Choosing a private midwife for your pregnancy means you get to experience individualised care that is up-to-date and evidence-based in the comfort of your own home. All decisions about your care are made with you and tailored to your needs and preferences. A private midwife offers personal support and education throughout your pregnancy, continuous hands-on support and guidance through labour and birth, and postnatal monitoring and support through the postpartum period. According to this study of nearly 17,000 births in North America, women who planned a homebirth had better outcomes for their babies, low rates of intervention, low rates of caesarean birth and higher VBAC success rates.

Homebirthing with a qualified midwife is a safe option for women whose pregnancies are uncomplicated and full-term at the start of labour. For women and babies at higher risk of complications, hospital birth may be a safer option. Contact me for more information on what option is best for you. Further information on homebirth safety can be found by clicking on the following links: Is it Time to Ask Whether Facility Based Birth is Safe for Low Risk Women and Their Babies? Mapping the trajectories for women and their babies from births planned at home, in a birth centre or in a hospital in New South Wales, Australia, between 2000 and 2012 Maternal and perinatal outcomes by planned place of birth among women with low-risk pregnancies in high-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis Planned home birth: benefits, risks, and opportunities Planned private homebirth in Victoria 2000–2015: a retrospective cohort study of Victorian perinatal data Maternal and perinatal outcomes by planned place of birth in Australia 2000 – 2012: a linked population data study

You can absolutely have anyone you wish at your birth! It’s a good idea to have family/friends present who add a positive vibe to the birthing environment. As you get closer to having your baby, I will call the second (back-up) midwife who will assist me if there are any complications during the birth and early postpartum period.

Midwives are professionals who are trained to handle certain complications at home. We carry medical/emergency equipment and certain medications to use should the need arise. If something abnormal eventuates that is considered beyond the scope of practice for the midwife, it may be necessary to transfer to hospital. For this reason, it is encouraged that you book into your nearest hospital at the beginning of your pregnancy.

Birth is really not as messy as people think. If you prepare your home with lots of towels, your homebirth can actually be a very tidy event! Your midwives will leave your home in a tidier state than when they arrived.