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Clearing up the myths around independent midwifery, so you can understand your choices with confidence.
Independent Midwifery:
Myths vs Facts
There’s still a lot of confusion about what independent midwifery actually involves.
From qualifications and NHS care to home birth, costs and even the difference between an independent midwife and a private midwife, there are plenty of misconceptions out there.
Over my 12 years as a midwife, working both within the NHS and independently, I’ve heard pretty much every misconception there is.
And sometimes those misconceptions can stop women from exploring care that might actually be right for them.
So, let’s separate some of the myths from the facts.
Myth 1: Independent midwives aren't properly qualified or regulated
Fact: Independent midwives are registered midwives
Independent midwives practising in the UK are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), just like midwives working within the NHS.
We work to the NMC’s professional standards, maintain our registration and ongoing professional development, and must have appropriate professional indemnity arrangements for the care we provide.
The difference isn't that independent midwifery sits outside professional regulation.
The difference is the way your care can be provided.
Working independently gives me something that can be incredibly difficult to achieve in a stretched maternity system: time.
Time for longer appointments. Time to get to know you. Time to talk through your options properly. And, most importantly for many of the women I care for, continuity with the same midwife.
Myth 2: A private midwife and an independent midwife are the same thing
Fact: The terms are often used interchangeably, but they can mean different things
This is probably one of the biggest areas of confusion when women first start looking into private maternity care.
A private midwife may work for a private maternity company, private hospital or larger midwifery service. You are paying privately for your care, but the midwife providing that care may be employed by, contracted to, or working as part of that organisation.
An independent midwife works independently of the NHS and typically runs their own practice, either as a sole trader or through their own limited company.
That’s how I work.
Guided By You Midwifery is my independent midwifery practice. When you enquire, you’re enquiring with me. When we have your appointments, they’re with me. I get to know you, your pregnancy, your history, your preferences and the things that matter to you.
I do have professional backup arrangements in place because safe independent practice means having appropriate support should it ever be needed.
But the relationship we build throughout your care is very much at the heart of how I work. From our first conversations and antenatal appointments through to birth and those important early weeks with your baby, you have the reassurance of being cared for by a midwife who already knows you, your history, your preferences and what matters to you.
If continuity is one of the reasons you’re considering private maternity care, it’s worth asking what that continuity will actually look like.
Who will provide your antenatal appointments? Who will be on call when you go into labour? Who will support you after your baby is born
For me, that’s one of the things that makes independent midwifery so special.
You’re not simply choosing private maternity care. You’re choosing your midwife.
Myth 3: If I have an independent midwife, I can't use the NHS
Fact: You can have independent midwifery care alongside NHS maternity care
Choosing an independent midwife doesn't mean you have to turn your back on the NHS.
Many of the women I support remain booked with their local NHS maternity service while receiving independent care from me.
Your individual arrangements will depend on your circumstances and preferences, but NHS services can continue to play an important role, for example for scans, investigations, specialist or obstetric input and hospital care where required.
I spent many years working within the NHS myself. Independent midwifery isn't about being against NHS care.
For me, it's about adding something women tell me they really value: continuity, time and genuinely personalised support.
Myth 4: Having an independent midwife means I have to give birth at home
Fact: You don't have to have a home birth
I absolutely love supporting home birth, and it is an important part of my practice.
But independent midwifery and home birth aren't the same thing.
I also support women planning hospital births who want the reassurance of having a midwife they already know alongside them.
And you don't necessarily need to have decided where you want to give birth when you first contact me.
Sometimes that decision develops during pregnancy as we talk, explore your options and work out what feels right for you.
My role isn't to persuade you to have my version of a good birth.
It's to help you feel informed, supported and confident making decisions about your birth.
Myth 5: Home birth with an independent midwife is unsafe
Fact: A planned home birth with an independent midwife can be a safe and supported option
If, after considering your individual circumstances, home birth is a suitable option for you within NHS maternity care, choosing to plan your home birth with a qualified, NMC-registered independent midwife does not change that.
I am a registered midwife, and I work to the same NMC professional standards that I worked to throughout my years in the NHS. The setting I work in may have changed, but my responsibility to you and your baby has not.
For many women with uncomplicated pregnancies, planned home birth can be a safe and appropriate choice. Of course, no birth setting is completely without risk, whether you choose to give birth at home, in a midwifery-led unit or in hospital.
This is where having time together throughout your pregnancy becomes so valuable.
We can talk properly about what a home birth might look like for you. We can discuss the benefits and risks, your individual circumstances, what matters to you, what equipment I'll bring, who will be there and what will happen when labour begins.
We also talk about what we would do if circumstances changed.
