Shiney New Blog

I am so excited to feel my bloging fingers return to the keyboard, and am bursting with new ideas for midwifery and birth related posts!  It's been too long.....

I am planning to start 'what I have been reading' posts, sharing what's on my book shelves with you, as well as 'how to 'posts on midwifery skills (primarily aimed at students) and of course my usual reflections on current topics.

Speaking of which, we are in October.  October.... the impending end of Independent Midwifery as we know it.  Of course, as with all things in life, the goal posts have changed and the NMC confirmed this week that there is a delay in the implementation of the new legislation and we now have until February.  In the meantime, IMUK, who have been working incredibly hard over the summer months and have found a product that is a solution to the insurance fiasco, continues to beaver away at getting insurance in place long before that deadline (we very much hope that the dear DoH do their bit and help us on our way) .  You can keep up to date here.

Pretty knitted things

Exciting, turbulent, history changing times lay ahead; and it is down to the passionate and strong midwives and supporters that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  Women have always had a strong influence in the course of history; this year was the 100th anniversary of the death of Emily Davison, the suffragette who threw herself under a horse; I feel I am part of a modern suffragette movement (although I am not throwing myself under a horse), not one working to get the vote, but one to get a basic human right to know and choose your midwife as a normal part of the childbearing continuum.  I am a feminist - and rightly proud.  Okay, I am a knitting feminist, and rightly proud.  Okay, I am a knitting, mascara wearing, girl-who-likes-pretty things feminist, and rightly proud.

Mascara wearing midwife on a mission

Anyway world, watch out.  Or you may have a bunch of media wielding, modern suffragettes playing havoc with your his(her)story; and it might not be pretty or knitted.

angela x

Life 'on-call' - making it work.

Recently, this question was posted on the IMUK Facebook page:

"I am really interested in the work/ life balance for family and relationships when on call all the time. How does it work?"

A really good question, and perhaps a concern that prevents people from working as an IM (insurance issues aside).  So this blog is for all you midwives, student midwives and aspiring midwives about the reality of life on-call and how midwives (IMs, NHS case-loading midwives, commissioned groups of midwives) find it not only workable, but balanced, rewarding, and fulfilling.

I have worked on call since October 2007; I have taken periods off, I've had periods where I have been on my knees, I have missed some family birthdays, I have even missed a family break.  There have been times I have totally resented it (and even tried to side-step for a bit), however the freedom to manage my working life, the autonomy I have as a midwife, the joy of seeing a family grow as you support the mother and empower her, outweighs the days when being 'on-call' can feel too much.

Working Hours
Developing my own self-imposed 'working times' was one of the first things I had to learn: initially I didn't do this as I was just so excited to provide the care I was offering.  What I quickly learnt was that not having my own 'boundaries' made me tired and resentful.  So now, I never work Sundays unless I am at a birth or it is early postnatal days; Sundays is family day, TV day, reading day; I won't answer texts (unless urgent) or check facebook / emails or make routine appointments.  I stipulate this to clients at booking and I have found that most women fully respect this.  My working 'hours' are 8am - 8pm, and only women in labour or urgent issues get my attention.  I home educate so most of my appointments are late in the afternoon so I can be there for my family.

Switching-Off
This is a real skill that takes time to develop; early in my IM career if a woman was 'imminent', getting to sleep was a problem.  What I have learnt in my time on-call is interesting; if I have not been called by 10pm, then I am very unlikely to be called out in the middle of the night.  I may get an early morning call, or a late evening call, but, in almost 6 years and caring for over 50 women, I have only been called out in the middle of the night a few times.  So if I go to bed without a call, I feel quite confident that I will get a full-nights sleep.

I have also learnt to tell women the days that are really inconvenient to me.... always spoken light-heartedly and with a smile, but since doing this women seem less likely to birth on those days.  I put it down the Oxytocin Factor - if they are worried about me not being there they release adrenaline and don't labour!  I only do this for really important things, like family birthdays and so forth - and of course I will be there if the baby decides otherwise anyway!

Having a Social Life
This was something else I struggled with; frightened to make commitments in case I got 'the call'.  Now, I just live life 'as usual'; I tend to drive myself places so I have the car if needed, women are asked to let me know if they think things are 'happening' so I can get home / sort my family/ make a decision about whether to go or not.  Generally, I will stay close-ish to home.  My family are really supportive and don't tend to mind too much if I can't make something; they do of-course have times when they feel the pressure of my work, but because there is so much time when I am available, around and participating, they get over it quickly.

Friends also know that sometimes I will cancel things last minute - but I guess knowing their friend is attending a birth must seem quite cool.  They certainly like to hear the birth story later!

