My journey to midwifery

My midwifery journey began back in 2018. At the time, I was a stay-at-home (SAHM) mum to three kids under 6, and as much as I loved them, the SAHM life was not for me (which is absolutely OK to admit!).

With my youngest about to start nursery, I found myself at a crossroads - either go back to school to chase my dream career or find another soul destroying admin job that I knew I'd hate (the irony of the admin involved in midwifery is not lost on me, trust me!).

So, in a moment of madness, I applied to college in August 2018 and somehow bagged a place starting the next month! Fast forward to July 2019, and I'd completed my access course with a distinction and secured my spot at university to study midwifery. If I thought juggling three young kids, a home, a marriage, and a full-time college course was hard... I had no idea what was coming next!

They say it takes a village, and they are absolutely right. The next three years were a blur of 37 hour weeks, day and night shifts, theory blocks, essays, research, tears, tantrums (from me) and little sleep. I've said it before, but I have the best village - I really couldn't have done it without my brilliant husband, family and friends' emotional and physical support. At times, the only thing that kept me going was the thought of having a picture with my husband and kids on graduation day and finally, in February 2023, I graduated with a first-class honours degree and got my picture!

I bagged a job with the NHS Trust I trained at, and swapped my white student tunic and badge for a blue dress and a yellow "hello my name is..." badge (iykyk), ready for the next chapter. I spent my first year rotating across the maternity floor - delivery suite, maternity ward, triage. I won the "rising star" award, I laughed, I cried, burned out, reduced my hours (and then reduced them again to find some balance), and eventually completed my preceptorship and rotated out of the hospital into the community.

Community midwifery taught me so much. I learned to trust my autonomy, deepen my clinical skills and build proper, meaningful relationships with the families I supported. I discovered what I truly loved about midwifery. And honestly? If maternity services were in better shape, for both families and midwives alike, I'd have happily stayed a community midwife forever.

BUT...I've never been one to sit on the fence.

I'm incredibly passionate about antenatal education and postnatal care. I know how much of a difference it makes, and I know that the current NHS simply doesn't allow us to provide this care in the way that truly supports families and respects midwifery expertise.

So earlier this year, I took the leap! I gave up my NHS contract and set out to offer these services independently. It's been a hard slog - I won't lie. I had no idea how tough starting a business would be! But I'm determined, I'm dedicated, and I believe in this work with every fibre of my being.

I've kept a bank contract to keep my clinical skills sharp and stay up to date with local policies and training, but I'm now finally getting to be the midwife I always dreamed of being. I'm excited to see where this journey takes me next and I'm ready to face it head on.