How an Independent Midwife Is Perceived by NHS Midwives at a Hospital Birth

This is written entirely from my own experience, over the last 3 years of supporting clients through hospital births. I can only speak of what I've seen and felt walking into maternity units as an independent midwife, but I've been asked a few times how an independent midwife is perceived by NHS midwives at a hospital birth, so I wanted to write it honestly, because I think it's a question people wonder about and don't always ask.

How an Independent Midwife Is Perceived by NHS Midwives at a Hospital Birth

I'm always made to feel welcome

Whether I'm attending a hospital in London, Essex or Hertfordshire when I walk onto a labour ward or into a birth centre to support my client and her partner, the staff have been genuinely lovely. I'm welcomed in, treated with respect, and included as part of the team around the bed rather than someone hovering at the edges. I know not everyone assumes that's how it is, so I wanted to express that this has been my genuine experience.

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I'm clear about my role from the moment I arrive

When I meet the NHS midwife caring for my client, I make a point of explaining my role straight away. I cannot work clinically within a hospital setting, and I'm honest about that. I explain that I'm there purely to advocate for and support my client and her partner. I'm a familiar, calm presence they already trust, and my goal is to help them feel informed and held throughout their labour and birth.

I'm not there to get in anyone's way. I'm not there to question the midwife's clinical decisions or tell her what she should be doing differently. My job is to support, not to supervise. I do however, ask necessary questions on my clients behalf, but always respectfully and at an appropriate time.

Sometimes the midwife will ask my opinion on something, and I'm always happy to give it, I'm careful to stay non-clinical. I can't administer any drugs, and I'm not the one making clinical decisions. But I am there to support my client, to help her understand what's normal and what's happening at each stage, and to be an extra pair of experienced eyes in the room.

Why I tell midwives about the birth story

I write a birth story for every client I support, and I always mention this to the midwife caring for us. I explain that it's not about her, it's a record of my client's birth, written for my client and her family to look back on. Because the midwife is such an important part of that story, I do include her name in it (with consent).

I've found that once midwives understand what I'm actually writing about, the worry that I'm writing about their clinical care disappears completely, and it often becomes something they're happy to be part of, because it means their care is remembered and valued too.

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The care my clients receive is genuinely excellent

Something I say often, and truly believe, is that when I support a client in hospital, that client receives fantastic care. I want to be really clear about what I mean by that. Every woman should receive fantastic care in labour, regardless of whether she has an independent midwife beside her or not. I believe the vast majority of NHS midwives, in my experience, give that level of genuine care as standard, every single time, to every woman they look after.

What I've noticed though, is that having continuity, a calm familiar face, and someone whose only job in the room is to focus entirely on the mother and her partner, seems to add something extra to an already excellent standard of NHS care. It's not that the care wouldn't be good without me there. It's that together, it becomes something really beautiful to witness.

I leave feeling grateful, every time

Honestly, I come away from hospital births feeling moved by how well my clients are cared for. There's something powerful about watching an NHS midwife and an independent midwife working alongside each other, different roles but both there for the same reason, wanting the best possible experience for the woman in front of us.

Get in touch, if you live in London, Essex or Hertfordshire and are considering continuity of care with an independent midwife, for support with a hospital birth. I'd love to hear from you!