Midwifery Services

There are so many things to think about during pregnancy and the lead up to your birth and I am so pleased to be able to answer any of your questions, leaving you to feel super calm and confident!

One of the main reasons a woman may opt for a private midwife to care for her throughout her pregnancy is continuity. Research has shown that if a woman has continuity of care throughout her pregnancy she is more likely to have a natural birth. Research also indicates that if a mother-to-be is attended by a midwife she knows and trusts, her labour has a much better chance of going to plan.

Unfortunately, NHS midwives are in constant high demand and because they are busy they are not always able to give you the dedicated time you may need to answer your questions. A typical appointment lasts around 15 minutes and there is usually no guarantee that you will see the same midwife and even less likely to see a known midwife at your birth.

As a private midwife, I am able to allow 1-2 hours per appointment. These are carried out in your own home at a time that suits you, including evenings and weekends. This works really well if you or your partner is working as it means we can be very flexible and your partner doesn’t get to miss out on important information.

How would you like to really know the midwife that provides your entire antenatal care, attends your labour and birth and then visits you for the first six to eight weeks afterwards? Can you imagine how supported you will feel knowing that your midwife is aware of all your choices and wishes for birth and beyond? How would your partner feel if he knew that you and your baby were receiving the best clinical care?

You’re in Good Hands

“We were lucky enough to have Amanda support us during pregnancy, throughout the birth and after our little girl was born. From the moment we met I knew I could trust Amanda, and I felt she immediately understood what was important to us. She took the time to get to know us as a couple and offered a calm presence both in person and over the phone. For the labour it was important for me to stay in control and although I hadn’t predicted it, to be left alone! I found myself in my own zone and Amanda was respectful of me and my wishes throughout (even when my wish was for everyone to ‘shut up!’), offering reassurance and guidance when needed.

I know that for both my mum and husband the experience was also completely magical, which wouldn’t have been possible if Amanda had not enabled us to create the calm birthing environment we wanted. My little girl took a while to appear but at no point during labour did I sense anything being wrong.

Had I been in hospital I am certain they would have intervened pretty quickly, taking my labour out of my hands. In the weeks after our little pudding joined us, Amanda offered advice and support for everything from feeding to looking after myself. The whole experience has been fantastic for us and I know that the calm, positive and relaxed environment our little girl entered into has helped her be the most chilled baby around, content and happy with the world.

We can’t thank Amanda enough and are already looking forward to having her with us for our future pregnancies!”

Elizabeth & Paul

Frequently asked Questions

I appreciate that you may have a lot of initial questions about the benefits of a private midwife and the services I can provide. Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions –

  • What is a private Midwife?

    “The legal role of a midwife encompasses the care of women and babies during pregnancy, birth and the early weeks of motherhood. A private midwife is a fully qualified midwife who has chosen to work outside the NHS in a self-employed capacity.”

    Text taken from IMUK website

  • What kind of care does a private midwife provide?

    Private midwives perform the same antenatal and postnatal clinical assessments as happen within the NHS. Blood pressure monitoring, urine testing and assessment of fetal well being will be completed at each antenatal meeting. Postnatally, your private midwife will provide information and assistance on infant feeding and care as well as monitoring your clinical wellbeing, helping you to make a full and rested recovery from childbirth.

  • Where do private midwives work?

    The majority of private midwives work in their client’s home, however, some are able to offer care in a private clinic too.

  • Do private midwives work alone or in practices?

    Some private midwives are sole practitioners within their own practice; others work with private midwifery colleagues under one practice heading. Whatever the working arrangement, one midwife will be your known and trusted caregiver throughout your chosen package of care.

  • What are the benefits of private midwifery care?

    The benefits of a known and trusted midwife throughout pregnancy and birth (continuity of care) are well known and widely documented. This type of care best helps women to cope with the challenges of labour and the transition to parenthood and reduces the likelihood of having medical interventions. Even when that midwife isn’t present for the birth.

    Private midwives can offer much longer appointments than the NHS are able to do. They are more likely to be flexible around dates and times to fit in with your partner.

    If you are at increased risk of complications and are unable to find the care you want from the NHS, some private midwives are experienced in helping women with twins, a breech baby or who have had a previous caesarean to have the birth experience they want.

    Although there can be no guarantees in birth, choosing a private midwife as your caregiver does increase your chances of a ‘normal’ physiological birth.

  • How is a private midwife regulated, supervised and insured?

    Private midwives are registered with and regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and subject to the same supervision as NHS midwives. Private midwives are required to keep up to date with their practice and are only allowed to act within their sphere of competence as midwives. All private midwives must have professional indemnity insurance.

Choosing a Private Midwife

By choosing to have a private midwife, you will ensure you receive the highest standard of clinical care throughout this special time. I recommend that you meet with a couple of private midwives before making a decision, but here are some important things to consider when choosing your perfect midwife:

  1. You will benefit from my 35 years of experience as a midwife
  2. You can choose to see me in your home or at my clinic in Harrogate
  3. I offer specialist hypnobirthing services
  4. You are welcome to use any of my birthing equipment free of charge
  5. All my workshops are free of charge to midwifery clients.

What types of birth can My Calm Birth support?

As a private midwife, we can explore your options and you will have access to fully informed choices to help you decide your birth preferences. I can support you in:

  • Home births
  • Hospital births
  • Water births
  • VBACs
  • Breech births
  • Lotus births
  • Induced births
  • ‘High-risk’ births
  • Planned & ‘natural’ caesarean sections.

Helping you to Make the Right Choice

To help you decide if I am the right midwife for you, we will meet for approximately one to two hours to get to know each other a little. This initial consultation costs £120 and will be deducted from the final cost if you choose to book with me. Alternatively, we can chat over Zoom or have a telephone conversation, whichever suits you best.

  • Flexible payment plans

    There is a flexible payment plan for all packages. A non-refundable deposit of £500 is payable on booking. The remaining balance can be paid in monthly instalments if required. We can discuss your options when we meet for the first time.

  • Convenient locations

    I cover the West Yorkshire region and some areas in North Yorkshire, including: Airedale, Bingley, Bradford, Haworth, Harrogate, Ilkley, Leeds, Keighley, Skipton, and Wharfedale. Additional charges may apply if travel exceeds 10 miles. Please get in touch if you have any questions about your location.

  • Tests and scans

    All routine blood tests and scans will be provided by the NHS hospital of your choice, or they can be arranged privately for an additional cost.

My Calm Birth private midwife services

My services range from a one-off consultation to packages supporting you throughout pregnancy, birth and your postnatal period.

Take a look at how I can help you below and please get in touch to discuss any of the services you see in greater detail.