry's (2006:426) claim that the midwife can alleviate a woman's anxiety by explaining unfamiliar terms, providing information and explanations without her having to ask, and preparing her for procedures that will follow. The midwife can provide support to the mother by helping her maintain control and participate to the extent she wishes in the birth of her infant and by acknowledging the mother's efforts, as well as those of her partner, during labour and providing positive reinforcement. This idea is supported by Fraser et al. (2006:435), who contend that midwives must provide support by giving information that ensures the mother understands events, feels free to ask questions and is aware of how labour is progressing. Littleton and Engebretson (2005:541) explain that it is important for support persons to help the mother cope by assuring the mother that all is going well, staying with her, and coaching, guiding, encouraging and reassuring her as required throughout the process of labour. The mother needs constant support during labour.The mothers who participated in the study said that they wished to be congratulated on the birth of the baby. They expected the midwives to instruct them on child care and do follow-up visits in the postnatal ward. One participant said: 'I expected them to continue as we started, to congratulate me for being brave and for giving birth to a healthy child.' (Participant, mother, cashier, 28 years) Fraser et al. (2006:434) assert that the support person must ensure that the mother understands every procedure and the results of every examination, that she is informed on the progress of her labour, and that she is praised for her efforts and encouraged to continue. Parent-newborn attachment is promoted by encouraging the family to be involved with the newborn, such as holding, feeding, and changing its napkins (Leifer 2005:161). Nearly every contact the nurse has with the parents presents an opportunity for teaching that can facilitate their competence in newborn care. The midwife should demonstrate procedures such as baby bathing and cord care to the parents. The mother should be assisted to latch the baby on the breast, especially if she is a primigravida. The participants expressed a need for the nursing profession to be transformed: 'We need an overhaul of the nursing profession. The fact that you are … assisting someone to give birth to a child, do the job just like it's a calling, not like somebody has forced you to do that. Look well after the mother.' (Participant 5, mother, dressmaker, 33 years) According to the Scottish Government Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (2010:33), midwives need to reclaim the core values of their profession and promote these with professional pride to lift the overall public perceptions of midwifery. This concurs with the views expressed by the participants in the study. Spirit In terms of the spirit, the participants expressed the following expectations: 'Allowing my husband to support me physically and emotionally is the best thing that could happen to me.' (Participant 4, mother, teacher, 27 years) 'They must bring my baby before I go to the other ward. I want to see it, cuddle it, and love it because I want to see my flesh and blood immediately and really feel that this is my baby.' (Participant 2, mother, cashier, 28 years) Lowdermilk and Perry (2006:428) point out that although a man other than the father may be the woman's partner, the father of the baby is usually the support person during labour. Often, he is able to provide the comfort measures and touch that the labouring woman needs. In addition, he is usually able to interpret the woman's needs and desires for staff members. Basavanthappa (2006:329) agrees with this view by stating that the father's presence at the birth can be a profound experience for the new parents and make them aware of parenthood as a mutually shared effort. The father's encouragement to sustain the pushing efforts is important. The partner remains at the mother's side, speaking directly into her ear, if needed. He will coach the mother to perform pushing techniques and praise her for her efforts. Luxner (2005:92) recommends that parents should be provided with an opportunity to see and touch the baby immediately after birth. If the baby needs resuscitation, parents should be allowed to see and touch the baby before it is transferred to the nursery. According to Romano and Lothian (2008:100), newborns held skin-to-skin by their mothers cry less and stay warmer than newborns placed in warming cribs. Skin-to-skin contact also exposes babies to their mother's normal bacteria, not the hospital germs, which lowers their risk of acquiring infections. The mothers expected the midwives to respect their cultural and religious beliefs. Their views echo Basavanthappa's (2006:313) standpoint that midwives should know and understand how culture mediates pain because they regularly care for mothers from a variety of cultural backgrounds. In similar vein, Kneisl and Trigoboff (2009:33) state that nurses are better able to meet their clients' socio-cultural needs when they acknowledge that culture and society influence their beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviour. Conclusion and recommendations In this study, the mothers' expectations were based on practical issues that are of interest in the maternity health care services. Some of the mothers' expectations in this study were not supported by findings from other studies conducted. All the literature sources used in this study were based on the mothers' expectations during labour and not on midwives' care. For example, in this study, the mothers expected the midwives to give them prompt attention, welcome them warmly, show them the bed, or offer them a chair before asking them questions and examining them physically. The participants also expressed a need for the nursing profession to be transformed. The study was aimed at determining mothers' expectations of midwives' care during labour as these expectations are central to the provision of quality holistic care by midwives. The findings of the study have shown that the mothers' expectations of midwives' care during labour are for the provision of physical comfort, emotional support, clear communication including good interpersonal skills, and encouragement of bonding between the mother, father and baby. The findings of this study confirm previous findings and contribute additional evidence that massage as a form of touch promotes physical comfort and that labouring women tend to find upright positions such as sitting, standing and walking most comfortable. Regarding the provision of emotional support, it was also found that being there for the mother and having good communication and interpersonal skills are the most important aspects of quality midwifery care. The findings of this study endorse previous studies and contribute evidence regarding