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Objective The aim of this study was to compare women's satisfaction with group based antenatal care and standard care.
Design A randomised control trial where midwives were randomized to perform either GBAC or standard care. Women were invited to evaluate the two models of care. Data was collected by two questionnaires, in early pregnancy and six months after birth. Crude and adjusted odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval were calculated by model of care.
Settings Twelve antenatal clinics in Sweden between September 2008 and December 2010.
Participants Women in various part of Sweden (n=700).
Findings In total, 8:16 variables in GBAC versus 9:16 in standard care were reported as deficient. Women in GBAC reported significantly less deficiencies with information about labour/birth OR 0.16 (0.10–0.27), breastfeeding OR 0.58 (0.37–0.90) and time following birth OR 0.61 (0.40–0.94). Engagement from the midwives OR 0.44 (0.25–0.78) and being taken seriously OR 0.55 (0.31–0.98) were also found to be less deficient. Women in GBAC reported the highest level of deficiency with information about pregnancy OR 3.45 (2.03–5.85) but reported less deficiency with time to plan the birth OR 0.61 (0.39–0.96). In addition, women in GBAC more satisfied with care in supporting contact with other parents OR 3.86 (2.30–6.46) and felt more support to initiate breastfeeding OR 1.75 (1.02–2.88).
Conclusions Women in both models of care considered the care as deficient in more than half of all areas. Variables that differed between the two models favoured group based antenatal care.
Background: group-based antenatal care consists of six to nine two-hour sessions in which information is shared and discussed during the first hour and individual examinations are conducted during the second hour. Groups generally consist of six to eight pregnant women. Parent education is built into the programme, which originated in the United States and was introduced in Sweden at the beginning of the year of 2000. Objective: to investigate parents' experiences of group antenatal care in four different clinics in Sweden. Method: a qualitative study was conducted using content analysis five group interviews and eleven individual interviews with parents who experienced group-based antenatal care. An interview guide was used. Settings: the study was set in four antenatal clinics that had offered group-based antenatal care for at least one year. The clinics were located in three different areas of Sweden. Participants: the participants were women and their partners who had experienced group-based antenatal care during pregnancy. Other criteria for participation were mastery of the Swedish language and having followed the care programme. Findings: three themes emerged, 'The care-combining individual physical needs with preparation for parenthood, refers to the context, organisation, and content of care'. Group antenatal care with inbuilt parent education was appreciated, but respondents reported that they felt unprepared for the first few weeks after birth. Their medical needs (for physical assessment and screening) were, however, fulfilled. The theme, 'The group-a composed recipient of care', showed the participants role and experience. The role could be passive or active in groups or described as sharers. Groups helped parents normalise their symptoms. The theme, 'The midwife-a controlling professional', showed midwives are ignorant of gender issues but, for their medical knowledge, viewed as respectable professionals. Key conclusions: in the four clinics studied, group-based antenatal care appeared to meet parents' needs for physical assessment and screening. Parents identified that the groups helped them prepare for birth but not for parenthood. The group model created a forum for sharing experiences and helped participants to normalise their pregnancy symptoms. Implications for practise: the midwife's role in facilitating group-based antenatal care demands new pedagogical strategies and approaches.
Background: Higher levels of parental stress have long-term effects on children's health and could lead to dysfunction in the parent–child interaction. Different background factors can be predictors of high parental stress. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine parental stress among Swedish women and identify different factors linked to women's parental stress. Method: About 702 women were recruited to a clinical study and followed up six months after birth. Data were collected by two questionnaires, and 279 women completed the Swedish Parental Stress Questionnaire (SPSQ). Findings: Less than very good mental health and depressive symptoms after birth were strongly associated with parental stress, and the strongest association was found between post-partum depressive symptoms and high levels of stress in the subscale Incompetence. Multiparity was associated with high stress in two subscales, and lower level of education was a protective factor for stress in nearly all subscales. Conclusions: Depressive symptoms and perceived poor mental health post-partum are the most important factors related to high parental stress. The results point to the importance of identifying and supporting mothers with depressive symptoms, since these women have both mental illness and increased stress.
This study aimed to investigate parents' advice to other parents on the basis of their own experiences of siblings' taking leave of a stillborn sister or brother. The study was a Web questionnaire study of 411 parents. The thematic content analysis resulted in two categories: "Make the stillborn baby and the loss real for the siblings" and "Take the siblings' resources and prerequisites into account." Parents' advised that siblings should see and hold the stillborn baby and, thus, be invited and included into the leave-taking process with respect to the siblings' feelings, resources, and prerequisites. Based on these findings, professional caregivers can usefully be proactive in their approach to facilitate and encourage the involvement of siblings.
It has been argued that having a stillborn baby in the family affects older siblings more than parents realize. The aim of this study was to describe parenthood and the needs of siblings after stillbirth from the parents' perspective.
Six focus groups were held with 27 parents who had experienced a stillbirth and who had had children before the loss. The discussion concerned parents' support to the siblings, and the sibling's meeting, farewell, and memories of their little sister or brother. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
The overall theme of the findings was parenthood in a balance between grief and everyday life. In the analysis, three categories emerged that described the construction of the theme: support in an acute situation, sharing the experiences within the family, and adjusting to the situation.
The siblings' situation is characterized by having a parent who tries to maintain a balance between grief and everyday life. Parents are present and engaged in joint activities around the stillbirth together with the siblings of the stillborn baby. Although parents are aware of the sibling's situation, they feel that they are left somewhat alone in their parenthood after stillbirth and therefore need support and guidance from others. (BIRTH 38:2 June 2011).
Introduction: In Sweden, prospective fathers are encouraged and welcome to attend prenatal visits, and pregnant women assess their partners' involvement in prenatal care as very important. The aim of this study was to describe expectant fathers' experiences of and involvement in prenatal care in Sweden. Methods: Data were drawn from a 1-year cohort study of 827 Swedish-speaking fathers recruited during their partners' midpregnancy and followed up 2 months after childbirth. Results: The participants reported that the most important issues in prenatal care were the woman's physical and emotional well-being and the support she received from her midwife. However, care was identified as deficient in nearly all aspects of information, medical care, and fathers' involvement. "Excessive" care was also reported and related to how the father was treated by the midwife, mainly in terms of attention to his emotional well-being. Discussion: Although fathers prioritize the needs of their pregnant partners, it is important for caregivers to assess fathers' needs and incorporate a family-oriented approach to prenatal care.
Midwives have a significant impact on the clinical outcome and the birthing experience of women. However, there has been a lack of research focusing specifically on clinical midwives' learning and development of professional competence.
The objective of the study was to describe how midwives reflect on learning and the development of professional competence and confidence.
A qualitative study based on focus groups with midwives employed in maternity services.
Four categories describe the results: (1) Feelings of professional safety evolve over time; (2) Personal qualities affect professional development; (3) Methods for expanding knowledge and competence; and (4) Competence as developing and demanding. The meaning of competence is to feel safe and secure in their professional role. There was a link between the amount of hands-on intrapartum experience and increasing confidence that is, assisting many births made midwives feel confident. Internal rotation was disliked because the midwives felt they had less time to deepen their knowledge and develop competence in a particular field. The midwives felt they were not seen as individuals, and this system made them feel split between different assignments.
External factors that contribute to the development of knowledge and competence include the ability to practise hands-on skills in an organisation that is supportive and non-threatening. Internal factors include confidence, self-efficacy, and a curiosity for learning.
Midwives working within an organisation should be supported to develop their professional role in order to become knowledgeable, competent and confident.
Previous international studies have shown that midwifery students do not feel confident in many areas where they are supposed to practice independently.
The knowledge about Swedish midwifery students' confidence is fairly under investigated. The purpose of the present study was to explore final years' midwifery students' professional confidence in basic midwifery skills according to ICM competencies and associated factors.
A cross-sectional survey where all midwifery programs in Sweden were invited to participate. Data was collected by a questionnaire that measured midwifery students self-reported assessment of confidence against four selected domains of ICM competencies; antenatal, intrapartum, postpartum and new-born care.
The main findings of this study showed that Swedish midwifery students were confident in managing normal pregnancy, labour and birth. Midwifery students at a school with a medical faculty were more confident in handling obstetric emergency situations. Some background variables were also associated with confidence.
This study highlighted some midwifery skills that needs further training and reflection. More training and developing confidence in complicated and emergency situations are needed. There seem to be a need of midwifery education reforms if we believe that high levels of confidence at the time of graduation is equal to competent and skilled midwives in the future.
Background: Whether certain birth positions are associated with perineal injuries and severe perineal trauma (SPT) is still unclear. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of perineal injuries of different severity in a low-risk population of women who planned to give birth at home and to compare the prevalence of perineal injuries, SPT and episiotomy in different birth positions in four Nordic countries. Methods: A population-based prospective cohort study of planned home births in four Nordic countries. To assess medical outcomes a questionnaire completed after birth by the attending midwife was used. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: Two thousand nine hundred ninety-two women with planned home births, who birthed spontaneously at home or after transfer to hospital, between 2008 and 2013 were included. The prevalence of SPT was 0.7 % and the prevalence of episiotomy was 1.0 %. There were differences between the countries regarding all maternal characteristics. No association between flexible sacrum positions and sutured perineal injuries was found (OR 1.02; 95 % CI 0.86-1.21) or SPT (OR 0.68; CI 95 % 0.26-1.79). Flexible sacrum positions were associated with fewer episiotomies (OR 0.20; CI 95 % 0.10-0.54). Conclusion: A low prevalence of SPT and episiotomy was found among women opting for a home birth in four Nordic countries. Women used a variety of birth positions and a majority gave birth in flexible sacrum positions. No associations were found between flexible sacrum positions and SPT. Flexible sacrum positions were associated with fewer episiotomies.
