About Me:
My aim is for women to be fully
informed and active partners in their care. I believe this will empower
women and their partners to obtain the most from this precious experience
and can then enable them to move forward into parenthood in a positive
way.
I am midwife in Independent (or Private) Practice and offer full
continuity of care throughout the antenatal period, labour and birth
and up to one month postnatal and I live in Leighton Buzzard which
is close to Milton Keynes and am happy to take clients within an hour’s
drive from home.
My interest in birth spans almost three decades and started with
the birth of my first son. I was keen to learn more about the birth
process and gradually learnt more about childbirth and parenting skills
and subsequently had my next three children at home.
I became involved in La Leche League (a group which supports and
promotes breastfeeding), the National Childbirth Trust, A.I.M.S. (the
pressure group Association for Improvements in Maternity Services),
and our local Birth Information Group. Through my involvement in these
groups I began to support other women and acted as a birth supporter
and in turn began to teach birth preparation classes and sometimes
supported these women during childbirth. Eventually my own children
were grown enough for me to consider training to become a midwife
and I worked within the NHS for a number of years as both a hospital
and community midwife. I am therefore confident in all areas of midwifery
practice including homebirth, waterbirth, active birth and vaginal
birth after caesarean section; I particularly enjoy parenthood education.
For the majority of women childbirth should be recognised as a normal
event, I enjoy supporting women and families at this significant time
in their lives. My aim is for women to be fully informed and active
partners in their care. I believe this will empower women and their
partners to obtain the most from this precious experience and can
then enable them to move forwards into parenthood in a positive way.
I am an active campaigner for improvements in maternity services
and am a member of Milton Keynes Birth Information Group and MK Mums.
I also act as guest lecturer and mentor student midwives. Currently
I am a local representative of the Association of Radical Midwives,
a member of AIMS (Association for Improvements in Maternity Services),
a member of IMA (Independent Midwives Association) as well as being
a member of the Royal College of Midwives.
By working independently, I can offer the luxury of unhurried appointments
in the comfort of a client's own home allowing plenty of time to prepare
for the birth. I like to think I am an experienced, sensitive midwife
who works with clients to help obtain the best possible experience
at this special time - pregnancy outcomes (types of birth, length
of labour, need for pain relief, maternal satisfaction and length
of breastfeeding) have been shown to be improved by having a known
and trusted midwife - I believe that this is something every woman
deserves and will continue to work towards this aim.
I have also supported women giving birth to twins and breech babies
at home and have even travelled abroad to care for clients!
I usually work alone, but have the back up of other Independent Midwives
if needed and this is included in your fee.
Please do feel free to give me a call for an informal discussion.
Tel: 01525 385153
info@3shiresmidwife.co.uk
