The Southwest Indie Midwife

🌼🌸 THE GOLDEN HOUR 🌸🌼

You might have heard of it, but why is it so important?

From a physiological perspective it's exactly where babies should be. The immediate nurturing instinct in an undisturbed birth is to pick your baby up and put them on your chest.

But whatever kind of birth you have, you can reap all the benefits for you and baby by delaying any weighing, measuring or disturbance of you and your baby (unless there is a medical emergency) until at least an hour after your baby has been born.

Benefits for babies are....

Thermoregulation
Blood sugar stabilisation
Heart rate regulation
Breathing regulation
Early feeding
Bonding
Microbiome seeding
Oxytocin floods both mum and baby during this time which is very soothing and calming for both of you.

Benefits for mums are...

Bonding
Early breastfeeding initiation
Increase in milk supply
Reduction in chance of bleeding heavily after the birth (PPH)
Helps in the birth of your placenta
Those baby head sniffs really get the cocktail of hormones flooding your body ready to nurture and protect your baby
Reduction in likelihood of postnatal depression

Research has shown that this early time spent with your baby is very special for all the reasons above and more.

If everything is well, there is no rush to do anything other than get to know your beautiful new baby.

If you're interested in a pregnancy, birth and postnatal journey that is physiology focussed then get in touch

☎️ 07932048540

📩 [email protected]

🔗 www.indiemidwife.co.uk

🫶

🌼 TRAUMA INFORMED CARE 🌼

I believe that everyone has the right to receive trauma informed care.

This means care is respectful of past experiences without demanding disclosure.

It is kind and compassionate

Consent is a two way process and is dynamic. You have the right to withdraw your consent or decline anything at anytime and I will be respectful of this. Care is free of coercian

Empathetic to your needs

Respectful to your beliefs, identity and things that are important to you, whether that's religion, LGBTQIA or anything else!

Relationship based care which fosters trusting bonds to allow you to feel safe

All of this underpins SAFE care. Both physically and psychologically. This means communication is two way and you will ALWAYS be listened to.

Interested in receiving this kind of care?

Get in touch and let's see how we can make it work

And remember

I will always be by your side and on your side 🫶

✨ TOMORROW WE CELEBRATE HOMEBIRTH✨

I can't believe it's here already! Tomorrow we gather to watch a beautiful film about homebirth.

The space is going to be FILLED with oxytocin!

There are tickets still available if you want to come find out all about why you might choose homebirth or independent midwifery or both 💖

Link in stories

✨ DIARY OPEN FOR FEBRUARY BABIES✨

Are you thinking about your care options and how to make your pregnancy & birth a positive and empowering experience.

I micro caseload so there is super limited availability for birth clients each month.

Take a look at my website for more information or get in touch to find out more.

☎️ 07932048540

📩 [email protected]

www.indiemidwife.co.uk

Hi I'm Mel the The Southwest Indie Midwife

I'm an independent, private midwife providing midwifery services in Devon & Cornwall.

I'm an expert in homebirth and physiological birth and I can support you to have a pregnancy that looks a little bit different to NHS care.

What you get with me ....

All appointments in your own home lasting on average 1-2 hrs

Enhanced appointment schedule, I'll see you at least 50% more during pregnancy and 80% more postnatally than the NHS.

Use of a birth pool, TENS machine and gas & air all included in my fees

On call for you from 37 weeks until you birth your baby, I can offer you guaranteed access to homebirth services. This means no risk of the NHS not being able to support your place of birth choices

I am trained in aromatherapy, biomechanics & hypnobirthing to support you holistically through pregnancy and labour.

I am trained in all obstetric emergencies and complete all the same emergency training as NHS midwives. I carry the same kit and emergency equipment too.

I have full indemnity insurance to ensure peace of mind and fulfill my legal obligations.

Bespoke & tailored packages available to suit your stage in pregnancy and needs.

Get in touch for a free no obligation consultation to see how booking an independent midwife can be a life changing investment for your whole family 🫶

☎️ 07932048540

📩 [email protected]

Insta

www.indiemidwife.co.uk

Beautiful image with thanks to Robyn & Marc for allowing me to share images of their beautiful homebirth

IMPORTANT!! THIS STILL NEEDS TO SELL JUST 6 TICKETS TO GO AHEAD!

Only 17 days until this wonderful film is screened but it still needs 6 tickets to sell by TOMORROW to go ahead!

Please share share share, this is a one off opportunity to come and see a beautiful film all about Homebirth and why it matters deeply!

Can you make it? Comment below if you are coming and share, share, share to ensure it happens. 🫶

https://tickets.demand.film/event/12898

Excited to be at this on 18th July!

