Independent Midwives are fully qualified midwives who, in order to practice the midwife's role to its fullest extent, have chosen to work outside the NHS in a self employed capacity, although we support its aims and ideals. The midwife's role encompasses the care of women during pregnancy, birth and afterwards. www.independentmidwives.org.uk Why chose to book with Independent Midwives?
How do I know you are bonafide midwives? Only a registered midwife can use this title. You can confirm we have valid registration by contacting the Nursing and Midwifery Council on www.nmc-uk.org/confirmationsMidwifery is the most securely regulated profession in the UK. All practicing midwives must adhere to the Midwives' Rules which are enshrined in the 1902 Midwives Act of Parliament and subsequent amendments. All independent midwives are subject to yearly supervisory visits and equipment checks and must notify their NHS appointed Supervisor of Midwives of their "Intention to Practice" each April. In line with the requirements of our regulatory body, the NMC, we are required to ensure that our clinical practice is up to date and that our actions are within our sphere of competence. Is birth at home really safe? Yes. Research shows that birth at home for most women is as safe, if not safer, than hospital birth. AIMS have got good evidence based literature on homebirth safety, www.aims.org.uk and www.homebirth.org.uk has got a wealth of information on homebirth to help you with your decision about place of birth. The government has been pushing homebirth in its new Maternity Matters Policy. This at last gives guidance about choices and documents that home birth is a valid and safe choice for women. What if things go wrong? If your pregnancy, labour or postnatal period don’t go to plan or problems develop, we refer you to an appropriate care provider of your choice but will stay involved with your care. If you need or want to go to hospital for your birth, we will accompany you, or meet you there and stay with you as a support person and advocate until your baby is born and you have had a chance to cuddle and feed. What emergency equipment do you carry? Independent Midwives carry all the necessary emergency equipment to ensure that if a baby is born needing resuscitation, this can be performed. All midwives are trained in emergency resuscitation. Independent Midwives also carry emergency drugs in case a woman is bleeding heavily. We update ourselves on a yearly basis in emergency neonatal resuscitation and many of us have attended emergency skills workshops tailored for independent midwives attending homebirths. How messy are homebirths? Generally not very messy at all. It does vary, and a little blood in a couple of pints of amniotic fluid can look rather gory but an old towel on plastic sheeting will minimise the spread and protect your flooring. Birthing pools are an extremely good way of containing any mess and are relatively inexpensive. We provide some padded mini sheets, but it does make sense to protect any expensive carpets or Kashmir rugs! In the general run of things babies create more mess than the birth. Am I allowed to just have a midwife? Yes. Your midwife can provide all your maternity care, antenatally, during the birth and postnatally. We are specialists in caring for women having normal pregnancies and births and provide care up to 6 weeks afterwards. Do I have to see a Doctor? No. As long and everything is straightforward, doctors do not need to be involved. Where appropriate, we will refer you to the right care provider of your choice; eg a physiotherapist, obstetrician, anaesthetist or osteopath. Can I still receive NHS care if I book with an IM? Yes. You are fully entitled to all the blood tests and scans under the NHS. You are having independent MIDWIFERY care and this does not exclude you from NHS treatment. It is similar to being told you cannot have NHS care if you see an osteopath .Can I still see my NHS midwife? It is possible for you to share care with your NHS midwife if you wish. Sometimes especially if you live a long distance away from us it is very helpful to have a local care provider for you to access. We do however occasionally find that conflicting advice and information can become an issue. Can I still have care from my GP? Yes you can, but not many GP’s enjoy maternity care and very few will be happy to support alternative birthing practices as they are not used to them. Those special GPs who are involved in maternity care are unique and we love to have them on board and are very happy for you to see as much of them as you want. If you have a medical condition managed by your GP, we will work with them to ensure you receive the best care for you. How many midwives will I meet? Generally two but it depends. Usually we share your care with a partner and you will have the chance to meet us both and for us to get to you and you us. While most of our planned visits are weekday and office hours, we can arrange to make some visits at the weekend or in the evening if you or your partner is working. Some times because of distance or holidays or midwifery