Introduction: Most women who give birth for the first time experience some form of perineal trauma. Second-degree tears contribute to long-term consequences for women and are a risk factor for occult anal sphincter injuries. The objective of this study was to evaluate a multifaceted midwifery intervention designed to reduce second-degree tears among primiparous women. Methods: An experimental cohort study where a multifaceted intervention consisting of 1) spontaneous pushing, 2) all birth positions with flexibility in the sacro-iliac joints, and 3) a two-step head-to-body delivery was compared with standard care. Crude and Adjusted OR (95% CI) were calculated between the intervention and the standard care group, for the various explanatory variables. Results: A total of 597 primiparous women participated in the study, 296 in the intervention group and 301 in the standard care group. The prevalence of second-degree tears was lower in the intervention group: [Adj. OR 0.53 (95% CI 0.33-0.84)]. A low prevalence of episiotomy was found in both groups (1.7 and 3.0%). The prevalence of epidural analgesia was 61.1 percent. Despite the high use of epidural analgesia, the midwives in the intervention group managed to use the intervention. Conclusion: It is possible to reduce second-degree tears among primiparous women with the use of a multifaceted midwifery intervention without increasing the prevalence of episiotomy. Furthermore, the intervention is possible to employ in larger maternity wards with midwives caring for women with both low-and high-risk pregnancies.
Aim: An important variable that influences breastfeeding outcomes is how confident a woman feels about her ability to breastfeed successfully at an early stage. We investigated breastfeeding self-efficacy in the mothers of late preterm infants.
Methods: This was a prospective, comparative study that focused on mothers who had delivered babies at 34 + 0 to 36 + 6 weeks and were recruited in 2012–2015 from a neonatal intensive care unit and a postnatal ward at a Swedish university hospital. The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF) was used to psychometrically assess the mothers at 40 weeks of postmenstrual age (n = 148) and at three months of corrected age (n = 114).
Results: The BSES-SF scores were higher in the 87% of mothers that exclusively breastfed when their babies reached 40 weeks (57.1 out of 70) than those who did not (41.4, p < 0.001), indicating better self-efficacy. The figures remained higher in the 68% of exclusive breastfeeding mothers at three months of corrected age (60.9 versus 51.7).
Conclusion: Self-efficacy was an important predictor of the length of breastfeeding in mothers of late preterm infants, and the BSES-SF can be used to detect low self-efficacy that could lead to early breastfeeding cessation.
Objective To compare perceptions of antenatal and intrapartum care in women categorized into three profiles based on attitudes and fear. Design Prospective longitudinal cohort study using self-report questionnaires. Profiles were constructed from responses to the Birth Attitudes Profile Scale and the Fear of Birth Scale at pregnancy weeks 18 to 20. Perception of the quality of care was measured using the Quality from Patient's Perspective index at 34 to 36 weeks pregnancy and 2 months after birth. Setting Two hospitals in Sweden and Australia. Participants Five hundred and five (505) pregnant women from one hospital in Vasternorrland, Sweden (n=386) and one in northeast Victoria, Australia (n=123). Results Women were categorized into three profiles: self-determiners, take it as it comes, and fearful. The self-determiners reported the best outcomes, whereas the fearful were most likely to perceive deficient care. Antenatally the fearful were more likely to indicate deficiencies in medical care, emotional care, support received from nurse-midwives or doctors and nurse-midwives'/doctors' understanding of the woman's situation. They also reported deficiencies in two aspects of intrapartum care: support during birth and control during birth. Conclusions Attitudinal profiling of women during pregnancy may assist clinicians to deliver the style and content of antenatal and intrapartum care to match what women value and need. An awareness of a woman's fear of birth provides an opportunity to offer comprehensive emotional support with the aim of promoting a positive birth experience.
Background: Women's fears and attitudes to childbirth may influence the maternity care they receive and the outcomes of birth. This study aimed to develop profiles of women according to their attitudes regarding birth and their levels of childbirth related fear. The association of these profiles with mode and outcomes of birth was explored. Methods: Prospective longitudinal cohort design with self report questionnaires containing a set of attitudinal statements regarding birth (Birth Attitudes Profile Scale) and a fear of birth scale (FOBS). Pregnant women responded at 18-20 weeks gestation and two months after birth from a regional area of Sweden (n = 386) and a regional area of Australia (n = 123). Cluster analysis was used to identify a set of profiles. Odds ratios (95% CI) were calculated, comparing cluster membership for country of care, pregnancy characteristics, birth experience and outcomes. Results: Three clusters were identified - 'Self determiners' (clear attitudes about birth including seeing it as a natural process and no childbirth fear), 'Take it as it comes' (no fear of birth and low levels of agreement with any of the attitude statements) and 'Fearful' (afraid of birth, with concerns for the personal impact of birth including pain and control, safety concerns and low levels of agreement with attitudes relating to women's freedom of choice or birth as a natural process). At 18 - 20 weeks gestation, when compared to the 'Self determiners', women in the 'Fearful' cluster were more likely to: prefer a caesarean (OR = 3.3 CI: 1.6-6.8), hold less than positive feelings about being pregnant (OR = 3.6 CI: 1.4-9.0), report less than positive feelings about the approaching birth (OR = 7.2 CI: 4.4-12.0) and less than positive feelings about the first weeks with a newborn (OR = 2.0 CI 1.2-3.6). At two months post partum the 'Fearful' cluster had a greater likelihood of having had an elective caesarean (OR = 5.4 CI 2.1-14.2); they were more likely to have had an epidural if they laboured (OR = 1.9 CI 1.1-3.2) and to experience their labour pain as more intense than women in the other clusters. The 'Fearful' cluster were more likely to report a negative experience of birth (OR = 1.7 CI 1.02-2.9). The 'Take it as it comes' cluster had a higher likelihood of an elective caesarean (OR 3.0 CI 1.1-8.0). Conclusions: In this study three clusters of women were identified. Belonging to the 'Fearful' cluster had a negative effect on women's emotional health during pregnancy and increased the likelihood of a negative birth experience. Both women in the 'Take it as it comes' and the 'Fearful' cluster had higher odds of having an elective caesarean compared to women in the 'Self determiners'. Understanding women's attitudes and level of fear may help midwives and doctors to tailor their interactions with women.
The WDEQ-A is the most widely used measure of childbirth fear in pregnant women; however there is increasing discussion in the literature that simpler, more culturally transferrable tools may offer a better solution to identifying fearful women in clinical practice.
To compare the two item Fear of Birth Scale (FOBS) with the 33 item WDEQ-A in a large cohort of Australian pregnant women.
Self-report questionnaires during second trimester including Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire (WDEQ-A) and Fear of Birth Scale (FOBS). Correlation of FOBS and WDEQ-A was tested using Spearman's correlation coefficients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve assessed the sensitivity and specificity of possible cut-points on the FOBS against WDEQ-A cut-point of ≥85. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were determined. Fearful and non-fearful women as classified by both instruments were compared for differences in demographic, psycho-social and obstetric characteristics.
1410 women participated. The correlation between the instruments was strong (Spearman's Rho = 0.66, p < 0.001). The area under the ROC was 0.89 indicating high sensitivity with a FOBS cut-point of 54. Sensitivity was 89%, specificity 79% and Youden index 0.68. Positive predictive value was 85% and negative predictive value 79%. Both instruments identified high fear as significantly associated with first time mothers, previous emergency caesarean and women with self-reported anxiety and/or depression. Additionally FOBS identified a significant association between fearful women and preference for caesarean.
This study supports the use of the FOBS in clinical practice to identify childbirth fear in pregnant women.
Background: research, conducted predominately in Scandinavian countries, suggests that a substantial number of women experience high levels of fear concerning childbirth which can impact on birth outcomes, the mother-infant relationship and the ongoing mental health of the mother. The prevalence of childbirth-related fear (CBRF) is not well known outside of the Nordic nations. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of CBRF in two rural populations (Sweden and Australia) and to pilot a short, easy-to-administer measurement tool. Methods: a questionnaire assessing a range of childbirth-related issues was administered to women in the first trimester across two rural populations in Sweden (n=386) and Australia (n=123). CBRF was measured using the Fear of Birth Scale (FOBS) a two-item visual analogue scale. Findings: close to 30% of women from the Australian and Swedish samples reported elevated levels of CBRF in the first trimester. A previous negative birth experience and less than positive attitudes to their current pregnancy and birth were predictive of high levels of fear. Swedish women with high levels of fear indicated a preference for caesarean section as the mode of birth in this pregnancy. A higher proportion (19%) of Australian women indicated that they would prefer an elective caesarean section, compared with only 8.8% of the Swedish sample; however, this was not related to high levels of fear. Preference for caesarean section was related to CBRF in the Swedish sample but not in the Australian sample. Conclusion: the high proportion of women identified with CBRF suggests a need for monitoring of women during pregnancy, particularly those with a previous negative birth experience. The FOBS developed for this study could be used as a screening tool to identify women who require further investigation. Further cross-cultural research is needed to explore the role of fear in women's preference for caesarean section.
