Independent Midwifery Services
EMPOWERING WOMEN ONE BIRTH AT A TIMEMy Approach
At Independent Midwife of The North, my approach is rooted in providing continuity, bespoke, and personalised birth care tailored to your unique needs. I believe in evidence-based holistic care that encompasses the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual aspects of childbirth.
My family-centred care approach ensures that your entire family feels supported and involved throughout the journey. I offer inclusive home birth care outside of the traditional system, providing a safe and nurturing environment where your choices and preferences are prioritised. I also offer support and advocacy in navigating hospital birth.
My goal is to empower you with the information and support you on your journey toward a positive and fulfilling birth experience.
HOME BIRTH
I provide continuity of care throughout your pregnancy, birth, and postnatal periods, ensuring you are supported by a known and trusted midwife. My approach includes holistic, individualised care with regular, unhurried, and flexible antenatal appointments in your home, from early pregnancy through postpartum.
With my full package, you receive 14+ antenatal appointments and support until 4 weeks after birth. I also offer a package with more summarised care starting at 34 weeks. I am on call from 37 weeks until birth, offering resources like birth pools, Entonox, and TENS machines brought to your home.
HOSPITAL
I provide the same holistic and continuous care for hospital births as I do home births. We’ll have regular, unhurried antenatal appointments in the comfort of your home. These appointments, spanning from early pregnancy through postpartum, cover all aspects of pregnancy health, birth planning, and preparation.
From 37 weeks, I am on call to support you during your hospital birth as a doula and midwifery-minded advocate. I assist with birth planning for your options, communicate with the NHS on your behalf, and advocate for your birth desires, supporting you in making decisions during labour.
ANTENATAL
If you are not looking to book birth care but want outstanding antenatal support, you can choose the full antenatal-only package. This includes approximately 14+ regular, home-based, client-led appointments from early pregnancy until birth, ensuring you are at the centre of your care and supported through your choices. You will receive comprehensive physical assessments for you and your baby, assistance in navigating mainstream maternity services, and access to guidance, literature, and resources to inform your care choices.
Additionally, I offer one-off appointments or sets of a few appointments for those who need some pregnancy support but plan to birth in a hospital independently or free birth at home.
POSTNATAL
Good postnatal care is invaluable to a new family during the tiring and turbulent early days of parenthood. Unhurried, bespoke, and meaningful continuity of care helps new parents feel supported and nurtured during this transition period. Postnatal care can begin with an in-person antenatal visit or a virtual appointment to discuss your postnatal plan and how I can support you.
Postpartum care is tailored to your specific needs and includes mother and baby physical well-being checks, newborn screening tests, breastfeeding support, emotional and nurturing care for the new mother, practical help, and baby care support. Additionally, I can be hired for birth notification services after a free birth to ensure all necessary steps are taken for your baby's official registration.
“I didn’t want to have to be in a defensive headspace for the rest of pregnancy and birth. But we didn’t really want to be totally alone without care. I knew independent midwives existed, I knew a couple of people who’d hired them, but it seemed self indulgent to me to spend that money on protecting an ‘experience’ when I felt informed and assertive enough to navigate a version of the birth I wanted on the NHS. But after another appointment left me in tears my mum googled ‘independent midwives NE’ found Debbie’s website and said- call her, you can’t go on like this. My partner agreed, this would be our last child, his birth is something we’ll remember forever, let’s find a way to make it be the way we want and honour it properly. So Debbie took over, seamlessly, communicated with the NHS team, came for long chatty antenatal appointments at home, never measured my belly, trusted by feel and what I felt in my body that our baby was growing and well…
The way he came into the world was so ordinary and so amazing. I’d wish that for every baby and every birth. Debbie gave us the time and space and trust to find that for ourselves. We weren’t disturbed or faffed on with or derailed from the simplest most beautiful birth we could have wished for.”
Frequently Asked Questions…
Can I have a home birth if I’ve had a previous caesarean? Yes you can. I have supported clients previously who have had a successful HBAC.
Do you offer payment plans? I try to keep my services accessible to all by offering bespoke packages of care and payment options to suit individual circumstances & budgets. Fees can be paid in instalments after an initial deposit to book care, with balance being due at 36 weeks. Any alternative arrangements can be discussed on an individual basis.
Can I have a home birth if I’m classed as high risk? Again, Yes! I have supported lots of clients who have been deemed ‘high risk’ or are choosing care out of guidance. My responsibility is ensuring you have access to all of the information to help form the basis of your decisions and care options.
Can you attend my birth after a freebirth? Yes! I like to know my clients before hand and like to meet them at least once before the birth so I can get to know you and your birth plans and perform my own safety/risk assessment. I would aim to come to you once you notify me that you have birthed your placenta and both you and baby are clinically well.
Do I have to have a home birth if I hire an independent midwife? No, you can choose to birth where you prefer. If this is in hospital I can still come with you and support you in a non clinical role, offering my ongoing support and advocacy throughout your labour and birth.
Imagine a birth experience where you feel completely cared for and in control.
Let's create that together.