We are so excited for our FHQ launch event in just under 1 month's time!

If you are pregnant or a new mum interested in finding out who is out there to support you in your journey through motherhood, this one is for you.

Local businesses joining us include:

Pilates with Cassie
Wilsmore Physiotherapy
Yemaya - Birth, Baby & Wellbeing
RB Fitness
Active Mums Plymouth
Jemma Jones The Wellbeing Dietitian
Think Change Hypnotherapy
The Southwest Indie Midwife@
WaterBumps
Feed and Nourish - Infant Feeding Support
The Livewell Perinatal Mental Health Team

It's going to be an action packed and informative morning.

Check out our Instagram page

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Kate and Cassie

✨HOMEBIRTH & SAFETY✨

Because birth in hospital is now so normalised, many people come to Homebirth with a whole load of questions about safety

Time and time again, when comparisons are made between homebirth and hospital settings like labour wards, both women (& birthing people) and their babies remain safe. This is especially true if you are at low risk of complications in your pregnancy and are otherwise fit and healthy, but may also be true if you have some additional risks in your pregnancy. More research is emerging regarding plus size pregnancy and VBAC which gives us more information.

The headlines are

Women & Birthing people are less at risk of complications and of interventions which may cause them harm

Babies have no compromise in their safety by being born at home, with statistics comparable to hospital birth.

So if you are unsure if homebirth is for you, definitely consider it as an option. made the above slides and is an excellent place to start for evidence based information that is explained in plain English.

And if you want to chat about Homebirth with me, an experienced homebirth midwife who works independently from the NHS but always collaboratively to ensure you and your baby's safety, then message/DM/ email and we can have a chat.

IMPORTANT! This event needs to sell 15 tickets by THIS Friday to go ahead!

Please share as much as you can and buy your tickets. It will be so disappointing if this can't go ahead.

I need to sell 15 tickets by Friday otherwise it will be cancelled

I know it's a little while before it's on, but please share share share to try and get this over the line so it can go ahead.

Link in Bio and in stories 🙏✨🙏✨🙏✨

Come join the to find out all about hypnobirthing and antenatal education. This is no nonsense hypnobirthing, it's science not fluff!

Midwife Led 4 part classes over 4 weeks to empower you and your birth partner to head in to labour and birth confident and fearless

Reframe birth and reset your mind to look forward to labour (yes I did say look forward to!)

Interactive classes where you can learn about your body, your birth and the magical science of hypnobirthing, biomechanics and your birth rights

Walk away with a birth plan for every eventuality and the skills to tackle change so you can carry on and birth fearlessly however that looks

This course is suitable for any and every kind of birth

Taking the hippie out of hypnobirthing and giving you power to understand your choices

✨PREGNANCY ✨

Our bodies are incredible! We can grow an entire baby in just 9ish months. Nature's best magic trick and as a midwife still blows my mind!

But pregnancy also is a time of huge vulnerability, softening, looking inward and finding yourself in a sea of choices and other people suddenly telling you what to do and having an opinion on you body, bump and all the choices you are making.

Investing in me as your Independent Midwife means you have a professional friend by your side helping you navigate pregnancy.

I can help you navigate the choices you have, the evidence around those choices and how that might affect you. I can be your safe harbour, the person you can turn to feeling unsure.

I promise to give you a judgement free space, to listen, to not give you opinion or tell you what to do.

I promise to provide safe and evidenced based care where we have time to talk, unpick and explore all of your options.

What I promise to do is provide help understanding your choices in a way that is meaningful to you. To know your own power, so that making those choices feels comfortable and you feel assured in your choices.

I want you to have an empowering and positive journey and I want you to feel like you had choice and control. That way you can go forward in to that fourth trimester with your baby feeling confident to navigate new parenthood 💪

DM/Whatsapp/call if you want to find out more about booking me as your Independent Midwife.

BORN AT HOME 11th July at 6pm

A film that is a love letter to homebirth and essential viewing for anyone who works with birth or is planning to birth at home.

Come bathe in an oxytocin filled night with the opportunity to ask me 'The Southwest Indie Midwife' any homebirth questions after the screening.

This event needs 40 tickets sold in order to go ahead and the deadline for this is the 7th June so if you were thinking about coming please reserve your ticket now

Link here and in stories

https://tickets.demand.film/event/12898

If you need breastfeeding support Plymouth Latch On Groups are phenomenal. These are drop in style so don't worry if you don't get there for the start time. A brilliant resource 💞

💫 CHILDREN AT BIRTH 💫

🌠 I have been at many many births where siblings have been present. Only last week I was poking a placenta with a curious 8 year old who had just witnessed his mum give birth in their living room.

