ABOUT
An independent midwife is a self employed health care professional that is qualified to attend women in all aspects of their childbearing journey. Generally she is not attached to any hospital or birth center and has her own indemnity insurance.
Time, choice and continuity of carer. Hiring an independent midwife allows you to have unrushed appointments where you can discuss all your concerns and truly make an informed choice about your care. Having the same midwife throughout your pregnancy is a luxury that very few experience on the NHS. NHS midwives are tide down by the protocols of the institution they work for, however independent midwives follow the latest evidence and your preferences.
An NHS midwife works for the NHS, a private midwife works for a company called Private Midwives, an independent midwife works for herself (and her clients), a doula cannot legally give clinical care, and a birth keeper is usually an ex-midwife that still supports women to birth their babies (but cannot give clinical care).
SERVICES
High quality evidence has shown that for low risk women giving birth at home is as safe as doing it in hospital. Being in a known environment helps release oxytocin and this helps with optimal birth progress. Having a known midwife is another factor that will aid birth physiology.
Usually we will try to transfer to hospital before an actual emergency, for instance if there are deviations from normal. However, there will generally be two highly trained midwives at the birth that are competent at dealing with emergencies. The paramedics can also assist and even your birth partner can call an ambulance.
Evidence shows that most women transfer to the hospital from a home birth due to slow progress or for pain relief. It is always your choice whether to transfer or not.
At hospital I will act similarly to a doula by giving you emotional support and helping you make your own decisions. I will not be doing any clinical care (such as vaginal examinations, taking your observations, giving you injections, etc.) as you will be under the care of the NHS. I am not insured to work in the hospital but I am cover by my own insurance so I will not simply stand idle and let the NHS midwives perform unsafe care. I can act in an emergency and I can give clinical care in exemptions.
Absolutely! Should you need it. If you sustain a tear that involves your back passage then we will have to transfer in. This is rare, around 3%.
Unfortunately no. One of the most important parts of preparing for the birth is getting to know the midwife that will attend. Most midwives ask a minimum of 3 to 5 antenatal appointments for the relationship to build.
The latest is 28 weeks but can be as late as 34 weeks if the missing appointments can be concentrated in a shorter time frame.
PRICING
Generally midwives in England charge between £6500 and £8000 for a full package of care depending on the area and extra services provided. These packages usually start in the first trimester and cover until one to two months postnatal. Cheaper packages starting at around £4500-£5000 have a reduced number of appointments that are not always ideal if the pregnancy is complex. Bare in mind that you are having someone available to you for 9 months and around 5 weeks of those the midwife is on call for your birth meaning she will drop everything to come to you. These prices also factor in for expenses such as indemnity insurance which at present is around £1500 per client. Mileage is also included and most midwives travel around 1 hour for each appointment at the client´s home. The majority of midwives only opt to take in 2 clients that are due to give birth each month and sometimes the second client spot is taken by being on call for another midwife. This is so there is less chances of clients giving birth on the same day. So, you are paying for much more than a midwife. You are paying for exclusive access to her services and knowledge, plus all the equipment, drugs and various insurances you need. And, remember, you get two midwives at the birth for safety.
Independent self-employed midwives make per hour similarly to any other professional. I generally advertise an hourly rate of £80, however this gets reduced to £60/h when booking some home birth packages. On busy months we might have 20 to 40 appointments. Generally independent midwives make similar amounts of money compared to NHS midwives but they get better work life balance and more flexibility with their time. It is not a profession that can make you rich as there is a limit of clients one can book per month.
You will be refunded the unused care as reflected on the contract given to you when you pay your deposit.
I am afraid that is not an option at the moment but you can ask your bank for a loan to be paid over a long period of time.
Hello! My name is Irene Vine and I am an independent midwife covering Suffolk, Essex, Cambridge and East London. I provide full antenatal, postnatal and birth care including homebirths and outside of guidelines care. I am passionate about supporting women achieve a birth experience where they feel empowered, heard and understood. If you would like to experience the best possible care with unrushed appointments and a private midwife who is always at the other end of the phone, give me a call! I cover most cities and villages in East Anglia, such as Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Cambridge, Harlow, London or Southend.