Background: the rate of caesarean in Australia is twice that of Sweden. Little is known about women's attitudes towards birth in countries where the caesarean rate is high compared to those where normal birth is a more common event. Objectives: to compare attitudes and beliefs towards birth in a sample of Australian and Swedish women in mid-pregnancy. Participants: women from rural towns in mid Sweden (n=386) and north-eastern Victoria in Australia (n=123). Methods: questionnaire data was collected from 2007 to 2009. Levels of agreement or disagreement were indicated on sixteen attitude and belief statements regarding birth. Principal components analysis (PCA) identified the presence of subscales within the attitudes inventory. Using these subscales, attitudes associated with preferred mode of birth were determined. Odds ratios were calculated at 95% CI by country of care. Results: the Australian sample was less likely than the Swedish sample to agree that they would like a birth that: 'is as pain free as possible' OR 0.4 (95% CI: 0.2-0.7), 'will reduce my chance of stress incontinence' OR 0.2 (95% CI: 0.1-0.8), 'will least affect my future sex life' OR 0.3 (95% CI: 0.2-0.6), 'will allow me to plan the date when my baby is born' OR 0.4 (95% CI: 0.2-0.7) and 'is as natural as possible' OR 0.4 (95% CI: 0.2-0.9). They were also less likely to agree that: 'if a woman wants to have a caesarean she should be able to have one under any circumstances' OR 0.4 (95% CI: 0.2-0.7) and 'giving birth is a natural process that should not be interfered with unless necessary' OR 0.3 (95% CI: 0.1-0.7). Four attitudinal subscales were found: 'Personal Impact of Birth', 'Birth as Natural Event', 'Freedom of Choice' and 'Safety Concerns'. Women who preferred a caesarean, compared to those who preferred a vaginal birth, across both countries were less likely to think of 'Birth as a natural event'. Key conclusions: the Australian women were less likely than the Swedish women to hold attitudes and beliefs regarding the impact of pregnancy and birth on their body, the right to determine the type of birth they want and to value the natural process of birth. Women from both countries who preferred caesarean were less likely to agree with attitudes related to birth as a natural event.
Icelandic national guidelines on place of birth list contraindications for home birth. Few studies have examined the effect of contraindication on home birth, and none have done so in Iceland. The aim of this study was to examine whether contraindications affect the outcome of planned home birth or have a different effect at home than in hospital.
The study is a retrospective cohort study on the effect of contraindications for home birth on the outcome of planned home (n = 307) and hospital (n = 921) birth in 2005–2009. Outcomes were described for four different groups of women, by exposure to contraindications (unexposed vs. exposed) and planned place of birth (hospital vs. home). Linear and logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect of the contraindications under study and to detect interactions between contraindications and planned place of birth.
The key findings of the study were that contraindications were related to higher rates of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, regardless of place of birth; women exposed to contraindications had higher rates of adverse outcomes in planned home birth; and healthy, unexposed women had higher rates of adverse outcomes in planned hospital birth. Contraindications significantly increased the risk of transfer in labour and postpartum haemorrhage in planned home births.
The defined contraindications for home birth had a negative effect on maternal and neonatal outcomes in Iceland, regardless of place of birth. The study results do not contradict the current national guidelines on place of birth.
Objective: to examine the relationship between attitudes towards home birth and birth outcomes, and whether women's attitudes towards birth and intervention affected this relationship. Design: a prospective cohort study. Setting: the study was set in Iceland, a sparsely populated island with harsh terrain, 325,000 inhabitants, high fertility and home birth rates, and less than 5000 births a year. Participants: a convenience sample of women who attended antenatal care in Icelandic health care centres, participated in the Childbirth and Health Study in 2009-2011, and expressed consistent attitudes towards home birth (n=809). Findings: of the participants, 164 (20.3%) expressed positive attitudes towards choosing home birth and 645 (79.7%) expressed negative attitudes. Women who had a positive attitude towards home birth had significantly more positive attitudes towards birth and more negative attitudes towards intervention than did women who had a negative attitude towards home birth. Of the 340 self-reported low-risk women that answered questionnaires on birth outcomes, 78 (22.9%) had a positive attitude towards home birth and 262 (77.1%) had a negative attitude. Oxytocin augmentation (19.2% (n=15) versus 39.1% (n=100)), epidural analgesia (19.2% (n=15) versus 33.6% (n=88)), and neonatal intensive care unit admission rates (0.0% (n=0) versus 5.0% (n=13)) were significantly lower among women who had a positive attitude towards home birth. Women's attitudes towards birth and intervention affected the relationship between attitudes towards home birth and oxytocin augmentation or epidural analgesia. Key conclusions and implications for practice: the beneficial effect of planned home birth on maternal outcome in Iceland may depend to some extent on women's attitudes towards birth and intervention. Efforts to de-stigmatise out-of-hospital birth and de-medicalize women's attitudes towards birth might increase women's use of health-appropriate birth services.
Background: At 2.2 percent in 2012, the home birth rate in Iceland is the highest in the Nordic countries and has been rising rapidly in the new millennium. The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of planned home births and planned hospital births in comparable low-risk groups in Iceland. Methods: The study is a retrospective cohort study comparing the total population of 307 planned home births in Iceland in 2005-2009 to a matched 1:3 sample of 921 planned hospital births. Regression analysis, adjusted for confounding variables, was performed for the primary outcome variables. Results: The rate of oxytocin augmentation, epidural analgesia, and postpartum hemorrhage was significantly lower when labor started as a planned home birth. Differences in the rates of other primary outcome variables were not significant. The home birth group had lower rates of operative birth and obstetric anal sphincter injury. The rate of 5-minute Apgar score < 7 was the same in the home and hospital birth groups, but the home birth group had a higher rate of neonatal intensive care unit admission. Intervention and adverse outcome rates in both study groups, including transfer rates, were higher among primiparas than multiparas. Oxytocin augmentation, epidural analgesia, and postpartum hemorrhage rates were significantly interrelated. Conclusions: This study adds to the growing body of evidence that suggests that planned home birth for low-risk women is as safe as planned hospital birth.
This article examines one of the relevant concepts in the current debate on home birth-autonomy in place of birth-and its uses in general language, ethics, and childbirth health care literature. International discussion on childbirth services. A concept analysis guided by the model of Walker and Avant. The authors suggest that autonomy in the context of choosing place of birth is defined by three main attributes: information, capacity and freedom; given the antecedent of not harming others, and the consequences of accountability for the outcome. Model, borderline and contrary cases of autonomy in place of birth are presented. A woman choosing place of birth is autonomous if she receives all relevant information on available choices, risks and benefits, is capable of understanding and processing the information and choosing place of birth in the absence of coercion, provided she intends no harm to others and is accountable for the outcome. The attributes of the definition can serve as a useful tool for pregnant women, midwives, and other health professionals in contemplating their moral status and discussing place of birth.
Background: Breastfeeding initiation rates in some developed countries are high (98 % in Sweden and 96 % inAustralia) whereas in others, they are not as favourable (46 % to 55 % in Ireland). Although the World Health Organization recommends exclusively breastfeeding for six months, 15 % of Australian women, 11 % of Swedish women and less than 7 % of Irish women achieve this goal. Awareness of what women in different countries perceive as essential breastfeeding support is a gap in our knowledge.
Methods: Our aim was to explore Australian, Irish and Swedish women's perceptions of what assisted them tocontinue breastfeeding for six months. An exploratory design using critical incident techniques was used. Recruitment occurred through advertisements in local newspapers and on social networking platforms. Initial sampling was purposive, followed by snowball sampling. Telephone interviews were conducted with 64 Irish, 139 Swedish and 153 Australian women who responded to one question "what has assisted you to continue breastfeeding for at least six months?" Content analysis was conducted and common categories determined toallow comparison of frequencies and priority ranking.
Results: Categories reflected the individual mother, her inner social network, her outer social network (informal support either face to face or online), and societal support (health professionals, work environment and breastfeeding being regarded as the cultural norm). Categories ranked in the top five across the three countries were 'informal face to face support' and 'maternal determination'. Swedish and Australian women ranked "health professional support" higher (first and third respectively) than Irish women who ranked 'informal online support' as second compared to ninth and tenth for Swedish and Australian women.
Conclusions: The support required to assist breastfeeding women is complex and multi-faceted. Although common international categories were revealed, the ranking of these supportive categories varied. We must recognize how the cultural context of breastfeeding support can vary for women in differing countries and acknowledge the resourcefulness of women who embrace innovations such as social media where face to face formal and informal support are not as accessible.
Hildingsson I. . Allmänmedicinsk rapportsamling 2/1998. Institutionen för folkhälsa och klinisk medicin, Umeå Universitet, 1998.
OBJECTIVE: to investigate factors associated with having a caesarean section, with special emphasis on women's preferences in early pregnancy. DESIGN: a cohort study using data from questionnaires in early pregnancy and 2 months after childbirth, and data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register. SETTING: women were recruited from 97% of all antenatal clinics in Sweden at their booking visit during 3 weeks between 1999 and 2000, and followed up 2 months after birth. PARTICIPANTS: a total of 2878 Swedish-speaking women were included in the study (87% of those who consented to participate and 63% of all women eligible for the study). FINDINGS: Of 236 women who wished to have their babies delivered by caesarean section when asked in early pregnancy, 30.5% subsequently had an elective caesarean section and 14.8% an emergency caesarean section. The logistic regression analyses showed that, a preference for caesarean section in early pregnancy (odds ratio [OR] 9.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.94-15.59), a medical diagnosis (OR 9.03, 95% CI 5.68-14.34), age (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.03-1.13), parity (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.37-0.91), a previous elective caesarean section (OR 15.11, 95% CI 6.83-33.41) and a previous emergency caesarean section (OR 18.29, 95% CI 10.00-33.44) was associated with having an elective caesarean section. Having an emergency caesarean section was associated with a preference for a caesarean section (OR 2.59, 95% 1.61 to 4.18), a medical diagnosis (OR 4.12, 95% CI 2.91-5.88), age (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.05-1.12), primiparity (OR 3.34, 95% CI 1.78-6.27), a previous emergency caesarean section (OR 10.69, 95% CI 6.03-18.94), and a previous elective caesarean section (OR 7.21, 95% CI 2.90-17.92). KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: a woman's own preference about caesarean section was associated with the subsequent mode of delivery. Asking women about their preference regarding mode of delivery in early pregnancy may increase the opportunity to provide adequate support and possibly also to reduce the caesarean section rate.