bonding between mother, father and baby. It was also found that the father's presence at the birth can be a profound experience for the new parents and makes them aware of parenthood as a mutually shared effort and that newborns that are held skin-to-skin by their mothers cry less and stay warmer than newborns placed in warming cribs. Based on the information provided above, the researcher recommends that midwives should attend interpersonal skills workshops to enhance their communication skills with the mother and father or partner if he is available. The father or partner should be allowed in the labour ward and encouraged to provide comfort and support to the mother. It is further recommended that midwives should attend training regarding the 'Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative' that encourages bonding between the mother and baby immediately after delivery by implementing skin-to-skin attachment and early breastfeeding. One of the limitations of the study was the small sample size. Furthermore, the results cannot be generalised since the study was contextual in nature, only individual interviews were conducted and the study was only conducted amongst one racial group. When the midwives' care includes the mothers' expectations, quality holistic care is facilitated and the mothers' wait in anticipation for nine months is rewarded by positive experiences of her labour. Acknowledgements The author would like to express gratitude to the mothers who participated in this study and the outside reviewers of this article from the draft process until its finalisation. Competing interests The author declares that she has no financial or personal relationships which may have inappropriately influenced her in writing this article. Author's contributions M.S. (University of Limpopo) conducted the research, and drafted and revised the manuscript. 1. Adams, E.D. & Bianchi, A.L., 2008, 'A practical approach to labour support, Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing 37(1), 106–115. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2007.00213.x, PMid:18226164 2. Allen, R., 2006, The Penguin Complete English Dictionary, 5th edn., Penguin, London. 3. Babbie, L.E. & Mouton, J., 2011, The practice of social research, Oxford University Press, Cape Town. PMid:22005816 4. Barker, S.R., Precilla, Y.L., Henshaw, C.A. & Tree, J., 2005, '"I felt as though I'd been in jail": Women's experiences of maternity care in labour, delivery and the immediate postpartum', Journal of Feminism Psychology 15(3), 315–342. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0959-353505054718 5. Basavanthappa, B.T., 2006, Textbook of midwifery & reproductive health nursing, Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers, New Delhi. http://dx.doi.org/10.5005/jp/books/10924 6. Brooker, C., 2006, Dictionary of nursing, Churchill Livingstone, London. 7. Burns, N. & Grove, S.K., 2005, The practice of nursing research, Saunders Elsevier, St Louis. 8. Creswell, J.W., 2009, Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, Sage, Thousand Oaks. 9. D'Ambruoso, L.C., Abbey, M. & Hussein, J., 2005, '"Please understand when I cry out of pain": Women's accounts of maternity services during labour and delivery in Ghana', BMC Public Health 5(140): 1–20, viewed 17 July 2012, from http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/5/140/ 10. De Kock, J. & Van der Walt, C., 2004, Maternal and newborn care: A complete guide for midwives and other health professionals, Juta, Cape Town. PMCid:PMC1665332 11. De Vos, A.S., Strydom, H., Fouché, C.B. & Delport, C.S.L., 2007, Research at grassroots for the social sciences and human services professions, Van Schaik, Pretoria. 12. De Vos, A.S., Strydom, H., Fouché, C.B. & Delport, C.S.L., 2011, Research at grassroots for the social sciences and human services professions, 2nd edn., Van Schaik, Pretoria. 13. Dippenaar, J. & Da Serra, D., 2012, Sellers' midwifery, Juta, Cape Town. 14. Fenwick, J., Hauck, Y., Downie, J. & Butt, J., 2005, 'The childbirth expectations of a self-selected cohort of Western Australian women', Midwifery Journal 21(1), 23–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2004.07.001, PMid:15740814 15. Fraser, D.M., Cooper, M.A. & Nolte, A.G.W., 2006, Myles textbook for midwives, African edn., 2nd edn., Churchill Livingstone, London. 16. Henderson, C. & MacDonald, S., 2004, Mayes' midwifery: A textbook for midwives, Churchill Livingstone, London. 17. Highsmith, S., 2006, 'Primiparous' expectations of childbirth: The impact of consciousness', Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal and Psychology and Health 21(2): 141–178. 18. Hunter, B., 2006, 'The importance of reciprocity in relationships between community-based midwives and mothers', Midwifery Journal 22(4), 308–322. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2005.11.002, PMid:16616398 19. International Confederation of Midwives Council Meeting, 2005, Definition of the midwife, 19 July, Brisbane, Australia. 20. Johnson, J.Y. & Boyd-Davis, E., 2003, Pillitteri maternal and child health nursing: Care of the childbearing and childrearing family, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, New York. 21. Kneisl, C.R. & Trigoboff, E., 2009, Contemporary psychiatric-mental health nursing, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River. PMid:19825766 22. Leifer, G., 2005, Maternity nursing: An introductory text, Elsevier Schulte, St. Louis. PMCid:PMC2212963 23. Littleton, L.Y. & Engebretson, J.C., 2006, Maternity nursing care, Thomson Delmar Learning, New York. PMCid:PMC1751878 24. Lowdermilk, D.L. & Perry, T.E., 2006, Maternity nursing, Mosby Elsevier, New York. 25. Luxner, K.L., 2005, Delmar's maternal-infant: Nursing care plans, Thomson: Delmar Learning, New York. 26. Maputle, M.S. & Nolte, A., 2008, 'Mothers' experiences of labour in a tertiary care hospital', Health SA Gesondheid 13(1), 55–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v13i1.257 27. Minnie, K., Klopper, H. & Van der Walt, C., 2008, 'Factors contributing to the decision by pregnant women to be tested for HIV', Health SA Gesondheid 13(4), 50–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/hsag.v13i4.404 28. Modiba, L.M., 2012, 'Women's experiences of a follow up childbearing journey with midwifery students in South Africa', Online Journal of Medicine and Medical Science Research 1(2), 18–23. 29. Msolomba, I.W.A., 2007, 'Development and evaluation of guidelines for operationalising community-based neonatal health care in rural Malawi', unpublished PhD thesis, Nursing Science Department, University of Limpopo (Medunsa Campus). 30. Multicultural Perinatal Network, 2007, Comfort measures during labour, viewed 15 August 2012, from www.cvhon.ca/...20/Comfort%20Measures%20During%20Labour%20 31. Nicholls, L. & Webb, C., 2006, 'What makes a good midwife? Methodologically diverse research', Journal of Advanced Nursing 56(4), 414–429. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.04026.x, PMid:17042821 32. Olds, S.B., London, M.L., Ladewig, P.W. & Davidson, M.R., 2004, Maternal- newborn nursing and women's health care, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River. 33. Polit, D.F. & Beck, C.T., 2008, Nursing research: Principles and methods, Lippincott, Philadelphia. 34. Polit, D.F. & Beck, C.T., 2012, Nursing research: Generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice, Lippincott, Philadelphia. 35. Polit, D.F. & Hungler, B.P., 2001, Nursing research: Principles and methods, Lippincott, Philadelphia. 36. Public Health Agency of Canada, 2000, Family-centred maternity and newborn care: National guidelines, viewed 29 August 2012, from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/dca-dea/publications/fcm-smp/fcmc-smpf-05-eng.p. 37. Republic of South Africa, National Department of Health, 2012, South Africa's National Strategic Plan for a Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality in Africa (CARMMA), Department of Health, Pretoria. 38. Romano, A.M. & Lothian, J.A., 2008, 'Promoting, protecting, and supporting normal birth: A look at the evidence', Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing 37(1), 94–105. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2007.00210.x, PMid:18226163 39. Scottish Government Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, 2010, Midwifery 2020: Delivering expectations, viewed 29 August 2012, from http://midwifery2020.org.uk/documents/M2020deliveringexpectations-FullReport2 40. Seibold, C., Miller, M. & Hall, J., 1999, 'Midwives and women in partnership: the ideal and the real', Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing 17(2), 21–27. 41. University of Johannesburg, 2006, School of nursing paradigm, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg. 42. World Health Organization (WHO), 2003, Integrated management of pregnancy and childbirth. Managing complications in pregnancy and childbirth: A guide for midwives and doctors, Department of Reproductive Health and Research Family and Community Health, Geneva.


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How to Create E-Book Files with Mobipocket
Mobipocket is a free e-reader program that lets you read, annotate, and create e-books from your PC or from your smartphone or mobile device. The application is available for many smartphone platforms, including varieties of the Palm OS, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry. Check the Mobipocket Web site for a complete list.
To install the program, go to the Mobipocket.com Web site and follow these steps:
Click the Software link near the top of the page.
When the Download page appears, click the red Download button under Mobipocket Reader.
On the next page, select the link for the computer or smartphone you want to use.
If a security warning dialog box appears, click Run.
The file is downloaded.
Run the installation program when prompted. You may need to double-click the downloaded file to install the reader.
If you want to read e-books on your smartphone, you can download Mobipocket Reader directly from the mobile version of the Web site, at http://m.mobipocket.com.
After the reader is installed, when you double-click an e-book file that is compatible with it (such as a book you've purchased from one of the Mobipocket e-book stores), it opens automatically in the reader, as shown below.
If a file doesn't automatically open in Mobipocket Reader, you can manually import and convert it. This is a great way to make the following types of files readable by mobile devices and e-readers, including all versions of the Kindle:
Adobe PDF files
HTML Web page documents
Plain-text files
Rich Text Format (RTF) files
Microsoft Office files (including Word, Excel, and Access)
Launch Mobipocket from the Start menu, click the Import button near the top of the Mobipocket window, select Add Folder, and then select the folder on your file system that contains the content files that you want to convert.
You could also just drag one of the files you want to open atop the Mobipocket Reader icon in Windows Explorer or My Computer. The file automatically opens and is converted. After you have converted files, you can transfer them to your mobile device using a USB cable.
If you're thinking that Mobipocket is an independent company that's competing with Amazon.com for a share of the e-book market, think again. That might have been true at one time, but in 2005, Amazon purchased Mobipocket. Today, the two companies work together to provide e-books to users of the Kindle and competing electronic book readers.

subset: commoncrawl


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Gaspard's New York state of mind
Patrick Gaspard is closer to a different Brooklyn these days — a small, high-priced residential neighborhood in the southeast of Pretoria.
But even from 8,000 miles away, it often seems that Gaspard still hasn't left New York.
Story Continued Below
As the U.S. ambassador to South Africa, Gaspard manages the relationship with President Jacob Zuma, orchestrated the arrival of four presidents for Nelson Mandela's funeral last month and leads a staff of 1,100 in an embassy and three consulates as they sort through the complicated relations between national unions and the African National Congress, and collaborate with NGOs.
( QUIZ: Do you know Bill de Blasio?)
Even in his official diplomatic Cape Dutch-style mansion in Waterkloof Ridge, Gaspard hasn't quite let go of his past life as one of New York's top political operatives, especially with his best friend becoming the new mayor of New York. He's such a constant presence by phone, in inboxes and through text messages that people talk about him as if they might still run into him on the subway.
As Bill de Blasio preempted a runoff for the Democratic nomination in September, there Gaspard was. As de Blasio deliberated over who to pick for administration jobs, there he was. As members of the City Council divided and fought over who to pick as their new speaker on Wednesday, there he was again — checking in with people, and having others ask him for advice, talking through his own sense of where things might go, and why.
Every president rewards high-level supporters with ambassadorships, and Barack Obama's no exception. Caroline Kennedy's in Japan. Jane Hartley, a top campaign bundler, is being vetted for nomination to France. Obama finance director Rufus Gifford's already in Denmark. The list goes on.
( Also on POLITICO: Loyalty's short shelf life back in the spotlight)
But Gaspard's unlike most political appointees precisely because his background is so political — a top New York operative, he spent the past five years as Obama's political director and then executive director of the Democratic National Committee. And there isn't any ambassador anyone can think of who's stayed so in touch with the ups and downs of local politics back home.
