Independent Midwifery Services
What is an independent midwife?
An independent midwife is a fully qualified midwife (registered with the NMC in the UK) working outside the National Health Service.
As a fully qualified midwife, I am trained as a specialist in normal pregnancy and birth. I provide a personal service of midwifery care to women who choose to book with me. This includes all your routine checks and blood tests as required. I can help you organise ultrasound scans privately or through the NHS as required, and will help and support you in making informed decisions throughout pregnancy and birth.
I have chosen to work this way because it allows me to give women the individualised one-to-one care I feel they deserve, and which evidence shows leads to better birth outcomes for mothers, babies and ultimately, families.
Together, we can discuss choices, in order that you feel able to make your own informed decisions throughout your pregnancy and birth experience.
I work with clients up until six weeks after their baby is born, to ensure that feeding is well-established and parents are confident in managing day-to-day life with their new family.
What Services are provided? (fees)
Various packages of care are offered, and may also be subject to negociation according to need. You may find it helpful to read about current political and insurance issues for independent midwives, as this may affect the birth care which you can access.
Full Package of care
Full antenatal care: This includes all routine clinical checks at home, as well as plenty of time for discussion and exploration of concerns and plans, blood tests and arrangement of scans if required, plenty of opportunities to prepare body and mind for birth and beyond, and on-call for birth; birth care includes your midwife being on call for you from 37 weeks of pregnancy. In early labour she will offer support as needed, and will monitor you and your baby during labour. She is fully equipped and insured to attend your home birth (currently through a UKBirthCentres contract), or can be with you as support if you choose to have your baby in a hospital setting. You will be offered intensive help with early hours and initiation of breastfeeding, and postnatal care. Your midwife will be there to help make sure you get feeding off to a good start, to monitor you and baby clinically, and to support you over the early weeks of parenting, (daily visits as required until day 5, and then as required until 6 weeks from birth).
Doula-supported full package of care
This includes a full package of antenatal care to prepare you really well for birth and beyond: Routine clinical checks at home with plenty of time for discussion and exploration of concerns and plans, and blood tests and arrangement of scans as required; the midwife and doula will work together in the last few weeks of pregnancy to ensure that you are confident in your body's ability to birth and to answer any questions about the process. The doula will be on-call for your birth, whether you are planning home, hospital or birth centre. (A list of doula's is provided, or you can use your own). The doula's role is to support you, and not to offer clinical care - Clinical care will be accessed via the NHS. The doula will help settle you and baby after the birth, and offer support to initiate feeding. Doulas may offer additional services such as massage or reflexology treatments and blessingway. Clinical care will be taken up again by your indepedent midwife at the first visit after birth (which will be either later that day, or early the next). She will be there to help make sure you get feeding off to a good start, to monitor you and baby clinically, and to support you over the early weeks of parenting, (daily visits as required until day 5 and then as required until 6 weeks from birth).
Antenatal and Postnatal Care only
As above, but with NHS-attended birth.
Mini-packages
4 antenatal, or 4 postnatal, or a combination of each (usually to help with birth planning and preparation, in particular where there are specific concerns or medical issues,and to help establish breastfeeding and early parenting support).
Individual consultations
Individual consultations can be booked at any time, take place in your home, and generally last 1-2 hours. They can be booked for pre-conception, antenatal or postnatal care, additional breastfeeding support, or for care and support through a miscarriage or termination of pregnancy.
Workshops
Workshops are held weekly, on a rolling programme in a local community venue. Using the local community allows for a comfortable, non-clinical environment where parents can also make contact with other community services. These workshops are designed to prepare you for birth and parenting, as well as to give you time to explore choices and options. They will give you treasured time to connect with your growing baby and reflect on your roles as parents. The workshops are followed by the breastfeeding circle, where you are welcome to stay and chat to new Mums. Click the link for more details.
Watch this space also, for up-coming relaxation and use of sound; evening sessions.
Breastfeeding Circle
The Breastfeeding Circle is an opportunity to share with other breastfeeding mothers, the joys and trials of having a new baby! Midwifery support will be available, and the opportunity for individual consultations for any breastfeeding concerns that are not directly answered within the group. There is a facility to weigh your baby (Please bring your 'Red book'- Child Health Record),and to purchase drinks, delicious vegan cakes and treats, and organic mother and baby products. There will be a 'bring and buy' table for you to swap or sell baby items.
There is no charge for attending the breastfeeding circle. A £3 donation is requested to help cover venue rental.
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