needs there will be three of us involved with your care. If you give permission, student midwives may be involved with your care, but usually they are only with for observation visits. How often do you come? We have an average schedule of visits but can be very flexible and will see you more if you need it and less if you don’t want to see us so often. We usually visit monthly until 28/30 weeks, every 2 weeks til 36 and weekly until you have your baby. The visits generally last about an hour and give us time to get to know you. This makes it easier to know how best to support you at the birth and after. Once your baby has arrived, we will visit daily initially and then less frequently, again depending on your needs, tailing off to weekly before we discharge you at around 6 weeks. I have been told I can't have a homebirth by my consultant but still want one, will you take me on? Independent Midwives support women’s choices. If a woman has made a fully informed choice then in most circumstances we will support you. Many Independent Midwives take on the care of women who are deemed "high risk" for example: women who have had previous caesareans, women with pre-existing medical conditions and women carrying twins to name a few. Your Independent Midwife will discuss all your options with you. If I have to have a caesarean do I still have to pay? Yes. You have booked an Independent Midwife for midwifery care. Sometimes a transfer to hospital will become necessary and your midwife will have been acting properly and within her midwifery rules by detecting a problem and referring appropriately with your consent. There are never any guarantees in labour and birth and your midwife will have still worked many hours with you, been on call for you often for many weeks and supported you. As I am booking so late do I have to pay the full amount? Yes. Your midwife will often have to work harder within a short space of time when a woman books late. There is much behind the scenes work in the life of an Independent Midwife! Independent midwives don't have insurance, what implications does this have for me and my baby? The implications of Independent Midwives not having indemnity insurance is that in cases where a baby maybe born damaged there would be no financial recompense via an insurance company. Insurance is only paid out if a clinician is negligent and that action or omission can be shown (proved) to lead to a poor out come or problem in the mother or baby. Until March 2002, it was possible to obtain some form of insurance but this became more expensive (Between £18,000 and £22,000 per midwife per year, more than most of us earn!). From March 2002, no insurance has been available at ANY cost in the UK. This problem is a global one affecting midwives in Australia, Canada and parts of the USA. www.saveindependentmidwifery.org Can my homeopath be at the labour? We frequently work with complementary therapists and often make referrals. We work holistically and value the work of complementary therapists. You can have whoever you chose to be with you at home but in hospital the number of your attendants is sometimes restricted. Who can I have with me during labour? Anyone you want - you may prefer to labour on your own with just your midwife present or you may want your mother, his mother, your baby's siblings, a doula, or your sister or friend there. It has been shown that it is helpful to have another woman who has given birth present. Younger siblings are best supported by having an other adult around. Recent analysis of randomised controlled trials have agreed with the findings of much earlier studies that continuous, individualised, and emotional support throughout the labour provides many benefits for mothers and babies (Rosen 2004) (Grandads at the birth story) What if I want a waterbirth? That’s fine, women generally benefit from labouring and birthing in water. Traditionally water has many uses in labour, e.g. hot water bottles or wrung-out hot towels across your back or under your bump. The use of the water from a shower head on the small of your back will stimulate natural endorphin release and be very relaxing. You can hire a birthing pool or use your own bath for this. Birthing pools provide the freedom to move weightlessly and to more easily change your position, which is especially useful in the pushing stage at the end of labour. We have attended many waterbirths since 1983 and feel that they are a positive experience for mother and baby. Women often feel safe in their own space in a pool. Not all women benefit from emersion in water and for some the full effect of gravity is useful in birthing their baby or babies What if I change my mind after booking with you? If you change you mind about us providing your midwifery care after booking with us you can "de-book" meaning we stop acting as your midwives and you revert back to a care provider of your choice. We will retain the £500 non-refundable deposit and charge for any care given as we may have had to turn other clients away in to be able to be on-call for your birth.
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