🌠 Many have an initial reaction of not wanting children there. What if it scares them. Birth is surely terrifying for children to see?!

🌠 But my experience has always been the exact opposite. Children view birth with wonder, fascination and love the gross stuff, the funny stuff and the bodily function stuff. I have seen 3 year old stroke their mamas head and utter soothing words of encouragement as she birthed her baby on the bathroom floor.

🌠 Children also get bored, self limit, go off and play and then come back to the birth space if they want to. Toddlers playing Peppa Pig with grandma in the room next door springs to mind.

🌠 Having a safe person and space for children is important. This allows them to self regulate what they want to be involved with and to have their needs met.

🌠 But children don't approach birth with fear. They are an open book, they haven't been exposed to the media portrayals of birth that seed fear. Children being present at birth actually reseeds some of those ideas about birth, in all its wild, noisy, messy, powerful and calm iterations.

🌠 And that moment when they first meet their new brother or sister, talk about oxytocin rush!

Would you have your children there for your birth?

Photo credit

This is a wonderful peer led group to find out more about why homebirth is a wonderful, safe and evidenced based place to birth your baby. Come along to find out more, or if you've had a homebirth share your stories to spread the oxytocin 💫

💚 Home Birth Support Group

💚 Every last Thursday of the month (May only will be the penultimate Thursday, 23rd - more details to follow)
💚 @ WOW Centre, Plympton
💚 6:30-8:30 pm

💚 This is an informal group for anyone interested in having their baby at home. Aiming to empower parents and give them confidence to have a home birth, and is run by volunteer parents who have experienced home births.

💚 It's a place to discuss practical advice, hints and tips, and provide emotional support. There is free parking and refreshments.

💚 Send us a message if you want to join us, or for any more info! We look forward to seeing you 🤰🏼🤰🏻🤰🏽🤰🏾🤰🏿

✨ SCREENING ALERT ✨ BORN AT HOME ✨

Come and watch the beautiful homebirth documentary at on July the 11th 2024 at 6pm

This is a one off screening

There will be the opportunity for a short Q&A session after the screening where you can ask me - an independent homebirth midwife - any questions about homebirth and the film.

✨Come bathe in the oxytocin ✨ and find out why homebirth matters 💞

*This event needs to sell 40 tickets to go ahead 🤞

https://tickets.demand.film/event/12898
film

A little about me!

🌞I'm Mel, I've been a midwife for 9 years but been involved in the birth and breastfeeding world for about 18 years!I've wanted to be a midwife for most of my adult life, a real dream come true career.

🌞 I'm 40 years old and have 3 kids - my eldest is soon to be 18, middle is 16 and my youngest is 5 - currently teaching one to read, one is doing GCSEs and the other is off to Uni in September 🤯 I also have a cockapoo called Bodhi who is 7 years young and very floofy! I'm married to my wonderful husband John who I could not do this without, often to be seen picking up kids at short notice 💞

🌞 I'm passionate about being your advocate and supporting your choice. My speciality is definitely in promoting and supporting physiological birth. I'm leaving the NHS, but my current role is as Midwifery Care Lead and a labour ward coordinator.

🌞 I love to do adventurous things, surfing, running half marathons and going for beautiful walks on Dartmoor or on the South West Coast path to name just a few

🌞 My friends all call me an eco w*nker as I can often be seen on my little cargo bike - we commute to school come rain or shine like this with my youngest! I'm also very experienced in real nappies and have used reusables for all 3 of my kids and baby wearing. I will try and provide sustainable care to you, so don't be surprised if I turn up on my bike for a visit! 🤣

🌞 I'm in to relational midwifery and relational parenting. Finding our primative selves and how we respond to things as primates really resonates with me. This may sound weird, but all the buzz of modern lives inhibits our true selves to birth and to parent. As Ina May Gaskin says - find your monkey!

🌞 I'm a massive birth nerd

🌞 I'm a trauma informed practitioner and really want to support you to feel safe in my care.

🌞 I'm so excited to be stepping in to Independent Midwifery!A dream I wasn't sure I could attain. I'm sad that I can't remain in the NHS but I've been trying to change things from within for a very long time. IM life will allow me to be my true authentic self and really support families in their journey 💞

Thanks to for the idea.

DM/WhatsApp/email if you're interested in how I can support you in your journey. 🔗 In my bio.