The State Department says Gaspard's conversations with de Blasio and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), another friend whose primary campaign he informally advised over the summer while waiting for Senate confirmation — as well as conversations with other elected and labor leaders he's known for years — come in the context of old friendships, so there is no violation.
"Ambassador Gaspard has had a remarkable and long record in public service from the labor movement in New York to the Obama White House, so it's no surprise he has many close personal friendships built over decades in his former life, and even less of a surprise that despite busy lives and thousands of miles, good friends keep in touch," said State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki. "It'd be surprising if that weren't the case. But Patrick's entire focus and efforts now are on representing the United States as the ambassador to South Africa, and it's been a particularly busy period in Pretoria marked by Nelson Mandela's passing which consumed Patrick's energy."
Not everyone's so understanding.
( Earlier on POLITICO: Patrick Gaspard tapped for South Africa ambassador)
Staying so much in touch with politics back home is "outside of the mainstream," said George Terwilliger, a former Reagan deputy attorney general, when told about Gaspard.
Back when he was the ambassador to Britain in the run-up to World War II, Joe Kennedy had a clipping service to supplement the Boston political news he was getting from friends and his father-in-law, "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, and had reporters in Washington keeping him up to date on Franklin D. Roosevelt's deliberations about running for a third term, though "other than trying to get Joe Jr. an appointment as delegate to the 1940 nominating convention, he had no active agenda," said Kennedy biographer David Nasaw.
And Gaspard's stayed in touch, unlike how Richard Swett did when he was using his old connections from two terms in the House representing New Hampshire to build business and cultural connections when he was Bill Clinton's man in Copenhagen.
"I was very much in contact with both my political friends and adversaries," Swett said, stressing that while he sees no problem with Gaspard's approach, his own continuing conversations were "all to promote this relationship that we were able to establish between the state of New Hampshire, the U.S. and Denmark."
( Also on POLITICO: A relationships guide for new NYC mayor)
Just like when he was in the White House, Gaspard's stayed deeply in touch — so much so that after he flew in for de Blasio's inauguration last week, rumors went flying that he was lobbying members of the City Council on behalf of the mayor's preferred choice for speaker.
People who've spoken with Gaspard lately say that the speaker's race has come up. That's what happens, they say, when they catch up with an old friend: crazy as it may be for a diplomat posted on the other side of the world to care who ends up running the New York City Council, they know he does, that he knows all the players, and that he knows how much who gets picked speaker means.
That was his approach during de Blasio's mayoral campaign.
"There was no shortage of people who were constantly asking him about the race, from elected officials to institutional players, unions, activists et cetera," said a person close to Gaspard. "He never ever, ever, ever hesitated to say two things to whoever asked: One, 'Let's first put on the table that I have bias because Bill de Blasio is my closest friend in the world.' But irrespective of that, 'I'm going to tell you exactly why, not only do I think he has a strong chance, but that I think he's going to be the next mayor of New York.'"
"He would lay out the path for de Blasio," the person said. "Despite not being in the city for a while, he could talk through the demographics, the possibilities that existed in certain communities. And he happens to be really well-versed in the strengths and weaknesses of every single person in that field, because most of them, he came up with."


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- Introduction
- Physical geography
- The land
- History
Antarctica, fifth in size among the world's continents. Its landmass is almost wholly covered by a vast ice sheet.
Lying almost concentrically around the South Pole, Antarctica—the name of which means "opposite to the Arctic"—is the southernmost continent, a circumstance that has had momentous consequences for all aspects of its character. It covers about 5.5 million square miles (14.2 million square km), and would be essentially circular except for the outflaring Antarctic Peninsula, which reaches toward the southern tip of South America (some 600 miles [970 km] away), and for two principal embayments, the Ross Sea and the Weddell Sea. These deep embayments of the southernmost Pacific and Atlantic oceans make the continent somewhat pear-shaped, dividing it into two unequal-sized parts. The larger is generally known as East Antarctica because most of it lies in east longitudes. The smaller, wholly in west longitudes, is generally called West Antarctica. East and West Antarctica are separated by the approximately 2,000-mile- (3,200-km-) long Transantarctic Mountains. Whereas East Antarctica consists largely of a high ice-covered plateau, West Antarctica consists of an archipelago of mountainous islands covered and bonded together by ice.
The continental ice sheet contains approximately 7 million cubic miles (29 million cubic km) of ice, representing about 90 percent of the world's total. The average thickness is about 1.5 miles (2.45 km). Many parts of the Ross and Weddell seas are covered by ice shelves, or ice sheets floating on the sea. These shelves—the Ross Ice Shelf and the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf—together with other shelves around the continental margins, constitute about 10 percent of the area of Antarctic ice. Around the Antarctic coast, shelves, glaciers, and ice sheets continually "calve," or discharge, icebergs into the seas.
Because of this vast ice, the continent supports only a primitive indigenous population of cold-adapted land plants and animals. The surrounding sea is as rich in life as the land is barren. With the decline of whaling and sealing, the only economic base in the past, Antarctica now principally exports the results of scientific investigations that lead to a better understanding of the total world environment. The present scale of scientific investigation of Antarctica began with the International Geophysical Year (IGY) in 1957–58. Although early explorations were nationalistic, leading to territorial claims, modern ones have come under the international aegis of the Antarctic Treaty. This treaty, which was an unprecedented landmark in diplomacy when it was signed in 1959 by 12 nations, preserves the continent for nonmilitary scientific pursuits.
Antarctica, the most remote and inaccessible continent, is no longer as unknown as it was at the start of IGY. All its mountain regions have been mapped and visited by geologists, geophysicists, glaciologists, and biologists. Some mapping data are now obtained by satellite rather than by observers on the surface. Many hidden ranges and peaks are known from geophysical soundings of the Antarctic ice sheets. By using radio-echo sounding instruments, systematic aerial surveys of the ice-buried terrains can be made.