Drinking is of course a bit of a no-no; turning up pissed to a birth might not be the safest way of practising.  I do have the occasional small glass of wine, and I like to make up for it when I am 'off-call'; personally I think my liver enjoys the time off.  And it saves me money.

The 'best-bits'
Supporting women and knowing what is important to them; not having to 'quickly' read notes and get to know the woman and her 'preferences'; practising 'hands-off' autonomous midwifery; managing my workload (choosing my hours outside of births); drinking tea and laughing with clients; continuity of care; taking my children to meet the new baby; wearing my own clothes (silly, but I hate tunics - so 'official'); being my own boss; lie-ins - no early shifts for me!; feeling proud of what I do; meeting fellow IM's and sharing stories and skills; meeting students - and learning from them as they do from me; having time with my family when I choose to; not waiting for the 'off-duty' to come out; catching babies with inquisitive assistants.......

The list is end-less.  Working this way is not always perfect, and there may be times in my life when working within the NHS will be the right thing at that time and having 'set' hours will be what I need.  Until that time, I will choose to work in this way - and fight to work in this way.

So I hope this answers the question for you - about what it's really like..... and maybe it might help you answer this question on survey monkey:

Would you work as a self-employed midwife?


angela xx

Independent Midwifery: Dispelling the Myths

"I bet your clients are really demanding?".  Sigh.  Nope, not usually.  In fact, I find the hardest bit of being an IM is dealing with such misconceptions and answering questions (from an NHS midwife) as that one.  I wrote previously about 'what we do', now however, it is time to dispel some myths about Independent Midwives (IM's):

IM's are Maverick and Risky
On the contrary; IM's have a large number of women who would be considered 'high risk' within the NHS and as such are seeking a midwife who will support them in their informed choices.  This means careful thought and planning, often involving a Supervisor of Midwives to help arrange the appropriate care.  It means being up-to-date with the latest research so that we can provide safe, effective practice.  There are risks to our job; but we work hard to keep these to a minimum whilst supporting women fully in their choices.

Women who use IM's are wealthy
Different women, from different backgrounds and with differing levels of personal income book with IM's.  Yes, I have had clients whose disposable income is enviable, however the vast majority of my clients have to work hard to find the money for my fees.  Or they simply can not find the money and then we try to work something out.  For most clients, their priority is to book with a midwife whom they know and trust  - and this often means making huge personal sacrifices.

IM's earn 'loads of money'
You can see that in the shiny 2005 Citroen Picasso I drive, and all the holidays I take - NOT!  Out of my fees I have to pay for my equipment, administration costs, petrol, training updates, tax, holiday 'pay' (being self-employed means when I am not working I am not earning), journal subscriptions,  etc etc.  IMs really do not earn huge sums - and we really do earn our money!  24-on call is not an 'easy' option and can take it's toll on family, friends and day-to-day life.

IM's Clients are demanding
If wanting to have one-to-one care with a midwife you know and trust, appointments in your own home, and feeling supported in your choices is considered 'demanding' then yep, my clients are very very demanding.  I do find however that this standard of care pays dividends in normal outcomes, high breastfeeding rates and family satisfaction.  And I always get tea and cake (hence my expanding waist line).  Women are really so demanding!

IM's don't want insurance
We do, we do, we do!  We just can't get it!  Honestly, every time you go to a birth, to hear the little voice on your shoulder saying 'this could be the one that costs your home' is not fun!  We do it because we can (not for much longer), we do it because we care, we do it because midwifery services should not be a 'one size fits all' option.  I do it for myself (terribly selfish), but knowing who I am going out to when I get called to a birth makes me feel like a safe practitioner.  Plus, I don't have to get to know the woman and her family, instead I can just offer my full attention and be 'with woman'.  It's fantastic.

Independent Midwifery is not for everyone, just as being a labour ward midwife, or a consultant midwife is not for everyone.  The important thing is that just as women should have choice, so too should midwives.  

There are many myths around Independent Midwifery and IM's, and the one that is most concerning is that is does not matter if we are no longer able to practice.  The demise of IMs will have catastrophic affects, and midwives within the NHS will find that their autonomy will be significantly threatened - the RCM know this and just continue to play footise with a government that is calling the shots.   Just look to countries where midwifery has been persecuted in this way, and then see how many midwives there are.  It is worrying.

Independent Midwifery must survive - and you can help.  You can share this blog with everyone and anyone who has an interest in midwifery or birth.  You can tell people the TRUTH about IM's.  You can watch 'Home Delivery' on March 21st and see how we work.  You can join our facebook page and learn more.  Women matter - IM's do too.

angela xx

Call the Midwife – or call a midwife you know and trust?

