independent midwife?

[nightowlmostly]

I am 17 weeks pregnant and am hoping to have my baby at home if everything is going well towards the end of my pregnancy. It is my first baby butIi am relatively healthy so do not foresee any problems, although obviously you never know, so am keeping an open mind.

I was thinking about hiring an independent midwife so I could have continuity of care,as I am moving house in the new year which is going to make things a little awkward as far as getting to know any midwives before the birth. I am getting a little freaked out by the idea of being in hospital and not knowing any of the medical staff, and think, rightly or wrongly, that having an independent midwife will increase my chances of having a home birth, can anyone shed any light on that question?

I just really like the idea of having someone I am familiar with who will definately be with me when the time comes, either at home or in the hospital.

Thanks so much!

I don't know about independent midwives, but when I was pg with #2 I looked into having a doula. I met up with a couple, one was fully qualified and the other was still training and was prepared to offer reduced fees as she needed to attend a certain number of births to complete her training. In the end I decided that the option was not for me, as I was not completely at ease with either, and felt it would be another thing to worry about. As it was I had a fantastic midwife in hospital for #2 and she supported me throughout and I gave birth to my son naturally despite being on a consultant labour ward, and had no pain relief. It didn't matter so much to me that I hadn't met her before, she was just brilliant at putting me at ease! I'd say speak to a few and see how you feel about them, and if they make you feel confident and you think you could work with them, why not?

Hello there.

I have an independent midwife for my birth in January and its been amazing. The option of a home birth and being in my environment on my terms really makes me feel empowered, and if I need to be admitted my Midwife will be there as my adovcate.

I met the local midwifes in my area on the NHS and did not feel comfortable, nor with the lack of continuity. My midwife has now met my mum and has got to know my husband and I well, she has 30 years experience and gives me a sense of freedom and empowerment, so, all in all, I would recommend it!

Obviously I have not given birth yet, but so far I seem to be way more relaxed and happy in my pregnancy than some of my peers, and I think its because I have built up this relationship.

All areas in the UK are different, I guess it depends how you feel, and I know there are plenty of amazing NHS midwifes.

I suggest the Ina May bok on Child birth, indy midwife or not. It is fantastic :)

We had a wonderful independent midwife for both of our sons' births. Personally, I think they add a huge amount of convenience (all tests done at home, hospital paperwork completed etc) and peace of mind. I cannot believe the amount of threads on here where people call their midwives and get an answering machine. Most independents will give you a 24/7 mobile number to reach them on.

Our midwife's site is www.mumandbump.com/. I could not recommend her highly enough. Of course, you may be in a completely different area of the country or favour a different approach but, nonetheless it will give you some idea of what is available. It is not cheap though (although it is compared to giving birth privately).