Independent midwives

gremma · 2006-05-15T12:44:53+00:00

i am 10 weeks pregnant and really confused what to do about an IM. We have met with midwives in partnership - they seemed amazing, friendly, lovely etc and i felt really thrilled but the reality of spending £2k plus is hitting and we are not exacatly flush. hubby is concerned that i've got an idea into my head that i won't let go rather than being practical. has anyone used midwives in partnership? and comments or feedback greatly recieved, it's becoming really stressfull and i can't think about anything else. my first scan will be at uch on 2nd june but ideally i would like a home birth.

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mumtodylan · 15/05/2006 17:51

have you thought about having a doula instead? you then have continuous support from someone you've got to know and i think cost around £300

annetizzismum · 18/05/2006 21:53

some IMs are probably brillinat but no guarantee and on the home birth list are members who booked with IMs and didn't have good experiences and there are lots who had good experiences with the NHS. I know someone who was really pleased with hers but i know an IM who most women think is wonderful but she seriouslt breached confidentiality and has been unpleasant to clients

I am thinking of booking on ethis time so anyone knows of a good one in oxfordshire let me know. About to start a thread on this anyway

annetizzismum · 18/05/2006 21:53

some IMs are probably brillinat but no guarantee and on the home birth list are members who booked with IMs and didn't have good experiences and there are lots who had good experiences with the NHS. I know someone who was really pleased with hers but i know an IM who most women think is wonderful but she seriouslt breached confidentiality and has been unpleasant to clients

I am thinking of booking on ethis time so anyone knows of a good one in oxfordshire let me know. About to start a thread on this anyway

annetizzismum · 18/05/2006 21:53

some IMs are probably brillinat but no guarantee and on the home birth list are members who booked with IMs and didn't have good experiences and there are lots who had good experiences with the NHS. I know someone who was really pleased with hers but i know an IM who most women think is wonderful but she seriouslt breached confidentiality and has been unpleasant to clients

I am thinking of booking on ethis time so anyone knows of a good one in oxfordshire let me know. About to start a thread on this anyway

annetizzismum · 18/05/2006 21:54

whoops sorry, computer slow so i kept pressing send!

mothercat · 20/06/2006 14:35

`Hi , where do you live? I am a trainee doula and a member of homebirth groups. CAT if i can help

acnebride · 20/06/2006 14:43

annetizzismum, i'll look out for your thread but i have an oxfordshire IM i can recommend, CAT me if i don't catch you elsewhere

annetizzismum · 01/07/2006 07:51

I don't have CAT but my email is [email protected]

Pruni · 01/07/2006 08:00

Message withdrawn

crimplene · 16/07/2006 15:29

I juat had a home birth with an IM (first time). We're very skint and it cost more than I've ever spent on anything (including my car!) and it was also the best decision I made during my pregnancy. I was pretty nervous about spending the money throughout, but my midwife was amazing and there's no way I would have got anything like the support from the NHS - they wouldn't agree to a home birth as I was too 'high risk', so the community midwives would only have tried to make me transfer and i figure that labour is a bad time for arguments - the birth itself was absolutely fantastic and my son had perfect apgar scores.

I bled too much after the birth, so ended up transferring to hospital, but my midwife visited me while I was there, even gave us a lift home from the hospital (due to car problems, perhaps I should have spent more on it after all!)she even stayed over the first night I came home as I was still having trouble breastfeeding and came for as many visits as I wanted. I really felt that she was someone on my wavelength and on my side. I'm sure I would have had a painful and/or stressful birth, and probably a section, I would be bottle feeding by now and I really doubt that I'd be in in such a good head state had I stuck with the NHS - they don't give you hugs when you need them either!

If you like the IM, trust your instincts.

cheritongirl · 19/07/2006 22:20

hi, not sure if anyone is still looking at this thread - but could anyone who has used an IM tell me how much it cost? I have heard of anything from £200 - £2500! I am 25 weeks so maybe a bit cheaper to start with one at this stage?

KeepingQuiet · 19/07/2006 22:38

£1,500 to £4,000, average around £2,750 (prices in 2006) according to www.homebirth.org.uk/indmid.htm

not used one myself

trincarm · 19/07/2006 22:54

I paid £2300 and it was the best money I have ever spent. Normally you have to pay the same amount no matter when they take you on. I paid the full amount even though I did not book my midwife until 20 something weeks. I have recieved more visits than normal nhs care and she keeps seeing us until the baby is a month old which I think is fantastic if you need help with breastfeeding etc. I had, had 2 previous c-sections and the hospital was very negative about letting me labour and they would not support a homebirth. Having an IM meant that I got my homebirth and I recieved nothing but incredible support and advice. Wwe debated the cost for a long time before we decided it was worth a shot and now we are both glad we did. Even if I had not managed a homwbirth I still would have thought the money well spent for all the support and advice we got, including the huge amount of books and videos we got to borrow off her.we met a few before we made a final decision on the one we wanted to book.