The ice-choked and stormy seas around Antarctica long hindered exploration by wooden-hulled ships. No lands break the relentless force of the prevailing west winds as they race clockwise around the continent, dragging westerly ocean currents along beneath. The southernmost parts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans converge into a cold, oceanic water mass with singularly unique biologic and physical characteristics. Early penetration of this Southern (or Antarctic) Ocean, as it has been called, in the search for fur seals led in 1820 to the discovery of the continent. Icebreakers and aircraft now make access relatively easy, although still not without hazard in stormy conditions. Many tourists have visited Antarctica, and it seems likely that, at least in the short run, scenic resources have greater potential for economic development than do mineral and biological resources.
The term Antarctic regions refers to all areas—oceanic, island, and continental—lying in the cold Antarctic climatic zone south of the Antarctic Convergence, an important boundary, with little seasonal variability, where warm subtropical waters meet and mix with cold polar waters (see also polar ecosystem). For legal purposes of the Antarctic Treaty, the arbitrary boundary of latitude 60° S is used. The familiar map boundaries of the continent known as Antarctica, defined as the South Polar landmass and all its nonfloating grounded ice, are subject to change with future changes of climate. The continent was ice-free during most of its lengthy geologic history, and there is no reason to believe it will not become so again in the probably distant future.


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Feb '12 - Apr '13
Chalkboard turns into ping pong table at Avery Hall (Michelle vs. Damon):
CBIP Lab, where I will be spending most of my time this semester:
For Parametric Realizations class, we were assigned to make a box, and spend no more than 1 hr working on it. This is Paola's "box":
Michael also makes a "box":
Most GSAPPers like to work on 2 monitors and watch NetFlix on a 3rd one.
Grad student scramble:
My team tackles reinforced concrete columns for Tech 5:
And here we are painting the wall to brighten our all-nighters :o)
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
This is a journal of my adventures at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP) as I pursue my M.Arch degree. It includes images of my projects, classmates' work, some thoughts, and grad-student daily life.


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Florida basketball looks for a break from the bleak
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In what is approaching two decades as the head coach at the University of Florida, there's little doubt that July 2013 will go down as one of the most uncertain in Billy Donovan's career.
After three consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament's Elite Eight, the Gators roster for the 2013-14 season remains unclear in a lot of key spots for a lot of reasons.
RELATED:Players who excelled in World Championships
STARTING FIVE:Top impact transfers for 2013-14
Guard Scottie Wilbekin, a rising senior, remains suspended from the team for undisclosed disciplinary reasons.
"There are some things out there in front of him that he needs to do right now, and he's working hard and trying to do those things,'' Donovan said of Wilbekin, who also was suspended early last season for violating team rules. "But this is not a situation where this is going to be something that's all of a sudden going to be a quick fix. ... The rest of the summer he's not part of our team.''
Star recruit Chris Walker still hasn't been cleared by the NCAA amid a cloud of academic mystery. On Wednesday Donovan, having just returned from coaching the USA Basketball U19 team to a world title in Prague, said the 6-foot-10 big man still has "work ahead of him."
"He may or may not be here in the fall,'' Donovan said.
And that's just the start.
Forward Will Yeguete, another rising senior, had major knee surgery this spring and was using crutches Wednesday. The native of France could be available once preseason workouts start. In the meantime, there's little he can do. "It's going to be a long road for him, just in recovery and the length of time because of the surgery,'' Donovan said.
Wilbekin's possible replacement in the starting lineup, Eli Carter, is still going through the process of trying to become eligible immediately after leaving Rutgers in the wake of the MIke Rice abuse scandal this spring. "I have not been in contact with (Rutgers) at all,'' Donovan said. "I've stayed out of it. It's something that Eli and his family needs to do.''
So there's a strong chance Florida will play part of the season with Wilbekin, Carter, Yeguete and Walker all on the court at the same time, maybe even all four as starters — or have none available.
It's Donovan's version of the lottery.
Wilbekin's behavior, Yeguete's knee and the NCAA could make Florida into a good team or one with serious problems.
One player who should be a available is sophomore Michael Frazier, who was part of the world championship team and seems to be a star on the rise.
Frazier showed sparks of greatness a year ago and should play a major role in the offense. Center Patric Young is coming back from some minor ankle surgery. Yeguete, at some point, should join him. Recruit Kasey Hill is a huge addition at guard, which makes Wilbekin's issues less of a worry.
"I think the biggest thing for him is getting better and getting acclimated to what we're doing,'' Donovan said of Hill, a McDonald's All-American like Walker. "He's a very gifted, very talented player.''
Frazier, Hill, Young and Yeguete give the Gators hope of being strong again next season. But it's July. Donovan has a gold medal from Prague but now the real work starts — figuring out who he can have, when, to win games in the college season.
David Jones also writes for Florida Today, a Gannett company.


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An installation standard for optical cable didn't exist until a little more than a year ago. Certainly the National Electrical Code (NEC) has been covering optical cable for longer than that, but the NEC requirements cover fire safety, installation with electrical conductors, and not a whole lot more. The primary installation note in Article 770 is in 770-8, where the NEC says that the work must be done in "a neat and workmanlike manner." But what exactly is a neat and workmanlike manner? The new fiber installation standard defines that term-and much more.
The proper name of the standard is ANSI/NEIS 301, and it was developed as a joint venture of the National Electrical Contractors Association, (NECA), Bethesda, Md., and the Fiber Optic Association. It's part of the ANSI's (American National Standards Institute) National Electrical Installation Standards program. It was approved and published in late 1998.