Background: Parental stress has been recognized as a problem despite governmental support of parent education programs aiming to prepare parents for parenthood. Aim: to compare parents who underwent a mental training program during pregnancy with a control group to measure feelings and experiences during pregnancy and birth and perceived parental stress. Methods: A comparative pilot study of 46 self-selected parents who underwent a mental training program during pregnancy, and 1408 parents living in the same catchment area (control group). Data was collected in mid-pregnancy, 2 months and 1 year after birth. The main outcome was parental stress. Results: Parents in the mental training group were more often expecting their first baby and had a higher level of education compared to parents in the control group. Parents participating in the mental training program had less positive feelings about expecting a baby (OR 14.0; 6.7-29.3), the upcoming birth (OR 2.0; 1.1-3.8) and the newborn baby (OR 3.1; 1.6-6.2). Parents who attended the mental training program attended an antenatal parent education to a higher degree (OR 2.0; 1.6-2.4) and were more likely to stay in contact with other participants in the antenatal education (OR 4.1; 1.9-8.6). Mothers in the mental training program used psycho prophylaxis to a higher extent (OR 3.0; 1.2-7.1) There was no difference in the birth experience or the perceived parental stress. Conclusion: Participating in a mental training program for birth and parenthood was not associated with the birth experience or the assessment of parental stress 1 year after birth.
Background Previous research shows inconsistent results about the stability of SOC during the childbearing period, and few studies have focused on longitudinal measures. There are contradictory results regarding the association between SOC and birth outcome. The link between levels of SOC and parental stress needs to be further explored. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate changes in SOC from early pregnancy to one year after birth and associations with background characteristics, birth outcome and parental stress. Methods A longitudinal survey of a national cohort of Swedish speaking women during 3 weeks in 1999–2000. Data were collected by questionnaires in early pregnancy, 2 months and 1 year after birth. Results SOC increased from pregnancy to 2 months after birth but decreased 1 year after birth. SOC was associated with women's background characteristics, emotional wellbeing and attitudes, but not with labour outcome. Women with low SOC reported higher parental stress after one year. Conclusion Sense of coherence is not stable during the childbearing period and is associated with women's sociodemographic background, emotional health and attitudes, but not with reproductive history or birth outcome. Parental stress is negatively correlated with SOC, and some important characteristics are similar in women having low SOC and high parental stress. Identifying women with low SOC in early pregnancy could be a means to prevent later parental stress.
Objective: Little is known if couples hold similar or different attitudes towards birth or what impact these have on the actual mode of birth. The aim of this study was to compare couples' personal and general attitudes towards birth. An additional aim was to study the relationship between attitudes, birth preferences, and fear of birth in relation to mode of birth. Methods: This study is part of a longitudinal cohort study of 1074 pregnant women and their partners recruited during one year in three hospitals in the middle-north part of Sweden. Data was collected by questionnaires. Chi-square test, t-tests and multinominal regression analysis were used in the analyses. Results: Women held stronger attitudes about the importance of a safe and less stressful birth for the baby, while their partners were most concerned about the woman's health. Women who preferred a caesarean section and reported childbirth fear often prioritized a safe and stressful birth for themselves, wanted to avoid pain, plan the date, and decide about birth themselves and did not view birth as natural. Some of these attitudes were also found in partners who preferred a caesarean section. Birth preference and fear were strongly associated with mode of birth. Conclusion: Special attention should be directed towards parents with a caesarean section preference and parents with childbirth related fear as they have certain attitudes to birth and are more likely to have caesarean section for the birth of the baby. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.
Background: The importance of women's expectations on the experience of birth has shown contradictory results regarding fulfilment. The aim of this study was to describe pregnant women's expectations of birth and to investigate if these expectations were fulfilled. An additional aim was to determine if unfulfilled expectations were related to the mode of birth, use of epidural and the birth experience. Methods: This research investigated a prospective regional cohort study of 1042 Swedish-speaking women who completed a questionnaire about birth expectations in late pregnancy and were followed up with two months after birth. Five areas were under study: support from partner, support from midwife, control, participation in decision making and the midwife's presence during labour and birth. An index combining expectations and experiences was created. Results: Certain background characteristics were associated with expectations as well as experiences. Statistically significant differences were shown between expectations and experiences in support from midwife (mean 3.41 vs 3.32), support from partner (mean 3.70 vs 3.77), and midwife's presence (mean 3.00 vs 3.39). Experiences 'worse than expected' regarding decision making and control were associated with modes of birth other than vaginal and four out of five areas were associated with a less positive birth experience. Conclusion: Some women had high birth expectations of which some were fulfilled. An expectation on support from the midwife was less likely to be achieved, while support from partner and the midwives' presence were fulfilled. If the woman's expectations were not fulfilled, e.g. became 'worse than expected' this was associated with a less positive overall birth experience as well as with instrumental or surgical mode of birth. (C) 2015 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Australia (a division of Reed International Books Australia Pty Ltd). All rights reserved.
A decade ago a national cohort of Swedish-speaking women were surveyed about their expectations on antenatal care. Today, antenatal care in Sweden still operates under similar circumstances while changes have occurred in society and the pregnant population. Objective: To compare expectations of antenatal care in pregnant women recruited 2009-2010 to those of pregnant women from a national cohort in 1999-2000. An additional aim was to compare antenatal expectations in women recruited to a clinical trial and subsequently received group based or standard antenatal care. Methods: A cross-sectional pre-study of 700 women recruited to a clinical trial and a historical cohort of 3061 women from a Swedish national survey. Data was collected by a questionnaire in early pregnancy for both cohorts and before the clinical trial started. Results: In early pregnancy 79% of the women in the study sample reported a preference for the recommended number of visits, which is slightly higher than in the national cohort (70%). Continuity of the caregiver was still important with 95% vs 97% of the women rated it important to meet the same midwife at subsequent antenatal visits. The content of care rank order showed a change over time with lower expectations in health check-ups and emotional content and higher expectations in information needs, respect and partner involvement. Conclusion: Women approached in early pregnancy had lower expectations about medical and emotional check-ups and parent education but higher expectations regarding information, being met with respect and the involvement of the partner compared to women 10. years ago. Continuity of a midwife caregiver was still important and women seem more willing to follow the recommended number of antenatal visits. Clinical implications: Asking women about their expectations regarding antenatal care could be a means to individualize the care. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.
Objective: Normal progress of labor is a subject for discussion among professionals. The aim of this study was to assess the duration of labor in women with a planned home birth and spontaneous onset who gave birth at home or in hospital after transfer. Methods: This is a population-based study of home births in four Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden). All midwives assisting at a home birth from 2008 to 2013 were asked to provide information about home births using a questionnaire. Results: Birth data from 1,612 women, from Denmark (n = 1,170), Norway (n = 263), Sweden (n = 138), and Iceland (n = 41) were included. The total median duration from onset of labor until the birth of the baby was approximately 14 hours for primiparas and 7.25 hours for multiparas. The duration of the different phases varied between countries. Blood loss more than 1,000 mL and perineal ruptures that needed suturing were associated with a longer pushing phase and the latter with country of residence, parity, single status, and the baby's weight. Conclusion: In this population of healthy women with a low prevalence of interventions, the total duration of labor was fairly similar to what is described in the literature for multiparas, but longer for primiparas. Although the duration of the phases of labor differed among countries, it was to a minor extent associated with severe outcomes. (BIRTH 42:4 December 2015)
The aim was to identify the proportion of fathers having a positive experience of a normal birth and to explore factors related to midwifery care that were associated with a positive experience. Background: Research has mainly focused on the father's supportive role during childbirth rather than his personal experiences of birth. Methods: 595 new fathers living in a northern part of Sweden, whose partner had a normal birth, were included in the study. Data was collected by questionnaires. Odds Ratios with 95% confidence interval and logistic regression analysis were used. Results: The majority of fathers (82%) reported a positive birth experience. The strongest factors associated with a positive birth experience were midwife support (OR 4.0; 95 CI 2.0-8.1), the midwife's ongoing presence in the delivery room (OR 2.0; 1.1-3.9), and information about the progress of labour (OR 3.1; 1.6-5.8). Conclusion: Most fathers had a positive birth experience. Midwifery support, the midwife's presence and sufficient information about the progress of labour are important aspects in a father's positive birth experience. The role of the midwife during birth is important to the father, and his individual needs should be considered in order to enhance a positive birth experience.
Antenatal parent education is one part of the parenthood support program and is offered to all firsttime parents in Sweden. The aim was to explore first-time parents' experiences of antenatal education and its helpfulness in preparation for birth and early parenthood. Eight hundred ten first-time parents completed questionnaires. The antenatal education was a positive experience for 56% and 62% of women and men, respectively. Antenatal education was helpful during birth for 68% of women and 63% of men. Forty-seven percent of women and 44% of men found it helpful for early parenthood. High level of education was the only background variable associated with being satisfied with antenatal education. Satisfaction was lower than reported in previous studies and indicates room for change and improvement in antenatal parent education.