Planning for the possibility of transferring to hospital doesn't mean we're expecting your home birth not to go to plan. It's simply part of thoughtful, safe midwifery care. If you or your baby needed care that couldn't be provided safely at home, we would discuss what was happening and make a plan for transfer where appropriate.
And because we've spent your pregnancy getting to know each other, those conversations aren't happening between strangers.
You know me. I know you. I know your pregnancy, your history, your preferences and what's important to you.
If something changes, I'm still there beside you, helping you understand what's happening and supporting you as the plan evolves.
Choosing a home birth doesn't mean choosing comfort over safety.
Good home birth care is about bringing together safety, preparation, informed choice and the comfort of giving birth in your own space with a midwife you know and trust.
Myth 6: Independent midwifery is only for uncomplicated, low-risk pregnancies
Fact: Women seek independent care for all sorts of reasons and with many different complexities
Some of the women who contact me have straightforward pregnancies.
Others come to me precisely because their previous experience or current circumstances mean they want more time to understand their options.
That can include women considering a vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC), a home birth after caesarean (HBAC), or choices that sit outside local maternity recommendations.
That doesn't mean risk disappears because you've chosen independent care.
It means we have the time to discuss your individual circumstances properly, look at the evidence and guidance relevant to you, explore benefits and risks, involve other professionals where appropriate, and make a genuinely informed plan together.
You remain the person making decisions about your body and your care.
My job is to make sure you have the information and support you need to make those decisions.
Myth 7: It's either completely private or completely NHS
Fact: Independent midwifery can be much more flexible than that
You don't necessarily have to choose between full private maternity care and no private care at all.
Some women choose continuity throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.
Others may want antenatal support but plan to give birth within NHS services.
Some are perfectly happy with their NHS pregnancy and birth care but know they want additional postnatal support once their baby arrives.
And some women simply book a one-off appointment because they want time with an experienced midwife to talk through something that's worrying them.
There isn't one correct way to use independent midwifery.
That's why, when someone contacts me, I would much rather hear about what you actually need before deciding what care might suit you.
Myth 8: Independent midwifery is only for wealthy families
Fact: Independent midwifery is a significant investment, and I think it's important to be honest about that
Private maternity care costs money because you're paying for professional expertise, time, availability and continuity that would otherwise be extremely difficult to provide on an individual basis.
But women prioritise their maternity care for many different reasons.
For some, it's their first pregnancy and they know from the beginning that continuity matters enormously to them.
For others, the decision comes after a difficult previous pregnancy or birth experience.
Some don't want full pregnancy and birth care at all. They choose a smaller package or additional postnatal support instead.
I also offer payment plans because I know spreading the cost can make independent care more manageable.
There should never be pressure or embarrassment around this conversation.
I will always be transparent about what my care costs and what is included so you can decide whether it's right for you.
Myth 9: Private medical insurance automatically pays for an independent midwife
Fact: It depends on your policy
Some private medical insurance policies may contribute towards certain maternity-related services, while others don't.
Where reimbursement is available, you may need to pay for your independent care directly and then claim eligible costs back from your insurer.
Always speak to your insurance provider before assuming something will be covered. Ask exactly what your policy includes, how reimbursement works and what documentation they will need.
I'm happy to provide appropriate paperwork relating to the care you've received where required.
Myth 10: The biggest difference is simply getting longer appointments
Fact: Longer appointments are lovely, but continuity is the part women often tell me mattered most.
Imagine reaching the end of your pregnancy and not having to introduce yourself and your history again.
Your midwife already knows what you're frightened of.
She knows what happened during your previous birth.
She knows what you've spent months discussing.
She knows your partner.
She knows what matters to you.
And you've had time to build trust in each other before labour even begins.
Then, after your baby is born, that relationship doesn't suddenly disappear.
For me, that is the heart of independent midwifery.
It's not about making pregnancy more medical or having an expensive version of NHS care.
It's about bringing the relationship between a woman and her midwife back to the centre of maternity care.
So, is an independent midwife right for everyone?
No
And I would never pretend otherwise.
Some women have a wonderful experience with NHS maternity care and don't feel they need anything additional.
Others may only want support at a particular stage.
But if you're pregnant and finding yourself thinking, “I just want one person who knows me, has time for me and will actually be there,” then independent midwifery may be worth exploring.
You don't need to know exactly what package you want.
You don't need to have decided where you're giving birth.
And you certainly don't need to arrive with all the answers.
That's what ours conversation are for.
If you'd like to find out what having your own independent midwife could look like for you, get in touch with Guided By You Midwifery and we can have a chat about your pregnancy, what's important to you and the kind of support you're looking for.