The general section of the standard describes "procedures for installing, testing, and commissioning of systems that use fiber- optic cables and related components to carry signals for telecommunications, control, and similar purposes."
The intent of the standard is to define "a minimum level of quality for fiber-optic cable installations."
Cable installation
No major surprises pop up in these sections of the standard. The first requirement is that, "All fiber-optic cables should be installed in accordance with their listings and manufacturers' instructions." Obviously. But the support section gives precise details on how cables must be supported: All optical cables shall be securely supported, and shall have the supports spaced closely enough that there will be no excessive force placed on the cable. In general, horizontal indoor cables shall be supported at intervals not exceeding 3 ft (91 cm). Supports may be placed up to 5 ft (1.52 m) apart for armored cables, or cables more than 1/2 in. (1.3 cm) in diameter. Cables directly buried require no additional support. Cables in raceways are considered to be adequately supported by the raceway.
Another important section is concerned with the tightness of supports. With power wiring, we are seldom concerned with supports being over-tightened, but with data cables (not only fiber), over-tightening is a frequent source of cable damage, and must be avoided. The section reads as follows:
"All straps or supports placed on fiber-optic cables shall be tight enough to hold the cable securely, but shall not be tight enough to substantially deform the shape of the cable. Where possible, rounded or padded supports shall be used. Cable ties shall not be cinched too tightly, and shall have the free tab cut off, to prevent over-tightening in the future."
The standard also gives general rules to be followed when pulling cables into place. After mentioning that manufacturer's instructions take pre-eminence, the following general rules are given:
1. When pulling optical cables into conduits, cable trays, or raceways, the strength member(s) of the cable shall bear all or nearly all of the pulling force. Cable jackets shall not be directly pulled unless designed for the purpose, or unless the run is very short and requires a minimal pulling force. Optical cables shall not be pulled into place by applying tension directly to the fibers (pulling the fibers).
2. Optical cables shall be attached to a pulling line only by methods recommended by the manufacturer of the cable.
3. Unless stated otherwise by the cable manufacturer, the maximum pulling tensions used for optical cables shall be 300 lbs. (136 kG) for multi-fiber indoor cables, and 600 (273 kG) lbs. for outdoor cables. The pulling force shall be uniform and consistent; cables shall not be jerked.
4. Cable pulling shall be done by hand, except when tension meters, tension-controlled or break-away swivels are used.
5. When powered pulling equipment is used to install optical cable, tension monitoring equipment or break-away swivels shall be used. Swivels shall be used when pulling optical cables into conduits. Exceptions shall be made to this requirement only for very short runs which require a minimum pulling force. 6. Continuous cable pulls shall be used whenever possible, avoiding splice points. 7. Boxes used with optical cables shall be designed for the purpose, and shall be equipped with cable supports. Pull boxes shall be sized so that no cables in the box shall be tightly bent.
8. A length of free cable shall be provided at each end of a cable pull. Loops of cable (commonly called service loops) shall be provided at all intermediate pulling points, such as in manholes and pull boxes. The cables' minimum bending radii shall not be violated.
9. When pulls are accomplished in two or more stages, and spare cable must be unreeled, it shall be configured in large figure-eights on a safe, flat surface, such as the ground or a clean floor.
10. When pulling fiber-optic cable through non-metallic raceways (or non-metallic 907 elbows) with rope, maximum speed through a duct shall be about 3 ft (91 cm) per second. If mule tape is used, the top speed shall be 9 ft (274 cm) per second. The intent of this requirement is that the nonmetallic conduit or elbows will not be cut or grooved by the pulling process.
11. When underground raceways containing optical cables enter a structure, the raceway shall be sealed to prevent the entry of gases into the structure. The entry of outside plant cables into a structure may require special fire safety considerations.
Safety precautions
As I have noted before, two primary safety hazards are associated with optical-fiber systems. The most commonly talked about hazard is retina damage due to looking into the ends of live fibers. In real life, however, this is a real rarity. Few fiber systems have enough power to cause eye damage (cable TV systems being the exception), and most broken fiber ends will diffuse the light coming through them anyway. Nonetheless, this is a legitimate concern. The second concern, however, is far more serious. This is the hazard posed by broken pieces of fiber. These are essentially small glass needles, and can be quite dangerous: painful when stuck in the skin as a splinter, and potentially life-threatening if ingested. Hence the safety requirements of this standard, which follow:
Live optical fiber ends (live fibers are those with signals being sent through them) shall not be inspected by technicians; fibers shall be dark (no signal being transmitted) when inspected. Care shall be taken in verifying that the fibers are not live, since the light used in most optical systems is not visible to the human eye.
If there is a risk of fibers being inspected live, especially when the system light source is a laser, all technicians working on the system shall wear protective glasses which have infrared filtering.
Fiber-optic work areas shall be clean, organized, well-lit, and shall be equipped with a bottle or other suitable container for broken or stray fiber pieces.
No food, drink, or smoking shall be allowed in areas where fiber-optic cables are spliced or terminated, or in any area where bare fibers are being handled.
Technicians making fiber terminations or splices or working with bare fiber shall be supplied with double-sided tape, or some other effective means, for picking up broken or stray pieces of fiber. All work areas where bare fiber may exist shall be repeatedly and consistently cleared of all bare fiber pieces. All bare fiber pieces shall be disposed of so that they cannot escape and cause a hazard. (For example, bare fibers should be sealed in some type of bottle or container before being dumped into a wastebasket.)
All technicians working on bare fiber shall thoroughly wash their hands immediately when leaving the work area. They shall also check their clothing, and pat themselves with clean tape to remove any stray pieces of bare fiber.