To describe new fathers' satisfaction with postnatal care after the introduction of a more family-centered model and to study factors related to fathers' overall satisfaction with postnatal care. Two cohorts of fathers who had a live-born baby during a 15 weeks period in 2004 and 2006. A Swedish hospital. Postnatal care options were traditional postnatal ward, early discharge, cocare at neonatal ward, and from 2006 a family suite on a hotel ward. Two hundred and eighty-four fathers whose babies were born in 2004 and 356 fathers whose babies were born in 2006. Data were collected using a questionnaire and descriptive statistical odds ratios with 95% confidence interval and logistic regression analyses were used. Six hundred and forty (64%) fathers completed the questionnaire. There was no improvement between the 2 years in satisfaction with the content of postnatal care, although fathers who stayed in the family suite on the hotel ward were more satisfied with the postnatal care over all. The following factors were most significant for predicting dissatisfaction with postnatal care: no support from staff, not being treated nicely, dissatisfaction with the environment, lack of medical check-ups for the mother, and visiting hours. A true family perspective should be applied in postnatal care and the new parents viewed as a family unit, not as medical cases only. Staff working in postnatal wards should be given the opportunity to involve fathers in postnatal care.
Background: There is a shortage of midwives in Sweden. Evidence suggests that the work environment is likely to play a part in retention and attrition rates. Objective: To explore the practice environment of Swedish midwives and factors associated with the perception of an unfavorable work environment. Methods: 475/1000 (48.6%) members of the Swedish Midwifery association completed a questionnaire including the Practice Environment Scale (PES). Differences in mean scores were calculated for the subscales of PES and midwives' background characteristics. Logistic regression was used to investigate factors most strongly associated with unfavorable working environment. Results: The two domains that showed significant differences in terms of participant characteristics were the Staffing and resources adequacy subscale and the Foundations of quality care subscale. Midwives younger than 40 years, those with less than 10 years' experience and those with an additional academic degree rated these two domains more unfavorably. Protective factors for assessing the work environment unfavorable were mainly internal such as high quality of life and high self-efficacy. Swedish midwives were most satisfied with the midwife-doctor relationship and least satisfied with their participation in work place or hospital affairs. Midwives suffering from burnout, those who provided hospital based care and those without leadership position were more likely to assess their work environment as unfavorable. Conclusions: This study identified personal factors as well as work related factors to be associated with midwives' assessment of their practice work environment. Establishing healthy work places where midwives feel recognized and valued could prevent midwives from leaving the profession. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.
Background: the predicted midwifery workforce shortages in several countries have serious implications for the care of women during pregnancy, birth and post partum. There are a number of factors known to contribute to midwifery shortages and work attrition. However, midwives assessment of their own professional identity and role (sense of empowerment) are perhaps among the most important. There are few international workforce comparisons. Aim: to compare midwives' sense of empowerment across Australia, New Zealand and Sweden using the Perceptions of Empowerment in Midwifery Scale-R (PEMS-Revised). Method: a self-administered survey package was distributed to midwives through professional colleges and networks in each country. The surveys asked about personal, professional and employment details and included the Perceptions of Empowerment in Midwifery Scale-R (PEMS-Revised). Descriptive statistics for the sample and PEMS were generated separately for the three countries. A series of analysis of variance with posthoc tests (Tukey's HSD) were conducted to compare scale scores across countries. Effect size statistics (partial eta squared) were also calculated. Results: completed surveys were received from 2585 midwives (Australia 1037; New Zealand 1073 and Sweden 475). Respondents were predominantly female (98%), aged 50-59 years and had significant work experience as a midwife (+20 years). Statistically significant differences were recorded comparing scores on all four PEMS subscales across countries. Moderate effects were found on Professional Recognition, Skills and Resources and Autonomy/Empowerment comparisons. All pairwise comparisons between countries reached statistical significance (p<.001) except between Australia and New Zealand on the Manager Support subscale. Sweden recorded the highest score on three subscales except Skills and Resources which was the lowest score of the three countries. New Zealand midwives scored significantly better than both their Swedish and Australian counterparts in terms of these essential criteria. Discussion/conclusions: midwives in New Zealand and Sweden had a strong professional identity or sense of empowerment compared to their Australian counterparts. This is likely the result of working in more autonomous ways within a health system that is primary health care focused and a culture that constructs childbirth as a normal but significant life event. If midwifery is to reach its full potential globally then developing midwives sense of autonomy and subsequently their empowerment must be seen as a critical element to recruitment and retention that requires attention and strengthening.
Objective: to compare self-rated health and perceived difficulties during pregnancy as well as antenatal attendance, birth experience and parental stress in fathers with and without childbirth related fear. Design: a longitudinal regional survey. Data were collected by three questionnaires. Setting: three hospitals in the middle-north part of Sweden. Participants: 1047 expectant fathers recruited in mid-pregnancy and followed up at two months and one year after birth. Measurements: childbirth fear was assessed using the Fear of Birth Scale (FOBS). Self-rated physical and mental health and perceived difficulties were assessed in mid pregnancy. Two months after birth antenatal attendance, mode of birth and the birth experience were investigated. Parental stress was measured using the Swedish Parental Stress Questionnaire (SPSQ). Crude and adjusted odds ratios were calculated between expectant fathers who scored 50 and above (childbirth fear) and those that did not (no fear). Findings: expectant fathers with childbirth related fear (13.6%) reported poorer physical (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2-2.8) and mental (OR 3.0; 1.8-5.1) health than their non-fearful counterparts. The fearful fathers were more likely to perceive difficulties in pregnancy (OR 2.1; 1.4-3.0), and the forthcoming birth (OR 4.3; 2.9-6.3) compared to fathers without childbirth fear. First-time fathers with fear attended fewer antenatal classes. Fathers with high fear reported higher mean scores in four of the five subscales of the SPSQ. Childbirth related fear was not associated with mode of birth or fathers' birth experience. Key conclusions: expectant fathers with childbirth related fear had poorer health, viewed the pregnancy, birth and the forthcoming parenthood with more difficulties. They were less often present during antenatal classes and had higher parental stress. Implications for practice: this study provides insight into the health of expectant fathers during pregnancy and highlights the importance of understanding how childbirth fear may affect expectant fathers in both the short and longer term. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.
Background: Satisfaction with antenatal care could differ depending on the organisation and the context of care. Aim: To compare antenatal care in Australia and Sweden, to identify deficiencies in the content of antenatal care and what aspects contributed most in dissatisfaction with antenatal care. Methods: A longitudinal survey of 123 Australian and 386 Swedish women recruited during one year in regional hospitals in Sweden and Australia. Data collected by three questionnaires. Results: Women in Australia had more antenatal visits, less continuity of midwife caregiver but were more satisfied with antenatal education and the emotional aspects of antenatal care. Although the overall satisfaction was high, deficiencies were found in more than half of the studied variables in the content of care. Women in Sweden were more dissatisfied with information about labour and birth (OR 3.1; 1.8-5.3) and information about the time following birth (OR 3.8; 2.2-6.3), but more satisfied with the involvement of the father (OR 0.3; 0.2-0.6). Factors that contributed most to dissatisfaction with antenatal care overall were deficiency in information about pregnancy related issues (OR 3.4; 1.3-8.7) and not being taken seriously by the midwife (OR 4.1; 1.6-10.1). Conclusion: Satisfaction with antenatal care was high in both groups of women. Australian women were more satisfied than the Swedish women with the emotional aspects of care. Deficiencies were found in more than half of the variables measured relating to the specific aspects of care. Lack of information and not being treated seriously were important factors for not being satisfied.
Background: The prevalence of fear of birth has been estimated between 8-30%, but there is considerable heterogeneity in research design, definitions, measurement tools used and populations. There are some inconclusive findings about the stability of childbirth fear. Aim: to assess the prevalence and characteristics of women presenting with scores >= 60 on FOBS-The Fear of Birth Scale, in mid and late pregnancy, and to study change in fear of birth and associated factors. Methods: A prospective longitudinal cohort study of a one-year cohort of 1212 pregnant women from a northern part of Sweden, recruited in mid pregnancy and followed up in late pregnancy. Fear of birth was assessed using FOBS-The fear of birth scale, with the cut off at >= 60. Findings: The prevalence of fear of birth was 22% in mid pregnancy and 19% in late pregnancy, a statistically significant decrease. Different patterns were found where some women presented with increased fear and some with decreased fear. The women who experienced more fear or less fear later in pregnancy could not be differentiated by background factors. Conclusions: More research is needed to explore factors important to reduce fear of childbirth and the optimal time to measure it.