Choosing an independent midwife may not have been something you have thought about. Why pay for something when you can have that service for free on the NHS. But what you get on the NHS isn't comparable to what you would get with me. The NHS operates as a system, what I specialise in, is relational care.

✨ All appointments in your home, at a time to suit you, each one lasting 1-2hrs.
✨ Guaranteed access to your homebirth if that's your chosen place of birth, no staff shortages here! I will be on call for you from 37 weeks until you birth your baby
✨ Expert homebirth care. I'm very experienced with caring for families at home and will truly advocate for your choices whilst maintaining safe care for you and your baby.
✨ Access to antenatal education as part of your care package. I am trained in hypnobirthing, aromatherapy, biomechanics & breastfeeding. I can guide you through your journey into new motherhood feeling calm and confident in your choices.
✨ Postnatal care that will nurture you into the fourth trimester. Think daily visits for at least the first week and appointments in your home lasting 1-2 hrs.
✨ Continuity of care. This is an evidenced based, proven package of care that will improve outcomes for you and your baby. Seeing the same midwife throughout means we can form a trusting relationship and you don't have to tell your story more than once
✨ Trauma informed approach to care, we can work through previous birth experiences to foster a positive and empowering experience.

This is just touching on what you get with me!

✨ Diary open for autumn 🍂 🍁 births ✨

DM or click through to my page for contact email & WhatsApp.

Free initial consultation to see if I am the right fit for you and your family, just get in touch!

✨ BIOMECHANICS ✨

What is it and how will it help you?

✨Biomechanics for pregnancy, labour and birth can be as simple as keeping upright and mobile in your labour. We are talking about helping you maximise your space in your pelvis and help the muscles, ligaments and fascia all work together in the beautiful way they are designed to!

✨Did you know that birthing in all fours opens up your pelvis by an extra 28% compared to being on your back!?

✨Sometimes biomechanics is helpful in pregnancy to encourage your baby to snuggle in to a lovely flexed head down position ready for labour. Sometimes babies might find this a bit tricky maybe because you have tight ligaments, an old injury means you unintentionally favour one side of your body more or we don't do enough moving around (think office job and lots of sitting!)

✨ Biomechanics can also be very helpful in labour. Maybe all of your surges are in your back, maybe you have had a long latent phase or maybe baby hasn't tucked their chin to chest quite enough to navigate those curves of your pelvis so labour is taking its time.

✨ When this happens there are a number of techniques and suggested movements we can work through to try and help you and your baby synchronise in labour. These are often really relaxing and helpful for you when working through your surges too!

✨If you book your care with me, we will start to work with Biomechanics from your mid pregnancy in to your third trimester. Optimising your movement to help baby tuck that chin to chest and get in a cosy head down position ready for birth.
✨I will then work with you in labour to continue to optimise where baby is, helping you both navigate those pelvic curves for a positive labour experience 💖

✨DM to book in for a no obligation free consultation and find out what having an Independent Midwife could bring to your pregnancy, labour, birth and postnatal period ✨

With thanks to for allowing me to share this image of an abdominal sifting session we did in the latent phase of labour and for the beautiful imagery

What do you need for a homebirth?

✨ In reality not much! You don't need a posh or spacious house, I've facilitated homebirths in studio flats! And you don't need to have a birth pool either.
✨ You do need some things to cover your furniture and carpet.....old waterproof decorating sheets and shower curtains work well.
✨Plenty of towels... Preferably some well worn ones rather than brand new as they are more absorbent and do a better job of drying!
✨ A space for the midwife to set up some kit, including a flat surface like a table with a changing mat on it as a neonatal resus area ( part of our just in case planning)
✨ Someone who can be present for other children and animals is usually a good idea as a just in case.
✨ Some postnatal clothes for you with knickers, bras and pads and some clothes and nappies for baby, baby hats and a blanket. Pop all of these in to a 'grab bag' so the essentials are easy to find or if a transfer to hospital is required.
✨ Other things that are nice to have....
✨A birth pool if you wish to use water
✨Tools to help keep you calm and in control.... ✨Hypnobirthing techniques and things to help keep you grounded.
✨Think your 5 senses and how you will ground yourself using these ...dark environments with twinkly lights, nice music, aromatherapy smells or massage and great snacks and drinks for nourishment.
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✨And of course an experienced homebirth midwife who will work with you, not against you. Supporting your preferences and allowing you to birth your baby in a trusting, calm and unhurried way. ✨

✨ Get in touch if you would like to chat about how I can support you with a calm and empowered homebirth✨

💖With thanks to for allowing me to share this beautiful photo of her own magical homebirth ( watch this space for that birth story) and to for capturing this so beautifully with her photography skills 💖