I enjoyed reading Sarah Johnson’s recent blog post on call the midwife.  I LOVE call the midwife and read the books when I was student; how I dreamed of working in that way – a local midwife, on her local patch, working with the local women, caring for them in their own homes.   

For most midwives, this way of working is a million miles away from the reality of midwifery care within the NHS; birth at home is no longer the ‘norm’, midwives work in large centralised units, women are very unlikely to be cared for by a midwife they have ever met, normal birth rates are incredibly low and the use of analgesia and the associated risks and side effects high.  Sarah suggests that birth stools are ‘standardised equipment’ in units, and women birth in up-right positions: statistics suggest otherwise, with the NCT citing in their research that less than 40% of women are encouraged to be mobile, upright and off the bed and their backs.  I myself have visited units where birth stools may be quietly gathering dust in the corner, where huge, shiney new units are built with just one ‘token gesture’  birth pool (despite NICE guidance stating that birth pools should be available to all women as an effective form of pain relief) and where one-to-one care is not always achieved for women in labour.   The NHS offers the best it can on a shrinking budget, with a hard working yet disillusioned work force, with a growing population, and with women presenting with more and more complicated pregnancies. 

My dream of practising as a 1950’s midwife might not quite have come to fruition, but I am honoured to have carved a way of working which comes as close as possible: I care for the same woman throughout her pregnancy, birth and postnatal period; I care for women and families in their own home; I attend home births (and follow the woman into hospital if plans change).  I may not have a bike (and am about to invest in a 4x4 to make work life easier), but I do carry my own equipment and have a big ‘Midwife on Call’ sign to hang on my dashboard when I am with a woman in labour! 

When a woman in my care goes into labour, they can call a midwife – they can call a midwife they know and they trust, who will be by their side until their baby is tucked up safely in their arms, who knows all about them and what is important to them.  That is Independent Midwifery – the recognised gold standard of care, a choice for women outside of the NHS.  And it is under threat.  Just as that 1950’s midwife is no longer recognisable, so too, might be Independent Midwives; EU directives, insurance issues, and a government failing to deliver on its promise to really offer choice are seeing to that.

So, women, mothers, midwives, fathers, grandparents – if you LOVE Call the Midwife like me, if you LOVE the idea of calling a midwife you know, if you LOVE the idea of care in the home being the norm, then make sure you make a call to your local MP and tell them that!

You can find out more about this issue by visiting www.northsurreymidwives.co.uk

Home Birth is for Hippies?

This was an original article I wrote a few years ago and felt it was relevant again.....

“I’m planning a Home Birth”. It amazes me that this simple, short statement can evoke such a torrent of emotion and be an area where people feel they have the right to comment on someone else’s choices; the phrase ‘you’re so brave’ springs to mind here. Yet without doubt, the discussions and thoughts around home birth bring to mind many powerful images, not least of ‘danger and emergency’, but for some, the image that the ‘sort of woman’ who may choose home birth, as being a slightly alternative, incense burning, ‘hippie’.

Home birth is not a new concept; home, since the time of (wo)man, has been the place where women birthed their babies. In the beginning, home was most likely to have been a sheltered cave, nestled on a hill-side somewhere, and over time has developed into the style of housing that we now know in the western world. Hospital as a place of birth however, is a fairly recent development in the time line of history and yet it has been culturally accepted as the safe place to give birth, even though study after study, report after report does not uphold this notion. Now, don’t get me wrong here; the advent of technology, obstetrics and the caesarean birth have played a hugely important role in making birth safe for both mother and baby – and we now experience very low rates of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. However, it is not exclusively through birth taking place in hospital that has lowered these rates so significantly, but the development of excellent antenatal care, drugs for the prevention of haemorrhage and infection, and the development of health professionals’ skills in recognising and managing emergency situations.

In an article in ‘The Times’ newspaper (May 09), journalist Melanie Reid launched a scathing attack on women who had or were planning home births: she labelled them as spoilt and complacent, insinuating that intelligent women choose hospital birth, and only ‘sandal-wearing' women (the hippie word again?) would choose home birth.

True? – far from it;

Factual? – indeed not;

Emotive? – yes and yes again.

Ms Reid is not alone however in voicing her opinion, and this is part of the problem for women who are considering home birth – the emotion that decision causes, the myths around home birth and the presumption of ‘safety’ deter many women from pursuing, what is in fact, a very normal, very safe choice.