OBJECTIVE: To elucidate midwives' narrated experiences of being supportive to prospective mothers or parents during pregnancy. DESIGN: Phenomenological hermeneutic analysis of transcribed text from seven tape-recorded interviews. SETTING: Midwifery clinics in five health centres in the context of Swedish primary health care. PARTICIPANTS: Seven midwives working in antenatal care. FINDINGS: The interpretation of the text showed that through perception and intuition the midwives seemed to become aware that some women needed increased support. The situations of these prospective mothers were often characterised by difficult social problems or fears. The prospective fathers were mostly absent in the narratives. The midwives acted on both a personal and a professional level with ethical perspectives in mind, when they were advocating their clients' rights to receive proper care. The comprehensive understanding of the interpretation revealed that the midwife sometimes perceived herself as being metaphorically 'The Good Mother'. KEY CONCLUSIONS: Having the role of 'The Good Mother' could be understood as a way for the midwife to establish a fruitful relationship with prospective mothers/parents. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The findings provide a basis for reflection on the mothering and supportive function of midwives when providing antenatal care.
to investigate the prevalence of childbirth related fear in Swedish fathers and associated factors.
a regional cohort study. Data was collected by a questionnaire.
three hospitals in the middle-north part of Sweden PARTICIPANTS: 1047 expectant fathers recruited in mid-pregnancy during one year (2007) who completed the Fear of Birth Scale (FOBS).
prevalence of childbirth fear and associated factors. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were calculated between men who scored 50 and above (childbirth fear) and those that did not (no fear). Logistic regression analysis was used to assess which factors contributed most to childbirth fear in fathers.
the prevalence of childbirth fear in men was 13.6%. Factors associated with childbirth related fear were as follows: Less positive feelings about the approaching birth (OR 3.4; 2.2-5.2), country of birth other than Sweden (OR 2.8; 1.3-6.1), a preference for a caesarean birth (OR 2.1; 1.7-4.1), childbirth thoughts in mid-pregnancy (OR 1.9; 1.1-2.0) and expecting the first baby (OR 1.8; 1.2-2.6).
high levels of fear were associated with first time fathers and being a non-native to Sweden. Men with fear were more likely to experience pregnancy and the coming birth as a negative event. These men were also more likely to identify caesarean section as their preferred mode of birth.
engaging expectant fathers in antenatal conversations about their experiences of pregnancy and feelings about birth provides health-care professionals with an opportunity to address childbirth fear, share relevant information and promote birth as a normal but significant life event.


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Aleksey Polukhin, in a recent 'Novaya Gazeta' article, explains why "Operation Novorossia" is now terminated, and why there will be no Ukrainian banks nor the Russian ruble there. He calls the project "an economic dead end."
Here is a summary:
In accordance with president Poroshenko's decree "On urgent measures to stabilise the socio-economic situation in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions," any social and economic activity in areas not under the control of Kyiv was to cease on December 1. In reality, operation and maintenance of ATM bank cards and accounts were discontinued a week earlier. Banks and post offices in the LNR and DNR are paralysed and payments of pensions and benefits were stopped much earlier by Ukraine.
The economic blockade is the toughest challenge for the unrecognised republics, even surpassing the actual military threat.
If Russia were to consider the Novorossiya as their own protectorate, even in the long term, it would be obliged to respond to all of this.
Putin has said that Ukraine, by its actions has separated the the two regions from itself, adding that that Russia doesn't have claim to them either. Statements in the summer by Luhansk and Donetsk leaders promising entry into the ruble zone "in three or four months" have now been conveniently forgotten.
This is in sharp contrast to Crimea, where branchs of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation were set up two weeks after their 'referendum', and by the summer total transition to the ruble was in place on the peninsula.
In this situation, the unrecognised republics have no choice but to create their own central banks, and either enter the ruble zone without prior arrangement - or create their own currency.
Other frozen conflict zones such as Abkhazia and South Ossetia can stay in the ruble zone because their independence has long been recognized by Russia.
The problem for LNR and DNR is that any unrecognised republic can only exist in a symbiotic relationship with a strong independent player, but such symbiosis with Ukraine has been excluded by Poroshenko's decree. Symbiosis with Russia would be an unacceptable risk [and fiscal burden? F.N.] to Russia, and western sanctions against it strengthened.
Russia will now be forced to accept some responsibility for the humanitarian disaster in Luhansk and Donetsk, which it seems suits the Ukrainian authorities. "Russkiy Mir" may be even more pitiless than the "Russian war." A few days ago, Prime Minister of Ukraine Yatsenyuk declared a need to resume social welfare payments in the south-east.
Donbas cannot count on the ruble as currency. It's the end of the "Unification to Russia" project.
In May this year DNR and LNR held a so-called 'referendum' after which they declared independence from Ukraine. On November 2 its new leaders were 'elected'.
Why did those who voted not ask: What is going to happen to our currency? What is going to happen to our banks..our savings...our pensions? They unimaginably naively thought the Crimea scenario would be repeated - that Mother Russia would sort everything out. Where were the local businessmen, the civic leaders, the Party of Regions elite that completely dominated that region for over a decade? People who know about such matters. They had all fled with their loot, and screw the 'proles'...
In the recent referendum on Independence for Scotland the pivotal policy question for the canny electorate was just this: What currency are we going to get? What will happen with our banks? Who will pay our pensions? Will our savings be safe? What will our relationship with the EU be? How will all of this affect our economy..our jobs...our financial security?...The failure of Scottish Nationalist parties' to answer these vital questions satisfactorily was probably the main reasons Scotland remains part of the United Kingdom today.
Meanwhile, [LNR ] "is not planning in the near future to leave the Ukrainian hryvnia zone, switch to the Russian ruble or create its own currency."
p.s. More on why sharing a currency without sharing a government is very dangerous here

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Andersons Constitutions (the founding document of Freemasonry) prohibited women from joining Freemasonry ; it also prohibited from joining anyone without the status of free person, an essential criterion to be a Freemason.
Nevertheless, the intellectual and moral qualities of particular women led certain men to change their opinion in this matter, and starting in 1725, Womens Lodges, called « Adoptive Lodges », were created in France.
Under the authority and management of the Mens Lodges, the Adoptive Lodges had no autonomy whatsoever. Modesty, discretion, fidelity, and chastity were the themes of the initiation, which was very different from the mens initiation.
The activities of the Adoptive Lodges were primarily charitable in nature and consisted of balls and receptions. This type of Masonry could not last and appears to have died out after 1864.
At the same time, there was an attempt to create independent Womens Lodges. This provoked confrontation between those for and against the presence of women in Freemasonry. Failed attempt !
At the end of the 19th century, the status of women began to be recognized, and from these feminist demands came a new obedience, in 1893: the Grande Loge Symbolique Ecossaise Mixte de France, le Droit Humain, which in 1899 became the International Order of Mixed Freemasonry Le Droit Humain.
The history of purely Womens Freemasonry began in 1901 when Brothers of the Grande Loge de France established new Adoptive Lodges,
In 1935, the Grande Loge de France proposed granting the Adoptive Lodges complete autonomy but war broke out and all Masonry activity was prohibited in French territory.
In 1945 (on October 21, 1945 to be exact), the Union Maçonnique Féminine de France was established and held its first General Assembly, called a « Convention ».
Seven years later, in 1952, the Union Maçonnique Féminine de France selected its own name and became the Grande Loge Féminine de France (GLFF).
Membership in the Grande Loge Féminine de France increased significantly because of womens desire to meet up and work together on their own self-improvement, as well as on all the great concerns affecting humanity. But the Grande Loge Féminine de France also wanted to initiate women outside of France.
These four Lodges became independent of their mother Obedience on October 17, 1981 and formed the Grande Loge Féminine de Belgique - Vrouwengrootloge van België.
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The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) is a translation tool that helps communication and comparison between qualifications systems in Europe. Its eight common European reference levels are described in terms of learning outcomes: knowledge, skills and competences. This allows any national qualifications systems, national qualifications frameworks (NQFs) and qualifications in Europe to relate to the EQF levels. Learners, graduates, providers and employers can use these levels to understand and compare qualifications awarded in different countries and by different education and training systems.
For more information on NQF's and their relation to the EQF click on the buttons below:
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Qualifications that are part of national qualifications framework are listed on this page. You can scroll down to find all information. Filter by Subject Field, EQF level and Location and you will find more detailed information on qualifications, and a link to the national database. The qualifications are part of national qualifications frameworks that have formally referenced to the EQF
Type of qualification This qualification is a general education school leaving certificate obtained on completion of grade 10 at a secondary school (Realschule) or, under certain circumstances, at other lower secondary level school types. It can also be obtained at a later stage during vocational training at upper secondary level. In some Länder called Realschulabschluss. This type of school usually comprising grades 5-10 provides pupils with a more extensive general education and the opportunity to go on to courses of education at upper secondary level that lead to vocational or higher education entrance qualifications. ...
Awarding bodyPublic or state recognised school
Type of qualification This qualification is a vocational school degree acquiring the intermediate secondary school leaving certificate. Attendance at full-time vocational school for the purpose of acquiring the intermediate secondary school leaving certificate combines cross-occupational and occupationally related competences within the respective specialism and leads to the intermediate secondary school leaving certificate. Attendance at full-time vocational school for a period of two years enables young people to acquire initial occupationally related skills and competences within the respective occupational field, in which experience and learning situations to support their individual learning process are opened up. Such a full-time school-based course of training imparts basic knowledge and skills which impart occupational competence. Acquisition of the competences of company-based training takes place in workshops, laboratories or learning offices. Alongside professional competence, the main focus is on fostering the personal competences which are of particular significance within the respective occupational field. Those completing the qualification acquire basic occupationally related skills and competences from the first year of training (basic vocational training) and cross-occupational competences which are aligned to the educational standards of the intermediate secondary school leaving certificate. They are in possession of competences for the autonomous fulfilment of professional requirements within ...
Awarding bodyPublic or state recognised vocational school


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05.06.2016 13:45
Anyone who has ever processed pattern wallpapers knows that due to the wallpaper's design match leftover wallpaper remains which commonly gets discarded when the work is done. But it does not have to be that way! With some creativity and handicraft skills beautiful decoration elements can be created with the remaining leftover wallpapers. Depending on the expenditure of time and available material great accents can be set on the wall or the furniture can be upgraded. We present two DIY opportunities.
