Debbie Hemmingway Debbie Hemmingway

Chloe’s home birth story

Chloe and Ollie welcomed their first baby at home, a decision they made with careful consideration and support from Independent Midwives. The couple had sought the expertise of experienced midwives to ensure a safe and positive birthing experience in the comfort of their own home.

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Debbie Hemmingway Debbie Hemmingway

Shelly’s incredible HBAC birth story

Read about Shelly’s fight with the NHS to be supported in her choice to birth her 2nd baby at home after her local trust had suspended their home birth service. The trust agreed to commission the services of Independent Midwives to support Shelly.

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Debbie Hemmingway Debbie Hemmingway

Feeling safe in your birth environment

I believe it is important that women are educated on the physiology and mechanisms of labour and birth, to understand the many complex processes that occur, in order for you to know what is happening to your body before, during and after birth.

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Debbie Hemmingway Debbie Hemmingway

Pregnancy and choice

From the start of your journey you will be faced with lots of decisions to make; antenatal care, screening tests, your diet, where and how to give birth, what to buy, how to feed your baby and the postnatal period…to name but a few. It can be mind boggling and daunting knowing what to do and where to find this information. You will have information thrown at you from every angle and from all well meaning friends and family. A lot of the information can be conflicting and confusing but there are also lots of reputable sources of information for you to access.

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Debbie Hemmingway Debbie Hemmingway

The fourth trimester

Postnatal care has for many years been termed the Cinderella service of maternity services. It is a time of immense physical & emotional changes where intense support is often needed and not received. Many women find this time very difficult, transitioning to motherhood whilst often feeling exhausted, in pain, overwhelmed and worried while meeting all of our new little humans needs 24/7.

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Debbie Hemmingway Debbie Hemmingway

Martha, Adam & baby Emil’s beautiful home birth story and why they chose an Independent Midwife

That’s what an independent midwife can give you- putting you, your baby and your family at the centre of things. To listen and trust you. To treat you as an intelligent individual and have confidence in your ability to just do it. For the price of a fancy holiday or an ok second hand car you can have hours and hours of personalised maternity care and the trust and expertise to have exactly the right birth for you. That’s fully worth it. 

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Debbie Hemmingway Debbie Hemmingway

The first 2 years of Independent Midwifery

Deciding to leave the security of a permanent job as a community midwife in the NHS wasn’t a quick or an easy decision to make but with the encouragement and support from my family and friends I knew it was the right step to make. Since making that decision in 2021 I haven’t looked back. It was without doubt the right decision for me and my family.

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