I had my third baby at home; it was a well-researched, informed, intelligent decision. I met some opposition along the way, but on the whole felt well supported and confident in this decision. No, it was not my ‘first baby’, but how I wish it had been! I had never truly considered home birth an option, after all I did not know anyone who had given birth at home. I had been born in hospital and I was not a sandal-wearing hippie. Why on earth would I want a home birth? Well after experiencing two less than positive hospital births, I felt instinctively that there had to be another way. And there was, and it was fantastic – hard work – but empowering, positive, and ‘uniquely normal’.

The home birth rate in the UK is around 2%, but in parts of the UK the home birth rate is a staggering 50%! In areas where the home birth rate exceeds the average, there are some telling trends in the way maternity care is delivered: midwives actively offer home birth throughout pregnancy and discuss it in an open, friendly manner; women share positive stories of their home birth experiences - giving other women confidence in their own ability to give birth; and women are attended at home, in labour, by a midwife (they often know) and make the final decision on the big day itself! This gives them the freedom to see how they are feeling and coping, knowing that they will be well supported by the midwife, by family and birth supporters, whatever their decision. I would challenge anyone to categorise all those women as hippies.

The DoH has aims to increase the home birth rates for women to experience real choice within maternity services; of course this is still to be delivered and is an ongoing issue for most women.   Following the inception of the NHS it took national campaigns to persuade women to give birth in hospital, needing continual reassurances of cleanliness (hospitals were previously associated with mortality due to infection – very different from now?), and the influential offer of 10 days rest and food. The stark reality in the UK at present is that hospital birth no longer comes with the benefit of complete rest – women are encouraged to leave as quickly as possible due to the high demand for beds (at home you get your own bed); NHS trusts are stretched to capacity with midwife shortages on the labour ward (at home you get your own midwife); and the caesarean section rate is spiralling out of control (planning a home birth halves the chance of you needing a caesarean section).

Hospital is the perfect place for giving birth for the woman who may need additional obstetric care, who may need paediatric care for her new baby or who may not have the support in place to have her baby at home – and no one ever seems to feel the need to comment on those decisions. Next time someone says to you “I’m planning a home birth”, take a closer look; I expect you will find a normal woman, making a normal choice, planning to have a normal birth in the perfect place for her. And not a ‘hippie’ in sight!

Even a future Queen to be is still ‘just’ a Mother to Be.

The exciting news was announced that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their first baby; whilst the Duchess recovered from Hyperemesis Gravidarum (a debilitating acute from of morning sickness) and amidst all the excitement and media hype, was the devastating outcome of the ‘prank call’ and the everlasting ripples from the fall-out:  not the most positive start to a pregnancy for any couple, yet alone a couple who are prominently held in the public eye.

So what next for the Royal Couple? Well, just like any other new parents-to-be, before any of the screening, bloods, ultrasound, place of birth, type of birth choices they make, they might like to consider who they invite to care for them; they may choose to have their care with a private obstetrician, or they may choose to use their local NHS system, or they may seek a known midwife to support them in their pregnancy; but they do have a choice over all of these.   Essentially, having someone to talk to might make negotiating all those choices a little easier!

If I was Kate’s midwife (as her midwife, I would call her Kate, and she may call me Angela), I would spend time with her talking through her options; in-between appointments (that would be in her own home, and at convenient times, with appointment times that William could also come to) I would encourage her to read widely; some books I might suggest to her would include ‘Ina May's Guide to Childbirth’, Childbirth without Fear: The Principles and Practice of Natural Childbirth ’ and ‘What Every Parent Needs to Know: The incredible effects of love, nurture and play on your child's development’, as well as giving her up to date information on nutrition, screening and normal pregnancy ailments.   (I did google pregnancy books for Royalty, but it just found the Royal Free in Hampshire!)  We would drink tea together, share concerns, and build a trusting relationship, and she would feel secure in knowing that she would be well supported in her choices, and that on the big-day, someone she knew would be at her side when her baby was born.

This type of midwifery care enables women to really make choices; we also know that they are more likely to have a normal healthy pregnancy, a  normal straightforward birth, more likely to establish breastfeeding, and less likely to experience postnatal depression.   Pretty compelling reasons as to why one-to-one midwifery care is so important, and why it is essential that women know that this is the care they should receive as the norm, that they should be shouting loudly for, and that shouldn’t only be open to those whose NHS trust is forward thinking, or those who can engage an Independent Midwife like myself, and whose way of working is under threat.

The hype around the beginning of The Duke and Duchess’s pregnancy will hopefully settle and they will be able to look forward to the next 8 months or so (albeit it being very much the talk of the nation).   Expecting a baby, is for most people, a joyful, exciting event;  but every woman, whether it’s her first, second or subsequent baby, may still have the same anxieties, the same pregnancy complaints’ and may have to make some of the same choices that other mothers will – even if she is a future Queen!