Another area where data cabling differs from power wiring is in testing and documentation. For most electrical installations, the only testing done is flipping on the light switch or pushing a Wiggy into the outlets. But for data, every run of cable must be tested separately, and the results written down permanently. This is not especially difficult to do, but it does require time and effort. More importantly, it requires a change of mind-set for workers that cut their teeth on power wiring.
The requirements of this section are as follows:
All optical test results shall be thoroughly and accurately documented, and copies of the test results saved in a permanent form (typically in both hard-copy and on computer disk).
In general, documentation of test results shall include the following information: 1. Cable type and length.
2. Splice and termination points.
3. Fiber type and size.
4. Connector types.
5. Splice types.
6. Cable paths.
7. End-to-end losses of completed transmitter-to-receiver links. 8. (Optional) End-to-end losses of individual fiber links.


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By Brett Borkan
CAIRO: The United States sees Egypt's economic recovery as critical in its successful transition towards democracy, and is taking immediate steps to help, according to the US Deputy Secretary of State.
Speaking to a group of reporters Wednesday, the US Secretary for Political Affairs William Burns said that the US "will do all [it] can to support not only Egypt's need for achieving short term financial stability, but also for promoting growth and the creation of jobs."
Burns, who met earlier Wednesday with the head of Egypt's ruling military council, and will later meet ministers, civil society organizations, business leaders, and youth, said that "thorough consultations" with the Egyptian government have begun to find out how "best to apply" the financial support proposals US President Barack Obama made last month.
The US diplomat expressed his hope that the $2 billion in loan and debt relief guarantees will allow the Egyptian government to free up its own funds to "address priorities that Egyptians themselves have identified," such as the education, science and technology, and youth vocational training.
While recognizing the urgency "to demonstrate economic results," Burns stressed that the US "wants to support the revival of economic growth in a way which benefits not just a few Egyptians, but which spreads benefits and growth across Egyptian society."
Responding to the growing calls by some in Egypt to reject foreign aid due to strict requirements from donor countries, Burns explained that the US is not seeking to impose its will on Egypt through its financial aid support.
"It's not the business of the US to impose or dictate conditions with regard to these kinds of opportunities. We want to assist. So I'm confident that in the discussions we've begun and will continue, we're going to find mutually acceptable ways of providing that kind of assistance that fully respect Egypt's sovereignty."
Elections and security
Speaking on Egypt's preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections, Burns said that it is not the US's position to take a stance on whether it supports holding the elections in September, or postponing them to afford more time for preparation.
"The question of pace, organization, and sequence of elections and the constitution writing process is the subject of a very healthy and thoughtful debate in Egypt right now. Ultimately, those are choices that can only be made by Egyptians, not by Americans or any outsiders."
The US is only pushing for an "open and inclusive political process," and for Egyptian authorities to lift the country's despised emergency law prior to the elections.
Burns went on to explain that reforms in the country's security sector are also important for Egypt's democratic transition.
While calling them a "high priority," the US official warned that security sector reform "is a process that's going to take time and a lot of effort on the part of not only the transitional government, but also the elected government."
Reforms in this area are even of more importance due to the abuses that have already occurred, he added, explaining that investigations must be thoroughly conducted and those responsible should be held to account for their actions.
Egypt's Role in the Region
Building on President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's previous statements, Burns noted the importance of the example Egypt sets for the rest of the Middle East.
"Never has there been a moment when Egypt's success, Egypt's leadership, Egypt's example, is more important to this region and to the United States than it is today," he explained.
"I truly do believe that the example that's set by Egypt in its success in its transition matters enormously to others who are seeking the same kind of freedoms and dignity and opportunity elsewhere in the region," and as a result, the "success of [Egypt's] transition is deeply in the interests of the US."


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Meet Larry Dominick, Town President of Cicero, Ill., former home of Al Capone. (That's Larry in the striped shirt above.) Larry—like several of his predecessors—is in some trouble with the law. The woman who used to run the town's animal shelter has accused him of sexual harassment.
Sharon Starzyk, the accuser, was asked by the FBI to make a recording of Dominick asking her to perjure herself over a separate sexual harassment claim. She was later fired—because of "mismanagement" at Waggin' Tails, the animal shelter, according to town officials; or, according to Starzyk, in retaliation. So she filed her own, very juicy sexual harassment suit. Some highlights, from the Chicago Sun-Times:
- "Dominick said before his current marriage he would go over to Starzyk's house 'play with her dog and eat there and once in a while whatever came up sexually.' He also acknowledged he may have sent her a birthday card in 2005, signed 'Love, Sammy.' 'That is my dog,' Dominick explained in his deposition."
- "Starzyk alleged in court papers Dominick repeatedly groped her or touched her inappropriately and sent her text messages in which he suggested she should perform oral sex on a black man - using a racial slur - or engage in a threesome with two of Dominick's friends - an unlicensed plumber in his late 50s, and the Cicero town collector, Fran Reitz." [Ed. note: Is there anything less sexy than the idea of a threesome with "an unlicensed plumber in his 50s and the Cicero town collector"? We submit that, no, there is not.]
- "She described how she, Dominick and his secretary drove to an animal rescue site in early 2009, and what happened after Dominick's secretary got out of the car. Dominick 'turned around and grabbed a breast, passed some gas, got out of the car. And I just sat in there, this is it. I'm done. I am absolutely done. It's never going to stop,' Starzyk said."
Dominick has already gotten in trouble for politically-motivated firing in the case of a town handyman who was awarded $650,000 by a federal jury. The FBI isn't commenting on the tape it asked Starzyk to make, but the Sun-Times writes that "federal investigators continue to show an interest in the town and its government." As do we! As do we.


