I am no longer a Registered Midwife. I left the Nursing and Midwifery register in 2021.

I started my training to become a Nurse in 1984, and qualified as a Registered General Nurse (R.G.N) in 1987.

As a Registered General Nurse (RGN) I worked in a variety of areas including National Health Service (NHS) hospitals, a children’s home for those with special needs, on location during TV shoots, and many years of occupational health nursing. My long nursing career added to my midwifery practice with an added depth of knowledge, which enhances the holistic care I provide. My clients have found this invaluable, particularly when an existing illness is combined with pregnancy or childbirth.

In 1988 I started my midwifery training, and in 1989 I qualified as a Registered Midwife (R.M). 

My midwifery career started in a large obstetric hospital where we practiced active management of labour (thankfully we know better now!).  I left midwifery in 1990 to raise a family of my own, returning to nursing, as an occupational health nurse whilst my children were small. I completed a return to midwifery practice programme in 2002 when my youngest started school, then worked for 3 years in a co-located midwife-led unit, where I learnt about waterbirth, physiological third stage, and supporting natural births. I attended my first homebirth, and was hooked on supporting normal physiology.

I was an Independent Midwife from 2005 to 2021. It really opened my mind to supporting families with complex needs and requirements. I learned so much more about not cutting the umbilical cord prematurely, lotus births, attachment parenting, co-sleeping, Breech birth and VBAC skills. After becoming an Independent Midwife I had an even greater belief in women, and birthing people’s ability to birth their babies. My range and depth of knowledge has dramatically increased by working with strong-minded families, and many learned midwifery colleagues including Mary Cronk MBE, and Andrea Drombrowe.


Other Studies

1994 I gained a RSA certificate in counselling skills, and a GCSE in child development.

1999 I studied for a Diploma of Higher Education (Dip H. Ed) in antenatal teaching for the NCT. I gained my diploma in 2002.

In 2020 I became an accredited Rewind technique practitioner

2020 I gained a certificate in counselling skills

2022 I am currently studying for a qualification in Integrative Baby Therapy.


Another important part of my education was visiting “The Farm” in Tennessee in 2002 to find out why their clients are so good at giving birth. It was good to learn from Ina May Gaskin and her colleagues that a woman or birthing person’s belief that they can give birth, combined with the midwife’s belief in them, turns into a positive feedback loop, which makes a huge difference to birth outcomes. Midwives believing in the natural process, and not interfering unnecessarily has contributed to their amazing birth statistics as published in her book Spiritual Midwifery.

Ina May Gaskin and Joy Horner

I continue to keep updated by reading midwifery journals and studies, and attend and speak at many study days and conferences each year to be able to share balanced information. I really enjoy meeting with other birth workers and sharing experiences as part of ongoing reflective practice too.

“I learn something new with each family I care for and will never stop learning.”


Memberships:

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) retired member.

Association of Radical Midwives. (ARM)