Frame leftover wallpaper
Often wallpapers with extravagant patterns are used to set strong accents on one wall. The other walls stay decent and become upgraded by wall decorations. To get a harmonious ambiance it can be recommendable to match the decoration of the decent walls with the pattern and colours of the pattern wallpaper. A fast, cheap and easy solution can be framing the leftover wallpaper and to hang it on the wall.
Here is how it works:
Expenditure of time: low
Material requirements: low
Handicraft skills: low
Material: Leftover wallpaper, scissors/cutter, folding rule, picture frame(s)
Stick leftover wallpaper on furniture
A complete living concept not only involves a harmonious wall decoration but also matching furniture. All nicer then, when the furniture takes up and reflects colours or patterns of the walls. Due to their expansive surfaces especially tables and cupboards offer a good basis to follow this approach. With a little preparation, manual dexterity and leftover wallpaper old and plain tables and cupboard become unmistakable originals serving as a valuable decoration element in the living area.
Here is how it works:
Expenditure of time: medium - high
Material requirements: medium - high
Handicraft skills: medium – high
Material: Leftover wallpaper, scissors/cutter, folding rule, paste, furniture


text: BUSINESS IOC: China will allow media freedom 5:00 AM PDT 10/26/2006 by Reuters , AP FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Empty BEIJING -- The International Olympic Committee is confident China will keep to its assurances on media freedom at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, coordination commission chief Hein Verbruggen said.Speaking at the end of a three-day inspection of preparations for the Games, Verbruggen also said the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) and local authorities were doing their best to resolve the city's pollution problem.Media freedom in China, where foreign journalists currently work under restrictions, has long been a contentious issue for Beijing organizers, who have promised new regulations for the Olympics to be published and enacted early next year."Strange enough, it has not been a big topic between us and BOCOG," Verbruggen told a news conference Thursday."BOCOG and the authorities here have given us the assurance that, as regards to the media reporting, that media would be able to do their work here just as they did in Athens and Sydney."We are confident that this will be the case. We have no worries about this."Verbruggen said Beijing had committed itself to more than 350 steps to improve the environment, backed by a budget of $12.3 billion, but was a victim of China's booming economy."The environment is a challenge for the organizers here," he added. "It is a challenge not because they don't work at it, they are working very hard at it."The problem is the economic boom is such that the problem is increasing. They are living up to their commitments but the constraints are increasing too."It is something that you have to take into account if you add one thousand cars every day on the roads in Beijing."Verbruggen said that contingency plans had been discussed to make sure there were no problems for the athletes in 2008.BOCOG vp Jiang Xiaoyu said organizers were also considering measures to sort out the city's notorious traffic congestion, including a special Olympic lane, encouraging people to use public transport and restricting the use of cars."I think in making these decisions we are not only trying to meet the transportation needs of the Olympic Games, but at the same time we will try to reduce the impact on the local residents as much as possible," he said.Overall, Verbruggen said the construction of the venues, "the prime concern," was exactly on schedule and that BOCOG would now have to turn its focus to the less tangible elements of running an Olympics."The next phase is critical for BOCOG," he said. "Their Games are now becoming something truly on the radar of the global community, a fact that brings challenges and opportunities. The test will be how this is met."The Beijing Games open on Aug. 8, 2008. FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Reuters email@example.com @thr AP email@example.com @thr


text:
And so the ball starts rolling and where better to start than Olivella and Casa Felix. Martin and Aneta married here on the most beautiful spring day, absolutely perfect! Ok so one of the benches collapsed just as Aneta arrived at Martin's side and then his best man's wife nearly fell off another one in an attempt to upstage her husband's speech. Apart from that it really was great. I hadn't met Martin until he stuck his head in to the venue looking for me 10 minutes best the start, but I think he was happy with how everything went, as was Aneta. Good start to the year ... lots of weddings still to do.
Milli and Kane married in Sitges, it rained the day before and looks like it might the day after BUT for us everything was fine. A great day, Kane did what so many butch grooms do ... and with style, while Shane and Dee, Milli's mother and Shane's father, made fabulous speeches.
If you don't know what the wind called the Tramuntana is you would were you to have been at Diana and Brian's wedding. On the beautiful coast of Llafranc from the Far (lighthouse) with stunning views the wedding was a little windy but nothing was going to dampen their day. Diana was stunning and Brian looked remarkably like Prince William (those are words from Diana). This was a bi´lingual ceremony and all said that it was more or less perfect, I enjoyed myself and I think that they did too.
This was just the three of us and Veronica taking the pictures, well I say that but there was a photo of their dog there too and a promise of starting a larger family soon. This lovely couple had eloped after years together in Canada. In fact they had eloped after sitting, one behind the other, at the tender age of 11 and 10! It was a perfect ceremony in a lovely secluded part of the city ... congratulations.
Back to Casa Felix, this time for Adele and Lee ... the ceremony was warm, friendly, family and lots of smiles. Their vows were wondreful, at least a page each and where the highlight of the afternoon. Lee promised to love thissssss much ... and by the look of them both I reckon he will. Once again organised by Val and Mireia ... fab.
Shobana, Shobi, and Mark, married on an island! This is the first time I have had to take a boat to marry a couple. Facing Cadaqués, S'Arenella, is a dream location. Ok, so there was a bit of wind, but for May 28th I would say that the day was pretty great. A moving ceremony, lots of love and family and all the rest that goes in to making a wedding what it is. They did great and organised, along with Angela, a day to remember, now fingers crossed that Shobi finds a job soon!
I hate to say that any venue is better than anywhere else since really it is the emotion and the feeling and the work and the planning that make a wedding but this place really is something else. Ok so it is very hard to find, the second bus arrived half an hour late, but once you get there what a place. The first wedding I did here was that of the owners, Helena and Servais, I got lost! Today I didn't and thank goodness for that. It was beautiful, sunny, warm and full of happy people, none more so than Michael and Rinki. It was pretty much perfect, a lovely mixture of east meets west, great music and ... oh how I wish I could have stayed, the smells coming from the caterers were out of this world.
Issy and James married surrounded by their children, some shared and some not, Buzz, Barney and Iylie on a beautiful day in a beautiful place, Mas Isern. The whole thing was great and wonderfully organised by Angela. James, a copper very near to the place I was born and who has chased shoplifters through supermarkets I have wasted time in, was great, Issy was a star. They were quite cool at the actual ceremony since all the emotion had been spent days before at the registry office but nonetheless I think it was a day to remember.
Back to the Labyrinth d'Horta for the wedding of Eileen and Dale, 19 years on, daughter taking photos, son in law and Lara all there too, it was very moving to see a couple who have spent so long together unable to say their vows for all that emotion, a pleasure all in all.
This is, without a doubt, the wedding that I have had more information for than any other. Mails from Mario and Sandra, information from all of their parents, brothers and sisters, I had to work hard to keep it to less than an hour! The last info was a mail from Sandra at 2.30pm (the wedding started at 5.30pm) changing the year that Mario went down on one knee! It was great and they really enjoyed the ceremony, pictures were by Edwin so watch this space. All in all perfect, BTW they had two friends singing them up and down the aisle, perfect.
Wow, what a wedding, it was all pretty much perfect, at least the part that I saw was. I must admit though that it had all you need for an incredible party after. I was so taken by the whole thing that the photo never got taken and so can't appear here, I do have their order of service though. Once again I was told that the best man was angry at me for taking all his material ... I am sure he will rise to the occasion though. Andrew and Henni were great and I am sure that all will be very memorable!
So the wedding of Christina and Rick finally arrived. I say finally because we have been in touch since before August last year. Still holding my breath about Brexit and wondering what will come from this crazy choice. It was a joy to have before me Germans, Brits and Spaniards. Together they married, rejoiced and enjoyed, they read, they sweated, they communed, it was great to be part of it all ... many congrats!
Ps: below is the fabulous venue ... click on it for their web!
Imagine my surprise when, as Ignasi came down the aisle he was followed by Patrick who I married in 2013. I suppose it is inevitable. This was a wedding in Spanish for a fabulous couple, once again organised by Mireia and Val, Vanessa from Peru and Ignasi from Barcelona. It is the very first time I have ever had to write the opening of the ceremony from whatsapps received 2 days before at 11 at night from Vanessa but was great. I had a ball and I have the distinct feeling that they did too.
Inna and Norman, Alex, Alex, Natalia and Oliver, they were all there and were a sight to see. As was Sasha and Nadia not to mention Sugar and Norman's dad. Ok so maybe Alex swung a little too long on a tree that simply couldn't take anymore but nothing was going to dampen this wedding made in YOP! It was a sight to see and a joy to be part of. I thought maybe I had gone to far in the preamble but they seemed to love it so ... I obviously didn't. Organised by Val and check out the venue, something else.
Alex and Pierre have been together for 14 years, they have travelled the world, lived in many many parts of it, they have blended Spanish, French and American families and come up with a cocktail that had to be shared and celebrated and that is exactly what they did. The rain held off tough we did this ceremony in the tiny chapel they have in the Castell and it was a great way to celebrate a long past and a long and bright future. Yet another fabulous affair by the via Val girls!
This was the weekend of bilingual weddings, both yesterday and today Spanish/English affairs with a very little French yesterday but the icing on the cake was my welcome in Chinese!!!! Never again, the Chinese were happy I tried but had no idea what I was trying to say and we even had a quick debate after the wedding of all possible ways of saying Welcome in Cantonese and Mandarin. It was a great day with great people and the very first time I have ever had a Tea Ceremony during one of mine. Altogether exotic and fun and happy ... as were the couple. First time in La Baronia, try it out, and with Sonia, check her out too.
It was a lovely ceremony on a lovely day in Casa Felix, Val at the helm, all perfect except I think that I managed to loose the pen to sign the wedding book, I am sure they found another one though. All great!