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Nicki Minaj to Star In Her Own Reality Show on E! Network
Not only is Nicki Minaj ready to conquer 'American Idol,' she will also star in her own reality series. According to Perez Hilton, Her Minajesty will invite her Barbz into her world on the new show, which will air on the E! network.
In an interview with Mr. Hilton, Minaj danced around the subject of a new television project, but apparently filming is already underway. It's unclear what the series will actually entail but expect plenty of colorful costumes and behind-the-scenes drama. Life for a Queen Barb can be hectic.
Minaj says she's ready to let viewers in on her personal life and how she manages her career. "I find that the more people see is the more they understand, and then it's the more they like you sometimes," she says. "If you only have such one-dimensional things to go off of, like rumors and stuff on blogs, you kind of never get to know the artist. And then sometimes when you pull them in your world, they see you as a real person."
No word on when the show will air, but it will most likely premiere after her stint on 'American Idol.' Despite reports that Minaj and fellow judge Mariah Carey are feuding on the set, the Young Money starlet insists that her and Mimi are cool.
"Mariah's a legend and I just want to say that…I'm sitting next to woman who I looked up to since I can remember enjoying music," she told Access Hollywood. "My mother and I bonded to Mariah and I told her that, before even 'American Idol.' It's obvious that we both have strong personalities, but ultimately, there's respect there and I think if nothing else, it'll make for really great TV."
We can't wait to see what Nicki Minaj will bring on her E! reality show.
Watch the Perez Hilton Interview With Nicki Minaj


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If you used Parent Portal last year: You will continue to access Parent Portal using the user name and password you created last year. Please notify the school of all changes in phone numbers, addresses, and household information by emailing Arbor's clerk, Heather McMillan. Your household will be updated to add new students who are beginning school this year. If you have forgotten your user name or password, contact Information Technology at 770-254-2800.
If you have never used Parent Portal: Go to one of the schools in which you have a child enrolled. Present picture ID to confirm your identity. You will be given a lengthy access code. Click the link to Infinite Campus Parent Portal on the Arbor Springs site or any CCSS web site. Use the "Click Here" link to go the page where you will enter your activation key. Once you have correctly typed in the key, you will create a user name and password. In the future, use the section of the page under "Already have a Campus Portal account?"
You can also watch this tutorial on how to set up and log in to Parent Portal.
- System Information for Creating Accounts and Home Computer Requirements
- Notify your child's teacher if your address, contact or houselhold information has changed.
- Log on to Parent Portal.


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Opinion: Obama's Anti-terror Flip-Flop
Best of the Web Today columnist James Taranto on how President Obama contradicted one of his inaugural anti-terror pronouncements. Photo credit: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... the put ... what's up on the screen from President Barack Obama the first is from his two thousandnine inaugural address ... I quo as per common defense we reject as false the choice between our safety in our ideals ... those ideas still like the world and we will not give them up for expediency say ... I wanna ask for it ... to June ... twenty thirteen in the wake of the NSA ... leak scandal and I quote ... I think it's important to recognize that you can have a hundred percent security and and ... also have a Hunter's of privacy and zero inconvenience ... one morning nap to make some choices as a society and quote ... best of the Web Today columnist James Taranto joins me now ... I James what if the flop ... well ... I think the question has so far I'd you know are you teaching ... well Obama I'm you know before he became president he had no responsibility for anything so was easy for him ... to citizen outsider and Diane criticize the administration Audi as actual responsibility ... I he's gone at least some way to recognizing God to facing the reality that the typeface is anyone that is if the chains physical far enough because if the president on the one hand is saying ... you know we have to close Gitmo no war on terror past and the man on the other he says ... but we need the surveillance tech techniques ... in the financial security proper sees taking messaging from the sky from the pot does this have an impact on on how we prosecute the war on well this is the contradiction that still exists in the Obama approach terror he gave this speech by last month the National Defense University ... and it was basically you know I didn't know almost a pacifist a speech ... you know yet we still have this terror problem with this war has to come to any actually called on Congress ... to repeal the authorization for the use of military force that passed after nine eleven ... I he said this for us to come to an end and he's still determined to ... close Guantanamo Bay ... even though it hasn't quite throughout what to do with the dangerous detainees were there ... I and my question is if the war on terror is five ... years over to the point where ... we have to stop being so beastly to acclimate about this why do we still have by the government collecting phone records and why do we still have to go through these enhanced I'd ... lived security procedures at airports and I think the answer is that the war isn't really over but its really un reasonable to expect the American people to make ... by Tim a guy ... sacrifices of privacy and convenience while also saying we need to tighten ... curtail our efforts against the actual enemy that I think is the isthe conferences for chromatic brother James also when I heard that very passive this speech ... in these recent weeks ... I thought of our troops and their families ... and in ... if you have the summer attire a husband or wife its abroad risking your life ... you how to react ... to a speech like that what message does and Senseo ... while I it sends the message I suppose that I if you're ... if you're station Afghanistan you you may be going home soon so I mean I think this may take some much ... they take some are denied in terms of their ... personal safety ... ah but it's not just wrote about in terms of the of the more of the war fighting around Jensen about thirty seconds left I just wanna point Opel by Dick Cheney was referenced in a New Yorker ... bought this former vice president and he said ... when Brock Obama was taking office he said and I quote my guess is that once they get here interface with the same problems we deal with everyday Bill appreciate some of the things be put in place so it was Dick Cheney right what Dick Cheney I guessed right and a ... high AMC side you know you would be nice ... if ever there was a time into thousandnine where Obama was giving some ... sort of passages speak Dick Cheney was giving a speech on carrots and onion if they showed up split screen on cable TV ... the odds of Obama actually said yeah you know outside sorry about that guys Cheney was right to work in a pig's tints ...