When Will I Meet My Second Midwife?

One of the questions I get asked most often is about my second midwife, for both home births and hospital births, so I wanted to answer it properly here.

For every home birth I attend, regardless of whether it's your first baby or your fourth, I always call in a second midwife for a home birth. I don't bring them along from the start. I call them when I feel it's the appropriate time, taking travel time into account so they arrive when they're needed.

This isn't optional and it isn't something that only applies to first-time mums. It's simply part of how I practise, because it's the safest way to care for you and your baby once labour at home is established.

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Who Is My Second Midwife?

I work closely with three trusted midwives who regularly join me as a second midwife for a home birth. I know them well, we've worked together many times, and I'm completely confident in having any of them alongside me at a birth. Which one joins you depends on where you live. If you're in Essex, I'll bring the midwife I work with who's closest to you. The same goes for Hertfordshire or London. It means your second midwife isn't a stranger to me either, and that familiarity between us makes for a calmer, more coordinated birth for you.

When You'll Meet Your Second Midwife

You'll typically meet your second midwife around 36 weeks. How you meet them is up to you. Some clients like to meet in person, so they can put a name to a face before the day itself. Others are just as happy with a video call, and that works just as well.

Either way, this meeting isn't just a hello. It's for your second midwife to properly get to know what matters to you, what you'd like your birth to look and feel like, and any preferences or concerns for your birth.

By the time you go into labour, your second midwife isn't a stranger arriving at your door. They already know your birth plan and you've already said hello.

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What About Hospital Births?

For hospital births, a second midwife works a little differently. If it's your first baby, labour can sometimes go on for a long time, so for safety reasons I have a cutoff of 12 hours of being with you. In those cases, if you'd like to meet a second midwife in advance, we can arrange that at 36 weeks in the same way as for a home birth.

If I've been with you for 12 hours and your baby is showing signs of being born, I will, of course stay with you, however, If your baby isn't showing signs of being born yet, that's when I'll call in my second midwife to take over your care so I can rest, whether that's in my car, at the hospital, or at home if I'm nearby. When that happens, I'll always endeavour to make my way back to you before the birth if that's feasible.

If I have been with you for a long time, my second midwife may come to support after baby has been born to help with postnatal support, like helping with that first breastfeed, helping you into the shower or just to stay with you until you are transferred to the postnatal ward.

The same 12 hour safety cutoff applies to home births. If I've been with you for 12 hours or more, I'll call in my second midwife so I can rest at your house while they look after you, and I'll rejoin you again after I've had some sleep.

For second, third, and fourth babies, births are generally quicker, and in my experience a second midwife hasn't been needed for hospital births at that stage.

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Why This Matters to Me

Having a second midwife for a home birth means you're never without experienced support, and it means I can care for you properly without compromising on safety or rest. It's part of the continuity of care I offer at every stage, from the moment you first meet me to the moment your baby arrives.

If you have any questions about how this works for your own pregnancy, get in touch, I'd love to talk it through with you.

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