I gave birth to my first child at the age of eighteen, by emergency caesarean section under general anaesthetic. I trained as an architect and during my degree I became pregnant with my second child.

I was fortunate enough to be put into contact with an independent midwife who made possible my son's birth at home. This experience changed my life forever, I was completely blown away by it. It seemed that home was by far the most appropriate place for this profound and yet somehow completely normal process to occur.

Years later, when the three year midwifery programme became available I retrained as a midwife.

I now have five children, four born at home after the poor quality birth of my eldest daughter, in hospital, with minimal midwifery input, despite being a normal, low risk mother.

For women, children and families, high quality midwifery care is quite simply one of the the most important foundation stones in life. In many parts of the country, NHS midwifery is either struggling or unable to provide this foundation to family life. It is therefore essential that we do everything possible to protect the future of independent midwifery: to safeguard choice and quality care for women, and to draw upon the many excellent examples of care it offers us as practitioners hoping to take forward a true midwifery model of care in the NHS. (midwife, clinical skills facilitator and mother of five)

I believe that women should have the choice.

I had an independent midwife and I believe that she saved my baby's life by taking action which I am not sure an NHS midwife would have taken. I was told by an NHS doctor that at 33.5 weeks I was just suffering back ache yet it transpired that the placenta had stopped working and the baby was only weighing 3lb 15oz and needed to be taken out urgently by c section.

My independent widwife luckily did not accept the NHS doctors diagonise of back ache - would an NHS widwife have accepted the diagnosis of her NHS colleague and done nothing? I won't ever know but I do believe that giving birth is one of the most important things a women will do and she should be able to decide what kind of care and delivery she would like and that is not always an option on the NHS. (ex-client)

Just to say I had an incredible first birth with 2 independent midwives and something I had underestimated prior to delivery was how important the aftercare was going to be, I had a number of feeding problems and having that support and advice available when I needed it was invaluable.

I am pregnant again and did not think twice about booking the same team again. I would seriously resent this choice not being available to me. (ex-client)

My first birth, which was described as normal in my medical notes, took place in hospital in the late 80’s, subject to the kind of aggressive management and cascade of intervention that was commonplace then and is still not unusual enough today!  I had my second, 14 years later and spent most of that pregnancy scared about the birth, until I read “Birth Your Way” by Sheila Kitzinger and began to consider a home birth.  

I am a midwife who is currently drowning in the NHS. I work only part-time, as there are only so many days a week you can sell your soul and still have enough energy left to make a difference in the conveyor belt system. I wholeheartedly support the work the IMA are doing in order to save true midwifery practice. Not only on the insurance front, but also in their proposal for the NHS Community Midwifery Model. These campaigns not only provide much needed choice to pregnant women, but also have the potential to solve the frustration and guilt many NHS midwives experience as we battle to provide decent care in our current climate.

Recruiting midwives is not the main problem, but retaining the 'right' ones most certainly is. Provide a system, which recognises and values the needs of midwives as well as those of women (Implement the NHS Community Midwifery Model & provide realistic affordable insurance) and the NHS might just find it itself swamped under the tidal wave of midwives rushing to get back into practice!

We are witnessing the devastating effects of the ‘cascade of intervention’. Well the time has come to turn it on its head and start spreading the word about the ‘cascade of good care’. It starts here, with the IMA and their campaigns. Act now while we still have something worth fighting for.

P.S I am currently sporting my new black t-shirt emblazened with the words "INDEPENDENT MIDWIVES, endangered species! (Taken from your flyers) Complete with web address. Know that there are plenty of NHS midwives that support your good work & we will fight with you for the rights of these women!

(NHS midwife) 

After horrific experience with birth of first child in NHS hospital (7 different midwives, some un-caring, no explanation of choices etc) we chose independent midwives for second child (Andrya P and Sue R).

The support we received and the care before, during and after the birth was fantastic - the birth experience was completely positive and had a huge impact on my confidence and ability as a mother.

We must be allowed choice, especially since so many of my friends can tell similar stories of unsatisfactory care in the NHS.

Birth is a natural process, not a medical issue - until the NHS can provide the care women are entitled to receive I resent the Government restricting our choices.

I would still choose to employ an independent midwife without insurance over the NHS.(ex-client)