Karen and Conor, a fine Irish affair with fiddler and all! The wind blew, thank goodness since the heat is picking up again here. It really was a lovely venue, Mas Pou, six readings and the Unity Candle ritual, and Conor was adamant that it should be no more than half an hour! So we cut a little here and went a little further there and hit the nail right on the head. I think that the guests were very happily surprised by the ceremony, or that is the feedback I got while quietly sipping my champagne ... thank you both!
Hayley and Chris married in a great venue overlooking Barcelona, very special. Hayley was very nearly sung down the aisle by the groomsmen singing and dancing "The Macarena" but fortunately they desisted at the last moment. A great crowd and all looked pretty much set for a great party!
Now I always ask couples to write to me, secret and separate emails, about what they love about one another and somethings that can sometimes drive them crazy as well as their story and maybe some anecdotes. Jordi and Juncal wrote a book, in 5 chapters! It was fabulous. They were married a year ago in Singapore where they live but wanted to do something for friends and family closer to home so Jordi, who runs a restaurante in Singapore, simply had to do it at his partners place here, Mas Albareda! I had my wedding here last year so it was great to go back! A very international crowd so once again the ceremony meandered between Catalan, Spanish and English and was heartily enjoyed, I know that because the couple invited me to stay on for the their cocktail party and what a do. It was a perfect setting for a perfect match ... and what's more with baby on the way ... congratulations!
This is a truly great venue, organised by Silvia and Angela, Ramon has the Far and I was there too! The last time I was here the Tramontana wind blew but today the weather was perfect and the cocktail party on the terrace overlooking the sea was magnificent. USA meets Ireland with families from Dundalk and Kansas ... a truly great day.
Yasemin, pronounced Yass-e-min, told me two days before how to pronounce her name as it should be with her Turkish roots. I practised, changed the text of the ceremony and had the whole thing well organised until she was walking down the aisle and Jamie told me that she had decided to go with the more English pronunciation. Well the best laid plans and so on. It was very hot but very lovely, Val and Africa and Mireia at the helm and all was well. A lovely spot for a wedding: Can Mora de Dalt.
Now this really was a family affair, Karen and Luke had known one another since they were tiny and, with the help of Paul, made it to their big day. It was a great, Luke all over the place, "do I repeat" or "do you", last minute nerves and wham! Karen, the princess, entered. It was, altogether, a moving family affair.
This is the first time I have finished a wedding with a frozen vodka shot and fig! Wow! Just what the doctor ordered, here the doctor was Laura, and that is what she ordered!
What a setting, you can't get much more "Barcelona" than a stone's throw from the beach at the Hotel Vela. The ceremony was a joy, Simon and Harriet have a two year old girl, Ivy, who was such a good girl throughout. All very emotional and everyone very very happy, another great day and off for another wedding in the afternoon, it sometimes happens, not often, but sometimes.
Julia and Adam did a very homemade wedding and it was a joy to see. There were bales of hay to sit on and the family and friends were very much there from the start. We did this one in 3 languages, my awful German compensated by my Spanish and English. It had a great feeling to it from start to end.
Lovely wedding, very family, long time coming but well done all round. This couple, though they have made their life in Barcelona, were surrounded by their friends and family in the middle of the Catalan countryside on a beautiful evening, good to see.
Once again in Casa Felix and once again with a girl from Norwich (Val the wedding planner spent a year or so there), he from Windsor! Apparently Jamie even sold his car because it ate too much fuel so he could make the three hour jounrey more often. All perfect except I forgot the picture, will try to get one and add it later.
A hot hot day in the Garraf at the wonderful Casa Nova Estate, I married the owner a couple of years ago! Mike and Martine are a great couple who never quite agree on where it all started but they were very certain about where it would all lead. Family and friends and Scarlett, their 2 year old, present and correct, a little wait for the bride and all done! A great afternoon.
This is the first time I have done a wedding in the Jardins de Can Marc and it really is quite something else! April and Matt and their friends and family were all great and the organisation by Silvia/Angela was just about perfect too.
How can you compare weddings, you can't and you shouldn't! This one was fabulous, all the way from Nashville, a great crowd and an inspiring couple, I will never forget our last skype, just after Charles' stag night, hung over with a huge glass of water and agreeing to everything. Thank you so much for the job that I do, it makes it a pleasure ... a real pleasure.
Australia meets Holland in the beautiful Catalan countryside. Between the four parents present they had 72 years of marriage and by the look of this couple they will match that and beat it! They knew what they wanted with lots of input from them the ceremony met requirements I would say. It was, once again, a joy!
Wow, what a venue. I have lived in Barcelona for almost 30 years and done lots of jobs presenting and as an actor in the Poble Espanyol but never seen the Monastery. It is perfect, with fabulous views over the chaotic but beautiful city of Barcelona. The backdrop of the Monastery is perfect and dinner outside round the back just makes it more so. Here Bridget, New Zealand, married Henrik, Sweden! I even said 3 sentences in Swedish which fortunately the groom's family was far too well mannered to say how awful it was!
Seldom do you get heckled by a 3 year old in a wedding but this was far from a run of the mill do! It really was something else, lots of laughs, lots of smiles and a fair few tears. What might seem amazing is that all of that was to the background of torrential rain and last minute changes of venue. Met the people who run Mas Torroella, a beautiful venue and worked with Sara the wedding planner for the first time. All great.
So, it truns out that I am Superman! Little did I know that even when I have a blow-out on the motorway going to a wedding I can still make it. Hurrah! So, having made it, all seemed to go perfectly ... I think that they were happy, meanwhile I am off to the garage tomorrow.
A beautiful Irish wedding, when I say Irish wedding I don't really mean that it was any different from other weddings, well it was, but not in a particularly Irish way. It was a lovely setting and the couple were fabulous, all great ...
What a stunning couple, a great fun wedding, input from Shivy's father from the outset! Lots of laughs, all in all the prefect setting for a great ceremony. This is very much the first time I have seen the groom go through his "audience" handing out tissues before the start, I certainly felt the pressure was on, but they wept!
The beginning of a long day, the first time I have done 3 weddings in a day and trying to keep everyone as happy as possible. Though it might sound like blowing my own trumpet, it couldn't have started better. Danielle and Matt are a lovely couple and their families as well and all seemed very happy with the end result. The only thing that had to go was staying around for a glass of cava and a toast to the happy couple.
Lucie and Rob made a beautiful couple, supported by Rob's two girls they were all in all great. I made it to their wedding with lots of time and they were happy to see me off in a rush afterwards though we did manage a kiss and hand shake. The day was just about as perfect as they get, beginning of October can mean many things in Catalunya but when it is like yesterday it simply couldn't be better.
The end of my marathon and what a wedding. Portugal meets Britain, thought they actually met in Sitges. So the wedding was bi-lingual, Spanish and English, with a few words in Portuguese and a lovely poem that the couple asked me to read in Catalan which I am posting below. A very international affair all in all and very well received.
Mester d'amor
de Joan Salvat-Papasseit
Si en saps el pler no estalviïs el bes
que el goig d'amar no comporta mesura.
Deixa't besar, i tu besa després
que és sempre als llavis que l'amor perdura.
No besis, no, com l'esclau i el creient,
mes com vianant a la font regalada.
Deixa't besar -sacrifici fervent-
com més roent més fidel la besada.
¿Què hauries fet si mories abans
sense altre fruit que l'oreig en ta galta?
Deixa't besar, i en el pit, a les mans,
amant o amada -la copa ben alta.
Quan besis, beu, curi el veire el temor:
besa en el coll, la més bella contrada.
Deixa't besar
........................i si et quedava enyor,
besa de nou, que la vida és comptada.
Master of love
by Joan Salvat-Papasseit
If you know its bliss, don't you spare the kiss
As the joy of love bears no moderation.
Let yourself be kissed and then, kiss as well
It is on your lips where love shall endure.
Do not kiss, do not, as a slave or believer,
Do it as if going to the rolling spring;
Let yourself be kissed -earnest sacrifice-
The more biting kiss, the more trustful one.
What would you have done, having died before,
With no fruit but the breeze on your cheek?
Let yourself be kissed, on your breast and hands,
Lover or beloved, your glass rising up.
When you kiss, drink, let your glass fix your fear:
Kiss the neck, the most beautiful part.
Let yourself be kissed
and might you still need some,
Kiss yet another time, because life is too brief.
Fiona and Joe, what a great couple and what a great wedding, lots of laughs, fortunately Fiona didn't loose it, according to Joe she can laugh for team GB! Joe's father wore the best suit of any I have seen this year and it was fabulous all in all! I will have to start to find new ways to talk about my weddings, lets face it they always are a joy ... so ... Joe's writing is beautiful and easy to make a ceremony from what they sent me. I even bought some new shoes for the occasion.
This years pennultimate wedding and according to my numbers the 8th OI have done in Casa Felix in 2016. A fine Swedish/German affair much appreciated by all, the bride, described by her groom as a "time optimist" arrived 20 minutes late but all was perfect. After such an intensive year of weddings it is strange to be coming to the end but I start in January next year so not too lone to go. Lovely couple, lovely day, as so often happens, it has rained all week and the first sunny day there is a wedding!
There is always the last ceremony of the year, it's the way it goes, and this was the last wedding of 2017. An olympic sportsman and his stunning bride. They met while doing altitude training in the Sierra Nevada and haven't taken their heads out of the clouds ever since. It was, once again, a joy. I will miss the weddings but have lots of other things to fill my time until we start again in January! See you then ...
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